Adjustable Pitch Cooking Grate

Abstract

An adjustable pitch cooking grate includes generally parallel rods and means for changing the pitch of the rods by moving the rods between a closed configuration and a range of open configurations, with different width gaps therebetween. Scissors linkage at the rod ends can move the rods in unison between the open and close configurations. When the rods have flat upper surfaces the rods create a generally flat, smooth, continuous cooking surface when in the closed configuration and a plurality of generally flat coplanar cooking surfaces when in the different open configurations. The pitch changing means can include manual or motorized means for moving the rods between the open and close configurations. The spacing between the rods in a fully open configuration can be equal to about 1-3 times the lateral dimension of the rods. One or more cooking grates can be supported by the cooking grill frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable pitch cooking support comprising:
 a plurality of parallel rods having first and second rows of rod ends;   first and second scissors linkage operably coupling the first and second rows of rod ends;   each of the first and second scissors linkage comprising links pivotally secured to one another and to the rod ends;   each of the first and second scissors linkage placeable in a first orientation causing the rods to be placed in a closed configuration with the rods at a first pitch and adjacent to one another;   each of the first and second scissors linkage placeable in a plurality of second orientations causing the rods to be placed in a plurality of open configurations at a plurality of pitches, the rods defining a plurality of different width gaps between the rods in the plurality of open configurations; and   each scissors linkage having a first length when in the first orientation and a plurality of different second lengths when in the plurality of second orientations, the first length being shorter than the second lengths.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second scissors linkages are configured to move the rods between the closed configuration and the plurality of open configurations in unison. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 , wherein when the rods have flat upper surfaces so that the rods create a flat, smooth, continuous cooking surface when in the closed configuration and a plurality of generally flat coplanar cooking surfaces when in the plurality of open configurations. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rod movement tool engageable with first and second of the rods for manually changing the pitch between the first and second rods so that the first and second scissors linkage changes the pitch between the remainder of said parallel rods. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the rods have a lateral dimension; and   the spacing between the rods in a fully open configuration is about equal to 1 to 3 times the lateral dimension of the rods.   
     
     
         6 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of open configurations defines a continuous range of different width gaps. 
     
     
         7 . A cooking support assembly comprising:
 first and second adjustable pitch cooking supports according to  claim 1 ; and   a frame supporting the adjustable pitch cooking supports.   
     
     
         8 . The cooking support assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the frame has first and second sides, a first frame end and a second frame end;   each side comprising a first guide element extending along the sides; and   each rod comprising a second guide element at the rod ends, the rods extending between the first and second sides with the second guide elements engaging the first guide elements for at least limited movement along a path between the first and second frame ends.   
     
     
         9 . The cooking support assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the rods have ends forming said first and second rows of rod ends; and   the frame has slots for receiving the first and second rows of rod ends.   
     
     
         10 . A cooking support assembly comprising:
 an adjustable pitch cooking support;   a frame having first and second ends and supporting the adjustable pitch cooking support between the first and second ends;   a rod drive assembly;   the adjustable pitch cooking support comprising:
 a plurality of parallel rods including a first rod at one end of the plurality of parallel rods; and 
 spring elements operably coupling adjacent ones of the rods, the spring elements either:
 biasing the rods towards one another; or 
 biasing the rods away from one another; and 
 
   the rod drive assembly comprising a movable drive element engageable with the adjustable pitch cooking support, the movable drive element coupled to and movable with the first rod towards an end of the frame against the biasing force of the spring elements.   
     
     
         11 . The cooking support assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the rod drive assembly further comprises a driver supported by the frame and operably connected to the drive element to move the drive element in a chosen direction thereby causing said movement of the first rod. 
     
     
         12 . The cooking support assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the driver comprises an electric motor. 
     
     
         13 . An adjustable pitch cooking support comprising:
 a plurality of parallel rods having first and second rows of rod ends; and   means for coupling the rods to one another for placing the rods (1) in a closed configuration with the rods at a first pitch and adjacent to one another, and (2) in a plurality of second orientations causing the rods to be placed in a plurality of open configurations at a plurality of pitches, the rods defining a plurality of different width gaps between the rods in the plurality of open configurations.   
     
     
         14 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the rods coupling means comprises first and second rod coupling assemblies, each rod coupling assembly physically coupled to each of the rods;   each of the first and second rod coupling assemblies placeable in a first orientation causing the rods to be placed in the closed configuration;   each of the first and second rod coupling assemblies placeable in a plurality of second orientations causing the rods to be placed in the plurality of open configurations;   the first and second rod coupling assemblies comprise a chosen one of:   (a) first and second scissors linkage operably coupling the first and second rows of rod ends, each of the first and second scissors linkage comprising:
 links pivotally secured to one another and to the rod ends; 
 each scissors linkage having a first length when in the first orientation and a plurality of different second lengths when in the plurality of second orientations; and 
 the first length being shorter than the second lengths; and 
   (b) an actuator assembly comprising:
 first and second arms pivotally secured to one another at a pivot point to define an angle between the arms; and 
 sliders positioned at fixed locations along each rod and slidably engaging the rods. 
   
     
     
         15 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 14 , wherein the first and second scissors linkages are configured to move the rods between the closed configuration and the plurality of open configurations in unison. 
     
     
         16 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 , wherein when the rods have flat upper surfaces so that the rods create a flat, smooth, continuous cooking surface when in the closed configuration and a plurality of generally flat coplanar cooking surfaces when in the plurality of open configurations. 
     
     
         17 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 , further comprising a rod movement tool engageable with first and second of the rods for manually changing the pitch between the first and second rods so that the first and second scissors linkage changes the pitch between the remainder of said parallel rods. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the rods have a lateral dimension; and   the spacing between the rods in a fully open configuration is about equal to 1 to 3 times the lateral dimension of the rods.   
     
     
         19 . A cooking support assembly comprising:
 an adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 ; and   a frame supporting the adjustable pitch cooking support.   
     
     
         20 . A cooking facility comprising:
 a heated cooking surface; and   a chosen one of the following placeable at the heated cooking surface:
 an adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 1 ; 
 a cooking support assembly according to  claim 10 ; and 
 an adjustable pitch cooking support according to  claim 13 .