Abstract: A method for assembling a handle to a cooking vessel, such as a pot or pan, wherein the use of conventional rivets having heads protruding from the inner surface of the cooking vessel is avoided. Studs are welded to the outer surface of the receptacle portion of the cooking vessel, and in the preferred embodiment, the openings in the handle are dimensioned much larger than the diameters of the studs so that the openings can clear the diverging studs. Step washers are then utilized to space the handle and studs so that a tight assembly results when the ends of the studs are expanded against the washers.

Abstract: A low thermal conductivity removable heat insulating cover for a cooking utensil lid handle has a hand grip portion for substantially surrounding the lid handle at least along a central portion thereof with a pair of closely adjacent portions depending downwardly from the hand grip portion toward the lid surface and with a protective portion adapted to lie closely adjacent the lid surface covering a region of that surface to form a barrier for preventing a user's hand from contacting the lid when grasping the hand grip portion is disclosed. In one form the protective portion comprises first and second lateral extensions of the ends of the closely adjacent portions remote from the hand grip portion with the cover being formed as a section of an extrusion of substantially uniform cross-sectional configuration. The closely adjacent portions may be releasably joined together by a rib and groove arrangement along the adjoining surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A one piece heat insulating cover for a closed loop cooking utensil handle is disclosed having a body of resilient rubber-like material with low thermal conductivity with a hand grip portion for substantially surrounding the utensil handle and a protective portion which lies adjacent a portion of the utensil main body between the utensil handle and the main body when the hand grip portion is in position about the utensil handle so that the protective portion provides a barrier to prevent a user's hand from contacting the utensil body when grasping the hand grip portion. The hand grip portion is formed as a generally U-shaped hollow tubular member with the protective portion extending between the ends of the U and with the hollow tubular member being slit along an edge thereof between the ends of the U to facilitate placement and removal of the tubular member about the handle.