GB621155A - Improvements relating to electrical toasting appliances - Google Patents

Abstract

621,155. Toasting-apparatus. METCALFE, C., DIVALL, R. W., and MARRS, T. J. D. Sept. 26, 1946, No. 28739. [Class 28(i)] An electric toaster has heating elements in the body and in the lid; closing the lid switches on the heaters and winds a clockwork timing mechanism which releases the lid after a prearranged time. The lid 2, Fig. 1, is hinged to the body 1 and urged open by springs (not shown). Pivoted to the lid are struts 36, the lower ends of which are guided in a slot 38, Fig. 5, in the body side plate 12. These struts 36 engage a pin 34 on a rack 32 which is moved forward as the lid is closed. The inclined end of slot 38 causes the struts 36 to lift clear of the pin 34 at the end of the stroke and so to release the clockwork timing mechanism which has been wound by pinion 31. The time delay is determined by a manual control, Fig. 7 (not shown), which varies the distance through which the escapement arm has to travel for each swing of the balance wheel. A bimetallic strip, Fig. 8 (not shown), readjusts, through a linkage, the setting of the escapement arm, to modify the timing according to the temperature of the heaters. The lid is held closed by a hook 50 engaging a wire 39, Fig. 4, which is held across the front of the toaster by pivots 40, 41, and which is bent back to enter a slotted arm 44. As the timing mechanism runs down, a lug 47 on the rack 32 lifts this arm 44 thereby rocking wire 39 out of engagement with the lid catch 50. The electric heating elements are controlled by a mercury switch 51 mounted in a pivoted carrier 52 which is tilted into a horizontal position by the end of the catch arm 49 when the lid is closed, and which falls back when the lid is released. To lock the lid closed without energizing the heaters, a knob 56 rotates a forked lever 55a which moves the switch casing 52 out of the path of the arm 49, and also moves rod 54 so that its ends engage a further catch 57 on the arm 49. The body may have a removable baseplate, and may be mounted on hinged legs so that it can be raised and used as a griller, the lid heater then being switched off by an auxiliary switch. Means may be provided to energize the heaters only when a slice of bread is in position. A spring grid may be provided to raise the toasted slice when the lid opens.