US1694981A - Electric waffle iron - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 11; 1928. 1,694,981

C. P. RANDOLPH ELECTRIC WAFFLE IRON Filed Aug. 23, 1926 Ff l. 34 2 3/ 50 33 26 /0 23 UH!- I I IH HHJ Inventor: Charles F! Randolph,

His Attorney.

- the adjacent surfaces of the twoplates are Patented Dec. 11,1928;

oHAR ns'r. RANDOLPH, 01? OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,/ASSIG1\TOR To EDISON ELEoTRId APPLIANCE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or NEW/YORK.

ELECTRIC WAFFLE inon.

Application filed August 23, 1926. Serial No. 130,810.

My invention relates to electric waflie irons and has for its ob ect the provlsion of a s1mple, reliable and eflicient device of this type.

For a more complete understanding of my invention reference should be had to the ac-. companying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation view partly in sectionof a wattle iron embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view also partly in section of the device shown in Fig. 1.; while Figs. '3 and 4; are fragmentary views showing the details of construcp tion.

Referring to the drawing, in carrying out my invention in one form I provide two wattle iron cooking plates or molds 10 and 11 wh1ch are pivotally connected together by means of two spaced hinges 12 and 13. These two plates are preferably cast from a suitable metal having good heat conductivity, such as aluminum. They are identical in construction, the lugs 14 and 15.. on each plate, form ing the hinged connections, are cast integral with the plates and are provided with one and two hinge members respectively so that when the plates are. placed together face to face in inverted relation a single hinge member on one plate fits between the two spaced hinge members on the other plate thus forming the two hinges. Vertically elongated apertures for the pivot pins of the hinges are provided whereby the upper plate maybe lifted in parallel relation with the lower by the cook ing of the waflie. It will be understood that provided with the usual waflie mold protuber ances 16. These protuberances are preferably hollow, whereby depressions 17 are formed in the backs of theplates, as indicated in Fig. 2.

The lower which is provlded'with legs 19 forming supports for the wafiie iron: A somewhat similar casing or cover 20 is provided for the up per plate 10. At intervals around the pe riphery' of the plates are lugs. 21 provided with tapped holes and the casings 18 and 20 are secured to the plates by screws 22 fitting in these tappedholes As shown the casings are secured at three vequally distant points around the periphery of the. plates one of these points being directly opposite the hinges 3 12 and 13. v At this latter point a much longer screw 23 is used for 'thei upper plate 10, whichscrew extends through a handle 24 for the upper plate, thus securing both the hanlate 11 rests in a casing 18' dle and casing to the plate at this point.

Each of the plates is provided with aldge 25 around its periphery on which thecasing is seated. At the back the casings are cut away so as to fit closely ing lugs of the hinges.

The two plates 10 and 11 are heated by means of electric heating units 26 and 27 rearound the project spectively which are secured against the backs of the plates by means of clamping plates 28 and 29. The clamping plates are circular in outline and formed with equally spaced radially extending ribs 30. As shown eight of these radial ribs are provided in each plate.

They are provided for the purpose of stifi'ening the plate and also to hold the mainbody of the plate in a spaced relation with the heating unit, the plate being placed on the unit with the ribs in engagement with it. Thisgreatly limits the conduction of heat to the plate. Each clamping plate is secured to its corresponding waflie iron plate by means of a central screw 31which engages with a tapped bore formed in a protuberance 32 cast in the ing plate is struck upward at the-center some what in order to clear the projection-32. 7

While any suitable electrical heating unit may be used which is adapted to be clamped against the back of the cooking plate, I have shown a heating unit of the sheathed type,

center of the wafiie iron plate. The clamp- I such is-described and claimed in Patent No.

1,367,341 to Abbott dated February 1,1921.

This unit briefly comprises an outer-metallic sheath '33 in which a helically. shaped resist-' ance wire 34 is embedded in a powdered heat.- ing refractory electrically insulating material such as magnesium oxide. .The powdered insulating material is compacted to form an efficient conductor of heat. The heating units 26 and 27 consist of lengths of this sheathed resistance wire which are'bent in circular form and to such a diameter that the heating unit has the proper position with respect to the periphery of'the wafl'le iron plate to give a substantially even distribution of heat throughout the cooking surface, due

regard being given to the relatively free dissipation of heat from the periphery of the cooking plate. The generation of heat is thus" concentrated in a relatively narrow zone around the plate. In order to properly position the heating unit a plurality of projections 36, as shown four, are cast on the backof each plate in such positions that the heating unit fits loosely aroundthein and is. thereby positioned on the cooking plate. ing unit is further positioned by means of spaced tabs 37 which are struck downward out of the clamping plate so as to loosely en- I gage the outer periphery of the heating unit.

Electrical connections for the two heating units are brought 111 at the rear of the wafile 1101'1&(l]2LCE311l1 the hinges, the heating units being placed on the cooking plates in such position that their ends from which terminals forthe resistance Wires'project are at the rearward or hingesides of the plates, Suitable electrical contact pins 38 and 39 are secured to the lower casing '18 adjacent the hinges, these pins being protected by a suitable guard 40. Insulated electrical conductors 41 and 42are led from these pins, which are insulated with respect to the casing, to the lower heating unit 27. For the upper heating unit 26 insulated conductors 43 "and 44 are led from the contact pins through the casing 18 adjacentthe lower side of. the hinge 13 thence through, a flexible conduit 45 upward to the upper side of the hinge 13 where the conductors enter the casing 20 and pass to the terminalsof the heating unit 26. The flexible conduit 45 allows the upper plate to be liftedand lowered freely on its pivot. The conduit 45 is shown as being of a construction often used with armored conductors. It re---' sembles somewhat a helix of wire in construction and appearance, the helix preferably being made of a specially formed strip so ai'-- ranged that the turns overlap and interlock Y internally.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, one of the hinge lugs on each wafile iron plate is provided with a semicircular recess or groove, forming a seat for one end of the flexible conduit 45. Since the two ,plates, which are identical in constructioii are secured together in inverted relation, this brings one recess at each hinge.

As shown, the lug on the upper plate forming 1 a part of hinge 12 is provided w th a recess, 1 46 for the upper end of the conduit 45, while the lug on the lower wafile iron plate forming a part of hinge 13 is provided with a similar recess for the lowerfend of the conduit.-

These recesses are provided with grooves or 4 threads in which fit the end turns of the conduit whereby the conduit is secured, the condiiit being held in the grooves and further secured by the casings 18 and 20, which are provided with recesses fitting closely around the conduit. In order to provide space for the connections each clainping' plate is cut away in the vicinity of the terminals of the heating unit as indicated by the reference numeral 48 (Fig. 2).

While Ihave described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, t should be The heat-- understood that I do not limit my invention thereto since various modifications thereof" will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my. invention, the scope of which is set forth in i the annexed claims.

What I claim as newand desire to secure 'by Letters Patent of the UnitedfStates, is 2- 2.-An electricwafile iron comprising two cooking members, each of said members com prising. a cast metal waflle cooking plate, a sheathed electric heating unit on the back of said plate, a clamping plate for said heating unit provided with a central aperture and with a plurality of ribs forengagement with said heating unit, a screw passing through 'said aperture in screw threaded engagement with thecenter of said cooking plate whereby said heating unit is clamped againstzthe back of saidcooking plate, and a cover secured to said cooking plate fitting over said heating unit and clamping plate in spaced relation therewith. V

' 3. An electric wafile iron comprising two cooking members, each of said members comprising a cast metal waflie cooking plate, a single-circular length of a sheathed electric heating. unit having substantially the same outline as said plate but of lesser diameter,

unit on the back of said plate andprojections on the back of said heating unit.

47. An electric wafile ironv comprising twocooking members, each of said members comprising a cast metal waflle-cooking plate, a

a clamping plate for securing said heating plate for positioning said singlecircular length of a sheathed electric heating unit on the back of said plate, a. clamping plate for said heating unit, said clamping plat-e being provided with a central aperture and witha plurality of radial ribs in engagement with said heating unit, a screw passing through said aperture in of said cooking plate whereby said heating unit is clamped on said cooking plate, projections on the back of said cooking plate and on said clamping platefor positioning said heating unit, a cover secured to said cooking plate fitting over said heating unit and clamping plate in spaced relation therewith.

5. an electric waflle iron comprising two cooking members, each of said members coma .120 screw-threaded engagement with the center prising a disk-shaped cast metal wafile cooking plate, a circular sheathed electric heating unit on the back of said plate, a circular clamping plate provided with a central aperture and with radial ribs engaging said heating unit at intervals, and a screw passing through said aperture in screw-threaded engagement with the center of said cooking plate whereby said heating unit is clamped against the back of said cooking plate.

6. An electric waffle iron comprising two pivotally connected cooking members, each of said members comprising a metal cooking plate having hinge lugs secured directly thereto, one lug on each plate being provided with a recess, a flexible conduit extending between said plates having its ends secured in said recesses so that said conduit flexes when said plates are moved relatively on their pivot, heating units for said plates, and electrical connections passing through said conduit to the heating unit for one of said plates. 7. An'electric wafile iron comprising two pivotally connected cooking members, each of said members comprising a metal cooking plate having hinge lugs secured directly thereto, one lug of each plate being provided with a grooved recess, a coiled flexible conduit extending between said plates having a plurality of coils at each end secured in said recesses so that said conduit flexes when the plates are moved relatively about their pivot, covers for said plates securing said conduits in said recesses, heating units for said plates,

and electrical connections passing through said conduit to the heating unit for one of said plates.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of August, 1926.

CHARLES P. RANDOLPH.

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