Patent ID: 8522676

Claim:
A gravity-induced impact nutcracker, comprising: (a) a nut cracking chamber constructed to retain a nut; (b) a gravity-induced impact member; (c) a guiding device constructed to guide said impact member in pivotal movement toward and away from said nut cracking chamber; (d) a drive mechanism releasably engaging said impact member, said drive mechanism being constructed to impart pivotal movement of said impact member away from said nut cracking chamber through an angle of travel of not less than approximately fifteen degrees to an elevated release point above said nut cracking chamber, said drive mechanism including an elongated flexible attachment member connected to said impact member and a releasably engageable freewheeling take-up spool upon which said attachment member is wound to impart movement of said impact member away from said nut cracking chamber toward said release point; and (f) a trigger mechanism adapted to disengage said drive mechanism from said impact member at said release point, thereby causing said impact member to be accelerated solely through the force of gravity free of mechanical assistance and strike the nut retained by said nut cracking chamber.