Patent ID: 7993186

Claim:
Apparatus for opening an oyster shell comprising: a body having a push rod with a key at one end and a blade for opening an oyster shell at its other end; a drive coupled to a movable handle to incrementally advance the push rod from a retracted position to an extended position each time the handle is squeezed; a manually operable drive mechanism coupled to the push rod that frictionally engages the push rod and allows the push rod to be incrementally advanced to extended positions and a quick release mechanism that holds the push rod in the extended positions as it's driven forward and, when released by the user, allows the push rod to be freed and returned to its fully retracted default starting position; a spring coupled to the push rod to automatically urge the push rod to return to its fully retracted position when the manually operable quick release brake is operated; and a static or movable oyster holding backstop coupled to the body via a horizontal bar, a horizontal bed or a horizontal set of rails for the rapid insertion, positioning and securing of an oyster with in the device, and for holding an oysters shell securely in place as the blade of the push rod is advanced and forced between the oyster shell halves during the process of opening it.