GB2302046A

GB2302046A - A mill for grinding condiments

Info

Publication number: GB2302046A
Application number: GB9511890A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shin Azumi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-06-12
Filing date: 1995-06-12
Publication date: 1997-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-12
Also published as: GB2302046B; GB9511890D0

Abstract

A mill (2) for grinding condiments, comprising a first part (4) for being held in a first hand of a person, a second part (6) for being held in a second hand of the person, a first chamber (8) in the first part (4) for receiving a condiment, a second chamber (10) in the second part (6) for receiving the condiment from the first chamber (8), and grinding means (12) in the second part (6) for grinding the condiment. The first chamber (8) has an inlet portion (14) and an outlet portion (16). The inlet portion (14) is larger than the outlet portion (16) in order to facilitate filling of the first chamber (8).

Description

A MILL POR GRINDING CONDIMENTS This invention relates to a mill for grinding condiments.

Mills for grinding condiments are well known.

The known mills generally comprise a first part for being held in a first hand of a person, a second part for being held in a second hand of the person, and grinding means for grinding the condiment. The first and the second parts are such that they are rotatable by hand relative to each other in order to cause operation of the grinding means. The known mills are disadvantageous in that they are difficult to fill with the required condiment. This is because the known mills have an inadequately small opening for receiving the condiment.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem.

Accordiingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a mill for grinding condiments, which mill comprises a first part for being held in a first hand of a person, a second part for being held in a second hand of the person, a first chamber in the first part for receiving a condiment, a second chamber in the second part for receiving the condiment from the first chamber, and grinding means in the second part for grinding the condiment, the first and the second parts being such that they are rotatable by hand relative to each other in order to cause operation of the grinding means, the first and the second parts being in communication with each other whereby the condiment introduced into the first chamber is able to fall into the second chamber, and the first chamber being such that it has an inlet portion and an outlet portion and the inlet portion is larger than the outlet portion in order to facilitate filling of the first chamber.

The mill of the present invention may be used for grinding any suitable and appropriate condiments.

Thus, for example, the mill may be used for grinding pepper corns in which case the mill will be a pepper mill. The mill may alternatively be used for grinding salt crystals in which case the mill will be a salt mill. The mill may also be used for grinding dried herbs and/or spices as may be required.

Preferably, the mill is one in which the first chamber is a frusto-conical first chamber. Such a frusto-conical first chamber enables easy filling of the first chamber with the condiment, and also enables a good flow of the condiment into the second chamber.

Other shapes for the first chamber may be employed if desired.

Usually, the mill will be one in which the first chamber is closed by a closure member.

Preferably the closure member is located in the first chamber. The closure member is preferably located entirely in the first chamber, but the closure member may extend out of the first chamber if desired.

When the closure member is located in the first chamber, then the closure member is preferably a screw-threaded stopper member which is unscrewed in order to permit the introduction of the condiment into the first chamber, and which is screwed up against the wall of the first chamber in order to close the first chamber. For filling purposes, the closure member may be completely unscrewed and taken out of the first chamber, or alternatively the closure member may be just partially unscrewed in order to create sufficient space between the stopper member and the wall of the first chamber for the condiment to pass therebetween.

The mill may be one in which the first part has a tubular portion which is received inside the second part, the tubular portion being such that it locates the first part on the second part, and the tubular portion being such that it rotates inside the second part when the first and the second parts are rotated by hand.

The grinding means preferably comprises a frustoconical grinder member which is rotatable in a frustoconical recess. Other types of grinding means may be employed.

The mill may be one in which the frusto-conical grinder member is mounted at one end of a grinding shaft, and in which the closure member is mounted at the other end of the grinding shaft.

The mill may have a variety of external shapes.

Thus, for example, the mill may be one in which the first part has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, and in which the second part is tubular.

Alternatively, the mill may be one in which the first part has a plurality of rectilinear sides, and in which the second part has a plurality of rectilinear sides. Preferably the first part is hexagonal and the second part is hexagonal but first and second parts having more or less sides may be employed.

Still further, the mill may be one in which the first part has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, in which the second part has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, and in which the apexes of the first and the second parts are adjacent each other. As indicated above, other suitable and appropriate shapes for the first and the second parts may be employed.

The mill may be made from a wide variety of materials including wood, plastics materials and metals. Any suitable and appropriate type of wood, plastics material or metal may be employed.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a first mill for grinding condiments; Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the mill shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the mill shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the mill shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is an underneath plan of the mill shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through a second mill for grinding condiments; Figure 7 is a top perspective view of the mill shown in Figure 6; Figure 8 is a front elevation of the mill shown in Figure 6; Figure 9 is a top plan view of the mill shown in Figure 6; Figure 10 is an underneath plan view of the mill shown in Figure 6; Figure 11 is a longitudinal section through a third mill for grinding condiments;; Figure 12 is a top perspective view of the mill shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is a front elevation of the mill shown in Figure 11; Figure 14 is a top plan view of the mill shown in Figure 11; and Figure 15 is an underneath plan view of the mill shown in Figure 11.

Referring to Figures 1 - 5, there is shown a mill 2 for grinding condiments such for example as pepper or salt. The mill 2 comprises a first part 4 for being held in a first hand of a person (not shown), and a second part 6 for being held in a second hand of the person.

The first part 4 has a first chamber 8 for receiving a condiment. The second part 6 has a second chamber 10 for receiving the condiment from the first chamber 8. Grinding means 12 are provided in the second part 6 for grinding the condiment.

The first and the second parts 4, 6 are such that they are rotatable by hand relative to each other in order to cause operation of the grinding means 12. As can be seen most clearly from Figure 1, the first and the second parts 4, 6 are in communication with each other whereby the condiment introduced into the first chamber 8 is able to fall into the second chamber 10.

The first chamber 8 is such that it has an inlet portion 14 and an outlet portion 16. The inlet portion 14 is larger than the outlet portion 16 in order to facilitate filling of the first chamber 8 with the condiment.

The first chamber 8 is of a frusto-conical shape.

The first chamber 8 is closed by a closure member 18.

The closure member 18 is located entirely in the first chamber 8 as can best be appreciated from Figure 1.

The closure member 18 has a screw threaded recess 20 which enables the closure member 18 to be screwed onto a screw threaded end 22 of a grinding shaft 24. The closure member 18 is thus a screw-threaded stopper member which is unscrewed in order to permit the introduction of the condiment into the first chamber 8, and which is screwed up against the wall 26 of the first chamber 8 in order to close the first chamber 8.

Figure 1 shows the closure member 18 in its closed position. In the open position of the closure member 18, the closure member 18 may be completely unscrewed from the end 22 and removed from the mill 2, or alternatively the closure member 18 may only be partially unscrewed in order to create sufficient space between the closure member 18 and the wall 26 in order to permit the passage therebetween of the condiment.

The mill 2 is such that the first part has a tubular portion 28 which is received inside the second part 6 as shown in Figure 1. The tubular portion 28 is such that it enables the first part 4 to be located on the second part 6. As can be seen from Figure 1, t:he tubular portion 28 joins the remainder of the first part 4 at a shoulder 30 and this shoulder 30 also helps to locate the first part 4 on the second part 6. The tubular portion 28 is such that it rotates inside the second part 6 when the first and the second parts 4, 6 are rotated by hand.

The grinding means 12 comprises a frusto-conical grinder member 32 which is rotatable in a frustoconical recess 34. The grinder member 32 is mounted on an end 36 of the grinding shaft 24. The recess 34 is formed in a member 38 which is held in position by two screws 40 which pass through a retaining bar 42 and locate in the second part 6.

The grinding shaft 24 is located in position by two screws 44 which pass through a retaining bar 46 and screw into the first part 4 as shown in Figure 1.

A nut 48 screws over the screw threaded end 22 of the grinding shaft 24 and is tightened against the retaining bar 46. The closure member 18 is then able to be screwed up and down along the screw threaded end 22 of the grinding shaft 24 for opening and closing the first chamber 8 as described above.

As can best be seen from Figure 3, the first part 4 has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, and the second part 6 is tubular.

Referring now to Figures 6, 10 there is shown a second mill 2 in which similar parts as in Figures 1 - 5 have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. As can best be seen from Figures 7 and 8, the second mill 2 shown in Figures 6 - 10 is such that the first and the second parts 4, 6 are each hexagonal sided parts. The first and the second parts 4, 6 may if desired have more or less rectilinear sides than six.

As can best be seen from Figure 6, the closure member 18 is conically shaped rather than disc shaped as shown in Figure 1. Also, as can be seen from Figure 6, the closure member 18 has a skirt portion 50 which bears on the retaining bar 46. The nut 48 shown in Figure 1 is not employed in the mill 2 shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures 11 - 15, there is shown a third mill 2 in which similar parts as in Figures 1 - 5 have again been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding. As can best be seen from Figures 12 and 13, the mill 2 shown in Figures 11 - 15 is such that the first and the second parts 4, 6 each have a frusto-conically shaped exterior, with the apexes 52, 54 of the first and the second parts 4, 6 respectively being adjacent each other.

As can best be seen from Figures 11 and 12, the closure member 18 is basically disc shaped as in Figure 1 but it is provided with an upstanding wall 56 for ease of gripping for tightening and untightening of the closure member 18.

The mills 2 shown in the drawings are such that they are all easy to fill with a chosen condiment because the inlet portion 14 of the first chamber 8 is substantially larger than the outlet portion 16 of the first chamber 8. Still further, the shapes chosen for the outsides of the first and the second parts 4, 6 are such that the first and the second parts 4, 6 can easily be gripped for the relative rotation of the first and the second parts 4, 6 that is required in order to cause operation of the grinding means 12.

Still further, because the first part 4 is able to sit on the second part 6 as shown, the mills 2 are able to be simply and economically constructed whilst at the same time being easy to fill with condiment, easy to rotate to cause operation of the grinder means, and aesthetically pleasing to look at.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected.

Thus, for example, the first and the second parts 4, 6 may be of shapes other than those shown.

Claims

CLAMS

1. A mill for grinding condiments, which mill comprises a first part for being held in a first hand of a person, a second part for being held in a second hand of the person, a first chamber in the first part for receiving a condiment, a second chamber in the second part for receiving the condiment from the first chamber, and grinding means in the second part for grinding the condiment, the first and the second parts being such that they are rotatable by hand relative to each other in order to cause operation of the grinding means, the first and the second parts being in communication with each other whereby the condiment introduced into the first chamber is able to fall into the second chamber, and the first chamber being such that it has an inlet portion and an outlet portion and the inlet portion is larger than the outlet portion in order to facilitate filling of the first chamber.

2. A mill according to claim 1 in which the first chamber is a frusto-conical first chamber.

3. A mill according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the first chamber is closed by a closure member.

4. A mill according to claim 3 in which the closure member is located in the first chamber.

5. A mill according to claim 4 in which the closure member is located entirely in the first chamber.

6. A mill according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the closure member is a screw-threaded stopper member which is unscrewed in order to permit the introduction of the condiment into the first chamber, and which is screwed up against the wall of the first chamber in order to close the first chamber.

7. A mill according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first part has a tubular portion which is received inside the second part, the tubular portion being such that it locates the first part on the second part, and the tubular portion being such that it rotates inside the second part when the first and the second parts are rotated by hand.

8. A mill according to any one of the preceding claims in which the grinding means comprises a frustoconical grinder member which is rotatable in a frustoconical recess.

9. A mill according to claim 8 in which the frustoconical grinder member is mounted at one end of d grinding shaft, and in which the closure member is mounted at the other end of the grinding shaft.

10. A mill according to any one of the preceding claims in which the first part has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, and in which the second part is tubular.

11. A mill according to any one of claims 1 - 9 in which the first part has a plurality of rectilinear sides, and in which the second part has a plurality of rectilinear sides.

12. A mill according to claim 11 in which the first part is hexagonal, and in which the second part is hexagonal.

13. A mill according to any one of claims 1 - 9 in which the first part has a frusto-conically shaped exterior, in which the second part has a frustoconically shaped exterior, and in which the apexes of the first and the second parts are adjacent each other.

14. A mill for grinding condiments, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.