Patent ID: 6123012
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: A47J

Abstract:
A toaster comprising:a housing having an upper wall with at least one opening;at least one toasting chamber in said housing, said at least one toasting chamber being accessible through said at least one opening;a bread rack in said toasting chamber for holding a food item thereon;heating coils at least partially surrounding each said toasting chamber;electric contacts for activation of said heating coils;a raising/lowering mechanism connected with said at least one bread rack for moving said at least one bread rack between a raised inoperative position and a lowered cooking position in said at least one toasting chamber and for engaging said electric contacts in said lowered cooking position to activate said heating coils, said raising/lowering mechanism including:a yoke housing connected with said at least one bread rack and slidably movable relative to said housing;a lever connected with said yoke housing for slidably moving said yoke housing;a yoke slidably movable relative to said yoke housing and closing said electric contacts when said at least one bread rack is in said lowered cooking position and said yoke is in a lowered position relative to said yoke housing; anda first spring for biasing said yoke upwardly to a raised position relative to said yoke housing;an electromagnet for holding said yoke in said lowered position relative to said yoke housing; anda control device for controlling said electromagnet to release said yoke after a predetermined cooking time, such that said spring moves said yoke upwardly to said raised position relative to said yoke housing to disengage said yoke from closing contact with said electric contacts, regardless of whether said at least one bread rack is moved to said upper inoperative position.