Pumpkin cutting apparatus

A pumpkin cutting apparatus, comprising:

• a tubular shaft having opposed first and second ends defining first and second openings, respectively;
• a cutter having a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from said top wall, said side wall including a continuous free edge defining an open bottom and capable of cutting into a pumpkin, said top wall and said side wall defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a cut portion of said pumpkin;
• means for releasably coupling said cutter to said first end of said tubular shaft;
• a plunger assembly including an elongate plunger shaft having upper and lower ends and extending longitudinally through said tubular shaft, said plunger shaft having a length greater than a length of said tubular shaft and adapted to move slidably therein between an ejection configuration and a puncture configuration;
• a base assembly having a shell and a cover situated atop said shell, said shell having a generally cylindrical configuration defining an open top and an open bottom, said shell being adapted to be positioned over said pumpkin so as to minimize movement thereof;
• and
• wherein said cover is constructed of a transparent material and defines a generally dome-shaped configuration, said cover defining an aperture through which said tubular shaft may extend.

A pumpkin cutting apparatus, comprising:

• a tubular shaft having opposed first and second ends defining first and second openings, respectively, said tubular shaft including a plurality of threads extending spirally about an outer surface thereof between said first and second ends;
• a cutter having a top wall and a continuous side wall depending from said top wall, said side wall including a continuous free edge defining an open bottom and capable of cutting into a pumpkin, said top wall and said side wall defining an interior cavity adapted to receive a cut portion of said pumpkin, said side wall being sloped inwardly between said top wall and said free edge so as to retain said cut portion in said interior cavity;
• means for releasably coupling said cutter to said first end of said tubular shaft;
• a plunger assembly including an elongate plunger shaft having upper and lower ends and extending longitudinally through said tubular shaft, said plunger shaft having a length greater than a length of said tubular shaft and adapted to move slidably therein between an ejection configuration and a puncture configuration;
• a base assembly having a shell and a cover situated atop said shell, said shell having a generally cylindrical configuration defining an open top and an open bottom and having a top surface defining a groove peripherally thereabout, said shell being adapted to be positioned over said pumpkin so as to minimize movement thereof;
• wherein said cover is constructed of a transparent material and defines a generally dome-shaped configuration having a free edge defining an open bottom, said cover having a tongue depending from said free edge thereof and having a configuration that is complementary to a configuration of said groove for releasably situating said cover atop said shell, said cover defining an aperture through which said tubular shaft may extend;
• wherein said cover includes a plurality of threads extending about said aperture that are complementary to said threads of said tubular shaft such that said tubular shaft is adapted to move in a downward or upward direction relative to said cover upon a respective clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of said shaft in said aperture;
• and
• said pumpkin cutting apparatus further comprising means for rotatably coupling said cutter to said tubular shaft, whereby said cutter is adapted to maintain a fixed position when bearing against said pumpkin while said tubular shaft is downwardly rotated.