Electric toasters

An electric toaster comprising a casing formed with an opening leading to an interior of the casing whereby a slice of bread to be toasted can be inserted into said interior, electrically energizable heater means mounted in the casing for applying bread toasting heat to the inserted slice, bread supporting means mounted in the casing for movement in opposite directions inwardly and outwardly of the casing, spring means mounted in the casing and urging said bread supporting means in the direction outwardly of the casing, said bread supporting means being movable inwardly of the casing into a toasting position where the bread supporting means supports the slice alongside the heater means, electro-magnetic holding means mounted in the casing and operable when energized for holding the bread supporting means in said toasting position and for releasing said bread supporting means when de-energized, an electric circuit mounted in the casing, said circuit including the electro-magnetic holding means and switch means operable by the insertion of the slice for establishing an energizing current path through said electro-magnetic holding means, degree of toasting control means included in said circuit and operable for de-energizing said electromagnetic holding means upon the slice becoming toasted to a desired degree, said switch means operable for interrupting the supply of current to the circuit by movement of toast in the outward direction under propulsion by said spring means, and wherein the toast support means is a carriage, a lid is pivotably mounted on the casing for closing and opening said opening in the casing, a pivoted linkage is mounted on the casing and interconnects the lid and carriage whereby a closure movement of the lid moves said carriage inwardly of the casing and outward movement of the carriages raises said lid, and said switch means being mounted on the casing for actuation by movement of the lid whereby closure of the lid makes the switch means and the switch means breaks by opening of the lid.

An electric toaster comprising a casing formed with an opening leading to an interior of the casing whereby a slice of bread to be toasted can be inserted into said interior, electrically energizable heater means mounted in the casing for applying bread toasting heat to the inserted slice, bread supporting means mounted in the casing for movement in opposite directions inwardly and outwardly of the casing, spring means mounted in the casing and urging said bread supporting means in the direction outwardly of the casing, said bread supporting means being movable inwardly of the casing into a toasting position where the bread supporting means supports the slice alongside the heater means, electromagnetic holding means mounted in the casing and operable when energized for holding the bread supporting means in said toasting position and for releasing said bread supporting means when de-energized, an electric circuit mounted in the casing, said circuit including the electro-magnetic holding means and switch means operable by the insertion of the slice for establishing an energizing current path through said electro-magnetic holding means, degree of toasting control means included in said circuit and operable for de-energizing said electro-magnetic holding means upon the slice becoming toasted to a desired degree, said switch means operable for interrupting the supply of current to the circuit by movement of toast in the outward direction under propulsion by said spring means, and wherein said switch means is makeable by pressure thereagainst and breakable upon release of said pressure, and the switch means is mounted for a slice of bread inserted in said casing to press thereagainst.

An electric toaster comprising a casing formed with an opening leading to an interior of the casing whereby a slice of bread to be toasted can be inserted into said interior, electrically energizable heater means mounted in the casing for applying bread toasting heat to the inserted slice, bread supporting means mounted in the casing for movement in opposite directions inwardly and outwardly of the casing, spring means mounted in the casing and urging said bread supporting means in the direction outwardly of the casing, said bread supporting means being movable inwardly of the casing into a toasting position where the bread supporting means supports the slice alongside the heater means, electro-magnetic holding means mounted in the casing and operable when energized for holding the bread supporting means in said toasting position and for releasing said bread supporting means when de-energized, an electric circuit mounted in the casing, said circuit including the electro-magnetic holding means and switch means operable by the insertion of the slice for establishing an energizing current path through said electro-magnetic holding means, degree of toasting control means included in said circuit and operable for de-energizing said electro-magnetic holding means upon the slice becoming toasted to a desired degree, a source of light mounted in the casing for directing a beam of light onto the slice of bread being toasted, photoelectric means provided for light reflected from a surface of the slice to make incidence on the photoelectric means, said photoelectric means providing a first electrical signal which varies in response to the decrease in the amount of light incident thereon as the bread is toasted a progressively darker color, differential amplifier means arranged to receive the first electrical signal on one input and receive a second electrical signal on a second input, signal generator means providing said second signal at a value which is selectively variable and a function of the desired degree of toasting, thyristor means mounted electrically in parallel with field winding means of electro-magnetic means, an output of the differential amplifier connected to a triggering electrode means of said thyristor means, the arrangement being such that when the difference in values between the first and second signals reaches a predetermined value, the amplifier means gives an output signal which fires the thyristor means to provide a conducting path short circuiting said field winding means.