Drop-out toaster

Claim 1

A toaster comprising a toaster section; heating means in said section for toasting a food item; said section defining at least one vertical opening for the passage therethrough of said item, a receiving section disposed beneath said toaster section, and means in said toaster section for holding said item for toasting and for releasing said item to drop from said toaster section into said receiving section; said holding and releasing means including a toast supporting bar, portions thereof extending horizontally across said vertical opening upon which said item may rest, and means for rotating said bar to move said extending portions from a horizontal position to a vertical position whereby said item may fall past said toast supporting bar; a vertically movable carriage, guide means in said toaster section for supporting vertical movement of said carriage between lower and upper positions, means interconnecting said carriage and said toast supporting bar to cause rotation of said bar into a toast supporting position when said carriage is in its upper position and into a toast releasing position when said carriage is in its lower position; a bi-metallic trigger element connected to said carriage; a control member defining a notch for receiving an end of said bi-metallic element when said carriage is in its upper position to secure said carriage in said upper position; said bimetallic element being deflected to release said element from said control member upon sensing a predetermined amount of heat; and spring means for moving said carriage upon said release into its lower position.