US2397665A - Culinary implement - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1946. H DLE +A 2,397,665

CULINARY IMPLEMENT Filed Juhe 13, 1945 g7 MJEZWJEWZZQ Florence M'JLOZS and Patented Apr. 2, 1946 CULINARY IMPLEBIENT Alfred Edward Hindle, Prescott, and Florence Nichols, Wickenburg, Ariz.

Application June 13, 1945, Serial No. 599,246

5 Claims. (01. 294 -8) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in culinary implements and more particularly to a device to be used in turning articles of food, such as pancakes, eggs, fish and other substantiall fiat articles while the same is being cooked.

More specifically the invention embodies a device of this character including a flat blade together With a plate recessed in the center of the blade and pivotally attached adjacent one side edge of the blade together with means forswinging the plate upwardly for turning the article of food positioned thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide operating means for the turning plate carried by the handle of the device.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is eflicient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a similar view taken substantially on a line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on a line 55 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration We have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a flat blade having downturned flanges 6 at its sideedges, the flanges tapering toward the front edges of the blade in order that the blade may slide under a pancake or other article of food into a position on the upper surface of the blade.

To the rear edge of the blade 5 is attached a handle I,

The center of the blade '5 is formed with a substantially square shaped opening 8 having a flange 9 along one or more of the edges thereof and recessed below the upper surface of the blade and adapted to support the free edges of a plate l positioned in the opening 8 and flush with the upper surface of the blade as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 3 of the drawing.

A pin II is positioned in the opening 8 along one side of the blade 5 and the adjacent edge of the plate In is rolled around the pin I I as indicated at l2 to provide a hinge structure on which the plate In is swingable upwardly as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 3 of the drawing.

To the underside of the plate It is secured a track 13 in which one end of a crank arm I4 is slidably engaged, the crank arm being formed at the outer end of a shaft l5 journaled in a bearing !5 projecting from one side of the handle I.

The inner end of the shaft I5 is also bent angularly to form a lever I! having a button 18 at its outer end and adapted for engagement by the thumb of a person when grasping the handle I to rotate the shaft I5 in a manner to raise the crank l4 and the free edge of the plate It upwardly from the full line position as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing to the dotted line position whereby the article of food positioned on the plate will be inverted or turned.

The plate I0 is returned to its lower position in the opening of the plate 5 by means of a. coil spring I!) mounted on the shaft 5 with one end 20 engaged under the handle I and with its other end 2 l looped over the lever I! as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawing, the spring thus exerting its tension on the lever I! in a direction to move the plate I ll downwardly into its position flush with the surface of the blade 5.

The upper surface of the plate I0 is formed with a plurality of recesses 22 forming cups under the article of food positioned on the plate and the rims of which function in preventing the article of food from sliding on the plate l0 during the raising movement thereof, The cups 22 also serve to permit release of moisture at the underside of the article of food and thus prevent the food from becoming soggy.

It is believed the details of construction, manner of operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes full; comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim: 7 1. A culinary implement comprising a blade adapted for sliding under food being cooked, and a plate flush with the surface of the blade and pivoted along one edge adjacent one side of the 7 thereof, means pivotally attaching one edggof" the plate adjacent "one edge 0f. the blade, means -for raising the free edge of the plate: to turn the .food, 1an'd means *in thesurface of the plate tendingzto engage an'd retain the i-focd againstsliding :movement during-- the turning thereof.

4. A culinary implement comprising a blade adapted for sliding under food being cooked, a plate recessed in the blade flush with the surface thereof, means pivotally attaching one edge of the plate adjacent one edge of the blade, means for raising the free edge of the plate to turn the food, and shallow, recesses in the surface of the plate forming cups at the underside of the food thereon to retain the food against sliding movement during the turning thereof.

3 '5. Aculina'ry"imp1enie'nt comprising a blade and a handle adapted for sliding the blade under food while cooking, said blade having an opening 'z'zat itscentral portion, a plate supported in the ..opening flush with the surface of the blade, means irpivotallyfattaching one side edge of the plate to 'thebla'de; a shaft journaled onthe handle; a

crankat-oneendof the shaft positioned under the plate, a lever at the other end of the shaft 'forrotating the shaft to actuate the crank in a direction. forraising the free edge of the plate, and; spring means for movingthe shaft in a direct-ion-te lower the plate.

ALFRED EDWARD HINDLE.

- FLORENCE NICHOLS.

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