Patent GB-637612-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to electric toasters
IPC: A47J37/08
Filed: 1948-01-09
Abstract: 637,612. Toasters. HOOVER, Ltd. Jan. 9, 1948, No. 770. Convention date, Jan. 10, 1947. [Class 28(i)] [Also in Group XXXVII] An auxiliary heater 63 of a toaster is moved further away from the thermostatic timer (bimetallic strip 106) when the bread is automatically released after a set time and retained away until the timer returns to its cool position (usually in a few seconds) so that the next bread slice gets its full time for toasting. If the next slice . is inserted sooner, the main heaters remain off until the bimetal strip has cooled, after which it initiates mechanism to switch on the heaters. After slices are inserted through top slots 12 to rest on carriers 16, a handle 31, Fig. 3, is depressed, whereby arms 27 are depressed by rollers 26 on the main carrier plate 22 to locate the bread between the heaters 23. A lug 26 on 22 contacts cam 119 of latch 114 to free hook 115 and then by upward movement, Fig. 5, hook 115 engages lug 116 to latch the carriers 116 in toasting position. A signal light 75 is also switched on to illuminate the hand wheel 70. A second carrier plate 50 carrying auxiliary heater 63 is mounted for vertical movement with, and also independently, on the main carrier plate 22, and is biassed to lowermost position by a spring 53 (not shown). This secondary heater-carrying plate 50 will also be carried along with the main plate 22 and causes contacts 72 attached to 50 to engage fixed contacts 73 to energize the main heaters 23 and also the auxiliary heaters 63 to initiate toasting and also carries heaters 63 and its reflectors 64 to position directly above the bi-metal strip 106. In so doing the reflector 64 is moved by the'contact of its arm 68 with cam 67 which is adjustably set by handwheel 70. Since the toaster is cold the spiral bi-metal 69 will have rotated the cam 67 whereby more heat is reflected by 64 to the bi-metal strip 106 irrespective of the setting of the handwheel 70. When the bread has been toasted the bi-metal strip 106 will have bent to actuate release mechanism to allow the toast carriers 16-22 to be moved up by spring 32. The auxiliary heater 63 and its reflector 64 is also moved up from the bi-metal control strip 106 and spring 65 turns reflector 64 away from the strip 106 so that it will cool quickly to allow the next bread slice to be toasted for the required length of time. If the next slice is inserted and started before the bimetal strip has cooled the reflector 64 is automatically held in non-reflecting position so that cooling continues until completed. Then the bi-metal strip 106 snaps up to position Fig. 6 and initiates mechanism to switch on the heaters after this delay when the cycle proceeds as before. Manual release of the bread carriers 15-22 is obtained by raising handle 31 to move up arm 27, Fig. 6, whereby lug 38 engages hook 39 of a link 37 which pivots the lever 114 about 113 thus freeing its hook 115 from the projecting lug 116 on 22 and allowing springs to raise the bread carrier plate 22. Manual depression of the bread carrier plate 22 to toasting position reengages 116 in the hook 119 by the action of spring 117. When the bi-metal strip 106 has become hot and so snaps down, Fig. 5, the actuating lever 121 pivoting about 120 also snaps down and strikes the main latch lever 114 at 118, thus releasing its hook 115 from 116 on the main bread carrier 22, so allowing it to be pushed up by spring 32. The connection of the bi-metal 106 with the lever 121 allows some lost motion. The auxiliary heater-carrier plate 50 is held down when toasting by its lug 55 engaging lug 56 on the stop lever 133. A dashpot 35 cushions the impact of the spring 32 as it pulls the main carrier plate 22 and its associated parts to upper bread-receiving position. Specification 637,610 is referred to.