Patent ID: 6035772
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: A23N

Abstract:
An apparatus for cracking nuts, comprising:a horizontal base member;a left vertical support member rigidly disposed on said base member, said left vertical support member having a top support surface;a right vertical support member rigidly disposed on said base member, said right vertical support member having a passage way formed therein horizontally;an cup member slidably disposed within said passage way of said right vertical support member, said cup member having a left end and a right end, said left end being provided with a substantially concave surface suitable for reception of a nut to be cracked;an anvil carrier disposed on said top support surface of said left vertical support member, and disposed in linear alignment with said cup member;an anvil member slidably disposed in said anvil carrier, said anvil member having a left end and a right end, said right end of the anvil member being provided with a substantially concave surface suitable for reception of a nut to be cracked, and said disposition of the anvil member allowing rightward travel of the anvil member towards said cup member, thereby forming a cracking chamber between the right end of the anvil member and the left end of the cup member;a spring-loaded striker member, pivotally disposed to strike said right end of the cup member when rotated clockwise to load the spring with energy, and then released to allow the striker member to accelerate counter-clockwise to collide with the right end of the cup member, thereby causing a cracking action by imparting the stored energy in the spring to the cup member and a nut held in said cracking chamber;a lever member pivotally disposed to actuate the spring-loaded striker member on a single downward operation by an operator; andat least one shield panel disposed on said lever member such that said shield panel is lowered into a position to cover said cracking chamber as said lever member is operated downwardly, thereby providing a physical barrier to contain pieces of nut and shell as they may be ejected during the cracking action.