US2704063A

US2704063A - Tilting backsplash structure for ranges

Info

Publication number: US2704063A
Application number: US303316A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allan M Young
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1952-08-08
Filing date: 1952-08-08
Publication date: 1955-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 1972-03-15

Description

March 15, 1955 A. M. YOUNG TILTING BACKSPLASH STRUCTURE FORRANGES Filed Aug. 8, 1952 Inventor A! I an M.You1'1 H is fittorney United States Patent TILTING BACKSPLASH STRUCTURE FOR RANGES Allan M. Young, Meriden, Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application August 8, 1952, Serial No. 303,316

1 Claim. (Cl. 126-214) This invention relates to cooking ranges and, more particularly, to such ranges provided with tilting backsplash structure.

Modern ranges are normally provided with an upwardly projecting wall or backsplash structure at the rear of the cooking top to provide a convenient housing for fixtures and \equipment such as heating controls, timers, lights, and electrical outlets. In some ranges, the normal height of the backsplasher has been considerably increased in order to extend its usefulness and to achieve a better balance in design. Such ranges would normally require a larger shipping crate because of the increased overall height and, in order to avoid the consequent increase in transportation costs, some ranges having a tilting or completely removable backsplash structure have been developed. It has also been found that a tilting backsplash structure is desirable because it facilitates the adjustment or repair of the equipment carried by the backsplasher after the range is installed in a modern kitchen having overhead cabinets.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a range having an improved tilting backsplash structure whereby the overall height of the range may be substantially reduced in order that the range may be conveniently crated and shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tilting backsplash structure for a range whereby the equipment carried by the backsplasher may be rendered readily accessible from the front of the range to permit adjustment and repair thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a range including a cooking top and a backsplash structure having mechanism for mounting the backsplash structure for tilting movement with respect to the cooking top between a substantially upright position and a forwardly folded position.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a range of the character noted, improved hinge mechanism for mounting the backsplash structure for tilting movement with respect to the cooking top.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in a range of the character noted, improved backsplash structure hinge mechanism for guiding and controlling the position of the backsplash structure between a substantially upright position and a forwardly folded position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claim annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

.Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of my invention, I provide a pin and slot connected between the backsplash structure and the cooking top of the range together with cam surfaces associated with hinge ele ments for guiding and supporting the backsplash structure as it is tilted from its upright position to a forwardly folded position. The cam surfaces and the support members which cooperate with the cam surfaces are so arranged that the backsplash structure must be lifted vertically a short distance before being tilted forward along a curved path defined by the curved surfaces of the cams. Thus, my invention provides a tilting backsplash structure which may either be securely locked in its upright position or quickly tilted to a forwardly folded position over the cooking top.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawing, in which ice Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the upper portion of a range embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front perspective view of the hinge mechanism for the backsplash structure and cooking top shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front sectional view of the hinge mechanism shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 3 and illustrating the normal upright position of the backsplash structure.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 but shows the backsplash structure tilted to a forwardly folded position.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 3 showing a modified form of my invention.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77 of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, the upper portion of the range illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a substantially horizontally disposed cooking top 1, terminating adjacent the rear thereof in an upwardly directed pedestal 2, upon which is mounted an upwardly extending backsplash structure 3. Mounted within the pedestal 2 and backsplash structure 3, which are of hollow construction, is the hinge mechanism of the present invention, including a generally vertical channel-shaped post 4 and a hinge member or bracket 5. Mounted on cooking top 1 are a plurality of the usual surface heating units 6. The range also includes a range body, an oven and heating unit controls, but these parts do not form a part of the present invention and are not shown.

Preferably, two hinge mechanisms, such as that shown in Figure 2, are employed to support backsplash structure 3, one being mounted adjacent one side of cooking top 1 as in Figure 3 and the other being similarly mounted adjacent the other side thereof. As best shown in Figure 2, the hinge mechanism comprises a generally vertical channel-shaped post 4, a hinge bracket 5 and an upper latch bracket 7. Vertical post 4 is rigidly mounted on cooking top 1 by fasteners such as rivets or screws secured to rear wall 8 and reinforcing plate 9 is provided to strengthen the connection. Hinge bracket 5 is rigidly secured to rear wall 10 of backsplash structure 3 by suitable fastening means, and latch bracket 7 is also rigidly secured to backsplash structure 3 in the same manner. A hinge pin 11 rigidly secured to the lower portion of binge bracket 5 extends through and cooperates with a vertical slot 12 in hinge member or bracket 13 to form a pin and slot connection. Preferably, and as shown in the drawing, hinge member 13 is integral with post 4. This pin and slot arrangement permits the backsplash structure 3 to be lifted vertically the distance of sllolt 12 and also pivoted about an axis through hinge pin A cam surface 14 is formed on the lower edge of hinge bracket 5 and cooperates with a cam support 15 projecting from hinge member 13. Cam support 15 may be made integrally with the lower side portion of post 4 by cutting and bending a rectangular portion out of the plane of lower side portion 13. When backsplash structure 3 is in a generally upright position, as shown in Figure 4, a flat portion of cam surface 14 engages cam support 15 and prevents tilting movement of backsplasher 3 until it is raised sufficiently to permit the curved portion of cam surface 14 to engage cam support 15. One end of cam surface 14 terminates in a projecting stop member 16 arranged to support backsplash structure 3 in a predetermined forwardly folded position. The manner in which these elements cooperate to support backsplash structure 3 is best shown in Figure 5.

The upper end of post 4 includes an upwardly projecting end portion 17 and a cam surface 18, both of which are arranged to cooperate with portions of latch bracket 7. One portion of latch bracket 7 includes an aperture 19 adapted to receive projecting end portion 17 of post 4 while another portion, support member 20, is adapted to engage cam surface 18 and support backsplash structure 3 during initial tilting movement from its substantially vertical position. An opening 21 is, of course, provided in rear wall 10 of backsplash structure 3 to permit tilting of backsplash structure 3 without interference with post 4. The configuration of opening 21 may be generally similar to the shape of post 4. Preferably, at least a portion of rear wall 10 is removably mounted on backsplash structure 3 to permit access to the equipment mounted therein.

When the backsplash structure 3 occupies its substantially upright position, as shown in Figure 4, the bottom wall of the backsplash structure 3 is arranged in superimposed relation with respect to the top wall of the pedestal 2 so that cooking top 1 and backsplash structure 3 present a unitary appearance. Backsplash structure 3 is securely but releasably locked in this position by the engagement of end portion 17 of post 4 with aperture 19 of bracket 7 and also engagement of the straight portion of cam surface 14 with cam support 15. If it is desired to tilt backsplash structure 3 to the forwardly folded position shown in Figure and also in dotted lines in Figure 1, the following procedure may be followed. First, backsplash structure 3 is raised from pedestal 2 until hinge pin 11 reaches the upper end of vertical slot 12. This movement is sufiicient to disengage end portion 17 of post 4 from aperture 19 in bracket 7 and also to place the curved portion of cam 14 and cam 18 in alignment with cam support 15 and support member 20 of bracket 7 respectively. Backsplash structure 3 may then be tilted forwardly over cooking top 1, being guided and supported initially by cam surface 18 and throughout its movement by cam surface 14. Projecting stop member 16 on bracket 5 limits this tilting movement and supports backsplash structure 3 somewhat about cooking top 1. To return backsplash structure 3 to its substantially upright position, it is. simply tilted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 1, until aperture 19 is vertically aligned with projecting end portion 17 of post 4. At this

point cam surfaces

14 and 18 no longer support backsplish structure 3 and its weight will cause it to drop into the position shown in Figure 4.

In the modified form of my invention, illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, backsplash structure 3 is secured in its substantially upright position by screw fastener means rather than the latch means shown in Figures 2 to 5 inclusive. This modified hinge mechanism comprises a generally vertical flanged post 22 rigidly mounted on cooking top 1 by fasteners such as rivets or screws secured to rear wall 8, hinge bracket 5 rigidly secured to rear wall of backsplash structure 3 and an upper bracket 23 also rigidly secured to rear wall 10. Reinforcing plate 9 is provided to strengthen the connection between post 22 and cooking top 1. A hinge pin 11 rigidly secured to the lower portion of hinge bracket 5 extends through and cooperates with a vertical slot 24 in hinge member or bracket 25 to form a pin and slot connection permitting the backsplash structure 3 to be lifted vertically the distance of slot 24 and also pivoted about an axis through hinge pin 11. A cam surface 14 formed on the lower edge of hinge bracket 5 cooperates with a cam support 26 projecting from hinge member 25 in the same way that cam surface 14 cooperates with the cam support employed in the first embodiment of the invention already described above. Thus, when backsplash structure 3 is in a generally upright position, a flat portion of cam surface 14 engages cam support 26 and prevents tilting movement of backsplasher 3 until it is raised sufficiently to permit the curved portion of cam surface 14 to engage cam support 26.

As illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, backsplash structure 3 is retained in its generally upright position by screws 27 which engage mating flange portions of post 22 and upper bracket 23. If it is desired to tilt backsplash structure 3 to its forwardly folded position for crating or servicing, screws 27 are first removed so that backsplash structure 3 may be lifted sufficiently to permit the curved portion of cam surface 14 to engage cam support 26. Backsplash structure 3 may then be tilted forwardly over cooking top 1 to a position in which it is supported by engagement of projecting stop member 16 on bracket 5 with support 26. It will be noted that backsplash structure 3 cannot be inadvertently tilted after the removal of screws 27 because of the engagement of cam support 26 with the flat portion of cam surface 14.

While I have shown and described two specific embodiments of my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular constructions shown and described and I intend by the appended claim to cover all modifications within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

A range including a horizontal cooking top, backsplash structure arranged adjacent the rear of said cooking top, and a pair of spaced-apart hinge mechanisms respectively secured to said cooking top and to said backsplash structure for mounting said backsplash structure for tilting movement with respect to said cooking top between a substantially upright position and a forwardly folded position; each of said hinge mechanisms comprising a channel-shaped vertical post fixedly secured to said cooking top, a first bracket fixedly secured to said backsplash structure adjacent the lower portion of said post, a second bracket fixedly secured to said backsplash structure adjacent the upper portion of said post, a vertical slot in one of the lower side portions of said post, a pin fixed to said first bracket and cooperating with said slot to form a pin and slot connection, a first cam surface including a curved portion formed on the lower edge of said first bracket, a support for said cam surface projecting from the said lower side portion of said post in contact with said first cam surface, a second cam surface including a forwardly extending curved portion formed on the upper portion of said post adjacent said second bracket and an aperture in said second bracket arranged to receive an upwardly projecting portion of said post, said first cam surfaces being in sliding engagement with said support, and said second cam surface being in sliding engagement with said bracket during initial forward tilting movement of said backsplash structure, whereby said backsplash structure is guided and supported during vertical and tilting movement from said upright position to said forwardly folded position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,066,560 Westby July 8, 1913 1,951,231 Antrim Mar. 13, 1934 2,132,266 Lefevre Oct. 4, 1938 2,453,832 Dadson Nov. 16, 1948 2,554,083 Berg May 22, 1951 2,556,555 Reedy June 12, 1951 2,649,531 Woodburn Aug. 18, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 523,414 Great Britain July 15, 1940