Portable camp stove

Claim 2

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, and hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said second housing being capable of serving as a storage compartment when connected to said first housing and as a dishpan when detached from said first housing, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove.

Claim 3

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second housings is formed from a single seamless piece of material.

Claim 4

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of each of said first and second housings is flat and substantially rectangular in shape.

Claim 5

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to the sidewall of said first housing along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall and overlying said bottom wall, latch means for securing said windscreen to said first housing when said windscreen is in the folded condition thereof thereby providing a cover for said first housing, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, and hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, said second housing cooperating with said windscreen in the folded condition thereof to define a storage compartment when connected to said first housing in the closed position thereof and being capable of serving as a dishpan when detached from said first housing.

Claim 6

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to the sidewall of said first housing along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall and overlying said bottom wall, latch means for securing said windscreen to said first housing when said windscreen is in the folded condition thereof thereby providing a cover for said first housing, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, and hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, said second housing cooperating with said windscreen in the folded condition thereof to define a storage compartment when connected to said first housing in the closed position thereof and being capable of serving as a dishpan when detached from said first housing.

Claim 7

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 4, wherein said windscreen comprises a main plate hingedly attached to the sidewall of said first housing along the upper edge thereof and two wing plates hingedly secured to said main plate along opposite side edges thereof, said main plate being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall of said first housing and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall of said first housing overlying said bottom wall thereof, said wing plates being movable when said main plate is in the erected condition thereof between an open position extending inwardly from said main plate substantially normal thereto and a folded position lying against and parallel to the inner surface of said main plate.

Claim 8

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 5, wherein said main plate and the bottom wall of each of said first and second housings are flat and substantially rectangular in shape, said main plate having dimensions substantially the same as the dimensions of said bottom walls, and wherein each of said wing plates is substantially trapezoidal in shape and has means for engaging the sidewall of said first housing when said wing plates are in the open position thereof.

Claim 9

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall of a first predetermined height, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a second open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall of a second predetermined height exceeding said first predetermined height by a predetermined distance, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings along the upper edges thereof, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge strucTure between an open position suspended from and alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, a handle attached to the outer surface of the bottom wall of said first housing and movable between a folded configuration lying against said surface and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to said surface, said handle in the erected configuration thereof extending outwardly in a direction substantially normal to said surface a distance substantially equal to said predetermined distance, whereby said handle in the erected configuration thereof acts as a leg to support said first housing in the open position thereof and acts as a handle for carrying said stove container when said first housing is latched in the closed position thereof.

Claim 10

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall of a first predetermined height, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a second open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall of a second predetermined height exceeding said first predetermined height by a predetermined distance, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings along the upper edges thereof, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge strucTure between an open position suspended from and alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, a handle attached to the outer surface of the bottom wall of said first housing and movable between a folded configuration lying against said surface and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to said surface, said handle in the erected configuration thereof extending outwardly in a direction substantially normal to said surface a distance substantially equal to said predetermined distance, whereby said handle in the erected configuration thereof acts as a leg to support said first housing in the open position thereof and acts as a handle for carrying said stove container when said first housing is latched in the closed position thereof.

Claim 11

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 7, wherein the bottom wall of said first housing has a substantially rectangular recessed portion therein, and wherein said handle is mounted in said recessed portion and in the folded configuration thereof is completely contained within said recessed portion.

Claim 12

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 7, and further including means for maintaining said handle in the folded and erected configurations thereof.

Claim 13

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a generally cylindrical fuel tank disposed externally of said first housing and releasably pivotally interconnected adjacent to one end thereof with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said second housing being capable of serving as a storage compartment when connected to said first housing and as a dishpan when detached from said first housing, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, a support clip pivotally mounted on the sidewall of said second housing adjacent to the connection point of said fuel tank to said burner assembly for supporting the other end of said fuel tank, said fuel tank swinging pivotally about its connection point with said burner assembly and said support clip pivotally moving to accommodate said tank when said first housing is moved between the open and closed positions thereof whereby said clip holds said tank when said first housing is in both the open and closed positions thereof.

Claim 14

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said first housing, a grate mounted in said first housing and overlying said burner assembly, a generally cylindrical fuel tank disposed externally of said first housing and releasably pivotally interconnected adjacent to one end thereof with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said second housing being capable of serving as a storage compartment when connected to said first housing and as a dishpan when detached from said first housing, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, a support clip pivotally mounted on the sidewall of said second housing adjacent to the connection point of said fuel tank to said burner assembly for supporting the other end of said fuel tank, said fuel tank swinging pivotally about its connection point with said burner assembly and said support clip pivotally moving to accommodate said tank when said first housing is moved between the open and closed positions thereof whereby said clip holds said tank when said first housing is in both the open and closed positions thereof.

Claim 15

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 10, wherein said support clip comprises an arcuate resilient member pivotally attached at one end thereof to the sidewall of said second housing, the radius of the arc of said arcuate member being slightly smaller than the radius of said cylindrical tank whereby said clip may be resiliently urged about the periphery of said tank.

Claim 16

A portable camp stove comprising an open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said housing, a grate mounted in said housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to said sidewall along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall and overlying said bottom wall, latch means for securing said windscreen to said Housing when said windscreen is in the folded condition thereof thereby providing a cover for said housing, and two handles attached to the outer surface of said bottom wall and movable between a carrying configuration extending angularly toward each other and a supporting configuration extending angularly away from each other, whereby said handles in the supporting configuration thereof act as legs to support said housing when said bottom wall is disposed downwardly of said windscreen for cooking and act as handles for carrying said stove when said windscreen is latched in the folded condition thereof and is disposed downwardly of said bottom wall.

Claim 17

A portable camp stove comprising an open-top housing having a bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a burner assembly mounted in said housing, a grate mounted in said housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to said sidewall along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall and overlying said bottom wall, latch means for securing said windscreen to said Housing when said windscreen is in the folded condition thereof thereby providing a cover for said housing, and two handles attached to the outer surface of said bottom wall and movable between a carrying configuration extending angularly toward each other and a supporting configuration extending angularly away from each other, whereby said handles in the supporting configuration thereof act as legs to support said housing when said bottom wall is disposed downwardly of said windscreen for cooking and act as handles for carrying said stove when said windscreen is latched in the folded condition thereof and is disposed downwardly of said bottom wall.

Claim 18

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a first bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding first sidewall, a second watertight open-top housing having a second bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding second sidewall of substantially the same height as said first sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, a burner assembly mounted in one of said housings, a grate mounted in said one housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, two handles respectively attached to the outer surfaces of said first and second bottom walls and each movable between a folded configuration lying against the associated bottom wall and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to the associated bottom wall, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, the other of said housings being capable of serving as a storage compartment when connected to said one housing and as a dishpan when detached from said one housing.

Claim 19

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a first bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding first sidewall, a second watertight open-top housing having a second bottom wall and an encompassing upstanding second sidewall of substantially the same height as said first sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, a burner assembly mounted in one of said housings, a grate mounted in said one housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel thereto, two handles respectively attached to the outer surfaces of said first and second bottom walls and each movable between a folded configuration lying against the associated bottom wall and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to the associated bottom wall, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, the other of said housings being capable of serving as a storage compartment when connected to said one housing and as a dishpan when detached from said one housing.

Claim 20

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 13 and further including a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to the sidewall of said one housing along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said sidewall of said one housing and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall of said one housing and overlying the bottom wall thereof, whereby said windscreen in the folded condition thereof provides a cover for said one housing and cooperates with the other of said housings to define a closed storage compartment when said housings are latched together.

Claim 21

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall of predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall of said predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, a third watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall of said predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, latch means for detachably securing said second housing to said third housing when said second housing overlies and contacts said third housing thereby achieving a modular coupling of said housings and a corresponding increase in the storage capacity of said stove container, a burner assembly mounted in one of said housings, a grate mounted in said one housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel Thereto, two handles respectively attached to the outer surfaces of the bottom walls of said first and second housings and each movable between a folded configuration lying against an associated bottom wall and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to the associated bottom wall, the other of said housings each providing a storage compartment when connected respectively to each other and to said one housing and each capable of serving as a dishpan when detached from each other and from said first housing.

Claim 22

A portable camp stove comprising a first open-top housing having a bottom wall of predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, a second watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall of said predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, hinge structure detachably interconnecting said first and second housings, said first housing being pivotally movable on said hinge structure between an open position alongside said second housing and a closed position overlying and contacting said second housing to form a closed container for said stove, latch means for securing said second housing to said first housing in the closed position thereof, a third watertight open-top housing having a bottom wall of said predetermined shape and dimensions and an encompassing upstanding sidewall, latch means for detachably securing said second housing to said third housing when said second housing overlies and contacts said third housing thereby achieving a modular coupling of said housings and a corresponding increase in the storage capacity of said stove container, a burner assembly mounted in one of said housings, a grate mounted in said one housing and overlying said burner assembly, a fuel supply unit releasably interconnected with said burner assembly for supplying fuel Thereto, two handles respectively attached to the outer surfaces of the bottom walls of said first and second housings and each movable between a folded configuration lying against an associated bottom wall and an erected configuration disposed at an angle to the associated bottom wall, the other of said housings each providing a storage compartment when connected respectively to each other and to said one housing and each capable of serving as a dishpan when detached from each other and from said first housing.

Claim 23

The portable camp stove set forth in claim 15, and further including a foldable windscreen hingedly attached to the sidewall of said one housing along the upper edge thereof, said windscreen being movable between an erected condition extending substantially vertically upwardly from the upper edge of said side wall of said one housing and a folded condition substantially normal to said sidewall of said one housing and overlying the bottom wall thereof, whereby said windscreen in the folded condition thereof provides a cover for said one housing and cooperates with the other of said first and second housings to define a closed storage compartment when said first and second housings are latched together.