# US 4,393,588 A · Food mincer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,393,588 A - Document ID: US4393588A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/241,662 - Filed: 1981-03-09 - Granted: 1983-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 1981-03-09 - Assignees: ELPO Industries, Inc. - Inventors: Eugene Kowalski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393588A ## CPC - B26B 13/06: characterised by the shape of the blades - B26B 5/008: {for performing several incisions simultaneously; for cutting cubes} - B26B: HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (for harvesting A01D; for horticulture, for forestry A01G; for butchering or meat treatment A22; for manufactering or repairing footwear A43D; nail clippers or cutters A45D29/02; kitchen equipment A47J; {vegetable slicers, julienne cutters and similar devices and holders therefor, B26D3/28}; for surgical purposes A61B; for metal B23D; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; plier-like tools with cutting edges B25B7/22; pincers B25C11/02; handles for hand implements, in general B25G; guillotine-type cutters B26D; {perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet, B26F1/26}; for erasing B43L19/00; for textile materials D06H) ## Abstract An implement for mincing, for example, garlic having a pair of members pivotable about a common axis. Each member has a handle portion with a protruding inner end portion adapted to abut against each other when the members are brought together, and another portion on the other side of the pivot provided with a plurality of blade-like members which interleave with a similar set of blade-like members on the other pivotable member for grasping, and shearing through a work-piece such as a clove of garlic. The ends of the members with the blade-like portions are notched at their ends remote from the pivot for aiding the grasping and holding of the work-piece between the blade-like members. Each of the pivotable members is constructed to be completely interchangeable with the other. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An implement for mincing comprising: a pair of pivoted members each having a handle portion and a portion having a plurality of blade-like members with nonreentrant cutting edges; the pivoted members being interchangeable; the blade-like members on one pivoted member being adapted to interleave with a complementary set of blade-like members on a like portion of the other pivoted member; each of the portions having the blade-like members being notched at their ends remote from the pivot for securely grasping and holding an article between the blade-like members to enable the blade-like members to shear through an article as the blade-like members are pivoted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An implement for mincing as claimed in claim 1 in which each handle portion has a protuberance extending inwardly which is adapted to abut a like protuberance on the other handle to guide relative movement of the handles whereby pressure is applied to the handles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) An implement for mincing as claims 1 or 2 wherein the pivoted members are pivoted about a central pin and form a scissors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2) An implement for mincing as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which the blade-like members each have a projection at the end thereof remote from the pivot which forms a notch in the blade-like members. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2) An implement for mincing as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which each of said blade-like members has flat surfaces including: a flat engaging surface and two opposing flat sides; each intersection of said flat engaging surface and an opposing flat side forming a shearing edge; the flat surfaces on the blades and complimentary blades facing each other to engage the article; said opposing blade-like members coacting to first compress the article by means of coaction of the opposing flat engaging surfaces of the opposing blade-like members and then shear through the article as the blade-like members are pivoted to bring the adjacent opposite shearing edges into shearing proximity with each other. ### Claim 6 An implement for mincing comprising: a pair of pivoted members each having a handle portion and a portion having a plurality of blade-like members with nonreentrant cutting edges; each handle portion having a protuberance extending inwardly which is adapted to abut a like protuberance on the other handle to guide relative movement of the handles when pressure is applied to the handles; the pivoted members are pivoted about a central pin and for a scissors; the blade-like members each have a projection at the end thereof remote from the pivot which forms a notch in the blade-like members; the pivoted members are interchangeable; the blade-like members on one pivoted member are adapted to interleave with a complementary set of blade-like members on a like portion of the other pivoted member; each of said blade-like members having flat surfaces including a flat engaging surface and two flat sides and further including two cutting edges, one formed at each intersection of the flat engaging surface and a flat side, the flat engaging surfaces on the blades and complimentary blades facing each other to engage the article; each of the portions having the blade-like members being notched at their ends remote from the pivot for securely grasping and holding an article between the blade-like members to enable the blade-like members to first compress an article by means of coacting with the opposing flat cutting surfaces of the opposing blade-like member and then shear through an article when the blade-like members are pivoted to bring the adjacent opposing cutting edges into shearing proximity with each other.