US2049080A - Cooking top cover - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1936. e. E. PICKUP cobKiNG TOP COVER Filed June-15, 1934 ji izj lwoe Geo)" e 2' u 0 (ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,049,080 COOKING TOP COVER tion of Ohio Application June 15, 1934, Serial No. 730,713

2 Claims. (Cl. 126214) plate is not in use.

A primary object is to provide a utility cover construction for the cooking tops of ranges wherein the cover is arranged to be quickly removed when the cooking top is to be used for cooking, and may be conveniently disposed of so as not to interfere with normal activity about the range, but is retained immediately at hand for replacement when desired.

Another object is to provide a cooking top cover which forms a normally connected part of the range but which may be removed and placed within a convenient part of the range so as to be completely out of the way, and to accomplish this result without affecting the normal appearance of the range. Q

Another object is to provide a disappearing cooking top construction for ranges together with associated parts to facilitate manipulation of the same.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following description and from the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. '1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a range and cooking top, showing the cover partly open.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentarytransverse sectional plan view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1' and showing certain details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the arrangement of parts when the cover isin place over the cooking top.

Fig.4 is a similar view showing the parts when the cover is disposed within the disappearing slide at the end of the stove.

A salient feature of the invention resides in the provision of a cooking top cover which, when the cooking top is in use for cooking, may be disposed of conveniently to one side of the cooking top where the cover will be out of theway but ready to be replaced quickly and with a minimum of effort. As a satisfactory manner of accomplishing the objectives of the invention there may be provided means below the surface of the cooking top for receiving the cover, and in /order to facilitate manipulation of the cover, means may be provided for guiding the cover to u and from said means for receiving the same.

plate.

Referring to the drawing, which shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a range l is'provided with a cooking top comprising an angular upper peripheral frame l2 having inwardly offset flanges I3 forming a seat to receive a cooking plate M. The upper surface of the cooking plate M is preferably; in a plane offset below the upper surface of the frame I2 so that a cover l5 which ispreferably of about the same dimensions as the cooking plate will fit within the cooking plate opening in the frame l2 with its upper surface-in the same plane as the upper surface of the frame.

Cooking top covers heretofore in use have either been bodily removable or have been hingedly connected to the range top to swing backwardly or to one side of the cooking plate. In the former instances the cover was subject to damage by careless handling, and disposal of the same while not in use created a problem; while in the latter cases the cover was often found to be an annoyance and a hindrance to the normal operations about the stove. By the present invention, however, means are provided for guiding the cover l5 when not in use into a convenient place at one side of the range, such, for example as into a, receiving space within the body of the range. The cover is thereby completely out of the way, but may be readily withdrawn when desired for replacement over the cooking As a desirable means for accomplishing this purpose, there is provided a pair of substantially U shaped vertical guideway members I I which are secured in spaced relation adjacent a side wall l8 of the range. These guideways I! have lateral flanges H9 at their upper ends which are connected by means of suitable bolts to the flanges l3 of the frame member l2, respectively adjacent the frontand back of the range. At vertically spaced points, the guideways II are attached to horizontal drawer slide members 22 the ends of which are rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the stove framework adjacent the front and back of the range.

A guide member 24 connected adjacent one end of the cover I 5 by means of one or more suitable hinges 28. In Fig. 2 one side of the guide I 24 is shown for the purpose of illustration, the

other side being substantially the same so that a description of one will suflice for the other. An angular flange 21 on the edge of the guide is slidably received within the channel-shaped guideway II, a sufficient clearance being'maintained to permit free vertical reciprocation of 2 the guide. Thus, when the cover I5 is removed from the cooking top, the member 24 will move downwardly to guide the cover into the space between the guideways, A handle '28 is hingedly connected to the opposite end of cover I5 to facilitate lifting the same from the cooking top for insertion into the receiving space at the side of therange, and for withdrawing the same for replacement. Tlhecover is preferably enameled to present a pleasing and easily cleaned surface to harmonize with any desired decorative finish of the range.

The cover I5 is preferably of substantial construction and may be formed ofsuitable gauge sheet metal capable of withstanding reasonable weight of'objects so as to maintain a uniform plane in use. stiffening flanges 29 may be formed about the edges of the cover to aid in rigidifying the same. These features, ofcourse, give. a certain amount of bulk to the cover and in'the absence .of restraining means the force of gravity would tend to accelerate downward movement of the cover in the receiving space when the same is inserted therein. Repeated concussion incident to the abrupt termination of its descent would in time deleteriously affect the contour and finish of the cover. Means are therefore provided to facilitate insertion of the cover into and its removal from the receiving means, herein shown as a counterbalance 30 connected by means of a suitable rope or cable 3| to the guide member 24. One end of the cable 3| is attached to an eye bolt 32 in the upper edge of the counterbalance 38, and the other end of the cable is engagedby a suitable engagement member 33 on a flange 34 on the lower edge of the guide member 24. over a pulley 35 which is rotatably mounted in a U shaped bracket 36 attached to a flange 31 formed at the top of side plate I8 of the range.

When the cover It: is to be removed from the cooking top to be inserted into the receiving space therefor, the handle 28 isgrasped and the cover raised to a vertical position whereupon its weight added to the guide 24 will overcome the weight of the stationary counterbalance 30 and cause the guide 24 to descend slowly with the cover to the position shown in Fig. 4. The counterbalance 30 is preferably lighter than the combined weight of the cover l5 and the guide member 24 so that the cover will remain in its hidden position until positively urged therefrom.

The counterbalance 30 is preferably elongate and flat in shape so 'as to require a minimum of space for vertical movement, whereby the same may be slidably disposed in a relatively narrow space between the inner face of the side plate l8 of the range and flanges 38 on the guideways As shown herein, the counterbalance may be in the shape of a horizontally elongated, re'ctangular frame. Angular guides33 are preferably secured adjacent the ends of the counterbalance 30 to prevent endwise movement of the same when it is raised or lowered. A stop 40 is secured to the lower ends of flanges 38 of the guideways H to prevent further descent of counterbalance 30, and may comprise an angle span-- ning the two guideways. A stop member 4| is provided to limit downward movement of the The cable 3| is threaded =ways ll.

While the cever l5 has been described as being inserted into receptacle means at the side of the range, provision may as well be made to 6 provide a space therefor adjacent another wall of the range such as at the back. The central part of. therange, defined by a cross-member 42 of the frame |2, however, is generally traversed by gas pipes or the like and, consequently, it does not ordinarily form-a suitable place for the disappearing recess for the cover.

I will state in conclusion, that while'the illustrated embodiment of theinvention discloses a preferred form, itis to be understood that the same may be considerably modified in detail without departing from the spirit and scopeof the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in a kitchen .range, means 20 providing a body framework including, angu- .larly related vertical walls and a cooking top supported in a plane near the upper 'inargins of said walls, a removable cover for saidcooking top adapting the same to be used as a table, one of said walls being spaced/from said cooking top and providing a vertical pocket for receiving said cover when removed from the cooking top, a member hingedly connected to the edge of said cover and extending intosaid pocket for guiding movement of the cover therein, counterbalancing means for effecting smooth and substantially effortless movement of said member and cover into or out of said pocket and including a flat weight connected with said member and movable in a plane close to the plane of movement of said member and cover in said pocket, and guide means within said pocket defining the path of movement of said member and cover and including a part interposed between said planes of movement for maintaining said weight permanently out of contact with the member or cover.

2. In combination in a kitchen range, means providing a body framework including angularly related vertical walls and a cooking top supported in a plane near the uppen margins of said walls. a removable cover. for said cooking top adapting the upper part of the range to be used as a table, one of said walls being spaced from said cooking top and providing a vertical pocket for receiving said cover when removed from the cooking top, a member hingedly connected to the edge of said cover and extending into said pocket for guiding movement of the cover therein, ccunterbalancing means for effecting smooth and substantially effortless movement of said member and cover into or out of said pocket and including a weight connected with said member movable in a plane close to the plane of movement 5. of said member and cover in said pocket, guide means within said pocket including a vertical part defining the path of movement of said member and cover and having a portion interposed between said planes of movement for maintaining said weight out of contact with said mentber or cover, and means on said weight coactive with said vertical part for retaining said weight against transverse swinging movement.

GEORGE E. PICKUP.

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