The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 30, 1982
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1980
James E Williams, Stamford, CT (US);
Wilson Research & Development, Inc., Greenwich, CT (US);
Abstract
A method for protecting the feed tube of a food processor is described in which an outer sleeve associated with a movable food pusher and carrying an actuator enables operation of the food processor only when this outer sleeve is properly positioned over the feed tube. When the cover is properly positioned on the bowl and the outer sleeve is mounted over the feed tube with the food pusher being positioned and manually movable within the passageway in the feed tube, the actuator means carried by the sleeve is operatively associated in enabling relationship with control means in the housing to permit operation of the motor drive for the food processor. Thus, inadvertent insertion of a hand or a foreign object through the feed tube into the bowl is prevented when the rotatable tool is being driven by the motor drive. By virtue of this arrangement, the feed tube can safely be shortened, if desired, and made to have a larger cross-sectional area than in UL-approved food processors which are commercially available today in the United States for home use so that larger food items can be inserted whole through the feed tube into the food processor as well as allowing the placing of elongated food items horizontally in the feed tube so that they can be sliced longitudinally. Moreover, utilizing the feed tube protector in accordance with the present invention permits the entire size of the working bowl, cover and feed tube to be proportionally enlarged for providing a larger overall machine without compromising the safety features now provided by the relatively tall and narrow feed tube in prior art machines.