US2094441A - Gas range petcock shield - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 28, 1937. v A|DALA 2,094,441

GAS RANGE PETCOCK SHIELD Filed April 6, 1937 A INVENTOR 7 VINCENT A IDAL A ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFlCE 3 Claims.

One object of this invention is the provision of a shield adapted to be mounted on gas ranges, to serve the purpose of enclosing the petcocks when the range is not in use, to prevent inadvertent "turning on of the gas by children in the absence of their elders.

The above and other objects willbecome apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer to like-named parts in "the accompanying drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view, illustrating the application of the device to a gas range and showing the device in closed position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front view of the same, partly in section, showing the device in open position.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the same line as Figure 3, but with the device in closed position.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral Ill represents an outer cylindrical housing secured to the front of a gas range by means of suitable spaced-apart-brackets II and I2 or the like. The housing I has a'longitudinal cut-out opening or slot I3 extending over the greater portion of the length of the housing. An inner cylinder I4 of an outside diameter equal to the inside diameter of the housing I0, is rotatably mounted within the latter and is also provided with a longitudinal opening or slot 22 of the same dimensions as the Opening I3. The length of the cylinder is less than that of the housing IIl, so that a space is provided at the right-hand end (Figure 1) of the cylinder I4.

The series of stems I of the petcocks I6 project through holes in the housing Ill and through peripheral slots I! cut through the cylinder I4. The slots I'I have right-angled extensions I8, and. at the extremities of the extension slots I8 notches I9 are provided which extend in the same downward direction as the slots I'I. Each continuous slot I'I-I8-I9 constitutes a single bayonet slot in the cylinder I4.

In the lower rear quadrant of the housing Ill (Figure 5), a resilient tongue 20, projecting into the housing I0, is formed near the right-hand end (Figure 2) of the housing by cutting out a ribbon-like section from the cylinder I0 and forcing it inward. A similar operation is performed on the cylinder I4 in the upper right-hand quadrant (when the device is open, but in the lower right-hand quadrant, as in Figure 5, when the device is closed) at a point adjacent its righthand end (Figure 2) to form a depression 2I in the outer surface of the cylinder I4. A knurled knob or handle 23 is provided outside the end of the housing Ill, and has a stem 24 passing loosely and axially through the end wall of the housing. The stem 23 is rigid with the end wall of the inner cylinder I4.

The operation of the device is as follows. As

suming that the range is in use so that the petcocks may be turned on and off, the cylinder I4 is in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, that is, the longitudinal opening I3 of the cylinder I0 is coincident with the similar longitudinal opening 22 of the cylinder I4. Thus, the petcocks IB are freely accessible through these aligned openings. When it is desired to shield the petcocks to lock the same against tampering by children, the knob is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (Figures 1 and 3) to rotate the cylinder I4 throughv an are equal to the peripheral length of the slot IT. The knob 23 is then pulled outward from the housing I0, thus carrying with it the cylinder I4 and causing the petcock stems I5 to ride through the horizontal slots I8. When the stems I5 are in the extremities of the slots I 8, the knob is rotated in a clockwise direction until the stems I5 rest in the notches I9. During the movements just described, the depression 2| in the cylinder I4 has been first moved downward (Figure 2) to the position shown in broken lines at 2 la. When the cylinder I4 is moved to the right while the stems I 5 ride through the slots I8, the depression 2 I is moved to the position shown at 2 lb in Figure 2. In the final movement of the cylinder I4 downward so that the stems I5 reach the extremities of the notches I9, the depression 2lb will ride over the resilient tongue 20 until the tongue will register in the depression and thus releasably lock the cylinders I0 and I4 together, with the wall of the cylinder l4 acting as a shutter to close the opening I3 through the cylinder I0. It will thus be difficult for any child without the exercise of considerable ingenuity and physical effort t restore the device to its open position, and hence the petcocks I6 will be shielded against tampering.

Obviously, modifications in form and structure may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising an outer cylinder secured to a gas range and having ment and giving access to the petcocks in one position of said inner cylinder, said inner cylinder being rotatable to rotate its said opening out of alignment with the opening in said outer cylinder to close the opening through said outer cylinder.

2. A device of the class described comprising an outer cylinder secured to a gas range and having a the petcock stems of the range projecting thereinto, said cylinder having a longitudinal opening in its forward wall giving access to the petcocks, an inner cylinder rotatably mounted Within and of a shorter length than said outer cylinder, a handle on said inner cylinder projecting through said outer cylinder, said inner cylinder having a plurality of bayonet slots, each of said petcock stems projecting through one of said bayonet slots, said inner cylinder having a long'itudinal opening therein, said openings being in alignment and giving access to the petcocks in one position of said inner cylinder, said inner 2,094,441 a j' H cylinder being rotatable to rotate its said opening out of alignment with the opening in said outer cylinder to close the opening through said outer cylinder, and resilient means for releasably locking said cylinders together in said latter position.

3. A device of the class described comprising an outer cylinder secured to a gas range and having the petcock stems of the range projecting thereinto, said cylinder having a longitudinal opening in its forward wall giving access to the petcocks, an inner cylinder rotatably mounted Within and of a shorter length than said outer cylinder, a handle on said inner cylinder projecting through said outer cylinder, said inner cylinder having a plurality of bayonet slots, each of said petcock stems projecting through one of said bayonet slots, said inner cylinder having a longitudinal opening therein, said openings being in alignment and giving access to the petcocks in one position of said inner cylinder, said inner cylinder being rotatable to rotate its said opening out of alignment with the opening in said outer cylinder toclose the opening through said outer cylinder, resilient means for releasably locking said cylinders in said latter position, said means comprising a resilient tongue in said outer cylinder, said inner cylinder having a depression therein, said tongue being adapted to register in said depression. 7

VINCENT AIDALA.

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