Automatic cork remover

An apparatus for removing a cork from a bottle, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing having an outer sleeve, said outer sleeve defining an elongate, cylindrical channel having an open end;
• a motor disposed in said housing;
• a power supply electrically associated with said motor;
• a corkscrew mechanically associated with said motor for rotation through operation of said motor;
• an elongate shuttle positioned within said outer sleeve channel for displacement along a length of said channel, said shuttle defining a rib lined recess therein for removably receiving said cork, said corkscrew extending into said recess, said shuttle having a longitudinal axis;
• a coil spring positioned within said channel intermediate said shuttle and an end of said channel, said coil spring being associated with said shuttle for biasing said shuttle toward said open end of said channel;
• a rail disposed on a sidewall of said channel and extending into said channel;
• a slide positioned on said shuttle, said slide defining a slot therein configured to slidably receive said rail for precluding a rotation with respect to said outer sleeve of said shuttle about its longitudinal axis when the shuttle is positioned in a first length of said channel, said shuttle being rotatable with respect to said outer sleeve about said longitudinal axis of said shuttle when said shuttle is positioned in a second length of said channel.

A method of removing a cork from a bottle, said method comprising:

• providing a housing containing a motor driven corkscrew which extends through a shuttle, said shuttle being displaceable within a sleeve associated with said housing and biased within said sleeve by a spring;
• positioning said sleeve over said bottle;
• inserting said cork into a recess defined within said shuttle;
• activating said motor to rotate said corkscrew in a first direction whereby said corkscrew is driven into said cork causing said shuttle to be displaced through said sleeve;
• rendering said shuttle nonrotatable with respect to said sleeve through a first length of said sleeve to permit said corkscrew to become imbedded in said cork;
• precluding said shuttle from being displaced within said sleeve beyond a certain location;
• further rotating said corkscrew to lift said cork out of said bottle;
• and
• permitting said shuttle to rotate with respect to said sleeve and within said sleeve upon said shuttle being displaced beyond a certain location within said sleeve.