Assembly for locking an oven door

Abstract

An assembly for locking an oven door mounted on a body of a range and movable between open and closed positions, is provided that comprises a mount bracket adapted to be secured to the range body, with the mount bracket having a base and a cradle protruding below the base and disposed above an oven top wall. A latch member is coupled to the mount bracket for movement relative to the bracket. A locking device is disposed at least partially within the cradle and includes a thermally responsive element and a locking member coupled to the thermally responsive element. A heat transfer member has a first end adapted to be secured to the oven top wall and a second end secured to the cradle, wherein the locking member prevents the latch member from moving from a position where the door is latched and forced against the range body by the latch member toward a position wherein the door can be opened, when the thermally responsive member is actuated.

1 . An assembly for locking an oven door of a range in a closed position that closes an oven cavity defined in part by an oven top wall, the oven door being movably mounted on a body of the range, said assembly comprising: 
 a mount bracket adapted to be secured to the range body, said mount bracket having a base and a cradle protruding below said base and disposed above the oven top wall;    a latch member coupled to said mount bracket for movement relative thereto;    a locking device disposed at least partially within said cradle, said locking device including a thermally responsive element and a locking member coupled to said thermally responsive element;    a heat transfer member having a first end adapted to be secured to the oven top wall and a second end secured to said cradle; and wherein    said locking member is operably effective for preventing said latch member from moving from a position wherein the oven door is latched and forced against the body of the range by said latch member toward a position wherein the door can be opened, when said thermally responsive member is actuated.    
   
   
       2 . An assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said locking member includes tabs that engage said thermally responsive member and wherein said locking member moves upward and protrudes above said base when said thermally responsive member is actuated, wherein said latch member is prevented from moving from the position wherein the oven door is latched and forced against the body of the range toward a position wherein the door can be opened.    
   
   
       3 . An assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said cradle is dome-shaped; and    said thermally responsive member is a bi-metallic disk, said bi-metallic disk being disposed within and supported by said cradle.    
   
   
       4 . An assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said cradle includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots formed therein.    
   
   
       5 . An assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said locking member is in a pin.    
   
   
       6 . An assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a handle lever pivotally coupled to said base for rotation relative to said base, said handle lever being coupled to said latch member and operably effective for moving said latch member when said handle is rotated manually.    
   
   
       7 . An assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an electrical switch mounted on said mount bracket at a position above said base.    
   
   
       8 . An assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said electrical switch includes an actuation member movable between an open position when the door is open and a closed position when the door is closed, wherein said switch is actuated.    
   
   
       9 . An assembly as recited in  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a handle, wherein said handle snaps onto said handle lever.    
   
   
       10 . An assembly for locking an oven door of a range in a closed position that closes an oven cavity defined in part by an oven top wall, the oven door being movably mounted on a body of the range, said assembly comprising: 
 a mount bracket adapted to be secured to the range body, said mount bracket comprising a base and first, second and third apertures formed therein;    a handle lever having first and second apertures formed therein;    a latch member disposed intermediate said mount bracket and said handle lever, said latch member including an aperture formed therein, a first surface facing said mount bracket and a protruding member extending away from said first surface toward said mount bracket and into said first aperture in said mount bracket, said protruding member being movable within said first aperture in said mount bracket;    a first connecting member extending through said first aperture in said handle, said aperture in said latch member and said second aperture in said mount bracket, said first connecting member pivotally coupling said handle lever and said latch member to said mount bracket;    a second connecting member extending through said second aperture in said handle lever, through said aperture in said latch member and into said third aperture in said mount bracket, said second connecting member being movable within said aperture in said latch member and said third aperture in said mount bracket; wherein    the pivotal coupling of said handle lever and said latch member to said mount bracket with said first connecting member in combination with the movement of said protruding member within said first aperture in said mount bracket, the movement of said second connecting member within said third aperture in said mount bracket and the positioning of said second connecting member within said second aperture in said handle lever, permit said handle lever and said latch member to rotate together from a first position wherein the oven door can be opened to a second position wherein said latch member contacts the oven door and the oven door is latched and cannot be opened, and to permit said latch member to translate relative to said handle lever and said mount bracket from the second position to a third position, as said handle lever rotates beyond the second position, wherein the oven door is latched and forced against the body of the range.    
   
   
       11 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said first aperture in said mount bracket has a first arcuate portion and a second portion communicating with said arcuate portion and extending rearwardly away from said second portion;    said protruding member moves within said arcuate portion of said first aperture in said mount bracket as said handle lever and said latch member rotate from the first to the second position and said protruding portion moves rearwardly within said second portion of said first aperture in said mount bracket as said latch member translates from the second position to the third position.    
   
   
       12 . An assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said aperture in said latch member includes a first leg and a second leg communicating with said first leg, said first leg and said second legs forming an angle therebetween;    said first connecting member is disposed within said first leg and said second connecting member is movable within said second leg as said latch member moves between the first, second and third positions.    
   
   
       13 . An assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein: 
 said arcuate portion of said first aperture in said mount bracket has first and second ends; and    said second portion of said first aperture in said mount bracket intersects said arcuate portion intermediate said first and second ends.    
   
   
       14 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said first aperture in said mount bracket is generally T-shaped;    said aperture in said latch member is generally V-shaped; and    said third aperture in said mount bracket is generally crescent-shaped.    
   
   
       15 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said first aperture in said mount bracket is generally L-shaped;    said aperture in said latch member is generally V-shaped; and    said third aperture in said mount bracket is generally crescent-shaped.    
   
   
       16 . An assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein: 
 said mount bracket further comprises a cradle protruding below said base and disposed above the oven top wall, said assembly further comprising:    a locking device disposed at least partially within said cradle, said locking device including a thermally responsive element and a locking member coupled to said thermally responsive element;    a heat transfer member having a first end secured to the oven top wall and a second end secured to said cradle; and wherein    said locking member prevents said latch member from moving from the third position toward the first position when said thermally responsive member is actuated.    
   
   
       17 . An assembly for locking an oven door of a range in a closed position that closes an oven cavity defined in part by an oven top wall, the oven door being mounted on a body of the range and movable between open and closed positions, said assembly comprising: 
 a mount bracket adapted to be secured to the range body, said mount bracket comprising a base and first, second and third apertures formed therein;    a handle lever having an aperture formed therein;    a latch member disposed intermediate said mount bracket and said handle lever, said latch member including an aperture formed therein, and a protruding member extending toward said mount bracket;    a first connecting member pivotally coupling said handle lever and said latch member to said mount bracket;    a second connecting member coupled to said handle lever; wherein    said protruding member cooperates with said first aperture in said mount bracket and said second connecting member cooperates with said aperture in said latch member and said second aperture in said mount bracket, which, in combination with the pivotal coupling of said handle lever and said latch member to said mount bracket with said first connecting member permits the handle lever and latch member to rotate together from a first position wherein the oven door can be opened to a second position wherein said latch member contacts the oven door and the oven door is latched and cannot be opened, and to permit said latch member to translate relative to said handle lever and said mount bracket from the second position to a third position, as said handle lever rotates beyond the second position, wherein the oven door is latched and forced against the body of the range.    
   
   
       18 . A range comprising: 
 a body including an oven top wall;    an oven cavity disposed within said body;    an oven door movably mounted on said body wherein said oven door can be moved between an open position and a closed position wherein said oven cavity is closed;    a mount bracket secured to the range body, said mount bracket having a base and a cradle protruding below said base and disposed above said open top wall;    a latch member coupled to said mount bracket for movement relative thereto;    a locking device disposed at least partially within said cradle, said locking device including a thermally responsive element and a locking member coupled to said thermally responsive element;    a heat transfer member having a first end secured to said oven top wall and a second end secured to said cradle; and wherein    said locking member is operably effective for preventing said latch member from moving from a position wherein said oven door is latched and forced against said body by said latch member toward a position wherein said oven door can be opened, when said thermally responsive member is actuated.    
   
   
       19 . An assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein: 
 said locking member includes tabs that engage said thermally responsive member and wherein said locking member moves upward and protrudes above said base when said thermally responsive member is actuated, wherein said latch member is prevented from moving toward a position wherein the oven door can be opened.    
   
   
       20 . An assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein: 
 said cradle is dome-shaped; and    said thermally responsive member is a bi-metallic disk, said bi-metallic disk being disposed within and supported by said cradle.    
   
   
       21 . An assembly as recited in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said cradle includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots formed therein.    
   
   
       22 . An assembly as recited in  claim 20 , wherein: 
 said locking member is in a pin.    
   
   
       23 . An assembly as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 a handle lever pivotally coupled to said base for rotation relative to said base, said handle lever being coupled to said latch member and operably effective for moving said latch member when said handle is rotated manually.    
   
   
       24 . An assembly as recited in  claim 18 , further comprising: 
 an electrical switch mounted on said mount bracket at a position above said base.    
   
   
       25 . An assembly as recited in  claim 24 , wherein: 
 said electrical switch includes an actuation member movable between an open position when the door is open and a closed position when the door is closed, wherein said switch is actuated.    
   
   
       26 . An assembly as recited in  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a handle, wherein said handle snaps onto said handle lever.