Toaster-oven

Claim 2

A toaster-oven comprising a heating chamber having vertically movable food carriage means and horizontally movable food carriage means, said chamber in operation being a food containing compartment common to both food carriage means and including heating element means electrically connectible to a power supply and commonly operative for both food carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto above said horizontally movable carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned below said horizontally movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means, and said chamber being defined by a plurality of reflecting surfaces whereby food supported by said vertically movable carriage means may be effectively, uniformly heated without relative movement of said heating element means and said reflecting surfaces.

Claim 3

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 1 wherein said first mentioned part of said heating element means extends substantially parallel to the horizontally movable carriage means in the upper one-half of said chamber and said second-mentioned part of said heating element means extends substantially parallel to said vertically movable carriage means in the lower half of the heating chamber.

Claim 4

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of reflecting surfaces include upper and lower substantially horizontal surfaces, a substantially vertical rear surface joining said upper and lower surfaces, and forward surface means joining said upper and lower surfaces, said forward surface means comprising a plurality of surfaces at least one of which is at an angle to the vertical.

Claim 5

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 3 wherein said surface at an angle to the vertical is an access door to the horizontally movable carriage means, said door having window means therein.

Claim 6

A toaster-oven comprising a heating chamber having vertically movable food carriage means and horizontally movable food carriage means, said chamber including heating element means electrically connectible to a power supply, at least part of said heating element means being positioned on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto above said horizontally movable carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned below said horizontally movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means, and said chamber being defined by a plurality of reflecting surfaces whereby food supported by said vertically movable carriage means may be effectively, uniformly heated without relative movement of said heating element means and said reflecting surfaces, said toaster-oven further comprising a plurality of releasable components including a chassis component, an end panel component, and said heating element means, said heating element means comprising at least four heating elements, said chassis component comprising said plurality of reflecting surfaces and defining said heating chamber, said chassis component being joined at one of its ends to said end panel component by releasable securing means, said chassis component at its other end including first electrical circuit means, said end panel component including second electrical circuit means and each of said heating elements having one end in electrical contact with the said first electrical means and its other end in electrical contact with said second Electrical means when said end panel component is secured to said chassis component.

Claim 7

A toaster-oven comprising a heating chamber having vertically movable food carriage means and horizontally movable food carriage means, said chamber including heating element means electrically connectible to a power supply, at least part of said heating element means being positioned on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto above said horizontally movable carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned below said horizontally movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means, and said chamber being defined by a plurality of reflecting surfaces whereby food supported by said vertically movable carriage means may be effectively, uniformly heated without relative movement of said heating element means and said reflecting surfaces, said toaster-oven further comprising a plurality of releasable components including a chassis component, an end panel component, and said heating element means, said heating element means comprising at least four heating elements, said chassis component comprising said plurality of reflecting surfaces and defining said heating chamber, said chassis component being joined at one of its ends to said end panel component by releasable securing means, said chassis component at its other end including first electrical circuit means, said end panel component including second electrical circuit means and each of said heating elements having one end in electrical contact with the said first electrical means and its other end in electrical contact with said second Electrical means when said end panel component is secured to said chassis component.

Claim 8

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 5 wherein said first electrical circuit means includes at least four first socket means each having an electrical contact therein and being positioned by a flexible, electrically conductive support, and said second electrical means includes at least four second socket means in opposition to said first socket means each having an electrical contact therein and being positioned by a rigid, electrically conductive support.

Claim 9

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 6 wherein the length of each of said heating elements is greater than the normal distance between opposed ones of said first and second socket means so that the opposed contacts of said socket means are firmly urged against the ends of said heating elements.

Claim 10

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 7 wherein each of said heating elements comprises a cylindrical glass tube having electrical contacts at its end and resistance wire extending axially therein and secured to said contacts.

Claim 11

A toaster-oven comprising a heating chamber having vertically movable food carriage means and horizontally movable food carriage means, said chamber including heating element means electrically connectible to a power supply, at least part of said heating element means being positioned on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto above said horizontally movable carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned below said horizontally movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means, and said chamber being defined by a plurality of reflecting surfaces whereby food supported by said vertically movable carriage means may be effectively, uniformly heated without relative movement of said heating element means and said reflecting surfaces, said chamber further including a thermostat assembly having a bimetallic element, and at least one of said reflecting surfaces has an opening therein and means normally biased open closing said opening in operation so that a cool air flow pattern may act on said thermostat assembly subsequent to each operation.

Claim 12

A toaster-oven comprising a heating chamber having vertically movable food carriage means and horizontally movable food carriage means, said chamber including heating element means electrically connectible to a power supply, at least part of said heating element means being positioned on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto above said horizontally movable carriage means, at least part of said heating element means being positioned below said horizontally movable carriage means and extending substantially parallel with respect thereto on opposite sides of said vertically movable carriage means, and said chamber being defined by a plurality of reflecting surfaces whereby food supported by said vertically movable carriage means may be effectively, uniformly heated without relative movement of said heating element means and said reflecting surfaces, said chamber further including a thermostat assembly having a bimetallic element, and at least one of said reflecting surfaces has an opening therein and means normally biased open closing said opening in operation so that a cool air flow pattern may act on said thermostat assembly subsequent to each operation.

Claim 13

The toaster-oven set forth in claim 1 further comprising electrical circuit means permitting full wattage in said first and said second-mentioned parts of said heating element means when said vertically movable food carriage means is operative and permitting full wattage in only the first-mentioned part of said heating element means when said horizontally movable food carriage means is operative.