GB2201333A

GB2201333A - A combination egg slicer and piercer

Info

Publication number: GB2201333A
Application number: GB08703611A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wang Shu Yen
Original assignee: TKI Ltd
Current assignee: TKI Ltd
Priority date: 1987-02-17
Filing date: 1987-02-17
Publication date: 1988-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2007-02-17
Also published as: GB2201333B; GB8703611D0

Abstract

A combination egg slicer and piercer comprises a base 2, 3 having therein a concave depression 7 to receive an egg for slicing. A frame 4 having a cutting wire 5 stretched there across is hingedly attached to the base and can be closed down thereon so that the wire 5 slices through the egg received in the depression 7. A piercing point 12 is mounted on the base and projects upwardly in the region of the concave depression, being normally concealed within a resiliently mounted movable member 9 normally defining the lowermost section of the concave depression 7 so that when an egg intended for piercing is pushed into the depression on to the member 9 the latter yields to expose the point 12 for piercing the egg. <IMAGE>

Description

A COMBINATION EGG SLICER AND PIERCER This invention relates to a combination egg slicer and piercer.

Egg slicers and egg piercers have hitherto been known separately, but not in combination. The conventional egg slicer consists of a base to which is hinged a frame. A cutting wire is stretched across the frame, and in order to slice a hard boiled egg, the shell of the egg is removed and then the egg is placed in a depression in the base and the hinged frame is swung- downwardly so that the wire slices the egg as- it passes through it. The conventional egg piercer comprises a spike upstanding from a base. In order to pierce the egg, the latter is pushed down on to the spike. To- date it has not been known how to combine these separate functions of slicing and piercing in a single article.

The present invention provides a combination egg slicer and piercer comprising a base having a concave depression therein to receive an egg for slicing, a frame including a cutting wire stretched thereacross, the frame being hingedly attached to the base for pivotal movement with respect thereto so that the cutting wire is adapted to sweep through the depression so as to cut an egg placed therein into slices, and a piercing point mounted on the base and projecting upwardly in the region of the concave depression for piercing an egg that is forced downwardly into the concave depression.

Preferably the concave depression is defined by an upper wall of the base which has slots through which the cutting wire passes, and by a resiliently mounted movable member defining lower-most section of the depression, the member having grooves therein to receive the cutting. wire when the wire has swept through the depression upon lowering of the frame, and the piercing point passes with clearance through an aperture in the said member and is normally concealed within the member so that an egg placed within the depression for slicing is not pierced by-the point, but when an egg intended for piercing is pushed into the depression on to the member the latter yields to expose the point for piercing the egg.

Preferably the cutting wire comprises, in per se known manner, a continuous length of cutting wire stretched in a sinuous path to make a number of passes across the frame, the lateral spacing between the wire in its several passes corresponding to that between the slots in the upper wall of the base.

Preferably also the upper wall of the movable member is provided with slots which form a continuation of the slots in the upper wall of the base.

The base may be closed at its underside by a lower wall on which the piercing point is mounted. A spring surrounding the piercing point resiliently biases the movable member away from the lower wall of the base. The upper wall surrounding the resiliently mounted movable member is extended downwardly towards the lower wall to form a guide wall portion locating and surrounding the resiliently mounted movable member so that the latter may move freely without binding or becoming canted relative to the piercing point.

Suitably the guide wall portion and the movable member are provided with a mating rib and groove formation to prevent relative rotation thereof.

An embodiment of a combination egg slicer and piercer according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of the combination egg slicer and piercer, Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, Fig. 3 is a side view showing the frame swung into the open position, and Fig. 4 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, the combination egg slicer and piercer shown comprises a moulded plastics base 1 comprising an upper wall 2 and a lower wall 3. A metal wire frame 4 is hinged to the base 1 at one end, and a stainless steel cutting wire5 is stretched across the frame 4 in a number of passes so that parallel lengths of cutting wire extend from side to side across the frame.

The upper wall 2 of the base is formed with a plurality of slots 6 corresponding In number and stacking co-the passes of the cutting wire 5, and with a concave depression 7 which is shaped so that an egg to be sliced may be laid therein with its major axis either parallel to the slots or transverse of the slots.

In the central lower-mpst region of the concave depression 7 the upper wall 2 is extended downwardly at 8 towards the lower wall 3 to form a chamber or housing accommodating a movable member 9 the upper wall of which continues the shape of the depression 7 and is formed with slots 10 aligned with the slots 6. A spring li interposed between the lower wall 3 of the base and the movable member 9 resiliently biases the latter away from the lower wall. An egg piercing point 12 is mounted on the lower wall 3 and projects upwardly therefrom into an aperture into the movable member 9 within which it is a clearance fit.

The tip of the piercing point 12 is normally concealed within the movable member 9 when the latter is urged upwardly by the spring 11.

In order to slice an egg, the frame 4 is lifted to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and the egg is placed within the concave depression 7. Then the frame 4 is swung downwardly so that the cutting wire 5 moves through the slots 6 to cut the egg into slices, the final or closed position of the frame 4 being as illustrated in Figures I and 2 where the cutting wire 5 has passed completely through the egg and lies fully within the slots 6 and in the grooves 10 in the movable member 9.

In order to pierce an egg, the frame is again lifted to the open position, and the egg is placed into the depression and pushed downwardly against the movable member 9. The member 9 yields and moves downwardly against the biasing force of the spring 11, thus exposing the piercing point 12 which pierces the egg.

When the egg is removed, after being pierced, the spring 11 returns the movable member 9 to its upward position as illustrated in the drawings.

The movable member 9 is guided during its vertical movement by the guide wall portion 8 of the upper wall 2, and is dimensioned so that it can move freely without binding or becoming canted relative to the piercing point. The movable member 9 and the guide wall portion 8 are provided with a mating rib and groove formation indicated at 13 the purpose of which is to prevent the movable member 9 from rotating relative to the base 1 thereby avoiding misalignment of the slots in the movable member 9 with the slots 6 within the upper wall 2.

Claims

1. A combination egg slicer and piercer comprising a base having a concave depression therein to receive an egg for slicing, a frame including a cutting wire stretched thereacross, the frame being hingedly attached to the base for pivotal movement with respect thereto so that the cutting wire is adapted to sweep through the depression so as to cut an egg placed therein into slices, and a piercing point mounted on the base and projecting upwardly in the region of the concave depression for piercing an egg that is forced downwardly into the concave depression.

2. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 1, wherein the concave depression is defined by an upper wall of the base which has slots through which the cutting wire passes, and by a resiliently mounted movable member defining the lowermost section of the depression, the member having grooves therein to receive the cutting wire when the wire has swept through the depression upon lowering of the frame, and the piercing point passes with clearance through an aperture in the said member and is normally concealed within the member so that an egg placed within the depression for slicing is not pierced by the point, but when an egg intended for piercing is pushed into the depression on to the member the latter yields to expose the point for piercing the egg.

3. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 2, wherein the cutting wire comprises a continuous length of wire stretched in a sinuous path to make a number of passes across the frame-, the lateral spacing between the wire in its several passes corresponding to that between the slots in the upper wall of the base and the grooves in the movable member.

4. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 3, wherein the upper wall of the movable member is provided with slots which form a continuation of the slots in the upper wall of the base.

5. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the base is closed at its underside by a lower wall on which the piercing point is mounted, and a spring surrounds the piercing point for resiliently biasing the movable member in a direction away from the lower wall.

6. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 5, wherein the upper wall surrounding the resiliently mounted movable member is extended downwardly towards the lower wall to form a guide wall portion locating and surrounding the resiliently mounted movable member so that the latter may move- freely without binding or becoming canted relative to the piercing point.

7. A combination egg slicer and piercer according to Claim 6, wherein the guide wall portion and the movable member are provided with a mating rib and groove formation to prevent relative rotation thereof.

8. A combination egg slicer and piercer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.