Claims
- 1. In an extractor for extracting a mushroom shaped stopper from the neck of a sparkling beverage bottle, there being an upwardly presented shoulder on said neck, there being a downwardly presented and openly accessible shoulder on said stopper, and said extractor comprising a pair of levers which are pivotally interconnected, each lever defining a handle at one end thereof and a bifurcated jaw having a first recess at the opposite end thereof, wherein one jaw is located above the other, and each of said jaws is adapted to encircle, at least partially, the bottle's neck, such that the lower jaw is adapted to make contact with said upwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, and the upper jaw includes a stopper retaining means and is adapted to make contact with said downwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, with said handles being spring-loaded and positioned relative to one another so that the squeezing together of said pair of handles results in the separation of said jaws, urging said lower jaw against said upwardly presented shoulder and urging said upper jaw against said downwardly presented shoulder, and with force sufficient to lift said stopper relative to said neck, the improvement which comprises:
- a generally U-shaped second recess within the interior of each of said bifurcated jaws wherein said extractor can be repositioned with both of said second recesses encircling, at least in part, the stem of a partially lifted stopper, thereby enabling said lower jaw to rest directly of top of said bottle and said upper jaw to gain increased accessibility to said stopper's downwardly presented shoulder means.
- 2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said jaws contain rib means along the outer perimeters of said jaws for strengthening said jaws.
- 3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said upper and lower jaws are curved inward at the mouth of both said first recess for guiding the insertion of said jaws around said bottle.
- 4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said stopper retaining means is a generally inverted U-shaped hood having opposite ends attached to the prongs of said bifurcated upper jaw, wherein said hood is made from a flexible material that is capable of being sufficiently collapsed to make contact with the head of said stopper, enabling a downwardly directed and manually exerted counter force to be applied to said stopper.
- 5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said stopper retaining means is a rigid arm that extends over the top of said stopper, and said arm is attached where said levers are pivotally interconnected, thereby enabling said arm to swivel downward so to make contact with the head of said stopper, thereby permitting a downwardly directed and manually exerted counter force to be applied to said stopper.
- 6. The device as in claim 1, wherein one or more spring loaded clips are attached to said upper jaw specifically for clamping the head of said stopper.
- 7. The device as in claim 1, wherein one or more spring loaded clips are attached to said stopper retaining means specifically for clamping the head of said stopper.
- 8. The device as in claims 5, wherein said stopper retaining means is spring loaded for clamping the head of said stopper.
- 9. The device as in claim 1, wherein said pair of handles contains grip means for gripping and twisting the head of said stopper.
- 10. The device as in claim 1, wherein said pivotal interconnection between said pair of levers, contain interlocking hubs with one or more flat springs that are anchored at the base of said hubs to the first of said pair of levers, and extend between said hubs into a slot within the underside of said handle of the second said pair of levers.
- 11. In an extractor for extracting a mushroom shaped stopper from the neck of a sparkling beverage bottle, there being an upwardly presented shoulder on said neck, there being a downwardly presented and openly accessible shoulder on said stopper, and said extractor comprising a pair of levers which are pivotally interconnected, each lever defining a handle at one end thereof and a bifurcated jaw having a first recess at the opposite end thereof, wherein one jaw is located above the other, and each of said jaws is adapted to encircle, at least partially, the bottle's neck, such that the lower jaw is adapted to make contact with said upwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, and the upper jaw includes a stopper retaining means and is adapted to make contact with said downwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, with said handles being spring-loaded and positioned relative to one another so that the squeezing together of said pair of handles results in the separation of said jaws urging said lower jaw against said upwardly presented shoulder and urging said upper jaw against said downwardly presented shoulder, and with force sufficient to lift said stopper relative to said neck, the improvement which comprises:
- said extractor, wherein said stopper retaining means is a generally inverted U-shaped hood having opposite ends attached to the prongs of said bifurcated upper jaw, wherein said hood is made from a flexible material that is capable of being sufficiently collapsed to make contact with the head of said stopper, enabling a downwardly directed and manually exerted counter force to be applied to said stopper.
- 12. In an extractor for extracting a mushroom shaped stopper from the neck of a sparkling beverage bottle, there being an upwardly presented shoulder on said neck, there being a downwardly presented and openly accessible shoulder on said stopper, and said extractor comprising a pair of levers which are pivotally interconnected, each lever defining a handle at one end thereof and a bifurcated jaw having a first recess at the opposite end thereof, wherein one jaw is located above the other, and each of said jaws is adapted to encircle, at least partially, the bottle's neck, such that the lower jaw is adapted to make contact with said upwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, and the upper jaw includes a stopper retaining means and is adapted to make contact with said downwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, with said handles being spring-loaded and positioned relative to one another so that the squeezing together of said pair of handles results in the separation of said jaws, urging said lower jaw against said upwardly presented shoulder and urging said upper jaw against said downwardly presented shoulder, and with force sufficient to lift said stopper relative to said neck, the improvement which comprises:
- said extractor, wherein said stopper retaining means is a rigid arm that extends over the top of said stopper, and said arm is attached where said levers are pivotally interconnected, thereby enabling said arm to swivel downward so to make contact with the head of said stopper, thereby permitting said downwardly directed and manually exerted counter force to be applied to said stopper.
- 13. In an extractor for extracting a mushroom shaped stopper from the neck of a sparkling beverage bottle, there being an upwardly presented shoulder on said neck, there being a downwardly presented and openly accessible shoulder on said stopper, and said extractor comprising a pair of levers which are pivotally interconnected, each lever defining a handle at one end thereof and a bifurcated jaw having a first recess at the opposite end thereof, wherein one jaw is located above the other, and each of said jaws is adapted to encircle, at least partially, the bottle's neck, such that the lower jaw is adapted to make contact with said upwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, and the upper jaw includes a stopper retaining means and is adapted to make contact with said downwardly presented shoulder on at least two locations, with said handles being spring-loaded and positioned relative to one another so that the squeezing together of said pair of handles results in the separation of said jaws, urging said lower jaw against said upwardly presented shoulder and urging said upper jaw against said downwardly presented shoulder, and with force sufficient to lift said stopper relative to said neck, the improvement which comprises:
- said extractor, wherein one or more spring loaded clips are attached to said stopper retaining means specifically for clamping the head of said stopper.
- 14. The device as in claim 12, wherein said stopper retaining means is spring loaded for clamping the head of said stopper.
REFERENCES CITED
This application is a continuation-in-part of patent application 06/786,545 filed 10/11/85, Group Art 323 and now abandoned.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to hand manipulable devices for removing either cork or plastic mushroom shaped stoppers from champagne and other sparkling beverage bottles, comprising upper and lower bifurcated jaws engageable about the neck of the bottle, whereby the squeeze of the handles results in the spreading of the jaws, which in turn serves to remove the stopper. The present invention relates more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in such pullers for removing mushroom shaped stoppers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previously depicted stopper removers of the bifurcated jaw type have a number of disadvantages that make them less functional and reliable than they could be. The device representing the bifurcated jaw configuration depicted in prior art is illustrated in FIG. 1.
The retaining arm 7 is shown as rigid member that comes over the top of the stopper. Because of the variety of bottle and stopper configurations, the retaining arm must provide ample clearance for many stoppers. However, this clearance often enables some stoppers, upon their release, to ricochet from under the retaining arm and fly out of the extractor in a horizontal direction. Several modifications disclosed herein will eliminate this and other disadvantages as well.
Even though the spring 6 between the handles provides a necessary function, most exposed springs can cause pinched skin or fingers. A modification to the extractor enables the spring to be hidden and no longer a threat to this type of injuries.
The method depicted for hinging upper and lower levers 2 and 2a is functional, however an improved hinge mechanism will eliminate any possibility of the levers ever being either too tight or too loose at the pivotal interconnection 5.
Stopper removers of the bifurcated jaw type can be used with most stopper and bottle configurations, however certain stoppers made from cork cannot be removed without first being twisted to break the seal. A modification to the handles allows this type of remover to rotate all such stoppers.
Several modifications to the upper and lower jaws provide a considerable improvement in the operation of the extractor. One such modification allows the remover to be repositioned in a novel way which provides additional leverage and lift to the stopper. This and other modifications to the jaws are disclosed in my invention.
3.Objects of the Invention
The mechanical stopper removers of the aforementioned type heretofore known have numerous limitations. A general object of my invention is to address these limitations and provide improvements in each case.
Specifically, one object is to provide a generally "U" shaped recess within the interiors of both the upper and lower bifurcated jaws so that additional lift action can be provided by resting the lower jaw directly on top of the bottle after the stopper has been partially lifted, instead of being limited to seating the lower jaw only on the shoulder surrounding the bottle neck;
Another object is to provide a secondary means to remove stoppers by adding a grip means between the handles so that stoppers, which are difficult to remove by implementation of the bifurcated jaw means, particularly those made of cork, may be gripped between the handles and then rotated, thereby allowing the twisting action to break the seal between cork stopper and bottle;
Another object is to provide an improved hinge mechanism that eliminates any possibility of the stopper remover from binding at its pivot point, or becoming unnecessarily loose, thereby resulting in a "sloppy" action between the two pivoting levers;
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved hinge mechanism which includes within its interior, a small flat spring that replaces the exposed spring between the the handles, an exposed spring which may cause pinching of the operator's hand or fingers;
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stopper retaining device which is in the shape of a hood thereby enabling the stopper remover to provide some protection against spraying of the beverage while opening;
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stopper retaining device which can be pressed downward against the top of the stopper, thereby providing the means for the controlled release of the stopper;
Another object of the present invention is to provide one or more spring loaded clips to the upper bifurcated jaw in addition to a retaining arm or hood, for the purpose of holding the stopper's head, thereby eliminating the possibility that some stoppers may on occasion ricochet out from the underside of the retaining member.
US Referenced Citations (10)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
| Number |
Date |
Country |
| 53681 |
Sep 1937 |
DKX |
| 25798 |
Feb 1953 |
FIX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
| Parent |
786545 |
Oct 1985 |
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Patent Grant
4875394
