US2979053A - Domestic appliance - Google Patents

Description

April 11, 1961 R. L. cRlsPELL ETAL 2,979,053

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 .niIIlW' uw@ 'l THE/R A ORA/EY April 1l, 1961 R. L. cRlsPELl. Erm. 2,979,053

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 THE/R ATT RNEY April l1, 1961 R. cRlsPELl. ErAL 2,979,053

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 THE/R AT Awfy April ll, 1961 R. 1 cRlsPELL ETAL 2,979,053

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,of y; Mfg@ THE/R A770 IVEV April 11, 1961 R. l.. cRlsPELL x-:rAL 2,979,053

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed July 22, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 THEIR /IT ORA/il.

United States arent O DUMESTIC APPLANCE Roger L. Crispell, Birmingham, and Clarence I. Vellner,

Royal Oak, Mich., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware g Filed Lluly 22, 19159, Ser. No. 828,874

Claims. (Cl. 126-194) This invention relates to cooking devices and particularly to a unitary oven or cabinet structure built-in or substantially enclosed by'walls of a room and located above the room oor.

In present day built-in wall unitary oven structures, the door or doors of the oven present, when opened, problems that are annoying and objectionable. It is well-known that the inner surface of an oven door becomes hot during the baking, broiling or roasting of foods in an oven, and when the'door is opened, to inspect or to reach into the oven for bas/ring roasts or the like being cooked therein, this hot door surface is in the vicinity of the oven access opening and creates a hazard. The hot oven door inner surface may be engaged by a housewifes bare arms or elbows when she attempts to reach into the oven, thus resulting in her arms or elbows being burned. Also, oven doors of built-in wall oven structures above the floor of a room or kitchen in which the structure is located, such as the so-called vertically hinged French door type, when opened and projecting outwardly from the structure creates yanother hazard. Should a housewife drop a knife, fork or the like on the oor in front of the oven and stoop to pick it up, her head or back is likely to bump against the bottom edge of one of the opened doors when she attempts to straighten up or to assume an erect position. We therefore contemplate the provision of a wall oven structure which overcomes these hazards and facilitates use of the oven thereof.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for mounting a door on an oven or cabinet structure and for moving the door relative thereto in a new and novel manner.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved mounting of a door on la built-in wall oven or cabinet structure which mounting is arranged to move the door into a substantially horizontal inverted supported open position at the front of the structure.

Another object of our invention is to provide for opening a door of a unitary oven or cabinet structure into supported position at the front of the oven with its hot inner surface turned upwardly away from the vicinity of the oven access opening whereby to prevent contact therewith by the elbows or arms of a person standing and working in `front of or attempting to reach into the oven.

A further object of our invention is to provide for the mounting and movement of a door on a unitary wall oven cabinet structure which will permit the door to be shifted into and be substantially confined within walls of the structure so that it will not form an obstruction at the front thereof and will be out of the way of the oven access opening during cleaning of the interior of the oven.

=A still further object of our invention is to provide a door receiving cavity within bounding walls of a built-in unitary cooking wall oven or cabinet structure above the oven thereof and to mount a vertically disposed door, normally closing the oven front, upon a means or ca1 riage member movable in a straight line direction relative to and along the structure, which door is shi-ftable to a supported open position upwardly of the oven into alignment with the cavity in a unique fashion and, when so supported, force can be applied thereto for moving the carriage member rearwardly with respect to the oven or cabinet structure whereby the door is guided and moved thereby into the cavity.

It is a more specific object of our invention to provide an oven or cabinet structure of the character described in the foregoing object with a cover closing the cavity therein openable automatically in response to swinging the oven or cabinet door open and to provide a means for counterbalancing movements of the door.

Further objects and advantagesof the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View of a kitchen wal-l and cabinetwork showing a unitary oven structure mounted in the wall and having the present invention embodied in the structure;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure l showing the unitarywall mounted oven structure of the present invention with the oven door closed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing a movable carriage member within a top chamber or cavity provided in the unitary' structure above the cooking oven therein;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 6 showing parts of the movable carriage member and tracks therefor;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 8 showing links or lever arms pivotally secured to the oven door;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to Figure 2 but on a slightly different spaced vertical plane showing a stop on one of the door supporting links engageable by `another of the door links to support the oven door in closed position against the front of the unitary structure;

Figure 7 -is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 6 showing the oven door swung about its supporting links part way open;

a portion of a room, such as a kitchen 10, having a wall or cupboard 11, a work counter or ledge 12, movable doors 13 of a cabinet beneath the Work ledge and in the cupboard 1:1 adjacent this ledge and sliding drawers 14 below the ledge 12 with lfronts of the cabinet and cupboard 11 substantially flush with one another. The kitchen wall or cupboard 11 has an opening roughed therein and a'unitary structure, generally represented by the reference numeral 15, is inserted and lixedly mounted in this opening with the Wall or cupboard 11 enclosing and concealing 4all sides of structure 15 except itsfron-t which is exposed to the interior of the kitchen. Cross braces below structure 15 are provided the Patented Apr. 1l, 1961 roughed-in opening of wall or cupboard 11 for supporting the weight of the unitary oven or cabinet structure (see Figure 2). vThe unitary structure 15 is a built-in wall oven or cabinet of the type having a metal liner 16 forming a cooking oven or the like compartment 17 therein provided with a front access opening. I-t is to be here understood that, while We disclose a built-in Wall unit, the present improvement is also applicable to self A or free standing floor supported structures, suchl as cooking ranges, household refrigerator cabinets or similar domestic appliances, and in this respect our invention may have wide usage restricted only by the scope of the claims appended hereto. Liner 16 of oven compartment 17 is surrounded -by any suitable or desirable insulating material 18 (see Figure 2). The insulated compartmcnt 17 is supported by walls of the structure 15 which includes a plurality of walls forming a box-like unit, such as a vertical front wall 21, upright opposed side walls 22, an upright back wall 23 and horizontal top and bottom walls 2.4 and 26, respectively. These walls may be separate from one another, in the form of panels and fastened together, or several walls may be formed as ya shell which is conventional in the art and are herein shown as being integral with one another for simplicity. A horizontal wall 27 above the top of oven compartment 17 Within structure 15 and spaced from the cabinet top wall 24 increases the structural strength thereof and partitions the interior of .the unitary structure into the oven compartment and a chamber or cavity 29 thereabove. The open front or access opening of compartment 17 is normally closed by a vertically disposed door structure, generally represented by the reference numeral 30. Door 30 comprises a, metal frame 31 having a molded hard plastic or rubber-like rigid subframe 32 inserted therein provided with an integral soft bead 33 projecting from its inner surface and extending around the door to for-m a seal beyond frame 31 for engaging the oven or cabinet structure front wall 21 to close compartment 17. Door 30 also comprises or includes an inner glass or metal panel 34 and an outer glass or metal panel 35, secured -to subframe 32 in any suitable or conventional manner, forming `inner and outer surfaces of the door. The door panels 34 and 35 areA separate from one another and spaced apart to prevent conduction of heat therebetween, and inner panel 34 is normally exposed to the interior of oven compartment 17 While we have disclosed a specic type of door, it is to be understood that this door may be of any desirable design or construction insofar as our invention is concerned.

The vertical sides of subframe 32 of door 30 each have a cut-out channel-like portion 36 therein which eX- tends through the bottom of door frame 31 upwardly past the central portion of the door toward its top edge (see Figures 5, 7, 8 and 9). A handle 37 formed integral on or secured in any suitable manner to the top edge of frame 31 of door 36l serves to permit manipulation or swinging of the door in a unique manner to be hereinafter described. Leverage means, such as links, arms or levers, are employed to support door 3l) on the unitary structure and for carrying the door during movements thereof relative to 'the structure. Horizontally spaced-apart link or lever arms 41 and 42 at the vertical sides of door 30, within the channel 36 provided therein, have the-irene end pivotally secured to the door in spaced-apart relation to one another, substantially centrally of the door sides, lby screws, studs or the like 43 and 44, respectively, :threaded into metal inserts embedded and locked in the subframe 32. Thus, door 30 is, in reality, provided with two pivotal mounting points. The side edge portions 4S of door frame 311, adjacent the channels 36, are provided with suitable holes (see Figure 5) for access to the screws or studs -43 and 44 to `and 47 respectivelly (see Figures 4 and 6 to 9), to or upon a member or carriage located in chamber or cavity 29, above the partitioning wall 27, at the front portion of structure 15 and mounted on the structure for straight line movement rearwardly relative thereto and there along. A stationary stop pin or roller indicated at 48 is attached to a suitable bracket rigidly mounted on structure 15 at each side of wall 27 and these pins or rollers are adapted to be lcontacted by a portion of arm or link 41 as door 30 is swung closed for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A hook 49, pivotally mounted by a stud or pin 49A onto a bracket 49B Welded or otherwise suitably secured to the rear portion of a panel at the upper front part of chamber or cavity 29, is latched over or to a cross part of a frame of the movable member or shiftable carriage. Hook 49 locks the carriage member in its full forward position against movement with respect to structure 15 during opening swinging movements of door 30. The hook 49 is aligned vertically with one of the arms or links 41 and is engaged thereby, at a time and in a manner to be hereinafter described, for releasing or unlatching the movable carriage member to prepare it for rearward movement along structure 15. Hook 49 is provided with a tail 49C which, when this hook is unlatched fromthe carriage member and the member is moved away from same,

Vengages bracket l49B to hold the hook in a position to be relatched with the carriage member as it is returned to its forwardmost position. The movable member or carriage includes a metal frame 51 extending across the top of structure 15 and has depending side legs 52 spaced from the sides of the compartment so that the frame substantially straddles Ithe oven compartment 17 (seeFigure 3). 'Ilhe legs 52 of frame 51 each carry a pair of spaced apart ball or the like bearings 53 which are adapted to roll along within substantially C-shaped tracks 54 at either side of the structure 15 (see Figure 4) and rigidly secured to outer upright side Wall 22 thereof. Side walls ZZ of structure 15 may be reinforced by suitable -brackets or gusset plates at their juncture with top wall 24 to provide a rigid anchorage for the tracks 54. The pivotal mounting 46 of levers or arms 41 to frame 51 include or comprisea pipe or tube 55 surrounding a shaft 56 suitably anchored at its ends to the legs 52 against sidewise movement relative thereto.' The ball bearing .tracks 54 and shaft 56 cooperate with one another to keep door 30 in proper alignment with thev access opening of `compartment 17 when the door is closed and also with cavity yor chamber 29 when the door is moved to `open position. A small pawl-like arm 58 pivotally mounted'on 'each lever 41 by a pin 59 has a clip on one end of a flexible lcable 61 attached Vto the upper or free end thereof at each side `of frame 51. Each cable 61 is draped 'or extends over oppositely disposed pulleys 62 and 63 pivotally mounted on frame 51, and the other end of the cables are attached to opposite ends of a coil spring 64 at the center of the frame (see Figure 3). Pawl-like arms 58, cables 61, pulleys62. and 63 carried by carriage or frame member 51 provide means or a mechanism thereon cooperating with at least one of the levers or links at opposite sides of door 30 for counter-balancing movements, to be hereinafter described, of the door.

The upper front part of chamber or cavity 29 of unitary structure 15 is closed by a panel comprising a vertical portion 66 and an outwardly `projected electric light bulb containing hood portion 67. A control or switch and a timer or clock therefor, generally indicated at 63 and 69, respectively (see Figures l and 2), are mounted on the rear side of panel portion 66 and have shafts extending therethrough provided at their outer ends with movable or settable knobs or handles 70 for setting the timer 63 and/ or control '69. Manipulation or adjustment of switch or control 63 regulates iiow of electric current to shielded heating elements 71 'and 72located in the 'top and bottom, respectively, of oven compartment 17 (see Figure 2) for controlling a cooking operation therein. The lower front opening or entry part of chamber 29 is normally closed, to conceal the cavity entrance opening, by a cover 73 hinged by a piano-like hinge 74 to frame 51 of the carriage member. Hinge 74 has a butt portion welded or otherwise suitably secured to a forward cross part 76 of frame 51 of the movable carriage or member within unitary structure 15. This cover is lswung upwardly to uncover or open the forwardly entenable opening of cavity 29 automatically in response to movement of door 3l) into its open position as will be hereinafter described. V

Door 30 is, after being opened, adapted to be moved and guided, by the tracks 54, into chamber or cavity 29 by frame 51 of the movable carriage member and, in order to facilitate movement of the carriage, we provide an impelling or driving means therefor in the formof a rack and pinion device. Thus we mount, in any suitable manner, a pair of spaced-apart bars having rack teeth 81 formed thereon in chamber or cavity 29 above partition 27, which bars extend from a front portion of the cavity rearward to the back of unitary structure 15 (see Figures 2 and 3). A pair of pinions having gear teeth 82 thereon yare pivotally mounted upon spaced-apart brackets 83 welded or otherwise suitably and rigidly secured to frame 51 of the movable carriage (see Figures 2 and 3) with the pinion teeth 82 meshing with teeth S1 on the bars.`V The ball bearing tracks 54 and the teeth 81 rand 82 of the rack and pinion means cooperate to provide smooth operation of the movable carriage along the cabinet structure within the cavity 29 therein. Having described the essential elements of the present unitary `wall oven or cabinet structure, movements of the oven door from its closed to its open position and into a cavity in the structure will now be explained.

During a cooking operation'of meats, etc., within oven compartment 17 of unitary structure 15, the inner surface or inner door panel 34 of closed oven door 30 becomes very hot since its temperature is increased to substantially that of the temperature of the interior of the oven. In order to prevent arms or elbows of a cook or housewife from engaging and being burned by the hot inner door surface at the front of oven compartment 17 upon reaching thereinto, the oven door 30 of our invention is arranged to shift its inner surface or panel 34 away from the vicinity of the oven access opening upon being opened. In order to gain access to the interior of oven compartment 17, to inspect or baste roasts contained and being cooked in a roaster receptacle within the oven, a forward force is applied to handle 37 of door 30. This force swings door 3i? about the pivot pins or studs 43 and 44 of links, arms or levers 41 and 42 to shift the top or handle edge of door 30 outwardly of the unitary structure 15 and upwardly relative thereto for simultaneously moving or raising the bottom edge of door 30 opposite its handle edge vertically or upward along the front of oven compartment 17 (see Figure 7). This swinging movement of door 3i) shifts the links or levers 41 and 42 about their pivot points 46 and 47 against the tensioned spring 64 to counterbalance the door movement and render it swingable with a minimum of force applied thereto. By reference to Figures 2 `and 7 of the drawings, it will be noted that link or arm 41 has shifted away from stop 48 and has, due to its being horizontally spaced from link or arm 42, -rnoved past and at the side of arm 42 while elevating door 30 to a position whereby link 41 engages and rotates cavity cover 73 in a counterclockwise direction to begin opening of the entrance to cavity 29. Continued swinging of door 30 from the position thereof shown in Figure 7 about its mounting 41 and 42 causes the pivot pins or studs 44 for the one end of link 42 to move from a position below pivot pin or stud 43 for the one end of link 41 toward structure 15, and this rotates the door in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 7 whereby door 30 is started to be inverted. As door 30 rotates, its bottom edge moves upwardly beyond the `access opening of oven compartment 17 to position the door in a substantially horizontal plane (see Figure 8) supported by .the links or levers 41 and 42. The cross part 76 of trame 51 forms a stop for lever arm 41 (see Figure 8) for stopping the openingl movement of door 30. Just prior to stopping the upward movement of arm or link 41, to position and hold door 30 in a horizontalplane, this arm or link engages. hook 49 and raises same to unlatoh it from cross part 76 of frame 51 thusreleasing the carriage member for rearward movement relative to structure 15. By rotating and inverting door 30- in this manner, portions of the links 41 and 42 come into parallelism with one another within channel 36 provided at the vertical sides of the door and are therefore confined in the boundary thereof, and do not form an obstruction to moving door 30 into the opening or `cavity 229 in structure 15. The inversion o-f door 30 upon opening same, by its mounting means, turns the heated or hot inner surface or panel 34 to the side of the door opposite its outer surface or panel 35 to thereby position same away from the vicinity of the access opening of oven compartment 17. Thus, the hazard of touching or contacting the hot inner door surface or vpanel 34 is substantially eliminated.

1n order to positively insure against the likelihoodof v door 30 when a person is to stand in front of the oven v compartment 17 for an extended period of time or in order to permit a person to work at close range to the access opening of this compartment -for cleaning the interior of the oven, the carriage member, comprising the frame 5-1 and other elements carried thereon, will guide door 30 through the uncovered front entrance opening of chamber or cavity 29 into the cavity and within unitary structure 15. When door 30 is supported by the links 41 and 42 in a substantially horizontal plane at the front of structure 15 aligned with opening or' cavity 29, now uncovered by swinging cover 73 open (see Figure 8), a pushing force applied to handle 37 on the door will move same, 'links 41 and 42 and t-he now released carriage member, unla-tched by arm 41 raising hook 49 away from frame part '76, toward or against a suitable stop means (not shown) provided adjacent the back wall 23 of structure 15 to shift or guide door 36 -into the cavity 2.9 (see Figure 9). During this movement of frame 51 and other elements on the carriage, the carriage member slides or rolls in a straight line direction rearwardly along structure 15. The pair of ball bearings 53 at each side of oven structure 15 rolls along or within the tracks 54, and these spaced-apart bearings cooperate with walls of tracks 54 to prevent the weight of door 30 from tipping or tilting the carriage member. The pushing force applied to door Sti is transmitted to frame 51 and pinion gears 82 whereby the teeth on these gears engage teeth 31 on the toothedracks kor bars one after the other in succession to smoothly propel the carriage member rearwardly. In this manner, door 30 is substantially confined or concealed within the unitary structure 15, and the major portion of the door is moved away from the vicinity of the access opening of compartment 17 so as not to form an obstruction thereat while cleaning the interior of the oven compartment. When it is desired to close door 30', its handle 37, extending out of cavity 29, is lgrasped and a forward force applied thereto whereby the door shifts the carriage member to the front portion of structure 15 as illustrated in-Figures 2 and 6 of the drawings to position and support door 3d outwardly of the structure (see Figure 8). An upward force now applied to handle 37 on door 30 will rotate the door about the links 41 and 42 and then a downward force applied thereto will move the door into its vertical closed position to seal the access openyagainst stop pin or roller 48 whereby this arm or link cams or slides the carriage member into its forwardmost position. During this camming action of the carriage Vmember, hook 49 rides over and gravitationally latches wit-h frame part 76 to lock the member against movement relative to structure i for a subsequent swinging of door Sil open. Links or arms 4i and 42. thereafter support door 39 in closed position with the or seal 33 abutting front wall 2l of structure i5.

From the foregoing, it should be apparent that we have provided a new cabinet door movement which shifts a hot inner surface or panel of an oven door away from the vicinity of an oven access opening. The invention of the oven door is unique in that it rotates the hot inner surface thereof into a position above its outer surface and beyond a point at the oven access opening whereby it is unlikely to be contacted or touched by the. arms or elbows of a housewife. We have also provided for storing the door within an oven structure whereby an opened oven door will not form an obstruction at the front thereof to be worked around while cleaning the interior of the oven or to be struck upon a persons rising from a stopped or bent-over position in the vicinity of the access opening of the oven. Our invention therefore eliminates a plurality of hazards accompanying the installation of a built-in wall unitary oven or cabinet structure land facilitates its use to render such installation more acceptable by the public.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a plurality of walls forming an oven structure having a cooking compartment therein provided with a front access opening, a vertically disposed door 4on said structure normally closing the compartment opening, a forwardly enterable door receiving cavity within the confine of walls of said structure separate from and spaced above said compartment, leverage means connecting a portion of said door substantially centrally of its top and bottom edges .to a member mounted on said structure for movement in a straight line direction relativeV thereto, said top edge of said door being swingable about said leverage means outwardly away from said compartment to iraise said bottom edge of the door upwardly above the access opening thereof and to support said door in a horizontal open position aligned with the cavity in said structure, means locking said member against movement with respect to said structure during swinging of said door, said locking means being unlockable from said member in response to the movement of said door into said horizontal supported position thereof, and said member thereafter 'being movable rearwardly along said structure upon applying force to said door while same is supported in its said open position for guiding the door into said cavity.

2. In combination, a plurality of walls forming a unitary cabinet structure having a compartment therein provided with a front access opening, a vertical door having a handle at its top edge normally closing the compartment opening, a forwardly enterable door receiving cavity conned within walls 1of said cabinet structure isolated from and located above said compartment with its entrance spaced from the compartment laccess opening, a plurality of links at opposed sides of said vertical door connecting same to said cabinet structure, one end of each link at the sides of said door being pivotally secured thereto substantially centrally of its top kand bottom edges Vinspaced apart relation to one another, the other end of each link at the s'ides'of said door being pivotally secured in spaced apartrelation to one another upon a carriage mounted in the front portion of said structure lfor movement in a straight line direction relative thereto, said links atv each side of said `door being horizontally spaced apart, said top edge `of said door being swingable about said one end of said links outwardly away from said compartment to shift the said -bottom edge of the door upwardly along said compartment to invert the door and support same in ia substantially yhorizontal open position aligned with the cavity in said cabinet structure,

theY inversion of said door turning its inner surface upwardly away from the vicinity of said compartment access opening, means `for locking said carriage `against movement with respect to said cabinet structure during swinging of said door, said locking means being unlockable from said carriage in response to the movement of said door into its said horizontal supported position, and said 4 unlocked carriage thereafter lbeing movable from the front portion of said unitary structure toward the rear thereof upon applying force to said door while same is supported' in its said open position for guiding the door into said cavity.

3. in combination, a plurality of walls forming an oven structure having a cooking compartment therein provided with a front access opening, a vertically disposed door on said structure normally closing the compartment opening, a forwardly enterable door receiving cavity within the confine of walls of said structure separate from and spaced labove said compartment, leverage means connecting ia portion of said door substantially centrally of its top and 'bottom edges to a member mounted on `said structure 'for movement in a straight line direction relative thereto, said top edge of said door being swingable about said leverage means outwardly away from said compartment to raise said bottom edge of the door upwardly above the access opening thereof and to support said door in a horizontal open position aligned with the cavity in :said structure, said member being movable rearwardly along said structure upon applying force to said door while same is supported in said open position for guiding the door into said cavity, said member also being movable forwardly along said structure by reversing the application of force to said door lfor guiding same outwardly of said cavity and readying it swingable to reclose the compartment access opening, and the final reclosing swinging movement of said door causing said leverage means to engage a stop provided on said structure and cam said member into its forwardmost position thereon.

4. In combination, a plurality of walls forming a unitary cabinet structure having a compartment therein provided with a front access opening, a vertical door having a 'handle at its top edge normally closing the compartment opening, a forwardly enter-able door receiving cavity confined within walls of said cabinet structure isolated from and located above said compartment with its entrance spaced from the compartment access opening, a plurality of links at opposed sides of: said vertical door connecting same to said cabinet structure, one end of each link at the sides lof said door being pivotally secured thereto substantially centrally of its top and bottom edges in spaced apart relation to one another, the other end of each link at the sides of said door being pivotally secured in spaced apart relation to one another upon a carriage mounted in the front portion of said structure for movement in a straight line direction reliative thereto, said links at Aeach side of said door being horizontally spaced apart, said top edge ,of said door being swingable about said one end of said links out- Wardly away from said compartment to shift the said bottom edge of the door upwardly along said compartment to invert the door and support same in a substantially horizontal open position aligned wlth the cavity in said cabinet structure, the inversion of said door turning its inner surface upwardly away from the vicinity of said compartment access opening, said carriage being movable from the front portion of said unitary cabinet structure toward the rear thereof upon applying force to said inverted door while same is supported in said open position for guiding the door into said cavity, said carriage also being movable toward the front of said cabinet structure by reversing the application of force to said door for guiding same outwardly of said cavity and readying it swingable to reclose the compartment access opening, and the final reclosing swinging movement of said door causing said other end vof one of the links to engage a stop means provided on said structure and cam said carriage into its forwardmost position thereon.

5. ln combination, a plurality of walls forming a cabinet structure and other walls within said structure providing a compartment in said cabinet having an access opening in the cabinet front wall, a single door spanning the entire access opening with portions thereof adjacent its edges overlapping that part of said cabinet front Wall boundingpsaid opening for closing said compartment, a forwardly enterable door receiving cavity intermediate a wall of said cabinet and one wall of said compartment within the confine of the cabinet structure, said cavity being spaced vertically from a horizontal edge of said door nearest thereto, leverage means tying said door to a carriage member mounted in said cabinet structure for movement rearwardly therealong, said leverage means comprising two links disposed in side-by-side relationship each having one end thereof pivotally connected at spaced-apart points to a portion of a vertical side of said ydoor substantially centrally of its top and bottom horizontal edges and each having the other end thereof pivotally attached to said carriage member, said single door being swingable wholly outside said compartment only throughout an arc of 90 about said links for shifting one of said horizontal edges of the door forwardly of said cabinet and for shifting the other of said horizontal edges of the door vertically along said cabinet front wall beyond said one compartment wall and into a horizontal open position paralleling same, said leverage means supporting said door in said open position for alfording unobstructed access to all portions of the interior of said compartment and for aligning the single door with said cavity, the spaced-apart pivotal connection of said one end of said links to said door rendering said leverage means responsive to said 90 swinging movement of the door for substantially inverting same and turning the inner face thereof away from the vicinity of said compartment access opening, and said carriage member being movable along said cabinet structure upon applying force to said door while supported in said open position by said links for guiding the door into the cavity.

6. The combination defined by claim wherein a mechanism is associated with the movable carriage member on the cabinet structure and is attached to one of the links of the leverage means for counterbalancing the door during swinging movements thereof.

7. The combination defined by claim 5 wherein a cover is provided on the cabinet structure to normally close 10 the cavity therein and is so located thereon as to be engaged by one of the links of the leverage means upon swinging the door into its horizontal open supported position for moving said cover and opening the cavity.

8. in combination, a plurality of Walls forming a cabinet structure and other walls within said structure providing a compartment in said cabinet having an access opening in the cabinet front wall, a single door spanning the entire access opening with portions thereof adjacent its edges overlapping that part of said cabinet front wall bounding said opening for closing said compartment, a Vforwardly enterable door receiving cavity intermediate a wall of said cabinet and the top wall of said compartment within the coniine of the cabinet structure, said cavity being spaced above a horizontal edge of said door nearest thereto, leverage means tying said door to a carriage member mounted in said cabinet structure for movement rearwardly therealong, said leverage means comprising two links disposed in side-by-side relationship each having one end thereof pivotally connected at spaced-apart points to a portion of a vertical side of said door substantially centrally of its upper and lower horizontal edges and each having the other end thereof pivotally attached to said carriage member, said single door being swingable wholly outside said compartment only throughout an arc of about said links for shifting said upper horizontal edge of the door forwardly oi said cabinet and for shifting said lower horizontal edge of the door upwardly along said cabinet front Wall beyond said compartment top wall and into a horizontal open position paralleling same, said leverage means supporting said door in said open position for affording unobstructed access to all portions of the interior of said compartment and for aligning the single door with said cavity, the spaced-apart pivotal connection of said one end of said links to said door rendering said leverage means responsive to said 90 swinging movement of the door for substantially inverting same and turning the inner face thereof upwardly away from the vicinity of said compartment access opening, and said carriage member being movable along said cabinet structure upon applying force to said door while supported in said open position by said links for guiding the door into the cavity.

9. The combination delined by claim 8 wherein a mechanism is associated with the movable carriage member on the cabinet structure and is attached to one of the links of the leverage means for counterbalancing the door during swinging movements thereof.

10. The combination dened by claim 8 wherein a cover is provided on the cabinet structure to normally close the cavity therein and is so located thereon as to be engaged by one of the links of the leverage means upon swinging the door upwardly into its horizontal open supported position for raising said cover and opening the cavity.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,110,176 Rogers Mar. 8, 1938 2,925,081 Shooter Feb. 16, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,894 Great Britain June 5, 1947

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