AU2004101090A4 - Cocotap - Google Patents

Description

Australia Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification Innovation Patent Cocotap The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: 0 cCocotap This invention represents an improved means of gaining access to young coconut juice.

0 Many people enjoy drinking young coconut juice but are constrained firstly by having to deftly use a machete or other such chopping tool to 0open the coconut and secondly by not being able to climb coconut trees o to retrieve the young nuts. This nutritious drink is made readily available by use of the said invention firstly by using it to pierce the inner coconut 1shell directly through the husk and inserting a drinking straw and 10 secondly by attaching the said invention to the end of a suitable pole and using it to pluck young coconuts directly from a tree.

The Cocotap preferably comprises two lengths of stainless steel tubing (although other materials such as aluminium can be used), joined by a stainless steel hinge pin. One length, the smaller in diameter, has a sharpened, obliquely cut, piercing point on one end. Its unsharpened end is joined at a medial pivot point to a larger diameter length of sculptured tubing within which it articulates.

This second piece acts as a hinged handle used to drive the piercing tube in either of two (90 degree) extreme positions of said handle. The piercing tube also embodies an open port above the trailing edge of the obliquely cut piercing point for clearing the coconut husk core which the invention removes from the coconut.

The invention can be made in a variety of lengths from several different diameters of tubing and gauges of tube wall thickness with the constraint that the sharpened piercing tube fits within the inner diameter of the hinged handle piece, which can be sculptured to accommodate a sturdy hinge pin position.

tfl 2 0 0 The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of the embodiments of the invention in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of a Cocotap with dotted margins disclosing the 5 obscured part of the coconut piercing tube I at the lateral extreme 0 position with respect to the sculptured Cocotap handle 2 and the position oof the hinge pin 3, the sharpened piercing point 4, and the contour of the 0 clearing port S 10 Figure 2 is a top view of a Cocotap demonstrating the handle 2 in the 0 extreme linear position with respect to the piercing tube 1 on the hinge pin 3, showing the sharpened point 4.

Figure 3 and 4 are side and bottom views respectively of a Cocotap handle 2 showing the contour of the sculptured section and the position of the point of articulation 3.

Figure 5 is a top view of the piercing tube 1 showing the preferred relative positions of the hinge pin 3, sharpened piercing point 4 and the clearing port Figure 6 is a schematic representation of Cocotap being used to hook a coconut 8 from a ripe bunch up a tree (not shown) showing the Cocotap lashed 7 to a long pole 6.

Claims (5)

1. A coconut tapping device comprising two articulating lengths of metal tubing wherein one tube encloses the other and functions as a medially hinged handle used to force the second obliquely cut sharpened tube through a coconut husk and inner shell removing a core which can be ocleared manually through a side port.

2. A coconut tapping device of claim 1, which can be fastened by lashing through the clearing port and piercing point to a long pole to serve as an articulating gaff hook to pull a young coconut from a tree.

3. A coconut tapping device of claim 1 wherein the hinge pin articulation and handle piece design allow only two extreme positions at right angles to apply the greatest force linearly and laterally.

4. A coconut tapping device according to any claims 1-3 wherein the hinge pin and tubing used is stainless steel.

5. A coconut tapping device substantially as herein before described with reference to figures 1-6 of the accompanying drawings. Paul Richardson 26 December 2004