Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Case 2502
'Fhis invention rela-ted -to dishwashers, and paxticularly
concerns the provision of novel means for washing small,
liyht items therein.
In dishwashers of the domestic type the cleansing
action is generally by means of powerful water jets which
impinge upon the surfaces to be cleansed. Small items are
usually contained within a compartmented silverware basket
which is normally of an open latticework construction to
permit the passage of water jets therethrough. Where the
small items are light plastic or rubber materials they may
be swept from the silverware basket into the sump of the
dishwasher. It is known to provide silverware baskets having
one or more compartments having hinged lids such that these
small, liyht articles may be confined. The disadvantage of
such provisions is that the hinged lid is an encumbrance when
it is desired to employ the compartment to contain larger
objects that have no necessity of being confined b~ a lid, or
objects that may project beyond the confines of any lid.
This invention contemplates the provision of an
adjustable cover for a compartment of a latticework silver-
ware basket whereby the cover may be placed at any convenient
height in the compartment. When at the lowest level, ~he
cover is essentially in a stored position and the compartment
is available for normal use in holding larger, heavier items.
Briefly expressed, the cover of my invention is
comb like and comprises a base and a plurality of parallel,
elongated teeth projecting therefrom. The teeth are spaced
and proportioned to pass between member~ forming the lattice~
work of a side wall of the silverware basket in its inserted ~-
position the teeth of the cover project through the lattice-
work to provide a confinement for a compartment of the basket.
Means is provided on the~çover for releasably retaining it -
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in its inserted position in the basket. Desirably this
retaining means compri~es one or more resilient members which
respectively releasably engage one or more lattice members.
Most desirably a pair o~ opposed resilient members are
provided, one on each side of the teeth array, with handle
members which may be squeezed together by finger pressure to
release the resilient gripping members from their gripping
position.
My invention will be further explained with reference
lO to an embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings which show:
In Figure l, in perspective partially broken away
view, a compartmented silverware basket for a dishwasher having
an adjustable cover constructed in accordance with my invention
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partially inserted therein;
in Figure 2, a plan view of a compartment of the
basket of Figure 1 showing the cover in a fully insexted and --
retained position;
in Figure 3, in perspective view, the cover of my
20 invention.
Referring to the figures, a silverware basket is
shown generally as lO and comprises at least one generally
; vertical exterior wall 12 of an open lattice construction
conformed by vertical lattice members 14 and hori~ontal lattice
members 16. Interior basket walls 18 and 20, which may be ~-
solid or otherwise, compartmentalize basket 10 as in compartment ~;
22. ~ ~ .
An adjustable cover constructed in accordance with
my invention is shown as 30, comprises a comb like structure
30 formed by a base 32 and a plurality of parallel, axially
elongated teeth 34 projecting forwardly thereErom. The
spacing between adjacent teeth corresponds approximately to
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the spacing between adjacent vertical lattice members 14 to
enable the teeth to pass through wall 12, and thereby cover
compartment 22. Diamond shaped protuberances 36 may be
formed on the distal end~ of teeth 34; the maximum lateral
width of each of the protuberances i~ approximately equal to
the spacing between adjacent vertical lattice members 14 50
as to form an interference fit therewith. The protuberances
36 serve to .retain the spacing between the distal ends of
teeth 34; more importantly they ~unction as a stop to
preclude cover 30 from being fully withdrawn from wall 12
unless a definite and intentional force is applied. In this
manner any preselected vertical position of cover 30 in wall .;- :-
12 may be retained, and the possibility of the cover being
lost or mislaid when it is pulled back to provide access to - ~.
compartment 22 is ~ignificantly reduced. .. - :
Cover 30 is retained in its fully inserted position
in co~partment 22 by any convenient means. In the illustrated
embodiment a pair of clip members 40 are provided which
releasably engage vertical lattice members 14 of wall 12.
Each clip member 40 comprises a first leg portion 44 which
projects from base 32 in the same direction as teeth 34; in
this instance leg portion 44 is integral with the proximal
portion o~ an end tooth of cover 30. Leg portion 44 is
.: joined by bight portion 46 to second rearwardly directed leg
portion 48. Leg portion 48 project~ beyond base 32 to form
a handle means 51, by which cover 30 may be manipulated. ;;
: Desirably the projecting portion is enlarged, as at 50, ln order
; that cover 30 may be easily manlpulated thereby. Second leg
portion 48 has a rearward ~acing shoulder 54 provided thereon.
The lateral spacing between opposed shoulders 54 is arranged ~;
to be marginally greater than the horizontal dimension
between vertical lattice members 14 that the shoulder~ are
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intended to engage. At least leg portions 48 of cover 30
are constructed from a resilient material such that a~ teeth
34 are pushed through the lattice opening~ of wall 12 leg
portions 48 are inwardly de~ormed to outwardly bias leg
portions 48 and snap engage shoulders 54 behind vertical
lattice members 14. It is advantageous to manufacture cover
30 entirely from resilient material, and polypropylene or other
thermoplastic material that has a sufficiently high heat
deformation temperature to with~tand the conditions prevalent
in dishwashers is generally suitable. To withdraw cover 30 ;-~
from its snapped in position in basket 10 it is merely required
to squeeze handle members 51 towards each other such that
shoulders 48 disengage vertical lattice members 14 whereupon
the cover may be pulled back. The axial spacing between each
shoulder 54 and the forwardly facing sur~ace of base 32 i
arranged to be only marginally gx~ater than the thickness of
wall 12 to hold the cover in a stable, non rotating position -
when cover 30 is fully positioned in wall 12. This stability -
is further increased by enlarging base 32 in the vertical
direction.
It will be apparent tha~ my invention may be
embodied in forms other than that illustrated in the
accompanying drawings; the invention is not to be limited to
the above detailed preferred embodiment, but should be accorded
the full scope of the appended claim
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