US2816206A - Electric heating means - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 10, 1957 Filed Sept. 22, 1955 A. w. ECKBLAD 2,816,206

ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 HVVENTUR.

ALVl/V W E CABLAD AT-roR/vzv Dec. 10, 1957 A. w. ECKBLAD 2,316,206

ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Filed Sept. 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ALVl/V M ECABLHD ZWMW A TTORNE v Dec. 10, 1957 A. w. ECKBLAD 2,816,206

ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Filed Sept. 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A T TORNE v United States Patent ()filice 2,816,205 Patented Dec. 10, 195' ELECTRIC HEATING MEANS Alvin W. 'Eclrblad, Pittsburgh, Pa., assiguor to Edwin L. Wiegand Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 22, 1955,8erial No. 535,831

17 Claims. (Cl. .2193"/') My invention relates to electric heating means, more particularly to a heater assembly for an electric range, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved heating means of the character described.

The usual electric range has one or more cooking elements .at its top cooking surface and such elements usually comprise an adapter ring fitting within an opening in the stove top and having a portion overlying such opening, a spider member and reflector member ,removably carried by said adapter ring, and an electric resistance element carried by the spider member.

As careful as the housewife may be, there are times when the "foods cooked :on the elements boil :over or are spilled onto :the resistance element, the spider member and/or :the reflector member, :and cleaning of the aforementioned parts has always presented a problem.

in the prior rant, certain heater elementassemblies have been detachahly connected so that the assembly may be lifted from :the stove, disassembled, and the individual parts thereafter :cleaned. The ordinary housewife was advere to such 'disassembly operation, and hinged elements were provided whereby the housewife need only swing the heating unit :clear of its support for cleaning purposes.

However, the hinged elements of zthe ,prior art have been :relatively costly to manufacture, particularly because-ofiassembly operations. Further, such hinged elements were .not well-suited :for easy replacement of -.certain of the \component parts. My invention retains {the advantages ofrrhelhinged elements and-provides anieasily assembled construction :for manufacture and maintenance.

:In the :drawings accompanying this description and forming apart-of this application, there :are shown, for purposes :of illustration, several embodiments which my invention may assume, and in these drawings:

dligure 1 is a top plan 'VlCWiOf aiheater element:assembly, illustrating .an embodiment of my invention,

Figure ,2 is a sectional view corresponding generally to "the line 2-2of Figure :1, a change in the relative :position of certain-parts being shown in dottedlines,

Figure 3 is anzenlarged fragmentary sectional viewof certain :parts :of the construction shown in Figures .1 and 2,

Figure 4 vis :a view similar to Figure -3, but showing parts in a different'relati'on,

Figure 5 is a -view showing the parts ,of Figures 3 and 4 inrthe ,process of.assembly .or disassembly,

Figure 6;is.afragmentaryperspective view .of a detail,

Figure 7 is .a viewsimilar to .Figure .3, but showing anothenembodiment of my invention,

.Figure 8 .is a .view similarto .Figure 7, but showing parts in-a difierent relation, and

Figures 9.and =l0 are fragmentaryperspective views of details.

In the :usual electric range construction, the range .top .llLis provided with aplurality of apertures, such as aperture 11 shown in Figure 2. The heater assembly of my invention is adapted to he at least in part disposed within the aperture 11, although it will be appreciated that such disposition is not essential to the invention.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 through 6 of the drawings, the embodiment 20f the invention therein disclosed comprises a heater assembly having means for supporting it from the stove top 10. As presently disclosed, the support is in the form of an adapter member 12 which has a cylindrical portion 14 disposed within the stove top aperture. The portion 14 is integral with a trim ring 15 which overlies the stove top to close the aperture. The marginal portion of the trim ring rests on the stove top and thus supports the heater assembly in position on the stove top. It will be appreciated that the adapter member may be formed with the usual adjusting spring clips (not shown) which extend from the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 14 and engage with the marginal surface of the stove top aperture whereby the adapter member may be assembled with stove tops having apertures of varying size.

An electric resistance heating unit is supported by the adapter member 12 and comprises an electric range elemerit 16 of any suitable type .and a range element su port 17, also of any suitable type.

In the embodiments herein disclosed, 'the range element 16 is formed of -.a pair of convoluted sheathed tubular heating elements which are interlaced to form generally plane heating surface. The terminal ends of the heating elements are elf-set downwardly from the plane heating surface and extend outwardly to a terminal connection block .18 of dielectric material.

In the presently disclosed invention, each heating ele ment preferably comprises a metal sheath, a resistance conductor within the sheath and ,having terminal portions extending from respective .ends of ,the sheath, and compacted refractory material serving to electrically :in

vsulate the resistanceconductor and its terminals from the sheath and to {conduct heat generated by the resistance conductor .to the sheath. The sheath may be originally circular in cross section ,and thereafter may be pressed to a generally ,triangularpr heart-shaped cross section,

as seen :in the several .views, ;to adequately compact the refractory material and :to ,provide a generally flat upper heating surface.

The range element support 17 is herein shown as a spider member and, referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, comprises acrosswise sheet metalarm 20 which spans and extends diametrically of thecylindrical portion 14 of the adapter member, and a pairof sheet metal arms 21, 21 which are riveted or otherwise secured to the arm .20 andextend radially of the heater assembly.

The adapter memberLZ is .formed witha generally annular inturned ,lip 22 upon @which restsa corresponding outturned lip of a reflector member 23 which may be .of usual design. The arms .20 and .21, v21 of the spider member 17 areadapted to rest on the outturnedlip of the reflector member, or on theinturned lip.22 of the adapter member when a reflector member is not used. This construction limits downward movement of the spider member and centers the spider member with respect to the adapter member.

The upper edge margin of the arms 20 and 21, 21 are formed with upwardly opening slots 24 to receive U- shapcd clips 25 which are spot-welded or otherwise secured to the heating elements. This construction securely holds therange element 16 to the spider member 17 for movement therewith.

Means are provided for detachably assembling the electric resistance unit, comprisjingtherange element 16 and spider member 17, with the support provided, in this instance, by the adapter member 12. Broadly, such It assembly means are in part carried by the support and in part carried by the electric resistance unit and comprise recess means and projection means, the latter being receivable within the recess means and having detachable locking engagement with surfaces defining the recess means. The recess means is preferably of keyhole formation and the projection means are key-shaped and complementary to the recess means.

Resilient means are preferably provided to yieldably oppose unlocking of the assembly means and preferably the assembly means provides a hinge joint whereby the electric resistance unit may be swung relative to the support.

Referring particularly to the construction shown in Figures 1 through 6, the assembly means in this instance comprises a keyhole opening 26 (see especially Figure 6) in the cylindrical portion 14 of the adapter member 12, the opening having a larger portion 27 through which the key projection means may be passed and a smaller portion 2% behind which the key projection means may be shifted to effect interengagement of the parts. Surfaces defining the opposite sides of the smaller portion 28 of the opening 26 are bulged to form a pair of pockets 29 for receiving the key projection means and for forming a hinge joint therewith.

The key projection means in the embodiment disclosed in Figures 1 through 6 comprises an integral extension 34) of the arm 29, the extension being preferably of horn shape to provide for operating clearances. A pin 31 is secured crosswise in the end of the extension 3%} with end portions of the pin extending from opposite sides of the extension. A coil spring 32 is disposed 'over the extension 30 and is held against disassembly therefrom by the pin 31.

The pin 31 is of a length to freely pass through the larger portion 27 of the opening 26, but is longer than the width of the smaller portion 28 of the opening so that it may be shifted behind the smaller portion with its opposite ends seated in the pockets 29, 29 to form a hinge joint.

in Figure the heating unit is shown ready for assembly with the adapter member 12 and preferably the unit is inclined, as shown, to provide for clearance of parts. The unit is then shifted to move the extension 30 toward the keyhole opening an amount sufficient to pass the cross pin 31 through the larger portion 27 of the open ing 26. it will be appreciated that the spring 32 will be compressed between the arm and the adapter member 12.

When the cross pin 31 has been moved through the larger portion 27 of the opening 26 an amount sufficient to clear the upper ends of the pockets 2%, 29, the heating unit is shifted to move the cross pin 31 downwardly and in line with the pockets 29, 29, and thereafter the heating unit may be released so that the coil spring 32 draws and yieldably holds the cross pin 31 in hinge relation within the pockets 29, 29. The heating unit may be easily disassembled from the adapter member by a reversal of the assembly steps.

It will be appreciated that the hinge joint hereinbefore described will permit the heating unit to be swung into and out of position within the adapter member 12 and the parts are preferably proportioned so that the heating unit may be swung somewhat beyond the vertical, as shown in Figure 4, so that it will remain in upright positron. In such position, the spider and the underside of the heating elements are accessible for cleaning and, if required, the reflector member 23 may be easily removed, cleaned and replaced since it merely rests on the in turned lip 22 of the adapter member 12.

Means are preferably provided to yieldably latch the heating unit in position within the adapter member 12 and, in the presently disclosed embodiment, such means takes the form of a slight depression 33 in the cylindrical portion 14 of the adapter member, the depression providing a shoulder 34 engaging over that end of the arm 21) which is opposite the extension 30. The coil spring 32, in this instance, performs the double duty of holding the hinge parts against disassembly and holding the latch parts in latched relation. By lifting upwardly on the heating unit near the latch, the spring 32 will permit sufficient lateral shifting of the heating unit to disengage the latch parts and permit pivoting movement of the heating unit. A slight downward pressure on the heating unit near the latch will cause the end of arm 20 to ride over and behind the shoulder 34 to effect latching engagement.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 7 through 9 is somewhat similar to the embodiment pre viously described and like parts have been given like reference numerals supplemented with the sufiix a.

As best seen in Figure 9, a flat spring 40 is secured to the exterior surface of the cylindrical portion 14a of the adapter member 12a. The portion 14a may be formed with loops 41 to receive respective ends of the spring or' the latter may be secured in place in any other suitable manner.

As seen in Figure 7, the spring 40 yieldably blockspassage of the horn-shaped extension 30:: so that to assemble the electric resistance unit with its support, the horn-shaped extension 30a is moved through the larger portion 27a of the opening 26a to press the spring 40 away from the adapter portion an amount sufficient to clear the cross pin 31a and permit the latter to be shifted into the pockets 2% to complete the assembly.

The horn-shaped extension 300, in this embodiment, is preferably formed with a flattened extremity 42 which engages with the flat spring 4ft (in position of parts shown in Figure 8) to yieldably hold the resistance unit assembly in elevated position.

Figure 10 shows a construction which may be embodied in any of the embodiments heretofore described. In this figure, the horn-shaped extension 30b has its extremity lanced to provide for the bending of parts to form oppositely extending fingers 45, 46. The fingers are adapted to pass through communicating off-set openings in the cylindrical portion 14b of the adapter member 1212 and seat in pockets 2% to form the hinge joint.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described, hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. A heater assembly for a stove, comprising an adapter member supported by said stove, a spider member, and an electric range element superposed on said spider member and movable therewith, said adapter member having keyhole recess means in a wall thereof and said spider member having complementary key projection means which may be passed through an enlarged portion of said recess means and then shifted behind a smaller portion of said recess means to interengagement with the adapter surface margining said smaller portion.

2. A heater assembly for a stove, comprising an adapter member supported by said stove, a spider member, an electric range element superposed on said spider member and movable therewith, said adapter member having keyhole recess means in a wall thereof and said spider member having complementary key projection means which may be passed through an enlarged portion of said rceess means and then shifted behind a smaller portion of said recess means to interengagement with the adapter surface margining said smaller portion, and resilient means yieldably opposing movement of said key projection means from position behind said smaller recess-portion. 3. A heater assembly for a stove, comprising an adapter member supported by said stove, a spider member, and an electric range element superposed on said spider member and movable therewith, said adapter member having a keyhole opening in a wall thereof, the wall-surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing pocket means, and said spider member having a complementary key projection means which may be passed through an enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted behind the smaller portion of said recess and into seating engagement with said pocket means.

4. A heater assembly for a .stove, comprising an adapter member supported by said stove, a heating element support and an electric range element superposed on said support and movable therewith, said adapter member having a keyhole opening in a wall thereof, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, and said support having a complementary key projection forming the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through an enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinge part, whereby said support and said range element may be swung relative to said adapter member.

5 A heater assembly, comprising electric heating means, a support having a keyhole opening in a wall thereof, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, and said heating means having a complementary key projection forming the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through an enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinged part, whereby said heating means may be swung relative to said support.

6. A heater assembly, comprising electric heating means, a support having a keyhole opening in a wall thereof, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, said heating means having a complementary key projection forming the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through an enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinge part to complete the hinge joint, whereby said heat ing means may be swung relative to said support, and resilient means yieldably opposing disassembly of the parts of said hinge joint.

7. A heater assembly for an apertured stove top, comprising an adapter member having a tubular portion disposable within the stove top aperture, a spider memher, an electric range element carried by said spider member, said tubular portion having a keyhole opening, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, and said spider member having an arm formed with a complementary key projection providing the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through the enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinge part to complete the hinge joint, whereby said range element and spider member may be swung relative to said adapter member.

8. A heater assembly for an apertured stove top, comprising an adapter member having a tubular portion disposable within the stove top aperture, a spider member having an arm adapted to extend crosswise and span said tubular portion, an electric range element carried by said spider member, said tubular portion having a keyhole opening, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, one end of said crosswise arm having a complementary key projection forming the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through the enlarged portion of said opening and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinge part to complete the hinge 6 joint, whereby said range element and spider member may be swung relative to said adapter member from position crosswise of said tubular portion to an inclined position, the other end of said crosswise arm having latching engagement with an adjacent part of said tubular portion when said arm spans said tubular portion, and resilient means yieldably opposing disassembly of the latching engagement of said arm with said tubular portion.

9. A heater assembly for an apertured stove top, comprising an adapter member having a tubular portion disposable within the stove top aperture, a spider member, an electric range element carried by said spider memher, said tubular portion having a keyhole opening, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing pockets on opposite sides of said smaller portion, and said spider member having an arm provided with a cross pin, the latter being passable through the enlarged portion of said opening and the arm then shifted to deposit opposite end portions of said cross pin into said pockets to form a hinge joint whereby said range element and spider member may be swung relative to said adapter member.

10. A heater assembly, comprising electric heating means, a support having a keyhole opening in a wall thereof, the wall surface at the smaller portion of said opening providing part of a hinge joint, a flat spring backing said opening, and said heating means having a complementary key projection forming the other part of said hinge joint, said key projection being passable through an enlarged portion of said opening and against said flat spring and then shifted into operative engagement with the first named hinge part to complete the hinge joint, whereby said heating means may be swung relative to said support, said key projection having a flattened portion cooperating with said fiat spring to yieldably hold said heating means in a predetermined position.

11. A heater assembly for an apertured stove panel, comprising an adapter ring supported by said panel and having a tubular portion extending at least partially into said panel aperture, said portion having an opening therein, a wall surface defining said opening being inwardly embossed to form a seat, an electric range element supported by said adapter ring and in heating relation being disposed generally fiat-wise within the compass of said ring, said element having a laterally extending finger portion which is passable through the opening of said tubular portion from the inner side of said adaptor ring andshifted relative to the wall surface of said tubular portion to seating relation within said seat to form a hinge joint with said seat and thereby provide for pivoting movement of said range element with respect to said adaptor ring.

12. The construction of claim 11 wherein spring means are provided for holding said range element in a pivoted position.

13. heater assembly for an apertured stove panel, comprising an adapter ring supported by said panel and having a portion extending downwardly into said panel aperture, said ring portion having an opening therethrough and providing a seat adjacent to said opening, an electric heating element supported on said adaptor ring and normally disposed in horizontal heating position within the compass of said ring, said heating element having a finger member extending through said opening, a transverse nin carried by said finger member and closely received within said seat and held by the latter against vertical movement, said pin and seat forming a horizontal pivotal mounting about which said heating element may be swung from its horizontal heating position to a non-heating position.

14. heater assembly for an apertured stove panel comprising an adaptor ring supported by said panel and having a portion extending into said panel aperture, said ring portion having an opening therethrough, an electric heating element supported by said adapter ring and normally disposed in horizontal heating position Within the 7 compass of said adapter ring, said heating element having a finger member extending outwardly through said opening and having a flat on its terminal end, a transverse pin carried by said ringer member and bearing against the outer surface of said ring portion to form therewith a horizontal pivotal mounting about which said heating element may be swung from its horizontal heating position to a nonheating position, and a fiat spring bearing against said terminal end and engaging said flat when said heating element is swung to its non-heating position to releasably hold the latter in such position.

15. A heater assembly for an apertured stove panel comprising an adapter ring supported by a panel surface adjacent to said panel aperture, an elongated sheathed electric heating element convoluted to provide a generally plane heating surface normally disposed in horizontal heating position within the compass of said adapter ring, sup port means secured to and underlying said heating element and supported by said adapter ring for in turn supporting said heating element in its normal h ating position, said support means having a portion extending beyond the outermost convolution of said heating element, and a transverse pin member carried by said support means, said pin member and said adapter ring having interengaging portions for holding said pin member against vertical movement and providing a horizontal pivotal mounting about which said support means and its connected heating element may be swung from its normal heating position to a non-heating position.

16. A heater assembly for an apertured stove panel, comprising an adapter ring supported by said panel and having a tubular portion extending downwardly into said panel aperture, said tubular portion having an opening therethrough and providing a seat adjacent to said opening, a spider member comprising a plurality of flat connected arms, a convoluted sheathed heating element carried by said spider, said element being normally supported by said spider member in horizontal heating position Within the compass of said tubular ring portion, one of said spider arms extending outwardly through the opening in said tubular portion beyond the outer surface thereof, and a pin member carried by and extending transversely of the outer end of said one spider arm and closely received within said seat and held by the latter against vertical movement, said pin member and said seat forming a horizontal pivotal mounting about which said spider member and its supported heating element may be swung from its said normal horizontal heating position.

17. The construction according to claim 16 wherein the lower terminal margin of said tubular portion is formed with an inturned lip, a drip pan having a peripheral edge portion resting on the upper surface of said lip and a central portion projecting downwardly through said lower terminal margin, said spider arms bearing against the upper surface of said peripheral edge portion to support said heating element in its normal horizontal heating position, said drip pan being removable from assembled relation with said adapter ring when said spider member and its supported heating element have been swung up- Wardly from said heating position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,998,330 Nicholson et a1. Apr. 16, 1935 2,548,183 Walton Apr. 10, 1951 2,633,524 Smith Mar. 31, 1953

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