Adjustable nut cracker
First Claim
1. An adjustable nut cracker for applying a compressive force to crack a selected nut, comprising:
- first and second nut engagement members;
a linking member including a slot having a plurality of wide slot portions interconnected by one or more narrow slot portions;
a first pin, the first nut engagement member being pivotally connected to the linking member by the first pin passing through the slot and the first nut engagement member, the first pin including a wide pin portion axially spaced from a narrow pin portion, the first pin being axially movable to selectively position the wide pin portion or the narrow pin portion in the slot, the narrow pin portion having a width less than a width of each narrow slot portion such that the narrow pin portion is movable within each narrow slot portion to a selected wide slot portion, the wide pin portion having a width greater than a width of each narrow slot portion and less than a width of each wide slot portion to prevent lateral movement of the pin when the wide pin portion is in the selected wide slot portion; and
the second nut engagement member being secured to the linking member and spaced apart from the first nut engagement member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An adjustable nut cracker includes two nut engagement members linked by a linking member. The linking member includes a slot having a plurality of wide slot portions interconnected by one or more narrow slot portions. The first nut engagement member is pivotally connected to the linking member by a pin passing through the slot. The pin includes a wide pin portion axially spaced from a narrow pin portion, and is axially movable to selectively position the wide pin portion or the narrow pin portion in the slot. A second nut engagement member is secured to the linking member and spaced apart from the first nut engagement member. The nut cracker is adjusted by laterally moving the narrow pin portion within the narrow slot portions to a selected wide slot portion, and thereafter axially moving the wide pin portion into the selected wide slot portion.
10 Citations
23 Claims
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1. An adjustable nut cracker for applying a compressive force to crack a selected nut, comprising:
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first and second nut engagement members;
a linking member including a slot having a plurality of wide slot portions interconnected by one or more narrow slot portions;
a first pin, the first nut engagement member being pivotally connected to the linking member by the first pin passing through the slot and the first nut engagement member, the first pin including a wide pin portion axially spaced from a narrow pin portion, the first pin being axially movable to selectively position the wide pin portion or the narrow pin portion in the slot, the narrow pin portion having a width less than a width of each narrow slot portion such that the narrow pin portion is movable within each narrow slot portion to a selected wide slot portion, the wide pin portion having a width greater than a width of each narrow slot portion and less than a width of each wide slot portion to prevent lateral movement of the pin when the wide pin portion is in the selected wide slot portion; and
the second nut engagement member being secured to the linking member and spaced apart from the first nut engagement member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An adjustable nut cracker for applying a compressive force to crack a selected nut, comprising:
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a linking member including a slot having a plurality of wide slot portions interconnected by one or more narrow slot portions;
first and second nut engagement members, each of the first and second nut engagement members including a recess for at least partially receiving the linking member, each recess having opposing recess side walls oriented substantially parallel to a face of the linking member through which the slot passes and a recess back wall bridging the recess side walls, the back wall providing a stop for limiting pivoting of the respective nut engagement member;
a first pin, the first nut engagement member being pivotally connected to the linking member by the first pin passing through the slot and the first nut engagement member, the first pin including a wide pin portion axially spaced from a narrow pin portion, the first pin being axially movable to selectively position the wide pin portion or the narrow pin portion in the slot, the narrow pin portion having a width less than a width of each narrow slot portion such that the narrow pin portion is movable within each narrow slot portion to a selected wide slot portion, the wide pin portion having a width greater than a width of each narrow slot portion and less than a width of each wide slot portion to prevent lateral movement of the pin when the wide pin portion is in the selected wide slot portion;
a spring for axially biasing the first pin to urge the wide pin portion toward the slot;
the second nut engagement member being secured to the linking member with a second pin and spaced apart from the first nut engagement member; and
first and second nut gripping portions on each of the first and second nut engagement members, respectively, the nut gripping portions facing one another. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification