Abstract: Syringe positioning apparatus and methods are disclosed that provide for automated positioning of a syringe at an axially aligned position on a predetermined axis. The apparatus and methods employ first and second members having opposing surfaces that include first and second ramps, respectively, wherein the first ramp angles upward and away from the second member, and the second ramp angles upward and away from the first member. At least one of the first and second members may be advanceable toward the other by an actuator, wherein the first and second ramps may slidably engage a syringe and thereby elevate the syringe to the axially aligned position on the predetermined axis.

Abstract: A hand-held, manually operated seed shucking appliance enables a food preparer to remove the seed coverings of black-eyed peas from their kernels. A spring and piston inside a chamber are arranged to compress a load of pre-soaked black-eyed peas against a shuttle rasp threaded between side slots. As a user manipulates the shuttle rasp, the shucks are scraped off the seeds by a scraping surface and both pass through the side slots. The piston is configured to be cocked back such that the chamber can be loaded through one end with a fresh charge of black-eyed peas.

Abstract: Provided is a manually operable nut cracking device having a frame, a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted to the frame in opposed relationship to define between them a nut holding station. The movable jaw is biased away from the fixed jaw member. The device also has a lever arm pivotally connected by its proximal end with a pivot shaft to the upper part of the frame such that its distal end forms an operating handle movable form a fully inoperative position whereat the jaws are at their fullest extent away from each other to a fully operative positive whereat the jaws are at their fullest extent closer to one another. The pivot shaft is positioned adjacent to the movable jaw and a wedge shaped cam is formed at the proximal end of the lever arm.

Abstract: A nutcracking apparatus including a housing having opposing sidewalls. A hammer plate having an upper and lower portion is pivotally attached at its upper portion to the opposing sidewalls of the housing. A camshaft is positioned in abutment with a lower portion of the hammer plate, and a drive attached to an outer end of the cam shaft for effecting rotation thereof. An anvil plate having an upper and lower portion is spaced from the hammer plate is pivotally attached at its upper portion to the opposing sidewalls of the housing. A device is provided for moving the lower portion of the anvil plate towards and away from the lower portion of the hammer plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing an eggshell, which provides a body and handle for holding an egg softly by linkage between them, a removing plate for breaking the eggshell with the handle, an operating device for expanding the removing plate so as to extract the contents in the egg so that the convenience in removing the eggshell is proposed, the eggshells are removed easily and rapidly, and most of all, the sanitation in removing the eggshell is improved.

Abstract: A nutcracker is described herein which comprises: a frame; an anvil and hammer movably mounted to the frame; a wedge ramp in a fixed relationship to the frame and having a substantially planar surface; a sliding wedge having opposing, substantially planar surfaces of which one surface is in sliding and flush contact with the surface of the wedge ramp, and the other surface is in contact with the anvil; a striker movably mounted to the frame for striking the hammer; and an anvil and hammer control device for moving the sliding wedge along the wedge ramp while in contact with the anvil so as to move the anvil relative to the hammer from an open position, in which ends of the hammer are at a maximum distance from one another to allow a nut to be received therebetween, to a closed position in which such ends are closed securely upon the nut, whereupon the control device causes the striker to strike the hammer and move it toward the anvil a predetermined distance to thereby crack the nut.

Abstract: A novelty nutcracker device which comprises a tubular housing having a side wall thereby defining an elongated passageway, and a first end cap removably connected at a first end of the passageway, a reciprocally moveable impact member mounted within the elongated passageway, a handle connected to the impact member, the impact member being biased towards the first end cap, and an opening in the side wall to permit the insertion of a nut to be cracked therein. The device is preferably packaged in an exterior envelope having the form of a sports article or an animal character.

Abstract: A nutcracker comprising an anvil, an impact member, the anvil and the impact member being arranged to receive a nut therebetween for cracking, a striking member, and a guiding device for guiding the impact member in a movement towards and away from said anvil and for guiding the striking member in a movement towards and away from said impact member, wherein the striking member is arranged to be forced by its own weight against the impact member under the attraction of gravity so as to impart a cracking force to the shell of a nut received between said impact member and said anvil.

Abstract: An apparatus for the controlled fracture of the outer hull of a nut-like fruit wherein a reciprocable piston is moved within a frame and is supported and guided by arms that interfit with the piston to guide it or non-rotating movement into and out of engagement with the nut-like fruit. A key actuator is rotated by the user and which rotates an actuator, threadedly interengaged with the frame and which serves to provide the reciprocable movement of the piston. The nut hull is itself positioned between the piston and an anvil that among the surfaces of the piston and anvil that crack the nut hull are both configured so as to retain the nut in a stable position where it can be acted upon by the apparatus. In an alternate embodiment, the apparatus is modified so as to act as a garlic press using the same piston constrained motion. In a still further embodiment. the apparatus is modified so as to operate as a corkscrew to safely and easily remove the corks from bottles such as wine bottles.

Abstract: An apparatus for cracking nuts is disclosed which employs a striker mechanism to apply a sharp force to the shell of a nut in order to fracture it. The nut is held in a chamber consisting of an anvil and a cup, with a spring-loaded striker being cocked and released by the single motion of a lever. In the lever's normal raised state, the anvil and cup are separated to allow for insertion of the uncracked nut. As the lever is lowered, the anvil is gently closed down upon the nut to secure it with a light force between the anvil and the cup. As the lever continues its travel downward, the striker is cocked and released, imparting an impulse force on the cup and the nut, thereby cracking the shell of the nut with a predetermined force independent of the size of the nut. A fragment shield integral to the lever is lowered into place along either side of the cracking chamber as the lever is lowered, providing a simple and reliable safety mechanism.

Abstract: A system for splitting pistachios including an adjustable splitter assembly including plungers driven by cams. The cams are frictionally slidable on a rotating camshaft to allow snubbing of the plungers against the nuts. Cavities on the splitter jaw and plungers include relief holes to avoid crushing of the ends of the nuts and encourage an appropriate split. Cushions between the plungers and cam followers reduces impact on the pistachios.

Abstract: This invention is to an improved pecan shucker apparatus for shucking pecans, and particularly for obtaining pecan meat halves that are intact and easily freed of the undesirable parts of the pecan, such as the pecan shell and other inedible parts of the pecan. The pecan shucker is suitably supported and has attached thereto a reciprocating actuator for moving a pecan along a longitudinally disposed axis of the apparatus. A plurality of circumferentially arranged roller assemblies are arranged for the rollers thereof to be radially moved towards one another and into engagement with the outer surface of a pecan nut which may be placed therebetween, while exerting a compressive force on the pecan shell of a magnitude to crush the shell at selected areas thereof. Consequently, after the pecan shell is crushed, and the blade passed lengthwise between the halves, the pecan meat halves are shucked from the broken shell and emerge undamaged and are easily freed of debris.

Abstract: A process for splitting pistachios including a bin dumper, a sizer, moisturizers, blowers and splitting units arranged in seriatim. The blower removes excess water and particles from the nut surfaces after moisturizing and before splitting. The splitter includes a controlled surge bin having a brush gate associated with a sensor to control flow to a singulator. A vibrated singulator operates to release nuts to a splitting mechanism having opposed elements with cavities aligned to receive the ends of the nuts. Cradles retain the nuts in alignment for compression. Lateral vibration is induced in the cradles to ensure placement of the retained nuts.

Abstract: A combination nut cracker and nibbler comprised of an upper moveable jaw, a lower fixed jaw, a front pivot arm secured to the lower fixed jaw, a lever arm secured to the front pivot arm and the upper moveable jaw, a back arm secured to the upper moveable jaw and the lower fixed jaw and a screw threaded shank nibbler secured to the upper moveable jaw.

Abstract: A nut cracker is designed to accommodate virtually any size nut and provide the same degree of cracking stroke with the same mechanical advantage irrespective of nut size, with only a simple thumb-screw adjustment of a cam.

Abstract: A nutcracker for macadamia or other hard nuts (46) comprises an elongated slide bar (21) having an anvil jaw (43) attached to a working end thereof, a parallel elongated arm (35) having a mating jaw (33) attached to a working end thereof, and a hand lever (27) which has a pair of pivots (31B, 41) at one end thereof. The pivots on the hand lever are attached to force-applying ends of the arm (21) and bar (35), respectively, which are opposite to their working ends. The jaw on the bar has a portion (51) which extends around the bar so that the arm is held and will be forced to move only in a direction which is generally parallel to the bar. The anvil jaw on the bar is adjustable in position and is urged to the jaw on the arm by a spring (49).

Abstract: An electric powered portable nutcracker is provided that includes an actuator for forcing a piston to move in a direction toward a stationary jaw to crack a nut so that the broken shells can fall into a compartment in the base. The nutcracker can be structured so that it will separate the nut from the cracked shells into two different segments of the compartment in the base.

Abstract: The nutcracker apparatus includes a frame on which there is provided a front and a rear head assembly that each has a head which is resiliently urged toward the other but is limited in such movement by a knife at least in part located in a slot in the head. Each knife is mounted on a rod, the rear rod being movable toward the front rod to initially clamp the nut and as the movement of one head toward the other is limited by the uncracked nut, the rear knife continues to move toward the front knife to crack and/or split the nut. In one embodiment the rear knife is mounted by the rear rod which is moved forwardly by a pivotal handle moving binder members into binding engagement against the rear rod. In the second embodiment the rear rod is a piston rod of a piston cylinder combination that is operated automatically to crack a nut as the nut is dropped between the heads.

Abstract: A nutcracker, mounted on a base, grips a nut to be cracked between a movable piston and an adjustable anvil. The user sets the optimum cracking distance initially by lining up an index marker located on the piston and adjusting the anvil to firmly hold the opposite end of the nut. Thereafter, the user need only move the lever handle to its up position and insert the nut--no further adjustment of the anvil is necessary for similar sized nuts. The user then moves the piston a limited distance by activating the lever handle connected to the piston through a toggle joint, or by some other limited-movement arrangement. This limited movement enables the inventive nutcracker to crack the nutshell without damaging the meat inside.

Abstract: An impacting nut cracker which utilizes an impacting plunger activated by a compression spring or electrical solenoid to deliver a sharp blow to an aligned adjustable anvil to provide a stroke of measured distance to a nut confined against a tailstock anvil, the position of which is determined by use of a sector gear and gear rack. A slidable and transparent guard over the impact area prevents excessive dispersion of the fractured shell. A concavity in the tailstock anvil and in the adjustable anvil causes a circular edge to engage each end of the nut to cause circular fractures beneficial in achieving greater uniformity in the fracture pattern of the shell.

Abstract: A nutcracker includes a frame having a jaw member mounted thereon and connected to a threaded support portion for movement relative to said frame to adjust for the size of nuts being cracked. A second jaw member is mounted juxtaposed to the first jaw member and is pivotally supported on said frame for oscillating movement by a rotating cam. A nut support member has a trough portion which is disposed below and between the jaw members in their minimum spaced position to crush a nut for supporting the nut for engagement by the jaw members and for movement to discharge a nut into a container disposed below the jaw members after the shell cracking or crushing cycle is completed.

Abstract: A nutcracker includes a base (12), a stationary jaw (16), a movable jaw (21) and an adjustable post (20). A driving cylinder (36) is urged along the longitudinal axis of the post (20) by a lever (26) connected through a connecting link (30). A spring (42) allows the post (20) to float until a canting pin (46) contacts one end of a ring (22) disposed around the post (20). When the ring (22) cants to contact the post (20), the force applied to the driving cylinder (36) is translated directly to the post (20) to crack a nut disposed between the stationary jaw (16) and the movable jaw (21).

Abstract: A triphammer nutcracker for use in fracturing the shells of various nuts of differing sizes and shell textures is disclosed. An operating handle is raised and lowered in a pumplike manner to provide access to a cracking chamber wherein the nut to be cracked is placed, to slide a shield completely around the cracking chamber, and to retract and release a spring biased hammer which strikes a pestle with sufficient force to drive the pestle toward the mortar thereby cracking the nut held therebetween. The broken shell fragments fall into a catch basin and any remaining shell and the nut meat fall into the catch basin as the next operating cycle is started. The nutcracker is structured in a manner such that the hammer will not be released to crack the nut until the shield is in place to enclose the cracking chamber thereby preventing flying nut fragments.

Abstract: A device for forcefully removing husks from coconuts provided with a pair of hingedly connected wedge blades adapted to be inserted into the coconut husk. One blade is stationary and the other blade has a handle to enable it to be rocked for prying the husk away from the seed. Two or more operations are required for removing the entire husk. The so-called stationary blade is fixed to a vertically movable cross bar, the ends of which slide on spaced rods forming part of a frame. The frame is intended to be mounted upright on a support, such as a post.

Abstract: A nut cracker includes a base that supports an adjustably fixed anvil member and a moveable ram member under the control of a handle, there being a guide interconnecting the ram member with the base which maintains the ram member in an erect position. The confronting faces of the anvil member 17 and the ram member 27 are provided with recesses into which the ends of the nut are received with clearance so that the outer rim of such recesses engage the nut to provide the cracking force to its shell remotely from the ends of the nut. With this construction, a heavy-duty unit is provided which is especially useful for cracking nuts that have hard or strong shells such as black walnuts and butternuts, and the construction further enables the shells to be broken and nut meats recovered in larger pieces without over-cracking.

Abstract: A nutcracker which automatically adjusts for nut size. The nut is cracked between a piston and a receiver. The receiver holds the nut and is locked into place by a latching mechanism made up of a plurality of disk elements, stacked together. A locking lever raises one or more disk elements out of place and latches against the flat face of an adjoining disk. A cover may be provided to activate the latching mechanism and cover the nut to be cracked, protecting the user.

Abstract: A nut cracking machine including a pair of spaced apart cracking plates having confronting cracking faces provided with cracking means thereon, the cracking faces and cracking means thereof being disposed to distribute cracking forces substantially tangentially along the periphery of the shell of a nut received therebetween, for rolling and cracking engagement of a nut, rather than crushing of the same; one of the cracking plates comprising a stationary base plate and the other comprising a rotatable holding plate that is moveable toward and away from the base plate; limit means for initial positioning of the cracking face of the holding plate apart from the cracking face of the base plate according to the proximate diameter of the nut to be cracked, for insertion of a nut therebetween, and thrust means operative on rotation of the holding plate for movement of the holding plate toward the base plate in juxtaposed relation for rolling and cracking engagement of the shell of a nut received therebetween and, on

Abstract: An implement for breaking open nuts by cracking instead of crushing them; the device including a concave stationary jaw, in which the nut is seated, and a concave slidable jaw for moving against an opposite side of the nut, the slidable jaw being supported on a screw-threaded shank that rotates in a stationary threaded opening so to advance the movable jaw a specific distance that is enough to crack open only the nut shell and not the nut meat.

Abstract: A powerful lever is swiveled at one end to a vertical column supported on a base or container. An anvil adjustably mounted upon the column, forms an abutment cooperating with the lever for cracking of nuts. An enclosure is mounted upon the lever for adjustment therealong to a position enclosing the nut while being cracked, and directs shell fragments downwardly into a receptacle for convenient disposal.