Flatware eating utensils

• US 4,317,284 A
• Filed: 03/21/1980
• Issued: 03/02/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: William A. Prindle
• Original Assignee: William A. Prindle
• Inventors: Prindle, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Jimmy C.
• Application Number:
  US06/132,709
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 7/901, 269/8, 30/142, 30/147, 30/148, 30/149, 30/150, 24/73 MS, 24/201 B, 30/343, 30/340
• US Class Current: 30/340
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 21/06 Combined or separable sets of table-service utensils; Oyster knives with openers; Fish servers with means for removing bones kitchen equipment A47J

Abstract

A knife, fork and spoon are held together magnetically. The outside edges of the fork tines correspond to the curvature of the spoon bowl, and the tines are curved to correspond to the interior of the spoon bowl. The major faces of the knife blade are perpendicular to the major faces of the knife handle, and the knife blade extends between the fork tines toward the longitudinal centerline of the spoon bowl. The tip of the knife blade lies near the forwardmost edge of the spoon bowl, and the cutting edge of the knife blade has a curvature corresponding to that of the centerline of the spoon bowl.

Claims

1. A knife, comprising a generally flat longitudinally extending blade and a generally flat longitudinally extending handle, said blade being substantially vertical and being centrally positioned with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the handle, said handle being substantially horizontal and having a width which is substantially greater than its thickness, said blade lying perpendicular to the generally flat handle and being provided with a lower cutting edge, said handle having a forward portion which overlies and is connected to the blade, said blade having at least a rear portion which underlies and is connected to the handle.

2. An eating utensil set which includes a spoon and a knife, said spoon being provided with a handle and a bowl, said knife being provided with a handle and a blade, said handles lying in substantially parallel relation to each other with the handle of the knife being disposed above the handle of the spoon, said knife having a blade which is centrally positioned with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the knife handle, said blade having a cutting edge which is directed toward the longitudinal centerline of the spoon bowl.

3. An eating utensil set according to claim 2 including means for holding the handles together in parallel stacked relation.

4. An eating utensil set according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the knife blade extends longitudinally and is generally flat, said knife handle extends longitudinally and is generally flat with its width being substantially greater than its thickness, said knife blade lying perpendicular to the generally flat knife handle.

5. An eating utensil set according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the cutting edge of the knife blade has a curvature which corresponds to the curvature of the bowl of the spoon.

6. An eating utensil set according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the knife blade has an upper edge which intersects said cutting edge at an apex, said apex being located substantially at the forward edge of the spoon bowl.

7. An eating utensil set according to claim 2 or claim 3 which also includes a fork which is provided with a handle and a plurality of tines, said tines being positioned in the bowl of the spoon, said blade of the knife extending between two of the tines.

8. An eating utensil set according to claim 7 wherein the tines are curved to conform substantially to the interior of the bowl of the spoon.

9. An eating utensil set according to claim 7 wherein the tines have outside edges which correspond to the curvature of the edge of the bowl of the spoon.

10. An eating utensil set which includes a spoon and a knife, said spoon being provided with a handle and a bowl, said knife being provided with a handle and a blade, said handles lying in substantially parallel relation to each other with the handle of the knife being disposed above the handle of the spoon, said knife having a blade with a cutting edge which is directed toward the longitudinal centerline of the spoon bowl, and magnetic means for holding said handles together in parallel stacked relation.

11. An eating utensil set according to claim 10 which also includes a fork which is provided with a handle and a plurality of tines, said tines being positioned in the bowl of the spoon, said blade of the knife extending between two of the tines.