APPARATUS AND METHOD OF TOASTING BREAD LIKE ARTICLES

• US 3,693,536 A
• Filed: 06/29/1970
• Issued: 09/26/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alco Standard Corp. (Ricoh Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: James G. Carville, John F. Rekesius
• Inventors: Carville, James G., Rekesius, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilhite, Billy J.
• Application Number:
  US05/050,783
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 219/388,535,538,539,486,482,395,409,445,478 99/386,387,391,393,400,423,427,443C
• US Class Current: 99/386
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0857 with bread supports or heating means movable during the toasting operation

Abstract

An electric toasting apparatus comprised of a conveyor adapted to support articles to be toasted and having the transverse width and a preselected rate of movement in a longitudinal direction. The apparatus includes at least two radiant heater means disposed adjacent the conveyor, each arranged to provide generally uniform heating conditions across substantially the entire transverse width of the conveyor and along at least a substantial portion of the longitudinal length of the conveyor. One heater runs constantly and has a heat output to bring the articles close to the toasting point. The other is modulated to control its heat output and thus the total output of both heater means to give the desired degree of toasting. The method comprises the steps of: (a) conveying the articles past and adjacent to the first and second heater means at a uniform rate; (b) fully energizing the first heater means in an amount sufficient to bring the articles at least close to the toasting point; and (c) simultaneously energizing the second heater means to produce less than its maximum heat output, but sufficiently to fully toast the articles.

Claims

1. In an electric toasting apparatus comprising a conveyor adapted to support articles to be toasted and having a transverse width and a preselected rate of movement in a longitudinal direction, the improvement comprising:

a pair of heater means on one side of said conveyor and in an area extending longitudinally and transversely with respect to said conveyor, said pair of heating means being in overlapped relationship with respect to one another in said area to provide a heat transfer relationship therebetween and substantially throughout the longitudinal and transverse extents of said area, each of said heater means providing generally uniform heating conditions transversely and longitudinally relative to said conveyor; and

, means for controlling the heat output of one of said heater means relative to the other.

2. The toasting apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said heater means comprises a plurality of generally straight, parallel legs joined together by interconnecting portions, the legs of each said heater means being disposed in a close spaced apart relationship whereby one of said heater means will heat the other of said heater means during operation of said apparatus.

3. The toasting apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein at least a pair of legs of one heater means is disposed intermediate a pair of legs of the other heater means.

4. The toasting apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein each of said interconnecting portions is arcuate and has a preselected radius of curvature, the radius of curvature of one of said portions at one end of one of said heater means being substantially equal to the radius of curvature of one of said portions at the opposite end of the other of said heater means.

5. The toasting device defined in claim 1, wherein one heater means is comprised of a continuous heating element configured to define four parallel coplanar legs, each outer leg being joined to its adjacent inner leg by an arcuate interconnecting portion having a first radius of curvature and the inner legs being joined by an arcuate interconnecting portion having a second lesser radius of curvature, and the other heater means is comprised of a continuous heating element configured to define four parallel coplanar legs, each outer leg being joined to its adjacent inner leg by an arcuate interconnecting portion having said second radius of curvature and the inner legs being joIned by an arcuate interconnecting portion having said first radius of curvature.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1, further including a motor in driving engagement with said conveyor, switch means for controlling the operation of said motor and said heating means, whereby when said switch means is actuated said motor and one of said heating means are simultaneously fully energized and means for energizing said other heater means generally at less than full energization.

7. The toasting apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said one of said heating means is in a close spaced relationship with said other heating means whereby said one of said heating means is fully energized, said apparatus further including means for controlling the energization of said other heating means so that said average energization is small.

8. An electric toasting apparatus comprising:

a conveyor for receiving and conveying articles to be toasted;

first and second heater means on one side of said conveyor and in an area extending longitudinally and transversely with respect to said conveyor, said first and second heater means being in overlapped relationship with respect to one another in said area to provide a heat transfer relationship therebetween substantially throughout the longitudinal and transverse extents of said area, said first heater means having a heat output sufficient to heat the articles to a temperature at least approaching caramelizing temperature and to preheat said second heater by means of radiation, and said second heater means having a maximum heat output sufficient to further heat the articles to more than a fully toasted condition; and

, means for controlling the heat output of said second heater means independently of the heat output of said first heater means.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein each of said heater means is electrical and has a maximum power input within the range from 800 to 1,400 watts, said control means being operable to control said second heater means to lower the power input thereto from said maximum.