Electric heating element with a socket assembly

Claim 2

A socket assembly for suspending a rod-type heating element from an aperture in an oven housing, said socket assembly comprising, in combination: means comprising a base plate dimensioned to overlie said aperture, said base plate defining cutout means for allowing the ends of said heating element to extend through said base plate, and including ear-receiving means for receiving a marginal extending car of hinge plate means; means for allowing said base plate means to be affixed to said housing so as to overlie said aperture of said housing; means comprising a hinge plate having a pair of aperture for receiving in locking engagement respective ends of said rodtype heating element, and further having at least one ear along a portion of one margin thereof for engaging said ear receiving means of said base plate whereby said heating element may be pivoted from a normal operating position substantially perpendicular to said side wall to an alternate position angular to said side wall; and means including a resilient tab formed unitarily with and depending from said base plate for bearing against said hinge plate to urge said ear into engagement with said base plate.

Claim 3

A socket assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said hinge plate defines a tab-receiving cutout, and wherein said resilient tab extends transversely through said tab-receiving cutout, said tab and tab-receiving cutout being shaped to coact so as to index said hinge plate in said normal and alternate positions.

Claim 4

A socket assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient tab includes at least one detent for indexing said heating element in said alternate position.

Claim 5

A socket assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said ear on said hinge plate engages said base plate along the margin of said opening.

Claim 6

A socket assembly as defined in claim 4 wherein said base plate has as said cutout means a pair of openings for allowing respective ends of said heating element to extend through said base plate, and wherein said hinge plate has a pair of ears for engaging said base plate along the margins of respective ones of said openings.

Claim 7

A heating element assembly for use in an oven having a side wall comprising a rod-type heating element, a socket assembly for suspending said heating element from an aperture in said side wall, said socket assembly comprising, in combination: means comprising a base plate dimensioned to overlie said aperture and having a pair of openings for allowing respective ends of said heating element to extend through said base plate and ear-receiving means; means for fastening said base plate to the inside surface of said side wall; means comprising a hinge plate having a pair of apertures for receiving in locking engagement respective ends of said heating element, said hinge plate further defining a tab-receiving cutout and a pair of ears along a portion of one margin of said hingeplate for engaging said ear-receiving means of said base plate along the margins of respective ones of said openings whereby said heating element may be pivoted from a normal operating position substantially perpendicular to said side wall to an alternate position angular to said side wall; and means comprising a resilient tab struck from said base plate and extending through said tab-receiving cutout defined by said hinge plate for urging said ears into engagement with said base plate, said resilient tab including a detent for coating with the margin of said cutout to index said heating element in said alternate position.

Claim 8

A heating element assembly for use in an oven having a side wall comprising a rod-type heating element, a socket assembly for suspending said heating element from an aperture in said side wall, said socket assembly comprising, in combination: means comprising a base plate dimensioned to overlie said aperture and having a pair of openings for allowing respective ends of said heating element to extend through said base plate and ear-receiving means; means for fastening said base plate to the inside surface of said side wall; means comprising a hinge plate having a pair of apertures for receiving in locking engagement respective ends of said heating element, said hinge plate further defining a tab-receiving cutout and a pair of ears along a portion of one margin of said hingeplate for engaging said ear-receiving means of said base plate along the margins of respective ones of said openings whereby said heating element may be pivoted from a normal operating position substantially perpendicular to said side wall to an alternate position angular to said side wall; and means comprising a resilient tab struck from said base plate and extending through said tab-receiving cutout defined by said hinge plate for urging said ears into engagement with said base plate, said resilient tab including a detent for coating with the margin of said cutout to index said heating element in said alternate position.