Smooth top range

Claim 2

In a gas range, the combination of, a shell construction defining a cavity having an open top, a relatively flat airimpervious plate mounted in said shell and separating the shell into separate upper and lower air flow chambers, said plate having an opening therein providing communication between said chambers, a gas burner unit mounted in said lower chamber and extending upwardly through said opening into said upper chamber in spaced relation to the periphery of said opening to define an air flow passage between said upper and lower chambers, means in said upper chamber surrounding said burner for isolating said burner from the remainder of said upper chamber and confining products of combustion produced by said burner units to prevent them from flowing into said upper chamber, means forming a plate of heat resistant material mounted in said shell to close the top of said cavity, said heat resistant plate having a bottom surface cooperating with said confining means to confine the combustion products therein from flowing upwardly, said shell having a first opening therein providing communication between said upper chamber and the atmosphere and a second opening therein providing communication between said lower chamber and the atmosphere, an air and combustible gas assembly including means for supplying air and combustiblE gas to said burner, and blower means for drawing air through said first opening and supplying said air to said assembly, whereby products of combustion produced by said burner and confined by said confining means flows through said air flow passage and are discharged from said lower chamber through said second opening.

Claim 3

In a gas range as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate has a plurality of openings therein, a separate gas burner unit mounted in said lower chamber and respectively extending upwardly therefrom through said openings, and confining means surrounding each of said openings and cooperating with the bottom surface of said plate to confine combustion products from said burners from flowing upwardly, whereby the products of combustion from all of said burners flows from said confining means into said lower chamber for common discharge through said opening.

Claim 4

In a gas range as defined in claim 1 wherein said blower includes a pair of discharge openings, one of said openings communicating with said lower chamber to supply a portion of said air thereto for diluting said combustion products prior to discharge from said shell, the remainder of said air flowing through the other of said blower openings, and means for directing the air discharged from said other opening to said assembly.

Claim 5

In a gas range as defined in claim 3 including means for supporting said burners above the base of said lower chamber and separating said chamber into two communicating sections, said one discharge opening in said blower supplying air to each of said sections to cool the base of said shell.

Claim 6

A gas range comprising, a shell construction defining a cavity having an open top, a relatively flat air-impervious plate mounted in said shell and separating the shell into separate upper and lower air flow chambers, said plate having a plurality of openings, a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said lower chamber and respectively extending upwardly therefrom through said openings into said upper chamber in spaced relation to the periphery of their associated openings to define an air flow passage between each of said burner units and their associated opening for communication between said upper and lower chambers, means in said upper chamber associated with each of said openings for enclosing said burners and isolating them from the remainder of said upper chamber, means forming a flat plate of heat resistant material mounted in said shell to close the top of said cavity and said upper chamber, said plate having a bottom surface cooperating with said confining means to prevent combustion products produced by said burner units from flowing upwardly, said shell having a first opening therein providing communication between said upper chamber and the atmosphere and a second opening therein providing communication between said lower chamber and the atmosphere, an air and combustible gas assembly having means for selectively supplying air and a combustible gas to the individual burner units including separate air valves associated with each of said burner units, said air valves being normally open to permit air flow to said burners when the burners are not operating and blower means for drawing air through said first opening into said upper chamber and for supplying said air to said assemblies, whereby products of combustion produced in the burner units are confined by said confining means and flow through said air passages for discharge through said second openings while air is simultaneously supplied to any non-operative burner unit for flow through its associated air flow passage to cool said heat resistant plate and aid in diluting said combustion products in said lower chamber prior to discharge through said second opening.

Claim 7

A gas range comprising, a shell construction defining a cavity having an open top, a relatively flat air-impervious plate mounted in said shell and separating the shell into separate upper and lower air flow chambers, said plate having a plurality of openings, a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said lower chamber and respectively extending upwardly therefrom through said openings into said upper chamber in spaced relation to the periphery of their associated openings to define an air flow passage between each of said burner units and their associated opening for communication between said upper and lower chambers, means in said upper chamber associated with each of said openings for enclosing said burners and isolating them from the remainder of said upper chamber, means forming a flat plate of heat resistant material mounted in said shell to close the top of said cavity and said upper chamber, said plate having a bottom surface cooperating with said confining means to prevent combustion products produced by said burner units from flowing upwardly, said shell having a first opening therein providing communication between said upper chamber and the atmosphere and a second opening therein providing communication between said lower chamber and the atmosphere, an air and combustible gas assembly having means for selectively supplying air and a combustible gas to the individual burner units including separate air valves associated with each of said burner units, said air valves being normally open to permit air flow to said burners when the burners are not operating and blower means for drawing air through said first opening into said upper chamber and for supplying said air to said assemblies, whereby products of combustion produced in the burner units are confined by said confining means and flow through said air passages for discharge through said second openings while air is simultaneously supplied to any non-operative burner unit for flow through its associated air flow passage to cool said heat resistant plate and aid in diluting said combustion products in said lower chamber prior to discharge through said second opening.

Claim 8

The gas range as defined in claim 5 wherein said heat resistant plate is formed of a heat resistant ceramic material which transmits heat by conduction.

Claim 9

The gas range as defined in claim 6 wherein said gas burners include burner elements fOr producing infrared radiation.

Claim 10

The gas range as defined in claim 5 wherein said blower includes a pair of discharge openings, one of said openings communicating with said lower chamber to supply a portion of said air thereto for diluting said combustion products, the remainder of said air flowing through the other of said blower openings and means for directing the air discharged from said other opening to said assembly.

Claim 11

The gas range as defined in claim 8 including means for supporting said burners above the base of said lower chamber and separating said chamber into two communicating sections, said one discharge opening in said blower supplying air to each of said sections to cool the base of said shell.

Claim 12

The gas range as defined in claim 8 wherein said confining means comprises means forming a peripheral wall about each of said openings, said wall extending from said air-impervious plate to said bottom surface of said heat resistant plate and means forming an airtight seal between said wall and said heat resistant plate.

Claim 13

The gas range as defined in claim 10 wherein said shell construction includes front and rear walls and said second opening is located therein adjacent said rear wall.

Claim 14

The gas range as defined in claim 10 wherein said front wall includes a forwardly extending portion adjacent said upper chamber having a downwardly facing ledge portion, said first opening being located in said ledge.

Claim 15

The gas range as defined in claim 12 wherein said blower is located adjacent said front wall.

Claim 16

The gas range as defined in claim 13 including means forming a separate chamber in said shell for containing said air and combustible gas assembly, said assembly including individual supply ducts extending from said separate chamber to respective burner units to deliver said air and combustible gas mixture thereto, a gas discharge nozzle located in spaced relation to and substantially coaxially of the end of each of said ducts in said separate chamber whereby gas discharged from said nozzles entrains air flowing through said valves to project the gas and entrained air through said supply ducts.

Claim 17

The gas range as defined in claim 14 wherein said air valves each comprising a housing in said chamber enclosing the end of its associated supply duct and having an air inlet opening therein and means for selectively and variably blocking said opening to vary the amount of air supplied to said housing, said last mentioned means leaving said opening substantially unobstructed when its associated burner is shut off and said nozzles extending into said housing to entrap air passing through said valves.

Claim 18

The gas range as defined in claim 15 wherein said means for directing the air discharged from said other blower opening comprises an air supply duct between said blower and said separate chamber.

Claim 19

In a smooth top gas range including a shell construction defining an open top, a plate of heat resistant material closing said top, and a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said shell for transmitting heat through said plate, the improvement which comprises means separating said shell into upper and lower chambers, means for confining products of combustion formed by said burner units between said burners and said plate, said confining means isolating said combustion products from said upper chamber and directing them into said lower chamber, said shell construction having an opening therein providing communication between the atmosphere and said lower chamber, whereby said lower chamber defines a common exhaust chamber in said shell construction for the products of combustion formed in said burner units, and means for drawing air into said upper chamber to cool said plate and discharging said air into said lower chamber to dilute said products of combustion prior to discharge through said opening.

Claim 20

In a smooth top gas range including a shell construction defining an open top, a plate of heat resistant material closing said top, and a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said shell for transmitting heat through said plate, the improvement which comprises means separating said shell into upper and lower chambers, means for confining products of combustion formed by said burner units between said burners and said plate, said confining means isolating said combustion products from said upper chamber and directing them into said lower chamber, said shell construction having an opening therein providing communication between the atmosphere and said lower chamber, whereby said lower chamber defines a common exhaust chamber in said shell construction for the products of combustion formed in said burner units, and means for drawing air into said upper chamber to cool said plate and discharging said air into said lower chamber to dilute said products of combustion prior to discharge through said opening.

Claim 21

In a smooth top gas range including a shell construction defining an open top, a top plate of heat resistant material closing said Open top, and a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said shell for transmitting heat through said top plate, the improvement which comprises means for confining products of combustion formed by each of said burner units to spaces directly above the respective burner units, means for forming a common discharge chamber in the lower portion of said shell in communication with said spaces above the burners through which said products of combustion are directed from said burner units and having a discharge opening from said discharge chamber to the atmosphere, and air circulating means for circulating air along the bottom of said plate around said burner units and thence into said discharge chamber to dilute said products of combustion and for directing air through each of said burner units immediately after the discontinuance of use of the burner unit to thereby cool the burner unit and the adjacent portion of said top plate.

Claim 22

In a smooth top gas range including a shell construction defining an open top, a top plate of heat resistant material closing said Open top, and a plurality of gas burner units mounted in said shell for transmitting heat through said top plate, the improvement which comprises means for confining products of combustion formed by each of said burner units to spaces directly above the respective burner units, means for forming a common discharge chamber in the lower portion of said shell in communication with said spaces above the burners through which said products of combustion are directed from said burner units and having a discharge opening from said discharge chamber to the atmosphere, and air circulating means for circulating air along the bottom of said plate around said burner units and thence into said discharge chamber to dilute said products of combustion and for directing air through each of said burner units immediately after the discontinuance of use of the burner unit to thereby cool the burner unit and the adjacent portion of said top plate.