1992-03-26
1993-10-26
Yost, Frank T.
Cutlery
Forks
30324, A47J 4328, A47J 4300
Patent
active
052554392
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a spaghetti tool by means of which it is possible to accurately decide how large the amount of spaghetti to be cooked should be, in order to obtain the desired cooked amount.
DESCRIPTION RELATED ART
When cooking spaghetti there is the general problem that it is hard to estimate how much cooked spaghetti a certain amount of uncooked spaghetti will result in. The problem is due to the fact that spaghetti swells considerably when cooked. The ratio of swelling is in principle constant per unit of volume, but as has already been said, it is difficult to estimate. This difficulty very often results in either an insufficient amount of cooked spaghetti or an excessive amount, both of which of course are undesirable.
A known device for measuring or meting spaghetti is a plate in which there are a number of holes, by means of which it is possible to measure out a certain amount of spaghetti. This known device, however, presents a number of disadvantages. First, it is rather complicated to use if a certain precision is desired. Furthermore, it is relatively space-occupying and inflexible. Moreover, this known device presents a grabber per se that cannot be used for other purposes, in a kitchen which is already overwhelmed with grabbers.
There is known a further grabber that solves this latter problem, and by means of which it is possible to measure the amount of uncooked spaghetti and also to grab the cooked spaghetti. This measuring device, however, uses the same principle as the aforementioned plate, namely, a hole, which, as has been already mentioned is relatively complicated to use. Furthermore, the use of holes limits the possibilities of having several different measurement sizes also severely limited the maximum possible size of the measuring device.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
It is consequently an object of the invention to create a grabber which eliminates the above-mentioned disadvantages.
The invention is based on the face that a certain amount of uncooked spaghetti, after being cooked by boiling for a certain amount of time, absorbs a certain amount of fluid. The increase in volume and, therefore, also the amount of cooked spaghetti, can accordingly be predetermined if the starting amount (measured by volume) is known. Furthermore, the density is also substantially constant, which implies that the increase in weight can also be predetermined.
Considering the above one can see that a cooked portion of spaghetti can be measured before cooking by measuring the corresponding volume of uncooked spaghetti.
The object of the invention is accordingly to create a grabber by means of which the volume and therefore also the weight of a certain amount of uncooked spaghetti can be easily determined, which simultaneously allows the user to determine beforehand the number of portions being cooked, and which enables grabbing of the cooked spaghetti after it is cooked. Such a grabber diminishes the number of grabbers in the kitchen and eliminates the risk of not finding one of the necessary grabbers. Moreover, the invention provides the above advantages in a very effective and functional manner by using parts of the grabber which are "necessary" for the grabbing of the cooked spaghetti to form supporting means for the measuring of uncooked spaghetti. Furthermore, these supporting means can be made very easy to use, since it is possible to place the spaghetti in the supports without having to approach them from one certain direction.
For a given type of spaghetti it can be assumed that the length is almost constant. Hence, it is possible to determine the volume by measuring the area of the cross-section of a bunch of spaghetti, whose length L is constant. The cross-sectional area Y can be measured in many ways. The volume, however, is always calculated in the same way, i.e. by multiplication of the cross-sectional area and the length, Y.times.L.
The device according to the invention accordingly preferably provides a grabber by means of which it is possible to directly m
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Heyrana Sr. Paul M.
Slusher Jeffrey
Yost Frank T.
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