US2972036A - Range - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 14, 1961 E. s PoL'LocK ErAL 2,972,036

RANGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1o, 1959 Feb. 14, 1961 E. s. PoLLoCK ErAL 2,972,035

RANGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l0, 1959 NVENTORS.

EARL s. PoLLocK a EDWARD L. HOEFLICH ATTORNEYS Feb. 14, 1961 Filed April l0, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 LO N v (D E m In d r N N o "I0 '0 m Q' ro v ro 0., e o 'e LI- N v S f JNVENToRs. s EARL S. POLLOCK 8| BY EDWARD L. HOEFLICH /b/'fz M ATTQRNEYS Feb. 14, 1961 E. s. PoLLocK Erm. 2,972,036

RANGE Filed April l0, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.

FIG. l2

l JNVENToRs. EARL s POLLOCK a EDWARD L. HOEFLICH BY 2| m, mani/y ATTORNEYS a Feb. 14, 1961 E. s. PoLLocK ETAL 2,972,035

RANGE Filvd April l0, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. IO

IN V EN TORS.

EARL s. PoLLocK a- BY EDWARD I .HoEf-'LlcH 0% a ATTORNEYS RANGE y Filed Apr. 1o, 1959, ser. No. 805,558 1s claims. (c1. 219-37) This invention relates to novel kitchen range construction.

It is a primary object of our invention to provide a range which will afford the convenience and advantages of a built-in oven of the type now popular without, however, requiring wall recesses and the like for mounting as in the case of such built-in ovens, and which will include, in combination, surface cooking elements thereby to eliminate the separation of the samefrom the oven which is characteristic of present day built-in oven and surface element kitchen arrangements.

A further object is to provide a range having an oven and a surface unit platform or cooking top therebelow and approximately at the bottom of the range as supplied, whereby the structure lacks the usual lower oven cabinet enclosure of aconvent-ional free standing range. Such newrange can be supported on an existing or new base cabinet and the like in a kitchen without particular restriction or limitation as to the form of-- the latter', but the support should preferably place the surfaceY unit platform at about counter level for-convenient access to both the same and the superimposed oven. It is, moreover, an additional object of the invention to provide such a range capable of being hung on a wall, whereby tioor support can actually be dispensed with if desired.

It is also an object of our invention to provide a range as indicated in which the surface units aremounted in novel manner and arrangement on a front sliding shelf or drawer the positions of which determine whether at least some ofthe surface units are exposed for-use or obscured,.the shelfv or drawer in the llatter positionV range and the over-all Y being atleast partially within the projection of the same from the wall thus reduced. Another object is to provide automatic disablingof those surface units which are moved within the confines of the range enclosure when and as the drawer is closed, as a safety feature in the event, for example, that the housewife should -inadvertently neglect to turn ot these units before closing the drawer.

It is also an object of our invention to provide such a sliding surface unit assembly in which the heatingl elements are arranged at the rear to be stored, in effect, within the enclosure when not in use, and a removable work board or platform is supported at the front of the same. v Y

Such board, which remains exposed when the assembly is; moved to its inner position, can be made of wood or. heat resistant plastic, with the removability thereof facilitating cleaning, especially desirable in the case of a wooden cutting board, and permitting plastic boards, for example, to be selected for color matching in the kitchen both upon initial installation and at any later time.

A further feature of our invention is to provide such United Statement@ assignors to The Tappan Company, Mansa work boardsurface cooking unit assembly inwhich the former is hingedly connected by special attaching means which permit the board to be adjusted between horizontal and vertical conditions, whereby the housewife can drop the front board portion if not in use and 2,972,036 Patented Feb. 14, 1961 the surface units will thereby be placed at the actual front ofthe range. Such attaching means also provides for leveling'of the drop section in its raised condition.

Otherobjects and advantages of the present invention lwill become-apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features herein- Lafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a range constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of such range, on an enlarged scale and with the sliding shelf or drawer thereof in its outer or withdrawn condition;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section the plane of which is indicated approximately by the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, but vwith the Vdrawer closed;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the lower front part of the range and the extended drawer;

Fig. 5 is a fragmented section similar to Fig. 4, but with the front of the drawer dropped to its vertical position;

Fig. 6 is a section taken approximately along the line 6 6 inFig. 4 to illustrate further the means whereby the front and rear sections of the drawer are hingedly interconnected; l l Fig.7 is a further sectional view of this attaching means as viewed from-'the plane `of the line 7 7 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an exploded assembly;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of drawer latch mechanismemployed in the construction, this view being approximately in the plane indicated 9-9 in Fig. 10;

Fig. l0 is a fragmentary transverse section as viewed from the plane of the line 10-10 in Fig. 9;

Fig. ll is a simplified wiring diagram for the range; and

Fig. 12 is a sectional view the plane of which is indicated by the line 12-12 in Fig. 3.

Referringnow more particularly to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is an electric range having an upper section in which there is a top wall 10, a back wall 11, and side walls 12, with the latter being of the contiguration clearly appearing in Fig. 2. Such walls thereby define a partial enclosure which is slightly ofset'to the rear at the top front, and a control panel 13 extends therealong, with this panel mounting the various switches and other surface unit and oven controls conventionally provided with an electric range.

Below the control panel, two electric ovens are supported within the enclosure, a large oven 14 at the left and a smaller oven 15 at the right, these ovens being provided with window-containing front doors as illustrated which are respectively hinged at the vertical forward side edges of the upper enclosure. The specific details of the ovens, the mountings for the same, and such other related vfeatures as insulation, are conventional and need not be set out here with particularity for full and proper understanding of the invention. The two-oven ar rangement of course enhances the etiiciency and economy of the illustrated range by permitting the housewife to select the size oven best suited for the particular cooking operation desired.

It will be noted, moreover, that the large oven 14, which is rectangular, has the door thereof at one of its perspective view of this attaching longer sides, the other sides naturally being closed. Such door is at the front of the enclosure, whereby this oven is oriented with its longitudinal axis parallel to the front, as distinguished from the usual fore and'aft arrangement to which the smaller oven 15 conforms. The natu'ieand disposition of the large oven here thus provides the maxi mum oven capacity which would be desiredy in an enclosure of reasonable depth not substantially greater than the width, rather than the length, of the oven.

The front of the range, immediately below the oven doors, which together extend from one side to the other, is inclined rearwardly as indicated at 16v, and a translucent panel 17 is supported in this area with one yor more lamps mounted behind the same. These lamps are preferably iiuorescent tubes, one of which is indicated at 18, arranged to extend along the front behind the panel 17 and serving thereby to illuminate the space therebeneath. The front of this upper section of the range is completed by a wall 19 extending downwardly and slightly forwardly from the lower end'of the panel Vsection.

The lower section of the range proper, attached at the bottom of the described upper section, is in the form of a horizontal, rectangular sub-enclosure 20 having a bottom Wall and back and side Walls respectively continuous with the corresponding walls of the upper en closure. The lower side walls 21, and preferably the bottom as well, extend forward beyond the plane of 'the oven doors and define a horizontal recess which extends substantially the full width of the range and continues rearwardly to the back wall or, in other words, beneath the upper section of the range. A finish'strip 22 isattached across the tops of the projecting lower sides 21 with its inner edge abutted against the bottom margin of the generally vertical front wall 19.

A shelf assembly or drawer generally designated by referencenumeral 23 is slidably received in the recess dened by the lower enclosure section, which will be seen tobe openacross thev front and also open at the top forward of the front edge of the noted finish stripy 22. The rear or inner part of this drawer is any elongated relatively shallow box 24 having its longer sides at the front and rear and an inwardly offset peripheral flange 25 about its top. A cooking 'platform 26 is supported on such flange, with openings 27 arranged generally ina row therein to receive conventional electric heating units, one of which is shown at 28. In the illustrated construction, there are four suchsurface cooking units, but the number and arrangement of the same'can'obviously be varied.

The front wall of-such box 24 is shaped asshown, for example, in Fig. 4, and therefore has a short substan tially vertical upper end section 24a and a contiguous forwardly-curved portion 24b therebeneath, the section being uniform from one side to the other. At each ysuch side, a trunnion plate 29 is securedto the inside'of the box side wall and projects forwardly througha slot provided therefor in the front wall. vOne ofv such trunnion plates is shown separately in Fig. 8 and will there clearly be seen to have a notch 30 in its upper edge, a vertical integral tab 31 immediately adjacent such notch, a rounded front edge 32 which is curved correspondingly as the front wall portion. 24b of the cooking top box, and a horizontal lower edge tab 33. Figs. 4 to 8 show the trunnion plate mounting at the left side ofthe range, and, as illustrated therein, the plate 29 is disposed against the inside of the side wall of the box 24 -with its thus "shaped front end projecting sutiiciently through a slot 34 Vin the front wall of the box for the notch 30 to be just outside the substantially vertical top portion 24d of the box front wall. The main portion of the plate 29 can be spot welded to the box side wall tirmly tof'secure the same, with a bottom flange35 ofy the plate attached Aby screws 36 to adjoining bottom sectionsof the 'box'.

The outer longitudinal section of the drawer 23comprises a top frame portion 37, a depending front wall 38,

were@ rear margin of the frame opening, isturned downwardly,

then forwardly at an angle, and finally terminates in a horizontal flange portiony 44. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention, a wooden cutting board 45 is fitted in suchv front topfrarne 37 of the drawer, with the size and shape of the board being such that it is closely en- 'gaged by the inner boundary of the frame and projects The board is reslightly above thertop of the same. d movably held in the frame 37 by means of a central stud 46 carried by the board and passed through a transverse strap 47 bridging the frame, with a wing nut 48 threaded on the stud beneath such strap. Since this front portion of the drawer is open at the bottom, the wing nut is conveniently accessible and the board can readily be re moved for cleaning, replacement and the like.

This board-carrying front section is pivotally connected at its rear edge to the front of the cooking top box 24 and capable of being swung between a latched horizontal condition and a depending vertical condition. With reference again to Figs. 4 through 8, and it will be appreciated that the attaching assembly at the right side of therange is the same as the.l eft assembly there shown,

. thefside 39 of the front'drawer section has a lower rear extension 49 nwhich a vertical slot 50 is formed. Such side overlies the outer surface of the side Wall of 'the box 24-and` a collar 51`having flat sides is slidably disposed inthe slot 50. An attaching screw `52 passes freely through such collar, from the outside, and is threaded in a tapped cylindrical piece 53 disposed commonly in horizontally elongated openings or slots 54 and 55provided respectively in the box side wall and the inner trunnion plate 29. The cylindrical piece 53 is welded to the bottom portion of an angle 56 which is pivotally connected at its upper portion on a stud 57 `projeeting inwardly from the inner face of the trunnion plate, such angle thereby pivoting about a horizontal axis; The ange 58 of this angle is at the rear and is engaged, at'its lower portion, by an adjusting screw 59 threaded through an angular ear 60 of the plate 29 at the rearor inner end of the horizontal slot 55 of the same; such'ear is here formed Vby punching this slot to the side indicated. l'

-As preuiously pointed out, the rear edge 42 of the front ypart of the drawer is turned down, and it will nor mally be positioned behind the top vertical tabs 31 of the trunnion plates 29 at the sides of the assembly or in the notches 30 of such plates. At these places, reinforcing angles `61 are secured to the inside of the frame edge, and the totaln thickness of such reinforced portions provides a fairly close fit in the notches 30, between the tabs 31 and the vertical top portion 24a of the box front wall. With this engagement, as shown in Fig. 4, the front board section of the drawer is latched in its horizontal condition, substantially in the top plane of the rear section of the drawer.y The inner end of such front section can be lifted relative'to the box or cooking top section 24, by virtue of the slots 50i-n the connected portions 49 of the front frame sides, to clear the reinforced tiange section 42 of the frame from the trunnion tabs 31, andl the front section canthenl-be permitted to swing on the Ucurved edges 32. of the trunnion plates until its reinforcedv ange sections engage thelower horizontal tabs 33. of such plates which will'support-thev board 'section in its vertical con- ,ditio'nj'as shown in Pig. 5. 1 y

The adjusting screws 59,' whichV are accessible through the openings 27 Iin the cooking platform, can be actuated relatively tovshift the side attaching screws 52 and hence the drawer pivot axes to level the board-carrying front section in its raised condition. It will be seen that with the flange 42 of the latter latched behind the trunnion tabs 31 as shown in Fig. 4, actuation of the screws 59 to advance the same moves the piec 53 and hence attaching screws 52 forwardly in the slots 54, 55 relative to the box 24 to swing the frame 37 upwardly about the rear tab engagement thereof, so that the outer or front part of the frame 37 can be brought up in this manner if needed for leveling; backing off of such adjusting screws will of course tend to lower the front of the frame.

The drawer 23 is slidably supported in the range by means of horizontal rails 61 secured to inner side walls 62 in the lower range section 20 and nylon blocks 63 attached to the sides of the cooking top box 24. As shown particularly in Fig. 10, these nylon blocks engage both the top and bottom surfaces of the rails 61, so that the drawer is stabilized.

The dimensioning is such that when the drawer 23 is moved to its innermost position, as shown in Fig. 3, the `surface units are concealed, with the front 38 of the drawer against the forward ends of the projecting lower range side walls 21 and the cutting board 45 available as a counter. The drawer is shown in its extended condition in Fig. 2 and it will be seenv here that the surface units are now exposed, to the front of the finish strip 22; the cutting board can either be maintained horizontal or dropped to its vertical condition as desired. It will also be seen that the cutting board or the surface units will be illuminated by the lamp or lamps behind the angularly disposed translucent panel 17 depending upon whether the drawer is pushed in or withdrawn.

When the cooking top -is operative, it should desirably be held against sliding as a result of accidental jarring and the like, for this purpose we provide a latch, as best shown in Fig. 9, comprising a downwardly overbalanced arm 64 pivoted at the right front side of the range section 20 and adapted to swing down behind the forward nylon block 63 at this side of the drawer 23. Such arm will ride freely over such block as the same moves to its forward position, and the other end of the arm is actuatable by an exposed plunger 65; when it is desired to push the drawer in, the housewife depresses the plunger to lift the arm out of the way of the block.

The fact that the housewife must perform this manual latch release helps to protect against closure While the heating units are still energized, since the drawer cannot simply ybe pushed in. However, an absolute safety in this regard is provided by placing a microswitch 66 in the common supply to all the surface units, as shown in the simplified diagram of Fig. l1, and causing such switch to be automatically opened upon closure of the drawer. The switch 66 is thus mounted on a bracket 67 attached to the rear of the drawer, with its plunger 68 extending downwardly and the switch normally closed by gravity when the plunger is free to descend. An actuator rail 69 is secured to the bottom of the range in the path traveled by the switch plunger to be engaged by and to lift the latter as the drawer approaches its inner position. Such 60 lifting of the switch plunger, which is maintained of course as long as the drawer is closed, is suicient to vopen the switch 66 and thereby effectively disconnect all the surface units.

As pointed out at the beginning, and as will now be manifest, the new range can be supported in appropriate manner on hoor-engaging structure so that the drawer will be approximately at counter or waist height. The oven or ovens, and a single oven could obviously -be provided as well as the two described, will therefore be accessible without bending over and the door or doorsY will preferlably:have windows for easy inspection as noted. lSuch oor support may, for example, be a base cabinet already available in a kitchen or one of any desired type selected "for the purpose.

To further increase such flexibility with regard to nstallation of the range, we also provide two, or possibly more, wall mounting assemblies, one of which is shown in Fig. 2. Such assembly, and each will be the same, comprises a recess 70 formed in the rear wall 11 of the range near the top, a reinforced top closure 71 for such recess, a channel 72 welded to the back of the oven, and a vertical headed pin 73 extending downwardly through the bottom of the top strip and the upper and lower horizontal sections of the channel 72. This pin projects in the recess below the channel and is engaged in a hole therefor in an angle bracket 74 fastened by a bolt 75 to the wall. The bracket fastening to the wall will naturally be appropriate for the particular type of construction involved to provide a very rm connection, and the range will carry at least two of the described attaching assemblies in suitably spaced relation. Such wall hangers can be used for added support and stability even though the range is also supported on a base cabinet.

It has been previously pointed out that a board made of plastic can be substituted for the wooden cutting board which has been illustrated, either in the initial supply or subsequently, and it will be further appreciated that the size of the range can be varied in accordance with the number of surface units and ovens desired. A smaller range can, for example, comprise a single oven preferably oriented in the manner of the large oven herein described and the drawer could mount four surface units arranged in front and rear pairs, with the outer section here being made rigid and carrying two such units.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of such. be eniployed. l

We, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as our invention:

l. Range construction comprising an enclosure, an oven in the upper portion of said enclosure, a drawer supported in the enclosure beneath such oven and being withdrawable at the enclosure front, said drawer comprising a horizontally supported rear section and a front section hingedly connected thereto, latch means for holding the front section releasably in an elevated condition substantially in the plane of the rear section, surface cooking units carried by the rear section of the drawer, with such units being housed within the enclosure when the drawer is in its inner position and exposed when the drawer is moved to an outer position, the front section of the drawer in such outer position of the latter being adjustable upon release of said latch means to depending condition, and means for adjustably shifting the hinge connections of such front section relative to the rear section with the former in its latched condition for leveling of the same.

2. Range construction comprising an enclosure, an oven mounted in an upper portion of said enclosure, the latter having a front wall beneath said oven and side extensions which project forwardly of such front wall below the same, a drawer slidable in the enclosure in the lower portion thereof and between such side extensions, the drawer when closed having an outer section exposed -at the top forward of such front wall and an inner section concealed by the enclosure behind such front wall, surface heating means carried by such inner section of the drawer, a counter-like panel removably attached at the top of such outer drawer section, said heating means being exposed for use by moving the drawer outwardly, and means for disabling said heating means in response to inward movement of the drawer.

3. Range construction comprising an enclosure, an oven mounted in an upper portion of said enclosure, the latter having a front wall beneath said oven and side extensions which project forwardly of such front wall below the same, al drawer slidable in the enclosure in avranno the lower portion thereof and between such side extensions, the drawer when closed having an outer section exposedat the top forward of such front wall and an inner ysection concealed by the enclosure behind such front wall, a plurality of surface heating units carried by such inner section of the drawer, the outer drawer section having a top worksurface, said heating `units being exposed for use by moving the drawer outwardly, and means for commonly disabling said heating units in response to inward movement of the drawer. Y 4. Range construction comprising an enclosure, an oven mounted in an upper portion of Asaid enclosure, the latter having a front wall beneath said oven and side exe tensions which project forwardly of such front wall below the same, a drawer slidable in the enclosure in the lower portion thereof and between such side extensions, the drawer when closed having an outer section exposed at the top forward of such front wall and an inner section concealed by the enclosure behind such front wall, surface heating means carried by such inner section of the drawer, the outer drawer section having a top work sur face, said heating means being exposed for use by moving the drawer outwardly, means for disabling said heating means in response to inward movement of the drawer, and hanger means at the back of said enclosure for mounting the same on a wall.

5. A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the floor, comprising an oven assembly provided with a door at the front enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediateportion below the oven assembly being relatively reduced so that the front of said portion is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly `from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating lunits supported by the thus formed cooking top, shelf means extending across the front of the cooking top, hinge means connecting said shelf means for swinging movement between an elevated position in which the shelf means is subs-tantially planar with, and provides work space forward of, the cooking top, and a dropped substantially vertical position, and latch means for releasably holding the shelf means in its such elevated position, said latch means being at least partially enclosed and actuated near the rear of the elevated shelf means.

6.` A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the floor, comprising an oven assembly provided with a door at the front, enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediate por tion below the oven assembly being relatively reduced so that the front of said portion is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating units Vsupported by the thus formed cooking top, the rear of the enclosure means being provided with a recess in an upper portion thereof, and anchor meansyin said recess adapted to cooperate with wall bracket'means to support the enclosure means thereby against the wall to which the bracket means is secured.

7'; A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the licor, comprising an oven assemblyincluding two ovens arranged side-by-side and provided with individual doors at the front of the assembly, one of said ovens being elongated and oriented lengthwise across the' front, the door for said one oven thereby being at a long side of the same, enclosure means aboutv s-aid 'which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the planeA of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cookingtop'below and partially forward ofthe oven assembly, surface heating units supported by the thus formed cooking'top, shelf means extending across the front of the cooking' top, hinge means connecting said shelf means for swinging movement between an elevated position in which the shelf means is substantially planar with, and provides work space forward of, the cooking top, and a dropped substantially vertical position, and latch means for releasably holding the shelf means in its such elevated position, said latch means being at least partially enclosed and actuated near the rear of the elevated shelf means.

8. A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the floor, comprising an oven assembly including two ovens arranged side-by-side and provided with individual doors at the front of the assembly, one of said ovens being elongated and oriented lengthwise across the front, the vdoor for said one oven thereby being at a long side of the same, enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediate portion below the oven assembly being lrelatively reduced so that the front of said portion is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating units supported by the thus formed cooking top, the rear of the enclosure means being provided with a recess in an upper 'portion thereof, and anchor means in said recess adapted to cooperate with .wall bracket means to support the enclosure means thereby against the wall to which the bracket Vmeans is secured.

9. A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the tloor, comprising an oven assembly provided with a door at the front, enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediate portion below the oven assembly being relatively reduced so that the front of said portio-n is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating units supported by the thus formed cooking top, shelf means extending across the front of the cooking top, hinge means connecting said shelf means for swinging movement between an elevated position in which the shelf means is substantially planar with, and provides work space forward of, the cooking top, and a dropped substantially vertical position, latch means for releasably holding the shelf means in its such elevated position, said latch means being actuated near the rear of the elevated shelf means and the outer edge portion of the latter being free of local external projections, the rear of the enclosure means being provided with a recess in an upper portion thereof, and anchor means in said recess adapted to cooperate with wall bracket means to support the enclosure means thereby Vagainst the wall tol which the bracket means is'secured. i

10. A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the floor, comprising an oven assemblyrincluding two ovens arranged sideby-sde and provided with individual doors at the front of the assembly, one of said ovens being elongated and oriented lengthwise across the front, the door for said one oven thereby being at a long side ofthe same, enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediate portion below the oven assembly being relatively reduced so that the front of said portion is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating units supported by the thus formed cooking top, shelf means extending across the front of the cooking top, hinge means connecting said shelf means for swinging movement between an elevated position in which the shelf means is substantially planar with, and provides work space forward of, the cooking top, and a dropped substantially vertical position, latch means for releasably holding the shelf means in its such elevated position, said latch means being actuated near the rear of the elevated shelf means and the outer edge portion of the latter being free of local external projection, the rear of the enclosure means being provided with a recess in an upper portion thereof, and anchor means in said recess adapted to cooperate with wall bracket means to support the enclosure means thereby against the wall to which the bracket means is secured.

11. A range adapted for mounting at an elevation above the floor, comprising an oven assembly provided with a door at the front, enclosure means about said oven assembly and extending appreciably below the same, the depth of the enclosure means over an intermediate portion below the oven assembly being relatively reduced so that the front of said portion is off-set inwardly with respect to the front of the oven assembly, said enclosure means also including a bottom portion which projects forwardly from the front of said intermediate portion substantially horizontally beyond the plane of the front of the oven assembly and forms a cooking top below and partially forward of the oven assembly, surface heating units supported by the thus formed cooking top, shelf means extending across the front of the cooking top, said shelf means including a frame and a panel removably mounted in said frame which forms the top working surface of the shelf means, hinge means connecting said shelf means for swinging movement between an elevated position in which the shelf means is substantially planar with, and provides work space forward of, the cooking top, and a dropped substantially vertical position, and latch means for releasably holding the shelf means in its such elevated position.

12. Range construction comprising an enclosure deiining a horizontal recess which is covered over a rear portion and open at the front, a drawer slidably mounted in such enclosure, the rear section of said drawer being concealed within the covered rear portion of the enclosure when the drawer is in its inmost position means for pivotally and adjustably connecting the front section of the drawer to the rear section of the same for adjustment between horizontal and vertical positions, said front section of the drawer having a top frame which is exposed with the drawer in such inmost position, a counter-like panel removably seated in such top frame, and heating means carried by such rear section of the drawer, said heating means being exposed when the drawer is withdrawn to an outer position thereof.

13. Range construction as set forth in claim 12 characterized further by the provision of means for leveling the front section of the drawer when elevated.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 174,240 Tappan et al Mar. 15, 1955 D. 180,069 Clark Apr. 16, 1957 1,431,953 Henoch Oct. 17, 1922 2,040,598 Cronyn et a1 May 12, 1936 2,526,476 Ham Oct. 17, 1950 2,722,592 Pellegrin Nov. 1, 1955 2,885,253 Kesling May 5, 1959

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