GB2423915A

GB2423915A - A hand held nut cracker

Info

Publication number: GB2423915A
Application number: GB0504815A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Monica Viviana Findlay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-09
Filing date: 2005-03-09
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2025-03-09
Also published as: GB2423915B; GB0504815D0

Abstract

A hand held nutcracker similar to a conventional nutcracker comprises two arms 2, 6 that are pivotally 1 attached to one another where one arm 2 has a bowl 4 to hold the nut before, while and after cracking and the second arm 6 has a interchangeable nut cracking head. Preferably the interchangeable nut cracking heads 10, 11, 12, 13 are attached to a cylinder 9 incorporated into the second arm 6 that is rotated until the desired head is placed above the nut to be cracked thereby allowing all types of nuts to be cracked and de-shelled. The arms of the device may be spring loaded by a spring 5 that elevates the cracking head out of the way of the bowl once the user stops forcing the arms together. The nut cracker maybe made from metal and or plastic.

Description

NUT CRACKING DEVICE

The invention relates to a manual device for cracking and removing the shells of all types of nuts.

Such devices are well known, but suffer the disadvantage of not having a convenient way of collecting the shell fragments and the seed. Also nuts of different sizes and shell thicknesses cannot be cracked easily with the same device.

An objective of this invention is to provide a hand held nutcracker with a way of collecting the shell fragments and the seed built into the design. It also allows the user to remove the shells of different types of nuts with the same device.

Accordingly, this invention provides a hand held nutcracker fitted with a small bowl for holding the nut in place and retaining the shell fragments and the seed after cracking. The section of the : * : * : device used for apply a force to the nut has different shapes in order for different types of nuts to *... be de-shelled using the same device. The desired shape can be rotated into position by the user. ****

*..: The device is made of metal, but can have plastic incorparated into the handles for a more : comfortable grip. The handles are also spring loaded.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the : accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a side view of the whole device; FIGURE 2 shows a detail of the pivoting system; FIGURE 3 is a cross section of the bowl for holding the nut and shell fragments. It shows how the bowl is attached to the rest of the device; FiGURE 4 is a side view of the device with the adaptation of the different heads for applying pressure to the nut; FIGURES 5 and 6 shows the different head shapes; FIGURE 7 shows the interior of one of the heads; FIGURE 8 shows how the handle holding the rotating heads is constructed; FIGURE 9 shows how the device holds and cracks a nut when manual pressure is applied; FIGURE 10 shows how the device holds the nut and the shell fragments after cracking.

As shown in Figure 1, the device comprises a fixed head 3 for cracking nut shells and a bowl 4 for holding the nut and retaining the kernel and the shell fragments after cracking. The spring 5 coimecting the arms 2, 6 conveniently elevates the cracking head out of the way of the bowl once the user stops forcing the arms together.

Figure 2 shows how the pivoting system I is put together. The arms 2,6 are held together at one end by bolts passing through holes in the arms.

Figure 3 shows a cross section of the bowl and the arm 2. A screw 8 through the bottom of the bowl attaches it to the arm. * .* * S *

:::*:. Figure 4 shows the 4 different cracking head options available to the user by rotating the desired head into position depending on the nut to be dc-shelled. The heads are moulded on a short *.S.

*..: cylinder 9, which freely rotates about the arm 6, 14. S..

The different cracking heads on the cylinder are shown in more detail in Figure 5 and 6. The : :.. heads 10 and 12 would be used for smaller nut shells, while ii and 13 would be more suited for * larger nuts depending on the shape of the nut.

The interior of 13 shown in Figure 7 has rows of ridges for cracking the nut shell when the arms are forced together.

The arm 14, 6 supporting the cylinder of cracking heads is shown in Figure 8. Sections 15 and 16 of the arm are passed through the cylinder and screwed together.

Figures 9 and 10 show how the device is to be used. A nut is placed in the bowl 4. The user squeezes the handles 4 and 6 together to break the shell with the cracking head 3. When the shell breaks the fragments and the seed remains in the bowl. The coiled spring 5 pushes the handles apart and lifts the head clear of the bowl when the user stops applying pressure. The seed can now be retrieved from the bowl and the shell fragments discarded.

Claims

1. A device for cracking nut shells inc]uding a bowl for holding the nut before cracking and the shell fragments and seed after cracking.

2. A device for cracking nut shells as claimed in Claim 1, where the cracking head is interchangeable so that all types of nuts can be deshelled using the same device.

3. A device for cracking nut shells as claimed in Claim I and Claim 2, where the arms of the device are spring loaded.

4. A device for cracking nut shells as claimed in any preceding claim, which is made from metal or a combination of metal and plastic.

5. A device for cracking nut shells substantially as herein described and illustrated in the : accompanying drawings. * S

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