Collapsible self-extinguishing barbecue unit

Claim 1

A portable, collapsible, self-extinguishing barbecue unit comprising, in combination: a. a rectangular pan-shaped firebox defined by a bottom, end walls and sidewalls, said end walls and sidewalls cooperating to define a continuous flat surface parallel to said bottom and situated at a substantial elevation thereabove; b. two rectangular end pieces hingedly supported from said end walls; c. a rectangular back piece hingedly supported from a rearward one of said sidewalls; d. a plurality of pairs of transverse spaced flanges that project inwardly towards one another from first surfaces of said end pieces when said end pieces are pivoted to positions substantially normal to said bottom, with each of said pair of flanges defining an elongate space therebetween; e. means for removably locking said end pieces in upwardly extending positions relative to said firebox to define a partial enclosure thereabove; f. a rectangular wire basket in which briquettes are disposed, said basket being supported in said firebox, and said basket of such depth that the upper extremities thereof are situated below said flat surface; g. a rectangular wire grill that may selectively engage said elongate spaces to be supported at a desired elevation above said firebox; and h. a rectangular heat-conducting plate that may selectively engage said elongate spaces to provide either a warming surface or a cooking surface, and said plate after a barbecuing operation has been completed capable of being disposed to rest on said flat surface to extinguish said briquettes by preventing oxygen from the ambient atmosphere reaching said briquettes, and said unit capable of being collapsed into a compact configuration after a barbecuing operation by pivoting said end pieces to overlie said firebox, and said backpiece folded downwardly to extend over said end pieces.