Toaster

Abstract

A bread toaster comprising a housing and at least one slot opening for receiving an article to be toasted. The bread is progressively traversed by a linear heat source in a pair of passes. A first pass is at a rate which is sufficient to drive moisture from at least the surface of the bread, but which is insufficient to significantly darken the bread. A second pass is at a rate which is sufficient to darken and toast the surface to a desired degree.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A bread toaster comprising a toaster housing, at least one slot opening in said housing adapted to receive an article to be toasted, a holding carriage moveable relative to said slot opening between a first position adjacent said opening to a second position spaced from said opening, a drive motor for said carriage, a drive transmission between said carriage and said motor adapted to move said carriage from said first position to said second position and from said second position back to said first position, a start switch adapted to energize said motor in a first drive direction, a first switch responsive to movement of said carriage to said second position to reverse the drive direction of said motor and the direction of travel of said carriage from said second position to said first position, a second switch responsive to movement of said carriage to said first position to de-energize said motor and terminate carriage travel, a substantially linear heat source adjacent said first position and extending transversely across the path of travel of the carriage.  
     
     
         2 . A bread toaster according to  claim 1  wherein said start switch energizes said linear heat source for a predetermined period of time sufficient to preheat said source, and energizes a time delay relay which, in turn energizes said motor at the completion of said predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         3 . A bread toaster according to  claim 1  wherein a pair of linear heat sources are provided to heat opposite sides of said bread.  
     
     
         4 . A bread toaster according to  claim 1  wherein said heat source comprises a ceramic rod wound with a resistance heating element.  
     
     
         5 . A bread toaster according to  claim 1  wherein said housing has opposite transparent sidewalls which permit viewing of the surfaces being toasted.  
     
     
         6 . A bread toaster comprising a toaster housing, at least one slot opening in said housing adapted to receive an article to be toasted, a holding carriage movable relative to said slot opening between a first position adjacent said opening to a second position spaced from said opening, a linear heat source mounted for movement relative to a surface of said article, a drive transmission between said heat source and a drive motor adapted to drive said heat source from one end of said surface to an opposite end of said surface upon energization of said motor in a first drive direction and adapted to drive said heat source from the opposite end of said surface to said one end of said surface upon energization of said motor in a second direction, a start switch adapted to energize said motor in its first drive direction, a first switch responsive to travel of said heat source to said opposite end of said surface to energize said motor in said second direction, and a second switch responsive to travel of said heat source to said one end of said surface to de-energize said motor.  
     
     
         7 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein said start switch energizes said linear heat source for a predetermined period of time sufficient to preheat said source, and energizes a time delay relay which, in turn, energizes said motor at the completion of said predetermined period of time.  
     
     
         8 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein a pair of linear heat sources are provided and each heat source is adapted to traverse a surface of said article to be toasted.  
     
     
         9 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein each heat source travels in a direction opposite the other heat source.  
     
     
         10 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein each heat source travels in the same direction.  
     
     
         11 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein said heat source comprises a ceramic rod wound with a resistance heating element.  
     
     
         12 . A bread toaster according to  claim 6  wherein said housing has opposite transparent sidewalls which permit viewing of the surfaces being toasted.  
     
     
         13 . A method of toasting bread comprising the steps of progressively traversing a surface area of the bread with a linear heat source in a first pass and at a rate which is sufficient to drive moisture from at least the surface of the bread, but which is insufficient to significantly darken said surface, and progressively traversing said surface area of the bread with a linear heat source in a second pass at a rate which is sufficient to darken and toast said surface to a desired degree.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said linear heat source comprises a pair of parallel heat elements and wherein the bread is conveyed between said heat elements.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13  including the step of preheating said linear heat source prior to the step of traversing said surface area.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein said first and second passes are in opposite directions.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 13  wherein the bread is stationary and wherein said heat source moves to progressively traverse the surface of the bread.  
     
     
         18 . A method of toasting bread comprising the steps of conveying said bread between a first pair of linear heat sources at a rate. which is sufficient to drive moisture from at least the surface of the bread, but which is insufficient to significantly darken said surface, and conveying said bread between a second pair of linear heat sources at a rate which is sufficient to darken said surface to a desired degree.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18  including the step of preheating said linear heat sources prior to conveying the bread between said first pair of linear heat sources.