Terminal block mounting for a plug-in surface heating unit
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorGlen H. Summers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plug-in surface heating unit assembly for use in the cooktop of an electric range. The heating unit is a metal sheathed electrical resistance heating element in spiral form with radial, outwardly directed terminal portions in close formation. The invention relates to a folded spring blade which is fastened between a movable terminal block and the cooktop so that the spring normally biases the terminal block into an upward position while biasing the heating unit into a down position so that the unit will sit level with respect to the cooktop. The terminal block is supported by means of a lost-motion connection from a fixed mounting bracket that is supported under the cooktop.
Claims5
In a terminal block assembly for a plug-in surface heating element supported in an opening in a cooktop, the heating element is a metal sheathed electrical resistance element of spiral form with radial, outwardly-directed, terminal portions in close formation which plug into a dielectric terminal block, a sheet metal mounting bracket rigidly fastened to the cooktop, and lost-motion fastening means for supporting the terminal block from the mounting bracket for limited freedom of vertical and angular movement therebetween, the improvement comprising a resilient means for biasing the movable terminal block into its uppermost position with respect to the mounting bracket, said spring means being a folded spring blade having a tab at the top for seating on the cooktop, a vertical midsection that is fastened to the cooktop and an elongated cantilever section underlying the cooktop and fastened to the top of the terminal block, so as to normally bias the terminal block to its uppermost position with respect to the mounting bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.