Open top range and associated gas distribution system

Abstract

A gas range includes a plurality of open-top burners and a gas distribution system for controlling gas feed to the open-top burners. The gas distribution system includes a primary manifold and a plurality of secondary manifolds. Each secondary manifold is connected to feed gas to one or more of the open-top burners. Each secondary manifold is connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through a respective safety shut-off device such that gas feed from the primary manifold to each secondary manifold is controlled independently of gas feed from the primary manifold to any other secondary manifold. The primary manifold and each secondary manifold may be configured as modular assemblies.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas range, comprising:
 a plurality of open-top burners;   a gas distribution system for controlling gas feed to the open-top burners, the gas distribution system including:
 a primary manifold, 
 a plurality of secondary manifolds, each secondary manifold connected to feed gas to one or more of the open-top burners, each secondary manifold connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through a respective safety shut-off device such that gas feed from the primary manifold to each secondary manifold is controlled independently of gas feed from the primary manifold to any other secondary manifold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The range of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each secondary manifold has an inlet port and at least one outlet port, for each secondary manifold, the respective safety shut-off device couples an outlet port of the primary manifold to the inlet port of the secondary manifold.   
     
     
         3 . The range of  claim 1  wherein each secondary manifold is substantially aligned along a common axis. 
     
     
         4 . The range of  claim 3  wherein each secondary manifold is substantially identical in size and shape. 
     
     
         5 . The range of  claim 3  wherein a linear distance between any two adjacent secondary manifolds is substantially equal. 
     
     
         6 . The range of  claim 1  wherein each secondary manifold includes at least two burner control valves for feeding respective open-top burners. 
     
     
         7 . The range of  claim 6  wherein each secondary manifold includes at least one pilot control valve. 
     
     
         8 . The range of  claim 7  wherein each pilot control valve delivers gas to a respective pilot burner, for each pilot burner:
 a thermocouple is associated with the pilot burner, and the thermocouple controls an open/closed state of the safety shut-off device that feeds gas to the secondary manifold that feeds the pilot burner. 
 
     
     
         9 . The range of  claim 4  wherein a separate gas control valve is located on the primary manifold between a pair of adjacent secondary manifolds. 
     
     
         10 . The range of  claim 2  wherein at least one secondary manifold can be removed from the range independent of removal of any other secondary manifold. 
     
     
         11 . The range of  claim 10  wherein at least one safety shut-off device can be removed from the range independent of removal of any other safety shut-off device. 
     
     
         12 . The range of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas control panel, wherein two open-top burner control valves and one safety shut-off device are located on a common secondary manifold and share one continuous cut-out in the gas control panel. 
     
     
         13 . A gas range, comprising:
 a gas distribution system including a primary manifold, first and second secondary manifolds, and first and second safety shut-off devices, wherein:
 the first secondary manifold is connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through the first safety shut-off device, and 
 the second secondary manifold is connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through the second safety shut-off device. 
   
     
     
         14 . The range of  claim 13  wherein:
 the primary manifold has an inlet port and at least first and second outlet ports, 
 the first secondary manifold has an inlet port and multiple outlet ports, 
 the second secondary manifold has an inlet port and multiple outlet ports, 
 the first safety shut-off device couples the first outlet port of the primary manifold to the inlet port of the first secondary manifold, 
 the second safety shut-off device couples the second outlet port of the primary manifold to the inlet port of the second secondary manifold. 
 
     
     
         15 . The range of  claim 14  wherein the first secondary manifold includes a first pilot feed valve, and the second secondary manifold includes a second pilot feed valve. 
     
     
         16 . The range of  claim 15  wherein:
 the first pilot feed valve delivers gas to a first pilot burner, a first thermocouple is associated with the first pilot burner, and the first thermocouple controls an open/closed state of the first safety shut-off device; 
 the second pilot feed valve delivers gas to a second pilot burner, a second thermocouple is associated with the second pilot burner, and the second thermocouple controls an open/closed state of the second safety shut-off device. 
 
     
     
         17 . The range of  claim 16  wherein:
 the first pilot burner is arranged for igniting a first pair burners via a first flash tube arrangement; 
 the second pilot burner is arranged for igniting a second pair of burners via a second flash tube arrangement. 
 
     
     
         18 . A gas distribution system for a gas range including multiple open-top burners, the gas distribution system comprising:
 a primary manifold, first and second secondary manifolds, and first and second safety shut-off devices, wherein:
 the first secondary manifold is connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through the first safety shut-off device, and 
 the second secondary manifold is connected to receive gas from the primary manifold through the second safety shut-off device. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18  wherein:
 the first secondary manifold includes a first pilot feed valve; 
 the second secondary manifold includes a second pilot feed valve; 
 the first pilot feed valve delivers gas to a first pilot burner, a first thermocouple is associated with the first pilot burner, and the first thermocouple controls an open/closed state of the first safety shut-off device; 
 the second pilot feed valve delivers gas to a second pilot burner, a second thermocouple is associated with the second pilot burner, and the second thermocouple controls an open/closed state of the second safety shut-off device.