US3358669A

US3358669A - Cooking range

Info

Publication number: US3358669A
Application number: US481213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond D Schibley
Original assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
Current assignee: CBS Corp
Priority date: 1965-08-20
Filing date: 1965-08-20
Publication date: 1967-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1984-12-19

Description

R. D. SCHIBLEY COOKING RANGE Dec. 19, 1967 s'sheets-sheetl Filed Aug. 20, 1965 FIG. I.

IAIIVENTOR. Raymond D. Schibley WITNESSES ATTORNEY Dec. 19, 1967 R. D. SCHIBLEY COOKING RANGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1965 Dec. 19, 1967 R. D. SCHIBLEY COOKING RANGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 20, 1965 United States Patent 3,358,669 COOKING RANGE Raymond B. Schibley, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 20, 1965, Ser. No. 481,213 9 Claims. (Cl. 126-37) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Cooking range suitable for installation in the corner of a room which comprises a pair of ovens and a plurality of platform heating elements, the heating elements being disposed on a rotatable platform which is so constructed as to permit the heating elements to be hidden from view when not in use.

This invention relates, in general, to cooking ranges, and more particularly to cooking ranges suitable for instal lation in the corner of a room. a

A desirable feature of modern home kitchen design is that of providing an optimum amount of counter and shelf space. To this end, some cooking ranges, having their surface heating elements mounted on a drawer-like structure slidable from beneath an overlying surface, have been utilized.

Other cooking ranges are provided with a rotatable platform having surface heating elements mounted thereon. One such platform comprises a generally circular configuration with a peripheral truncated portion which may be aligned with the front wall surface of a supporting cabinet structure for minimizing protrusion into the working area. The platform in this instance underlies a shelf structure permitting all or some of the heating elements to be concealed when not in use.

It is a common expedient in cooking ranges of the types discussed above to provide an eye-level oven which is mounted in the supporting cabinet structure vertically above the drawer-like structure or rotatable platform. In accord with present day practice, the oven may be provided with means for power venting thereof. It is, therefore, desirable to provide a common duct system for power venting of the surface heater units and/ or ovens.

While the arrangements discussed above provide ample counter and shelf space, they are not suitable for installation in the corner of a room nor are they provided with adequate exhaust means.

Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a new and improved cooking range.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a new and improved cooking range with a rotatable platform supporting surface heaters, suitable for installation in the corner of a room.

Another object of this invention is to provide common exhaust means for the oven and surface heating units of a cooking range.

Briefly, the present invention accomplishes the abovecited objects by providing a cooking range with a supporting cabinet structure having an upper compartment with end portions lying in mutually perpendicular planes, each of which is adapted to support on oven therein. The cabinet structure is further provided with a lower hollow member underlying the upper hollow member and, also having, end portions lying in mutually perpendicular planes. The front walls or edges of the upper member lie in mutually perpendicular planes as do the front walls or edges of the lower member. The rear walls of the cabinet which are common to the upper and lower members are also mutually perpendicular to facilitate installation of the cabinet structure in the corner of a room.

3,358,669 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 A platform carrying a plurality of heating elements is supported for rotation into and out of the lower hollow member and has a generally circular configuration with a cutout segment delineated by walls lying in mutually perpendicular planes such that the platform may be completely concealed by the top wall of the lower member which serves as additional counter surface or a storage shelf. Alternatively, the platform, which may also be provided with a storage drawer, cutting board or the like, may be rotated to various selected positions for providing access to one or all of the heating elements, the storage drawer or the cutting board.

A duct system is provided in the upper member of the cabinet beneath the ovens such that a pair of elongated inlet openings thereof, communicate with openings in the front intersecting walls adjacent the lower edges thereof. Air circulating means is provided in the duct system and serves to draw air heated by the surface heaters through the aforementioned inlet openings. The air circulating means is also adapted to simultaneously exhaust air from both of the ovens.

To eliminate possible interference between the doors of the two ovens simultaneously opening thereof, structure is provided for mounting the doors which structure permits sliding of the doors into the cabinet.

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

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cooking range representing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to the range illustrated in FIG. 1, but with the heater carrying platform thereof rotated to an operative position and with one of the oven doors in the opened position;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the range illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the range illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a gmentary perspective the top of the open oven of FIG. 2.

Referring to the drawings, especially FIGS. 1-3, reference character 10 designates generally a cooking range comprising a supporting cabinet structure 11 having upper and lower

hollow member

12 and 13, respectively.

The lower member 13 comprises a horizontal top wall 14, a substantially pie-shaped front wall 16, a bot-tom wall 17 and a pair of side walls 18 which together define a compartment 19 (FIG. 3). A heater element supporting platform 21 is rotatably secured to the cabinet structure 11 by means of a rotatable collar arrangement 20 thereby adapting it for selective rotation such that all or a portion thereof is disposed within the compartment 19. The collar arrangement 20, as shown in FIG. 3, is preferably hollow in order that a plurality of electrical conductors such as the conductor 22 may be inserted therethrough for connection to one of a plurality of conventional coil type heating units 23-25 and a pie-shaped griddle 26 carried by the platform 21.

The platform 21 has, in general, a circular configuration with a pair of intersecting walls 27 defining a cutout segment. The platform may be rotated to a first selected position (see FIG. 1) where the intersecting walls 27 are aligned with the intersecting portions of the front wall 16 of the cabinet 11. It will be understood that in this, the inoperative position, the platform is disposed completely within the compartment 19 and does not, therefore, obstruct the work area and also allows access to view looking toward cabinets or drawers which may be disposed therebeneath. T he platform 21 may also be rotated to the position shown in FIG. 2 for exposing all of the heating units 23-25 and the griddle 26. The platform may be provided with a storage drawer (not shown) and a cutting board or the like (not shown). A commutating switch arrangement (not shown) may be used for supplying electrical energy, via manually operable switches 2840, to those heating units that are exposed from beneath the top surface. The particular commutating switch is not here illustrated because it does not form a part of the invention, moreover, such a switch is old as is shown and described in US. Patent No. 3,165,627 to R. L. Gault et al., assigned to the same assignee of this application. While the platform 21 is disclosed as being supported for rotation it may be stationarily mounted Without departing from the scope of the invention.

The upper hollow member 12 of the cabinet structure 1-1 comprises a top wall 31, front walls 32, side walls 33, and a bottom wall 34. Each of the front walls 32 is provided with a relatively large opening 36 (see FIG. 2) for receiving an oven 37 and somewhat smaller openings 38 to be discussed hereinafter. A door structure 39 is provided in registry with the openings 36 for closing the oven and for providing access to the interior thereof.

The door structure 39 is pivotally mounted adjacent the upper edges thereof, for example, by means of Z- shapecl members it! (see FIG. having a substantially cylindrical configuration and hook-shaped members 41 adapted to engagingly receive the foot portions of the L-shaped members 40. Upper channel-

shaped tracks

42 and 43 are suitably secured to the underside of the top wall 31. Together the

tracks

42 and 43 serve to guide and retain the side edges of the door for sliding thereof into the interior of a cavity between the top of the oven 37 and the top wall 31. There are two pairs of

tracks

42 and 43, one for each of the doors. The above-described arrangement enables the user to open both oven doors 37 simultaneously for placing or removing foodstuff. A plurality of racks 44 which may be of any conventional type, for example, pivotal or slide-out are suitably supported for movement into and out of the ovens 37.

An exhaust fan, not shown, may be conventionally supported in a vertical vent duct 46 (see particularly FIG. 4) to draw heated air from each of the ovens 37 and the air heated by the heating units 23-25 and the griddle 26 by means of a duct system generally indicated 47. The duct system 47 comprises tubular members 48 connecting each of the ovens 37 to the lower end of the vent duct 46 and a substantially Y-shaped tubular member 49 connecting the openings 38 to the vent duct 46. The air heated by the heating units 2325 and the griddle 26 is drawn through openings 38 and introduced into the Y- shaped members through openings, not shown, in the upper branches thereof. Simultaneously, the air heated in the ovens 37 is drawn through the L-shaped members 40 and along with the air heated by the surface units is exhausted from the top wall 31 through an extension of the exhaust or vent duct 46. It will be understood that the vent duct 46 could be directly connected to the outside of the house or any suitable means may be provided for carrying the hot gases from the vent 46 to the outside atmosphere. The exhaust fan, not shown, may be energized by means of a switch control knob, not shown, mounted on a front panel 52 adjacent the surface heater control knobs 28-30 and oven control knobs 53 and 53.

While there has been shown and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, modifications thereto will readily occur to those skilled in the art. It is not desired, therefore, that the invention be limited to the specific arrangement shown and described and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Cooking apparatus comprising, supporting cabinet structure having front edge portions lying in intersecting planes, a rotatable platform having a generally circular configuration with a cutout section having wall portions lying in intersecting planes, means for rotatably securing said platform to said cabinet structure such that in one rotated position of said platform the intersecting walls thereof are aligned with the intersecting front edge portions of said cabinet structure, said cabinet structure having a longitudinal top surface serving as one wall of a compartment wherein said platform is housed when in said one-rotated position, a plurality of surface heaters supported by said platform and adapted to be carried thereby to a position intermediate said front edge portions of said cabinet structure.

2. A cooking range suitable for installation contiguous intersecting Walls of a room, said apparatus comprising: supporting cabinet structure having intersecting front edge portions, a range element carrying member having generally a circular configuration with a cutout section having intersecting wall portions, means for supporting said carrying member for rotation relative to said supporting cabinet such that the intersecting wall portions of said carrying member are aligned with said intersecting front edge portions of said cabinet structure in a selected rotated position.

3. A cooking range comprising, supporting cabinet structure having a horizontal shelf portion and intersecting front edge portions, 21 range element platform having a generally cylindrical configuration with a cutout section delineated by intersecting wall portions, means for supporting said platform for rotation subadjacent said horizontal shelf portion, said platform being rotatable to a first selected position whereat said shelf portion completely overlies said platform and said intersecting wall portions of said platform are aligned with said intersecting edge portions of said supporting structure.

4. A cooking range comprising, supporting cabinet structure having a horizontal shelf portion and intersecting front edge portions, a range element platform having a cutout section delineated by intersecting wall portions, means supporting said platform for rotation beneath said shelf portion, a plurality of heating elements supported by said platform for rotation therewith, said platform being rotatable to a first selected position where said shelf completely overlies said platform and said intersecting front edge portions are aligned with said intersecting wall portions of said platform, said platform being rotatable to a second selected position where at least one of said heating elements lies intermediate said intersecting front edge portions of said supporting structure.

5. Cooking range apparatus, comprising, in combination, supporting cabinet structure provided with a horizontal shelf and at least one upper compartment overlying said horizontal shelf and adapted to receive an oven, said horizontal shelf having intersecting front edge portions, 2. platform having a generally circular configuration with a cutout section delineated by intersecting surfaces of the platform, means supporting said platform for rotation subadjacent said shelf, a plurality of heating elements supported by said platform for rotation therewith, said platform being rotatable to a first selected position where said shelf completely covers said platform, said platform being rotatable to a second position whereby at least one of said heating elements lies intermediate the planes of said intersecting surfaces, and air circulating means disposed in said compartment for exhausting air heated by said platform heating elements and heating elements in said oven.

6. Cooking apparatus comprising, supporting cabinet structure having intersecting front edge portions and provided with at least one compartment vertically spaced above said intersecting edges, a range element platform having a generally circular configuration with a cutout section delineated by intersecting wall portions, a plurality of heating elements carried by said platform, means for supporting said platform for rotation relative to said supporting cabinet such that at least one of said heating elements in one rotated position lies between said intersecting front edge portions, an oven in said compartment, duct means in said compartment for directing air heated by said heating elements and heaters in said ovens to vent means from said compartment, and air-circulating means in said compartment interconnecting said duct means with said vent means.

7. Structure as specified in claim 6, wherein said duct means is provided with at least one open end in registry with an opening in the front of said compartment.

6. Cooking apparatus comprising: supporting cabinet structure having upper and lower members, said upper member having end portions lying in intersecting planes, a heating element supporting platform, means for mounting said platform for selective rotation into and out of said lower member, an oven in each of said end portions, air exhaust means in said upper member having one end communicating with the atmosphere, duct means in said upper member connecting said ovens with said air exhaust means and communicating with openings in the front wall of said upper member, said air exhaust means being effective to carry away heated air from said ovens and air heated by said heating elements carried by said platform.

9. Cooking apparatus comprising: supporting cabinet structure having upper and lower hollow members, said upper and lower members having end portions lying in intersecting planes for adapting installation of said cabinet structure in the corner of a room, an oven supported in each end of said upper hollow member, a door mounted in registry with each oven, means for pivotally mounting said doors to said upper hollow member and means therein for slidably receiving and supporting said doors within said hollow member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,979,053 4/1961 Crispell et al. l26194 3,089,479 5/1963 Perl 126299 X 3,153,407 10/1964 Frick 126-37 3,165,627 1/1965 Gault et al. 126-37 X FOREIGN PATENTS 436,668 10/1935 Great Britain.

CHARLES J. MYHRE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. COOKING APPARATUS COMPRISING, SUPPORTING CABINET STRUCTURE HAVING FRONT EDGE PORTIONS LYING IN INTERSECTING PLANES, A ROTATABLE PLATFORM HAVING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION WITH A CUTOUT SECTION HAVING WALL PORTIONS LYING IN INTERSECTING PLANES, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY SECURING SAID PLATFORM TO SAID CABINET STRUCTURE SUCH THAT IN ONE ROTATED POSITION OF SAID PLATFORM THE INTERSECTING WALLS THEREOF ARE ALIGNED WITH THE INTERSECTING FRONT EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID CABINET STRUCTURE, SAID CABINET STRUCTURE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL TOP SURFACE SERVING AS ONE WALL OF A COMPARTMENT WHEREIN SAID PLATFORM IS HOUSED WHEN IN SAID ONE ROTATED POSITION, A PLURALITY OF SURFACE HEATERS SUPPORTED BY SAID PLATFORM AND ADAPTED TO BE CARRIED THEREBY TO A POSITION INTERMEDIATE SAID FRONT EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID CABINET STRUCTURE.