Gas tap for a gas cooking appliance

A gas tap for a gas cooking appliance, the gas tap comprising

• a body that includes an inlet conduit through which the gas is supplied, at least one gas outlet conduit, and a housing that is fluidically communicated with each of the inlet conduit and outlet conduit;
• a rotatable regulating element arranged in the housing of the body and configured to regulate gas flow from the inlet conduit towards the outlet conduit depending on an angular position of the rotatable regulating element;
• a manually operable shaft that includes a first end coupled to the rotatable regulating element such that when the manually operable shaft rotates so does the rotatable regulating element, the manually operable shaft having a second end configured to be coupled to a user operated knob, the manually operable shaft being rotational between an initial angular position and a final angular position, the manually operable shaft including a first locking element;
• a second locking element configured to cooperate with the first locking element when the manually operable shaft is arranged in the initial angular position, the manually operable shaft being axially movable when arranged in the initial angular position between a first axial position in which the first locking element and the second locking element cooperate with one another, preventing the manually operable shaft from being able to rotate and a second axial position in which the first locking element is uncoupled from the second locking element such that the manually operable shaft is able to rotate,
• the second end of the manually operable shaft being located further away from the body when the manually operable shaft is arranged in the second axial position than when the manually operable shaft is arranged in the first axial position, such that a pulling on the manually operable shaft is required to move the manually operable shaft from the first axial position to the second axial position;
• and
• pushing means configured to continuously push the manually operable shaft towards the first axial position;
• wherein the manually operable shaft includes a base located at or in proximity to the first end, the base having first and second surfaces, the first surface facing away from the rotatable regulating element, the second surface facing towards the rotatable regulating element, the pushing means comprising a first spring housed in a cover fixed to the body and covering the housing, the first spring having a first end supported on a supporting surface of the cover and a second end supported on the first surface of the base of the manually operable shaft, the gas tap further comprising a second spring having a first end that presses on a supporting surface of the rotatable regulating element and a second end that is supported on the second surface of the base of the manually operable shaft, a first force exerted by the first spring on the base of the manually operable shaft is opposite to a second force exerted by the second spring on the base of the manually operable shaft.