Patent ID: 7048216

Claim:
A pepper grinder comprising: a bottle for containing pepper seeds, the bottle having first and second openings, through which first opening the bottle may be refilled with pepper seeds; and a pepper grinding mechanism provided in the second opening of the bottle, through which pepper ground by the grinding mechanism may be dispensed; wherein the grinding mechanism comprises: a female grinding member; a male grinding member supported co-axially in the female grinding member for rotation relative thereto for grinding pepper, the two members being spaced apart by an annular gap in which pepper is to be ground; and a positioning ring in engagement with the male grinding member and supported for turning to adjust the axial position of the male grinding member relative to the female grinding member and hence the width of the gap and in turn the pepper grinding size; the positioning ring comprising a ring body and a cross member that extends across the circumference of the ring body for engagement by a user to turn the positioning ring, wherein the grinding mechanism includes a base ring supporting the positioning ring co-axially for turning through screw-thread engagement.