Abstract:
The Nut Cracker Apparatus ( 1 ) receives a nut at the top surface of an anvil. A plunger, aligned with the anvil, is moved vertically, by rack and pinion gear operation of a handle lever means, into contact with the nut thereby exerting cracking or crushing pressure on the shell or hull. The anvil is generally centrally positioned on a chamber floor which is downwardly sloping toward a tray which receives nut meat discharged from the anvil and floor into the tray.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to an apparatus for cracking nuts. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Devices for breaking the shells and hulls of nuts and for bearing pressure on objects are widely known in the arts. 
   The patents referred to herein are provided herewith in an Information Disclosure Statement in accordance with 37 CFR 1.97. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The Nut Cracker Apparatus ( 1 ) disclosed and claimed herein, receives a nut at the top surface of an anvil. A shaft, aligned with the anvil, is moved vertically, by gear and lever means, into contact with the nut thereby exerting cracking or crushing pressure on the shell or hull. The anvil is generally centrally positioned on a floor which is downwardly sloping toward a tray thereby causing the nut meat to be discharged from the anvil and floor into the tray. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a side elevation of the nut cracker ( 1 ) showing the housing ( 10 ), housing top ( 20 ), handle ( 50 ) and tray ( 200 ). 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the side elevation showing the nut cracker ( 1 ), the housing ( 10 ), housing top ( 20 ), plunger ( 40 ) with plunger rack gear ( 45 ), handle ( 50 ), anvil ( 150 ) with anvil top ( 155 ) and tray ( 200 ). 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the handle ( 50 ) and handle pinion gear ( 60 ). 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation showing the housing ( 10 ), housing top ( 20 ), housing first aperture ( 30 ) and housing second aperture ( 35 ) shown in phantom, chamber ( 100 ), chamber top ( 110 ), chamber floor ( 120 ) and anvil ( 150 ) and anvil top ( 155 ) shown in phantom. 
       FIG. 5  is a front elevation of the housing ( 10 ) showing the housing top ( 20 ), housing first aperture ( 30 ) and housing second aperture ( 35 ) shown in phantom, and chamber ( 100 ) with chamber top ( 110 ), chamber floor ( 120 ) and anvil( 150 ) and anvil top ( 155 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a top plan of the housing ( 10 ) showing the housing top ( 20 ) and housing first aperture ( 30 ). 
       FIG. 7  is “C” section from  FIG. 5  illustrating the chamber ( 100 ), chamber floor ( 120 ), anvil ( 150 ) and anvil top ( 155 ). 
       FIG. 8  is a vertical “B” section from  FIG. 5  showing the housing ( 10 ), housing top ( 20 ), housing first aperture ( 30 ), housing second aperture ( 35 ), chamber ( 100 ), chamber top ( 110 ), chamber floor ( 120 ), anvil ( 150 ) and anvil top ( 155 ). 
       FIG. 9  is a plan view of the tray ( 200 ) showing at least one tray compartment ( 210 ). 
       FIG. 10  is an “A” section of the tray ( 200 ) from  FIG. 9 . 
       FIG. 11  is an elevation detail of the anvil ( 150 ) showing the anvil top ( 155 ). 
       FIG. 12  is a plan detail of the anvil ( 150 ) showing the anvil top ( 155 ). 
       FIG. 13  is a side elevation of the plunger ( 40 ), the plunger top ( 42 ) and plunger bottom ( 47 ) and showing the plunger rack gear ( 45 ). 
       FIG. 14  is a front elevation of the plunger ( 40 ) showing the plunger rack gear ( 45 ). 
       FIG. 15  shows the plunger top ( 42 ). 
       FIG. 16  shows the plunger bottom ( 47 ). 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a side elevation view of the handle ( 50 ) and handle gear shaft aperture ( 55 ). 
       FIG. 18  illustrates a top plan view of the handle ( 50 ) and handle gear shaft aperture ( 55 ). 
       FIG. 19  illustrates a top plan view of the handle ( 50 ) and handle gear shaft aperture ( 55 ). 
   

   The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1 and 2  show the nut cracker ( 1 ) with an upstanding housing ( 10 ) having a housing top ( 20 ) distal from a tray ( 200 ) and a housing bottom ( 25 ) affixed to a tray ( 200 ). Also seen is the handle ( 50 ) with handle gear shaft aperture ( 55 ). In the preferred embodiment the handle ( 50 ) is elongated to provide leverage to bear cracking pressure on nut shells and hulls.  FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of the side elevation showing the nut cracker ( 1 ), the housing ( 10 ), housing top ( 20 ), plunger ( 40 ) with plunger rack gear ( 45 ), handle ( 50 ), anvil ( 150 ) with anvil top ( 155 ) and tray ( 200 ). 
     FIG. 3  and  FIGS. 17 ,  18  and  19  illustrate a handle ( 50 ) and gear shaft ( 62 ) with pinion gear ( 60 ). The gear shaft ( 62 ) is received by friction or press fit into the handle gear shaft aperture ( 55 ). 
     FIGS. 4 through 8  show a housing axis ( 27 ) being a concentrically related to a housing first aperture ( 30 ) which receives a plunger ( 40 ) having gear means. A housing second aperture ( 35 ) is orthogonal to and offset from the housing first aperture ( 30 ) and receives the pinion gear ( 60 ) and gear shaft ( 62 ). A concave chamber ( 100 ) has a chamber floor ( 120 ) which is downwardly sloping toward a chamber opening ( 130 ) and the tray ( 200 ). The housing first aperture ( 30 ) and the housing second aperture ( 35 ) are in aperture communication and the pinion gear ( 60 ) and plunger ( 40 ) gear means are in gear engagement; movement of the handle ( 50 ) moves the plunger ( 40 ) to contact the anvil top ( 155 ). 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  illustrate the substantially planar tray ( 200 ). The tray will have at least one substantially concave tray compartment ( 210 ). In the preferred embodiment the tray ( 200 ) will have at least two concave tray compartments ( 210 ), one to store nuts to be shelled and one to store meat from shelled nuts, with the at least two tray compartments ( 210 ) separated by an upstanding tray divider ( 212 ). 
   The upstanding housing ( 10 ) is elongated and upstanding from the planar tray ( 200 ). A concave chamber ( 100 ) in the housing ( 10 ) proximal the tray ( 200 ) has a chamber floor ( 120 ) which is downwardly sloping to the tray ( 200 ). The housing ( 10 ) has a first aperture means receiving a plunger ( 40 ) having gear means; the plunger ( 40 ) is upstanding relative to the tray ( 200 ). First aperture means, in the preferred embodiment is a housing first aperture ( 30 ) which is concentrically related to a housing axis ( 27 ) which extends from the housing top ( 20 ) at the housing top center ( 22 ) to a housing bottom ( 25 ) at a housing bottom center ( 29 ). The housing first aperture ( 30 ) receives the plunger ( 40 ). A handle means having an aperture means receives a gear shaft ( 62 ) means. The gear shaft ( 62 ) means has affixed thereto gear means ( 60 ) affixed by gear affixing means generally including welding, machining or other machine forming process. The housing ( 10 ) has a second aperture means which receives the gear means ( 60 ) and gear shaft ( 62 ) means. The second aperture means is, in the preferred embodiment, a housing second aperture ( 35 ) which is orthogonal to and offset from the housing first aperture ( 30 ). The housing second aperture ( 35 ) receives the gear means ( 60 ) and gear shaft ( 62 ) means and is in aperture communication with the housing first aperture ( 30 ). The plunger ( 40 ) is cylindrical and has rack gear means provided, in the preferred embodiment, by plunger rack gear ( 45 ). The gear means ( 60 ) and the plunger rack gear ( 45 ) are in gear engagement. The plunger ( 40 ) has a plunger bottom ( 47 ). An anvil ( 150 ) is affixed by anvil affixing means at the chamber floor ( 120 ). Anvil affixing means includes welding, press and threaded means. The anvil ( 150 ) has an anvil top ( 155 ) which is aligned with the plunger ( 40 ) and plunger bottom ( 47 ). The gear means ( 60 ), which is in gear engagement with the plunger ( 40 ) gear means is moved by the handle ( 50 ). Rotating or pivoting movement of the handle, around the housing second aperture ( 35 ) causes gear engagement of the plunger rack gear ( 45 ) and the handle pinion gear ( 60 ) causing plunger ( 40 ) to move relative to and in contact with the anvil top ( 155 ). The anvil top ( 155 ) is concave and receives a nut. 
   The components of this invention including the housing ( 10 ), the planar tray ( 200 ), the plunger ( 40 ), the handle means, gear shaft ( 62 ) and gear means ( 60 ), the plunger rack gear ( 45 ), the anvil ( 150 ) and anvil top ( 155 ) and plunger bottom ( 47 ) are formed from rigid materials including primarily metals and plastics.