Range apparatus

Claim 2

In combination, a terminal receptacle adapted to be stationarily supported by an electric range or the like, said receptacle having means for connection to electric power and including bracket means carried by the receptacle, said bracket means extending toward the hereinafter recited electric surface unit and forming substantially a socket, an electric surface unit including a convoluted element having a substantially flat upper surface and defined by at least one sheath supporting therein a heating element and at its ends terminal means, said terminal means projecting from the sheath beyond the outermost convolution and below the top surface thereof, and a plate element rigidly carried by said sheath near said terminal means, said plate element being received within said socket so that opposite plate surfaces are interactable with said socket whereby said electric surface unit is capable both of movement between a generally horizontal electrically operative position and an inclined electrically non-operative grounded position and of removal from the electric range itself.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 including mounting means, said mounting means carried by said bracket means for removably connecting the latter to said electric range.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein said plate element includes at least a pair of apertures formed therein for receipt therethrough of said sheathed heating element.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 wherein said plate provides bearing surfaces for interaction with said bracket socket.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said terminal receptacle is in the form of a body member, said body member including a top wall, outer walls and an inner partition defining a pair of spaced cavities, and an opening into each cavity.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 wherein said openings are bounded by said outer walls and said partition.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 including a wall disposed substantially laterally with respect to said partition, said lateral wall defining the depth of said cavities.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 including a pan, said pan being supported by said electric range or the like and including an opening for passing said sheath and element toward said electric receptacle, and means for supporting said surface unit on said pan when said surface unit is pivoted to said operative position.

Claim 10

In combination, a terminal receptacle adapted to be stationarily supported by an electric range or the like, said receptacle having means for connection to electric power and including bracket means carried by the receptacle, said bracket means including a pair of relatively flat projections extending from said terminal receptacle, said projections being disposed substantially one above the other and providing therein opposed outwardly convex regions defining a socket, an electric surface unit including a substantially flat convoluted sheathed heating element having at least one pair of terminal means projecting from the sheath beyond the outermost convolution and below the top surface thereof, and an element rigidly carried by said sheath near said terminal means, said sheath element being received by and pivotally movable within said socket whereby said electric surface unit is capable both of movement between a generally horizontal operative position and an inclined non-operative position and of removal from the electric range itself.

Claim 11

In combination, a terminal receptacle adapted to be stationarily supported by an electric range or the like, said receptacle having means for connection to electric power and including bracket means carried by the receptacle, said bracket means including a pair of relatively flat projections extending from said terminal receptacle, said projections being disposed substantially one above the other and providing therein opposed outwardly convex regions defining a socket, an electric surface unit including a substantially flat convoluted sheathed heating element having at least one pair of terminal means projecting from the sheath beyond the outermost convolution and below the top surface thereof, and an element rigidly carried by said sheath near said terminal means, said sheath element being received by and pivotally movable within said socket whereby said electric surface unit is capable both of movement between a generally horizontal operative position and an inclined non-operative position and of removal from the electric range itself.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 wherein one of said projections is relatively more flexible than the other projection.

Claim 13

In combination, a terminal receptacle adapted to be stationarily supported by an electric range or the like, said terminal receptacle including a body including a top wall, outer walls and an inner partition defining a pair of spaced cavities having an opening into each, a pair of terminal clips, said receptacle having terminal means formed by clips removably disposed in the respective cavities adapted to be connected to electrical power and provide contact with the hereinafter recited terminal means when pivoted into said cavities, said receptacle means also including bracket means carried by the receptacle, an electric surface unit including a substantially flat convoluted sheathed heating element having at least one pair of terminal means projecting from the sheath beyond the outermost convolution and below the top surface thereof, and an element rigidly carried by said sheath near said terminal means, said sheath element being received by and interactable with said receptacle bracket means whereby said electric surface unit is capable both of movement between a generally horizontal operative position and an inclined non-operative position and of removal from the electric range itself.

Claim 14

In combination, a terminal receptacle adapted to be stationarily supported by an electric range or the like, said terminal receptacle including a body including a top wall, outer walls and an inner partition defining a pair of spaced cavities having an opening into each, a pair of terminal clips, said receptacle having terminal means formed by clips removably disposed in the respective cavities adapted to be connected to electrical power and provide contact with the hereinafter recited terminal means when pivoted into said cavities, said receptacle means also including bracket means carried by the receptacle, an electric surface unit including a substantially flat convoluted sheathed heating element having at least one pair of terminal means projecting from the sheath beyond the outermost convolution and below the top surface thereof, and an element rigidly carried by said sheath near said terminal means, said sheath element being received by and interactable with said receptacle bracket means whereby said electric surface unit is capable both of movement between a generally horizontal operative position and an inclined non-operative position and of removal from the electric range itself.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 11 wherein said partition lower surface is oppositely rounded toward said outer walls thereby to provide a guide surface for guiding said sheath and terminal means into said cavities whereby the latter contacts said terminal clips.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 11 wherein said outer walls taper inwardly toward said partition thereby to provide a guide surface for guiding said terminal means into contact with said terminal clips.