Judith Lievens

HISTORY

History• Why do people toast bread?To preserve itTo make it crunchierTo make it sweeterTo make it perfect for spreads

History• Before the toaster bread was toasted over an open fire with the help of a variety of simple tools.

• 1900s: electricity in all householdsthere came a wave of technological innovations and a demand for household appliances, one of them the toaster

• First: embedded heating system

History•March 1905 Nichrome (Albert Marsh)Surface of toast needs to be heated above 154°CNeed of a wire that reaches high temperatures without being damaged of starting a fire. Nichrome (alloy of nickel and chromium)

History• Numerous prototype electric toasters and in1909 : first electric toaster (Frank Shailor for General Electrics)This was the first commercially successful electric toasterProblems: When is the toast ready?Flipping with your handsburns!

History• 1913 Lloyd and Hazel Copeman: ‘‘automatic toaster’’Turning the toast without touching it

Five toaster related patents on their names

Many companies paid royalties to Copeman or find other ways to turn the toast.

HistoryProblem: burnt toastBy incorporating springs and a variable timer: pop-up toaster on May 29, 1919 by Charles StritePatented on October 18, 1921Manufactured and sold to the Childs restaurant chainRedesign in 1926: “the Toastmaster” available to the public

HistoryMajor breakthrough in 1928 presliced-loaf and sealed-bag process by Otto Frederick Rohwedder1930 sliced Wonder Bread1933 more sliced than unsliced bread Strite’s pop-up made sense now and became a standard in American households