US1954174A - Cooking range top for stoves or ranges - Google Patents

Description

April 10, 1934. C. H; HOFFSTETTER El AL ,174

COOKING RANGE TOP FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Jan. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l cam. H- HUF'F'iTETTL'R ROBERT narrirzrren ATTORNEY April 1934- c. H. HOFFSTEIZTTER ET AL 1,954,174

' COOKING, RANGE TOP FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Jan. 20. 1932 .2 Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR cam. H- HUFF'ETEfTER 'napsnrr narrsrr rfl ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES COOKING RANGE TOP FOR STOVES OR RANGES Carl H. Hofi'stetter and Robert F. Hoflstetter,

I Erie,

Application January 20,

' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gas ranges, and more particularly to the main cooking tops, and their covering and protecting members, which permit use of the cooking tops as table surfaces. At present such cover members comprise foldable cover plates or members hingedly attached to the stove, and serve when unfolded as splash boards. Such construction and use of the cover members increases the minimum height of the stove, and often interferes with proper placement of the stove within a limited area especially where it is desirable that such stove occupy a recessed wall space of limited height. Furthermore, hinged cover members of the kind described require specific interlocking means with the stove body .to prevent accidental folding of the cover member during cooking op erations and injury to the operator and are therefore costly in manufacturing and assembly. The

general object of the present invention is to provide a cover member for the cooking top of a stove or gas range which is practical in use, of simple and sturdy design and construction, and readily and cheaply produced. Another object of the invention is to provide a tray-like cover member. preferably a metal stamping constructed and proportioned or shaped to enclose and rest upon the grates of the cooking top, and to safeguard the cover member against bending and consequent cracking of its enameled, or painted surface.

A further object is to provide such cover member or tray with handles to permit of more readily handling the former. A still further object is to provide the end walls of the cover member with recesses adapted to interlock with the side walls of a stove drawer, when placed thereon, all as hereinafter more fully described in the following description of an exemplified form of the invention, and as more concisely pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a gas range with a tray-like cover member according to the invention covering the main cooking top. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the top portion of the stove of Fig. 1, showing the cover member resting upon the grates of the main cooking portion. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a gas range showing the drawer extended and the tray-like cover member resting on the drawer and interlocked therewith. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the tray-like cover member and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective 5 view of the drawer showing the recessed flange 1932, Serial No. 587,712

of the cover member on a side wall portion of the drawer.

To illustrate the invention we have shown a gas kitchen range A comprising a top tion 2, a drawer section 3 therebeneath, and the common baking and broiler oven sections 4 and 5 respectively. These sections are supported by a frame 6 which atits lower corners carries legs '7. Top burner section 2 and burners 8 therein are covered by a top bed plate 9 which extends over the entire width of the stove and is provided with a rectangular opening 10 centrally arranged with respect to and directly above the top burner section 2. The opening 10 is bordered by narrowrecessed or flanged seat portions 11 which portions receive and support the grates 14 of the cooking top. The grates 14 are spaced slightly from the wall 11' of recessed seat portions 11 thus providing a space 25 surrounding the grates for a purpose hereinafter described. A tray-like cover member C, having a centrally recessed portion 26 adapted to snugly seat pots and pans and the like, conceals the grates and opening 10 when the cooking top is not in use for cooking. This combined tray and cover member C is provided with handles 15 adapted to facilitate lifting of said member when used as a tray to transport articles from one side of the stove to the other or to some distant point. When used to conceal opening 10 in bed plate 9, as well as grates 14, member C seats with its inner depressed or recessed body portion 16 upon the raised rib portions 17 of-the grates 14 so that the outer peripheral flange 18 of said cover member partially enters the space 25, but never contacts with or seats upon the recessed seat portion 11 of stove bed plate 9. The ribs 17 of grates 14 support and prevent cracking of the painted or enameled tray member C, and consequently the latter will always present an orderly and neat appearance. The danger of cracking or chippingthe tray finish by subjecting the tray to uneven stresses is eliminated by virtue of the fact that the tray is evenly supported. The lower edge of peripheral flange 18 is maintained well above the surface of bed plate 9 and also above any accumulation of grease or dirt which may build up in space 25.

When not in use the cover member C, as previously explained, may serve as a tray member, for instance to carry hot pots or pans or other cooking utensils from the range, or such cover member may be placed on the extended service drawer D and thus form additional resting space for pots and pans used during cooking operations.

burner sec- In fact, the drawer, as thus converted, is the equivalent of a table top. To prevent accidental dislocation of the tray or cover member C when placed upon the upper edges of the side walls 19 of service drawer D, the end flanges 12 of the tray are notched at 20. These notches are of suiiicient depth and width to snugly receive the upper edges of side walls 21,so that the tray will be locked against lateral movement with respect to the service drawer. Attention is also called to the fact that tray or cover member C is only slightly longer than the service drawer D and that therefore longitudinal displacement of the tray with respect to drawer D is prevented by the end walls of the drawer.

What we claim, is:

A cover member for the top of a cooking stove, having a cooking opening in its top anda service drawer with vertical side walls, comprising an imperforate tray-like member adapted to seat uponsaid top for concealing the cooking opening therein, said cover member being of greater width than the width of said service drawer and including a flanged portion circumferentially extending downwardly therefrom and notched at opposite sides to permit said cover member to rest upon and interlock with the side walls of said service drawer.

' CARL H. HOFFS'I'E'ITER.

ROBERT F. HOFFSTE'I'IER.

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