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US 7,621,804 B1Granted
Oyster opener and method
OwnerChi Minh Leinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An oyster opening apparatus provides a rotary drum having an interior for holding unopened oysters. Projections or baffles on the drum interior lift and then drop the oysters, thereby loosening their shell parts. Removal of the edible part can then be completed manually using an oyster knife.
Claims12
An oyster processing apparatus, comprising;
- a) a rotatable drum having upper and lower end portions, an outer wall, and an interior;
- b) an entry that enables unopened oysters to be added to the drum interior;
- c) a frame that supports the drum during rotation;
- d) rotary bearings that form an interface between the drum and the frame;
- e) the drum rotating about an axis;
- and
- f) one or more baffles that extend inwardly from the drum wall along lines which are parallel to the axis of rotation, each baffle being sized and shaped to carry oysters from a position near the lower end portion of the drum to a position near the upper end portion of the drum, and wherein during rotation of the drum oysters fall from the upper end portion of the drum to the lower end portion of the drum when the baffle reaches a position near the upper end portion of the drum.
4 more elements
A method of opening a plurality of oysters comprising:
- (a) providing a rotating device, the rotating device including a frame and a drum rotatively connected to the frame about an axis of rotation, the drum having a plurality of plates within an interior of the drum, the drum also pivotally connected to the frame the axis of pivot being perpendicular to the axis of rotation, the frame including a winch causing the drum to pivot about the pivot axis;
- (b) placing the drum in a loading position wherein the drum is angled upwardly;
- (c) placing a plurality of oysters contained in closed oyster shells in the drum;
- (d) using the winch to pivot the drum about the pivot axis of rotation causing the drum to be horizontal;
- (e) rotating the plurality of oysters with the rotating device and causing a plurality of the closed oyster shells to at least partially be separated;
- (f) using the winch to pivot the drum about the pivot axis of rotation causing the drum to be angled downwardly;
- (g) removing from the drum the plurality of at least partially separated oyster shells;
- and
- (h) removing oysters from the plurality of at least partially separated oysters shells.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.