An Improved Tool for Opening Oysters, and other Analogous Uses.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 7th Dec., 1886.
• Complete Accepted, 7th Jan., 1887
[Communicated from abroad by BERNARD ANDRIEU, of 51, Rue de Belleville, Paris,
France, Merchant.]
An Improved Tool for Opening Oysters, and other Analogous Uses.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved tool or instrument, consisting of a pair of
nipping jaws with cutting edges in combination with a knife-blade, for opening
oysters, breaking lobsters, cracking hard-shelled fruits and other analogous uses.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which Figures 1 and 2 show
face and side views of the improved tool of this Invention. The same letters of
reference serve for like parts in the two figures.
a is the knife blade, which, in this example, is represented as cast in one piece with
the jaw c, of the nippers, but it may be pivoted or hinged so as to fold back when not
in use, or be otherwise connected thereto. The jaws and c which are jointed
together at d and are both formed with cutting edges, serve to penetrate the shell of
the oyster and form an opening at which to insert the knife blade a which is then
passed around the oyster between the shells, thus opening it without any of the
difficulty and danger attending the ordinary methods. An oyster-fork may be jointed
to the end of one of the lever handles ef of the opener, so as to fold down thereon.
The cutting jaws may also be formed on the side face of the levers, and they may be
The lever handles
provided with a spring for holding them open in position for use.
may be made of wood, ivory, bone, or other suitable material, and strengthened by
ribs or projections formed thereon, and serving also to ornament the same.
.A. M. CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.

page_text: An Improved Tool for Opening Oysters, and other Analogous Uses.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby déclare the nature of this Invention (a communication to me from
abroad by Bernard Andrieu of 51 Rue de Belleville, Paris, France, Merchant) and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improved tool or instrument, consisting of a pair of
nipping jaws with cutting edges in combination with a knife-blade, for opening
oysters, breaking lobsters, cracking hard-shelled fruits and other analogous uses.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figures 1 and
shew face and side views of the improved. tool of this invention. The same letters of
reference serve for like parts in the two figures.
a is the knife blade, which, in this example is represented as made in one piece with
the jaw c,
of the nippers, but it may be pivoted or hinged so as to fold back when not
in use, or be otherwise connected thereto. The jaws b and c which are jointed
together at d and are both formed with cutting edges, serve to cut or nip off a portion
of the edges of the oyster shells, so as to expose an opening between them at which to
insert the knife blade a which is then passed between the oyster and one of the shells,
thus opening the oyster without any of the difficulty and danger attending the
ordinary methods. An oyster-fork may be jointed to the end of one of the lever
handles e. f, of the opener, so as to fold down thereon. The cutting jaws may also be
formed on the side face of the levers, and they may be provided with a spring for
holding them open in position for use. The lever handles may be made of wood,
ivory, bone, or other suitable material, and strengthened by ribs or projections formed
thereon, and serving also to ornament the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
An instrument for opening oysters, and other uses as herein specified, consisting
in the combination with a pair of cutting nippers, of a knife blade made in one
with, or jointed to one of the jaws of the. nippers, substantially as herein described
and represented in the drawing.
A. MELVILLE CLARK.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Applicant's Agents.