Abstract: A low-headroom popcorn popper, particularly for under-cabinet mounting, employs a charging drawer alongside an intermediate chute for entering kernels of corn into a popping chamber. The corn remains in the charging drawer until a charging slide is pushed to permit the corn to enter the popping chamber. A horizontal air path between a blower and a plenum surrounding the popping chamber further reduces headroom. Air enters the perimeter of the popping chamber from the plenum in a horizontal swirling motion produced by slanted louvers. A door closes an open bottom of the popping chamber to permit removal of unpopped kernels of corn and other debris therefrom. Heater elements are disposed in the plenum chamber non-uniformly in angle about the popping chamber to attain a substantially uniform air temperature entering the popping chamber. Separation of popped corn from unpopped kernels of corn is attained using two cylindrical sections connected by a diverging conical section.

Abstract: Automatic switching apparatus for a hand held electrically operated appliance such as a pressing iron. A motion sensor and an electronic timer cooperate to automatically shut off the iron if the iron remains stationary for a predetermined period of time. A simplified mechanism is manually operable in the event the user desires to reactivate the iron. A circuit board mounting simplified electronic circuitry is located within the handle of the iron. An appropriate indicator informs the user whether the iron is in the active mode or in the inactive mode.

Abstract: A new and improved electric toaster oven is disclosed, wherein the heating ratio between upper and lower heat sources can be readily changed to suit the different requirements of the food item being cooked, while the rate at which the total heat is applied to the food item remains substantially constant throughout.

Abstract: A novel cooking oven provides a plurality of elongated heating rods which are parallel to one another and surround the foodstuff to be cooked. The rods are energized sequentially by current flow controlled in magnitude and time to produce either black baking heat from the heating rods or infrared radiation from the heating rods by heating them to a red color. By sequentially heating the rods, the heat source in effect rotates around the foodstuff to be cooked to produce equal and even browning equivalent to that obtained by conventional rotisserie cooking in which the foodstuff is rotated relative to a stationary heat source. The oven may also be used in other heating modes such as pressurized cooking by containing the apparatus in a pressurized vessel with the heat sources consisting of inherent heat sources which will produce browning and crisping while heating in the pressurized mode.

Abstract: In a strain gage weighing scale with a load platform, a plurality of foot structures support the platform. The invention is an improvement in each foot structure of a sandwich with a bottom support plate, a pair of spaced first cylindrical roller fulcrums on the plate, a floating beam plate on the first fulcrums and spaced above and coextensive with the bottom plate. A pair of differently spaced and equally offset second cylindrical roller fulcrums on the beam plate support the platform. Suitable strain gages are secured to the beam any place between the closer pair of fulcrums. The entire sandwich is held together by a deformable plastic housing that secures the plates and fulcrums together and is barb-connected to the platform. The strain gages are connected to conventional converting structure measuring the change in resistance under load and calibrated to read weight. The deformable plastic housing holding the sandwich is an integral molding with structural details reducing friction between the parts.

Abstract: A thermostat assembly to control heat to an iron soleplate, includes a bimetal blade on a soleplate boss responding to the heat thereto to make and break the electric circuit. To this standard construction an improved thermostat assembly uses a slot in the bimetal blade adjacent its free end, the slot extending partially across the blade at right angles to the longitudinal axis with a second compensating blade deforming in the opposite direction and secured to the first blade between the slot and free end with the axes of deformation of the blades oriented at right angles to each other such that the cross slot provides delay in heat conduction so the contacts first open at a lower main blade temperature than subsequent openings to reduce overshooting of the temperature in the iron soleplate.

Abstract: The invention is a detachable probe control for an electrically heated utensil to sense the temperature and control the electric current to the utensil. It uses a hollow thin walled tubular finger that snugly fits in a matching recess for good heat conduction therebetween for temperature control of the utensil in a conventional manner. The particular probe of the invention uses a transducer in the form of a thermistor that is supported in the finger of a unique mounting such that the temperature of the tube walls is readily sensed by the thermistor. Structure is provided to electrically insulate the thermistor while at the same time permitting thermal conductivity to the thermistor whereby the thermistor responds rapidly to finger or probe temperature changes for accurate temperature control of the utensil.

Abstract: An automatic coffee brewing machine is provided with a heater for heating the pump apparatus for forcing water therethrough, thermostatic switch means associated with the pump apparatus for sensing the completion of the brewing cycle, and circuit means including the switch means effective upon completion of the brewing cycle for changing the power output of the heater from the high level required for brewing operation to a much lower level required to prevent reinitiation of the brewing cycle. A heating unit for a carafe holding brewed coffee has heating means associated with the circuit means for producing heat both during and after the brewing cycle, the heat produced during the brewing cycle being greater than that produced after the brewing cycle.

Abstract: In an apparatus for electrically heating and dispensing flowable material from a pressurized container, including a housing supporting the container, a heat exchanger connected to receive material dispensed through a valve assembly, and structure for effecting temperature control of said material, an improvement is provided in the support and valve assembly that comprises a single universal valve assembly member supported on, fixedly secured to, and passing through, the housing to prevent relative motion therebetween, and structure is provided on the valve member extending within the housing to lockingly engage and support a container by a rolled flange on the container.

Abstract: A steam iron having an exterior wall portion which at least partially defines an internal water reservoir and a cover member secured and peripherally sealed to the outer surface of the exterior wall portion to form therewith a chamber communicating with the reservoir through relatively small spaced-apart openings in the exterior wall portion. Both the cover and wall are preferably of a heat resistant plastic. The exterior wall portion is aligned to cover or conceal the openings which are positioned so the water level in the reservoir is indicated through a transparent portion of the cover member when the iron is disposed in either a horizontal ironing position or a vertical filling position.

Abstract: Apparatus for heating flowable material from a pressurized container in a housing with a heat exchanger assembly having an inlet and outlet and passage conducting the material therebetween, and an electrically heated closed tube in heat transfer relation with the passage. In this general arrangement, an improvement is provided in the control for the electrically heated closed tube, that comprises a substantially flat non-conducting chassis with electric conductors through the chassis and sealed thereto; an adjustable thermostat is supported on one side of the chassis and connected to the conductors; an extending heat conducting closed tube in fluid tight seal with the chassis is provided on the other side thereof and it has a heating element therein. The passage is disposed around the tube in a tight helix for good heat transfer and a biased non-conducting axially and rotatably moveable control rod extends through the chassis and is sealed thereto.