Abstract: A cooking appliance wherein a unique U-shaped bracket is provided for connecting an outer housing, an inner cooking vessel, a thermostat assembly and a bottom cover to each other. One of the arms of the bracket is inserted through a downwardly extending tab of the cooking vessel, the other arm of the bracket is connected to a screw for mounting a stack thermostat, and the central portion of the bracket is connected to a screw for urging the vessel downwardly and the bottom cover upwardly to economically hold the parts in assembled position on the outer insulated housing.

Abstract: An electrical temperature sensing device for food heating appliances such as toasters and the like which is constructed to provide rapid thermal response, significant resistance variation as a function of temperature, and good mechanical strength so as to be suitable for mounting within the food heating compartment of said appliances in close thermal coupling with the bread or other food article to be heated. The temperature sensing device is in the form of an elongated tubular structure shaped in a U configuration, comprising a central core of low mass insulating material upon which is wound a helical wire of temperature sensitive resistance material. A thin walled sleeve of insulating material fits tightly over the wire wound core, and a thin walled metal tubing of good heat conduction characteristics fits tightly over the insulating sleeve.

Abstract: A pulsating attachment for use with an electric hair dryer that has a tubular end through which air is expelled is described comprising a coupling section with an asymmetrical and unbalanced single impeller supported in the coupling for rotation therein and mounting structure connecting the coupling and the tubular end whereby the expelled air rotates the impeller and, due to its unbalanced mounting, creates a pulsating flow of air at a constant flow rate from the coupling. This results in a rotating path of pulsating air on the head of the user to create a fluffing action.

Abstract: A steam iron is disclosed having a water tank, steam generating soleplate, a guided water valve to start and stop water to the soleplate for steam generation, and a dumper valve in the bottom of the tank to suddenly empty the tank onto the soleplate to purge and clean the iron. To this conventional structure an improvement provides a unitary assembly of the dumper valve that includes a first smoothly continuous tubular member with its upper end connected to the bottom of the tank and its lower end extended below the tank towards the soleplate. Cooperating with this is a second smoothly continuous concentric tubular member telescopically disposed frictionally with the first member so the two tubes are pushed and locked together. Each of the members has an inwardly directed flange at one end and at the opposite end from the other so that the flanges define reduced openings at the upper and lower tubular ends.

Abstract: A cutter construction for a vegetable peeler that has a cylindrically electrically rotatable body with a longitudinal mounting shaft and a plurality of longitudinally extending slots coextensive with and equally spaced around the body and a cutter blade disposed lengthwise from the body outer end to the inner end in each slot. In this general arrangement an improved slot and blade configuration is provided wherein each blade is disposed in its own slot with its entire cutting edge angled or slanted in the direction of rotation and with a high point in an operable permissible range above the body periphery a maximum of 0.030 inches (0.75 mm) and a minimum of 0.008 inches (0.20 mm). A clearance recess is provided below and coextensive with each blade and extending substantially at right angles to the blades in the direction of rotation. It has a peripheral width from substantially 0 inches to 0.180 inches (4.5 mm).

Abstract: A two piece portable radio cabinet having an economical hinged construction whereby convenient access is provided to the battery compartment without the need to disassemble the cabinet. The cabinet front piece supports the radio chassis, antenna and battery, the antenna serving as a rod about which the cabinet back piece pivots for closing and opening the cabinet.

Abstract: A cooking vessel of the type having an inner receptacle coaxially nested within a tubular housing is provided with structure for securing the inner receptacle within the tubular housing in a tamper-resistant manner and, when the inner receptacle and the housing are generally cylindrical, for preventing relative rotation therebetween. A first resiliently deformable locking member secured to the inner receptacle is deformed through an opening in a bottom wall which has a recess for receiving a second locking member. The second locking member engages the first locking member to hold the inner receptacle in its nested position within the housing, and the first locking member resiliently biases the second locking member into the recess to make removal of the second locking member relatively difficult.

Abstract: A lightweight steam iron having a soleplate and means to selectively deliver water thereto for distribution of steam from the soleplate. To this an improvement is provided comprising a first plastic skirt above the soleplate coextensive with the soleplate to form a skirt therearound, a second plastic housing having a handle and sealingly mounted on and supported by the skirt. The skirt and housing form the walls of an internal water tank and also enclose the iron operating components. The sealing mount is disposed along all the surface contacts between the plate and the housing and is formed with the sealing compound to provide a portion of the compound in compression on either expansion or contraction of the plastics to form a seal between the plastics at all time which plastics may have different coefficients of expansion.

Abstract: In a food processor with a power base having a bowl supporting portion and driven shaft extending vertically therefrom, an adjacent upstanding motor-containing housing of bowl height with a bowl on the portion containing a cutter on the shaft and an internal switch controlled motor energizing circuit, there is provided an improved interlock system comprising a bowl lid with structure operatively securing the lid to the bowl opposite the motor housing when the lid is rotated axially of the shaft toward the housing. A housing opening at lid height is provided opposite the securing structure and a probe-carrying arm on the lid is movable into the opening on lid rotation.

Abstract: In a steam iron with a handle and fill opening to a water tank above an electrically heated soleplate and having a steam generator in the lower rear portion of the iron and soleplate steam ports, and a pump mounted in the handle and connected to the generator to rapdily force a volume of water to the generator for a surge of steam out the ports. To this general known combination, the invention provides an improvement of a bellows pump fixedly supported on an internal wall in the upper forward portion of the handle and completely external of the tank. Connected to one end of the pump is a double tubular conduit with the pump and conduit both being a flexible elastomer heat insulator with one conduit extending through the tank and terminating at and forming an exhaust outlet to the rear generator and the other conduit terminating adjacent the generator and in the tank as a suction inlet to the pump.

Abstract: In an electric flatiron with a soleplate and central upstanding boss and having a handle having a temperature adjusting lever in the front of the handle, an improvement is provided in the temperature regulating assembly that comprises a snap action thermostat which is supported on the boss with a substantially vertically movable adjusting screw to vary the thermostat settings. An insulated cap is provided on the top of the screw and the cap has an outer splined surface. A rod is connected at one end to the temperature adjusting lever forward of the screw for rotation by lever movement for setting temperature. The rod has an offset portion at its other end loosely fitting in a driving engagement over the splined surface so the offset slides vertically over the splined surface forming a universal-like connection as the rod is rotated by the lever to turn the screw and vary the thermostat setting of the iron without undue backlash.

Abstract: A timer control circuit for controlling the ON-OFF operation of a controllable current conducting device, such as an indicator lamp or a semiconductor power device, and for keeping the device in a given operating state over a readily adjustable time interval, that utilizes relatively few components and is of low cost construction. The circuit includes principally resistive-capacitive timing means and transistor switching means, the device being coupled with the transistor switching means which, in addition to selectively connecting the device in and out of the circuit as a function of the timing cycle, feeds back a threshold voltage to the timing means as an integral parameter in determining the time interval.

Abstract: For use in a portable electric appliance, that is cord-connected to internal electric terminals by multiple conductors, there is provided a strain relief assembly between the cord and appliance that has a housing chamber in the appliance at the cord entrance. A formed saddle is secured to the chamber and has spaced ears defining a preferably slanted passage therebetween aligned with the lay of the cord and which holds the cord conductors as the cord enters the appliance. There is provided a formed clamp fitting over the saddle and removably attached thereto. The clamp has a toothed flexible strap-like extension in a generally U-shape connected at one end of the clamp and freely hanging at the other end with downward opening teeth at the free end which are disposed into the passage against the conductors to jam them in the passage.

Abstract: Storage assembly for detachable power cords having male and female ends, constructed integrally with an external surface of a portable electrical device that can be energized either by self contained batteries or by house power, the storage assembly providing convenient storage for the power cord during times when the cord is not in use. The storage assembly comprises a wrapping surface constructed integrally with and extending at approximately right angles to the external surface and arranged in a closed path on the external surface, at least a portion of the wrapping surface having an overhanging extension disposed approximately parallel to the external surface, whereby the power cord can be wrapped around the wrapping surface and held in place between the external surface and the overhanging extension. The storage assembly further comprises means for securing both the male and female ends of the power cord.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an extra capacity steam iron with a soleplate having steam ports and heating means and separate forward main, and rear surge, steam generators with conventional means for selective delivery of water to the generators and having a heat regulating thermostat. The improvement to this structure comprises a walled enclosure on the soleplate defining the surge generator in the rear half of the iron and tortuous passages lead from the enclosure to the soleplate ports. A boss is provided upstanding from the soleplate spacedly disposed in the enclosure and a coverplate defines steam distributing passages from the main generator and, with the enclosure and the passages, separate distributing passages from the surge generator. The upstanding boss is in the form of a pyramid with plural slanted striated surfaces sloping toward the soleplate, the striations being in the form of parallel grooves directed down the surfaces to spread and direct water into the enclosure.

Abstract: A hair dryer includes a casing having an air inlet and an air exit defining an exit plane. A motor driven fan propels air through the casing between the air inlet and exit. Plural wattage electric heating elements are disposed in a heater box in the casing for heating air to a selected temperature for discharge through the casing air exit. A thermostat, positioned downstream of the heating elements substantially centrally across the exit plane of the casing and disposed substantially in the exit plane, is connected in series circuit with at least some of the heating elements. The thermostat rapidly senses the air temperature at the air exit and disconnects the connected heating elements.

Abstract: A steam iron with a water tank, handle structure, ported soleplate, water valve assembly, thermostat control passing through the tank, and a fill opening in the forward handle portion to pass water through a riser tube to fill the iron is standard structure. To this is applied an improvement in the riser tube which comprises a single substantially cylindrical integral plastic member having an outer flange around its middle to rest on the tank with the tube extending down into the tank. The tube has a forward cut-away portion with the rear portion forming a baffle both being in the tank. The tube top is closed by a wall and a forward extension below the top wall is connected to the fill opening with an apertured baffle in the tube behind the extension. The top of the tube has a series of openings for selective use such as for self-clean or spray features and an operable stem extends through one of the openings connecting to the water valve.

Abstract: An electric coffeemaker with a plastic housing and a bottom cover wherein a partition is formed with the housing for enclosing an electrical cord strain relief knot, and two fingers are integrally formed with the bottom cover for uniquely cooperating with a side wall of the housing and the strain relief knot. In the event of any strain on the cord tending to pull it out of the housing, the knot will abut the two fingers to distribute the force between both the housing and the two fingers of the bottom cover.

Abstract: A steam iron having an interior water tank and steam generating soleplate with a loop-shaped heating element therein and steam ports in the soleplate. An improvement in steam generating capacity is provided of a main generator inside the loop fed by a metering water valve and directly connected to first distributing passage means supplying steam to the ports. A separate soleplate generator is supplied separately from the main generator on the outside of the loop and a second circuitous separate passage means extends generally parallel to and over the heating element with the separate passage means being completely separate from the distributing passage and later connecting to it.

Abstract: A vegetable peeler with a handle supporting a cylindrical and electrically rotatable shafted cutter body connected to the handle with a plurality of spaced cutter blades extending longitudinally from the outer to the inner end of the body and a fixed splatter shield partially surrounding and spaced from the body and supported directly on the handle. In this general arrangement there is provided an improved cutter and shield release assembly of a cylindrical tapered support surface on the handle and a matching tapered support surface on the shield for telescopically locking the parts together. A cam and slot connection between the surfaces of different sized pins entering cooperating angled slots cams the tapered surfaces together and locks them. The body has a flared inner end and an abutment is provided on the shield adjacent the flared end so rotation of the shield breaks the tapered connection while simultaneously abutting the body to release the cutter without handling it.