Apparatus for safe storage and dispensation of sliced bread

Apparatus for storing sliced bread for easy dispensation of individual slices therefrom, comprising:

• elongate bread containment means for containing a plurality of upright bread slices in a horizontally disposed array, said containment means having flexible, bellows-like, foldable longitudinal sides, a closed end and an open end;
• casing means for encasing said containment means, said casing means having longitudinal sides, an essentially horizontal base with an inside surface slidably supporting said containment means and at least one end provided with a lid openable by a user, said open end of said containment means being disposed immediately adjacent said lid, wherein said lid is hinged along a bottom edge to said casing means and is formed to latch shut by engaging a portion of said casing means above said hinge and said lid is formed with a small vent hole to allow said bread slices to breathe during their containment;
• user-operated moving means movably supported inside said casing means for moving said closed end of said containment means toward said lid, to thereby facilitate sequential access to said plurality of contained bread slices when said lid is opened;
• and
• a generally flat, flexible cushion element, smaller in area than an inside surface of said lid and attached essentially centrally thereto, said cushion being shaped to avoid totally blocking said vent hole under normal use, whereby any contact between said cushion and the closest bread slice is a soft contact and said contained bread slices are free to breathe even when said lid is shut.

Apparatus for storing two quantities of sliced bread for easy dispensation of individual slices therefrom, comprising:

• first and second elongate bread containment means each for containing a plurality of upright bread slices in a horizontally disposed array, each of said containment means having flexible, bellows-like, foldable longitudinal sides, a closed end and an open end, with the respective closed ends being mutually adjacent;
• casing means for encasing and permanently retaining said first and second containment means collinearly, said casing means having longitudinal sides, an essentially horizontal base with an inside surface slidably supporting said first and second containment means and having two open opposite ends each provided with a lid openable by a user, said open end of said containment means each disposed immediately adjacent a respective one of said lids, said casing means including means for engaging a respective one of said containment means to retain the same inside said casing means;
• and
• user-operated moving means movably supported inside said casing means for individually moving said closed end of said first and second containment means toward a respective one of said lids, to thereby facilitate sequential access to said plurality of contained bread slices therethrough.