Ancillary device for food preparation

Claim 2

An ancillary device for food-preparation, comprising, in combination: a first abutment means; a second abutment means; connection means interconnecting the first abutment means and the second abutment means but permitting their relative movement; spacing-sensing means which determine the relative spacing of the first abutment means and the second abutment means; a temperature-sensing probe means; location-control means which are responsive to the spacing-sensing means, to control the location of the temperature-sensing probe means to cause it to be in a controlled position with respect to the relative spacing of the first abutment means and the second abutment means, the controlled position of the temperature-sensing probe means as thus controlled being midway between the first abutment means and second abutment means regardless of what the relative spacing is, and the temperature-sensing probe means thus being automatically in a position to sense a mid-thickness temperature of a food article upon whose outer surfaces the first abutment means and the second abutment means are respectively then engaging, regardless of the thickness of the food article.

Claim 3

An ancillary device for food-preparation, according to claim 1, in a combination in which the first abutment means and the second abutment means comprise a pair of tongs.

Claim 4

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 1, in a combination in which the first abutment means and second abutment means are respectively carried on a first arm and a second arm, the connection means comprising a pivot means by which the first arm and the second arm are pivotally interconnected at a first pivot axis; the location-control means comprising a pair of link means respectively operatively pivotally connected at one end to the first arm and the second arm, their other ends being pivotally interconnected at a second pivot axis; and there is a control arm means operatively connected to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, it controlling the temperature-sensing probe means; the operativity of the link means and the control arm means being that the control arm means is kept in a position operatively bisecting the angle between the first arm and the second arm, and thus holding the temperature-sensing probe means midway between the first abutment means and the second abutment means regardless of the spacing therebetween.

Claim 5

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 3, in a combination in which there is provided a carrier arm means which carry the temperaturesensing probe means, and the carrier arm means carries a guide means which operatively abuttingly engages the control arm means to regulate the position of the temperaturesensing probe means.

Claim 6

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 4, in a combination in which there is provided a temperature meter to indicate the temperature sensed by the temperature-sensing probe means, and the guide means carries an actuator means which actuates the temperature meter by operative engagement with the control arm means.

Claim 7

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 4, in a combination in which there are provided a first spring means for urging the carrier arm means away from the first arm and the second arm, and a second spring means for urging the first arm and second arm away from one another, the first said spring means being stronger than the second spring means, permitting the first arm and second arm to serve as tongs prior to the carrier means causing the probe means to penetrate the food article.

Claim 8

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 1, in a combination in which the first abutment means and second abutment means are respectively carried on a first arm and a second arm, the spacing-sensing means and the locationcontrol means comprising a disk carried midway between the first arm and second arm by a guide rod member having a spiralling nature and the portions of the guide rod member extending on either side of the disk being of opposite hand, those guide rod member portions being of non-circular crosssection, the said first arm and second arm each being provided with a guide of non-circular form, the arrangement providing that as the user manipulates the first arm and second arm by squeezing them toward one another, the guides abut the spiralling portions of the guide rod member to cause the disk to remain midway between the first arm and second arm regardless of their spacing relative to one another, and there is provided carrier arm means which carry the temperature-sensing probe means, the carrier arm means carrying a guide means which operatively abuttingly engages the disk to regulate the position of the temperaturesensing probe means.

Claim 9

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 7, in a combination in which there is provided a temperature meter to indicate the temperature sensed by the temperature-sensing probe means, and the guide means carries an actuator means which actuates the temperature meter by operative engagement with the disk.

Claim 10

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 7, in a combination in which there are provided a first spring means for urging the carrier arm means away from the first arm and the second arm, and a second spring means for urging the first arm and second arm away from one another, the first said spring means being stronger than the second spring means, permitting the first arm and second arm to serve as tongs prior to the carrier means causing the probe means to penetrate the food article.

Claim 11

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 1, in a combination in which at least one of said abutment means is of an open loop nature and there is provided for said open loop abutment means a A pair of tongs having jaws of an open loop nature, and there being provided for each tongs-jaw a spatula member, the spatula member each having ears directed in the same general direction and providing that the spatula may be attached and removed from said open loop abutment means at will, for achieving optionality of the nature of the abutment means which serve to grip the article being grasped by the device.

Claim 12

An ancillary device for food-preparation according to claim 10, in which the ears are integrally formed from the material of the spatula.