Combustible fuel burning fire pit

Abstract

A fire pit a removable fire grate and a removable ash pan. The removable fire grate is positioned within a burn chamber and supports combustible fuel for burning. The removable fire grate includes a plurality of holes sized to permit passage of ash from the combustible fuel, and at least one grip feature sized and shaped to permit a user to remove the removable fire grate from the fire pit by lifting the removable fire grate vertically through the burn chamber. The removable ash pan is positioned within the burn chamber beneath the removable fire grate, and includes, a side wall, a bottom, and at least one grippable surface configured to permit the user to remove the removable ash pan from the fire pit by lifting the removable ash pan vertically through the burn chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fire pit comprising:
 an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall being spaced from the outer wall to form an air passage therebetween, the inner wall having an inwardly facing surface and defining a burn chamber;   at least one airflow ventilation hole at a top portion of the burn chamber, the airflow ventilation hole in fluid communication with the air passage and configured to permit airflow from the air passage into the burn chamber;   a bottom wall at a bottom portion of the fire pit;   a sheet metal fuel grate above the bottom wall and configured to support a combustible fuel in the burn chamber, the fuel grate having a horizontal grate width and comprising an array of holes sized to permit airflow from below the fuel grate to the combustible fuel in the burn chamber and also sized to permit passage of ash from the combustible fuel burned in the burn chamber; and   an ash catcher disposed between the bottom wall and the fuel grate, the ash catcher configured to catch ash passing through the array of holes in the fuel grate when the combustible fuel is burned in the burn chamber, the ash catcher having a graspable portion to be grasped by a user, the graspable portion being disposed entirely below the fuel grate so as to be inaccessible when the fuel grate is positioned for use, the ash catcher also having a horizontal catcher width smaller than the grate width,   the ash catcher and the fuel grate being configured in a manner permitting a vertical displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher from a first position where the fuel grate is above the ash catcher and located to drop ash to the ash catcher during use to a second position where the fuel grate is displaced from the ash catcher, and the ash catcher is accessible for cleaning; and   wherein the ash catcher is unfixed to each of the fuel grate, the inner wall, and the outer wall and is accessible for cleaning when the fuel grate is in the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel grate is sized to extend from the inner surface on one side of the burn chamber to the inner surface on an opposing side of the burn chamber and includes a downward facing lip at an outer edge. 
     
     
         3 . The fire pit of  claim 2 , wherein the fuel grate comprises an outer ring extending inwardly from the downward facing lip, the outer ring being devoid of holes of the array of holes. 
     
     
         4 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel grate comprises:
 an outer edge; and   a handle spaced apart from and located inward of the outer edge, the handle configured to be grasped by a user.   
     
     
         5 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein permitted displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher includes lifting the fuel grate through the burn chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein permitted displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher includes displacing the fuel grate relative to the inner wall and the outer wall. 
     
     
         7 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the ash catcher is displaceable relative to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         8 . The fire pit of  claim 1  comprising at least one inlet ventilation hole opening in communication with the air passage, the at least one inlet ventilation hole being at an elevation lower than the fuel grate and drawing air from outside the fire pit. 
     
     
         9 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , comprising a support structure configured to support the ash catcher in a position below the fuel grate and above the bottom wall in a manner allowing air to flow between the bottom wall and the ash catcher and allowing air to flow to an air chamber below the fuel grate. 
     
     
         10 . The fire pit of  claim 1 , wherein the ash catcher is configured to permit displacement of the ash catcher relative to the bottom wall from a third position where the ash catcher is above the bottom wall to a fourth position where the ash catcher is displaced further away from the bottom wall for disposing of ash and cleaning. 
     
     
         11 . A fire pit comprising:
 an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall being spaced from the outer wall to form an air passage therebetween, the inner wall having an inwardly facing surface and defining a burn chamber;   at least one outlet airflow ventilation hole at a top portion of the burn chamber, the outlet airflow ventilation hole in fluid communication with the air passage and configured to permit airflow from the air passage into the burn chamber;   at least one inlet ventilation hole opening in communication with the air passage, the at least one inlet ventilation hole configured to permit airflow into the air passage;   a bottom wall at a bottom portion of the fire pit;   a fuel grate above the bottom wall and configured to support a combustible fuel in the burn chamber, the fuel grate having a horizontal grate width and comprising an array of holes sized to permit airflow from below the fuel grate to the combustible fuel in the burn chamber and also sized to permit passage of ash from the combustible fuel burned in the burn chamber;   an air chamber below the fuel grate;   an ash catcher disposed between the bottom wall and the fuel grate, the ash catcher configured to catch ash passing through the array of holes in the fuel grate when the combustible fuel is burned in the burn chamber, the ash catcher having a graspable portion to be grasped by a user, the graspable portion being disposed entirely below the fuel grate so as to be inaccessible when the fuel grate is positioned for use, the ash catcher also having a horizontal catcher width smaller than the grate width, the ash catcher and the fuel grate being configured in a manner permitting displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher from a first position where the fuel grate is above the ash catcher and located to drop ash to the ash catcher during use to a second position where the fuel grate is displaced from the ash catcher, and the ash catcher is accessible for cleaning; and   a support structure disposed between the bottom wall and the ash catcher, the support structure configured to support the ash catcher in a position below the fuel grate and above the bottom wall in a manner allowing a flow of air between the bottom wall and the ash catcher and allowing the flow of air to flow to the air chamber below the fuel grate,   wherein the ash catcher is unfixed to the fuel grate, the inner wall, and the outer wall and is accessible for cleaning when the fuel grate is in the second position.   
     
     
         12 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the fuel grate is a sheet metal fuel grate. 
     
     
         13 . The fire pit of  claim 12 , wherein the fuel grate is sized to extend from the inner surface on one side of the burn chamber to the inner surface on an opposing side of the burn chamber and includes a downward facing lip at an outer edge. 
     
     
         14 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the fuel grate comprises:
 an outer edge; and   a handle spaced apart from and located inward of the outer edge, the handle configured to be grasped by a user.   
     
     
         15 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the permitted displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher requires an initial displacement of vertical separation of the fuel grate from the ash catcher. 
     
     
         16 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the permitted displacement of the fuel grate independent of and away from the ash catcher includes displacing the fuel grate relative to the inner wall and the outer wall. 
     
     
         17 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the ash catcher is displaceable relative to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         18 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one inlet ventilation hole opening is at an elevation lower than the fuel grate and is configured to draw air from outside the fire pit. 
     
     
         19 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the support structure comprises a horizontal plate with a hole formed therein, the hole configured to permit air to flow therethrough toward the air chamber below the fuel grate. 
     
     
         20 . The fire pit of  claim 11 , wherein the ash catcher is configured to permit displacement of the ash catcher relative to the bottom wall from a third position where the ash catcher is above the bottom wall to a fourth position where the ash catcher is displaced further from the bottom wall for disposing of ash and cleaning. 
     
     
         21 . A fire pit comprising:
 a burn chamber defined by an inwardly facing surface;   a removable fuel grate disposed within the burn chamber and disposed to support combustible fuel for burning, the removable fuel grate comprising:
 a horizontal grate width and an array of holes sized to permit airflow from below the fuel grate to the combustible fuel in the burn chamber and also sized to permit passage of ash from the combustible fuel burned in the burn chamber; and 
 a handle disposed closer to a center of the fuel grate than at least some of the holes of the array of holes, the handle configured to be grasped by a user to displace the fuel grate relative to the burn chamber, 
 wherein the removable fuel grate is formed from sheet metal; and 
   a removable ash catcher disposed within the burn chamber and beneath the removable fuel grate, the removable ash catcher situated to capture ash through the array of holes in the fuel grate, the ash catcher having a graspable portion to be grasped by a user, the graspable portion being disposed entirely below the fuel grate so as to be inaccessible when the fuel grate is positioned for use, the ash catcher also having a horizontal catcher width smaller than the grate width, the removable ash catcher being unattached to the removable fuel grate so the removable fuel grate and the removable ash catcher are separately removable from the fire pit.   
     
     
         22 . The fire pit of  claim 21 , comprising:
 an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall being spaced from the outer wall to form an air passage therebetween, the inner wall forming the inwardly facing surface defining the burn chamber; and   at least one outlet airflow ventilation hole at a top portion of the burn chamber, the airflow ventilation hole in fluid communication with the air passage and configured to permit airflow from the air passage into the burn chamber.   
     
     
         23 . The fire pit of  claim 21 , wherein the fuel grate is displaceable independent of and away from the ash catcher, vertically through the burn chamber.