# US 4,397,087 A · Food-type combination utility device having hammer-like head

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 4,397,087 A
- Document ID: US4397087A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/275,624
- Filed: 1981-06-22
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1981-06-22
- Inventors: Robert H. Burrage
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397087A

## CPC

- A47J 43/26: Nutcrackers
- A22C 29/024: {Opening, shelling or peeling shellfish}
- A47G 21/065: {Hand tools, e.g. shucking knives}
- B26B 11/00: Hand knives combined with other implements, e.g. with corkscrew, with scissors, with writing implement (combined table-ware A47G21/06)
- A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES
- A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00)
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- 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

A utility device for use in operating upon shell-type food products such as nuts and shell fish, comprising a transverse head and a pair of handles having one end of each pivotally connected within a recess in said head, the handles having opposed curved recesses adjacent the aforementioned one end of each and also having mating flat surfaces extending from the other ends and abutting each other, in combination with a metal knife blade provided with a unitary handle having a socket extending into the end from which the blade projects, the socket being complementary to the other ends of the pivoted handles and frictionally but separably receiving said other ends and the flat surfaces of said pivoted handles having opposing grooves forming an elongated recess complementary to the shape of the blade and receiving it, whereby the unitary handle serves to utilize the head as a shell-cracking handle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A food-type utility device comprising in combination:
a. a pair of similar complementary elongated handles having mating flat surfaces extending from one end and separably abutting each other,
b. opposing surface portions of the outer end portions of said handles having similar curved recesses operable to crack shell-type foods,
c. a head extending transversely to the opposite ends of said handles and having a recess to receive the same,
d. pivot means connecting said opposite ends of said handles to said head, whereby said head is operable as a hammer for use with shellfish and the like, and
e. a unitary handle member having a socket extending longitudinally inward from one end thereof, said socket being complementary to the abutting portions of said one end of said elongated pivoted handles and frictionally but separably engaging the walls of said socket.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The utility device according to claim 1 further characterized by said head being elongated and having a generally elongated rectangular recess extending inwardly from one elongated face of said head, the length and width of said recess being complementary to said opposite ends of said handles, and said opposite ends of said handles having parallel opposite flat surfaces slidably engaging opposite side surfaces of said recess and also having semi-circular end surfaces between said flat surfaces to permit limited pivotal separation of said handles when used as a shell cracker.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The utility device according to claim 1 in which said flat surfaces on said elongated handles extend from said one end thereof to the nearest end of said curved recesses and the outer surfaces of said elongated handles have similar tapers toward the outer ends thereof to enhance frictional engagement with the socket of said unitary handle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The utility device according to claim 3 in which said handle also has an elongated flat metal blade having a tang extending longitudinally of said socket and embedded within said handle beyond said socket and secured to said handle, said blade extending substantially beyond said socket and said flat surfaces of said handles having slots extending longitudinally thereinto in opposition to each other and when said surfaces abut each other said slots commonly form an elongated thin recess complementary to and slidably receiving said blade in sheath-like manner.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The utility device according to claim 4 in which all the components of said device except the blade and pivot means are formed by molding the same from rigid plastic material and said unitary handle being provided with a series of relatively deep transverse circumferential grooves formed between opposite ends of said handle, whereby said grooves and the recess in said head which receives said opposite ends of said handles minimize the mass of plastic material required to form said components and also minimize the setting time required to mold the same, thereby minimizing the cost of production of the device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The utility device according to claim 4 in which said elongated handles are formed as a single unit provided with a longitudinal elongated thin recess corresponding to said slots to receive said blade in sheath-like manner and said single unit having one end secured within said recess in said head.