US2716950A

US2716950A - Pie marker

Info

Publication number: US2716950A
Application number: US337358A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mary A Johnston
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-02-17
Filing date: 1953-02-17
Publication date: 1955-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-06

Description

Sept. 6 1955 M. A. JOHNSTON PIE MARKER Filed Feb. 17, 1953 Mary A. Ja/msfan INVENTOR.

BY WW 8M United. States Patent PIE MARKER Mary A. Johnston, Huntsville, Mo.

Application February 17, 1953, Serial No. 337 ,358

1 Claim. (Cl. 107-47) This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in pie markers, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described which may be conveniently and effectively employed for marking a pie, particularly the crust of the pie, so that it may be subsequently cut into a plurality of sectors of equal size.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efiicient and expeditious operation and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention corsists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the invention with the marking blades thereof in their retracted position;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the invention;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partially broken away and similar to that shown in Figure 1, but illustrating the marking blades in their operative positions, and

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 44 of Figure 3.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail. the invention consists of a pie marker which is designated generally by the reference character and embodies in its construction an elongated, cylindrical housing 12 provided at the upper and lower ends thereof with

end caps

14, 16, respectively, and also provided in the side wall thereof with a plurality of circumferentially spaced slots 18.

The slots 18 extend upwardly from the lower end of the housing, although the upper ends of the slots are spaced downwardly from the upper end of the housing, as shown. Moreover, the marginal edge portion or flange of the end cap 16 is formed with a plurality of notches 20 which are in register with the respective slots 18.

A plurality of marking blades 22 having relatively sharp edges 24, are pivoted by suitable pins 26 to pairs of brackets 28 which are secured to the inside of the lower end cap 16, the blades 22 being normally disposed in an upwardly extending position in the housing 12 but being in register with the slots 18 and notches 20 so that the blades may be swung outwardly and downwardly to substantially coplanar, radial positions as shown in Figure 3, when the device is to be used.

Means are provided for locking the blades 22 either in their retracted or in their projected positions, these means consisting of a locking sleeve 30 which is slidable on the housing 12 over the slots 18. When the locking sleeve is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the blades 22 are prevented from swinging outwardly through the slots 18. However, by first sliding the locking sleeve 30 upwardly on the housing 12, that is, above the uppe ends of the slots 18, the blades 22 may be swung outward- 2,716,950 Patented Sept. 6, 1955 ly and downwardly to their operative positions as shown in Figure 3, whereupon the locking sleeve 30 may he slid downwardly on the housing 12 so that it engages the upper edges of the blades 22 and prevents the same from being retracted.

A center shaft 32 is slidable axially in the housing 12, that is, in the

end caps

14, 16 of the housing, and projects at both ends therefrom, the lower end portion of the shaft 32 being adapted to be inserted in a pie which is to be marked. The upper end of the shaft 32 carries a convenient hand knob 34. A compression spring 36 is positioned on the shaft 32 within the upper end portion of the housing 12, one end of the spring abutting the end cap 14 while the other end of that spring abuts a washer or collar 38 which is secured to an intermediate portion of the shaft 32. In this manner, the shaft 32 is urged downwardly with respect to the housing, as will be clearly apparent.

When the device is to be placed in use and the blades 22 are radially projected as shown in Figure 3, the sleeve 30 is slid downwardly on the housing 12 so as to lock the blades in their projected positions. Thereupon, the lower end portion of the shaft 32 is inserted substantially in the center of a pie which is to be marked, and by holding the finger-piece 34 with one hand and sliding the entire housing 12 downwardly on the shaft 32 with the other hand, the lower edges 24 of the blades 22 will be pressed into the crust of the pie, thus marking the same. When downward pressure on the housing is relaxed, the spring 36 will automatically raise the housing on the shaft 32 so as to disengage the blades 22 from the pie crust.

In this manner, the crust of a pie, indicated by the dotted line 40 in Figure 4, will be effectively'marked into a plurality of sectors of equal size, preparatory to cutting.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be clearly understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A pie marker comprising: a vertical, cylindrical housing having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, longitudinal slots therein, a slidable longitudinal guide shaft mounted centrally in the housing and projecting from both ends thereof, one end portion of said shaft for insertion in a pie to be marked, a handle on the other end of the shaft, a plurality of pivoted marking blades mounted radially in the housing around the shaft and swingable through the slots to operative and inoperative positions, means on the housing for releasably securing the blades in either position, and means on the shaft for elevating the housing for disengaging the blades from the pie, the last-named means including a collar fixed on the shaft, said collar being engageable with the free end portions of the blade for swinging same outwardly through the slots from inoperative position when released by said securing means, and a coil spring on the shaft engaged with the collar and the housing for yieldingly urging said housing and said shaft in opposite directions relative to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 444,094 Drabble Jan. 6, 1891 1,255,179 Klamer Feb. 5, 1918 1,457,233 Solvack May 29, 1923