Cooktop safety arrangement

Abstract

An arrangement of cooperating cooktop devices includes a receiving device mounted to the bottom of cookware, and a support device extending above a heating element and adapted to be removably engaged with the receiving device so as to prevent displacement of the cookware from its supported position over the heating element. The support device is in the form of finger members ( 16, 18, 20, 22 ) spaced above a gas burner element ( 28 ) for engaging the receiving device. The receiving device is in the form of a bracket or plate ( 12 ) that defines channels ( 30, 32 ) through which the finger members can be slidably engaged.

1 . An arrangement of cooperating cooktop devices comprising a receiving device mounted to the bottom of cookware, and a support device extending above a heating element and adapted to be removably engaged with the receiving device so as to prevent displacement of the cookware from its supported position over the heating element. 
   
   
       2 . The arrangement according to  claim 1  wherein the support device comprises finger means spaced above a gas burner element for engaging the receiving device. 
   
   
       3 . The arrangement according to  claim 2  wherein the receiving device comprises channel means through which the finger means can be slidably engaged. 
   
   
       4 . The arrangement according to  claim 3  wherein the finger means comprise a plurality of finger members mounted to an outer support frame of a stove rack removably engaged with a stove top, the finger members projecting upwardly and inwardly from the outer support frame. 
   
   
       5 . The arrangement according to  claim 4  wherein the channel means comprises a pair of parallel, spaced apart, channels defined by a plate mounted to the bottom of cookware. 
   
   
       6 . The arrangement according to  claim 5  wherein there are two finger members which slidably engage respective channels of the channel means. 
   
   
       7 . The arrangement according to  claim 6  wherein there is a first pair of parallel spaced apart finger members mounted to a first location of the outer support frame and having free end portions projecting in a first direction, and a second pair of parallel spaced apart finger members mounted to a second location of the outer support frame and having free end portions projecting in a second direction. 
   
   
       8 . The arrangement according to  claim 7  wherein the free end portions of the first and second pairs of finger members project in opposite direction and are out of alignment. 
   
   
       9 . The arrangement according to  claim 7  wherein the free end portions of the first and second pairs of finger members project in opposite direction and are in alignment. 
   
   
       10 . The arrangement according to  claim 7  wherein the free end portions of the first and second pairs of fmger members project in the same direction. 
   
   
       11 . The arrangement according to  claim 4  wherein the stove rack includes one or more first tabs extending from a first side thereof, and one or more second tabs extending from an opposite second side thereof, the or each second tab having spring means cooperating therewith, and the stove top may include one or more slots for receiving the respective one or more tabs at each of the first and second sides. 
   
   
       12 . The arrangement according to  claim 11  wherein the spring means comprises a coil spring cooperating with the or each second tab.