GB2045063A

GB2045063A - A peeling knife

Info

Publication number: GB2045063A
Application number: GB8006474A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SMUS L
Current assignee: SMUS L
Priority date: 1979-02-28
Filing date: 1980-02-26
Publication date: 1980-10-29

Abstract

A knife for peeling comprises a blade 4 and attached ring 3 screw- mounted in a housing 2. The mounting is pivotable in the housing 2 so that the ring 3 can be pivoted from an inoperative position in which it lies in the same plane as the housing 2 to an operative position in which it and the blade 4 stand proud of the plane of the housing but on opposite sides thereof. A finger of the peeler's hand inserted through the ring can then be used to push the blade 4 through the peel of a fruit to be peeled with the housing 2 moving over the surface of the fruit. The base of the housing may accommodate balls to allow easy relative movement with respect to the fruit. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A knife The present invention relates to a knife for peeling the skin off an orange or grapefruit, for example.

Presently known peelers are unsuitable for peeling oranges or grapefruits as their cutting blades are obliquely set and incapable of penetrating the thick tough skin to the fruit inside. An ordinary knife such as a penknife may be used, but the curved surface of the fruit makes this difficult and possibly dangerous.

Furthermore a considerable amount of skill is needed if the knife is not to cut through the surface of the fruit itself.

According to the present invention, there is pro vided a knife for peeling comprising a first blade member and a second housing member, the second member being disposed in its operative position relative to the first member so that the second member can lie along the skin of a body to be peeled while the first member extends into the skin and the first member being shaped to receive a finger of a peeler's hand so that the first member may be pushed through the the skin as the hand is moved over the surface of the body being peeled.

A preferred embodiment of the invention may comprise any one or more of the following advantageous features: (a) The first and second members are pivotally connected together, so that they may be pivoted relative to each other from a first, operative position in which they are at right angles to a second non-operative position in which they are in substantiallythe same plane.

(b) The first blade member comprises a blade and a ring.

(c) The blade and ring of (b) are connected to an annulus by a screw connection so that the position of the blade relative to the second member may be adjusted.

(d) The second member defines an aperture which receives the first member in the non-operative position of the knife.

(e) The aperture of (d) comprises two parts a first part which receives the ring and a second part which receives the blade in the non-operative position of the knife.

(f) The knife is made wholly of metal.

(g) The knife is made wholly of synthetic plastics material.

(h) The blade is made of metal and the remainder of the knife of synthetic plastics material.

(i) The blade is composite and comprises two externally concave faces depending from the ring and joined at their ends remote from the ring by a portion extending in a plane at right angles to the plane of the ring.

In order that the invention is more clearly understood, one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a knife according to the invention in an operative position, Figure 2 shows an end elevational in section view of the knife of Figure 1 in an operative position, and Figure 3 shows a sectional plan view of the knife of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, the knife comprises two members a first, blade member 1 and a second, housing member 2. These two members are pivotally connected together either by means of cylindrical projections extending from member 1 into corresponding apertures in member 2 or by critical projections extending from the member 2 into corresponding apertures in member 1.

The blade member comprises a ring 3 and a sharpened blade 4. The blade 4 comprises two externally concave faces 4a and 4b joined by a base portion 4c so that the peeler may be used in two opposed directions. The blade member is externally screwthreaded and is screwed into a complementary internally screwthreaded annular 3 pivotally mounted in the member 2 which enables the disposition of the blade member 1 and therefore of the blade 4 relative to the member 2 to be adjusted.

The housing member 2 is generally oval in external shape and defines an internal aperture consisting of two parts 5 and 6 separated by the pivot points between member 1 and annulus 8. The part 5 is slightly larger than the part 6 and houses the ring 3 of the blade member 1 when the knife is in its inoperative position. In this position, the blade is protected by that part of the member 2 defining the part 6 of the internal aperture.

The knife may be wholly of synthetic plastics material or of metal. Alternatively the blade may be made of metal and the remainder of the knife made of synthetic plastics material.

In use, member 1 is turned from its inoperative position through ninety degrees relative to member 2. The user of the knife inserts a finger, usually the index finger, through the ring and the sharp end of the blade member 1 is pushed through the skin of the fruit to be peeled in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the knife. The fruit is held in the paim ofthe hand holding the knife with the heei of the palm resting against the fruit. The fruit is then rotated by the other hand, the blade cutting through the skin to enable it to be peeled away. The base of the member 2 is formed to accommodate rollers or balls 7 to facilitate movement of the knife over the surface of the fruit. Alternatively, the base of the member 2 may simply be rounded.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the periphery of at least a part 5 of the aperture defined by the second housing member 2 may be stepped so that the member 1 may only be pushed into the aperture from one side and cannot be pushed through it. The member 1 may also be held in the housed position.

1. A knife for peeling comprising a first, blade, member and a second, housing, member, the second member being disposed in its operative

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A knife The present invention relates to a knife for peeling the skin off an orange or grapefruit, for example. Presently known peelers are unsuitable for peeling oranges or grapefruits as their cutting blades are obliquely set and incapable of penetrating the thick tough skin to the fruit inside. An ordinary knife such as a penknife may be used, but the curved surface of the fruit makes this difficult and possibly dangerous. Furthermore a considerable amount of skill is needed if the knife is not to cut through the surface of the fruit itself. According to the present invention, there is pro vided a knife for peeling comprising a first blade member and a second housing member, the second member being disposed in its operative position relative to the first member so that the second member can lie along the skin of a body to be peeled while the first member extends into the skin and the first member being shaped to receive a finger of a peeler's hand so that the first member may be pushed through the the skin as the hand is moved over the surface of the body being peeled. A preferred embodiment of the invention may comprise any one or more of the following advantageous features: (a) The first and second members are pivotally connected together, so that they may be pivoted relative to each other from a first, operative position in which they are at right angles to a second non-operative position in which they are in substantiallythe same plane. (b) The first blade member comprises a blade and a ring. (c) The blade and ring of (b) are connected to an annulus by a screw connection so that the position of the blade relative to the second member may be adjusted. (d) The second member defines an aperture which receives the first member in the non-operative position of the knife. (e) The aperture of (d) comprises two parts a first part which receives the ring and a second part which receives the blade in the non-operative position of the knife. (f) The knife is made wholly of metal. (g) The knife is made wholly of synthetic plastics material. (h) The blade is made of metal and the remainder of the knife of synthetic plastics material. (i) The blade is composite and comprises two externally concave faces depending from the ring and joined at their ends remote from the ring by a portion extending in a plane at right angles to the plane of the ring. In order that the invention is more clearly understood, one embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a knife according to the invention in an operative position, Figure 2 shows an end elevational in section view of the knife of Figure 1 in an operative position, and Figure 3 shows a sectional plan view of the knife of Figures 1 and 2. Referring to the drawing, the knife comprises two members a first, blade member 1 and a second, housing member 2. These two members are pivotally connected together either by means of cylindrical projections extending from member 1 into corresponding apertures in member 2 or by critical projections extending from the member 2 into corresponding apertures in member 1. The blade member comprises a ring 3 and a sharpened blade 4. The blade 4 comprises two externally concave faces 4a and 4b joined by a base portion 4c so that the peeler may be used in two opposed directions. The blade member is externally screwthreaded and is screwed into a complementary internally screwthreaded annular 3 pivotally mounted in the member 2 which enables the disposition of the blade member 1 and therefore of the blade 4 relative to the member 2 to be adjusted. The housing member 2 is generally oval in external shape and defines an internal aperture consisting of two parts 5 and 6 separated by the pivot points between member 1 and annulus 8. The part 5 is slightly larger than the part 6 and houses the ring 3 of the blade member 1 when the knife is in its inoperative position. In this position, the blade is protected by that part of the member 2 defining the part 6 of the internal aperture. The knife may be wholly of synthetic plastics material or of metal. Alternatively the blade may be made of metal and the remainder of the knife made of synthetic plastics material. In use, member 1 is turned from its inoperative position through ninety degrees relative to member 2. The user of the knife inserts a finger, usually the index finger, through the ring and the sharp end of the blade member 1 is pushed through the skin of the fruit to be peeled in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the knife. The fruit is held in the paim ofthe hand holding the knife with the heei of the palm resting against the fruit. The fruit is then rotated by the other hand, the blade cutting through the skin to enable it to be peeled away. The base of the member 2 is formed to accommodate rollers or balls 7 to facilitate movement of the knife over the surface of the fruit. Alternatively, the base of the member 2 may simply be rounded. It will be appreciated that the above embodiment has been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the periphery of at least a part 5 of the aperture defined by the second housing member 2 may be stepped so that the member 1 may only be pushed into the aperture from one side and cannot be pushed through it. The member 1 may also be held in the housed position. CLAIMS

1. A knife for peeling comprising a first, blade, member and a second, housing, member, the second member being disposed in its operative position relative to the first member so that the second member can lie along the skin of a body to be peeled while the first member extends into the skin and the first member being shaped to receive a finger of a peeler's hand so that the first member may be pushed through the skin as the hand is moved over the surface of the body being peeled.

2. A knife for peeling as claimed in Claim 1, in which the first and second members are pivotally connected together, so that they may be pivoted relative to each other on a first, operative position, in which they are at right angles, to a second nonoperative position, in which they are in substantially the same plane.

3. A knife for peeling as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which the first blade member comprises a blade and a ring.

4. A knife for peeling as claimed in Claim 3, in which the blade and ring are connected to an annulus by a screw connection so that the position of the blade relative to the second member may be adjusted.

5. A knife for peeling as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the second member defines an aperture which receives the first member in the non-operative position of the knife.

6. A knife for peeling as claimed in Claim 5, when appendantto Claim 4, in which the aperture comprises two parts, a first part which receives the ring and a second part which receives the blade in the non-operative position of the knife.

7. A knife for peeling as claimed in any preceding Claim made wholly of metal.

8. A knife for peeling as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 made wholly of synthetic plastics material.

9. A knife for peeling as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6 in which the blade is made of metal and the remainder of the knife is made of synthetic plastics material.

10. A knife for peeling as claimed in Claim 3, or in any of Claims 4 to 9 when appendant to Claim 3, in which the blade is a composite and comprises two externally concave faces depending from the ring and joined at their ends remote from the ring by a portion extending in a plane at right angles to the plane of the ring.

11. A knife for peeling substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.