GB2396797A

GB2396797A - Warming device for toast

Info

Publication number: GB2396797A
Application number: GB0230347A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher James Wakeman
Original assignee: BESTBREAK Ltd
Current assignee: BESTBREAK Ltd
Priority date: 2002-12-31
Filing date: 2002-12-31
Publication date: 2004-07-07
Anticipated expiration: 2022-12-31
Also published as: GB0230347D0; GB2396797B

Abstract

A food warming device for keeping toast warm. A base 10 includes a central groove having recesses in which flat candles, of the type used in food warming devices, can be placed. A rack 20 is located above the heat source. The rack is made of a thin sheet of metal 21 bent in a concertina shape as shown to accommodate a slice of toast in each "fold" or slot 22. The height of the folds may be slightly lower than the height of a standard slice of toast; the width of the rack is preferably slightly greater than the length of a standard slice of bread. The metal sheet 21 is thin enough to transfer sufficient heat from the rising hot air below the rack to keep the toast warm, while the relatively close fit between the slices of toast and the sides of the folds prevents undue evaporation of water and drying of the toast.

Description

Food Warming Device s The present invention relates to food warming

devices.

Various devices for keeping food warm at or near the table are known. At one end of the range, there are electrically heated trolleys in which several items of food can be kept; at the other end of the range, there are flat hotp}ates on which lo food can be stood, with some form of heating element below the hotplate. In hotplate devices, the heating can be electrical, but is often provided by short candles in a container beneath the top plate.

There are also devices for cooking food at or near the table. Most of these Is are used mainly in restaurants, such as small cookers for cooking flarnbeed food, but some are used domestically, such as toasters and coffee percolators. Restaur- ant devices frequently use flammable fuel; toasters and percolators are usually electrical.

According to the present invention there is provided a food warming device for keeping toast warm, comprising a base including a heat source and a rack located above the heat source and comprising a concertina shape sheet of metal or the like. The sheet of metal is preferably substantially solid. The heat source may be an electric heater, but is preferably a flat candle heater.

Most toast eaters generally prefer to have their toast hot. When toast is being made, it is normally made in as toaster, which has two closely spaced vertical heat sources between which the slice of bread to be toasted is placed.

When the slice has been toasted, it is naturally hot, ie ready for eating. However, so toast is often cooked somewhat in advance of when the user will eat it, either so that the meal will not be interrupted by having to make the toast or because several slices are often cooked at once arid then eaten is sequence. The present invention provides a device which allows toast to be maintained warm after being cooked.

A device according to the invention for keeping toast warm will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the drawing, which is an exploded perspective view of the device.

Referring to the drawing, the device comprises a base lO and a rack 20.

The base 10 consists of a generally rectangular shallow dish, with sides 11, ends lo 12, and base 13. The base 13 has a central groove 14 having 4 recesses l5 in which flat candles, of the type used in food warming devices, can be placed. The base may be made of metal or of a heatresistant plastics material, or of a combination of the two.

The rack 20 is made of a thin sheet of metal 21 bent in a concertina shape as shown to accommodate a slice of toast in each "fold" or slot 22. The height of the folds may be slightly lower than the height of a standard slice of toast; the width of the rack is preferably slightly greater than the length of a standard slice of toast. A pair of struts 24 may be provided as shown, with the bottom of each fold to attached to the struts, to prevent the rack from distorting when it is being handled.

In use, the candles (not shown) are lit and the rack 20 is then placed on the base 10. The rack has projecting portions 23 at its ends which engage with corresponding slots 14 in the ends 12 of the base 10, to ensure that the rack is correctly positioned on the base. Slices of toast are then placed in the slots or folds 22.

It has been found that 4 standard flat heating candles are adequate to main- tain toast warm but still edible for periods of up to half an hour or more. The so metal sheet 21 is thin enough to transfer sufficient heat from the rising hot air below the rack to keep the toast warm, while the relatively close fit between the slices of toast and the sides of the folds prevents undue evaporation of water and dung of the toast.

Claims

Claims s 1 A food warming device for keeping toast warm, comprising a base

including a heat source and a rack located above the heat source and comprising a concertina shape sheet of metal or the like.
2 A device according to claim 1 wherein the sheet of metal is substantially lo solid.
3 A device according to either previous claim wherein the heat source comprises at least one flat candle.
4 A toast warming device substantially as herein described.

Any feature of novelty or combination thereof within the meaning of Article 4H of the International Convention (Paris Convention).