Abstract: An electric blender comprises a base unit including an electric motor, a connecting line for connecting the motor to a power supply, a separate glass container incorporating rotatable blades and engageable with the base unit so that the motor, when connected to the power supply will drive the blades, a lid for closing the container but separable therefrom, and interlock switch in said connecting line operable between closed and open conditions, the switch being normally biased to its open condition and an enabling member integral with the lid and arranged to operate the switch to the closed condition only when the container and its lid are correctly engaged with one another and the container is engaged with the base unit.

Abstract: An electric heating element (11) in which electrically conductive tape (23) is wound on a non-electrically conductive former (12) and the tape is completely covered by covers (30) of electrically non-conductive but heat conductive material secured to the former. Preferably the covers and former are of Mica or Micanite. The covers are each made from several pieces and are secured to the former and each other by fastening eyelets (26) or staples extending through the covers and former intermediate the edges and at spaced positions along two opposite edges. For use in an upright toaster the tape is wound continuously round the former with each run thereof extending between the grooves in the opposite side edges of the former, the grooves in the upper portion being spaced from one another by 4.6 to 7 mm while the grooves in the lower portion of the former are spaced by a smaller distance in the range 3.6 to 5 mm.

Abstract: An electric heating element (11) in which electrically conductive tape (23) is wound on a non-electrically conductive former (12) and the tape is completely covered by covers (30) of electrically non-conductive but heat conductive material secured to the former. Preferably the covers and former are of Mica or Micanite. The covers are secured to the former by channel sectioned strips (31) along opposite side edges and by fastening eyelets (26) extending through the covers and former intermediate the edges. For use in an upright toaster the tape is wound continuously round the former with each run thereof extending between the grooves in the opposite side edges of the former, the grooves in the upper portion being spaced from one another by 4.6 to 7 mm while the grooves in the lower portion of the former are spaced by a smaller distance in the range 3.6 to 5 mm. For use in a conveyor toaster the runs adjacent the sides of the conveyor are more closely spaced than those in the center.

Abstract: For an upright toaster, wire guards of spring material of inverted U-section with diverging arms are provided for defining the toaster slots. A toaster has a casing and one or more toaster slots for receiving bread, heating elements on each side of each slot and a plurality of wire guards defining the widths of the toaster slots. The widths of the slots are greater at the top than at the bottom with the base of the arm of the guard on at least one side of each of the slots being movable outwardly and restoring itself under the natural spring of its material.

Abstract: A corkscrew assembly of the self-pull type having a screw member and a holding member. The lower end of the screw member is adapted to be inserted into a cork and an upper end secured to a handle by which the screw member can be rotated. The holding member has a body formed with a bore to loosely receive the screw and a pair of arms adapted to engage a bottle. The lower part of the handle has a projecting portion that snap fits into the bore of the holding member to retain the members together against inadvertent separation.

Abstract: The invention provides a kettle having a body and a spout with an entrance end and an exit end. A coarse filter is located across the entrance end and a separate fine filter is detachably attached to the exit end. The fine filter assembly forms a seal with the surface of the spout at the exit end and is a push fit or snap fit, preferably incorporating an elastic sealing member, on the exit end.

Abstract: A cordless electric kettle comprises a power base unit to be connected to a power supply and an extension unit connected to a kettle body, the units being molded from plastics material and each incorporating an electrical connector located substantially on the kettle vertical axis, the electrical connectors being interengagable to form an electrical connection with one another (in the preferred form when the kettle is placed on the base unit at any orientation around the axis). The kettle includes an ON/OFF switch movable to an ON position by a manually operable actuator and a biasing member biasing the switch to an OFF position.

Abstract: A blender (13) comprises a base support (12) having a motor (14), a container (22) formed in two connectable and disconnectable portions (23, 26), a first of the portions being a base portion (23) mounting a number of rotatable blades (30) and being connectable to the base support so that the blades will be driven by the motor (14), and the other portion comprising an upper open tubular portion (26), the blender including a motor disable switch (17) arranged to automatically disable the motor unless the base portion and upper portion are fully engaged with each other and the base support. A switch operating member, in the form of a collar (41) and plunger (20), provides effective connection between the upper tubular portion (26) of the container and the switch, such that it will move the switch to its operative position when the upper portion and base portion are full engaged with each other and the base support.