Foods and beverages: apparatus – Means to treat food – Subdividing into plural products
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-03
2001-05-29
Simone, Timothy F. (Department: 1761)
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Means to treat food
Subdividing into plural products
C099S568000, C099S572000, C099S577000, C099S579000, C099S581000, C030S120200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237476
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to nutcrackers which may be housed in different types of figures.
There are a number of different types of nutcrackers which have been proposed in the art. Generally, they are divided between what may be termed manually operated nutcrackers and automatic types.
In the automatic nutcracking apparatuses, normally the apparatus is actuated by means of a switch which is operative only when various safety shields and the like are in place. Although such devices are known, it has been suggested that difficulty has been experienced in quickly and simply adjusting the apparatus to accommodate various sizes and shapes of nut. In addition, there is always the danger to the operator or people surrounding the device in the projection of portions of the shell of the nut during the cracking process.
Manually operated nutcrackers are also known. However, many of them are relatively complicated devices which are not readily adjustable and adaptable for different sizes and types of nut.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective nutcracking device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nutcracking device in the form of a novelty item which may assume different configurations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a nutcracking device which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and assemble.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nutcracking device comprising a tubular housing having a side wall, an elongated passageway defined by the side wall, the elongated passageway having first and second open ends, first and second end caps located at each of the first and second open ends, an aperture extending through the side wall and communicating with the elongated passageway to thereby define a nut receiving opening, a reciprocally moveable impact member mounted within the elongated passageway, a shaft having a first end thereof connected to the reciprocally moveable impact member, the shaft extending through the second end cap, handle means connected to a second end of the shaft, and resilient biasing means biasing the impact member towards the first end of the elongated passageway.
The nutcracking device of the present invention may be packaged as a novelty item having different configurations. However, in all instances, there is provided the elongated passageway and the nut receiving opening. Access is provided to the first end and the nut receiving opening with the openings being incorporated in the novelty item which may take the form of different types of animals or inanimate objects.
REFERENCES:
patent: 699529 (1902-05-01), Hutchinson
patent: 707997 (1902-08-01), Wickstrom
patent: 2656866 (1953-10-01), Rumsey
patent: 3721180 (1973-03-01), Strang
patent: 5333384 (1994-08-01), Graves
patent: 3002242 (1981-07-01), None
Fincham Eric
Simone Timothy F.
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