Abstract: A pill crusher has a paper cup receptacle having an upwardly open, frusto-conical recess for receiving a paper cup, a plunger having a frusto-conical shape complimentary to that of the recess, the plunger being above and coaxial with the recess, an electric motor and a reciprocating drive transmission between the electric motor and the plunger for displacing the plunger into and out of the recess. The reciprocatory drive transmission comprises a worm and nut drive transmission for rotating the plunger while displacing the plunger into the receptacle. A drive control connected to the electric motor controls the motor so as to displace the plunger into and out of the recess.

Abstract: The invention is a tablet crusher including a linkage that is operable to bring to bear a force on a platen so as to urge it against an anvil, wherein platen and anvil are shaped so as to bring about a crushing force upon a tablet disposed therebetween. The device comprises: (1) a base; (2) an anvil integrally fixed to the base, the anvil having a concave crushing face; (3) a platen having a convex crushing face, coupled at a pivot to the base so as to be moveable against the anvil; (4) a screw actuator for facilitating movement of the platen against the anvil, the screw actuator having a handle; whereby movement of the handle produces movement of the platen relative to the anvil, for crushing a tablet between the anvil and the platen.

Abstract: A manually operable pill crusher device for use with pill pouches. A base includes a crushing surface over which a head is mounted. A handle is attached to a cam inside the head, and the head has a slot that permits the handle to move from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The cam is mounted inside a ram which slideably moves axially inside the head from a raised position in the head when the handle is vertical to a lowered position when the handle is horizontal. The ram includes a crushing surface engaging surface. The head also includes a slot through which a pill in a pouch can be inserted on to the crushing surface when the handle is raised. Lowering the handle then crushes the pill with axial force directly over the crushing surface, avoiding any cocking or arcuate pressure on the pill.

Abstract: A manually drivable food cutter, it includes a cap with a axle journal, a blade shaft with one or more blade on it, a vessel connected to the blade shaft and a cap connecting the cap and the vessel, characterized in that the apparatus also include a gear shaft set above the base, and there is a gear part which can transmit the rotation of the cap to the blade shaft on the base, the gear part includes one or more gears. The advantages of the apparatus are that it can be conveniently operated and the units do not fall apart easily.

Abstract: A manually operable pill crusher device for use with pill pouches. A base includes a crushing surface over which a head is mounted. A handle is attached to a cam inside the head, and the head has a slot that permits the handle to move from a horizontal position to a vertical position. The cam is mounted inside a ram which slideably moves axially inside the head from a raised position in the head when the handle is vertical to a lowered position when the handle is horizontal. The ram includes a crushing surface engaging surface. The head also includes a slot through which a pill in a pouch can be inserted on to the crushing surface when the handle is raised. Lowering the handle then crushes the pill with axial force directly over the crushing surface, avoiding any cocking or arcuate pressure on the pill.

Abstract: An apparatus for comminuting biological specimens includes a receiving component provided with a drive source, at least one sample retainer configured for accommodating at least one biological specimen and constructed and arranged for engagement in the receiving component. The sample retainer includes a first component configured for receiving a specimen prior to comminution and a second component for receiving the specimen after comminution. In addition, the sample retainer is insertable into the receiving component as a single piece.

Abstract: A kitchen hand tool for crushing, slicing, or juicing food products. The tool is operated by closing two handles that rotate a drive gear that engages the ratcheting tooth portion of a crush paddle resulting in the movement of the crush paddle toward a basket, crushing and discharge of the food item through the basket. A drive pawl forces the drive gear to rotate counterclockwise, which in turn forces ratcheting tooth portion and subsequently the crushing paddle down in a clockwise direction applying crushing force on the garlic or any item placed in the crushing area. As the drive gear turns until it clicks past a locking pawl. This cycle of opening and closing the handles is repeated until the crush paddle is fully advanced and can move no further and is against the basket.

Abstract: A pulpifier includes a holder having a compartment and a rear handle. A perforated screen is located in the compartment. A presser extends into the compartment and moves towards the screen. A front clamp extends from the holder for affixing the holder to a vessel supporting the pulpifier.

Abstract: A food masher includes a support frame having an opening, a hopper having a perforated floor, received detachably by the support frame within the opening, a handle extending from the support frame, a lever extending pivotally from the support frame, and a plunger attached to the lever and extending into the hopper.

Abstract: There is provided a combination pastry blender and culinary whisk, comprising a handle portion at one end and a connecting region connecting the handle portion and a mixing region generally in the shape of an inverted dome, wherein the mixing region is principally formed of a wire bent to form a plurality of wires arranged adjacent to each other and defining a generally convex surface for pastry blending, the bent wire being stiff enough to withstand the stress and pressure whereby in a pastry blending operation the mixing region maintains the inverted dome shape, and the bent wire also being relatively thick to be able to press onto a pasty for blending thereof but without cutting therethrough.

Abstract: A pill or tablet crusher and splitter using a combination lever and screw action. A lever attached to a ring having an internal screw thread advances a transversely movable platen towards a transversely fixed or placed anvil crushing a pill or tablet placed between the platen and anvil. The anvil may be removable for easy cleaning. A pill or tablet splitter may be placed in a sunken area beneath an intermediate portion of the lever. The pill or tablet splitter has a tray with a plurality of slopped bottom V-shaped pill or tablet holding clamps. A blade attached to a cover-cutter is placed over the tray. The cover-cutter is forced downward by the movement of the lever splitting or cutting the pills or tablets.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying compact discs includes a base and a cover. The base has a mounting fixture capable of holding a CD and an anvil projecting upwardly from the base bottom panel. The cover is hingedly attached to one of the base walls such that the cover can assume an open position in which the apparatus interior is accessible and a closed position in which the apparatus interior is inaccessible. The cover has one or more scatter shields projecting downwardly from the cover such that, in the cover's closed position, the scatter shields prevent the apparatus interior contents from escaping. The cover further includes a compressor projecting downwardly from the cover top panel. In operation, mounting a CD in the mounting fixture and urging the cover from the open position to the closed position induces the compressor to urge the CD against the anvil to shatter the CD.

Abstract: A hand-held device for shredding paper comprising a pair of rotary cutting wheels disposed within a housing between an inlet slot and an outlet slot. A motor is positioned in the handle to drive the cutting wheels through a gear assembly. One wheel serves as a drive wheel, which is coupled directly to the gear assembly, and the other wheel serves as an idler, driven from a spur gear attached to the drive wheel at the end opposite a gear case. Paper sheets are fed into the inlet slot and pulled between the wheels. Wheels are comprised of a stack of alternating discs of a large and small radius, and staggered so as to allow the two wheels to be interleaved while rotating in opposite (clockwise and counterclockwise) directions and maintain clearance. Large discs have a frictional edge to grab and feed the paper into the intersection of the wheels, tearing the paper into strips and forcing the strips into the outlet slot. A battery compartment in the handle contains the batteries for energizing the motor.

Abstract: A food contact device including a handle member with a first end and a second end. The first end of the handle member includes a pressure enhancing structure. One or more blade elements are in direct or indirect contact with the second end of the handle member. In operation, a user grasps the handle member, effects force in a contact direction via the handle member and the pressure enhancing structure. In this manner, the blade element contacts a food item.

Abstract: A food press includes upper and lower portions each having first and second ends, a plunger, a chamber, and a grate. The upper and lower portions are pivotally connected at their respective first ends. The plunger is disposed between the upper and lower portions. The chamber is disposed on the lower portion and includes an inlet and an outlet and is adapted to receive the plunger. The grate is pivotally connected to the lower portion and is disposed in the chamber in a user position and is disposed between the second ends of the upper and lower portions in a cleaning position.

Abstract: A pastry blender or cooked fruit and vegetable masher has a base portion, a side portion, and a handle member, and is such that the handle is separated from the base portion. The base portion has a pair of edge frame members and a plurality of cutter wire members which extend between them in spaced parallel relation one to another, and which are rigidly secured to the edge frame members. The spacing between the cutter wire members is at least five times the greatest horizontal width of any one cutter wire member.

Abstract: A mashing tool is provided having a pair of arms attached to a mashing plate and a blade on each arm formed of a flexible resilient material in order to provide for scraping members and mixing members of the mashing tool. A non-scratch, noise-reduction, flexible coating is provided on the majority of the surfaces of the mashing tool and an improved fabrication method is provided thereby.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention an innovative garlic tool consists of a set of two disc-shaped presser units having respective male and female rotary grating means comprising a row of protruding grater elements each. Unpeeled garlic cloves are placed between the rotary grating means whereby they are peeled, pressed, and grated by hand-applied counter-twisting force. Processing can be precisely controlled by continuous visual monitoring and repeated grating to achieve optimal bit size and texture. This device is truly remarkable in its complete functionality, and in its simple, compact, and elegant two piece form-follows-function design.

Abstract: A pastry blender or cooked fruit and vegetable masher has a base portion, a side portion, and a handle member, and is such that the handle is separated from the base portion. The base portion has a pair of edge frame members and a plurality of cutter wire members which extend between them in spaced parallel relation one to another, and which are rigidly secured to the edge frame members. The spacing between the cutter wire members is at least five times the greatest horizontal width of any one cutter wire member.

Abstract: A garlic crusher is composed of a upper pressing on which is disposed a pressing block, a lower pressing piece on which is disposed a garlic-pressing groove for accepting the pressing block, and a through-hole-matrix metal sheet. Using a pintle, the corresponding ends respectively of the upper and the lower pressing piece are connected to be a hinge joint. The garlic-pressing groove is disposed at one end of the lower pressing piece near the pintle, and formed by the downward through-aperture on the lower pressing piece and a through-hole-matrix metal sheet, which is inserted into the lower pressing piece through an inserting slot to take its position just above the widow disposed on the lower pressing piece. The garlic crusher is quite convenient in installation and in operation.

Abstract: The present invention is hand operated food grinding apparatus into which is designed a series of opposing parallel ridges to enable the food item such as garlic, peppercorn, spices, coffee etc. to be ground into coarsely ground portions or finely ground portions depending on the arrangement and design of the opposing parallel ridges. The hand grinding apparatus has a base having an upper surface made of a series of parallel ridges separated by parallel groves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a flat upper surface, and also comprises a top member having a lower surface made of an opposing series of parallel ridges separated by parallel grooves wherein each of the parallel ridges has a surface, and wherein a respective ridge of the base member is aligned with a respective ridge of a top member or a respective ridge of a base member is offset from a respective ridge or a top member.

Abstract: A hand-held pill crusher (20) with an arm (11) and base(10) made of a hard and impervious material connected at one end so as to allow a vertical open and close movement to fragment and then crush pill into powdered form. The arm contains a plurality of stainless steel blades (18) for fragmenting pill and a crushing member (15) made of similar hard and impervious material for reducing fragments to powder. The base contains a pill rack (13), threaded recess (14) for crushing member and a track (17) on underside for holding spoon-like receiving member (16).

Abstract: A pill crusher has an arm extending over and along an elongate base, with a pivotal connection between the base and one end of the arm. An upwardly open cylindrical housing on the base has a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the base and a compression spring in the cylindrical housing between a cylindrical anvil member and the base. Interengaged guide formations on the housing and the anvil member at opposite sides of the housing are inclined so as to cause rotational movement of the anvil member relative to the cylindrical housing on displacement of the anvil member along the longitudinal axis against the action of the spring; and a cylindrical pressure member depending from the arm above the cylindrical housing. In use, the rotational movement of the anvil member causes a pill to be both crushed and also simultaneously ground between the pressure and anvil members, which have serrated opposed faces to improve the grinding.

Abstract: A battery operated pill crusher is provided having a motorized, rotating plunger in a portable configuration.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for crushing medication. A crushing member mounted within a housing is rotatable about two axes. Rotation about the first axis allows relative movement between the crushing member and an anvil thereby to allow the medication to be crushed. Rotation of the crushing member about the second axis allows access to the medication and removal of the medication which may be within a receptacle. The receptacle and the crushing member have a complementary frustoconical configuration allowing the receptacle to be positioned on the crushing member with the medication between the crushing member and the receptacle. A second receptacle may be used with a similar configuration, the second receptacle being mounted over the first receptacle with the medication therebetween to prevent contamination and spillage.

Abstract: A garlic cutter having a housing and a beaker shaped structure adapted to receive garlic rotatably disposed in the housing. The beaker shaped structure has a cutting grid for cutting garlic or other vegetables. An upper part, bearing a punch, threadingly engages the housing such that when rotated the punch is urged towards the cutting grid pushing the garlic through the cutting grid. Preferably, the punch and cutting grid are rotated in unison upon rotation of the upper part to allow a plurality of pegs of the punch to align with and enter corresponding apertures in the cutting grid. A cutting blade is non-rotatably disposed beneath the beaker shaped structure to cut garlic emerging from the cutting grid.