Cork extractor

An extractor capable of removing a cork and cork pieces from the inside of a bottle, the bottle having a narrow neck, the extractor comprising:

• a) a handle;
• b) one or more loops depending from the handle and forming a cage into which a cork can fit, each loop comprising a distal end, each loop having a long axis and a short axis and defining a plane, the loops having a non-deformed configuration, the short axis of each loop being larger than the diameter of the neck in the non-deformed configuration, each loop being sufficiently flexible and sufficiently strong that it can be compressed into a deformed configuration that allows its insertion into the bottle through the neck;
• and
• c) flexible mesh at the loop distal end for removing cork pieces from the bottle.

A method for removing a cork floating in a bottle, the cork having a long axis, the bottle having a main body and a narrow neck into which the cork can snugly fit, the neck having a long axis, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting an extractor comprising:
• i) a handle;
• and
• ii) at least two generally oval loops depending from the handle and forming a cage into which the cork can fit, the loops comprising an end proximal to the handle and a distal end, the distal ends of the loops being unattached to each other, the loops having substantially the same size and configuration, each loon having a long axis and a short axis and defining a plane, the planes being transverse to each other, the loops having a non-deformed configuration, the short axis of the loops being larger than the diameter of the neck in the non-deformed configuration, the loops being formed of wire sufficiently flexible and sufficiently strong that the loops can be compressed into a deformed configuration that allows their insertion into the bottle through the neck, the loops being formed of wire substantially circular in cross-section;
• b) compressing the loops so that the loops can be inserted into the bottle through the neck;
• c) inserting the compressed loops into the bottle through the neck;
• d) manipulating the loops in the bottle to capture the cork inside the loops with the long axis of the cork generally aligned with the long axis of the neck;
• and
• e) pulling on the handle until the cork is removed from the bottle with the loops.

A method for removing cork pieces floating in a bottle, the bottle having a main body and a narrow neck, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting an extractor comprising:
• i) a handle;
• and
• ii) at least two generally oval loops depending from the handle and forming a cage into which the cork can fit, the loops comprising an end proximal to the handle and a distal end, the distal ends of the loops being unattached to each other, the loops having substantially the same size and configuration, each loop having a long axis and a short axis and defining a plane, the planes being transverse to each other, the loops having a non-deformed configuration, the short axis of the loops being larger than the diameter of the neck in the non-deformed configuration, the loops being formed of wire sufficiently flexible and sufficiently strong that the loops can be compressed into a deformed configuration that allows their insertion into the bottle through the neck, the loops being formed of wire substantially circular in cross-section;
• b) providing flexible mesh in the loops;
• c) compressing the loops and the mesh so that the loops and mesh can be inserted into the bottle through the neck;
• d) inserting the compressed loops and mesh into the bottle through the neck;
• e) manipulating the extractor in the bottle to capture the cork pieces with the mesh;
• and
• f) pulling on the handle until the cork pieces are removed from the bottle with the extractor.