NZ196225A - Cooking range hob pivoted on hook and lip hinge - Google Patents

Description

196225 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 ST Of No.: 196225 Date: 10 February 1981 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO COOKING RANGES t/We, ATLAS MAJESTIC INDUSTRIES LIMITED a New Zealand company of 11 Albion Road, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand, hereby declare the invention for which -I / we pray that a patent may be granted to rrteVus, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: - 196225 Improvements in or relating to cooking ranges.

This invention relates to cooking ranges and is particularly concerned with the mounting of the hob or top of the range to allow for pivotal movement for ease of cleaning. Modern electric cooking ranges have the cooking hob with an upswept back presenting clean aesthic lines minimising dirt traps. The upswept back of the hob is associated with the back panel of the range in which are normally located the electrical control equipment for the 10 range.

It is known to provide a pivotal connection between the upswept hob and the back or control panel of the range to I allow the hob to be raised for cleaning. Present invention is concerned with a particular type of pivotal connection that has pleasing aesthic characteristic and at the same time in the preferred embodiment operates as a vapour trap restricting steam and other cooking vapours passing into the operating components housed in the control panel.

Accordingly the invention may broadly be said to consist 20 in a cooking range having a top hob with a back upstand. a back control panel in the range including transverse lip means said transverse lip means in use being engaged by the hook means to provide a pivotal connection between said back control panel with said pivotal connection allowing the hob in use to be moved from its normal horizontal position to a raised position for cleaning or maintenence. 196225 One preferred form of invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a partly diagrammatic view through the section of the range depicting the connection between the hob and central panel using the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the connection between the hook and upturned lip demonstrating the range of pivotal movement.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the hook.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the hook.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through one embodiment of the hook and I Figure 6 is a sectional view through an alternate embodiment of the hook.

The electric cooking range 1 has a chassis 2 constructed in the conventional manner with a control panel 3 suitably supported the chassis and rising above the cooking top level of the range. A hob 4 with the cooking elements incorporated therein is supported in the chassis and the hob has 20 an upturned rear section 5 designed aesthetically to fit the lower section of the back control panel 3. In the drawing the hob 4 is shown in full outline in the normal position in use and in the dotted outline in the elevated position for cleaning.

This pivotal movement is effected by virtue of a special pivotal connection according to the present invention. 196225 Incorporated in the control panel 3 is a trim 6 rearwardly directed and inclined downwardly slightly as is illustrated in Figure 1. The end of this trim 6 is upturned to provide a lip 7. In the preferred embodiment the trim extends transversely across substantially the whole width of the hob and is supported appropriately to carry the weight of the hob in the elevated position.

On the top 8 of the back 5 is mounted a hook 9 the hook has a base section 10 with mounting apertures 11 preferably 10 elongated apertures allowing for adjustable mounting of the l hook, i These are illustrated in Figure 4. The hook means is a substantially channel shaped hook 12 of which in one embodiment as illustrated in Figure 5 can have a right angle channel or in another embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 can have the outer arm 13 inclined inwardley providing the hook with a narrower entrance than base. The hook also preferably extends substantially continuously across the width I of the hob and when engaged with the lip forms a pivotal connection the movement of which is illustrated in more 20 detail in Figure 2.

The hook in Figure 2 is illustrated in three positions. The position shown by the hook 14 is that which would normally apply when the hob was correctly located on the chassis and the hinge was at rest. The position illustrated by hook 15 demonstrates the operation of the pivotal connection when the hob is raised normally for cleaning purposes. 196225 The position demonstrated by the hook 16 shows the hob raised to the maximum height which may be required for servicing or other purposes.

It will be appreciated that with the present invention a comparatively wide pivotal movement is possible but in addition to the pivotal movement being achieved using an aesthetically pleasing and concealed pivotal connection it is also a characteristic of the present invention that the pivotal connection acts as a vapour trap preventing steam or other cooking vapours easy access to the control panel of the I range in which are normally located control equipment used to control the electric cooking range. This obviously has an advantage in that it prevents corrosive material rising into this section of the range. It will be appreciated of course that the pivotal principle of the present invention may be applied without necessarily using the continuous sections of both the lip and hook which 'is required to achieve the advantage as just as above discussed.

The present invention provides for a pivotal connection 20 between the hob and the back control panel. The pivot point essentially is at the junction between the base of the trim the upturned lip and this postion must be selected so that the hob can be raised without fowling the chassis or any other part of the range. This can be conveniently achieved by locating the pivotal connection as illustrated in the drawings. As was previously mentioned there is some adjust- 5 - 196225 ment as a consequence of the fixing of the hook onto the back of the top of the hob upstand. Also the hook pivot may easily be disengaged to enable the hob to be removed after suitable disconnection of electrical leads or for the hob to be brought forward for easier maintenence with the electrical connection still in place.

The present invention thereby forms a pivotal connection between the control panel of the range and the hob which is aesthetically pleasing functional and has the additional 10 advantage in the preferred form of operating as a vapour trap restricting the movement of cooking vapours into the back panel of the range. « 196225

Claims (7)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A cooking range having a top hob with a back upstand, hook means associated with the top edge of said upstand, a back control panel in the range including transverse lip means said transverse lip means in use being engaged by the hook means to provide a pivotal connection between said hob and said back control panel with said pivotal connection allowing the hob in use to £>e moved from its normal horizontal position to a raised position for cleaning or maintenance.

2. A cooking range as claimed in claim 1 wherein the transverse lip means comprises a continuous lip extending over substantially the whole width of the hob and a continuous hook means engaged therewith so that in addition to providing pivotal connection a vapour trap is formed restricting access of steam of other cooking vapours to the control equipment housed in the back panel of the range.

3. A cooking range as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the back control panel incorporates a rearwardly directed trim having at its rear inner end an upturned lip with the junction between the lip and the remaining face of the trim essentially at the pivot point for the hob.

4. A cooking range as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the upstand of the hob is inclined rearwardly and has a top flange to which can be attached the hook member said hook member in use being directed forwardly so that the hook will engage over the transverse lip providing a concealed pivotal connection for the hob relative to the back panel. 196225

5. The cooking range as claimed in claim 4 wherein the hook means comprises a mounting flange with mounting apertures formed therein and a substantially channel shaped hook integrally formed with the end of said mounting flange.

6. The cooking range as claimed in claim 5 wherein the outer free wall of the channel is inclined inwardly providing an entrance to the inverted channel which is narrower than the base.

7. A cooking range when constructed arranged and operable substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED THIS SO* DAY OF (Vare^be^^ A. J. PARK & SON PER ^ AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS