ROTISSERIE SPIT MOUNTING MEANS

• US 3,848,522 A
• Filed: 07/10/1972
• Issued: 11/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toastmaster Incorporated (Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: William F. Trelc
• Inventors: Trelc, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Henderson, Arthur O.
• Application Number:
  US05/270,445
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 99/421,339,340,419,420,450 30/322,323 64/4,23 192/67,95,108 294/27-28,29-30,31
• US Class Current: 99/421.00H
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/041 with food supports rotating about a horizontal axis A47J37/042 takes precedence

Abstract

A mounting means for a rotisserie spit, including spaced bearing supports adjacent the ends of the spit upon which the spit can be lowered to and supported on, a spit drive adjacent one end of the spit axially movable for engagement with and disengagement from the spit after the spit is on and independently of positioning the spit on the bearing supports, and a separate tool to carry the spit and locate the same relative to the bearing supports.

Claims

1. For use in a broiler have spaced stationary end walls, a spit mounting arrangement comprising the combination of a spit of length less than the spacing between the end walls, opposed supports inwardly spaced from the end walls and defining thereon concave trough sections adapted to receive and support the spit near the opposite ends thereof, rotatable power means located adjacent but axially spaced from and aligned with one spit end as the spit is on the supports, a shaft rotatably keyed to the power means and axially movable relative thereto between axially spaced operative positions, a drive coupling on the shaft adapted to become rotatably keyed with the adjacent one spit end in one operative shaft position and to be separated from said spit end in a second operative position, a control element on the shaft exposed on the side of the end wall remote from the spit, the control element being axially keyed to the shaft but being free to rotate relative to the shaft, and faces on the control element and adjacent end wall engaged upon partial rotation of the control element on the shaft relative to the end wall to releasibly lock the control element in the second operative position where the coupling and spit are separated.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1, further including a tool for carrying the spit for positioning on and removal from the supports, said tool including a central grip portion and a pair of arms spaced apart less than the length of the spit and the distance between the supports, and concave troughs on the free ends of the arms adapted to register with the spit for lifting support thereof.

3. A combination according to claim 1, wherein a coil compression spring is disposed around the shaft between the coupling and the drive means for biasing the coupling toward the one operative position where the drive coupling and spit are rotatably keyed.

4. A combination according to claim 3, wherein the support trough sections open concavely upward, and further including a tool for carrying the spit for positioning on and removal from the supports, said tool including a central grip portion and a pair of arms separated by a distance slightly less than the distance between the supports adapted to fit adjacent the opposite ends of the spit, and an upwardly facing concave trough on the free ends of arms adapted for supporting the spit.

5. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the cooperating faces of the control element and end wall have portions that slope axially of the spit and cam the control element axially upon control element rotation.

6. For use in a broiler having spaced stationary end walls, a spit mounting arrangement comprising the combination of a spit of length less than the spacing between the end walls, opposed supports inwardly spaced from the end walls adapted to engage and support the spit near the opposite ends thereof, rotatable power means located adjacent but axially spaced from and aligned with one spit end as the spit is on the supports and on the side of the adjacent end wall remote from the spit, a shaft rotatably keyed to the power means and axially movable relative thereto and through an opening in the last mentioned end wall between axially spaced operative positions, coupling means between the shaft and spit adapted in one operative shaft position to rotatably key them toGether and adapted in a second operative shaft position to release the rotatable keying, means urging the shaft to the one operatiive position, a control element exposed on the side of the last mentioned end wall remote from the spit, said control element being rotatably mounted to the shaft but being axially keyed relative to the shaft, and means between the control element and end wall for axially moving the shaft between the operative positions and for holding the shaft in the second operative shaft position responsive to axial and rotational manipulation of the control element.

7. A combination according to claim 6, wherein detent faces on the control element and adjacent end wall are engaged upon said manipulation of the control element to releasibly lock the control element and shaft in the second operative shaft position.

8. A combination according to claim 6, wherein means cooperate between the spit and the opposed supports operable to allow rotation of the spit but to limit axial spit movement.