GB2193568A - Cookers and hobs - Google Patents

Abstract

A hob having a lid is fitted with a mechanism (16, 18, 20, 24) for turning to its "OFF" position any tap/switch (12) not in its "OFF" position when the lid is removed from its closed to its fully opened position. A lid operated safety valve/switch shuts off the supply of the taps and switches when the lid is moved to its closed position and restores the supply when the lid is moved into its fully opened position. The hob may be separate unit or it may be part of a cooker. The mechanism can be incorporated in both gas and electric or mixed hobs/cookers. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cookers and hobs This invention relates to cookers and hobs which may be gas or electric or a combination of both. The hob may be an independent unit for mounting in a work surface or it may be part of a cooker.

It is known to fit such hobs and cookers with lids that open to give access to the top heating units which may be gas burners and/or electric hot plates or rings or infra-red units. When closed, the lid covers the heating units thereby protecting the latter and providing a "clean" line to the surface of the hob or cooker.

To allow a user to close the lid when a heating unit is energised is extremely dangerous. The heat from the unit will damage the lid and, if the latter is of glass, may well shatter the lid. Closure of the lid may, if the unit is a gas burner, result in extinguishment of the burner flame and the consequent escape of gas, or alternatively if the flame is not extinguished, poor combustion of the gas and damage to the lid.

Safety measures have been proposed and whilst some of these ensure that the supply of energy i.e. gas and/or electricity is automatically cut-off to all the top heating units when the lid is closed, in most cases that supply is restored as soon as the lid is reopened and in these cases hazardous conditions may arise.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide measures which give greater degree of safety than has been available hitherto.

According to the present invention a hob accommodating one or more heating units has a lid movable between a fully open position given access to the unit or units and a closed position in which the lid covers the unit or units and lid-operated control means for controlling the flow of energy to the units in a manner such that the flow is connected as the lid moves from its fully opened to its closed posiiton and is restored on reverse movement of the lid, each heating unit having individual energy control means operatively connected to the lid in a manner which ensures that the or all the individual control means are in a position in which flow of energy of the heating units or respective heating units is prevented when the lid is moved from its closed position.

The or each individual control means may be operatively connected with the lid in a manner such that movement of the lid from its closed position operates to a position preventing the supply of energy to the or any individual control means not already in that position.

Each individual control means may require a rotary action to operate it and, in this case, the operative connection is a linkage means associated with the or each control means to rotate it to an "OFF" position if not in that position when the lid moves from its closed position to its open position.

The linkage may include separate connectors for transmitting closing movement of the lid to each means.

Alternatively, the linkage may comprise a single connector for transmitting closing movement of the lid to each means.

The linkage may comprise a rack and pinion drive. The pinion may be part of the control means and the rack movable by the lid.

Each rack may be movable relatively to the single connector.

Warning means may be included which operate to give a user an audible or visual warning in the event that the lid is moved from its open to its closed position when at least one control unit is not in its "OFF" position.

The closing weight of the lid may be counterbalanced or uncounterbalanced. Examples of suitable counterbalance mechanisms are found in U.K. Patent Applications Nos. 2,109,919A, 2,144,845A and 84.24904. The control means may be operated via the counter-balance.

When taps are used, they may be of the construction described in U.K. Patent Applications Nos. 2,129,097A or 2,165 350.

By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a gas hob embodying the invention, Fig. 2 shows in exploded schematic form a safety system for the hob of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 and 4 are explanatory drawings of the operation of the system of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of part of a gas cooker embodying the invention, Fig. 6 shows in exploded schematic form a safety system for the cooker of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 shows in exploded schematic form another safety system for a gas cooker embodying the invention, and Fig. 8 shows in schematic form a further part of the safety system shown in Fig. 7.

The gas hob shown in perspective view in Fig. 1 comprises a hollow box-like structure 1 which accommodates four top heating units in the form of four gas burners shown schematically at 2, 3, 4 and 5, a pan support structure 6 (also shown schematically), a gas supply rail with gas taps operated by control knobs 7 above a control panel 8, fuel supply passages (not shown) for conveying a gas/air mixture from the gas rail to the burners, and a gas ignition mechanism (not shown) controlled by an ignition button 9.

Hinged about a horizontal axis at the rear of the structure 1 is a lid 10 shown in Fig. 1 in its fully opened position but which is movable by a user to a closed position in which it conceals the burners 2....5 and the control panel 8. When closed, the lid 10 may lie flush with adjacent surfaces.

Also located in the structure 1 is a counter balance mechanism operatively connected to the lid 10 for counterbalances, in a desired manner, the closing weight of the lid 10 but this is not essential.

Further details of the general construction of the hob are found in U.K. Patent Application No. 2,109,919A. The hob described in that Application includes a lid operated safety cut off valve which will be referred to again be low.

Fig. 2 shows part of the structure 1 as accommodating a gas rail 11 on which are mounted gas taps 12 that control the supply of gas from a gas supply passage inside the rail to injectors 13 which, in turn, feed into the gaseous fuel supply passages, referred to above, of the burners 2....5. The gas rail ex tends to the rear of the structure 1 and is there joined via a lid-operated safety valve (not shown) to a gas supply conduit (not shown) leading froma gas main.

The rail 11 may be mounted in structure 1 in any suitable manner and in Fig. 2 it is shown as mounted upon the side wall of the structure 1.

Each gas tap 12 has an upwardly extending control spindle 14 on which a control knob is located. One such knot is shown at 15.

Mounted upon the gas rail 11 and secured thereto so as to extend over the upper ends of the gas taps 12 is an elongate plate 16 apertured at spaced positions 1 7 along its length to permit passage of the spindles 14.

Resting upon the upper surface of the plate 16 and movable along that surface is a series of four rack members, one only of which is shown in Fig. 2 and referenced 18. Each rack member consists of a rectangular plate with a central rectangular hole 19 one of the longer sides of which is fqrmed as a rack 20. The outer side of the plate 18 adjacent the rack 20 has spaced transverse channels 21 in it.

When in position on the plate 16, each rack member is associated with one of the taps 12 whose spindle 14 passes through the hole 19 as is indicated in Fig. 2 for the extreme right hand tap 12.

The racks 20 coact, in a manner described below, with pinions 22 forming part of the control knobs 15. The width of the holes 19 ensures that the pinions 22 are held in en gagement wit the racks 20. The pinions may be an integral part of the knob or they may be made as separate components and then secured to the knobs. Alternatively, the pinion may be part of the spindle 14 or may be secured to the latter.

Each rack member 18 is actuable by a spring-operated driver 23, part only of which is shown in Fig.2, by an individual stiff pull rod 24. Each rod is cranked at one end to provide sections 25 that locate firmly in the channels 21. Each rod 24 is also cranked at its other end as indicated at 26 so as to lie, in certain positions of the rods, in the path of movement of the spring-operated driver 23.

Driver 23 is accommodated in a rear corner of the structure 1 that is separated from the interior of the structure by a partition 28. As can be seen, the driver 23 extends through a hole 29 in the upper surface of the partition 28 to allow it to coact with the pull rods 24.

The driver is linked to the lid 10 in a manner such that, a the lid moves from its fully opened to its closed position, the driver spring is loaded and the driver is held, in the closed position of the lid by a trigger (not shown). On movement of the lid from its closed position to its opened position the trigger is actuated and this releases the driver 23 which moves in the direction of arrow A (Fig.

2).

The action will now be explained in more detail with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

The driver 23 shown diagrammatically as a pivoted member is powered by a helical spring 27 loaded on movement of the lid from its open to its closed position. As the spring is loaded the member 23 takes up the position shown in Fig. 3 where it is held by a trigger 27a actuated by the lid, or the closing movement thereof into the position shown in Fig. 3.

With the lid in its closed position, and all the taps in the "OFF" position, the relative position of the pinions 22, racks 20, cranks 26, member 23 and trigger 27a are as shown schematically in Fig. 3.

If now the user opens the lid, the trigger 27b is moved along from the member 23 which rotates, under the action of the spring 27a, in an anti-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow. The member does not engage any of the cranked ends 26 because, with'the taps in the "OFF" position the ends are clear of the path of the end of the member 23.

Fig. 4 shows schematically the relative position in the case of a tap that has been turned to its fully "ON" position. It will be observed that the crank 26 has now moved to the right.

On closing movement of the lid, the spring 27 is loaded and the member 23 assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 being held in that position by the trigger 27a. On opening movement of the lid, the trigger 27a is withdrawn, and member 23 rotates and thereby moves the crank 26 to the left so turning "OFF" the associated tap. When the tap reaches its "OFF" position, the crank 26 has moved out of the path of movement of the member 23.

It will be understood that the member 23 is dimensioned so as to be able to engage any or all of the cranks 26 when the respective taps are in an "ON" position.

If a tap is not in its fully "ON" position when the lid is opened, there will be some movement of the member 23 before the latter contacts crank 26. Thereafter, the continued movement of the member 23 will result in movement of the tap to its "OFF" position as before.

The safety system also ensures that the gas supply to the gas rail is turned off as the lid is moved from its fuly open to its closed position. In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 this is affected by means of the lid operated gas safety valve referred to above.

Connected in the gas supply conduit referred to above is a gas safety valve which is shut as the lid is moved from its fully opened position to its closed position and opened on reverse movement of the lid. The valve may be operated by a linkage of the form described in U.K. Patent No. 2,109,919B. The arrangement is such that the valve is opened when the lid reaches an angle of about 45" with the horizontal and is closed just when the lid reaches that angular position in moving into its closed position.

In that way, the valve is opened during opening movement of the lid after that movement has closed any gas tap that was left "ON" or partly so when the lid is closed.

Preferably, the closure of any gas tap left "ON" or partly so occur during the initial opening movement of the lid but in any event closure must have been completed before the lid reaches the position at which the gas safety valve is opened. It that way, escape of gas from a burner inadvertently left on is prevented.

The safety system this also ensures that whilst a tap can be turned to its "ON" position whilst the lid is closed, escape of gas from the respective burner is prevented by the safety valve which, in the closed position of the lid is closed thereby preventing flow of gas to the gas rail and via the "ON" tap to the burner.

Preferably, the taps are fitted with a niting arrangement which ensures axial outward movement of the tap spindle when the "OFF" position is reached thereby holding the tap in its "OFF" position.

Fig. 5 shows, in perspective, a gas cooker embodying the invention.

Top burners indicated schematically at 30 and located above a spillage plate 30a are controlled by taps 31 mounted upon a gas rail that is arranged transversely across the front of the cooker behind a control panel. Also located on the control panel are two further taps 32, 33 that control the gas supply to an oven burner (not shown) and a grill burner (not shown) respectively.

The cooker has a lid 34 pivotally mounted at the rear of the spillage plate on a horizontal axis so as to be movable between a fully open position shown in Fig. 5 and a closed position in which the lid covers the top burners 30. The closing weight of the lid is counterbalanced and in Fig. 5 part of the-counterbalance mechanism is indicated at 35.

An example of a counterbalance mechanism is given in U.K. Patent Application No.

2,144,845A.

In the construction described in Application No. 2,144,845A, the counterbalance mechanism also operates a push rod 38 that moves a safety valve, shown diagrammatically at 39 to a closed position when the lid closes thereby cutting off the supply of gas to taps controlling the top burners. The safety valve will be referred to again below.

Fig. 6 shows the gas rail 36 on which are mounted the taps 31 controlling the top burners 30, and taps 32 and 33 controlling the oven and grill burners respectively: Tap 32 incorporates a thermostat part of which is shown at 37.

The gas rail is 36 is of a similar construction to the gas rail 10 described in U.K. Patent No. 2,144,845B having independent sideby-side parallel gas passageways 36A, 36B integral with a common base plate. The passageways 36A, 36B extend the full length of the gas rail as can be seen from Fig. 6. The rail 36 is of unitary construction and may be formed as an integral unit by a drawing or extension process.

Supply passage 36A supplies gas to the gas taps 31 which control the supply from the gas rail to the top burners.

Supply passageway 36B supplies gas to the taps 32 and 33 which control the oven and grill burners.

The push rod 38 corresponds with the push rod 35 described in Application No.

2,144,845A. At its forward end, push rod 38 is slidably supported in the housing 39 through which it passes. Spring 41 encircling part of the rod 38 adjacent the block biasses the rod rearwardly as seen in Fig. 6 i.e. away from the housing 39.

The housing 39 is of a construction similar to that of housing 22 described in U.K. Patent No. 2,144,845B and contains a safety valve of similar construction. The safety valve has a stem 39A which, in the closed position of the valve projects from the front face of the housing 39 as shown in Fig. 6.

As its forward end (that seen in Fig. 6) the rod 38 has an operating disc 38A dimensioned so as to extend over the projecting end of the stem 38A.

The valve in the housing 39 controlls the flow of gas from a gas supply conduit (not shown) to the supply passage 36A only. Supply passageway 36B is connected directly to that conduit and there is no flow control valve between the passageways and the conduit.

Pivoted about a vertical axis 42 adjacent the block 39 is a lever 43 formed at one end with an upstanding, U-shaped extension 44 and, at the other end, with an upstanding extension 45. The U-shaped extension 44 locates in a groove 46 in a rod 47, the limbs of the U straddling the rod. The forward end of the rod 47 is slidably supported in the block 39 as shown.

Cooperating with the extension 45 are the cranked ends of four stiff push rods of which one is shown in Fig. 6 and referenced 48.

Adjacent one end, each of the rods 48 is cranked as indicated at 49. At its other end, each rod 48 has closely spaced cranks 50 that locate in transverse recesses 51 in a rack member 52. The configuration of the rack members 52 is identicai with that of the rack members 18 described above, the rack members 52 of the members 51 meshing with pinions 53 on control knobs 54 of the taps 31. The knobs of the taps 32 and 33 are conventional and do not incorporate pinions and do not have rack members associated with them.

Pivotal movement of the lever 43 about the axis 42 may be effected by a driver member similar to member 23 described above with reference to Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

The safety system shown in Fig. 6 operates in a manner generally similar to that shown in Fig. 2 and described above. As the lid 34 is closed, the spring of the driver member is loaded. On opening the lid, the trigger releases the driver which drives rod 47 forward and pivots lever 43 in a clockwise direction about axis 42. Any of the tapes 31 that is in an "ON" position either fully or partially is moved to its "OFF" position by the end 45 which bears on the crank 49 of the or each "ON" tap.

Further opening movement of the lid is necessary before the safety valve is opened to allow flow of gas to the passageway 36A of the gas rail, as the safety valve opens when the lid reaches an angular position of about 45" to the horizontal.

Closure of any gas tap left "ON" as the lid is closed is effected during the initial opening movement of the lid. In that way, there is no risk of escape of gas during the opening movement of the lid that would otherwise occur if both safety valve and tap or taps were both open for a short period.

It will be appreciated that the action of turning "ON" of the taps 31 controlling a tap burner moves the lever in an anti-clockwise direction to its original position.

As before, taps 31 incorporate a niting arrangement which hold them in the "OFF" position. Also, although the taps 31 can be turned to its "ON" position whilst the lid is closed there is no escape of gas because the safety valve is shut and no gas flow to the gas rail feeding the taps controlling the top burners.

It is not essential to employ individual connections for each rack member to the levers.

Fig. 7 shows a gas rail similar to that described above with reference to Fig. 6 and similar reference are used for the various components of the gas rail in that figure. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, a common operating member is used to operate the taps.

The supply of gas to the top burners is controlled by the taps 31. The supply to oven and grill burners is controlled by taps 32 and 33 respectively. Tap 32 incorporates part of a thermostat mechanism as indicated at 37.

Gas flow to the taps 31, 32 and 33 is from the passageways 36A, 36B respectively, and the gas supply to the passageway 36A is controlled by a lid-operated safety valve located in housing 39 as described above with reference to Fig. 6.

Slidably supported in housing 39 is the forward end of a rod 42 which extends beyond the housing as shown. The projecting portion of the rod has an inclined portion 43.

Slidably mounted in front of the gas rail 36 is an actuating plate 57 having, along its length, a series of spaced rectangular apertures 58 each of which locates centrally with respect to the spindle of one of the taps 31, 32, 33 as shown.

On one of the larger edges of each aperture 58 except those aligned with taps 32 and 33, is positioned a rack member 59 whose base is slotted at 60 to fit over that end. The length of the rack member 59 is less than that of the aperture 58. The opposite edge of each aperture 58 supports a bearing strips 41 which holds them pinion 22 of the respective control knob 16 in mesh with the rack. The bearing strips 41 fit tightly between the shorter sides of the apertures.

The right hand (as seen in Fig. 10) end of the plate 57 has a circular cut out 44, in which locates the inclinded portion 43 of the rod 42.

In the embodiment of Fig. 7, the rod 47 forms part of a trigger mechanism shown diagrammatically in Fig. 8.

That end of rod 47 remote from that supported in housing 39 carries a cup-shaped contained 62 housing a helical spring 63. Also housed in the container 62 is a piston 64 with a connecting rod 65 that extends to the rear of the cooker. The end 66 of the rod 65 is positioned to operation by a linear cam rod 67 linked at its upper end to the lid 34 of the cooker.

Container 62 has an external locking projection 68 which, as will be described below, cooperates with the upturned end of a trigger lever 69 pivotally mounted at 70 adjacent the upturned end.

The trigger lever 69 also extends to the rear of the cooker and its end lies in the path of movement of an actuating projection 71 carried by a flexible arm 72 that is part of or is secured to the lower end of the linear cam 67 and moves with the latter. Downward movement of the linear cam 67 occurs against the action of a helical spring 73 positioned between a washer 74 held by the spring 73 against shoulder 75 formed in the cam 67 and a member 76 secured to the structure of the cooker. Spring 73 may form part of the lid counterbalance mechanism, In the open position of the lid 35 shown in Fig. 8, the parts are in the positions shown therein. As the lid moves to its closed position, cam 67 is moved downwardly against spring 67 and the contoured portion 77 of the cam engages the end 66 of rod 65 and moves it to the right as shown in Fig. 11.

That movement of the rod 66 loads the spring 63 housed in container 62 because the later is held against movement by the trigger lever 69 whose upturned end is in engagement with the locking projection 68.

As downward movement continues, the loading of spring 63 continues. In that downward movement of cam 67, projection 71 is carried passed the end of the trigger lever 69, but this has no effect on the position of the latter as the lower surface of the projection 71 is curved at 7 1 a to produce a deflection of the arm 72.

In the closed position of the lid, the spring 63 is fully loaded and the end 66 of rod 65 is in contact with the peak plateau 77a of the portion 77.

Opening movement of the lid 35 causes upward movement of the cam 67 and of the actuating projection 71 and brings the latter into engagement with the end of the trigger lever 65 whilst the end 66 of rod 65 is still engaged with the plateau 77a. The projection 71 in moving upwardly pivots trigger lever 64 and disengages the upturned end thereof from the locking projection 68 and the rod 47 is urged to the left as seen in Fig. 11. That movement will, if plate 57 is in a particular position, cause the inclined portion 43 of the rod 42 to move the plate 57 to the left (as seen in Fig. 10).

In the normal course of events, all the top burners will be "OFF" and the taps 31 will be in there "OFF" position. In these positions, the racks 59 will be in contact with the shorter sides of the right ends of the aperture 58.

When one of the taps 31 is actuated to turn on a top burner, rotation of the respective knob 16 causes the plate 57 to move to the right as viewed in Fig. 6 through the action of the pinion 22 and rack 59.

Thus, if a user closes the lid 5 of the cooker having inadvertently left one or more of the top burners "ON", closure of the lid will, when the latter reaches it 45" position, close the safety valve in the housing 39 thus cutting off the supply of gas to those burners.

The respective taps will, however, remain "ON" until the user next opens the lid. When that happens, the plate 57 will be moved to the left (as seen in Fig. 7) as described above and this movement will be transferred by the racks and pinions to the "ON" taps and return them to the "OFF" positions. This will happen before the lid 35 reaches its 45" position at which the safety valve is opened.

It will be appreciated that movement to the left (as viewed in Fig. 7) of the plate 57 will not be empeded by any tap 31 in its "OFF" position because movement of the plate resulting from turning "ON" a tap 31 will leave clearance between the rack of the right hand end of the respective apperture so allowing movement of the rack as the tap is turned "ON".

In addition, movement of the plate 57 to the right as a tap 31 is turned to its "ON" position will, acting through the inclined portion 43 of the rod 42 cause the latter to move rearwardly and the movement acting through spring 63 bring rod 65 into the position shown in Fig. 8.

It will be understood that the common operating member described above with reference to Fig. 7 may be used instead of the individual push rods described in the embodiments described above with reference to Figs. 2 and 6. In addition, the trigger mechanism described above with reference to Fig. 7 may also be used instead of the trigger mechanism described above with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 6.

The taps described above are preferably of the form described in U.K. Patent Applications Nos. 2,129,097A or 84.24903.

The lid counterbalance mechanism may take the form described in Application No.

2,109,919A or that described in Application No. 2,144,845A or that described in U.K. Patent Application No. 2,126,350 or some other suitable form, for example, some form of friction joint. It is also possible to counterbalance the lid using springs associated with the tap closing mechanism described above.

Whislt a lid counterbalance is desirable, it is not essential and the closing weight of the lid may be unbalanced.

As an addition indicaction to a user, a visual or audible warning may be given in the case where a user closes the lid with at least one tap not in its fully "OFF" position. The warning may commence as the lid moves from its fully closed position. Alternatively, the warning may remain operative until the user ensures that all taps are in the "OFF" position.

Furthermore, the invention is not limited to use with gas hobs and cookers. It can be used with electric hob and cookers and with hob and cookers having both top burners and electric rings or hot plates, or infra-red heaters.

Claims (21)

1. A hob accommodating one or more heating units has a lid mounted for movement be tween a fully opened position giving access to the unit or units and a closed position in which the lid covers the units, and lid-operated control means for controlling the flow of energy to the units in a manner such that the flow is terminated as the lid moves from its fully opened to its closed position and is restored on reverse movement of the lid, the or each heating unit having individual energy control means operatively connected to the lid in a manner which ensures that the or all the individual control means are in a position in which flow of energy of the heating unit or respective heating units is prevented when the lid is moved from its closed position.

2. A hob as claimed in claim 1 in which the or each individual control means is operatively connected with the lid in a manner such that movement of the lid from its closed position operates to a position preventing the supply of energy to to or any individual control means not already in that position.

3. A hob as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the or each individual control means requires a rotary action to operate it and in which the operative connection includes a linkage associated with the or each control means to rotate it to an "OFF" position if not in that position when the lid moves from its closed position to its open position.

4. A hob as claimed in claim 3 in which the linkage comprises separate connectors for transmitting closing movement of the lid to each means.

5. A hob as claimed in claim 3 in which the linkage comprises a single connector for transmitting opening movement of the lid to each means.

6. A hob as claimed in claim 4 or 5 in which the linkage includes a rack and pinion drive.

7. A hob as claimed in claim 6 in which the pinion is part of the individual control means and the rack is movable by the lid.

8. A hob as claimed in claim 6 or 7 when appended to claim 4 in which each rack is movable relatively to the single connector.

9. A hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and further including warning means which provide a warning in the event that the lid is moved from its fully closed position when the or at least one of the individual control means is not in a position preventing the supply of energy.

10. A hob as claimed in claim 9 in which the warning is visual or audible.

11. A hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which means are provided for counterbalancing the closing weight of the lid.

12. A hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the or each heating units is a gas burner or an electric unit.

13. A hob as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 12 and having a plurality of heating units in which at least one of which is a gas burner, and at least one other is an electric unit.

14. A hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the individual energy control means are operatively connected to the lid via a driver that is resiliently loaded during movement of the lid from its fully opened to its closed position and is released on movement of the lid from its closed position to actuate to a position preventing supply of energy to a heating unit or any individual control means not already in that position.

15. A hob as claimed in claim 14 and further comprising a lid-operated cam surface for loading the resilient means during movement of the lid into its closed position.

16. A hob as claimed in claim 14 or 15 and further comprising a lid-operated trigger for releasing the driver on movement of the lid from its closed position.

1 7. A cooker including a hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

18. A hob or a cooker including a hob as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the arrangement in such that the lidoperated control means restores the supply of energy only when the or each individual control means is in a position terminating supply to the or the respective heating unit.

19. A hob as claimed in claim 2 or any claims appended to claim 2 or a cookber including a hob as claimed in claim 2 or any claim appended to claim 2 in which the arrangement is such that the lid-operated control means restores the supply of energy only after the operation of the or any of the individual means into the position terminating the supply of energy.

20. A hob substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A cooker substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by Fig. 5 and 6 or Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings.