Abstract: A blender apparatus (10) includes a blender jar (14) having a base (16) and a container (18) for receiving food products; and a blade mechanism at least partially disposed within the blender jar (14). The blade mechanism includes a drive shaft (32) defining a shaft axis and being engageable with a drive mechanism for rotating the drive shaft (32) and first and second cutting blades (36, 38) mounted to the drive shaft (32). The first cutting blade (36) generally extends along the shaft axis and has at least one cutting edge (40) while the second cutting blade (38) traverses the shaft axis and also has at least one cutting edge (44). The first cutting blade (36) may have opposed cutting edges (40). The opposed cutting edges (40) may be dimensioned to extend to an apex (42) of the first cutting blade (36). The apex (42) may be generally sharp. The second cutting blade (38) may include a pair of opposed lobes (46) with each lobe (46) defining an arcuate profile and having a cutting edge (44).

Abstract: A vertical toaster comprising a housing, heating elements, a food support and a drive. The heating elements are connected to the housing and comprise at least one calrod. The calrod comprises an electric wire surrounded by heat conductive electrical insulation and a metal cover. The food support is movably mounted to the housing for up and down motion. The drive is for moving the food support relative to the housing. The drive comprises a motor and a linkage between the motor and the food support for moving the food support both down and up such that food on the food support passes by the calrod. The calrod prevents an electrical shock to a user if the user accidentally contacts the calrod with an electrically conductive member.

Abstract: An electric oven having a frame; top heating elements connected to the frame; a control connected to the heating elements; a food support rack removably connected to the frame between the top heating elements and a bottom of the frame; a drive comprising a motor connected to the frame; and a rotisserie skewer removably connected to the drive. The rotisserie skewer is located between the top heating elements and the bottom of the frame. The control has an oven temperature and broil selector, and a timer selector.

Abstract: A flat bread and tortilla warmer in which a pair of spring biased rollers are rotatably mounted in a housing. Roller heating elements in the housing heat the rollers. The rollers pinch a flat bread in between for simultaneously heating the flat bread and moving it through a portion of the housing. A second set of spaced heating elements may be disposed below the roller heating elements for warming the flat bread after it passes through the rollers.

Abstract: A vertical toaster comprising a housing, heating elements, a food support and a drive. The heating elements are connected to the housing and comprise at least one calrod. The calrod comprises an electric wire surrounded by heat conductive electrical insulation and a metal cover. The food support is movably mounted to the housing for up and down motion. The drive is for moving the food support relative to the housing. The drive comprises a motor and a linkage between the motor and the food support for moving the food support both down and up such that food on the food support passes by the calrod. The calrod prevents an electrical shock to a user if the user accidentally contacts the calrod with an electrically conductive member.

Abstract: An electric appliance control comprising an electromagnet; an electrical switch assembly; a ferromagnetic section movable with a contact of the switch assembly towards the electromagnet; and a user actuated member adapted to move the ferromagnetic section and the contact towards the electromagnet. When the electromagnet is energized and the ferromagnetic section and contact are moved by the user actuated member to an actuated position, the electromagnet can retain the contact at the actuated position by magnetically holding the ferromagnetic section at the actuated position.

Abstract: An electric toaster comprising a heating element; and a combined user actuation and thermostat switch assembly connected to the heating element. The switch assembly comprises a thermostat having a bi-metal electrical contact blade and a snap-acting electrical contact blade, and a user actuated member for moving the snap-acting blade towards the bi-metal blade. The switch assembly provides an electrical path between the heating element and an electrical power supply cord without an additional separate user actuated power switch along the path.

Abstract: The invention resides in an oven which is capable of recirculating air in a laminar pattern around food stuff supported within the oven cavity. The heating elements of the oven are disposed at the lower portion of the oven with the food stuff being supported thereabove. Air which is drawn in by an impeller at the top of the cavity is driven downwardly through a duct and redirected below the food and across heating element(s) and thereafter redirected upward in a recirculating pattern to effect uniform cooking of the food stuff located therein.

Abstract: A stand mixer comprising a drive shaft, a transmission shaft, and a coupling. The drive shaft is rotatably held in a first housing. The transmission shaft is held in a second housing. The second housing is pivotally mounted to the first housing so that the first housing may be pivoted relative to the second housing. The coupling connects the drive shaft to the transmission shaft when the first housing is in an operating position. The coupling includes a self aligning coupling. The self aligning coupling comprises a first member, a second member and a spring. The first member is inserted into and intermeshed with the second member to transfer power between the drive shaft and the transmission shaft. When the first housing is pivoted to the operating position the spring biases the first member against the second member to intermesh the first member with the second member.

Abstract: A toaster oven with a modular control assembly. The assembly has a frame, an electrical switch assembly, a solenoid, and two levers. The electrical switch assembly is connected to the frame and has multiple sets of electrical switch contact blades. The two levers are directly pivotably connected to the frame. A first lever is connected to the solenoid to be moved by the solenoid. The second lever is adapted to move one of the sets of contact blades to a closed position. The two levers have portions adapted to engage and lock against each other. The toaster oven has a rotatable control shaft with two fins extending from a main section of the shaft in general offset radial directions. The control shaft is supported on the electrical switch assembly and is connected to a thermostat. The thermostat has a cam surface and two raised areas on opposite ends of the cam surface.

Abstract: An electric coffeemaker includes a first electric heater for heating water for brewing the coffee. A carafe is supported on a base portion of the housing of the coffeemaker. A second electric heater is mounted in heat transfer relation with the base portion for keeping the base portion warm when a coffee-laden carafe is positioned thereon. The operation of the second electric heater is controlled to reduce the heat delivered to the base portion when a relatively lesser quantity of coffee has been brewed and to increase the amount of heat delivered to the base portion when a relatively greater quantity of coffee has been brewed. The operation of the second heater may also be varied to satisfy specific consumer taste preferences.

Abstract: An electric toaster includes a housing defining a toaster cavity. A comestible support rack is mounted within the toasting cavity for supporting the bread to be toasted in a horizontal plane within the cavity. The toaster includes first and second heaters mounted respectively above and below the support rack. The cavity includes radiant energy reflecting surfaces above and below the support tray to direct energy generated by the heaters of the toaster to uniformly toast each side of the comestible. Heat shields are positioned between each of the heaters and the food support rack. The heat shields aid the reflective surfaces in uniformly toasting the surfaces of the comestible.

Abstract: A control for a toaster for varying the toasting cycle includes a switch for connecting the toaster heater to a source of electrical power. A temperature responsive resistance element senses the temperature within the cavity. A capacitor is responsive to the magnitude of the voltage of the electrical power. The capacitor and the temperature responsive resistance element are included within a timing circuit such that a selected duration of time for a toasting cycle to obtain a desired toast color is varied if the voltage of the power supply increases above a predetermined magnitude during the toasting cycle. The duration of time for the toasting cycle is also varied as the temperature in the cavity increases as a consequence of operation of the toaster for consecutive toast cycles.

Abstract: An electric toaster includes a housing defining a toaster cavity. A comestible support rack is mounted within the toasting cavity for supporting the bread to be toasted in a horizontal plane within the cavity. The toaster includes first and second heaters mounted respectively above and below the support rack. The cavity includes radiant energy reflecting surfaces above and below the support tray to direct energy generated by the heaters of the toaster to uniformly toast each side of the comestible. Heat shields are positioned between each of the heaters and the food support rack. The heat shields aid the reflective surfaces in uniformly toasting the surfaces of the comestible.

Abstract: A support system for suspending a kitchen appliance from the bottom surface of a kitchen cabinet includes a pair of horizontally spaced mounting brackets connected to the bottom surface of the kitchen cabinet. Each bracket includes a plurality of vertically spaced horizontally extending ribs. Each of the ribs includes a trailing edge and a leading edge. Each leading edge includes a first vertically extending wall and each trailing edge includes a second vertically extending wall. Adjacent pairs of ribs define therebetween a horizontally extending slot. The kitchen appliance includes a housing having sidewalls. Each sidewall includes a handle-like member extending horizontally towards the rear wall of the kitchen appliance. The member includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. Each trailing edge includes a vertically extending wall which abuts the first vertically extending wall of one of the ribs when the member is placed in the slot defined between adjacent ribs.

Abstract: An electric toaster is suspended from the lower surface of a kitchen cabinet. The electric toaster has a horizontally disposed toasting compartment. An inner wall defines the toasting compartment and is spaced from an outer housing wall. A partition extends in the space between the inner and outer housing walls to separate the space into inner and outer air paths. An air inlet is in fluid flow communication with the inner air path to obtain convective cooling of the inner air path. The air in the outer air path provides an insulating barrier to minimize the transfer of heat from the toasting compartment to the housing wall.

Abstract: A hand-held vacuum cleaner including a housing having mating first and second half housing elements. The housing has a handle and a nozzle. A motor is mounted within the housing for driving a shaft. A fan is mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith. A selectively separable bag assembly is mounted on the housing. A working air channel is defined within the housing communicating the nozzle with the bag assembly. The bag assembly includes a collar, a dirty air collector bag attached to the collar, and a combination latch and handle member pivotally connected to the collar. The housing includes a wall member for receiving the collar of the bag assembly and a detent member for holding the latch and handle member in a locking position when the member is pivoted into engagement therewith for securing the bag assembly onto the wall member of the housing.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a motor, a housing enclosing the motor, a fan driven by the motor for producing a vacuum, a canister removably attached to the front end of the housing and having an intake nozzle for reception of foreign matter, liquid and air drawn into the canister in response to the vacuum developed by the fan. The intake nozzle includes a converging section extending from the front of the nozzle towards the center thereof and a diverging section extending from the terminus of the converging section towards the terminus of the nozzle. A squeegee is disposed in said nozzle and has a main body portion including at least one flow passage defined by a forward converging section terminating in a generally constant diameter section. The end of said constant diameter section is generally aligned with the terminus of the converging section of the nozzle. A flapper valve overlies the end of said constant diameter section of said squeegee and is integrally molded with said main body portion.

Abstract: A hand-held vacuum cleaner including a housing comprising mating first and second half housing elements. The housing has a handle and a nozzle. A motor is mounted within the housing for driving a shaft. A fan is mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith. A selectively separable bag assembly is mounted on the housing. A working channel is defined within the housing communicating the nozzle with the bag assembly. A connector joins a hose or similar attachment to the vacuum cleaner. The connector extends the flow path of the working air from the attachment to the nozzle. The connector comprises a first section for direct engagement with the attachment and a second section adapted for fitting over the housing in underlying registration with the nozzle. The second section includes a fluid flow channel and an edge wall surrounding the fluid flow channel and an edge wall surrounding the fluid flow channel and having an extent and configuration to fit in substantially fluid tight engagement with the nozzle.