UNIT TWO - Inventions - The Pop-Up Toaster

Toasting bread began as a method of prolonging the life of bread. Toasting bread was very common in Roman times where the name toast comes from. "Tostum" is the Latin word for scorching or burning bread.

The first electric toaster was invented by Crompton and Co. in 1893 and re-invented in 1909 in the United States. These toaster only toasted one side of the bread at a time and someone had to take the half toasted bread out, flip it over and put it back in. These toaster also didn't turn off so that same person who flipped the bread got to wait and judge if the toast was ready or not then turn off the toaster. The toaster was improved when Llyod Copeman and his wife introduced the toaster with an automatic bread turner in 1913.

In 1919 Charles Strite patented a toaster which ejects the toast after toasting it. In 1929 the Waters Genter Company redesigned Strite's toaster and introduced the Model 1-A-1 Toastermaster which was the first automatic toaster to pop-up and toast bread on both sides at the same time. The toaster had a heating element you would set on a timer and once the timer went off the toast would pop-up.

I think the toaster is a great invention. With toast you can have a variety of sandwiches and breakfast ideas. It give the regular and boring slice of bread a new take on life in a crunchy new form. Although not an invention to change the human race it is something yummy in your tummy.