Patent ID: 7311280

Claim:
A hand-operated crusher for cutting up ice, comprising: (a) a housing able to be placed over the ice to be cut up and comprising a removable upper part and a lower part, wherein the lower part has a closed lower, base, end; (b) a vertical rod guided in the housing upper part, the rod being downwardly displaceable against the force of a spring by means of an actuating mechanism having a push button; (c) a knife attached to the lower end of the vertical rod, the knife being provided with a toothed cutter at a lower edge, wherein the knife has a maximal vertical path that is limited by the actuating device and wherein the height of the knife, the height of the housing lower part and the maximal vertical path of the knife are selected such that the cutter, at its lowermost position, does not contact the base of housing lower part, whereby an air gap exists between a lower edge of the cutter and the base of housing lower part; and (d) a shaker attachment designed to detachably connect to the housing lower part in an essentially fluid-tight manner when the housing upper part is removed.