GB2190697A

GB2190697A - Oven door fastenings

Info

Publication number: GB2190697A
Application number: GB08609508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Brian Clewes
Original assignee: Valor Newhome Ltd
Current assignee: Valor Newhome Ltd
Priority date: 1986-04-18
Filing date: 1986-04-18
Publication date: 1987-11-25
Also published as: GB8609508D0; GB2190697B

Abstract

A cooker oven door (3) is held in a closed position against a spring by a pivotal latch member (11) mounted on the cooker so as to be engageable with the door (3), the latch being actuated by the normal operation of control means (9) mounted on the cooker at a location remote from the latch member (11) and connected to the latch member (11) by a suitable linkage (13). Thus the control means (9) can be easily operated to allow the door (3) to spring open, even when the person is carrying, for example, a heavy amount. Thus, the door (3) is open for the minimum time, minimising the heat loss. The linkage may comprise a rod and bell-crank, a Bowden cable, or a solenoid. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to cookers The present invention relates to a Cooker.

In particularthe present invention relates to a cooker primarily for use in domestic situations.

Known cookers whether powered by electricity or gas, usually have an oven which can be closed buy a hinged door. Such an oven door is commonly secured in the closed position by a bayonet catch or a latch which is movable by a rotatable handle or knob on the door. In both cases a thermally insulated handle on the door must be gripped to open and close the oven door. With a conventional low level oven a person musttherefore bend down to first open the oven door before returning to an upright position to lift any heavy item to be cooked. The person mustthen bend down again to locate the item in the oven and closethe door. Clearly this can bean effort, especiallyforthe aged and infirm. Further, bayonet catches can and do provideforfaulty operation.The catch can stickorfail to close. These are design problems which are difficu It to overcome.

Also, by having to leave the oven door open whilst the person returns to the upright position, the item to be cooked is lifted, and the person once more bends down to locate the item in the oven, there is an escape of heat energy from the usually hot oven, and thus running costs are unavoidably increased.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a cooker with an oven which can be closed positively and opened simply and effectively by all persons, including the aged and infirm, so that with a hot oven a minimum escape of heat energy occurs.

According to the present invention there is provided a cooker comprising an oven with a hinged doorwhich can be held in an oven closed position against a spring by a pivoted latch member, said latch member being mounted on the cooker so as to be engageable with the door, and being pivoted by the normal operation of control means mounted on the cooker at a remote location from the said latch member, said control means being connected to the latch member by suitable linkage means.

In a preferred embodimentofthe present invention said control means is a manually operable push button located on the control panel above a conventional low-level oven, the push button being preferably connected to the latch member by a rigid rod linkage assembly. Alternatively however Bowden cable linkage may be substituted forthe rigid rod linkage assembly, orthe latch member may be solenoid operable with the solenoid being operable by the remote push button.

By virtue ofthe present invention any person, including the aged and infirm, may approach a heated oven and, whilst holding a heavy item to be cooked, the control means eg push button, can be simply operated to release the oven doorwhich opens under the action of the spring. The person may then bend down once and both locate the item in the oven and close the oven door before returning to an upright position. The oven door is therefore open for a minimum period of time, reducing the heat loss and resultant running costs as compared to prior art operations. This simple operation requiring a person to bend down once, clearly helps the aged and infirm. The invention is of course equally applicable to eye-level ovens, again allowing the running costs to be minimised.

The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa perspective view of a cooker constructed according to the present invention; and Figure2 schematically illustrates the rigid rod linkage assembly used in the embodiment of Figure 1.

The cookercontructed according to the present invention and illustrated in the accompanying drawings has a hob (1) and a low-level oven closed by a hinged door (3). Above the oven door (3) on the front of the cooker, a control panel (5) is located, the control panel (5) incorporating controls (7) for controlling the hob (1) and the oven, together with a manually operable push button (9) forming the control means of the present invention.

As best seen from Figure 2, ofthe accompanying drawings, the push button (9) is connected to a pivotable latch member 1) by means of a rigid rod linkage assembly (13). The latch member (11) is an elongate member mounted in its mid-region on a horizontal axle (15) supported between two vertical body members (17) ofthecooker.

One end region of the latch member (11) is pivotably attached to a first part (19) of the rigid rod linkage assembly (13) and the otherfree end region (21) ofthe latch member, which projects from the front of the cooker, has an angled engagement edge surface (23) which terminates in a shoulder (25). A spring (27) biassesthe latch member (11) on the axle (15) towards a door secured position in which said otherfree end region (21) is in its uppermost position. The oven door (3) has a recess into which said free end region (21) ofthe latch member (11) extends as the door (3) is closed.When the door (3) and the latch member (11) initially interengage,the said angled engagement edge surface (23) moves overa locking edge in the recess in the door,further tensioning the spring (27) until the shoulder (25) can engage behind the locking edge underthe action of the spring (27).The door (3) is then secure in its closed position and can only be opened by pivoting the latch member (11) against the spring (27), so that the said shoulder(25) clears the said locking edge when a spring (not shown) mounted on the door hinges, moves the oven door (3) to an open position.

To pivot the latch member (11) to open the oven door (3), the push button (9) then moves a second elongate part (29) of the rigid rod linkage assembly, generally axially. This said second elongate part (29) of the linkage assembly (13) is pivotally connected to part of a bell crank lever (31 )which isfixedly mounted on a horizontally arranged shaft (33) extending across the major part of the width ofthe cooker and being axially rotatably supported in the cooker. Said first part (19) of the rigid rod linkage assembly (13) is connected to another part ofthe bell crank lever (31).Thus, when said second part (29) is moved generally axially by depressing the push button (9), the bell crank lever (31) is rotated with the shaft (33) moving said first part (19) upwards to pivot the latch member (11) and aliowthe door (3) to open underthe action ofsaid spring.

If desired, the push button (19) may be positioned on the other side ofthe control panel (5). In such a case said second part (29) ofthe linkage assembly connects with a bell crank lever atthe other end of the shaft (33).

Whilstthe above described embodiment ofthe present invention uses a rigid rod linkage assembly (13), a Bowden cable or solenoid and electrical leads (not illustrated) can be substituted.

In use, a person can easily depress the push button (9) when carrying a heavy item eg a roast, so thatthe door (3) springs open allowing the person to locate the item in the oven and close the door (3) in the shortest possible period oftime. Thus, besides being simple to operate, especiallyforthe aged and infirm, running costs can be keptto a minimum by reducing the heat loss from a heated oven when, forexample, a heavy roast is being located in the oven.

Claims

1. A cooker comprising an oven with a hinged door which can be held in an oven closed position against a spring by a pivoted latch member, said latch member being mounted on the cooker so asto be engageable with the door, and being pivotal by the normal operation of control means mounted on the cooker at a location remote from the latch member, sais control means being connected to the latch member by suitable linkage means.

2. A cooker as claimed in claim 1, in which said control means is a manually operable push button.

3. Acookeras claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the control means are connected to the latch member by a rod linkage assembly.

4. A cooker as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2,in which the control means are connected to the latch member by a Bowden cable linkage.

5. Acookeras claimed in claim 1 or claim 2,in which the control means are arranged to control a solenoid linked to the latch member.

6. Cooker as claimed in claim 3, in which the rod linkage assembly comprises two elongate rods, one of which rods is axially movable by the control means to pivot a bell crank leverto which it is pivotally attached, one end region of the other elongate rod being also pivotally attached to said pivotal bell crank lever, whilstthe other end region of said other elongate rod is pivotally attached to said latch member.

7. A cooker as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which said latch member is spring biassed towards a position in which it can lock the door when the door is closed.

8. Acookerconstructed and arranged substantially as herein before described with referenceto and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.