US3170457A - Securement means for a stove grate - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1965 J. BUCELLATO 3, 70,

SECUREMENT MEANS FOR A STOVE GRATE Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTOR. rfax/A/ 606511.470

irraeuerr United States Patent Office 3,17%457. Patented Feb. 23, 1965 3,170,457 SECUREMENT MEANS FOR A STOVE GRATE John Bucellato, South Gate, Caiifi, assignor to Sattler Mfg. Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,747 -2 Claims. (Cl. 126214) This invention relates to securement means for a stove grate and more particularly'to a securement clip or holder member for snugly, tightly holding a stove or burner grate against movement relative to the stove top.

Trailers, mobile homes, campers, and other vehicles are often equipped with cooking facilities'including gas stoves or ranges of well known type. Such ranges include a stove top with one or more recessed burner wells, each defining a circular burner opening. Over each recessed burner well a stove or burner grate is usually supported by radial outward extensions of a plurality of circumferentially spaced grate fingers, the fingers being cast integral with a circular grate ring loosely received within the top of the recessed burner well. During travel and movement of the vehicle the burner grates rattle on the stove top and create annoying and disturbing noises, and sometimes because of rough roads, are bounced off the stove top on to the floor of the vehicle and become damaged. Even when the grates were removed from the stove top and placed in compartments, drawers, boxes or other receptacles, it was diflicult to adequately secure them against rattling noises and possible damage. The present invention contemplates an effective means for securement and retaining the stove grate in its customary place on the stove top, and in such a manner that rattling does not occur and yet the grate may be readily removed for cleaning the burner well, burners, and also the grate.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to disclose and provide a novel, effective securement or retainer means for a stove grate.

An object of the invention is to disclose and provide a simple, one-piece, inexpensive construction of a securement member or holder, particularly designed for the purpose of holding a grate on a stove top.

Another object of this invention 'is to disclose and provide a securement means for a stove grate which is readily installed and readily released.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide a securement means for a stove grate which is not affected by heat from the burner.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a gas stove or range having a burner grate held in place by a securement means of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the plane indicated by line II, II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a securement member embodying this invention.

In the drawings a stove or gas range is indicated fragmentarily at 10. The range includes a stove top, 11, made of suitable sheet metal. The stove top 11 is provided with one or more recessed burner wells 12, having burner well margins 14 defining a burner opening 15. Over the burner well 12 is positioned a grate 16 comprising a plurality of radially extending long and short grate fingers 17 and 18 respectively, each of said fingers 17 and 18 having radial outward extensions 17', 18' seated at 19 on the top surface of the stove top 11. Integral with the grate fingers 17 and 18 is a circular grate ring 20 disposed loosely within the top portion of the well opening. The grate 16 is normally made of cast metal.

Means for securing and snugly holding grate 16 in its normal position on the stove top may comprise a securement or holder member generally indicated at 25. In the example shown in FIG. 1, two such members 25 are employed to secure the grate, the two members 25 being in diametrically opposite position. More than two members may be employed if desired, although it will be readily understood that two securement members 25 will serve this purpose.

Each securement member 25 may be made of suitable fiat spring metal strip stock, preferably a heat resistant steel. Each securement member 25 is made of selected length in order to extend from grate ring '20 diagonally downwardly and radially inwardly to the burner well margins 14. Each securement member 25 includes an elongated main body portion 26 having a supporting and positioning end portion 27 and a latching end portion 28. End portion 27 is curved about a radius generally corresponding to the radius of the outer circumferential surface of ring 21). Curved section 29 of portion 27 terminates in a straight end section 30 which is in divergent relation to the plane of the main body portion 26 so as to facilitate initial positioning of the securement member on the grate mg 20. Latching end portion 28 includes a curved section 32 of substantially reduced or smaller radius than curved section 29, but of sufiicient radius to encompass the thickness of the edge of burner well margin 14. Thus curved end section 28 includes an internal shoulder 33 adapted to be sprung below the bottom circular edge of margin 14. Integral with and depending from curved section 32 is a generally straight flat release section 34. The release section 34 facilitates application of finger pressure against section 34 on its radial outer face so as to disengage the shoulder 33 with the margin 14 in order to release the securement member from the stove and grate.

It will be clearly apparent that with the securement members 25 removed the stove grate 16 is loosely supported at 19 over the burner well, and movement of the vehicle carrying the stove will produce movement of the grate with the consequent rattling noises and displacement of the grate from the stovetop. securement members 26 may be readily installed by positioning the positioning end portion 27 over ring 20 at a selected location on the circumference of ring 20. The opposite end portion 28 with tab or release section 34 is located at margin 14. Upon application of a slight finger pressure to the center of the main body portion 26, the tab 34 slips below the edge of opening 15 and shoulder 33 engages as in a snap action the margin 14 to securely lock and retain the grate 16 to the stove top. The placement of the securement members 25 within the burner well opening and at an angle locates the securement members at marginal portions of the centrally located heating zone. Such location together with the spring metal used in making securement members 25 maintains the securement members in proper dimensional relationship with respect to the grate ring and burner well so that the securement members will always tightly retain the grates to the stove.

It should also be noted that since the securement members are disposed on'a diagonal that a downwardly directed retaining force is imparted to the grate ring and that the finger extensions 17 18' are firmly and tightly seated on the top surface of the stove top.

When it is desired to release securement member 25, the latching end portion 28 may be subjected to radially inwardly directed pressure at tab 34 by a finger inserted through opening 15 and encircling the tab 34. Radially inwardly directed pressure will disengage the shoul- 3 der 33 from the margin 14 and the securement member 25 may then be readily removed from the grate.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the securement means that come within the spirit of this invention, and all such changes and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim: a

1. In combination with a gas range having a stove top having a burner well with burner margins defining a burner opening and a grate supported on said top over the burner well, the provision of: means securing the grate to the range comprising a securement member of flat spring metal strip stock including an elongated main body portion; a supporting and positioning end portion in engagement with the grate; and a latching end portion in i grate supported on said top over said burner well and having a grate ring extending within the burner well, the pr0- vision of: securement means retaining said grate tightly on said range comprising a plurality of securement members interconnecting said grate ring and said range at said burner opening; each ofi'said'securement members havengagement with said burner opening margins, said seing at one end a curved supporting and positioning end portion in engagement with said grate ring, and at the opposite end a latching end portion in engagement with the margins of the burner well at the burner opening.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,585 1/24 Wilkie l26214 1,769,696 7/30 ,Kocher 292258 2,353,796 7/44 Tinnerman 248361 2,444,862 7/48 Thomes 126-214 2,695,806 11/54 Balint 292-258 JAMES w. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A GAS RANGE HAVING A STOVE TOP HAVING A BURNER WELL WITH BURNER MARGINS DEFINING A BURNER OPENING AND A GRATE SUPPORTED ON SAID TOP OVER THE BURNER WELL, THE PROVISION OF: MEANS SECURING THE GRATE TO THE RANGE COMPRISING A SECUREMENT MEMBER OF FLAT SPRING METAL STRIP STOCK INCLUDING AN ELONGATED MAIN BODY PORTION; A SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING END PORTION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GRATE; AND LATCHING END PORTION IN

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