Patent GB-810943-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to electric bread toasters
Inventor: HILD HENRY FRANK
IPC: A47J37/08
Filed: 1957-01-17
Abstract: 810,943. Electric toasters. PROCTOR ELECTRIC CO. Jan. 17, 1957, No. 1768/57. Class 28 (1). The operating mechanism for a toaster bread carriage comprises, at one end of the toaster frame, a lever pivoted at one side of the frame and extending more than half-way towards the other side with its free end pivoted to a connecting link pivoted to the carriage, a central vertically slidable operating member being loosely connected to an intermediate point of the lever so that a given movement of this member produces a more extensive movement of the carriage. The toaster comprises a top casing member 20 with bread-receiving openings 23, 24, a casing body 21, an insulating base 22 and stationary handle members 27. The bread slices are supported on a bread carriage 26 linked to finger piece 25 by which it may be lowered. The toaster contains a support structure comprising a chassis support member 29 and an inverted U-shaped frame 30 with slots 31, 32 to receive the bread slices. The bread carriage 26 comprises two racks 33, 34 supported at one end on a plate 35 slidably supported on a rod 36 supported between extensions 37, 38 of frame 30. This end of frame 30 is slotted at 39 and 40 to accommodate the bread racks 33, 34 whose free ends are guided in slots in the opposite end of frame 30. Bushings of graphetized bronze may be provided loosely held between flanges and fingers extending from plate 35 to facilitate the sliding of the carriage. Further, preferably one rack is fixed rigidly to plate 35 and the other is pivoted. Knob 25 is rigidly secured to a portion 48 of a member 45 whose upper end is pivoted to frame 30 at 50 and 51 its two arms extending one across each end of frame 30. The lever 46 passes through an oval aperture in member 45 where it is held loosely by projections 54 at a point between its pivot and its free end. A generally C-shaped link 47 has its end pivotally connected respectively to the free end of arm 52 at 55 and to the carriage 26 at 56. Torsion spring 57 with a coil portion 60 has arms 61, 62 secured respectively to frame 30 at 58 and to link 47 at 59 biases the carriage to its upper position. The carriage 26 is held in toasting position by a latch 63 pivoted to plate 35 at 64 and held by a latch keeper 66 which forms part of the armature of electromagnet 67. At the end of the toasting cycle, electromagnet 67 is energized by closure of a thermostatic switch so that the armature rotates latch keeper 66, allows catch 65 to rotate clockwise, Fig. 3, and hence releases latch 63. Latch 63 has a cam surface 63a which engages the edge of an opening 65a in catch 65 so that the engagement of these surfaces cams catch 65 downwards. The arm 53 of lever 46 has a downwardly turned end which engages an insulating arm 77 and closes switch 70 when the carriage is lowered. Lever arm 53 is also connected loosely to link 74 which is secured to the piston 73 of a dash pot 71. Member 45 has side extensions 75, 76 which engage between recessed portion 77 of casing 21 and skirt portion 78 of stationary handle 27. Dimples 79, 80 respectively on extensions 75, 76 and ribs 81, 82 on skirt portion 78 of handle 27 form the slideways for member 45. The portion 48, which carries knob 25, moves in a close-fitting slot 83 in portion 78 to prevent sideways motion. Handle 27 is secured by friction fasteners 86, 87 and screws 88, 89 which also hold a flexible plate 90 which holds the casing top 20 biased against flange 91 of body 21. Body 21 is formed from a generally oval sheet of material whose flanged meeting edges are secured by spotwellding.