Machine for Making Smores

Abstract

A machine for toasting a marshmallow loaded on a pick and concurrently melting at least a portion of a chocolate bar provided on a separate support. A housing has an internal heat source, a rotatable pick holder shaped to removably and securely receive a pick and support the marshmallow in proximity to the heat source, and a coupling to rotate a so engaged pick. The coupling can be a manual control gearingly coupled to the pick holder. A moveable cover can support the heat source and place it in proximity with a marshmallow-bearing portion of the pick when in a closed position yet move aside for loading and unloading ingredients. A method for making s'mores toasts marshmallows while actively melting chocolate and provides for selective rotation of the marshmallow within the housing during the toasting step by moving a control that is safely disposed exterior of the housing.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A s'more machine for toasting a marshmallow loaded on a marshmallow-bearing portion of a pick, comprising:
 a housing;   a heat source within the housing;   a fan providing an air flow;   a gear having impellers;   a rotatable pick holder connected to the gear for rotation and shaped to removably and securely receive and seat a first end of the pick and support the marshmallow-bearing portion in proximity to the heat source;   a lever configured to adjust a portion of the air flow from the fan to impinge onto the impellers and thereby adjust a rate of rotation of any pick engaged to the pick holder; and   a channel arranged to direct and transfer the portion of the air flow or another portion of the air flow from the fan across a surface of any marshmallow supported on the pick;   whereby any marshmallows on the pick are toasted by the heat source.   
     
     
         21 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , further comprising a second support surface, different than the pick, disposed so as to support a chocolate bar within the housing and in proximity with the heat source so as to at least partially melt the chocolate bar concurrently with the toasting of any marshmallows on the pick. 
     
     
         22 . The s'more machine of  claim 21 , wherein the second support surface is movably positionable between a first position exterior of the housing in which a chocolate bar is loadable onto the second support surface and a second position interior of the housing in which the support surface is proximate the heat source. 
     
     
         23 . The s'more machine of  claim 21 , wherein the second support surface is slideably positionable between the first position and the second position independent of any movement of the pick holder. 
     
     
         24 . The s'more machine of  claim 21 , further comprising a tray removably seatable directly upon the second support surface and shaped to support the chocolate bar thereon. 
     
     
         25 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , further comprising a vent and a smoke filter disposed within the housing proximate the vent to constrain any release of smoke due to the heat source toasting the marshmallow. 
     
     
         26 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , further comprising a structure sized to receive a second end of the pick opposite the first end, the structure being linearly spaced from the pick holder and loosely supporting the second end of the pick throughout any rotation by the coupling. 
     
     
         27 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , wherein the rotatable pick holder has first and second slots therein, the first slot being shaped to receive the first end of a pick having a round cross section and the second slot being shaped to receive the first end of a pick having a rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         28 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , further comprising a cover coupled to the housing and movable from a closed position to provide access to the pick holder. 
     
     
         29 . The s'more machine of  claim 28 , further comprising a heating circuit having a switch responsive to movement of the cover so as to open the heating circuit and thereby disable the heat source except when the cover is in the closed position. 
     
     
         30 . The s'more machine of  claim 28 , wherein the housing comprises a base wherein the heat source is mounted on the cover and moveable therewith so as to be in proximity with the marshmallow-bearing portion of the pick when in the closed position and to retract into the base of the housing when in the open position. 
     
     
         31 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , further comprising a catch that receives any marshmallows that fall from the pick, the catch being removably seated within the housing below the pick. 
     
     
         32 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , wherein the the rotatable pick holder is mounted for movement into and out of proximity of the heat source. 
     
     
         33 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , wherein the heat source is mounted within the housing for pivotal movement relative to the pick to provide a remote position that is remote from the marshmallow for safe loading and unloading of the marshmallow onto and off of the pick, respectively, and a proximate position that is proximate to the heat source. 
     
     
         34 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , wherein the heat source is mounted within the housing for rotational movement relative to the pick to provide a remote position that is remote from the marshmallow for safe loading and unloading of the marshmallow onto and off of the pick, respectively, and a proximate position that is proximate to the heat source. 
     
     
         35 . The s'more machine of  claim 20 , wherein the heat source is mounted within the housing for translation movement relative to the pick to provide a remote position that is remote from the marshmallow for safe loading and unloading of the marshmallow onto and off of the pick, respectively, and a proximate position that is proximate to the heat source.