US 4,599,797 AGranted

Revolvable eating utensil and method of cleaning same

OwnerWilliam P. Baxinventor

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Abstract

The revolvable eating utensil includes a handle portion in the form of an open frame, and an elongated member having a comestible engageable portion axially rotatably supported by the handle portion. The handle portion includes a pair of short front and rear walls joined by a pair of long side walls. The elongated member includes a rear shank poriton and extends through a pair of oppositely disposed bearings disposed in the front and rear walls. A device limits axial movement of the shank portion relative to said handle portion. The device can be removed from the shank portion, and the shank portion can then be slipped out of the handle portion. After cleaning, the unit is then quickly and easily re-assembled.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An eating utensil for use with comestibles comprising:

an elongated rigid member having an enlarged comestible engageable portion at the front end thereof and having a rear shank portion;
a handle portion for rotatably supporting said rear shank portion, the handle portion being an open frame, said frame being generally rectangular in shape and having four walls, said walls including a pair of oppositely-disposed parallel spaced-apart front and rear short end walls at respective ones of a front end and a rear end of the handle, and a pair of oppositely-disposed parallel spaced-apart long side walls;
a pair of oppositely-disposed front and rear bearing means disposed in the respective front and rear walls for axially rotatably supporting said shank portion for enabling said rigid member to revolve about its axis relative to said handle portion, each one of said front and rear bearing means including means defining a bearing opening extending through the respective end walls, the rear shank portion extending through said bearing openings and rearwardly beyond the rear end of the handle portion;
a thumb wheel attached to the rear shank portion to enable a user to rotate the elongated rigid member relative to the handle portion, including means for attaching the thumb wheel to the rear shank portion forwardly of the handle portion, said thumb wheel being substantially larger transverse dimension than the distance between the side walls of the handle portion to facilitate manipulation by the hand of the user while grasping the handle portion;
and
means for limiting axial movement of said shank portion relative to said handle portion, said means including a member removably attached to a rear distal end portion of the rear shank portion extending rearwardly beyond the rear end of the handle portion so that said member can be removed from said rear shank portion to permit the rear shank portion to be slipped out of the handle portion for cleaning purposes;
wherein the rear shank portion of the elongated rigid member has a length sufficient to extend through both bearing openings, and a distal end portion extending rearwardly beyond the rear bearing opening;
and
wherein said rear shank portion has a cross-section with a first shape and each of the bearing openings has a second shape, one of said first and second shapes being generally circular and the other one of said first and second shapes being generally polygonal.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An eating utensil for use with comestibles comprising:

an elongated rigid member having an enlarged comestible engageable portion at the front end thereof and having a rear shank portion;
a handle portion for rotatably supporting said rear shank portion, the handle portion being an open frame, said frame being generally rectangular in shape and having four walls, said walls including a pair of oppositely-disposed parallel spaced-apart front and rear short end walls at respective ones of a front end and a rear end of the handle, and a pair of oppositely-disposed parallel spaced-apart long side walls;
a pair of oppositely-disposed front and rear bearing means disposed in the respective front and rear walls for axially rotatably supporting said shank portion for enabling said rigid member to revolve about its axis relative to said handle portion, each one of said front and rear bearing means including means defining a bearing opening extending through the respective end walls, the rear shank portion extending through said bearing openings and rearwardly beyond the rear end of the handle portion;
a thumb wheel attached to the rear shank portion to enable a user to rotate the elongated rigid member relative to the handle portion, including means for attaching the thumb wheel to the rear shank portion forwardly of the handle portion, said thumb wheel being substantially larger transverse dimension than the distance between the side walls of the handle portion to facilitate manipulation by the hand of the user while grasping the handle portion;
and
means for limiting axial movement of said shank portion relative to said handle portion, said means including a member removably attached to a rear distal end portion of the rear shank portion extending rearwardly beyond the rear end of the handle portion so that said member can be removed from said rear shank portion to permit the rear shank portion to be slipped out of the handle portion for cleaning purposes;
wherein the rear shank portion of the elongated rigid member has a length sufficient to extend through both bearing openings, and a distal end portion extending rearwardly beyond the rear bearing opening;
and
wherein said rear shank portion has a cross-section with a first shape and each of the bearing openings has a second shape, one of said first and second shapes being generally circular and the other one of said first and second shapes being generally polygonal.

6 more elements