Abstract: An electric automatic pop-up toaster has a carriage and a pivotably connected manually operative arm for moving the carriage to a lowermost position for toasting in well-known manner. At the beginning of each toasting cycle, the arm is horizontal and a latching plate is magnetically held down to hold the arm and the carriage in a lowermost position. The arm presses against a wire spring to hold closed a power switch (not shown) that supplies power to heating elements of the toaster. The latching plate is (magnetically) released at the end of each toasting cycle by a timer. This allows the carriage to move upwards to pop-up toasted bread in a usual way. However should the carriage fail to move upwards when the latching plate is released, the arm is pivoted by a spring and tilted to the position shown in the Figure. The wire is therefore released and enters a slot in a bracket mounted to the carriage. The switch opens and remains open to prevent power being re-instated to the heating elements.

Abstract: A toaster includes a housing having an upper wall with bagel half shaped openings; toasting chambers in the housing accessible through the openings and having bagel half shapes; a bread rack in each toasting chamber; inner/outer heating coils surrounding each toasting chamber; electric contacts in the housing for activation of the heating coils; a raising/lowering mechanism connected with the bread racks for moving the bread racks up and down, and including first and second lateral portions connected to opposite ends of the bread racks; first and second guides mounted to the housing for guiding the first and second lateral portions with a small tolerance, a yoke housing connected with the first lateral portion and slidably movable relative to the housing, a lever slidably moving the yoke housing; a yoke slidably movable relative to the yoke housing and closing the electric contacts when the bread racks and yoke are lowered, and a first spring biasing the yoke upwardly; an electromagnet holding the yoke in the

Abstract: A toaster has a guide mechanism for a slice support (7), which mechanism comprises a substantially U-shaped rod (15) having a central portion (16) parallel to the longitudinal direction of the slice support and having two arms (17, 18) which are each supported in the respective ends (8, 9) of the slice support as well as in a frame (1) of the toaster.

Abstract: A toaster comprises a housing (1) enclosing a toasting chamber (2) in which is movably mounted a bread carrier (4) between an ejection position and a toasting position in which it is retained by an electromagnetic actuating device (5) comprising a control winding (6) with a hollow support (7) which is secured to a plate (20) carrying electrical connection members (22), and which surrounds a magnetic core (8), as well as a movable armature (9) adapted to retain the bread carrier (4) in its toasting position. The magnetic core (8) is mechanically mounted independently of the support (7) of the winding (6) and of the plate (20), and is secured to a member (24) on the housing (1).

Abstract: In a toaster having a housing, a bread-supporting carriage movably mounted in the housing for movement between a toasting position, a temperature-maintaining position, a rest position and a supplementary raised position, and a spring coupled with the carriage to apply a force which urges the carriage in a direction from the toasting position toward the supplementary raised position, a manually operable control element is operatively associated with the carriage and is movable to a selected one of a plurality of control positions for retaining the carriage at a selected one of the temperature-maintaining position and the rest position.

Abstract: An integrated circuit constructed to provide control functions to a toaster oven cooking appliance. The control functions including compensation for input voltage fluctuations, compensation for residual heat due to recycling, audible signal generation, multiple mode selection, safety shut off and others. The integrated circuit also provides flexibility to accommodate multiple models of an appliance in a product line.

Abstract: A toaster comprises a housing (1) enclosing a carriage (4) movable between an ejection position and a toasting position to which it can be brought by a handle (6) connected to one end (7) of the carriage (4) by a driver (8) secured to a finger (11) adapted to actuate a control switch (12) for the electrical supply of a heater (3). The driver (8) is movably mounted on the end (7) of the carriage (4) for movement along a vertical path (l) so as to permit the finger (11) to free the switch (12) when the carriage remains blocked in its toasting position after unlocking a retaining device (10).

Abstract: A temperature sensitive timing assembly for a toaster appliance includes a single bimetallic element having a first portion connected to a support bracket, which in turn is mounted on a mounting bracket for pivotal movement relative to the mounting bracket. A spring is positioned between the mounting bracket and the support bracket to bias the support bracket toward the mounting bracket. A stop is mounted to the mounting bracket which locks the support bracket in a fixed position when actuated by the toaster carriage assembly at the beginning of a toasting cycle. The bimetallic element has a second portion which operatively activates the toaster lock release assembly at the end of a toasting cycle. The bimetallic element also has a third portion which operatively allows the support bracket to reposition at the end of a toasting cycle so as to provide virtually immediate initiation of the next toasting cycle providing substantially the same toast color as the previous toasting cycle.

Abstract: A bread toaster comprising: a frame; a bread-supporting carriage mounted in the frame for vertical movement between a toasting portion and a first bread discharge position, the carriage having an extension; first cushioning means for cushioning arrival of the carriage at the first bread discharge position; return means mounted between the frame and the extension of the carriage; and a control means having an abutment and being movable in the frame for limiting ascent of the carriage to a second position by interaction of the abutment with a part of the carriage, wherein: the second position is a second bread discharge position for discharging bread having a first size and the first bread discharge position is a position for discharging bread having a size smaller than the first size; and one of the abutment and the part of the carriage which interacts with the abutment is provided with second cushioning means for cushioning arrival of the carriage at the second position.

Abstract: A control for an electric heating device for adjusting the duration of the device's heating cycle in order to effectively compensate for variations in the operating voltage supplied to the device. The control includes a means for adjusting the duration of the heating cycle, wherein the adjustment means generates a control voltage for controlling the duration of the heating cycle that is a dynamic function of the magnitude of the operating voltage.

Abstract: An electric toaster with a housing (1) includes a toasting chamber and a slot (2) provided in the top surface thereof for inserting slices of bread, at least one heating element (3), and at least one bread holder (4) movable up and down on a guide device (6) by a lowering and raising mechanism (8) between the housing (1) and the toasting chamber. The guide device (6) comprises a single vertical slide rail (9) with a slide (10) movably mounted thereon, and the holder (4) is attached only to the slide (10) so that it is cantilevered to the post (9).

Abstract: An automatic countertop toaster and its control that divides the toasting cycle into three thermodynamic phases related to a change in the physical characteristics of the toaster and the item being toasted. The time of each of the three phases is adjusted according to the user inputs and current conditions to obtain the proper toasting time. The invention disclosed uses a microcomputer to interface with the user and control the toaster. The measured or estimated time since the last toasting cycle and the temperature inside the toaster are used by the microcomputer in table lookups to set the times for the three thermodynamic phases of the toasting cycle. Two of the phases are further modified by the toasting mode (normal, frozen, bagel, frozen bagel, reheat) and the toast darkness setting selected by the user. The sum of the three phases after modification is the total toasting time.

Abstract: A toaster control circuit is disclosed for correcting for toaster cavity temperature variations that occur as a function of the time between toaster heating cycles. This disclosed circuit produces the same toast color during consecutive cycles, regardless of variations in the interval between heating cycles.

Abstract: A toaster having a movable bakery product shield for enhanced toasting quality. A wide slot cavity to receive bakery goods for toasting is defined on one side thereof by an upstanding, stationary product retainer spaced apart from a heating element and, on the other side thereof, by a movable product retainer having a deflector shield connected along its upper edge. Interiorally of the toaster, a carriage mechanism is mounted on an end wall for vertical reciprocal movement between an up position and a down position. Connected to the carriage mechanism and extending longitudinally through the slot cavity is a bread support shelf which is inclined toward the stationary product retainer to cause the lower edge of a bread slice placed in the toaster slot to engage the stationary product retainer.

Abstract: A toasting or heating appliance, particularly an electrical food toasting or heating appliance such as a toaster, including a housing (1) with a fixed toasting subassembly (5) and a movable toasting subassembly (6) moved by a holder (20) to form a variable-width toasting slot (7), the holder (20) including two side arms (21, 22) rotatably mounted at their ends on the housing (1), a bread rack (15) axially movable in the slot, and a control handle (16) which controls the movement of the movable bread rack (15) and is combined with an actuating member (19) for causing relative movement of the two subassemblies (5, 6), wherein the appliance further includes at least one stabilizing arm (30) arranged behind the movable subassembly (6) and connected to the back thereof via a first hinge (31), as well as to the housing (1) via a second hinge (32).

Abstract: A toasting or heating appliance, particularly an electric toaster comprising a housing with a toasting slot (7) defined by two movable squeezing grills (13), a bread rack (15) axially movable within the toasting slot (7), a carriage (40) which controls the movement of the movable bread rack (15) and is combined with a control handle (16), and a resilient return member (46) for returning the bread rack (15) to its raised receiving position, wherein the control carriage (40) is axially and resiliently movable relative to the movable bread rack (15) and provided with a member (19) that actuates a drive element (45) for moving at least one squeezing grill (13). The appliance is suitable for use as a toaster.

Abstract: An electric toaster having an automatic resetting heat reduction assembly. The toaster includes one or more cavities to receive bagels, bread, or other food products, and a plurality of heating elements located within the cavities to toast the food products. A carriage assembly movable between a raised nontoasting position and a lowered toasting position lowers and raises the food products into and out of the toasting cavities. When lowered to the toasting position, the carriage assembly activates a heat activation assembly which completes an electrical circuit between a power source and the heating elements, thereby energizing the heating elements to toast the food products. The toaster also includes a heat reduction assembly settable between an original full heat position and a depressed reduced heat position.

Abstract: A toaster has a casing, a carrier for supporting a slice of bread, the carrier being movable between an upper position to expose the slice of bread outside the casing and a lower position to render the slice of bread inside the casing, a heating element provided inside the casing for heating the slice of bread when the carrier is in the lower position, an internal operating mechanism for moving the carrier, the operating mechanism including a spring assembly for resiliently biasing the carrier upwards and holding means including a stationary solenoid for holding the carrier in the lower position, and a time for controlling the time period during which the slice of bread is to be heated by the heating element wherein the holding means is releasable by a user at point other than the solenoid or with a force relatively smaller than the holding force of the solenoid in order to release the carrier from the lower position at any time during the time period.

Abstract: A toasting machine comprising heating elements, an on/off switch for initiating a toasting cycle, a toast colour selection knob for setting a selected time period for a toasting cycle, a timing circuit arranged to measure the elapsed time since a previous toasting cycle and including time booster means, a control circuit responsive to the toast colour selection setting and the timing circuit, a connection line and plug for connecting the toasting machine to an electrical power supply so as to supply power to the heating elements on initiation of a toast cycle by the on/off switch and under control of the control circuit, a temperature measuring device arranged to measure the temperature of the toasting machine and supply a temperature representing signal to the control circuit, the control circuit being arranged to control the timing of a current toasting cycle in dependence both on the setting of the toast colour selection switch and on the timing circuit, so that the toasting cycle time period during which

Abstract: A toaster having an automatic shut-off. The toaster includes a cavity to receive bread and which includes a heating element which may be selectively energized by a switch to cause toasting of the bread. The toaster also includes a carriage mechanism to move the bread between up and down positions. The carriage mechanism includes a bread support extending into the cavity. The bread support is connected to a support frame which rides upon a vertical slide rod. Also mounted upon the slide rod is a lock frame mounted to allow limited movement with respect to the support frame. A spring is connected to the lock frame to bias it into an up position, and the lock frame includes a lock mechanism to releasable maintain it in a down position. The switch for activating the heating elements is activated when the lock frame is in this down position. A release mechanism is provided to release the lock mechanism.

Abstract: A "pop-up" toaster is controlled by a microcomputer to operate in a toast, bakery or pastry mode to toast a product to some preselected color. The microcomputer includes a memory for storing indications of the toast color selected for the present toaster cycle (TCOLOR), the toast color selected for the previous toasting cycle (TLAST), the mode selected for the present toasting cycle (MODE) and the previous toasting cycle (LMODE) as well as tables of toaster cycle times and tables of compensation values. The microcomputer counts the number of toaster cycles occurring within a predetermined time of the start of the present cycle (TCYCLE) and also develops an indication (TINT) representing the elapsed time between the end of the previous cycle and the beginning of the present cycle. A toast cycle time is selected from the tables depending upon TCYCLE, TINT and TCOLOR.

Abstract: A control arrangement for an electric food heating device having heating elements for heating foodstuff and providing a source of light impinging on the foodstuff, the control arrangement comprising: a peaking circuit (42, 30) to determine maximum reflected light from the foodstuff and provide a first signal (VI), and measuring subsequently reflected light from the foodstuff and providing a second signal (V2), said peacking circuit including amplifier means (30) for determining the difference between the first and the second signals, and providing a third signal (V3); and a comparator means (26) for comparing the third signal (V3) and a preset signal (VB), the preset signal being proportionate to a desired heating level, the comparator means providing a terminating signal (DONE) to deactivate heating when the preset and the third signals are substantially equal.

Abstract: In an electric toaster (1), a carriage (18) which supports the bread slices (8) and (10) to be toasted is movable automatically from a toasting position to a first position (FIG. 1a) where larger slices (10) can be removed and then manually to a second position (FIG. 1b) where smaller slices (8) can be removed.

Abstract: An electrical toaster is provided with timer means which is initiated when a food product carrier is secured in an operative position adjacent a toasting element. The timer means normally releases the carrier from its operative position after a toasting interval. In the event of a malfunction, the timer means operates a cut-out to interrupt the supply of power to the toasting element within a predetermined period to prevent combustion or ignition of the food product. The latter period is longer than the normal toasting interval. The timer means may include first and second timing devices for respectively timing the toasting interval and the predetermined cut-out period. Alternatively the timer means provides respective outputs for controlling the toasting interval and the cut-out period.

Abstract: A timing control apparatus and circuit for use in a toaster or other device, such as an oven, includes electronic solid-state circuitry including a thermistor operating in conjunction with a metal oxide semiconducter (CMOS) wherein when the predetermined voltage or heat buildup is attained, a condenser is charged to positive to activate the timing circuit, which, in turn, activates a SCR, shorting a full wave bridge to deactivate the heating elements and close a normally open solenoid, which unlocks a mechanical latch and permits the toast to be ejected. The device employs low operating current, expends no energy except at the moment of triggering the solenoid and is capable of being used as original equipment or to retrofit existing units.

Abstract: A skin-covered meat product, such as poultry and especially chickens, is roasted and grilled in a cassette-oven installation with a roasting oven, a spray box and a grilling oven. First the skin of the chicken is perforated by injection needles and simultaneously a saline solution with atomized seasonings is injected into the chicken meat. At a starting position the chickens are threaded and fastened on a vertical rotary spit suspended on an endless conveying chain (24), the spits are electrically heated and together with the chickens are transported through the roasting oven where the chickens are exposed to short-wave infrared radiation and roasted. The spits with the chickens thereafter are transported through the spray box where the chickens are sprayed with a mixture of oil and atomized seasonings and then are transported through the grilling oven where the chickens are exposed to medium-wave infrared radiation and grilled.