US3789826A

US3789826A - Runner construction for oven rack

Info

Publication number: US3789826A
Application number: US00259401A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Baltz; E Voeke
Original assignee: Eagle Range and Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Eagle Range and Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1972-06-05
Filing date: 1972-06-05
Publication date: 1974-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-05

Abstract

This rack and runner construction includes opposed runners attached to the sidewall of an oven compartment and having inclined bearing glides spaced along their length, each pair of horizontal runners receiving a rack in sliding engagement. Each rack includes rear guide elements cooperating with associated horizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement of the rack.

Description

I United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,789,826 Baltz et al. 1 Feb. 5, 1974 [54] RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN 2,225,762 12/1940 Barnsteiner l26/l9 RX C 2,225,991 12/1940 Hobson 126/339 X 2,671,004 3/1954 Chadwick et a1. 126/339 X Inventors: Albert Balll, Mlllstadl; Elmer 2,797,680 7/1957 Nagel 126/19 R Voeke, Belleville, both of Ill.

1 1 Assigneei Eagle Range and Manufacturing Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors Company, Belleville, Ill.

[22] Filed: June 5, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 259,401 [57] ABSTRACT Related s Application Data This rack and runner construction includes opposed [63] Continuation of Ser No 95 730 Dec 7 1970 runners attached to the sidewall of an oven compartment and having inclined bearing glides spaced along [52] U S Cl 126,339 their length, each pair of horizontal runners receiving [51] In} .Cl 4c 15/16 a rack in Sliding engagement Each rack includes rear 58] Pic. 126339 guide elements cooperating with associated horizontal runners to limit upward and outward movement of the [56] References Cited rack UNITED STATES PATENTS Scott 126/19 R 1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures RUNNER CONSTRUCTION FOR OVEN RACK This is a continuation, of U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 095,730, filed Dec. 7, I970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to a rack and runner construction for an oven and in particular to such a construction for use in a self-cleaning oven.

It is well-known that waste matter resulting from cooking tends to collect on oven walls. A fairly recent development, which involveds finishing the oven sidewalls with a catalytic coating, has substantially solved the problem of the waste matter and such matter is eliminated automatically by oxidation caused by heat reacting with the catalytic coating during cooking. However, the problem of wear on the sliding rack bearing surfaces remains and has become more acute, to the extent that such wear tends to remove the catalytic and enamel coating resulting in corrosion of the oven wall along the rack runner engagement surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This rack and runner construction substantially reduces wear of a runner surface receiving a removable rack and thereby considerably decreases the chances of corrosion of the oven sidewalls. The construction includes a rack having side framing elements supported by oppositely disposed runners formed on the oven sidewalls. Each runner includes an elongate member having a plurality of bearing elements thereon which receive the side framing elements of the rack in gliding engagement. The runner bearing elements each include an inclined bearing face transversely disposed to the elongate member and substantially wedge-shaped in configuration. The runner bearing faces are arcuately formed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the oven compartment illustrating the rack and runner construction, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail, partly in cross section illustrating the relative disposition of rack and runner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing and first to FIG. 1, it will be understood that the oven compartment, generally indicated by numeral 10, includes opposed sidewalls or liners 11 and 12 and a backwall 13. The sidewalls 11 and 12 are oppositely disposed and are substantially identical. For example, sidewall 11 includes a plurality of rack runners 14 and the sidewall 12 includes a corresponding set of horizontally, aligned oppositely disposed runners 14. Each pair of horizontally aligned runners 14 is adapted to receive a rack, generally indicated by numeral 15.

The runners 14 are substantially identical to each other, and in the drawing, like numbers indicate corresponding parts. Specifically, each runner 14, as indicated in FIG. 2, is substantially rectangular in cross section having an upper side 20, an underside 21 and a front side 22. The runners 14 are formed from the sidewalls 11 and 12, as by pressing, and extend substantially the length of the sidewalls. Clearance is provided between each runner end 23 and the back wall 13 of the oven compartment.

Each runner 14 includes a plurality of glides 24 constituting bearing elements spaced along the length of the runner 14. The glides 24 are preferably integrally formed with the runner 14 and with the sidewalls ll and 12, which facilitates the coating of the interior walls of the oven compartment 10 with a catalytic cover suitable for a self-cleaning oven. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the bearing glides 24 are substantially wedge-shaped and include an inclined, substantially arcuate bearing face 25. It will be understood that the arcuate bearing faces 25 are in substantial alignment with the bearing faces of associated bearing glides along the same runner.

Each runner 14 includes a depending stop element 26 formed on the runner underside 21, preferably integrally formed therewith, which precludes full withdrawal of the rack 15 from the oven compartment 10 under normal operation as will be described.

In the preferred embodiment, the rack 15, which is slidably received by the glides 24, includes a peripheral frame providing opposed side frame elements 30, front and rear elements 31 and 32 respectively, a median element 33 and a plurality of transverse elements 34. An upstanding spacer element 35 is attached to the rear element 32 at its ends and its midpoint and is so configurated as to provide a pair of bumper portions 36 which serve to space the main rack frame from the backwall 13. The spacer element 35 also provides a retaining bar for articles placed on the rack 15. The rack 15 also includes guide elements 37 which cooperate with the stop 26 on the runners 14, to preclude withdrawal of the rack 15 from the oven compartment 10. The guide elements 37 serve also to prevent inadvertent uplift of the rear end of the rack 15 when the front end of the rack is withdrawn from the oven compartment 10. In the preferred embodiment, the guide elements 37 are formed from downwardly depending extensions of the spacer element 35 and each guide element 37 includes a depending leg 40 turned at right angles to form an outwardly projecting foot 41. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the leg 40 is disposed adjacent the front side 22 of an associated runner 14 and the foot 41 is disposed subjacently of the underside 21 of said runner 14. It will be understood that when the rack 15 is sufficiently withdrawn from the oven compartment 10, the feet 41 will engage abutment faces 27 of associated runner stops 26 to preclude further withdrawal, and that, in addition, the feet 41 provide hook elements precluding movement of the rack 15 upwardly.

In operation, the racks 15 slide easily in and out of the oven compartment 10, the side elements 30 being supported intermittently on the bearing glides 24. The rack 15 is always supported on at least two of the bearing glides 24 of each runner 14 and consequently, the side elements 30 do not at any time engage the upper side 20 of said runner 14. It will be noted, for example, that two bearing glides 24 are provided forwardly of the stop 26. a

The spacing of each of the runners 14 from the backwall 13 permits the rack 15 to be installed without difficulty and the bumpers 36 formed from the spacer element 35 at the rear end of the rack facilitate such installation, the projection of the bumpers 36 being somewhat less than the spacing between the runner end 23 and the backwall 13 so that said bumpers 36 may be used to some extent as a locating device. Thus, when the bumpers 36 engage the wall 13, the rack 15 may be dropped in place so that the feet 41 are positioned to be drawn into guided relation with said runner 14.

The side framing elements 30 are formed from circular rods and the provision of a coacting, arcuate bearing face 25 on the bearing glides 24 results in optimum running smoothness. Obviously, since the side elements 30 are in direct engagement with the bearing glides 24, only the arcuate bearing faces 25 of these glides 24 are subject to wear. Further, the arcuate configuration of the glides acts as a self-locating device so that the racks 15 are not subject to excessive side movement, and are maintained in a substantially central location within the oven compartment 10.

We claim as our invention:

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposed sidewalls comprising:

a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to be disposed on associated oven sidewalls, each runner including:

1. an elongate member having an upper side and an underside, and

2. a plurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along the upper side of the elongate member,

b. a rack including:

1. oppositely disposed side elements supported intermittently on the bearing elements of the aligned pair of runners, and

2. stop-engaging means at opposite sides,

c. a stop means on each sidewall and including an abutment engageable by the stop-engaging means to limit extension of the rack from the oven, and

d. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runner forwardly of the stop means and at least one bearing element being located on each runner rearwardly of the stop means so that the rack is supported on at least two bearing elements of each runner in all retracted or extended positions of the rack without engagement of the rack at any time with the upper side of the elongate member.

Claims

1. A rack and runner construction for an oven having a back and opposed sidewalls comprising: a. a pair of aligned runners adapted to be disposed on associated oven sidewalls, each runner including: 1. an elongate member having an upper side and an underside, and 2. a plurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along the upper side of the elongate member, b. a rack including: 1. oppositely disposed side elements supported intermittently on the bearing elements of the aligned pair of runners, and 2. stop-engaging means at opposite sides, c. a stop means on each sidewall and including an abutment engageable by the stop-engaging means to limit extension of the rack from the oven, and d. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runner forwardly of the stop means and at least one bearing element being located on each runner rearwardly of the stop means so that the rack is supported on at least two bearing elements of each runner in all retracted or extended positions of the rack without engagement of the rack at any time with the upper side of the elongate member.

2. a plurality of bearing elements disposed in spaced relation along the upper side of the elongate member, b. a rack including:

2. stop-engaging means at opposite sides, c. a stop means on each sidewall and including an abutment engageable by the stop-engaging means to limit extension of the rack from the oven, and d. a pair of said bearing elements being located on each runner forwardly of the stop means and at least one bearing element being located on each runner rearwardly of the stop means so that the rack is supported on at least two bearing elements of each runner in all retracted or extended positions of the rack without engagement of the rack at any time with the upper side of the elongate member.