US2278774A - Pie divider - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1942. H. P. FEST 2,278,774-

PIE DIVIDER Filed Ap-ril- 24, 1939 INVENTOR AER/WW A 555? ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 7 Claims.

My invention relates to a divider for pies, and the like.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an extremely simple device whereby a pie, or the like, may be uniformly divided into Various size pieces.

An important object of this invention is the provision of such means on the outer or the peripheral portion of the receptacle containing the pie, or the like, and such means which may be readily placed at or moved to various dividing positions.

An important object also of this invention is the provision of such means, on or in connection with the peripheral portion of a pie containing receptacle, which is provided with a pivoted or otherwise movable knife which may be readily raised free of the pie, or contents of the receptacle, so that the knife may be moved freely from one position to another while dividing and without disturbing the pie, or the like. 7

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereafter, I have devised a novel device for dividing pies, cakes, and the like, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon, which form a part of this application, in which:

Fi 1 is a plan View of my device in combination with a pie plate;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken through 2-2 of Figure 1, and showing by dotted lines the dividing knife in a raised position; and,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of my device.

The receptacle is in the form of a shallow receptacle I, simulating the conventional pie plate, and has a flat bottom I, upwardly inclined walls l and a laterally extending peripheral flange or ledge l.- This flange or ledge has at its upper side an arcuate channel I radially outwardly from the walls l or the depression of the receptacle. At the under side of this flange or ledge, and radially outwardly from the channel I is an arcuate groove I". The cross-sections, respectively of the channel I and the groove I, are curved or round, as will be hereinafter referred to.

On the flange or ledge is slidably mounted a support, slide, or clip, which consists of a bifurcated member II, a spring l2, and a bracket [3. This bracket supports the dividing knife 2|.

The member I I is made of a resilient plate, and the opposite furcations H and, ll thereof, re-

spectively engage the upper and lower sides of the flange or ledge l The connecting portion H" of the member H is in the form of a loop. In addition to the resiliency of the plate I l itself, I have provided the spring l2 which is cylindrical in construction, encloses the loop I I? and engages'the opposite sides of the member H at the ends of the furcations immediately beyond the peripheral edge of the receptacle. One side of the spring I2 is secured in any suitable manner to the outer end of the looped portion H.

The bracket l3, aforementioned consists of closely spaced angle clips, one of the flanges I3 of each being secured to the upper furcation Il and the other flanges |3 of which extend upwardly therefrom in spaced relation.

The knife 2| consists of a relatively thin plate which is reduced at the outer end 2 l and is pivotally mounted at this end between the spaced flanges l3 of the bracket l3. This knife extends from its pivotal mounting radially inwardly toward the central axis of the receptacle. The bottom edge of the knife, when the latter is in its finished cutting position, engages the bottom I of the receptacle, the inclined side wall l and the upper face of the ledge inwardly from the channel I When the knife is in its lower position, a projection 2| enters the channel I as shown in Figure 2.

At the inner end of the upper edge of the knife is provided a suitable grip 22, which may be in the form. of a ball. With this grip the knife may be readily raised from its low position, and again pressed downwardly when the support is moved to a new position.

At the inner side of the furcation ll is provided an arcuate ridge M which is adapted to enter and ride in the groove I so that the support may be easily shifted around the peripheral portion of the pie plate and guided by the ridge I4 and groove I in such a manner that the knife 2| always extends radially towards the center of the pie plate. The construction of the support, however, is such that the same, together with the knife may be readily removed from the ledge of the pie plate.

On the upper side of the ledge, outwardly from the channel I are provided, in any suitable manner, numerals 2 which designate the positions to which the support is to be shifted for cutting the pie, or the like, into the desired number of pieces. The upper furcation ll of the clip H has a cutaway or index portion l I which facilitates the proper location of the support or clip, the latter being shifted so that the desired division or numeral 2 is located Within the recess ll Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to the same, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a, receptacle having a channelled peripheral edge, a slide movably mounted thereon and retained thereby, and a cutter pivoted on the slide so as to extend into and to the middle portion of the receptacle and to be raised therefrom.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a flat receptacle having a flat horizontal peripheral ledge with a circular groove at the underside, a resilient clamp slidably engaging the opposite sides of the ledge and having an arcuate ridge for guiding the clamp in the groove, and a cutter pivoted on the clamp so as to extend into and to the middle portion of the receptacle and to be raised therefrom.

3. In a device of the class described, the com bination of a receptacle having a ledge at its periphery, a support, means for variously securing the support to said ledge in such a manner as to allow said support to 'slide on said ledge, and a cutter mounted on the support so as to extend into and to the middle portion of the receptacle.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle having a ledge at its periphery, a clip adapted to be resiliently clamped and variously positioned on said ledge, and a cutter mounted on the clip so as to extend into and to the middle portion of the receptacle.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a receptacle, a support, means for variously securing the support to the edge portion of the receptacle in such a manner as to allow sliding movement of one relative to the other, and a cutter mounted on the support so as to extend into and to the middle portion of the receptacle.

6. In a device of the class described, a receptacle having a guide means at its peripheral portion, a slide movably mounted on the guide means, and a cutter carried by the slide.

7. In a device of the class described, a receptacle having a guide means at its peripheral portion, said guide means comprising relative laterally ofi-set portions extending around the periphery, a slide movably mounted on the guide means in interlocking relation with respect to said off-set portions, and an operating member carried by the slide.

- HERMAN P. FEST.

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