GB2272629A

GB2272629A - Domestic kettle

Info

Publication number: GB2272629A
Application number: GB9224525A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Dennis George Roffey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-11-24
Filing date: 1992-11-24
Publication date: 1994-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-24
Also published as: GB9224525D0; GB2272629B

Abstract

A kettle includes a kettle body (2) having a water outlet (56), an electric heating element (6) and a flow cut-off device (12) displaceable by an actuation mechanism accommodated in a hollow space (10) in a handle (8) of the body (2). The mechanism may include a bimetallic strip (36) which flips into one position when water in the kettle is above a predetermined temperature so as to disengage a detent from a hole (21) in a cut-off device actuating rod (20) thus allowing a spring (28) to urge the cut-off device (12) into a position to cut off flow through the outlet (56). The cut-off device may be a rotatable flap, an obturator e.g. valve in a passage or a flap (12) in sliding engagement with the kettle body and which is engageable e.g. by means of slot (63) with a removable lid (4) to prevent accidental removal of the lid. <IMAGE>

Description

DOMESTIC KETTLE The present invention relates to domestic kettles and particularly to domestic kettles of the upright kind in which a lid which substantially covers the upper end of a kettle body.

Such upright kettles frequently have a large spout aperture at their upper end to facilitate rapid filling and emptying of the kettle. If such a kettle is knocked over when the water in it has been heated to a significant extent there is a danger that the person knocking the kettle over will be scalded badly due to the ease with which water can flow out of the kettle outlet.

The object of the invention is to provide a kettle which will avoid the aforementioned problem and yet will still be easy to fill.

Thus according to the invention there is provided a domestic kettle comprising a kettle body including a water outlet, an electric heating element and a flow cut-off means wherein the flow cut-off means includes a flow cut off device and an actuation mechanism which is automatically actuable at a predetermined temperature to cause the flow cut-off device to move to a first position to restrict flow through the outlet, the flow cut-off device being manually movable to a second position to permit flow through the outlet when water is required from the kettle. In the first position the flow cut-off device preferably substantially cuts off all flow through the outlet. A kettle constructed according to the invention can easily be filled with cold water due to the fact that the flow cut-off device can be retracted to its second position when the kettle is cold.This allows filling through the outlet in the customary manner. As the water in the kettle reaches a certain predetermined temperature, the flow cut-off device will move into the first position and thus act to reduce any spillage from the kettle in the event of it being knocked over.

Preferably the predetermined temperature is below 850C and above 400C. This will ensure that filling of the kettle with warm water will not be impeded by movement of the flow cut-off device into the first position.

Furthermore once the water reaches a temperature at which serious scalding would occur to a person knocking the kettle over, the flow cut-off device is moved into its first position.

So as to ensure that the automatic actuation mechanism need not be connected to an electrical supply to provide the flow cut-off device with a biasing force, it preferably includes resilient means for biasing the flow cut-off device towards the first position.

Preferably the automatic actuation mechanism includes a detent member for holding the flow cut-off device in the second position when water in the kettle is below the predetermined temperature. In this manner secure retention of the flow cut-off device in the second position can be provided in order to assist filling after manual retraction of the flow cut-off device has taken place.

The automatic actuation mechanism preferably includes a bimetallic member which is arranged so as to be heated as water in the kettle is heated and so change configuration. More preferably the bimetallic member has two stable configurations between which it flips at the predetermined temperature. By the use of such a bimetallic member an actuation means can be provided which does not require connection to an electrical supply and which will provide a clearly defined movement at a precise temperature to effect movement of the flow cut-off device.

Conveniently retraction of the detent member is effected by a change in configuration of the bimetallic member.

Preferably the flow cut-off device includes an obturating member such as a flap which may conveniently be mounted for sliding between the first and second positions by engagement with one or more recesses in the kettle body.

The obturating member may alternatively be a rotatable flap or a valve member located in an outlet passage, which member is engageable with a seat in the first position and which is held away from the seat in the second position.

As restricting or preventing the flow of water out of the outlet could result in an undesirable build up of pressure the body preferably includes a pressure relief device.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following figures in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical cross section of a kettle according to the invention, Figure 2 is a cross section on the line AA of the kettle shown in figure 1, Figure 3 is a vertical cross section on the line BB of the kettle shown in figure 2, Figure 4 is a vertical cross section through the spout region of a second embodiment, Figure 5 is a vertical cross section through the spout region of a third embodiment.

The kettle shown in figure 1 has a generally circular body 2 with a handle 8 connected to one side and a spout 56 projecting from the opposite side. A lid 4, with a downwardly projecting skirt 5, the front part of which is constituted by a flat wall 54, is insertable into the upper end of the body.

At the lower end of the body 2 a heating element 6 is located which is secured to the body by means of a retaining nut 7. A lower region of the handle 8 is provided with a power socket 9 for connecting a lead to the kettle. An electrical circuit details of which are not given here connects the power socket 9 to the heating element 6. This circuit is preferably able to automatically switch the kettle off when water in the kettle boils and conveniently has an on/off switch located in an upper portion of the handle 8.

Near the upper end of the body two guide members 16 project inwardly towards each other and are provided with confronting horizontal guide member slots 18. A horizontal flap 12 is supported in the slots 18 for movement from the retracted position shown in figure 1 to a forward position in which the flap extends across the spout. In this forward position the flap 12 engages a body slot 14 formed on the inner surface of the spout 56. Connected to the rear end of the flap 12 is an actuation rod 20, the opposite end of which passes out of the body 2 through passage 22 into a hollow space 10 in an upper region of the handle 8.

An actuation mechanism is located in this space 10 for controlling movement of the flap 12 via the actuation rod 20.

The left hand end of the rod 20 (as seen in figure 1) is slidingly supported in a bore 26 in a rod guide member 24. The rod guide member 24 is an integral part of the handle 8 and has a screw 30 screwed into its outer end.

An inner end of the screw 30 bears against a spring 28 which biases the rod 20 to the right as seen in figure 1.

A mounting block 34 is screwed to the lower side of the rod guide member 24 by screws 32 and supports at its outer end a bimetallic strip 36 having an upstanding detent member projecting from its free end. The bimetallic strip has two stable positions between which it flips. At temperatures below 600C the strip adopts the configuration shown in dotted lines in figure 1 in which the upstanding member is not engageable with a hole 21 in the rod 20, and thus movement of the rod back and forth is possible. The spring will tend to urge the rod to the right as seen in figure 1.

At temperatures above 600C the strip attempts to adopt the configuration shown in solid lines in figure 1 and in so doing will engage the hole 21 when the rod 20 is moved to the position shown in figure 1.

A lower pivot pin 44 passes through the rod between the hole 21 and the rod guide member 24 and is engaged by the forked lower end of a pivot link 46. Spring clips engage the lower pivot pin 44 at either of its ends in order to hold it in place. The pivot link 46 is rotatable about a centre pivot pin 48 which extends across the handle to support the link 46. The upper end of the link 46 is attached to a slide member 50 by upper pivot pin 45. The slide member 50 has a horizontal groove running round its centre which engages a slideway 52 formed in an upper wall of the handle.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through the spout of the kettle shown in figure 2, with the flap 12 in the forward position. The downwardly projecting skirt 5 of the lid engages the inner surface of the kettle body.

The front wall portion 54 of the skirt engages the spout wall with its sides. A slot 63 in the lower end of the wall portion 54 is engaged by the flap 12 when the flap is in its forward position, so as to prevent accidental removal of the lid when water in the kettle is at a temperature above 600C.

When there is a requirement to use the kettle it is likely that the flap 12 will be in the forward position in which it blocks the spout 56. In order to fill the kettle a user picks up the kettle and moves the slide member 50 towards the spout. This rotates the pivot link 46 clockwise as seen in figure 1, to the position illustrated in figure 1 thus compressing the spring 28 and opening the spout . As the hole 21 in the rod 20 comes into register with the upstanding portion of the bimetallic strip 36, the upstanding member moves upwardly into the hole 21 and locks the rod preventing its movement when the slide member 50 is released. The kettle may then be filled through the spout.

Having filled the kettle, a lead is engaged with the power socket 9, and the kettle switched on. As water in the kettle is heated, vapour from the hot water passes through aperture 42 and heats the bimetallic strip. When the vapour reaching the strip 36 reaches 600C the strip 36 flips into the position shown in dotted lines in figure 1.

The detent disengages from the hole 21 allowing the spring 28 to move the rod 20 to the right as seen in figure 1. As this occurs the flap 12 slides in slots 14 and 15 to its forward position in which it blocks off the spout. In so doing the flap engages the slot 63 in the lid.

Alternative arrangements to the slideable flap are shown in figures 4 and 5. In figure 4 a pivoting flap 60 is provided which is pivotable about an upper pivot axis 65. A flap mounted lug 66 connects a rear face of the flap 60 to the actuation rod 70. The front wall 54 of the lid 4 sealingly engages the upper end of the flap 60. An actuation mechanism similar to that shown in figure 1 is used to control the movement of the actuation rod 70. The flap is shown in its first position in figure 4 in which flow out of the kettle is prevented. When the actuation rod is moved to the left as shown in figure 4 the lower end 64 of the flap 60 will rotate away from the kettle body to its second position and allow water to be poured out of the kettle.

A third embodiment is shown in figure 5 in which a hemispherical valve member 74 is movable towards and away from a valve seat 73 in a valve body 71. The valve body 71 is integrally formed with the body of the kettle. An actuation rod 76 connects the valve member 74 to an actuation mechanism similar to that shown in figure 1. The valve member 74 is shown in its first position in figure 5 in which flow out of the kettle is prevented. When the actuation rod 76 is moved to the left as shown in figure 5 the valve member 74 will be moved away from the valve seat 73 to its second position and allow water to be poured out of the kettle.

Claims

1. Domestic kettle comprising an electric heating element a flow cut-off means and a kettle body including a water outlet wherein the flow cut-off means includes a flow cutoff device and an actuation mechanism which is automatically actuable at a predetermined temperature to cause the flow cut-off device to move to a first position to restrict flow through the outlet the flow cut-off device being manually movable to a second position to permit flow through the outlet when water is required from the kettle.

2. Kettle as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is below 850C.

3. Kettle as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the predetermined temperature is above 400C.

4. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the automatic actuation mechanism includes resilient means for biasing the flow cut-off device towards the first position.

5. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the automatic actuation mechanism includes a detent member for holding the flow cut-off device in the second position when water in the kettle is below the predetermined temperature.

6. Kettle as claimed in claim 5 wherein the automatic actuation mechanism causes retraction of the detent member when water in the kettle reaches the predetermined temperature to allow the cut-off device to move to the first position.

7. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the automatic actuation mechanism includes a bimetallic member which is arranged so as to be heated as water in the kettle is heated and so change configuration.

8. Kettle as claimed in claim 7 wherein the bimetallic member has two stable configurations between which it flips at the predetermined temperature.

9. Kettle as claimed in claim 5 and claim 7 wherein retraction of the detent member is effected by a change in configuration of the bimetallic member.

10. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the flow cut-off device includes an obturating member for restricting flow through the outlet.

11. Kettle as claimed in claim 10 wherein the obturating member is a flap.

12. Kettle as claimed in claim 11 wherein the flap is slidable between the first and second positions.

13. Kettle as claimed in claim 12 wherein the flap is guided for sliding movement by engagement with one or more recesses in the kettle body.

14. Kettle as claimed in claim 12 or 13 wherein the kettle includes an openable lid and the flow cut-off device in its first position engages the lid so as to prevent accidental opening of the lid.

15. Kettle as claimed in claim 11 wherein the flap is rotatable between the first and second positions.

16. Kettle as claimed in claim 10 wherein the outlet includes a passage provided with a valve seat and the obturating member engages the seat in the first position and is held away from the seat in the second position.

17. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body includes a pressure relief device.

18. Kettle as claimed in any preceding claim wherein in the first position the flow cut-off device cuts off substantially all of the flow through the outlet.

19. A kettle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 to 5.