GB2055554A

GB2055554A - Kettles &c.

Info

Publication number: GB2055554A
Application number: GB8024066A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: METAL SPINNERS IRELAND Ltd
Current assignee: METAL SPINNERS IRELAND Ltd
Priority date: 1980-07-23
Filing date: 1980-07-23
Publication date: 1981-03-11
Also published as: GB2055554B

Abstract

A device for holding and dispensing hot liquid, such as a kettle, comprises a canister 1 with a spout, a top cover 3, a handle 7, an opening 9 in the top cover, a hinged lid 11 for the opening, which is adapted to pivot between the positions in which it opens and closes the opening and, in the open position, the lid shields at least a portion of a user's hand from the opening while gripping the handle, and means, operable by the user's hand while gripping the handle, to pivot the lid between the said positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in kettles and the like This invention relates to devices for holding and dispensing hot liquid such as kettles, coffee perculators, water heaters and the like, which comprise a canister for holding hot liquid and a spout for dispensing hot liquid. For convenience, the invention will be described in relation to a kettle but the invention is applicable to other such devices.

In a kettle, it is usual to provide a lid which is removable to permit water to be introduced into the canister. If a quantity of water has been boiled in a kettle and the lid is then removed, steam may flow out of the opening, which is normally covered by the lid, and it can scald a user holding the kettle by a handle which overlies the opening. This applies to kettles which may be heated on a flame and also to electrically heated kettles.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which this dangerous situation is overcome.

According to the present invention, a device for holding and dispensing hot liquid comprises a canister having a spout therefrom, a top cover, a handle, an opening in the top cover, a hinged lid for the opening adapted to pivot between positions in which it covers the opening and in which the opening is uncovered, respectively, the lid, in the position in which the opening is uncovered, serving to shield at least a portion of a user's hand from the opening while gripping the handle, and means operable by the user's hand while gripping the handle to pivot the lid between said positions.

With the arrangement of the invention, the lid is opened to a position so that a user, holding the device by the handle, is shielded by the lid from steam issuing from the opening.

The lid does not cover the spout of the device, so the device can be filled through the spout, but is is more convenient to fill it through the larger opening provided in the top cover of the canister.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa plan view of a kettle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, Figure2 is a sectional side elevation on the line A-A of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view from the side of the upper portion of a kettle according to a further embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 is a view from a side of the upper portion of an alternative kettle according to the invention, and Figure 5 is a perspective sketch of the top of a further kettle according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an electric kettle comprises a generally cylindrical canister 1, closed at its bottom and having a top cover3 permanently fixed to the canister. A spout 5 extends from the canister and the handle 7 overlies the top cover 3. An opening 9 is provided in a portion of the top cover, positioned on one side of the handle, and located between the handle and the edge of the canister. A lid 11 is hinged about the top cover, adjacent the handle, by way of a hinge member 13, and the lid includes a portion 15 which is shaped to fit over the opening 9 and there is an upstanding knob portion 17 which is positioned adjacent the handle 7.

The user of the kettle holds it with one hand grasping the handle 7 and, by means of a finger or thumb, can engage the knob 17 and pivot it in a clockwise direction, thereby causing the portion 15 to rotate through approximately 90" so that it is upstanding in a position between the opening 9 and the handle 7.

In this way, the portion 15 serves to shield the user's hand from steam issuing from the opening 9. The top cover 3 is provided with a recess 19 to accom modatethe knob 17 when it is pushed downwardly to open the lid.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, a kettle 30 has a canister 31 with a top cover 32 and a handle 33.

The kettle is provided with a spout (not shown). The top cover32 has an opening about which pivots a lid 34. The lid pivots to an upstanding position where it lies between the opening and the handle and thus, at least partly, protects the hand of the user gripping the handle from steam issuing from the opening.

The handle 33 is provided with a bell crank lever 35, (for example of phenolic resin), terminating at the upper end in a finger operated lever 36 which a user can operate while gripping the handle and, at the other end, attached by suitable means to the hingeing mechanism ofthe lid 34.

An alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 4, where the lid 34 is operated by a push button 37 in the handle 33 attached to the hingeing mechanism via a Bowden cable 38.

A further alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 5, where the handle 33 is provided with a finger operated slide 39 moving in a slot 40 and operating the lid 4 by suitable means such as a bell crank mechanism.

In the illustrated embodiment, the opening is shown to the side of the top cover 32. If desired, the opening may be in the front of the cover 32.

In all embodiments of the invention, the kettle is shown as an electrically operated kettle having a heating element 21 located in the canister, but the invention may also be applied to a kettle for heating on a flame from, say a gas ring.

1. A device for holding and dispensing hot liquid comprising a canister having a spout therefrom, a top cover, a handle, an opening in the top cover, a hinged lid for the opening adapted to pivot between positions in which it covers the opening and in which the opening is uncovered, respectively, the lid, in the position in which the opening is uncovered, serving to shield at least a portion of a user's hand from the opening while gripping the handle, and means oper

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in kettles and the like This invention relates to devices for holding and dispensing hot liquid such as kettles, coffee perculators, water heaters and the like, which comprise a canister for holding hot liquid and a spout for dispensing hot liquid. For convenience, the invention will be described in relation to a kettle but the invention is applicable to other such devices. In a kettle, it is usual to provide a lid which is removable to permit water to be introduced into the canister. If a quantity of water has been boiled in a kettle and the lid is then removed, steam may flow out of the opening, which is normally covered by the lid, and it can scald a user holding the kettle by a handle which overlies the opening. This applies to kettles which may be heated on a flame and also to electrically heated kettles. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device in which this dangerous situation is overcome. According to the present invention, a device for holding and dispensing hot liquid comprises a canister having a spout therefrom, a top cover, a handle, an opening in the top cover, a hinged lid for the opening adapted to pivot between positions in which it covers the opening and in which the opening is uncovered, respectively, the lid, in the position in which the opening is uncovered, serving to shield at least a portion of a user's hand from the opening while gripping the handle, and means operable by the user's hand while gripping the handle to pivot the lid between said positions. With the arrangement of the invention, the lid is opened to a position so that a user, holding the device by the handle, is shielded by the lid from steam issuing from the opening. The lid does not cover the spout of the device, so the device can be filled through the spout, but is is more convenient to fill it through the larger opening provided in the top cover of the canister. In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa plan view of a kettle in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, Figure2 is a sectional side elevation on the line A-A of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view from the side of the upper portion of a kettle according to a further embodiment of the invention, Figure 4 is a view from a side of the upper portion of an alternative kettle according to the invention, and Figure 5 is a perspective sketch of the top of a further kettle according to the invention. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an electric kettle comprises a generally cylindrical canister 1, closed at its bottom and having a top cover3 permanently fixed to the canister. A spout 5 extends from the canister and the handle 7 overlies the top cover 3. An opening 9 is provided in a portion of the top cover, positioned on one side of the handle, and located between the handle and the edge of the canister. A lid 11 is hinged about the top cover, adjacent the handle, by way of a hinge member 13, and the lid includes a portion 15 which is shaped to fit over the opening 9 and there is an upstanding knob portion 17 which is positioned adjacent the handle 7. The user of the kettle holds it with one hand grasping the handle 7 and, by means of a finger or thumb, can engage the knob 17 and pivot it in a clockwise direction, thereby causing the portion 15 to rotate through approximately 90" so that it is upstanding in a position between the opening 9 and the handle 7. In this way, the portion 15 serves to shield the user's hand from steam issuing from the opening 9. The top cover 3 is provided with a recess 19 to accom modatethe knob 17 when it is pushed downwardly to open the lid. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3, a kettle 30 has a canister 31 with a top cover 32 and a handle 33. The kettle is provided with a spout (not shown). The top cover32 has an opening about which pivots a lid 34. The lid pivots to an upstanding position where it lies between the opening and the handle and thus, at least partly, protects the hand of the user gripping the handle from steam issuing from the opening. The handle 33 is provided with a bell crank lever 35, (for example of phenolic resin), terminating at the upper end in a finger operated lever 36 which a user can operate while gripping the handle and, at the other end, attached by suitable means to the hingeing mechanism ofthe lid 34. An alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 4, where the lid 34 is operated by a push button 37 in the handle 33 attached to the hingeing mechanism via a Bowden cable 38. A further alternative arrangement is shown in Figure 5, where the handle 33 is provided with a finger operated slide 39 moving in a slot 40 and operating the lid 4 by suitable means such as a bell crank mechanism. In the illustrated embodiment, the opening is shown to the side of the top cover 32. If desired, the opening may be in the front of the cover 32. In all embodiments of the invention, the kettle is shown as an electrically operated kettle having a heating element 21 located in the canister, but the invention may also be applied to a kettle for heating on a flame from, say a gas ring. CLAIMS

1. A device for holding and dispensing hot liquid comprising a canister having a spout therefrom, a top cover, a handle, an opening in the top cover, a hinged lid for the opening adapted to pivot between positions in which it covers the opening and in which the opening is uncovered, respectively, the lid, in the position in which the opening is uncovered, serving to shield at least a portion of a user's hand from the opening while gripping the handle, and means oper able by the user's hand while gripping the handle to pivot the lid between said positions.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the handle overlies the top cover, the opening lies between the handle and an edge of the canister and the lid is hinged to the top cover adjacent to the handle.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the means operable by the user's hand comprises a knob upstanding from the lid and engageable by a finger orthumb of a hand gripping the handle.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which the top is recessed to accommodate the knob when the lid is gripped in the position in which the opening is uncovered.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the means operable by the user's hand comprises a linkage operable to pivot the lid and including a bell crank lever.

6. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the means operable by theuser's hand comprises a linkage operable to pivot the lid and including a flexible cable.

7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in the form of a kettle having an electric heating element therein.

8. A kettle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A kettle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 3,4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.