Protective guide structure for preventing inadvertent actuation of a food processor with a tilted cover

In a food processor of the type including tool drive means drivable by a motor drive located in a base with control means for rendering the motor drive inoperative unless said control means is actuated, a bowl mountable on said base for enclosing a rotatable tool within said bowl, said tool being drivable by said tool drive means, a movable actuating element for operating said control means when the outer end of said actuating element is depressed, a removable cover for said bowl, a food-receiving hopper for feeding food items to the tool in the bowl, a food pusher manually insertable into said hopper for pushing the food items in said hopper toward the rotating tool,

• actuator means associated with said cover,
• a protector cap covering the outer end of said actuating element for preventing access to said actuating element to prevent inadvertent or accidental operation of said control means,
• said protector cap having the shape of an inverted cap with a top wall and side walls,
• said protector cap having a narrow top slot in its top wall and having a pair of enlarged slots located in its opposite side walls and being aligned with each other,
• said actuator means having an enlarged portion for engaging and moving the outer end of said movable actuating element,
• said enlarged portion being arranged to enter into said enlarged side wall slots, and
• said actuator means having a thin web attached to said enlarged portion, said thin web being arranged to enter into said narrow top slot, protective apparatus for preventing inadvertent actuation of said control means comprising:
• an outer vertical rib extending vertically along the edge of said enlarged side wall slot in said protective cap which first receives said actuator means, and
• a recess terminating in a recessed shoulder located in the inner wall of said actuator means for thereby permitting said actuator means to enter said enlarged side wall slot and move therein in a predetermined guided position for depressing said actuating element for operating the control means when the cover is placed on the bowl horizontally and turned to its proper mounted position, and
• said vertical rib and recessed shoulder preventing the insertion of said actuator means sufficiently far into said enlarged side wall slot to engage and depress said movable actuating element when there is a tilted or misaligned position of said actuator means with respect to said protective cap for preventing rotation of the tool by said motor drive, unless the cover is placed on the bowl horizontally and turned to the proper mounted position.