2. Description of Related Art A number of telltale indicators are known in the art. Such indicators are placed within a shipment of frozen food (for example) and have a meltable substance such as a mixture of water and alcohol which melts if the temperature has exceeded a preselected degree. Among such telltale devices are U. S. Patents 2,788,282; 2,856,930; 3,518,961; 3,965,741; 3,965,848; and 4,187,799. A similar device shown in U. S. 2,915,405 uses a spring to push a weight upward through water and a chemical which are initially frozen and which melt if frozen food or the like exceeds a predetermined temperature.

Timers for turkey and other meats are also well known in the art. Such devices have a barrel which is inserted into the meat. Slidable in the barrel is a rod which is biased upward by a spring. The rod is initially held in retracted position by an alloy or organic substance which melts when the interior of the meat reaches a predetermine d temperature, allowing the rod to move upwardly. One of the problems with such

devices is that escape of the alloy or other material into the meat being cooked may have a deleterious effect. In accordance with the present invention, however, the contents of the barrel are sealed. Still another disadvantage of timers heretofore commercially available has been that juices from the meat may enter the open end of the barrel, thereby interfering with proper operation of the timer. Typical of such timers are U. S. Patents 5,537,950 and 4,748,931.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The barrel of the present invention is intended to be inserted deep within meat such as turkey, beef, pork and the like so that the temperature of the interior of the meat is conducted upward throughout the barrel. Within the barrel is a substance which melts at a preselected temperature. Above this material is an indicator such as a bead chain of the type used to manufacture key chains. As the wax melts, the chain slides down the inside of the barrel, giving a visual indication that the interior of the meat has attained the desired degree.

A feature and advantage of the present invention is that the barrel or tube is sealed. Hence the contents of the barrel do not contaminate the meat and, further, there is no leakage of juices from the meat into the interior of the barrel.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a movable indicator within the sealed barrel such as a chain or rod which is visible to the cook.

Still another feature of the invention is that the barrel is shaped to be inserted within the meat to the desired depth so that the timer is responsive to the temperature of the interior rather than to the ambient temperature within the oven or the temperature at the skin of the carcass.

In some of the modifications of the invention hereinafter described a spring supplements the force of gravity in allowing the chain or rod to move from one end of the barrel to the other. Such a spring is particularly desirable when the timer is inserted at an angle to the vertical or even upside down.

A mark may be formed on the barrel or a flange may extend outwardly from the barrel to indicate or limit proper insertion depth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the present invention partially broken away to reveal internal construction showing the device below a preselected temperature.

Fig. 1A is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the chain shown in Fig.

1. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the device above the preselected temperature.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modification.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the modification of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified device.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a further modified device.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of still another modified device.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of another modification of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view showing still another modification.

Fig. 10 is an exploded sectional view of a still further modification.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Turning to the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a barrel 11 consisting of a tube of a transparent plastic such as TEFLONO or similar material which is transparent and heat resistant. Barrel 11 is formed with its lower end 12 open and sealed by lower cap 13 having a pointed end 14 and a retainer portion 16 which fits inside the lower end 12 and seals the device and secures cap 13 to the barrel. Upper end 17 is also open and is closed with an upper cap 18 having a flat end 19. Cap 18 is held within the barrel 11 by a retainer 21 which seals the upper end of barrel 11. A marker 29 is formed on barrel 11. The interior of barrel 11 is filled with a wax 22 characterized in that it melts at a predetermined temperature, depending upon the particular meat with which the timer is used. A typical example of wax 22 for turkey would be a timer which melts at 180° F and may have the following specification: Microcrystalline Wax 170 with a typical melt point of 180°F and commercially available from Luxco Wax. For beef the melting temperature of wax 22 is preferably 144°F and may be a material such as

Paraffin wax. Luxco F/R 143, with a typical melt point of 142° and is commercially available from Luxco Wax. For pork wax 22 would melt at approximately 163°F and may consist of a wax of the following specifications Paraffin wax. Luxco F/R 160 with a typical melt point of 161° and is commercially available from Luxco Wax. Instead of wax a material such as organic compounds selected from hydrocarbons, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty esters, fatty amines, fatty anilides, fatty ketones, carboxyl groups, or any mixture of these may be used, however, this is not an exhaustive list, and many other compounds may be suitable may be used.

Above wax 22 is a chain 24 of the type used in conventional key chains consisting of a series of hollow balls 26 interconnected by links 27, formed with heads 28 to connect adjacent balls together. The diameter of balls 26 is slightly less than the inside diameter of barrel 11 to permit the chain to slide past melted wax.

As shown in Fig. 1, before the device has reached cooking temperature, the point 14 is forced into the carcass 33 or other object whose cooking temperature is to be timed. The indicator may be inserted as far as needed so long as it does not pass marker 29. An additional marker may be formed on the tube to indicate proper insertion depth. At the commencement of cooking, the chain 24 is in up position as shown in Fig. 1 and is supported in such position by wax 22. Point 13 is embedded within the carcass 33 so that it transmits to wax 22 the temperature of the interior of the meat. As this temperature is approached, wax 22 begins to melt, causing the chain 24 to slide partially down the barrel 11 indicating to the cook that the proper cooking temperature is approaching. The cook may observe this fact by noting that the chain 24 has begun to travel down the barrel 11. When the proper temperature has been achieved, the chain 24 slides all the way down barrel 11 as shown in Fig. 2 and the top of chain 24 is below marker 29.

Directing attention now to Figs. 3 and 4, a helical coil spring 31 is inserted above bead chain 24a with a spacer 32 interposed between the lower end of spring 31 and the top of chain 24a. As shown in Fig. 4, when the wax 22a melts, spring 31 expands, forcing chain 24a to the lower end of barrel lla. As shown, the modification of Figs. 3 and 4 is particularly useful when the barrel 11 a is not vertically disposed since it supplements the force of gravity in causing the chain 24a to descend.

Fig. 5 shows an elongated tube 36 having a pointed tip 3 7 at its upper end held

in the upper end of barrel 36 by retainer 38. The timer shown in Fig. 5 may be reused.

Thus after the device shown in Fig. 5 has been used to time meat and the chain 24b has descended to lower position, the device may be cooled until wax 22b solidifies and then reused, inverting the tube 36 for reuse.

Fig. 6 shows a timer which differs in two respects from that shown in Fig. 1.

Barrel lie is formed with a flange 41 which controls the depth of insertion of the device into the carcass. In this particular modification, the lower end of the barrel l lc is formed with an integral point 42 which replaces the pointed cap 13 shown in Fig. 1.

The flange 41 may function for the same purpose as the marker 29 in Fig. 1 or a separate marker (not shown) may be used. Since the upper end of the barrel projects above the surface of the meat, the cook can readily observe the position of chain 24c.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 except that spring 31d and spacer 32d are employed in the same manner and for the same purpose as spring 31 and spacer 32 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 shows a modification wherein the chain 24 of Fig. 1 is replaced by a rod 46, typically stainless steel with a diameter slightly less than the inside diameter of barrel lle. Instead of a stainless steel material, mild steel or other heavy material may be used. When the wax 22e melts, the rod moves to the bottom of barrel lle by gravity or, as is the case in Figs. 3-4, the force of gravity may be augmented by spr ing 31e.

Fig. 9 is essentially the same as Fig. 8 except that the spring 31e of Fig. 8 is omitted.

Fig. 10 shows a barrel llg having a point 42g at its lower end and an open upper end having a peripheral flange 51. A temporary cap 52 may close off the upper end of barrel llg. Cartridge 53a is formed of a tube 54a of a diameter to fit inside barrel 1 lg and rest on the bottom of the barrel 1 lg. The length of cartridge 53 is such that it projects above flange 51. The upper end of tube 54a may be closed off by a cap 57a or by other means. Within tube 54a are bead chain 59a resting on wax 58a. The three cartridges 53a, 53b, and 53c are substantially identical except for the melting points of waxes 58a, 58b, and 59c. Thus, one cartridge may be used for turkey, another for beef and a third for pork, etc. Other cartridges having different melting points may be chosen for different products.

The processor inserts barrel 1 lg into meat until flange 51 contacts the surface

of the meat. Temporary cap 52 is left in place. The consumer removes cap 52 and inserts a cartridge 53a, 53b, or 53c in barrel 1 lg. Since the upper end of the cartridge projects above flange 51m the cook can readily observe when bead chain 59a slides down by reason of the desired cooking temperature causing wax 58a to melt. The consumer chooses the proper cartridge, depending upon the meat being prepared. It is possible to re-use the cartridges by inverting the tube from its original position.

One advantage of the modification of Fig. 10 is that it does not create pr oblems if the meat is packaged in a shrink-type plastic wrap. If the cartridge were placed inside the barrel and projected above the surface of the meat, various problems would occur.

Shrinking of the wrap might cause breakage of the tube. Alternatively the tube might puncture the wrap. In any event, presence of the tube projecting above the surface of the meat would create an unsightly lump in the wrapping.

In other respects the modifications of Figs. 3-4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10 resemble those of preceding modifications and the same reference numerals followed by subscripts a, b, c, d, e, f and g, respectively, are used to designate corresponding parts.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.