US2095152A

US2095152A - Culinary instrument

Info

Publication number: US2095152A
Application number: US95650A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reynolds John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1936-08-12
Filing date: 1936-08-12
Publication date: 1937-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-10-05

Description

Oct. 5, 1937. J. REYNOLDS CULINARY INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 12, 1936 v w ante n: JOHN REYNULDS,

Patented Oct. 5, 1937 .UNITED S'Tr PPATENT or es My invention relates to a culinary instrumentparticularly adapted for splitting vegetables such as bean pods; and it has for its object to produce such an instrument having novel and superior characteristics, as will be pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an instrument embodying my invention, adapted to splitting-pods of string beans;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the several parts of the instrument separated;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.,1;' l

Fig. 4 is a view. illustrating the manner of using the invention; and

Fig. 5 is aplan view of my invention embodied in a different form from that shown in the other views.

.The instrument illustrated'in the drawing comprises a knife or cutter for splitting the vegetable, a pair of guides between'which the vegetable being treated passes after being split and which serve to hold it in proper relation to the knife, and a frame serving as a handle, a sup port for the aforesaid parts and as a guide for the vegetable to direct it properly to the cutter.

Referring to the drawing, A indicates the frame considered as a whole. It is. preferably formed of a narrow strip of metal standing on edge and with its ends brought together and united, by brazing or otherwise, to constitute a rigid frame structure. Such frame is shaped to form a part 2 the opposite side bars of which are parallel and spaced apart to constitute a handle that may be easily and, conveniently gripped by the user. At the end of the frame opposite the handle the metalstrip is formed into a tubular portion 4, of

a size suited to the vegetable or'other similar object for the treatment of which the tool is devised. Between the handle and the tubular end portion the frame is formed into an intermediate section consisting of a pair of parallel side pieces 3, separated by a comparatively narrow space 5. Through theside pieces 3 of the intermediate portion are formed holes 6 B represents-the knife or cutter of the instrument, preferably formed as represented in Fig. 2, and comprising a body portion '1 that is adapted to be setinto the space 5 between the side bars of the intermediate portion of the frame where it is secured by rivets 9 that pass through the holes 6 in the frame and registering holes 8 in the knife body. 1 indicates a raised forward part of the knife which, when the latter is inserted in the handle, is offset from and stands above and crossbe used iningthe opening through the tubular end portion l of the frame. This forward raised portion is formed with a cutting edge H. The rear endfof the knife is formed into a supporting part it that extends upwardly from the body thereof. Through this part is formed a pivot hole i2 and in its upper edge is a notch 14.

C,'C, represent guides mounted so as to support the vegetable after being split and until it has been passed sufficiently far beyond the cutting blade. Each guide is formed to have a head iii, that, when the parts are assembled for use as represented in Figure 1, is offset from the tubular portion 4 of the frame, and is positioned to one side of the knife so as to-be engaged by the vegetable passing through the instrument. In that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this head has a smooth rounded or curved face that bears against theside of the vegetable, the two heads I5 being opposite to each other on opposite sides of the knife and normally spaced apart a little less than the ordinary thickness ofthe bean or other-vegetable or vegetable part that is to be passed through the instrument to be split. it indicates the stem of the guide, it preferably being elastic so as to hold the head in the desired position but resiliently, the guides yielding outwardly or sidewise as a bean is passed through thetube of the handle, past the knife, and between the guides. The guides at their rear .ends are pivoted to the upstanding portion 12 of the knife and to permit this each is perforated, as at l8. Each guide has its rear or pivoted end I! formed with a teat I 9 preferably formed by indenting the metal from which the guide is formed.

D indicates the pivot uniting the guides to the knife. .It consists of a bolt 20 passing through the apertures I8 in the guides and i3 in the portion I2 of the knife. Upon this bolt is a nut 2! and a spring washer 22, if it be found desirable to use the latter.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a form of the invention in which the head portions of guides instead of being integral with the stems thereof, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, are separate therefrom and consist of rollers l5 suitably supported on the stems 16, which may be of wire.

The guides C are pivotally supported permitting them to be moved away from the knife, as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 1, giving access to the parts for cleaning, and to the blade of the knife for sharpening when that may become necessary. 7

The notch or recess M in the pivot-supporting portion of the knife and the teats or projections 19 of the pivoted ends [7 of the guides are so related that when the parts are assembled and in working position, as represented in Figs. 1 and 4, the projections l9 lie in the notch or recess Hi, and this interengagement is sufiicient, due to the tightness of the pivot D, to hold the parts rigidly in Working position with the knife blade over the upper end of the tubular part 4 of the frame. However, if sufficient force is exerted upon a guide it may be turned on its pivot into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. Other arrangements of inter-engaging means for holding the guides in proper working relation to the knife with sufficient rigidity or firmness, and yet permitting them to be moved out of working position as described, as do the slots and teats illustrated, may be employed, though the arrangement illustrated is simple and effective.

The manner of using the implement which has been described, is as follows:

The bean pods, preferably after first being snipped and strung, are passed one at a time through the tubular part of a handle, this part serving as a guide to direct the pods to the knife, by which they are split. The tubular part of the handle holds the pods before reaching the knife and while being cut thereby, and the guides C engage with and hold the pods after they have been split as represented in Fig. 4. After the splitting of the pod has progressed sufficiently far, the user may grasp the split pod, seen projecting in Fig. 4, and quickly draw it through the instrument.

While I have described the instrument as being used only for the treatment of bean pods, for which it has been particularly devised, it is apparent that any other vegetable substance of a size and shape for which the instrument is adapted may be operated upon in the same way as a bean pod, the invention not being limited to use upon a specific vegetable or substance.

What I claim is:

1. A culinary instrument for use in splitting string beans comprising a frame formed of a narrow strip of metal shaped to form a handle at one end, a tubular portion at the other end and an intermediate portion between these end parts, a cutting blade supported in the intermediate portion of the frame with its cutting edge offset from and standing across the said tubular end part thereof, and guides on either side of the cutting blade, the tubular part of the frame serving to guide the objects being split before they reach the blade and the guides after they have passed the blade.

2. An instrument such as described in claim 1, wherein the guides are supported directly by the blade.

3. An instrument such as described in claim 1, wherein the guides are pivotally supported directly by the blade and are movable with reference to the blade to permit access to the parts for cleansing or other purposes.

4. An instrument such as described in claim 1, wherein the guides are pivotally supported and are held in position on either side of the blade, there being means combined with the guides to hold them securely in position when the instrument is. being used but adapted to yield when additional force is applied to turn them on their pivots.

5. A culinary instrument adapted for use in splitting bean pods, consisting of a metal frame serving as a handle and support, a knife supported in the frame and having a projecting part serving as a pivotal support, a pair of guides arranged on either side of the knife for directing and holding the objects to be split, united to the said projecting part of the knife by a pivot upon which they may turn, interengaging recess and teat parts between the guides and support arranged to hold the guides in working position relative to the blade with sufficient force to permit the instrument to be used but arranged to yield on additional force being applied to move the guides relative to the knife.

6. An instrument such as described in claim 1, wherein the ends of the guides that engage with the vegetable after passing the cutter are integral parts of the guides, having curved surfaces.

'7. An instrument such as described in claim 1, wherein the portions of the guides that engage with the vegetable after passing the cutter are rollers supported by the guides.

JOHN REYNOLDS.