FR2630316A1 - Device designed for opening shellfish and, more particularly, oysters - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for opening shellfish and, more particularly, oysters. The device is formed by the combination, firstly, of a fixed base 2, forming a trough, comprising on the one hand two cuttings 8, 9 of different shapes, serrated or not, designed to receive most common shellfish, and in particular oysters of any type, providing them with a stable position, and on the other hand several horizontal slots 11, 12, 13, at different heights, intended for guiding the blade 6 of the knife 3; secondly, of a movable part articulated on the first part by means of a shaft 4, forming a pincer with the first part and also provided with two cutouts of different shapes 17, 18 permitting an efficient clamping of the shellfish to be opened; finally, of a knife with a guard 5 and blade 6 having a rounded and non-cutting end 7, comprising on the handle side two notches 22, 23 permitting its rotation when it is fully engaged in one of the guide slots. The device lends itself both to domestic use and to professional use, whether in the catering field or in the retail sale of shellfish.

Description

OYSTER OPENERS
The subject of the present invention is a device intended for opening shellfish and more particularly oysters.

 It is suitable for both home use and professional use, whether in the restaurant industry or in the retail sale of shellfish.

The devices produced to date do not allow effective maintenance of the shell to be opened. The knives intended for this use, even the electric knives marketed for some time, are necessarily sharp, and the significant force to be exerted can cause accidents of a certain gravity in case of sliding of the tool.

The device according to the present invention eliminates all these drawbacks. Indeed, it is designed to use a knife with a rounded tip and not cutting, which greatly improves the safety factor. I1 makes it possible to firmly fix the shell to be opened, and ensures guiding of the knife such that not only does it make any sliding of the blade impossible, but provides the latter with a fulcrum providing a lever arm which increases the force exerted tenfold. while reducing the effort required.

 On the other hand the shape of the mobile part of the tool is designed to ensure the maintenance and comfort of the hand. Finally, the fixed part, in the form of a bin, allows easy recovery of debris.

It is constituted by the combination first of all, of a fixed base, forming a tray, comprising on the one hand two notches of different toothed or not shapes, studied to receive most common shellfish, and in particular oysters of all types by ensuring them a stable position, on the other hand several horizontal slots, at different heights, intended for guiding the blade of the knife, then, of a movable part articulated on the previous gr this to an axis, forming a clamp therewith ci and provided; also of two cutouts of different shapes allowing effective clamping of the shell to be opened at last, of a knife with guard and blade with rounded and non-cutting end comprising on the side of the handle two notches allowing its rotation when it is fully engaged in the 'one of the guide slots.

In the attached drawing, given by way of nonlimiting example, of one of the forms of the invention
Figure 1 shows in perspective, the device as a whole.

The device, Figure 1, consists of a movable part 1 articulated by a pin 4 on a fixed base 2, and a knife 3 equipped with a guard 5 and a blade 6, non-cutting and tipped rounded 7.

The base 2 comprises on the one hand two lateral cutouts 8, 9, of particular shapes toothed or not, and different from each other, to take account of the non-symmetry of the shells and to adapt to their size in ensuring a stable position, and on the other hand, on the front face 10, several horizontal slots 11, 12, 13 intended for guiding the blade 6 of the knife 3 and making it possible to present it at the correct height to penetrate into the shell, regardless of the size of the latter. The bottom 14 of the base 2 forms, with the front face 10 and the sides 14 and 15, a tray facilitating the recovery of debris and serving as storage for the knife 3.

The movable part 1 also includes two different notches 17, 18 designed to ensure effective clamping of the shell. The top 19 of the part 1 is provided with two stops 20, 21, the role of which is to maintain the hand effecting the tightening and to prevent it from sliding when the other hand makes the knife 3 penetrate into the shell.

The blade of the knife 3 is provided, on the side of the handle with two notches 22 and 23 allowing, to facilitate the opening of the shell, to make it operate an axial rotation when it is fully engaged in one of the slots 11, 12 , 13.

Thanks to its simplicity, its reduced volume, its low manufacturing cost, its ease of use and the security it brings; the device which has just been described lends itself particularly well to the production of household or professional utensils capable of being marketed on a large scale.

The positioning of the various constituent elements gives this device a maximum of useful effects which had not been obtained to date by similar devices.

However, the shapes, dimensions and arrangements of the various elements may vary within the limit of the equivalents, without changing the general conception of the invention, which
has just been described.

Claims (1)

 10 - Device intended to allow the opening of shellfish and more particularly oysters with great ease and in complete safety, characterized by the combination of a movable part (1) comprising two stops (20, 21) on the upper face ( 19) ensuring the maintenance of the hand operating the tightening, as well as two different cutouts (17, 18) designed to firmly tighten the shell to be opened, articulated by the axis (4) on a fixed base (2) provided of two indentations, toothed or not, different from each other (8, 9) on the sides (15, 16) designed to take into account the asymmetry of the shells and to ensure a stable position whatever their size, and provided on the front face (10) of several horizontal slots (11, 12, 13), the shape of which is to guide the blade (6) of a knife (3) equipped with a guard (5), this blade being non-cutting and comprising a rounded end (7), as well as two notches (22, 23) on the side of the handle intended to allow the rota axial tion of the blade (6) when the latter is fully engaged in one of the guide slots (11, 12, 13).