Convenience food toaster operable at different wattage levels

Abstract

Control for a toaster. The control is characterized by the incorporation of a selector switch for reducing the operating wattage of the toaster to stretch the cycle. The actuator of the selector switch, in one position thereof, serves to block movement of the "doneness" control to thereby relcalibrate or change the effect the "doneness" control has on the timing device of the toaster.

What I claim is: 
     
       1. In an automatic toaster having a circuit including a heater means operatively connected to a source of power through a timing means to establish a heating cycle of operation, said timing means including a heat responsive means to initiate termination of said cycle upon reaching a predetermined heated condition, and means for varying the duration of the cycle over a predetermined range with said heater means energized at a relatively constant wattage level throughout said range and wherein the improvement comprises: manually actuable switch means in said circuit movable between opened and closed positions;   and means operatively connected to said heater means by placing said switch means in one of said positions for reducing the wattage of said heater to a relatively constant predetermined lower level, said heater means operatively connected through said timing means when said switch means is in said reduced wattage position, whereby a greater length of time is required to heat said heat responsive means to said predetermined termination condition thus extending the cycle of operation of said toaster at reduced wattage.   
     
     
       2. Structure as specified in claim 1 wherein said means for reducing the wattage of said heater comprises a rectifier. 
     
     
       3. Structure according to claim 2 wherein said switch means and said rectifier are connected to said circuits in parallel and said one of said positions corresponds to said switch opened position. 
     
     
       4. Structure according to claim 3 including a manually movable actuator associated with said switch means, said actuator having an abutment surface movable from a noninterfering position to a position interfering with said duration varying means when said actuator is moved from said switch closed to said switch open position. 
     
     
       5. Structure according to claim 4 wherein said rectifier is a diode. .Iadd. 6. In an automatic toaster having a circuit including a heater means operatively connected to a source of power through a timing means to establish a heating cycle of operation, said timing means including a heat responsive means to initiate termination of said cycle upon reaching a predetermined heated condition, and means for varying the duration of the cycle over a predetermined range with said heater means energized at a relatively constant wattage level throughout said range and wherein the improvement comprises: manually actuable switch means in said circuit movable between opened and closed positions;   means operatively connected to said heater means by placing said switch means in one of said positions for reducing the wattage of said heater to a relatively constant predetermined lower level, said heater means operatively connected through said timing means when said switch means is in said reduced wattage position, whereby a greater length of time is required to heat said heat responsive means to said predetermined termination condition thus extending the cycle of operation of said toaster at reduced wattage; and   a manually movable actuator associated with said switch means, said actuator having an abutment surface movable from a noninterfering position to a position interfering with said duration varying means when said actuator is moved from said switch closed to said switch open position. .Iaddend.