Abstract: A blade driving assembly includes a blade-supporting shaft disposed to rotate parallel to, but laterally offset from, the axis of a food processor's drive outlet. A planetary drive system conveys rotational drive to the blade-supporting shaft, so that the blade-supporting shaft rotates around its own axis, thereby spinning the blade or blades, while at the same time the blade-supporting shaft rotates bodily around the drive-outlet axis, describing a locus, centered on the drive-outlet axis but separated therefrom by a radial distance (d) corresponding to the lateral offset.

Abstract: A tool intended as an attachment or accessory for a food processor and configured to automate the delicate operation of folding ingredients together without expelling air is described. The tool includes first and second curved blades which depend from a casing part that is rotated within a processing bowl by means of a geared arrangement that picks up rotary drive from a drive shaft coupled to a driven outlet on the base of the food processor. The blades are disposed at different distances from the axis about which the casing rotates, so that the outer blade passes closer to the wall of the bowl than does the inner blade.

Abstract: A blade assembly for a food processing appliance includes a shaft and a base member in which one end of the shaft is journalled for rotation about its axis. First and second blade members are mounted to the shaft at respective axial locations and extend radially and in opposite directions from their respective locations on the shaft, with the blade member nearer the free end of the shaft being angled back along the shaft towards the base member and the other blade member angled forwardly along the shaft, towards the free end. The first blade member further has associated therewith a relatively short and blunt stub-like blade portion angled forwardly from the support location for the first blade member and extending beyond the free end of the shaft.

Abstract: In combination, a container in which foodstuffs are to be prepared and stored, and an electrically powered food-processing appliance, wherein at least a portion of the container comprises material responsive to a condition of electrical energy applied thereto to vary the transmission of light therethrough and the appliance comprises means for selectively applying said electrical energy to said material, whereby at least said portion of said container is selectively rendered more transmissive to light.

Abstract: A tool for a food processor has a first member driven in rotation and a second stationary member which have complementary working surfaces for rolling engagement formed of a stone-like material for working ingredients into a thin paste-like form, the surfaces being conical or cylindrical.

Abstract: A tea-making appliance comprising a lidded vessel (10) adapted to contain water, an electric heater for heating to a pre-set temperature water contained in the vessel, an apertured container (12) adapted to contain tea (leaves), means suspending the container (12) from the lid (14) of the vessel and electrically powered means (18) for lowering into and raising the container (12) out of the water in accordance with a start and finish respectively of a prescribed brewing programme and for agitating the container (12) during part at least of the brewing programme.

Abstract: An ice-crushing attachment for a stand mixer presenting a rotary drive outlet (11) in addition to a planetary drive outlet (15); the attachment comprising a generally tubular body (21) for attachment to the stand mixer; a rotatable scroll-type extruding tool (22) capable of rotating within the tubular body and provided with means to couple with said rotary drive outlet when the tubular body is attached to the stand mixer; means (24) permitting ice to be introduced into the tubular body and into engagement with the extruding tool for crushing and transport towards an outlet port of the attachment; and a die member (23), selected from a plurality of die members, fitted to said outlet port and configured to influence the size and/or consistency of said crushed ice as it emerges from said port.

Abstract: A foodstuff grinding attachment (200) for connection to a rotary drive outlet (102, 152) presented by a host device (100, 150); the attachment (200) comprising a main body (204) part having a generally tubular hollowed portion (206) for attachment to the host device (100, 150); a rotatable scroll-type extruding tool (210) capable of rotating within a cavity (212) formed in said tubular portion (206) of the main body (204) part and provided with means to couple (218, 222) with said rotary drive outlet (102, 152) when the main body (204) part is attached to the host device (100, 150); means permitting foodstuff to be introduced into the cavity (212) of said tubular body portion (206) and into engagement with the extruding tool (210) for grinding and transport towards an outlet port of the attachment; wherein said main body (204) part comprises first (330) and second (340) separable components configured to be secured together for operation of the attachment (200) and wherein said components are adapted to be se

Abstract: A blade driving assembly includes a blade-supporting shaft disposed to rotate parallel to, but laterally offset from, the axis of a food processor's drive outlet. A planetary drive system conveys rotational drive to the blade-supporting shaft, so that the blade-supporting shaft rotates around its own axis, thereby spinning the blade or blades, while at the same time the blade-supporting shaft rotates bodily around the drive-outlet axis, describing a locus, centred on the drive-outlet axis but separated therefrom by a radial distance (d) corresponding to the lateral offset.

Abstract: A wand-like tool (20) for a hand blender comprises an elongate, tubular housing (22) containing a rotatable drive shaft (23). The tool is adapted at one end to permit the shaft (23) to pick up rotary drive from a hand-held driver unit, and carries a foodstuff-processing head at its other end; the processing head comprising a bladed member (26), coupled to the shaft (23) and having at least three blades (32a, 32b, 32c). The bladed member rotates within a processor head housing (27) having a tubular side-wall (30) formed with a roof (36) where the processor head housing (27) joins the tubular shaft housing (22) and being open at its opposite end, and the internal surface (38) of the side-wall (30) bears protrusions (40) facing the tips of the blades (32a, 32b, 32c). Each protrusion (40) presents a respective bluff body to foodstuffs flowing past it.