Universal culinary tool with protective screen shield

Claim 2

A universal Culinary tool including a protective screen type shield and which is adapted for use with a plurality of interchangeable kitchen utensils, the combination comprising: a kitchen utensil having an elongated cylindrical shaft, the shaft terminating at one end in a terminal end portion having a reduced diameter relative to the diameter of the main shaft, the reduced diameter portion defining with the main shaft portion an annular shoulder therebetween, and a pair of diametrically opposed axially extending locking ear members each projecting outwardly of the reduced shaft end portion; an elongated handle member having a closed back end and a front end provided with an axially extending recess opening out of said front end; attachment means mounted on said front end of said handle and adapted to receive said terminal end portion of said utensil shaft therein for removably securing said shaft to said handle; a protective screen shield comprised of an endless rim member of a size and configuration substantially greater than the utensil shaft, a fine mesh screen affixed to said rim and projecting therebetween in the plane of said rim, an opening extending transversely through said screen approximately centrally thereof; and a lock and swivel mechanism affixed to said screen in said opening and adapted to slidingly receive said utensil shaft therethrough for positioning said screen shield at any selected position along said shaft with said shield being swivelly supported for swinging movement to occupy selected positions relative to the axis of the utensil shaft.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking mechanism for removably securing said utensil shaft to said handle is comprised of an elongated hollow cylindrically shaped open ended support collar member having a back end, a front end, and cylindrical side wall surfaces interconnecting the back and front ends, the back end portion of the support collar adapted to be axially inserted into said handle recess and permanently affixed therein, a pair of diametrically spaced apart axially extending slots defined in said cylindrical side walls and opening out of said collar front end, the slots being of a size and configuration adapted to slidingly receive said utensil shaft locking ears therein, and a pair of diametrically opposed axially extending cam members each mounted on the exterior surface of said side walls contiguous with the support collar front end and with each cam having an arcuate cross-section, and said slots dividing said support collar front end portion into a pair of diametrically opposed resilient members adapted to be flexed in a direction inwardly of each other in a manner to decrease the width of said slots; a twist lock nut of an elongated generally cylindrical hollow configuration having a bore extending therethrough and provided with a back edge, a front surface, and cylindrical side walls, the bore opening out of the front surface and back edge and being of a diameter substantially equal to the exterior diameter of said support collar member, a first pair of diametrically opposed axially extending slots disposed in said bore and opening out of said front surface with each slot having an arcuate cross-section of a size and configuration greater than the size and configuration of the cams on the support collar, a second pair of diametrically opposed axially extending slots spaced circumferally a short distance from said first pair of slots with each of said second pair of slots having an arcuate cross-section of a size and configuration smaller than the size and configuration of said support collar cams, said twist locking nut adapted to be disposed concentrically about the support collar member and rotatable relative thereto between a first position engaging said cams in said first pair of slots and to a second position engaging said cams in said second pair of slots which, due to being of a smaller size and configuration than said cams, effects the inward flexinG movement of the front end portions of said support collar member in a manner to reduce the width of said slots and thus removably retain said shaft locking ears in said slots.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said lock and swivel mechanism is comprised of a pair of substantially identical flat circular ring members each provided with diametrically opposed radially extending semi-cylindrical recesses formed in confronting interior surfaces thereof, the ring members adapted to be disposed on each side surface of the screen about the central opening therein and then affixed together in juxtaposition by a plurality of fastening means passing through said ring members, a hollow open ended elongated cylindrical collar member disposed centrally in the openings of said ring members and rotatably affixed relative thereto by a pair of axially aligned rod members projecting outwardly from the collar member side walls at diametric opposed positions thereon with said rods extending a sufficient length and being of a diameter to be rotatably received in said confronting semi-cylindrical recesses of said ring members for pivotal support of said collar member relative thereto, said collar member having a bore axially extending therethrough, an annular recess disposed inwardly of said bore intermediate opposed ends of said collar member, and an elongated spring having a general C-shaped configuration received in said annular recess and having an interior diameter slightly less than the diameter of said utensil shaft for frictional sliding engagement of said utensil shaft therethrough.