US3624589A

US3624589A - Range element terminal block and bracket assembly

Info

Publication number: US3624589A
Application number: US881966A
Authority: US
Inventors: Claude Drouin
Original assignee: Tappan Co
Current assignee: White Consolidated Industries Inc
Priority date: 1969-12-04
Filing date: 1969-12-04
Publication date: 1971-11-30
Anticipated expiration: 1988-11-30
Also published as: CA932372A

Abstract

A terminal block is suspended within an inverted channel bracket my means of a coupling plate which bridges and is secured to the top of the block and extends through windows in the bracket sidewalls. The window bottom edges are inclined so that the socket end of the block is normally at an upwardly facing angle to aid plugging in of the element and a flange at such end of the block abuts the bracket sides to act as a positioning stop.

Description

United States Patent Inventor Claude Drouin Montmagny, P.Q., Canada Appl. No. 881,966

Filed Dec. 4, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 Assignee The Tappan Company Mansfield, Ohio RANGE ELEMENT TERMINAL BLOCK AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/34, 3 39/ 1 19 R Int. Cl H01r 13/60 Field of Search 339/119,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,196,842 4/1940 Strazzabosco 339/34 2,866,956 12/1958 Miller et a1. 339/34 3,447,121 5/1969 Ammerman et al. 339/217 X Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorney-Oberlin, Maky, Donnelly 8L Renner ABSTRACT: A terminal block is suspended within an inverted channel bracket my means of a coupling plate which bridges and is secured to the top of the block and extends through windows in the bracket sidewalls. The window bottom edges are inclined so that the socket end of the block is normally at an upwardly facing angle to aid plugging in of the element and a flange at such end of the block abuts the bracket sides to act as a positioning stop.

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PATENTEU NUVSO IQYI INVENTOR C L AUDE DROUl/V ATTORNEYS RANGE ELEMENT TERMINAL BLOCK AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a terminal block and bracket assembly for power connection of an electric surface element in a range or cook top.

Such assembly is, more particularly. the type which accepts plugging of the surface element, with the block a female connector and the bracket mounting such block in operative position. This is an old and widely used form of energy connection for such an element, and it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new assembly for the purpose which has an improved action in the sense of properly locating and guiding the interfit of the element terminals with the block.

Another object of the invention is to provide a terminal block and mounting bracket assembly for such purpose which is very economical to produce and easily installed in a cook top or range.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail a certain illustrative embodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of but one of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmented plan view of a surface element in a cook top, partially broken away, equipped with a block and bracket assembly in accordance with the present invention;

H6. 2 is a vertical section of the FIG. 1 structure in which theblock and bracket appear in side elevation; and

FIG. 3 is a similar section in which the element has been disconnected from the block and bracket assembly.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, reference numeral designates a portion of the top plate of an electric range or cook top in which there is a circular opening bounded by an integral down-turned flange 11. It will be understood that top plate will normally be provided with a plurality of such openings and each will receive a surface heating element assembly similar to the one to be described hereinafter.

A drip bowl 12 having an integral trim flange 13 is shown removably suspended in the opening by virtue of the ring overlying and resting on the top plate about the opening, with the bowl also having a horizontal element-supporting ledge 14 near the top and a bottom central opening 15 for circulation.

The drip bowl supports a conventional electric surface element 16 in the fonn of a tubular sheathed resistance element arranged in a flat spiral on and attached to a spider 17 which rests on the bowl ledge 14. Such element has

rigid terminal sections

18 and 19 which extend downwardly from the plane of the convoluted element respectively at its inner and outer ends and laterally in parallel through an opening 20 provided in the wall of the bowl. These terminal sections extend in spaced relation under and beyond the top plate flange 11 and terminate in

male connectors

21, 22. A metal plate 23 bridges the sheathed terminal sections and is securely crimped to the same, with a conductively connected ground connector 24 extending horizontally from such plate outwardly between the element male connectors.

The element

male connectors

21, 22 and the ground connector 24 are detachably plugged into a rigid plastic terminal block 25 made of identical longitudinal halves and, at the interface between the two halves, formed with passages to accept such element connectors. The block has a continuous flange 26 about its forward end, with its body generally of rectangular cross-sectional shape, and it is wired in a manner well understood for grounded connection to an available source of electrical energy. While this terminal block may be used alone for connection of the element, for example, by

being loosely accessible within the range top for manual plugging in of the element, it is preferred that the block be mounted for such connection and disconnection and a bracket designated generally by reference numeral 27 is utilized for such purpose.

Bracket 27 is essentially of inverted channel form with its top wall 28 having a forward screw-receiving opening 29 and an intermediate transverse slot 30. The terminal block is assembled with this bracket by means of a rectangular plate 31 which is passed transversely through sidewall openings 32 in the bracket and then secured to the top of the block by means of screws 33 threaded downwardly through the plate and bracket. The plate 31 is wider than the width of the bracket, as most clearly evident in FIG. 1, with the aforenoted top bracket slot 30 providing access to the heads of the screws 33 for the attachment of the plate to the block, and the block width is slightly less than the separation of the bracket sidewalls. There is a degree of relative movement of the two determined first by the dimensioning of the block 25 and plate 31 and the longitudinal extent of the bracket sidewall openings 32, with these relations such that the plate is at some intermediate location in the sidewall openings when the block front flange 26 engages or abuts the forward end vertical edges of the bracket sidewall. Vertical movement of the plate 31 in the sidewall openings of the bracket is also provided, with the bottom edges 34 of the latter inclined correspondingly downwardly to the rear.

The bracket 27 is attached to the underside of the top plate 10 by means of a mounting screw 35 threaded through the same and the bracket forward opening 29. As shown in FIG. 3, when the element, is not connected, the terminal block 25 is supported in the bracket by the end portions of the transverse plate 31 resting on the inclined bottom edges 34 of the bracket sidewall openings, so that the block in this condition is held at an angle which directs its socket end upwardly toward the drip bowl openings, so that the block, in this condition is held at an angle which directs its sockets end upwardly toward the drip bowl opening 20. The block openings which receive the

element connectors

21, 22, and 24 are thus very readily apparent to one installing the surface element, at an inclination as shown in the phantom outline in FIG. 3, and the force involved in the making of the connection moves the block flange 26 against the forward bracket edges, so that the latter serve as a stop and correct any misalignment in the now guided plugging in of the element. When the connection has been completely made, the element is of course rotated downwardly to the working horizontal plane shown in FIG. 2, noting that the bracket mounting screw 35 is concealed beneath the drip pan flange or trim ring 13.

The disclosed terminal block and bracket assembly thus provides a mounting in which the block has a vertical freedom of movement in the bracket, can move relatively in and out to some extent, and provides both an initial sighting of the coupling direction and misalignment correction. It will be understood that grounding in the preferred embodiment through a separate terminal in the block permits the aforenoted use of the block without the bracket, and where the bracket is used conventional conductive connection of the sheath ends and the bracket can be provided in lieu of the separate ground terminal if desired.

1, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An assembly for use with an electric surface heating element having male connectors at its ends, comprising a terminal block having a body of electrically insulative material one end of which has openings for insertion of the element connectors, a mounting bracket for said block adapted to be attached to, and position the block relative to, stationary structure with which the heating element is associated, said bracket having laterally spaced sidewall portions between which the body of the block is disposed, with aligned openings provided in said wall portions, and coupling means secured to the block body and extending therebeyond at both sides through such sidewall openings of the bracket, thereby to suspend the block in the bracket, the width and height 'of the sidewall openings being slightly greater thanthe corresponding dimensions of the coupling means over the extent of the format to permit the thus suspended block to assume an angular relation to the bracket, thereby to facilitate the insertion of the surface heating element connectors in the block.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the bottom edges of the bracket sidewall openings are inclined and normally support the block through the coupling means resting thereon at an upward angle in the direction of the end which receives the element connectors.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein the block body is provided with a stop flange at said one end which abuts forward edges of the bracket sidewalls and positions the block in the insertion of the element connectors in the same.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3, wherein the coupling means and bracket sidewall openings normally support the block, without the element connected, with said one end at an upwardly facing angle to facilitate insertion of the element connectors.

Claims

1. An assembly for use with an electric surface heating element having male connectors at its ends, comprising a terminal block having a body of electrically insulative material one end of which has openings for insertion of the element connectors, a mounting bracket for said block adapted to be attached to, and position the block relative to, stationary structure with which the heating element is associated, said bracket having laterally spaced sidewall portions between which the body of the block is disposed, with aligned openings provided in said wall portions, and coupling means secured to the block body and extending therebeyond at both sides through such sidewall openings of the bracket, thereby to suspend the block in the bracket, the width and height of the sidewall openings being slightly greater than the corresponding dimensions of the coupling means over the extent of the former to permit the thus suspended block to assume an angular relation to the bracket, thereby to facilitate the insertion of the surface heating element connectors in the block.