Patents Assigned to Weber-Stephen Products Co.
  • Patent number: 6324998
    Abstract: An end bar for a barbeque grill cart is disclosed. The end bar is attached to a barbeque grill cart having a frame formed of a plurality of frame members, each of the frame members having a frame member wall defining an interior space with an interior dimension and having an open end, one open end of one of the frame members being in spaced adjacent relation to the open end of at least another of the frame members. The end cap has a bridging member and at least two projecting members, each with an outer dimension adapted to be received within the interior space of at least two of the frame members. The end bar optionally includes a pivot port for a pivot pin such that a folding shelf may be mounted. Alternatively, the end bar may include utensil mounting projections for hanging cooking utensils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: J. Michael Alden, Mark Johnson
  • Patent number: 6318356
    Abstract: A barbecue grill is claimed. The barbecue grill comprises a grill housing, a damper means, and an elongated handle. The grill housing has a bottom which extends around a vertical axis and an ash disposal opening positioned along its bottom. The damper means is for covering the ash disposal opening. The damper means includes a drive hub assembly rotatable about the vertical axis and has at least one damper body extending therefrom. The bottom of the grill housing has an aperture aligned with the vertical axis. The hub assembly is received into the aperture with an end portion of the hub assembly positioned below the bottom. The end portion includes a linearly aligned passageway having an entry keyhole. The elongated handle is positioned below the bottom of the grill housing. The handle has a proximal end and a distal end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Robert T. Stephen, Erich J. Schlosser
  • Patent number: 6308616
    Abstract: The present invention is a barbecue grill assembly having a frame with a work surface secured by a sliding mechanism, such as a sliding track assembly. The present invention alternatively provides a work surface being a slidable burner cover assembly for an auxiliary burner of a barbecue gas grill. The assembly includes a burner cover having a body portion disposed over the auxiliary burner in a closed position and a slide mechanism attached to the grill and the cover to allow the cover to be slidably moved from the closed position to a second position wherein the auxiliary burner is exposed from underneath the body portion of the burner cover. The slide mechanism also provides extended cantilever support for the work surface in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventor: Mark Johnson
  • Patent number: 6257130
    Abstract: A smoker attachment for heating and burning smoker particles in a barbecue grill, and further for dispersing the produced smoke throughout the grilling chamber of the grill. The smoker attachment includes a container having a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls defining an interior cavity. The smoker particles are heated in the interior cavity of the container. The smoker attachment further includes a duct member having an outer wall and a passageway extending through the duct member, and a plurality of openings about a length of the duct extending from the passageway through the outer wall. The passageway of the duct member associates with the interior cavity of the container to allow smoke produced in the container to flow out of the container, into the passageway of the duct member, and to exit the duct through the openings and into the chamber of the grill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventor: Erich J. Schlosser
  • Patent number: 6155248
    Abstract: An ash catcher assembly for catching and containing ash and debris that falls through openings in the bottom of a barbecue grill is disclosed. The ash catcher assembly includes a mounting member capable of being removably connected to the barbecue grill, and a basket secured adjacent a bottom of the mounting member. The mounting member has a body portion and at least two resilient connecting members. The resilient connecting members have a transverse tab adjacent an end thereof for interconnecting with the barbecue grill. Generally, the transverse tabs snap into mating openings of the barbecue grill for connecting the ash catcher assembly to the barbecue grill. The basket has an open top end, a closed bottom end, a side wall connecting the top end and the bottom end, and a cavity therein to hold the ash that falls from the kettle. Protrusions and a handle extending from the sidewall of the basket mate with corresponding components of the mating member for removably securing the basket to the mating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen
  • Patent number: 6148668
    Abstract: An apparatus for indicating the amount of fuel in a fuel tank for a barbecue grill is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first housing member having indicator marks on an indicator wall thereof, a second housing member slidably engaging the first housing member and further securing the fuel tank, and a spring member connected to the first and second housing members to provide a resistive force to oppose the downward movement force of the fuel tank. The second housing member has a gauge wall with openings such that the gauge wall at least partially overlies the indicator wall of the first housing member to progressively expose indicator marks through the openings. The exposed indicator marks provide a readout of the amount of fuel remaining in the fuel tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventor: Ewald Sieg
  • Patent number: 6131562
    Abstract: A removable gas manifold assembly for a gas grill having a manifold bracket and a gas manifold connected to the manifold bracket. The manifold bracket has a substantially horizontal portion thereto at each end thereof, respectively, defining engaging surfaces. The engaging surfaces slidingly engage support surfaces of support members connected to a frame of the gas grill. The manifold has a gas valve with an exit port which is adapted to be in fluid communication with an entry port of a burner of the gas grill when the manifold is operationally positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, James C. Stephen, J. Michael Alden
  • Patent number: 6102028
    Abstract: A smoker attachment for heating and burning smoker particles in a barbecue grill. The smoker attachment includes a housing having a side wall, end wall, and bottom wall fining a cavity therein. The bottom wall of the housing has a plurality of openings and the side walls have a plurality of corresponding cutouts adjacent the bottom wall such that the cutouts in the side walls cooperate with the openings in the bottom wall. The openings provide access to the cavity of the housing such that a conductive member within the barbecue grill is able to contact the housing adjacent the opening to position the housing within the bottom chamber of the barbecue grill. The conductive member further passes through the opening of the housing into the cavity of the housing to define a portion of the perimeter of the cavity for directly contacting and heating the smoker particles within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, Edna Schlosser, Robert T. Stephen
  • Patent number: 6102029
    Abstract: An improved burner assembly for use in a gas barbecue grill having a cooking chamber and a fuel supply is disclosed. The burner assembly includes a plurality of burners forming a burner grid with at least two of the burners defining a periphery of the grid and the remaining burners confined within the interior of the grid. The periphery burners are preferably designed with a plurality of openings which direct a flame toward a center vertical plane, while the interior burners preferably direct a flame, by placement of openings, in a substantially vertical direction. Additionally, the interior burner tubes are attached to a crossover tube via a keyed connecting mechanism which prevents improper connections or assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Weber Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Robert T. Stephen, Erich J. Schlosser, Edna Schlosser, Mohammed Shoeb
  • Patent number: 5941229
    Abstract: A barbecue grill including a cart with attached side work shelves is disclosed. The cart having a first frame with a plurality of vertical members joined by weldment to least an upper and lower first horizontal members, and a second frame with a plurality of vertical members joined by weldment to at least an upper and lower second horizontal members, and at least two transverse cross members joining the first frame in spaced relation to the second frame. The attachment of the side work shelves to a support member of the cart, including at least one generally vertical projection on either the support member or the work shelf, and at least one generally vertical receiver on the other, whereby the projection and receiver cooperatively dimensioned such that the projection is removably inserted in the receiver to provide cantilever support of the work shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Weber Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: 5934183
    Abstract: The grills (10,1010,1011) disclosed have many modular components, each being supported by horizontal support members (30,32). These components include the firebox (100), a hood assembly (1300), two or more work shelves (1430), two opposed extension members (1410) and one or more storage bins (1750). A new thermometer (1800) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen
  • Patent number: 5934184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable gas grill (10) supported on a cart (20) with sliding covers (210), pivoting cooking guards (31), a fire box (100) of both cast sides (120) and sheet metal ends (140) hung on the cart (20), with an internal support structure (160) supporting a plurality of sear bars (410) and a cooking grid (101), a plurality of burners (510), a grease collector (62) and a tank support means (910) with a scale (913,914,915) for a fuel tank (900).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: 5873355
    Abstract: A grill 10 is disclosed having: a burner housing 12; a frame 14 to support the burner housing 12; work surfaces 16, 18, and 20; and a gas supply system 22. These components provide a means for relatively easily adjusting the grill 10 between a cooking configuration and a storage configuration. Work surfaces 16 and 18 are positionable between a horizontal cooking position and a vertical storage position. A work surface 20 is removably attachable to grill 10. When work surfaces 16 and 18 are in a vertical position, and the work surface 20 is removed, the burner housing 12 and work surfaces define a first smallest perimeter around the grill. This configuration is ideal for moving and storing the grill 10. Depending on how many of the working surfaces 16, 18, and 20 are in a cooking position, second, third and fourth perimeters are defined. Thus, there is provided ample working surface space with optional reduction thereof for using, moving, and storing the grill 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1999
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: 5771536
    Abstract: A handle 10 includes a strap 12 having a central portion 14 and a pair of legs 16 depending therefrom. The central portion 14 is substantially covered by an insulating material 18 which extends down a portion of each leg 16. The insulating material 18 has an arcuate upper profile 20 and an arcuate lower profile 22. Ribs 28 running generally transverse to the length of the handle are provided on the lower arcuate profile 22. The legs 16 are arcuate. The insulating material is applied as a first, upper part 30 and a lower part 32 which define a channel 34 between them to accommodate the strap 12. In a preferred embodiment, a thermally isolated bolt 42 joins the first and second parts 30, 32 together. Various other features to improve grip, control, and safety of a grill lid or bowl used in conjunction with the handle 10 are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Ewald Sieg, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: 5765469
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a portable gas grill (10) supported on a cart (20) with sliding covers (210), pivoting cooking guards (31), a fire box (100) of both cast sides (120) and sheet metal ends (140) hung on the cart (20), with an internal support structure (160) supporting a plurality of sear bars (410) and a cooking grid (101), a plurality of burners (510), a grease collector (62) and a tank support means (910) with a scale (913,914,915) for a fuel tank (900).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen
  • Patent number: D395378
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen
  • Patent number: D404963
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: D415653
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, Ewald Sieg, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: D431963
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen, James C. Stephen
  • Patent number: D433279
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products Co.
    Inventors: Erich J. Schlosser, J. Michael Alden, Robert T. Stephen, James C. Stephen