Patent GB-671014-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to electric heating appliances
IPC: F24C15/10
Filed: 1950-08-21
Abstract: 671,014. Electric hot-plates and ranges. BRITISH THOMSON-HOUSTON CO., Ltd. Aug. 21, 1950 [Aug. 27, 1949], No. 20682/50. Class 39(iii) An electric heater 100 is mounted on the surface of a hollow hot-plate structure 31 which is hinged at 51 at its rear edge so that it may rest on a horizontal working surface 12 or be moved to a vertical position to enter a recess 21 in a vertical hollow casing 11 at the rear of the surface 12, the outer wall 33 of the hot-plate being then flush with the front wall of the casing. Several such rectangular hot-plates may be' hinged independently each with a handle 27 for moving it from the concealed vertical position and supporting it on the surface 12. The device is applied to a kitchen cabinet or electric range. A backsplash panel 81 may be hinged at its lower edge at 75 to a rearward extension of the top of the heating unit and has flanges 82 at the top sliding on vertical rods 83 within the back of the casing 11, so that the panel 81 moves from a vertical position to an inclined position when the heating unit is lowered. A rotary control switch 134 of the multi-position type is carried by the casing 11 to establish different heating connections in the heater. When the hotplate is moved to its vertical position it engages an operating arm 138 of a master switch 137 in the casing so that no current can then pass to the heater 100, but the flexible wiring in the casing is energized when the hot-plate is horizontal. The heater 100 comprises two nested spiral sheathed elements 101, 102, as described in Specification 661,675. A drip pan 111 with a central aperture 112 is mounted on a ledge 110 of the hot-plate. An inclined wall 113 within the structure on its outer wall 33 forms a drip basin retaining spillage when the hot-plate is vertical. The hot-plate is in two sections 25A, 25B, detachably held together by telescoped marginal walls 32, 34. The wall 32 has at the front a spring tongue 66, detachably engaging with snap action a spring tongue 37 on the other section. The structure is hinged at the rear to the casing by two pivots 51 each with an arm 52 bent as shown to form a downward tongue 54 fitting into the lower section and an upward tongue 55 secured to a sheet 64 fastened to the marginal wall 32, so that the lower section 25B is readily removable. A leafspring 121 welded to the arms of hinge 117 ensures grounding of the sheaths of the heaters 100. The terminal ends 104 of the heater 100 pass through a plate 115 forming the lower end of a hinge 117 and are clamped in a terminal block 122. The heater 100 may be tipped up to allow cleaning of the removable drip pan 111. The control switch for each hot-plate may be mounted on its outer marginal wall 32. A spring push-button 94 on the front edge of the hot-plate engages an opening 95 in a flange 21 of the casing to retain the hotplate when vertical. Four hot-plates may be hinged on a cooking range so that their surfaces are at the same level when horizontal, being illuminated by a transverse lamp in the casing, which also illuminates transparent push-buttons in the casing controlling the heating of the hot-plates.