Coupling apparatus

Abstract: An apparatus for coupling fluid flow lines and a convection steaming oven, includes a wall-mountable connection unit supporting a plurality of base connector elements extending away from the wall and each for connection to a respective fluid flow service line in the wall. Satellite connector elements, connected to the oven, are engageable in fluid-tight manner to a respective one of the base connector elements. The oven may be freely moved between an operational disposition adjacent the wall with the respective base and satellite connectors mutually engaged, and a de-coupled disposition away from the wall, with all the respective connectors disengaged. A waste line connection comprises an exhaust means (2) to release any excessive steam, a waste chamber (5) within the base element (26), a waste outlet (6) connected to said waste chamber, and means (4) to connect the waste line connection to the waste chamber when the unit is engaged.

Description: This invention relates to apparatus for coupling fluid flow lines and a unit of catering equipment, such as a convection steaming oven, which requires coupling together a fluid flow line, a waste line and optionally a gas line. Commercial catering establishments are subject to stringent health and hygiene requirements. Ease of access for cleaning purposes is a major consideration in the design of kitchens and catering equipment. It is increasingly common for units to be mobile, thereby allowing staff full access to clean both the equipment itself and the underlying floor area. However, not all catering equipment is readily made mobile. Sink units and ovens or hobs, for example, necessarily require connection to feed services, and it is these connections which have hitherto limited such units to static fixtures. Unfortunately, it is around these very fixtures that a large proportion of food handling is done, and thus it is essential that they, and the area around them, can be adequately cleaned. Flexible links between the service supply ports and the unit have been suggested, but these are cumbersome to accommodate when the unit is in place, prone to leakage and themselves pose not inconsiderable cleaning difficulties. It is a combination of these problems that makes the use of flexible links at least unattractive, and often unacceptable. It is known from our GB Application No. 2 243 422A to provide a connection for water and waste inlets and outlets for a movable sink unit. It is also known from our PCT Application No.WO 93/07415, published 15.04.93, state of the art according to Article 54(3), to provide a gas tight connection for a gas inlet to a movable oven unit. It is an object of the present invention to overcome, or at least reduce, the problems of cleaning catering equipment requiring service connections. In particular, one item of catering equipment is a convection steaming oven. This requires an electrical input, which may be conventional, a water inlet line, a waste outlet line and optionally a gas inlet line. One special requirement of such ovens is that that waste pipe incorporates an air break to prevent back pressure and waste contamination. It is therefore a further object of the present invention to provide a connector system which allows demountable connection of a convection steaming oven including these parameters. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for coupling fluid flow lines and a convection steaming oven, the apparatus comprising: a wall-mountable connection unit supporting a plurality of base connector elements extending away from the wall and each for connection to a respective fluid flow service line in the wall; a plurality of satellite connector elements, each engageable in fluid-tight manner to a respective one of the base connector elements, and each connected, in use, to the convection steaming oven whereby said oven may be freely moved between an operational disposition adjacent the wall with the respective base and satellite connectors mutually engaged, and a de-coupled disposition away from the wall, with all the respective base and satellite connectors disengaged; and latching means for maintaining said oven in the operational disposition until release of the latching means allows transition to the de-coupled disposition, wherein a waste line connection comprises an exhaust means (2) to release any excessive steam, a waste chamber (5) within the base element (26), a waste outlet (6) connected to said waste chamber (5), and means (4) to connect the waste line connection to the waste chamber when the unit is engaged. The exhaust means may be a chimney means connected to the pathway between the waste outlet of the convection steaming oven and the connection to the waste chamber. Preferably the connection unit takes the form of a connection box. Preferably, all the supply lines (such as gas and water) have double shut-off base and satellite connector assemblies. Preferably said oven and a carrying means therefor has a single operating lever to operate the latching means. For example, the single lever may be connected to sleeves on the satellite connectors of the supply lines. The single lever may be actuated by a manual mechanism mounted on carrying means for said oven. Preferably, a connection between the lever and the manual mechanism passes through an expansion box, whereby the release handle is allowed to return fully into its recessed housing when the unit is engaged. Preferably the connection between said oven and the connection unit includes an electrical earth connection, and preferably the carrying means for said oven is mounted on wheels, rollers or castors. An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particuarly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGURE 1 is a front view of a connection unit mountable to a wall; FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the unit as shown in Figure 1; FIGURE 3 is a side view of the unit of Figures 1 and 2; FIGURE 4 is a front view of a carrying unit for said oven when connected to the wall mounted unit of the previous Figures; FIGURE 5 is a side view of the unit of Figure 4; FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the carrying unit shown in Figures 4 and 5; and FIGURE 7 is a perspective schematic view of the carrying unit and the connection unit mounted to a wall, the convection steaming oven being mounted above this unit and being connected thereto as described below. Referring to Figure 4, a unit top 10 has an underframe 11 adapted to receive castors 12, 13, 14 and 15. Carried on the underframe 11 are satellite connector elements. A first satellite connector 17 communicates with a water feed inlet through a water flow line, and a satellite waste connector communicates with an exit from the convection steaming oven (not shown). A gas line connection 22 is provided in the embodiment shown. However, this may be omitted or not used when the oven is electrically powered. When the oven unit is brought into abutment with the wall unit, the satellite connectors make press fit sealing engagement with respectively co-operating base connections, although this is not important in the case of the waste connection. Each of the satellite connectors has a sleeve which engages over the spigot end of the corresponding base connectors for latching engagement of these connectors. The double shut-off connectors are well known in themselves, and the base and satellite connector portions are self sealing until such time as they are in latched engagement. When bringing the oven unit into abutment with the wall, the unit is guided into its appointed position by co-operation between bevelled edges on the back of the underframe 11 and the sides of a wall connection unit 26. In the case of a convection steaming oven, there is a water waste outlet which enters a tee junction 1 at connection 3. Above said tee junction 1 is an exhaust chimney 2, which allows any build up of steam from the oven to exhaust to atmosphere and the other connection 4 is adapted to pass liquid waste into the wall connector, when the apparatus is functional. Within the wall mounted connector is a waste chamber 5 adapted to receive liquid waste from the oven via connector 4. The space within the waste chamber 5 allows any liquid to expand and exhaust steam via the chimney 2 and residual liquid is removed via connector 6 to the normal drain system. A link rod 33 actuated by a manually operable release handle 34 mounted on the underframe 11 connects to sleeves of the satellite connector elements. Manipulation of the release handle 34 allows the unit to be disconnected from the wall mounted unit. An expansion chamber 35 is connected along the link rod 33 to enable the release handle to be inserted within the confines of the mobile unit underframe 11 after it has been pulled out. In use full operational coupling of the oven and underframe unit to the services at the connection box 26 is achieved simply by pressing the unit into its appointed place against the wall, whereupon the satellite connections mounted to the unit 10 make engagement with the corresponding base connectors in the connection unit 26. For cleaning around the unit, operation of the handle 34 causes the link rod 33 to displace longitudinally thereby pulling the sleeves axially away from the base connection spigots, to release the line connectors. Thus pulling the unit from the coupled disposition to its de-coupled disposition will not result in release of water or gas to the floor. To re-engage the unit with the connection unit 26 no manipulation of the handle 34 is necessary. Instead simply moving the unit into the wall will achieve fresh latching engagement of the line connectors. As may be seen, the waste chamber 5 is open at its upper surface and the connection 4 delivers fluid down into it. As may be seen from Figure 7, the carrying unit includes a portion to which the connection 4 is attached and which is adapted to mate with the waste chamber 5. It is not important that this connection is made sealingly since part of the function of the waste chamber 5 is to allow escape of excess gas or steam. However, the connection should be liquid-tight.

Claims: An apparatus for coupling fluid flow lines and a convection steaming oven, the apparatus comprising: a wall-mountable connection unit supporting a plurality of base connector elements extending away from the wall and each for connection to a respective fluid flow service line in the wall; a plurality of satellite connector elements, each engageable in fluid-tight manner to a respective one of the base connector elements, and each connected, in use, to the convection steaming oven whereby said oven may be freely moved between an operational disposition adjacent the wall with the respective base and satellite connectors mutually engaged, and a de-coupled disposition away from the wall, with all the respective base and satellite connectors disengaged; and latching means for maintaining said oven in the operational disposition until release of the latching means allows transition to the de-coupled disposition, wherein a waste line connection comprises an exhaust means (2) to release any excessive steam, a waste chamber (5) within the base element (26), a waste outlet (6) connected to said waste chamber (5), and means (4) to connect the waste line connection to the waste chamber when the unit is engaged. An apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised in that the exhaust means (2) is a chimney means connected to the pathway between the waste outlet (3) of the convection steaming oven and the connection (4) to the waste chamber (5). An apparatus according to either Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that the connection unit takes the form of a connection box. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that all the supply lines (such as gas and water) are provided with double shut-off base and satellite connector assemblies. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said oven is provided with a carrying means therefor, said carrying means being provided with a single operating lever (33, 34) to operate the latching means. An apparatus according to Claim 5, characterised in that the single lever is connected to respective sleeves on the satellite connectors of the supply lines. An apparatus according to either Claim 5 or Claim 6, characterised in that the single lever is actuatable by a manual mechanism (34) mounted on said carrying means for said oven. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 5 to 7, characterised in that a connection between the lever and the manual mechanism passes through an expansion box (35), whereby the release handle (34) is allowed to return fully into a recessed housing therefor when the unit is engaged. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the connection between said oven and the connection unit includes an electrical earth connection. An apparatus according to any one of Claims 5 to 9, characterised in that the carrying means for said oven is mounted on wheels, rollers or castors.

Inventors: SAGE-PASSANT PETER, SAGE-PASSANT, PETER
Applicants: SAGE PASSANT PETER, SAGE-PASSANT, PETER
Application year: 1993
Main classification: F24C15
IPC codes: F24C15, F16L41