Cooking apparatus with a safety device.

Abstract: There is disclosed a safety device, to be applied to cooking apparatus in general, including several cooking flames and/or plates, provided with a tilting cover. In particular, this device can be usually applied to ranges, but it can also used for other household electrical appliances, in which, in order to actuate the operation of such an appliance, it is necessary to preliminarily drive a cover or a knob for shutting off the supply. More specifically, the subject safety device comprises a control lever arm, extending from the bottom of the cover, at its pivoted side, and at one end of which there is connected a small cable operating a clearing cam which is mounted on the pivot pin of the cocks and coaxially supports a torsion and locating spring for recovering the excess length of the flexible connection.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cooking apparatus with a safety device including a tilting cover. In particular, the safety device included in the cooking apparatus according to the invention can be usually applied to the ranges, but it could be also used for other household electric appliances in which, in order to actuate the operation of the appliance, it is necessary to preliminarly displace a cover, or drive a knob for shutting off the supply. As is known, at present the use conditions of a generic cooking apparatus, particularly in the low and average quality ranges, do not provide any operating limits, by relying on a proper use of the cooking apparatus, in particular in opening and shutting off the power supply, by the user. In this connection, however, it is to be pointed out that such an appliance, in a rest condition thereof, can also be actuated with an erroneous operating sequence, for example by a child, with consequent great dangers. There are also known cooking apparatus in which the gas supply is shutoff, as the flame is absent, by means of thermal safety systems (thermocouples). Another system, which is mainly used in northern countries provides for the use of mechanical shutoff valves, which are driven as the appliance cover is displaced, thereby exclusively with the cover in its open condition, the gas ejectors of the appliance are supplied with gas. Such an approach, however, does not overcome a possible setting of the control knobs, with the closed cover, with an instantaneous energizing of the flow, as the cover is opened, and with a consequent very dangerous situation. The document US-A-2 115 305 describes a cooking apparatus with a safety device having substantially the features of the pre-characterizing portion of the main claim. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a safety device, to be applied to cooking apparatus and the like, which is very simple construction-wise and allows the gas flow controlling knobs or levers to be operated exclusively as the cooking apparatus or appliance cover is in its open position. Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such a safety device, for application to cooking apparatus in general, which is specifically designed to lock the operation of the apparatus as the cover is closed, while causing the control knobs of the cooking apparatus to return to their closure positions. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a safety device, for application to cooking apparatus in general, which can be easily and quickly applied to existing cooking apparatus, without interferering against a conventional mass assembling procedure of these apparatus. According to the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a cooking apparatus with a safety device, having the features of the characterizing portion of the main claim. The above disclosed device is such that, with the cover in its closed condition, the high lever ratio of the cover prevents the control knobs from being turned, and thus this knobs will be held locked in their closed condition. Moreover, the closure of the cover will cause the gas supplying cocks or power supply means to be automatically closed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further characteristics and advantages of the safety device according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure, of the preferred, though not exclusive, embodiment thereof which is illustrated, by way of an indicative, but not limitative, example, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, where: Figure 1 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a cooking range including control levers and means for locking the control knobs thereof; Figure 2 is a partial schematic cross-sectional view of a range having the operating lever thereof arranged inside the range body, and including control knobs of different construction; Figure 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the control knobs shown in Figure 2; Figures 4 and 5 show two positions, respectively an open and a closed position, of a control knob for controlling a gas supplying cock, with the cover of the cooking apparatus being opened; Figure 6 shows the control knob of Figure 5, with the cover of the cooking apparatus being in its closed condition; Figure 7 illustrates a variation of a rotary pin bearing a threaded tension elements for connecting a small operating cable operating cam means; and Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a front view and a top plan view illustrating a functional diagram of the safety device according to the invention and specifically related to the use of the two above mentioned control knobs. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, the safety device, for application to cooking apparatus or the like, including a tilting cover, according to the present invention, comprises a lever arm 1 rigid with the pivoted end or edge portion of the cover 2 of a generic cooking apparatus or range 3 and downwardly extending. The lever arm supports, at the bottom thereof, a rotary pin 4 therewith there is associated a threaded tension element 5, including a tension spring 6 and retaining, by clamping, small connecting cables or tie rods 7. In this connection it should be apparent that the lever arm 1 can be arranged outside of (Figure 1) or inside (Figure 2) the range casing, and that the turning socket can also be of the multiple recess type, as shown in Figure 7. As shown, the free end portions of said small cables are affixed, by clampling means or the like, perimetrically of a clearing cam 8 which is mounted on the pin or shaft 9 of corresponding cocks 10 of a substantially conventional type. More specifically, the small cables are entrained across and offset on the related clearing cams, by means of bearing wheel elements 11 mounted on corresponding vertical pins 12 rigid with the range casing. On the clearing cams, moreover, there is coaxially applied a torsion and locating spring 13 for recovering the excess length of the small cable, with the cover in its open condition, said spring being urged or loaded as the cover is closed. Through the above mentioned cams, there is moreover provided a half-round slot 14 therein there is engaged a pin element 15 formed, at a corresponding position, eccentrically on the rotary axis of a knob 16 provided for opening and closing the cock to which the knob is applied. In particular, this operating knob, as shown in Figure 3, can be separated from its respective cam by means of a disc element 17 bearing the mentioned entraining pin, and being rigid with the cock shaft, so as to be turned therewith. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, as the cover of the range is in its open position,the knob can be freely turned, either to its open or to its closed condition, depending on requirements. On the other hand, as the cover is closed, the cable 7 will cause the cam 8 to turn, thereby loading the spring 13 which will automatically close the supply cock 10. Under these conditions, obviously, the high lever ratio of the cover will prevent the cock control knob for turning. In this connection it should be apparent that the safety device according to the invention can also be applied on an additional cock, or on a driver cock, controlling the gas supply of subsequent flame cocks. For completness of disclosure, at the reference number 18 there has been indicated the gas supply line, at 19 a conventional type of gas burner, and at 20 a supporting grid cooperating with the burner.

Claims: A cooking apparatus (3) with a safety device, including a tilting cover (2) for closing the cocks of said cooking apparatus when the cover (2) is closed, whereby said safety device comprises a control lever arm (1) extending from the bottom of said cooking apparatus,at an articulated side of said cover (2),and to an end portion of which there is coupled a small cable (7), operating on a clearing cam (8) mounted on pivot means (9) of a cock (10) of said apparatus and supporting a locating spring (13) adapted to recover the excess length of said small cable,characterized in that said locating spring (13) is a torsion spring coaxially arranged to said cock (10), that the free end portion of said cable (7) is affixed perimetrically of said clearing cam (8), and that said cable (7) is entrained and offset on said clearing cam (8) by a bearing wheel element (11) in turn mounted on a vertical pin (12) rigid with said cooking apparatus casing. A cooking apparatus with a safety device according to claim 1,characterized in that said lever arm (1) supports at a bottom portion thereof a rotary socket (4) to which there is connected a threaded tension element (5) provided with a tension spring (6) and clamping said small cable (7). A cooking apparatus with a safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that said lever arm (1) is arranged either outside of or inside said apparatus casing, and that said rotary socket (4) comprises a plurality of recesses. A cooking apparatus with a safety device according to one or more of the preceding claims,characterized in that through said clearing cam (8) there is provided a half round slot (14) therein there is engaged a pin (15) formed at a corresponding position eccentrically of the rotary axis of a control knob (16) operating, to an open and a closed position,the gas supplying cock (10) thereon said control knob (16) is connected. A cooking apparatus according to claim 4,characterized in that said knob (16) is separated from its clearing cam (8) by means of a disc element (17) bearing said entraining pin (15), and being rigid with the spindle of said cock (10) so as to turn therewith.

Inventors: FUMAGALLI SILVANO, FUMAGALLI, SILVANO
Applicants: CANDY SPA, CANDY S.P.A.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: F24C3
IPC codes: F24C3, F24C15