Utensil for opening the shells of crustaceans

A utensil for facilitating the opening and removal of meat from crab legs or other types of shellfish, said utensil comprising:

• an elongated handle portion;
• and
• a bifurcated head section joined to the handle portion at one end thereof in a position to assist the user of the utensil in opening and removing all or a part of the meat from the shellfish,
• said head section including separate, elongated first and second tine segments,
• said first and second tine segments each having a surface portion with the surface portions being disposed in spaced, directly opposed, generally parallel relationship,
• the spacing between said opposed surface portions being no greater than about twice the normal maximum thickness of the shell of the shellfish,
• the surface portion of said first tine segment being of essentially planar configuration and of a width transversely thereof that is substantially greater than the transverse width of the surface portion of the second tine segment,
• said second tine segment being of greater length than said first tine segment and provided with a series of teeth along the length thereof in facing relationship to said planar surface of the first tine segment,
• said second tine segment being provided with a transition zone which merges with said handle portion and said planar surface of the first tine segment,
• said transition zone being configured to present a relatively narrow margin between the surface portions of said first and second tine segments in facing relationship to the space between tine segments and having faces which diverge as the handle portion is approached to allow the severed area of the shell to pass thereover without substantial impediment during use of the utensil.