GB2281117A - Device for the timed selective cutoff of gas or electric consumers of a cookingapparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The consumers (A, B, C, D) are controlled by means of respective knobs (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) through corresponding shafts (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d). A timer (18) can be selectively connected in a mechanical way, by means of a change-over switch (19), to a trip device (5) associated with each consumer (A, B, C, D). <IMAGE>

Description

DEVICE FOR THE TIXED SELECTIVE CUTOFF OF GAS AW/OR ELECTRIC COBSUWEBS OF A COOKING APPARATUS The present invention concerns a mechanical device for the timed selective cutoff of gas and/or electric consumers of a cooking apparatus.

Attempts have already been made to bring about the timed disconnection of a single gas consumer. For this purpose, a device is used which foresees a timer associated with the gas delivery tap, for the purpose of timing the automatic closure of the same by determining the end of cooking.

This type of device does not allow the intensity of the flame to be regulated at the same time. In order to do this, a second regulator tap is foreseen downstream. Therefore the timing and the regulation of a flame necessitate the use of a timer and two taps.

Likewise, in order to regulate and disconnect an electric consumer, use is normally made of a timer associated with a contact mechanism, which connects the consumer during cooking time and automatically disconnects it when the time has expired. It is only the use of a supplementary thermostat which allows the cooking temperature to be regulated.

One aim of the invention is to use a timer only, which is entirely mechanical, for the connection of gas or electric consumers, however they are arranged among each other, without the aid of electric switches, which involve additional costs.

Another aim of the invention is to connect in a simple and economical way the usual taps, thermostats and change-over switches of a cooking apparatus, allowing the control and the relevant knob to be brought into the disconnected position immediately.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a low-cost mechanical consumer selector device and to create a flexible system which can be adapted for different types of apparatus which foresee variations in- the distances between the control knobs.

Yet another aim of the invention is to provide a higly reliable device which will be perfectly compatible with the type of components used, such as gas taps and thermostats.

These and other aims have been achieved by the device according to the invention, as is defined in the appended claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention are described in the subsequent claims.

The device according to the invention substantially comprises a timer, which can be connected mechanically, by means of a special change-over switch, to a trip device associated with each of the connected gas or electric consumers of the cooker. The trip device for disconnecting the related consumer is independent of the means for regulating the gas tap or the electric consumer, and anyway is wound at the moment the relative knob is rotated to open it.

The various trip devices are operated by respective shafts, suitably guided, which can be operated selectively by the change-over switch, for which a neutral position is also foreseen.

Further characteristics of the invention will be made clearer from the detailed description given below, which refers to one of its purely exemplary and therefore not restrictive embodiments, illustrated in the appended drawings, in which: figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating, in side elevation, a series of four aperating knobs (the first cutaway) for gas or electric consumers, and a connecting timer for the various knobs; figure 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of figure 1, with the change-over switch positioned in the neutral position; figure 3 is a plan view of the timer unit only, with the change-over switch in the operative position; figure 4 is an enlargement of a detail in figure 1, relating to the trip device.

In the appended figures, four different gas or electric consumers are indicated with the letters A, B, C, D, controllable by means of respective knobs la, ib, ic, id, by means of corresponding shafts 2a, 2b, 2c 2d.

Henceforth mention will mainly be made of gas taps for cooking apparatuses, on the understanding that what is said holds good for electric consumers also.

In figure 1, the reference number 3 indicates the outer surface of the cooking apparatus, appropriately perforated in correspondence with the knobs la - id and with the timer, which will be described below, while 4 indicates an inner support panel.

Henceforth, when reference is made to the components of the various consumers A, B, C, D, using reference numbers not followed by letters, it is clear that these can refer equally to each of the consumers.

Below each knob 1 a trip device is positioned, indicated as a whole with the reference number 5. The trip device is coaxial with the respective knob 1 and consists substantially of a support base 6, fastened to the panel 4 and having a central tang 7 for the passage of the drive shaft 2. Below the base 6 a wheel 8 is positioned, mounted in a revolving way around the tang 7, and provided with a peripheral serration 9. The wheel 8 can rotate through an angle corresponding tp the maximum angle of rotation of the knob 1.A spring 10 is interposed between the wheel 8 and the support base 6, particularly a spiral spring, which tends to bring the wheel back to its rest position, when it is rotated in a certain direction, for example in an anticlockwise direction when looking at the appended drawings, and this is prevented by a jack lever 11 which has a pawl 12, which engages with the toothing 9 of the wheel 8, through the action of a flat spring 13.

The anti-clockwise rotation of the wheel 6, with the consequent winding of the spring 10 takes place in an automatic way when the corresponding knob 1 is rotated in such direction, which, by means of a tab 14 projecting below it, draws the wheel 8 into rotation -y actin against a pin 15 which projects above the latter.

Each trip device 5 is permanently activated, until it is released in the way which will be described below, without, however, interfering with the traditional use of the knob 1, which can always be in any case rotated to regulate the gas by means of the driving shaft 2 To each trip device 5 a respective "release" rod 16 is associated, which acts against the jack lever 11, sliding in special support guides 17, into which it is snapped into position.

A shift to the left of the rod 16 causes the rotation of the corresponding jack lever 11 and then the release of the pawl 12 of the toothing 9 of the wheel 8, which immediately comes into the rest position through the action of the spring 10, drawing with it the knob 8 until it comes into the consumer disconnection position, through the engagement of the pin 15 with the tab 14.

The shift of the rod 16 is obtained by means of a timer 18 and a change-over switch 19.

The timer 18 is a mechanical type timer already known in itself, and it is operated by a control knob 20, splined onto the end of its shaft 21. A prong 22 is also splined onto an intermediate section of the shaft 21, which is able to interact with the central ratchet 23 of a click lever 24.

Timing is carried out by rotating the knob 20 in a clockwise direction through an angle proportional to the preselected cooking time. During the backward or winding- down stroke of the timer in an anti-clockwise direction, the prong 22 meets the ratchet 23 (figure 3), moving it towards the left, to proceed to move one of the rods 16 in the same direction, by means of a presser 25, which can be appropriately positioned by means of the change-over switch 19.

The change-over switch 19 can be operated by means of a knob 26, which is coaxial with the timer knob 20. By rotating the knob 26 in one or the other direction, a toothed wheel 27 is brought into rotation, engaging a rack 28 of a latch 29, which can be moved with reciprocating rectilinear motion, to which the presser member 25 is fasten, with its fulcrum at 30. The presser member 25 can be moved, in particular, into five different positions, one of which is neutral, shown in figure 2, and four are an interaction with a respective rod 16, one of which (interaction with the rod 16a) is illustrated in figure 3. The five positions are set in a precise way by means of a flat spring 31, with a profile 32 which moves to take up position in one of the five successive seatings 33 foreseen on the latch 29.

In the example shown, the four rods lSa-16d are arranged overlapping in twos. In order to operate the said rods, two overhangs 34, 35 are foreseen on the presser 25, arranged on the same side and on off-set planes, in such a way that the overhang 34 is able to operate the rods 16a and 16b, in two different positions of the change-over switch 19, while the overhang 35 is able to operate the other two rods 16c and 16d, in two other positions of the change-over switch 19.

From what has been described, the working of the device according to the invention should be absolutely clear.

The device for timing the disconnection of electric or gas consumers according to the invention possesses the advantages of reliability, simplicity in assembling and low costs.

It is clear that the timer 18, as well as operating the presser member 25 by means of the click lever 24 , when the time set has expired, can also operate a sound alarm device.

This can be advantageous for using the timer 18 solely as a sound signal when the change-over switch 19 is in the neutral position (figure 2).

It is further evident that, with suitable modifications involving a certain complication of the device, it is possible to foresee the timing of several consumers, simultaneously and with different times.

The above description, referring to the appended figures, is not to be considered as restrictive. In particular, for example, it can be foreseen that the control knobs la - id of the consumers and the timer knob 20 can be operated in opposite directions to the ones described, with a resulting modification of the device. Obviously, the control knob 26 of the change-over switch 19 can also be foreseen not coaxial to the knob 20 of the timer 18.

According to a variant, with the structure of the changeover switch 19 remaining unchanged, the timer 18 can be an electronic timer, which operates the presser member 25 by means of a suitable actuator, for example an electromagnet.

Claims (14)

1. A device for the timed cutoff of gas or electric consumers (A, B, C, D), controllable by means of respective knobs (la, lb, ic, ld) through shafts (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d), characterized in that it comprises a timer (18) selectively connectable in a mechanical way, by means of a change-over switch (19), to trip devices (5) associated with each knob (la - Lob).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the timer (18) is a mechanical type timer, with a sound signal denoting the expiry of the time.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the said change-over switch (18) has a number of positions equal to the number of programmable consumers (A, B; C; D), plus a neutral position in which the timer (18) can be activated independently of connection to the consumers themselves.

4. A device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the said trip device (5) consists of a toothed wheel (8), able to be rotated through an angle corresponding to the maximum angle of rotation of the respective knob C1a - ld) and drawn by the latter into rotation only in the direction for opening the respective consumer (A, B, C, D) in contrast to elastic return means (10), whose action is annulled by a jack lever (11), pressed against the peripheral toothing of the wheel (8) by an elastic means (13).

5. A device according to any one of the previous claims, in which the said mechanical connection between each trip device (5) and the timer (18) is obtained by means of rods (16a - 16d) guided in appropriate supports (17).

6. A device according to claim 5, in which the said rods (16a - 16d) are arranged overlapping in pairs and act against the jack levers (11) of the respective trip devices (5).

7. A device according to any one of the previous claims, in which the said timer (18), t the end of the time set on it, acts by means of a prong (22) on a click lever (24), acting against a presser member (25) which sets the selected rod (16a - 16d) in action.

8. A device according to claim 7, in which the said presser (25) has on one and the same side overhangs (34, 35) positioned on off-set planes.

9. A device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the said presser member (25) has its fulcrum on a latch (29) of the change-over switch, able to be set -in operation by reciprocal rectilinear motion.

10. A device according to claim 9, in which the said latch (29) has a series of seats (33), equal in number to the positions which can be taken up by the change-over switch, with which a profile (32) of a flat spring (31) engages, to facilitate precise positioning of the changeover switch itself.

11. A device according to any one of the previous claims, characterized in that the said change-over switch (19) is controlled by a knob (26) coaxial with the control knob (20) of the timer (18).

12. A device according to claim 1 or any one of the claims from 3 to 6 and from 8 to 11, characterized in that the said timer (18) is an electronic timer, which operates the presser member (25) by means of a suitable actuator, such as an electromagnet.

13. Apparatus comprising a regulating device for regulating the supply to a gas, electricity or other consumer outlet, a trip device associated with said regulating device for tripping said regulating device to cut-off said supply being regulated thereby, and means for selectively actuating said trip device.

14. Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.