GB658984A - Improvements in toasting appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

658,984. Toasters. ELECTRIC & MUSICAL INDUSTRIES, Ltd. May 4, 1948, No. 12183. '[Class 28(i)] In an electric toaster with several heat responsive means (bimetals) for cutting off the current, a fresh bimetal moves into the heating range of an auxiliary heater at each cycle, such bimetal having been prewarmed indirectly and through holes 2 from the heat of the toasting chamber to shorten the toasting period in accordance with the heat in the chamber. In addition, the toasting period is varied by varying by hand the amount of cooling air that is allowed to flow over the bimetals. The control device comprises four bimetal strips 16 mounted around a carrier 14 which is rotated 90 degrees after each toasting so that a fresh bimetal is brought under the heating effect of an auxiliary heater 17 which is in series with the toaster elements 7. The vertical slide 10, Fig. 2, carrying the bread support 8 is depressed by a finger piece 57 whereby the connecting link 22 moves the lug 21 which pulls the attached slide 19 to the left so that the attached leaf-spring 20 engages a pin 18 to rotate the bimetal carrier 14 through 90 degrees to bring a fresh bimetal 16 just, above the bimetal heater 17. The slide 19, Fig. 4, also rocks a lever 23 to move another slide 26 also to the left, so that its end slides over and presses up a plunger 30, Fig. 2, to. close switch contacts 27, 28 to energize the heaters 7 and 17. Towards the end of the press down movement of the slide 10 a plunger 40 thereon is held down by a spring wire 42, Fig. 3. The slide 26 is held in its left-hand movement position by its end 43 being engaged by a lever 44. After the timed toast interval a pin 46 on the bimetal 16 moves lever 44 to disengage 43 and allow the slide 26 to be moved to the right by spring 38 whereby it frees plunger 30 to open the circuit contacts 27, 28 thus de-energizing both heaters 7 and 17. Also when 26 is pulled to the right the cam follower 32 rides up the cam 31 thereby rocking the L- shaped lever 33 about 33a and so disengaging spring wire 42 from 40 so allowing the slide 10 to be pulled up by the spring 13 and carrying up the bread supports 8 so that the toasted bread appears at the top. At the next cycle another bimetal 16 has come into operation but since such bimetal has been already slightly warmed by the previous operation, the degree of toasting in such successive cycles is said to be more uniform than if the bimetals were cold at the start of each. Cooling air flows up and through the various mechanisms by way of openings through a main opening 48, Fig. 5 (not shown), which can be masked by a pivoted screen (51) adjusted by a fingermovable lever projecting out at the base. Thereby the operator can adjust the time of actuation of the bimetal &c. and so the toasting period. Alternatively, the air opening (48) may be provided with an iris diaphragm.