US2919691A - Mechanism for adjusting the height of racks in range ovens - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 5, 1960 c. w. RINALDO ETAL 2,919,691

MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF RACKS IN RANGE OVENS Filed June 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VE N TORS CARL WALTER R/NALDO. DAV/D G/BBONS SMITH A TTORNEYS Jan. 5, 1960 c. w. RINALDO/ ETAL 2,919,691

MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT 0F RACKS IN RANGE OVENS Filed June 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CARL WALTER R/NALDO DAV/D G/BBONS SMITH ATTORNEYS Jan. 5, 1960 c. w. RINALDO EI'AL 2,919,691

MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT 0F RACKS IN RANGE OVENS Filed June 20, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTORS CARL WALTER R/NALDO, DAV/D G/BBONS SMITH er.- yz 5 ATTORNEYS Uite MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING THE HEIGHT OF RACKS IN RANGE OVENS Carl Walter Rinaldo, Toronto, Ontario, and David Gibbons Smith, Weston, Ontario, Canada, assrgnors to Moifats Limited, Weston, Ontario, Canada, a corporation Application June 2%), 1956, Serial No. 592,547

Claims priority, application Great Britain August 22, 1955 4 Claims. (Cl. l26337) This invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting, from a remote position, the height of a food-supporting frame within an oven compartment, and relates more particularly to broiler ovens for gas and electric ranges.

It is known to provide an oven with a mechanism by which a food-supporting frame can be adjusted in height from a remote position, but great difficulty has been experienced. in providing a mechanism for supporting the frame which is sturdy, reliable, compact and inexpensive to manufacture. Also, considerable difficulty has been experienced in preventing fumes within the oven compartment from escaping through apertures in the oven wall, with consequent deleterious effects on the heat insulation, the apertures being required for the connection of the food-supporting frame to the adjusting mechanism.

The main object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for adjusting a food-supporting frame within an oven compartment, the mechanism being of simple construction and therefore inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object is to provide a mechanism for adjusting the height of a food-supporting frame within an oven compartment in which the mechanism is sturdy and reliable in use and is positioned mainly outside the oven compartment so as not to be fouled by hot or burnt grease which may be present in the compartment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for adjusting the height of a food-supporting frame within an oven compartment, in which apertures in the oven walls, required for permitting portions of the mechanism to extend-into the oven compartment, are reduced to a minimum and are effectively sealed to mitigate the possibility of fumes within the oven compartment passing through the apertures and fouling the heat insulation with which the oven is usually surrounded.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for adjusting the height of a food supporting frame within an oven compartment of a range which is compact and adapted to be positioned in a limited space within an outer shell of the cooking range, and which is adapted to operate easily and quietly throughout the life of the range.

The foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a domestic range oven showing a manually operated mechanism according to the invention, accessories which are usually positioned at the top of the range being omitted for the sake of clarity;

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing a power actuated mechanism according to the invention; v

Patented Jan. ,5, 1960 Figure 3 is a section through a guide hereinafter fully described; and r Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation taken-od'the line 4-4 of Figure 1, and showing alternative positions of a crank of the mechanism hereinafter fully described.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, an outer shell of the range is indicated generally at lit the range having anoven compartment defined by opposed vertical walls 11 and 12, a top wall 13, a bottom wall l4, a vertical rear wall 1 5 and a doo'r re by means of which the compartmentcan be, closed. Within the compartment is a food-supporting frame 18 which is mounted on roller tracks 10 for IIIOVB? ment in a horizontal plane to enable it to be partially withdrawn from the compartment, the roller tracks being secured in any convenient manner to the mechanism-of the invention to be supported thereby.

At each of the vertical side walls 11, 12 is an inverted U-shaped hanger, indicated generally at Ztl, the hanger being provided by two straps 21, 22 which are interconnected at their upper end. The straps 21 each extend into the interior of the compartment through an aperture 23 (only the near side ones of which are visiblejin Figures 1 and 2) provided by a tubular guide. g T

As will be seen more clearly from Figure 3, each of the guides is formed by depressing the side wall 11 or 12 at 24 to provide a fiat verticalguiding surface, a shroud 25 then being secured to the inside of the compartment as by spot welding and providing the remaining three vertical walls of the guide. The guide is formed to define an aperture having a cross-section which is complementary to the cross-section of the strap 21 which passes through it, the engagement of thewalls of the guidewith the strap forming a seal to prevent fumes from escaping from the compartment. a 1

When the range is in use, any clearance between the strap and the guide becomes packed with grease and other matter which is precipitated from fumes in the compart-- ment or splashed onto the strap, to form a very efficient, seal between the strap and the guide and further prevent the fumes from leaking to the exterior of the compart-; ment where they would foul the heat insulation material, which usually surrounds such compartment. Each of the straps 22 is provided with a guide 26 to wards its lower end, the hangers thus being guided at two positions (i.e. at the guides 23 and 26) for vertical move ment with the straps 2i and 22 embracing the associated side wall 11 or T12 of the compartment.

Pivotally connected to each hanger is a link 30 which.

at its other end is pivotally connected to a cranked arm end secured to one of the brackets 33, the torque spring acting to counter balance the weight of the frame 18, hangers 20, links 30, and arms 31.

Referring now to Figure 4, it will be seen that the' distance between the top wall of the outer shell 10 andthe plate 34 would confine the length of travel of the.

hangers to less than the distance between the wall and the plate if a straight arm 31 were used. However, .by providing an aperture 36 in the plate large enough to receive the hanger 20,

armdl to pass through the aperture 36 for the pivotal connection of the link 3i! to the arm 31 the plate.

It will be seen that when the arms 31 are-in a position in which the hangers are at the top of their travel, the

is mounted on the torque:

34 of an extent the link 30 and the arm 31, and by cranking the arm 31 as shown in thedrawings, it can be arranged for the driving end of the;

to lie well below 1 cranked ends of the arms lie with their upper edge adjacent, and substantially parallel to the underside of the top wall of the shell 10.

It will also be seen that by cranking the lever the need for providing a very long aperture 36 in the plate 34, as would be necessary if a straight arm 31 were used and was to perform the equivalent function, is dispensed with, and the plate 34 is not unduly weakened.

Referring now to Figure 1, the torque rod 32 has mounted on it a worm wheel 40 which is meshed by a worm gear 41 mounted on a shaft 42 extending to the exterior of the range. The shaft 42 is journalled in an extension of the adjacent bracket 33, and at its extending end is provided with a manually rotatable knob which, when rotated, drives through the worm and worm wheel to rotate the torque rod and thus move arms for them to raise or lower the hangers and thus adjust the height of the frame within the compartment. it will be observed that the gearing used is of the non-reversing type, and it will be understood that any form of gearing which is inherently non-reversing or provided with a means to prevent it reversing could be substituted.

By the term non-reversing used herein and in the subjoined claims is meant the capability of a drive being transmitted from a driving member of a device to a driven member thereof and the incapability of a drive being transmitted from the said driven member to the said driving member.

Referring now to Figure 2, an arm 51) is secured to the torque rod 32 to form a radial extension of the rod, and the arm is bifurcated at its free end and provided with apertures to receive trunnions of a nut St, the trunnions enabling the nut to be rocked about an axis parallel to that of the torque rod. Engaged in the threaded bore of the nut is a threaded end of a shaft 52, the shaft being journalled for rotation and against axial displacement in a bearing 53 having trunnions which are supported by the bifurcated end of a bracket 54. A pulley 55 is secured to the shaft 52 and is driven by a belt 56 from a pulley 57 mounted on the drive shaft of a small reversible electric motor 58, energizing and direction of rotation of the motor being controlled by a manually operable switch 59 at the front of the range which is connected to the motor through wires 6%. The motor is preferably provided with any convenient device to prevent it from being seriously overloaded in the event that the switch is maintained in one of its operated positions and the hangers have reached the extremity of their travel. Alternatively, it can be arranged for the belt 56 to slip at a predetermined torque.

When the motor is energized it drives through the belt 56 to rotate the shaft 52 (which, as previously stated, is located against axial displacement) and the nut 51 is thus screwed along the shaft and displaces the arm angularly about the axis of the torque rod 32, which in turn moves the arms 31 to raise or lower the hangers and thus adjust the position of the food-supporting frame within the compartment.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and such various changes in shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

I. In a cooking range having a compartment defined by a pair of opposed vertical side walls, a horizontal top wall, a horizontal bottom wall, a vertical rear wall, and a front opening opposite the rear wall and closable by adoor; a substantially vertical U-shaped hanger provided by two straps arranged face to face in parallel spaced relationship and means rigidly interconnecting the straps at their upper ends, one of the straps extending for slidable, substantially vertical, movement axially of said one strap into and from the interior of the compartment through an aperture at least partially in the top wall of the compartment, the cross section of said aperture being substantially the same as the cross section of said one strap to provide a fluid-tight joint, a food-supporting frame within the compartment, frame supporting means associated with the said one strap for supporting the frame in a substantially horizontal attitude within the compartment, said frame supporting means providing the sole support for the frame, the other strap and said interconnecting means of the straps being outside the compartment, the two straps being arranged to embrace one of the vertical walls of the compartment, guide means located exteriorly of the compartment and associated with the said other strap to guide the hanger for substantially vertical upward or downward sliding movement axially of said one strap, and operator actuable means located exteriorly of the compartment for moving the hanger in an upward or downward direction and for maintaining the hanger in a position in which it is moved by said operator actuable means.

2. In a cooking range having a compartment defined by a pair of opposed vertical side walls, a horizontal top wall, a horizontal bottom wall, a vertical rear Wall, and a front opening opposite the rear wall and closable by a door; a substantially vertical U-shaped hanger at each vertical side wall of the compartment, each hanger being provided by two straps arranged face to face in parallel spaced relationship and means rigidly interconnecting the straps at their upper ends, one strap of each hanger extending for slidable, substantially vertical, movement axially of said one strap into and from the interior of the compartment through an aperture at least partially in the top wall of the compartment, the cross section of said aperture being substantially the same as the cross section of said one strap to provide a fluid-tight joint, a foodsupporting frame within the compartment, frame supporting means associated with said one strap of each hanger for supporting the frame in a substantially horizontal attitude within the compartment, said frame supporting means providing the sole support for the frame, the other strap of each hanger and said interconnecting means of the straps of each hanger being outside the compartment, the two straps of each hanger being arranged to embrace the associated vertical side wall, guide means located exteriorly of the compartment and associated with the other strap of each hanger to guide the hangers for substantially vertical upward or downward sliding movement axially of said one strap and operator actuable means located exterioriy of the compartment for moving the hangers in unison in an upward or downward direction and for maintaining the hangers in a position to which they are moved by said operator actuable means.

3. In a cooking range having a compartment defined by a pair of opposed vertical side walls, a horizontal top wall, a horizontal bottom wall, a vertical rear wall, and a front opening opposite the rear wall and closable by a door; a substantially vertical U-shaped hanger provided by two straps arranged face to face in parallel spaced relationship and means interconnecting the straps at their upper ends, one of the straps extending into the interior of the compartment through an aperture at least partially in the top wall of the compartment, shroud means adjacent said aperture and for coaction with said one strap, said shroud means closely surrounding said one strap for the shroud means and the said one strap substantially to close the aperture, said shroud means additionally providing a guide for said one strap for guiding the hanger for substantially vertical upward or downward movement, a food supporting frame within the compartment, framev supporting means associated with said one strap for supporting the frame in a substantially horizontal attitude within the compartment, said frame supporting means providing the sole support for the frame, the other strap and the interconnecting means of the straps being outside the compartment, the two straps being arranged to embrace one of the vertical side walls of the compartment, guide means located exteriorly of the compartment and associated with the said other strap, said guide means in conjunction with said shroud means guiding the hanger for substantially vertical upward or downward movement,

and operator actuable means located exteriorly of the compartment for moving the hanger in an upward or downward direction and for maintaining the hanger in a position to which it is moved by said operator actuable means.

4. In a cooking range having a substantially horizontal top wall, a substantially horizontal structural wall arranged beneath said top wall, and an oven compartment arranged beneath said structural wall and defined by a pair of opposed vertical side walls, a horizontal top wall, a horizontal bottom wall, a vertical rear wall, and a front opening opposite the rear wall and closable by a door; a substantially vertical U-shaped hanger at each vertical side wall of the compartment, each hanger being provided by two straps arranged face to face in parallel spaced re lationship and means interconnecting the straps at their upper ends, one strap of each hanger extending into the interior of the compartment through an aperture at least partially in the top wall of the compartment, a foodsupporting frame within the compartment, frame supporting means associated with said one strap of each hanger for supporting the frame in a substantially horizontal attitude within the compartment, said frame supporting means providing the sole support for the frame, the other strap of each hanger and said interconnecting means of the straps of each hanger being outside the compartment, the two straps of each hanger being arranged for them to embrace the associated vertical side wall, guide means located exteriorly of the compartment and associated with the other strap of each hanger to guide the hangers for substantially vertical upward or downward movement beneath said top wall of the range, the structural wall of the range having apertures permitting unrestricted movement of the hangers through said structural wall and towards said top wall, and operator actuated means for moving the hangers upwardly or downwardly in unison, said operator actuated means including a rod located above the structural wall with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of said hangers, journalled bearings for the rod, a cranked arm associated with each hanger and rigidly secured at one of its ends to the rod, a link associated with each cranked arm and pivotally connected at one of its ends to the said other end of the associated cranked arm, the link being pivotally connected at its other end to the said other strap of the associated hanger, the said apertures in the structural wall being of an extent permitting the unrestricted movement of said other ends of said cranked arms and said links through said apertures, and operator actuated drive means for rotating said rod about its longitudinal axis and for preventing rotation of said rod about its axis by a load applied to the said other ends of said cranked arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 552,708 Hofmann Jan. 7, 1896 607,558 Walls July 19, 1898 1,091,943 Maul Mar. 31, 1914 1,320,497 Schey Nov. 4, 1919 1,387,950 Sperl et al. Aug. 16, 1921 1,530,554 Gossett Mar. 24, 1925 1,586,324 ODowd May 25, 1926 1,851,183 Hill Mar. 29, 1932 2,077,739 Bryant Apr. 20, 1937 2,102,819 Ronci Dec. 21, 1937 2,218,961 Schulz Oct. 22, 1940 2,364,910 Myrick Dec. 12, 1944 2,489,769 Flick Nov. 29, 1949

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