Patent Publication Number: US-2007119878-A1

Title: Kettle with retained spout lid

Description:
BACKGROUND  
      This application relates to spouted vessels, such as teakettles, and in particular, relates to the spout closure mechanism for such kettles.  
      Various types of kettles have heretofore been provided, including kettles with spouts having closure mechanisms, such as pivoting lids, for opening and closing a spout. Various types of mechanisms have also been providing for effecting opening and closing of the spout lid or other closure.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,959 discloses a kettle with a pivoting handle coupled to the spout lid, so that when the handle is lifted, such as for lifting the kettle, the weight of the kettle causes the lid to open.  
      U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,616 discloses a kettle with a finger-activated trigger coupled to the spout closure for moving it to its open position.  
      In the aforementioned pivoting handle arrangement, the spout lid will be opened whenever the kettle is being carried by the handle, which could result in accidental spillage through the spout. Also, in the prior trigger arrangement, the spout lid could accidentally open while the kettle is being carried.  
      In both these prior arrangements, the spout lid or other closure will automatically close when the handle or trigger is released. However, it may be desirable that the spout closure remain open, even when the kettle is not engaged by a user&#39;s hand, such as to facilitate filling through the spout. It may also be desired that the spout closure be positively retained in a closed position.  
     SUMMARY  
      There is disclosed herein an improved kettle which permits a spout closure to be positively retained in open and closed positions.  
      In an embodiment, there is provided a vessel, a spout communicating with the vessel, a handle, a closure movable between open and closed conditions relative to the spout, and an actuator assembly carried by the vessel and coupled to the closure and manually operable for effecting movement of the closure between its open and closed conditions, the actuator assembly including a retaining mechanism for retaining the closure in each of its open and closed conditions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a kettle with a spout closure in a closed position;  
       FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the kettle of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the kettle of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  4 - 4  in  FIG. 3 ;  
       FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4 , with the spout closure shown in the open position;  
       FIG. 6A  is an enlarged perspective view of the actuator assembly of the kettle of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 6B  is a side elevational view of the assembly of  FIG. 6A ;  
       FIG. 6C  is a top plan view of the assembly of  FIG. 6A ; and  
       FIG. 6D  is a sectional view taken generally along the line  6 D- 6 D and  FIG. 6C .  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , there is illustrated a kettle, generally designated by the numeral  10 , which is in the nature of a tea kettle. The kettle  10  includes a vessel  11  having a generally dome-shaped side wall  12  closed at the lower end thereof by circular bottom wall  13  for cooperation to define a fluid reservoir. The bottom wall  13  has an upwardly and outwardly inclined peripheral shoulder  14 , integral at its upper end with a laterally outwardly extending raised portion  15 , at the distal edge of which is formed a peripheral lip or channel  16 , which is generally U-shaped in transverse cross section. The lip  16  receives therein the lower edge of the vessel side wall  12  and may be sealed thereto in a suitable manner. The bottom wall  13  may be provided with a raised annular rib  17  ( FIG. 4 ). It can be seen from  FIG. 4  that the bottom wall  13  is configured so as to extend below the bottom edge of the side wall  12 .  
      The side wall  12  is provided centrally of its upper end with a large circular top opening  18 , which is defined by an inturned cylindrical lip  19  of the side wall  12 . The top opening  18  is closed by a cover  20 , which includes a concave wall  21  provided at its periphery with a recurved bead  22  integral with a depending cylindrical skirt  23 , which fits snuggly inside the cylindrical lip  19 , with the bead  22  resting on the side wall  12  around the periphery of the opening  18 , as can best be seen in  FIG. 4 . The concave wall  21  is spanned by a raised, arch-type handle  24 .  
      A cylindrical spout  25  is integral with the side wall  12  around the periphery of a circular spout hole  26  ( FIG. 4 ), which is disposed adjacent to the top opening  18 . The spout  25  may be sealed to the side wall  12  by suitable means and is provided with an open end  27 .  
      The spout  25  is provided with a closure  30  in the nature of a spout lid, which may be provided with a whistle opening  31 . The closure  30  has an elongated lever arm  32 , which projects rearwardly of the spout and is provided at its distal end with a pair of teeth  33  ( FIG. 4 ) and with a depending bias finger  34 . The lever arm  32  is pivotally mounted adjacent to its distal end by a pivot pin  35  to a handle  40 , which spans the top opening  18 . The handle  40  has a rear end  41 , which fits over a mounting bracket  42  on the side wall  12  diametrically opposite the spout  25 , being fixed to that bracket by a fastener  43 . The handle  40  also has a front end  44 , which fits over a mounting bracket  45  disposed at the junction between the spout  25  and the side wall  12 , the handle being fastened to the bracket  45 , as by a fastener  46 . The handle  40  has an aperture  47  formed therethrough, which communicates with a channel  48  formed in the top side of the handle  40  and extending from the aperture  47  to the front end  44 . The distal end of the lever arm  32  and the pivot pin  35  are disposed in the channel  48 , as can best be seen in  FIG. 4 .  
      Referring also to  FIGS. 6A-6D , there is also provided an actuator assembly  50  including a trigger button  51 , which has a lower surface  52  and an upper surface  52   a  joined by a stem  53 . The trigger button  51  is disposed in the aperture  47 , and also fits through an opening  54  in the rear end of an elongated lever arm  55 , which extends into aperture  47 , the lever arm  55  being mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pivot pin  56  disposed at the rear end of the channel  48 . The opening  54  has a large counterbore or recess  57 , which seats an enlarged upper end of the trigger button  51 . The lower end of the stem  53  is integral with an outwardly and upwardly extending peripheral wall  58 , which terminates at the bottom edge of the lever arm  55  and retains the trigger button  51  securely in the opening  54 . The lever arm  55  is provided at its forward end with a pair of teeth  59  disposed for meshing engagement with the teeth  33  of the lever arm  32 .  
      The bias finger  34  of the lever arm  32  forms a part of a retaining mechanism  60 , which also includes an over-center spring  61 , which may be in the nature of a leaf spring, having a base  62  fixedly secured to the handle  40  at the bottom of the channel  48 , as by the fastener  46 , and having a distal end  63  which bears against the distal end of the lever arm  32 .  
      In operation, when the spout closure  30  is disposed in its normal closed position, illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , closing the open end  27  of the spout  25 , the engagement of the teeth  33  with the teeth  59  holds the lever arm  55  pivoted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in  FIG. 4 , so that the lower surface  52  of the trigger button  51  projects downwardly below the underside of the handle  40 . The distal end  63  of the leaf spring  61  bears against the bias finger  34  for urging it and the lever arm  32  toward rotation in a counter-clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot pin  35 , for resiliently holding the parts in the closed configuration illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Thus, when the handle  40  is grasped for lifting and moving the kettle  10 , the closure  30  cannot accidentally open, as long as the trigger button  51  is not actuated.  
      When it is desired to open the closure  30 , the user pushes upwardly on the lower surface  52  of the trigger button  51  with an index finger, for example, moving the trigger button  51  upwardly and pivoting the lever arm  55  in a counter-clockwise direction, about the axis of the pivot pin  56 , as viewed in  FIG. 4 , thereby overcoming the bias of the leaf spring  61 , and pivoting the lever arm  32  in a clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot pin  35 , as viewed in  FIG. 4  for moving the closure  30  to an open position, illustrated in  FIG. 5 . When in this open position, the upper surface  52   a  of the trigger button  51  projects upwardly above the top surface of the handle  40  and the distal end  63  of the leaf spring  61  bears against the rear side of the bias finger  34  for resiliently urging the lever arm  32  and the closure  30  toward rotation in the clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot pin  35 , for resiliently holding the parts in the open configuration illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Thus, the trigger button  51  can be released and a closure  30  will remain open.  
      When it is desired to close the closure  30 , the upper surface  52   a  of the trigger button  51  is pushed downwardly, as by the user&#39;s thumb, thereby pivoting the lever arm  55  in a clockwise direction, against the urging of the bias spring  61 , thereby pivoting the lever arm  32  in a counter clockwise direction, for returning the closure  32  to its closed position, illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
      From the foregoing, it can be seen that there is provided an improved kettle with a spout closure retention mechanism, which resiliently retains the spout closure in each of open and closed positions, and is manually actuatable for moving the closure to the opposite position.  
      The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.