US2506817A - Device for use in opening bivalve mollusks - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1950 F. A. svEc 2,506,817

DEVICE FOR USE IN OPENING BIVALVE MOLLUSKS Filed Jan. 24', 1947 INVENTOR. FRANK. 81/5 A TORA/Eyg Patented May 9, 1950 OFFICE DEVEGE FOR USE IN OPENING BIVALYE.

MOLLUSKS' FrankA. Svec, Norwa1k,, Conn.

Application. January 24, 19451,, Serial No. 723,959

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for use in opening bivalve mollusks such as the hard or quahog clamthe Venus mcrcenaria-the succulent soft clam-the Mfg a arenaria or any of the mussel family such as Mytzlus edulis or tinio Anodonta. By altering the dilmensio ns of the device in a manner that will be obvious after perusing the following specification, it may be readily adapted for use with any of the genus ostrea commonly termed oysters.

An object of the invention is to provide a device. of the, character described that can be used by an. unskilled; operator that eliminates breaking shells and, often the attendant profanity.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described, that is simple in construction andis. not easily broken when used in the average kitchen or elsewhere.

A. further object, is, to provide a. device of the character described in which a. knife is. auto i all the shells so, that the bodies of the clams matically guided; to the juncture between the shells so that. when pressure is applied to the knife, the shells, will, be. separated witho t displacingv the mollusk on, the, support provided therefor- Another object is to. provide a device of the 1 character described in whichv provision is made to hold and position the, mollusk to be operated upon. in such a manner that the, operators digits are not in danger of being damagedby slippage of the knifewhich often occurs with present methods.

Qther objects and advantages will be apparent iron; the following. specification, wherein, by way example, preferred embodiments of the invention are described and illustrated as applied to a device for use in openin hard. clams.v It will be understood that many changes and modifications can be made in these devices without, however, departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawin s:

Figure l is a side elevational'view of a embodying the invention; 4

device Figure 2 is an end elevational View ofthe de- (the meats) may be used in chowder or the like.

In both the above instances, when the clams are opened by the unskilled without the use of the present invention, fragments of shell are commonly left in the, meats and are highly obj'ectional to the consumers of these delicacies from the standpoint of both mastication and digestion, to say nothing of. the social impropriety of a hostess serving broken clam shells with her hors doeuvres or potage.

The instant invention, on the other hand, enables the most unskilled to open clams without breaking the shells and with. greater rapidity than by hand in the usual manner.

In order to properly illustrate the present invention, which, although a simple, one, has impliedohjects. and features of importance as well as those expressed, a brief reference will be made to present methods of opening clams.

The clam is usually grasped in. the left hand, hinge side to the palm, and while firmly grasped, a. knife held in the. right hand is applied to the juncture between the shells. A quick twist of the knife (the technique of which is known only to those skilled in the art and which is difficult to describe) is givenand the shells are thereby separated and the opening is accomplished.

The unskilled operator seldom employs this method without. breaking; the shells and losing the-juice and his temper, Women commonly use a hammer.

Hammer opening is usually accomplished by laying the clam on its sidealld smiting it with the hammer. 'This results in breaking one or both shells. Usually splinters of shell drain away .With the juice and the operators temper.

Now, referring to Figure l, the numeral H). denotes a holder made of any suitable material or plastic. This is made of the proper size to receive clams of various sizes. A clam of average size is indicated by the dotted line H.

The vertical portion of the holder ID has angular sides l2, 13 as shown in Figure 2, the apex formed thereon at M being substantially at the center of the body of the holder.

lwo slots l5, IS in line with the apex M are provided. These are vertically spaced apart and are adapted to receive the outer end of a knife shown in dotted lines at H.

In the bottom or base of the holder is provided a recess l8 extending longitudinally of the holder and shaped to receive the shell-hinge portion or edge of clam H to align the juncture of the shells and hold same in position for opening.

It will now be seen that although clams of various sizes are placed on the support in the position shown in Figure 1, that the juncture between the shells into which the knife is inserted will always be aligned below the slots l5, l6 and in a plane with the plane of the slots and perpendicular to the apex M. The length of this apex is sufficient to accommodate the clams of different sizes commonly met with.

To open the clam H, the holder l may be held in the left hand. The clam H is placed on the holder and held there. Or the holder is placed on any suitable support. In either event. the point of the knife I! is placed in slot IE or l'6 (depending upon the size of the clam) and the edge thereof is placed in the aligned juncture between the shells. Pressure is exerted downward on the knife. As the knife is securely held at I5 or IE and is aligned with the shell junction, and as the clam is held so that it does not shift, the shells are easily forced apart without fragmentation and without danger of cutting the operators hands.

The lower portion 19 of the holder may be rounded as shown to facilitate grasping by hand if the user prefers this method of use.

It may be pointed out that a healthy clam which has reached the spot where it is to be opened (and which has not been subjected to soaking in fresh water or steaming) has its shells tightly closed. It has clammed up to use a colloquial expression, and the juncture between the shells is tightly sealed. The shells are thin at this point and unless the clam and knife are held aligned in the proper relationship (as is accomplished by this invention), the thin edges of the shells will be broken and chips may be in the chowder.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, an alternate form of the invention is shown. Here the holder 20 is provided with a base 2| which may be integral therewith. The holder has the angular sides 22, 23 corresponding to the sides l2, E3 of Figure 1, but in Figures 5 and 6 these sides 22, 23 are separated by a slot 24 which lies at the apex of the sides.

A flange 25 extends rearwardly of the holder and has a screw or other means 26 which supports knife 21 in slot 24 so that it may move vertically therein. The end of the knife 2! may have a hole in its to receive the shank of screw 26, or the knife may have a slot to fit about the shank of the screw. Any suitable arrangement may be employed to permit the ready removal of the knife for cleaning and grinding.

The holder Figure 5 has the recess l8 as previously described and is used in the same manner as the device show in the preceding figures.

While slots I5, l6 and 24 and recess l8 are shown as within the body of the holder, it will be understood that these may be clips or other means secured to and projecting outwardly from the body of the holder in order to guide the knife and hold the clam as described.

Thus, by the provision of a one-piece holder or the device shown in Figure 5, the inexperienced housewife may approach the job of shucking clams without fear of cut fingers and produce the meats sans shells in a rapid and inexpensive manner.

What is claimed is:

l. A device for use in conjunction with a conventional kitchen knife in opening bivalve mollusks comprising a body including a base portion and another portion extending at substantially right angles thereto, the base portion having a longitudinally extending recess disposed intermediate its side edges to receive a portion of the edge of a mollusk to be opened, the said angularly disposed portion of the body having at least one narrow knife blade receiving slot therein in spaced relation to and in alignment with and facing the recess in the base portion, the end wall of the narrow slot that is remote from the recess in the base preventing displacement of a knife blade removably received in the said narrow slot when the blade is swung relative thereto to split a mollusk the edge of which is received in the recess in the base.

2. A device for use in conjunction with a conventional kitchen kife in opening bivalve mollusks comprising a body including a base portion and another portion extending at substantially right angles thereto, the base portion having a longitudinally extending recess disposed intermediate its side edges to receive a portion of the edge of a mollusk to be opened, the said angularly disposed portion of the body having angular side wall portions defining a longitudinally extending apex in alignment with the said recess, said angularly disposed portion also having at least one narrow knife blade receiving slot therein above and in alignment with the apex so that a mollusk having a portion of its edge in the recess in the base and another portion of its edge bearing against the apex will be split upon swinging movement of a knife blade, the tip of which is adapted to be removably received and retained in the said narrow slot.

3. A device as defined in and by claim 2 wherein the said angularly disposed portion is provided with a plurality of narrow slots therein in spaced alignment with one another to selectively receive the tip of the knife blade to accommodate varying sized mollusks.

FRANK A. SVEC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 34,495 Hawkins Feb. 25, 1862 210,032 Heimlich Nov. 19, 1878 332,403 Leduc Dec. 15, 1885

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