Corkscrew tool and pipe combination

• US 6,519,799 B1
• Filed: 07/17/2001
• Issued: 02/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles Bartholomew
• Original Assignee: Charles Bartholomew
• Inventors: Bartholomew, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, James G.
• Application Number:
  US09/907,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20030037380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 715/1, 715/5, 717/0, 131/329, 131/330, 131/178, 131/192
• US Class Current: 7/155
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 1/00 Tobacco pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A24F 3/00 Tobacco pipes combined with other objects smoking appliances on walking sticks or canes A45B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/0411 without supporting means for assisting the pulling action

Abstract

A corkscrew tool and pipe combination including a first handle member having a bore that extends along a longitudinal axis and communicates with one end thereof and defines a mouthpiece. An access port is located on an outer surface of the first handle member and communicates with the bore. A second handle member has a bowl in one end for holding smoking material, a helical, cork-penetrating blade that extends outwardly from an opposing end, a hole that extends transversely through the second handle member, intermediate the blade and the bowl, of a size and shape to receive the first handle member therethrough, and a channel through the second handle member that connects the bowl with the hole. The first handle member and the second handle member are configurable in a storage configuration wherein the helical, cork-penetrating blade is received in the bore of the first handle member and a use configuration wherein the first handle member is positioned transversely through the hole in the second handle member with the access port of the first handle member in communication with the channel of the second handle member to form a flow path between the mouthpiece in the first handle member and the bowl in the second handle member permitting the combination to be used as a smoking pipe and a corkscrew tool in the same use configuration.

Claims

1. A combination corkscrew tool and pipe comprising:

(a) a first handle member having a bore extending along the longitudinal axis and communicating with a one end of said first handle member to form a mouthpiece;

(b) an access port located on an outer surface of said first handle member and communicating with the bore;

(c) a second handle member having;

(i) a bowl in one end for holding smoking material;

(ii) a helical, cork-penetrating blade extending outwardly from an opposing end;

(iii) a hole extending transversely through said second handle member, intermediate the blade and the bowl, of a size and shape to receive said first handle member therethrough;

(iv) a channel through said second handle member connecting the bowl with the hole; and

(d) wherein said first handle member and said second handle member are configurable in;

(i) a storage configuration wherein the helical, cork-penetrating blade is received in the bore of said first handle member; and

(ii) a use configuration wherein said first handle member is positioned transversely through the hole in said second handle member with the access port of said first handle member in communication with the channel of said second handle member to form a flow path between the mouthpiece in said first handle member and the bowl in said second handle member permitting the combination to be used as a smoking pipe and a corkscrew tool in the same use configuration.

2. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 1, wherein said first handle member and the bowl of said second handle member are comprised of wood.

3. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 1, wherein said first handle member defines a gradually tapering outer diameter with one end having a greater diameter than the hole extending transversely through said second handle member and with the other end of lesser diameter than the hole, such that the diameter of said first handle member and the diameter of the hole in said second handle member are equal at a point where the access port in the first handle member and the channel through the bowl of said second handle member are aligned to define a flow path.

4. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 1, wherein the bowl is fitted with a cap.

5. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 1, wherein said first handle member defines a circular cross-section.

6. The combination corkscrew and pipe according to claim 1, wherein the blade end of said second handle member includes a tapered shoulder of reduced dimension for being received within the bore of said first handle member such that the tapered shoulder and walls of the bore define an interference fit permitting the blade end to be secured within of the bore of said first handle member.

7. A method of utilizing a combination corkscrew tool and pipe, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first handle member having a bore extending along a longitudinal axis and communicating With one end thereof defining a mouthpiece;

(b) providing an access port located on an outer surface of said first handle member and communicating with the bore;

(c) providing a second handle member having;

(i) a bowl in one end for holding smoking material;

(ii) a helical, cork-penetrating blade extending outwardly from an opposing end;

(iii) a hole extending transversely through said second handle member, intermediate the blade and the bowl, of a size and shape to receive said first handle member therethrough;

(iv) a channel through said second handle member connecting the bowl with the hole;

(d) configuring said first handle member and said second handle member into a storage configuration wherein the helical, cork-penetrating blade is received in the bore of said first handle member for storage; and

(e) configuring said first handle member and said second handle member in a use configuration wherein said first handle member is positioned transversely through the hole in said second handle member to place the access port of said first handle member in communication with the channel of said second handle member, to form a flow path from the mouthpiece in said first handle member to the bowl in said second handle member permitting the combination to be used as a smoking pipe and a corkscrew tool in the same use configuration.

8. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 7, including the step of producing said first handle member and the bowl of said second handle member of wood.

9. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 7, including the step of providing said first handle member with a gradually tapering outer diameter having one end of greater diameter than the hole extending transversely through said second handle member and one end of lesser diameter than the hole such that the diameter of said first handle member and the diameter of the hole in said second handle member are equal at a point where the access port in said first handle member and the channel through the bowl of said second handle member are aligned to define a flow path.

10. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 7, including the step of providing a cap fitted to the bowl of said second handle member.

11. The combination corkscrew and pipe tool according to claim 7, including the step of providing said first handle member with a circular cross-section.

12. The combination corkscrew and pipe according to claim 7, including the step of providing the blade end of said second handle member with a tapered shoulder of reduced dimension for being received within the bore of said first handle member such that the tapered shoulder and walls of the bore define an interference fit permitting the blade end to be secured within the walls of the bore of said first handle member.