US3322480A

US3322480A - Anti-tip device

Info

Publication number: US3322480A
Application number: US545013A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Barnstead; Jr Robert C Pressley
Original assignee: General Electric Co
Current assignee: General Electric Co
Priority date: 1966-04-25
Filing date: 1966-04-25
Publication date: 1967-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-30

Description

y 3 1967 J. w BARNSTEAD ETAL.

ANTI-TIP DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 25, 1966 'INVENTORS :romu w. BARNSTEAD BRQBERT c. BY

F'l-G.

PRESSLEY. 'J'R.

United States Patent 3,322,480 ANTI-TIP DEVICE John W. Barnstead, Brazil, Ind., and Robert C. Pressley,

Jr., Louisville, Ky., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 545,013 Claims. (Cl. 312-276) This invention relates to a means for preventing accidental tip-over of a free-standing structure such as, for example, a portable home appliance.

Many free-standing structures, particularly in the field of home appliances, are provided with access openings in a side wall and a closure member, or door, for the access opening. Most often the door is hinged at its bottom edge and pivots substantially 90 to an essentially horizontal open position. When in the open position, the door may be at a height from several inches to a foot above floor level. This height makes it possible for even a small child to climb or sit upon the door. The weight of the child may be sufficient to shift the center of gravity of the appliance to an extent whereupon the structure will tip over. This obviously could result in damage to the appliance and, more importantly, seriously injury to the child.

Tip-over may also be caused by setting upon the open door objects which are to be eventually inserted into the appliance. The problem of tip-over is not limited to an arrangement wherein the door opens to a horizontal position since a child may attempt to swing on a verticallyhinged door. The problem of tip-over could be overcome by securing the appliance to the floor or other solid structure; however, there are many occasions when it is either impossible or undesirable to secure the appliance in such a manner. For example, one would not want to secure a portable appliance in such a manner since this would defeat its portability. Tip-over could also be minimized by extending outrigging from the cabinet; however, this would result in excessive consumption of floor space when the appliance is not in use and would present an unattractive appearance. It therefore would be desirable to provide, in a free-standing or portable structure having a door in its side wall, anti-tip means to prevent tip-over of the structure without excessive consumption of floor space when the machine is not in use.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved anti-tip device for a free-standing structure.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved anti-tip device for a free-standing structure which does not consume unnecessary floor space when not in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved anti-tip device particularly adapted for use with a free-standing structure having a closure member.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved anti-tip device for a free-standing structure having a closure member which operates automatically upon opening of the closure member.

Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the invention, we provide a cabinet structure with a closure member in one side wall movable from a closed position .to an open position. A track is carried by the cabinet and an anti-tip arm is provided with means at one end to move along the track. The anti-tip arm is movable from a retracted, position to a tip-preventing position. At least one link is pivotally interconnected between the anti-tip arm and the cabinet. Means are provided to interconnect the link and the closure member to pivot the link as the closure member is moved whereby the anti-tip arm is moved to tip-preventing position upon opening of the closure member.

While the specification concludes with claims partic ularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention, it is believed the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially cut away to show details, of a free-standing cabinet structure incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, cut away to show details, of the free-standing cabinet structure of FIGURE 1 with the closure member open and the antitip arm in the tip-preventing position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, showing a second embodiment of the present invention, with the closure member closed and the anti-tip arm in the retracted position; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the embodiment of FIGURE 3 with the anti-tip arm in the tip-preventing position.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGURE 1, there is illustrated a portable dishwasher 10 having an outer cabinet 11 provided with a closure member or door 12 in one side wall thereof. It should be noted at the outset that the present invention is not limited in its application to a dishwasher but, as pointed out above, may be employed with any free-standing or portable cabinet structure. The application of the present invention in a portable dishwasher is for purposes of illustration only.

Disposed within the cabinet 11 are

dish racks

13 and 14 and water spray apparatus 15. Dish racks .13 and 14 and water spray apparatus 15 may be conventional in form and, since they do not form a material part of the present invention, their structure and function will not be discussed in detail. The door 12 is pivotal about point 16 adjacent its bottom edge. Point 16 defines the interconnection between the door 12 and the cabinet 11 since a bracket 17 is rigidly secured to cabinet 11.

In accordance with the present invention, we provide means to prevent tip-over of the cabinet structure which is automatically operative upon opening of the door 12. Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2, there is provided an anti-tip arm .18 which, when in the position shown in FIGURE 2, serves to prevent tip-over of the cabinet structure. Anti-tip arm 18 has a roller 19 rotatably secured at one end thereof. Roller 19 is disposed within a track 20 which is rigidly secured to the cabinet structure. Track 20 has an upper element 21 and a lower element 22 which are spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the diameter of roller 19 so that roller 19 may easily move along track 20. A link 23 is pivotally secured at one end to anti-tip arm 18 by means of a pin 24 and, at its other end, to the cabinet structure by means of a pin 25. A toothed element or gear segment 26 is rigidly secured to link 23 to pivot about pin 25 with link 23.

Gear segment 26 is intermeshed with a second toothed element or gear segment 27 which is rigidly secured to door 12 to pivot about point 16.

With the foregoing arrangement, as door 12 is pivoted from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, gear segment 27 pivots with the door and, because it is intermeshed with gear segment 26, pivots gear segment 26 and link 23 until link 23 assumes the position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Because link 23 is pivotally connected to anti-tip arm 18 by means of pin 24, anti-tip arm 18 is simultaneously pivoted and moved along track 20 during the pivoting of link 23. Once door 12 is in the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, any external force applied downwardly on door 12 such as, for example, if a small child should climb upon door 12, the forces transmitted through the above-described system would tend to urge anti-tip arm 18 into engagement with the surface 28 upon which dishwasher 10 is resting.

Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. This embodiment includes several elements substantially identical to those described above with regard to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2. Accordingly, these elements have been given identical reference numerals and will not be discussed again except to the extent necessary to explain operation of this embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG URES 3 and 4, anti-tip arm 18 has a pin 29 which pivotally interconnects arm 18 and a link 30 in a manner similar to the interconnection between arm 18 and link 23 in the embodiment of FIGURES 1 and 2. The other end of link 30 is pivotally interconnected to a bracket 31, rigid with door 12, by means of a pin 32. A second link 33 is pivotally interconnected at one end with link 30 by means of a pin 34 and at the other end is pivotally interconnected with the cabinet structure by means of a pin 35.

With the afore-described arrangement, as door 12 is initially pivoted from the closed position as illustrated in FIGURE 3, bracket 31 pivots inwardly toward the dishwasher cabinet moving link 30 and arm 18 to the right as viewed in FIGURE 3. As link 30 moves to the right, link 33 pivots about pin 35 forcing link 30 downwardly about pin 32. As link 30 is forced downwardly, arm 18 is also forced downwardly due to the interconnection at pin 29. As door 12 is pivoted further, link 30 pivots about pin 34, forcing arm 18 downwardly and causing roller 19 to slide relative to track 20. This movement continues until door 12 reaches the full open position as illustrated in FIG- URE 4 whereupon link 30 assumes a substantially vertical disposition and arm 18 is moved into tip-preventing position relative to the surface 28 upon which the dishwasher rests.

It is to be understood that in each of the embodiments described herein, anti-tip arm 18 and all of its associated hardware may be duplicated on the opposite side of cabinet 11 so that there will be two anti-tip arms 18 moved into tip-preventing position as door 12 is opened. Also, if desired, adjustable screws or feet may be provided at the free end of each anti-tip arm 18 to compensate for irregularities in the surface upon which the dishwasher rests.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details of construction of the examples illustrated, and it is contemplated that various other modifications or applications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore intended that the appended claims shall cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

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

1. A free-standing structure comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(b) a closure member in one side wall of said cabinet movable from a closed position to an open position,

() a track carried by said cabinet,

(d) an anti-tip arm having means at one end to move along said track,

(e) said anti-tip arm being movable to a tip-preventing position,

(f) at least one link pivotally interconnecting said antitip arm and said cabinet, and

(g) means interconnecting said link and said closure member to pivot said link as said closure member is moved whereby said anti-tip arm is moved to said tip-preventing position upon opening of said closure member.

2. A free-standing structure comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(c) a track carried by said cabinet,

(d) an anti-tip arm having means at one end to move along said track,

(e) said anti-tip arm being movable to a tip-preventing position,

(f) a link pivotally connected at a first end to said anti-tip arm at a point spaced from said means and pivotally connected at a second end to said cabinet,

(g) a first toothed element carried by said closure member, and

(h) a second toothed element carried by said link adjacent said second end of said link,

(i) said first toothed element and said second toothed element being intermeshed to pivot said link as said closure member is moved whereby said anti-tip arm is moved to said tip-preventing position upon opening of said closure member.

3. A free-standing structure comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(b) a closure member in one wall of said cabinet pivotal about a substantially horizontal axis between a closed position and an open position,

(c) an anti-tip arm movable relative to said cabinet from a retracted position to a tip-preventing position,

(d) a link pivotally interconnecting said anti-tip arm and said cabinet,

(e) a first circular toothed element carried by said closure member with the center of said element being on said substantially horizontal axis, and

(f) a second toothed element carried by said link,

(g) said first toothed element and said second toothed element being intermeshed to pivot said link as said closure member is moved whereby said anti-tip arm is moved to said tip-preventing position upon opening of said closure member.

4. A free-standing structure comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(c) a track carried by said cabinet,

(d) an anti-tip arm having means at one end to move along said track,

(e) said anti-tip arm being movable to a tip-preventing position,

(f) a first link pivotally connected at one end to said anti-tip arm at a point spaced from said means and pivotally connected at its other end to said closure member, and

(g) a second link pivotally connected at one end to said cabinet and at its other end to said first link at a point intermediate the ends of said first link,

(h) said first link and said second link moving upon movement of said closure member to said open position to move said anti-tip arm to said tip-preventing position.

5. A free-standing structure comprising:

(a) a cabinet,

(d) a first link pivotally connected at one end to said anti-tip arm and pivotally connected at its other end to said closure member, and

(e) a second link pivotally connected at one end to said cabinet and at its other end to said first link at a point intermediate the ends of said first link,

(f) said first link and said second link moving upon movement of said closure member to said open position to move said anti-tip arm to said tip-preventing position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Sintz 2-80-6'.11 Sperlich 312284 Ferris 312-284 X Karoff 31 2-271 Kitsopoulos 297-270 Kendt et a1 3l2276 Payton et a1. 312276 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. JAMES T. McCALL, Examiner.

Claims

1. A FREE-STANDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING: (A) A CABINET, (B) A CLOSURE MEMBER IN ONE SIDE WALL OF SAID CABINET MOVABLE FROM A CLOSED POSITION TO AN OPEN POSITION, (C) A TRACK CARRIED BY SAID CABINET, (D) AN ANTI-TIP ARM HAVING MEANS AT ONE END TO MOVE ALONG SAID TRACK, (E) SAID ANTI-TIP ARM BEING MOVABLE TO A TIP-PREVENTING POSITION,