Assembly device mounting sticks into food

Claim 1

An assembly device for inserting an elongated pliable stick into an article of food comprising: an elongated hollow casing for limiting the movements of the assembly components, said casing having an upper end, a lower end, and a base portion on the lower end thereof, an elongated cylindrical jacket having an axial opening extending therethrough, for releaseably supporting said pliable stick within said axial opening along the entire length of said stick, said jacket being sustantially the same length as said pliable stick and being axially movable within and concentric with said elongated hollow casing, said jacket having an upper portion extending exteriorly of the upper end of said casing, a cylindrical shaft axially disposed in said hollow casing and having an end secured to said base, said shaft having another end extending into the axial opening of the cylindrical jacket to engage and support one end of said pliable stick, resilient spring means mounted within said hollow casing extending between said base and the movable jacket for urging said jacket to a position wherein said pliable stick is substantially enclosed within the axial opening in said jacket, limit means for preventing said cylindrical jacket from withdrawing from said casing, and a receptacle having a base and an upright sidewall defining an enclosure and support for a portion of an article of food, said receptacle mounted on the upper portion of said jacket exteriorly of said casing, said base of said receptacle having a second axial opening in communication with the axial opening in said cylindrical jacket to receive said stick within the interior enough said receptacle prior to and during the insertion of said stick, whereby when a pliable stick is removably mounted within the axial openings in said jacket and receptacle and an article of food supported in said receptacle is pressed against the end of said pliable stick opposite to said end which engages the cylindrical shaft and overcomes the urging force of said resilient spring means, said article of food, receptacle, and said cylindrical jacket are moved relative to said pliable stick to thereby force said pliable stick into said article of food.