US2804213A

US2804213A - Rack construction for dishwashing machines

Info

Publication number: US2804213A
Application number: US344562A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gerald B Fox; Lewis E Glezen
Original assignee: Hobart Manfacturing Co
Current assignee: Hobart Manfacturing Co
Priority date: 1953-03-25
Filing date: 1953-03-25
Publication date: 1957-08-27
Anticipated expiration: 1974-08-27
Also published as: FR1097379A; GB739855A

Description

' 7, 1957 G. B. FOX ETAL 2,804,213

' RACK CONSTRUCTION FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES Filed March 25, 1953 FIG-1 IN VENTORS GERALD B. FOX y LEWIS E.GLEZEN @Mz/W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,804,213 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 RACK CONSTRUCTION FOR DISHWASHING MACHINES Gerald B. Fox, Troy, and Lewis E. Glezen, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignors to The Hobart Manufacturing Company, Troy, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 25, 1953, Serial No. 344,562

9 Claims. (Cl. 211-41) This invention relates to racks for dishwashing machines and more particularly to a rack construction including removable spacer ribs.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a dishwasher rack adapted to support dishes, cups, glassware and the like in proper position for washing, rinsing and drying in a dishwashing machine in which the ribs for spacing the individual pieces to be washed are readily removable, and replaceable to facilitate cleaning, repair or replacement.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a rack in which the ribs are in the form of closed loops which may readily be replaced with 'new ribs when the plastic coating on the ribs becomes worn with use and the used ribs discarded or recoated, as desired, without requiring replacement of the entire rack.

It is another object to provide a simple and reliable means for retaining the spacers against accidental movement when in operative position, and for locking and unlocking them in such position.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a rack which may be used with one or more ribs removed for varying the spacing between the ribs as desired.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a rack having a removable bottom so that the bottom as well as the ribs may be coated or uncoated as desired, and a coated bottom may be used with the coated ribs and similarly replaced, such bottom being retained in position by the ribs and easily removable when the ribs are removed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompany ing drawing and the appended claims. I

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of a dishwasher rack constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view along the line 22 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; i f

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view on the line 4-4 of Fig. l; Y I

Fig. 5 is a perspective view on a reduced scale of one of the removable spacer ribs; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 shows a generally rectangular rack 10 having an open wire framework including opposite pairs of side Walls indicated generally by the

numerals

11 and 12 and bottom portions indicated generally by the numeral 13 partially underlying therack along the lower edges of side walls 11 and defining with side walls 12 a central opening 14. Bottom portions 13 as shown in the drawing include lower and upper rows of bars 13a extending horizontally between side walls 12. A pair of horizontal supporting bars 15 extends between and is secured to the upper row of bars 13a, spaced from and parallel to side walls 12. Bars 15 are connected at their center by horizontal tie bar 16 which serves to brace them and to strengthen the rack. Side Walls 11 include vertically extending bars 11a supporting the horizontal bars in the sides 11, and side walls 12 similarly include vertical members 18 supporting the horizontal bars in the sides 12.

The parts of this frame-work are formed of a suitable material such as steel wire which is preferably stainless steel or coated with a non-rusting finish such as chromium, and are welded together throughout in properly spaced relation. I

On opposite side walls 12, vertical portions 18 have their tops extending above the sides of the rack to provide guides for stacking racks on top of each other. Opposite side walls 11 include a plurality of opposing pairs of horizontally spaced guide members 20, which may each be conveniently formed from a single length of steel wire turned upon itself in the shape of a long narrow U, welded to side Walls 11 with their upper ends approximately flush with the top of the frame and having the underlying portions at their lower ends extending inwardly in the direction of the opposite side at approximately a 45 angle, to form an upright portion 21 defining an elongated guide channel open at its upper end and an underlying portion 22, the bottom of the underlying portions being spaced somewhat above the plane of supporting bars 15. As is shown in the drawing,

the guide members on the opposite walls are located in parallel spaced facing relation with their respective underlying portions 22 extending toward each other, defining a plurality of pairs of open slots 25 for removably receiving spacer or separator ribs 30.

These separator ribs are shown in the form of rectangular closed loops of steel wire, either of stainless steel or coated with a rust resistant finish, in the same manner as the frame. For many uses, however, as where for example it is desired to reduce the noise of handling dishes, or where the pieces to be washed are likely to chip against the metal, it may be desired to cover the separator ribs with a comparatively soft plastic vinyl or rubber-like material. A coated rib of this type is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which the metal frame 31 is covered with a coating material 32. The material should be one capable of withstanding the substantial amount of heat and the relatively harsh detergents which are customarily used in washing and drying dishes and the like. The material known commercially as Plastisol, which is essentially a dispersion of polyvinyl chloride in a plasticizer, has given satisfactory results for this purpose. In coating the ribs, good results have been obtained by first dipping the metal ribs in an adhesive base coat 33, and applying the final coating 32 in a second dip.

The length of spacing ribs 30 should be very slightly less than the space between opposite side walls 11, and the width of the slots predetermined with respect to the cross-sectional diameter of the spacing ribs in order that when the ribs are received in corresponding pairs of slots on opposite sides of the frame endwise movement will be prevented by contact with the frame members at each end, and sidewise movement is prevented by the respective guide members.

It is desirable in use that the ribs should be held securely in the guide members, and additional rigidity is obtained by positioning the respective guide members of each pair at a small angle to a line normal to the plane of the bottom of the tray, the respective members on opposite sides 11 being oppositely aligned in this manner, so that each guide member is angled slightly away from the vertical in opposite directions. The loops are thereby slightly twisted or distorted in being fitted into the guide and guide members to wear against each other which would exist if they were loosely fitted, and, in the case of the uncoated ribs, reducing noise. Angling the guide members as described has the 'added advantage that .any small cross-sectional dimensional-variation between coated and uncoated ribs is compensated for, as are'any such variations in the diameter 'of replacement .ribs, the ribs being .held resiliently in position by reason .of the twist caused by the guide members.

The ribs are supported at the bottom on underlying portions 22 of the guide members. Although the frictional engagement of the ribs in the guide members will ordinarily prevent upward movement, the .guide members may readily be locked in place, and thedrawing shows locking means in the form of a pin 40 which as appears from Figs. 1 and Amaybe slid bet'ween'portion 22 of the guide members and the closed end portion of rib 80, as indicated by the dotted, lines in Fig. '1. Theend'of the locking pin is bent over to form .a. stop 4:1for positioning the pin in fitting it in place, where it is held ;by frictional engagement between the ribs and guide members.

Although the separator r'ibs maybe used.ini,a framework having an. integral bottom,when coated ribs. are

used it will probably ordinarily be preferable that the bottom of the rack also should be coated. Accordingly, aniinterchangeable removable open bottom 45 is provided which may be of steel wire treated to prevent rust :or may be coated with the rubber-like material as described in respect toribs30. Bottom 45 may conveniently be formed from a plurality of rectangular closed loops 46 having their ends turned upwardly at 47 and welded in spaced position on bars 48.. The loops should beso placed and dimensioned that when the bottom is in position ends 47 will be received between vertical portions 18 of sides '12, and thelength between upturned :ends 47 should be such that the bottom will be received snuglybetween the sides. Sidewise movement may additionally be prevented by appropriate locking means, such'as rings 49 passed around loops 47 and a portion of the side :of the rack as shown in the drawing (Fig. 2).

In assembly or in substituting coated ribs and bottom for the uucoated form, bottom 45 is first inserted. Ribs are then positioned in slots 25, where by reason of the angling of the guides in opposite directions and the resilienceof the ribs, theribs are slightly twisted or dis torted so as to be held tightly in place, as described. Locking bar 40 is inserted through the spaces defined by underlying portions 22 of the guide members and the endportions of ribs 30; until end portion 41 abuts against theendmost guide member (Fig. 2), and assembly is;completed-by placing locking rings49 in position.

The rack in accordance with the invention offers a mum'- ber of advantages. As pointed out, the portions ofthe rack coming in contact with the dishes, glassware, and the like to be washed may be either coated oruncoated, as desired, and substitution .of one type for the other is easily made. This is particularly desirable in commercial production in that the same frame may :be used with either type ribs and bottom.

From the users point of "view, coated "or uncoated ribs and bottom maybeused interchangeably. If coatedribs. and bottom are used, they may easily be discarded or returned to the factory for recoating when they'become, worn and a substitute set inserted without necessity for replacing the complete rack, resulting in substantial savings. The rack, furthermore, is unusually adaptable in use in that by removing some of the ribs 30, as desired, the spacing between the ribs can be varied as desired, and with either form of ribs the rack so provided is strong and long-lived in use, and adequately firm for the purpose. desired.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining a bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, aplurality of guide members;

located in spaced relation on one opposite pair of side walls, each said guide member extending downwardly from the upper portion of said rack and being formed with two laterally spaced wire guides defining an elongated guide channel, the lower portions of said wire guides being connected and extending inwardly toward the corresponding opposite guides, and removable ribs in the form of closed loops fitting between oppositepairs of said guide channels and forming spacers for the dishes in said rack.

2. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining a bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, a plurality of guide members located in spaced relation on one opposite pair of side walls,

each said guide member extending downwardly from the upper portion of said rack and being formed with two laterally spaced wire guides defining an elongated guide channel, the lower end of each said guide member being in the form of an underlying portion extending inwardly of said rack and removable ribs coated with a plastic rubber-like material fitting between opposite pairs of said guide channels and resting on said underlying portions to form'spacers for the dishes in said rack.

'3. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining a "bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, a plurality of generally upright elongated guide members located in pairs in spaced relation on one opposite pair of sidewalls, removable ribs in the form of closed loops fitting between opposite pairs of said guide members and forming spacers for the dishes in said rack, said guide members of each pair being mounted with diiferent inclinations to produce a twist in said ribs in operative position resiliently retaining the same against movement in use.

4. A rack for usein dishwashers and the like comprising. an open wire framework defining a bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, a plurality of guide members located in spaced relation on one opposite pair of side walls, each said guide member extending downwardly from theupper portion of said'rack and being formed with two laterally spaced wire guides defining an elongated guide channel, the lower portion of each said guide memher extending inwardly of said rack, removable ribs each receivable between a pair of said guide members in an operative position, and locking means cooperating with 'said plurality of guide members and with said ribs for securing said ribs in their respective operative positions.

5. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining a bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, pairs of spaced guide members on the inside of an opposite pair of side walls, said guide members extendingto a position above the bottom of said a framework and having their lower portions extending inwardlytoward the corresponding opposite guide members, removable ribs in the form of closed metal loops receivable between a pair of said guide members on each of said end walls and fitting down upon said lower portions, and means cooperating with said ribs and the lower portions of said guide members for retaining said ribs in operative position between said guide members. I

'6. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like compris ing an open wire frameworkdefining a bottom and opposite pair of side walls, pairs of spaced guide members on the inside of an opposite pair of sidewalls, said guide members extending toa position above the bottom of said framework and having their lower portions extending inwardly toward the opposite guide members, removable ribs inthe form of closed metal loops coated with a plastic rubber-like material receivable between a pair of said guide members on each of said end walls and fitting down upon said lower portions, and means cooperating with said ribs and the lower portions" of said guide members for retaining said ribs in operative position between said guide members. 7. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like compris;

ing an open wire framework defining a bottom and opposite pairs of side walls, pairs of spaced guide members on the inside of an opposite pair of side walls forming slots therebetween, said guides extending to a position above the bottom of said framework, removable ribs in the form of closed metal loops with their ends receivable in said slots between a pair of said guide members on eaoh of said end walls, and a locking pin insertable below a portion of said guide members and above the bottom of said loops to lock said ribs in assembled position within said guide members.

8. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining opposite pairs of side walls, a plurality of guide members located in spaced relation on one opposite pair of said walls, removable ribs in the form of closed loops fitting between opposite pairs of said guide members and forming spacers for the dishes in said rack, and a removable open bottom normally received in said framework below said ribs and retained therein by said ribs when said ribs are in place.

9. A rack for use in dishwashers and the like comprising an open wire framework defining opposite pairs of side walls, a plurality of guide members located in spaced relation on one opposite pair of said walls, removable ribs in the form of closed loops fitting between opposite pairs of said guide members and forming spacers for the dishes in said rack, a removable open wire bottom normally received in said framework below said ribs and retained therein by said ribs when said ribs are in place, and means removably connecting said bottom to said framework for preventing endwise movement thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 372,123 Cox Oct. 25, 1887 378,369 Hyer Feb. 21, 1888 655,530 Vossbeck Aug. 7, 1900 681,658 Potter Aug. 27, 1901 1,461,474 Breer July 10, 1923 1,595,421 Rose Aug. 10, 1926 2,627,993 Hafner Feb. 10, 1953