183

Get a Grip

1950

1951

1954

1967

From 1950 to 1967 Joseph Amigone of Buffalo, New York received four patents

for a

―

Gripper-Type Cork Extractor.

‖

The first was utility patent 2,495,308 issued

January 24, 1950. The other three were design patents. Amigone

‘

s primary

objective was to get a firm grip on a Champagne cork and remove it

―

without

destruction or mutilation of the body to preserve the period of subsequent

usefulness.

‖

The product was marketed under the name AMI (pronounced AH-MEE) in

several different packages. In the first patent, the gripping lugs were embedded

into the machined steel jaws. The handles were flat and although the first patent

filed June 15, 1948 did not show a cap lifter and

screw driver on the handle ends, the first

design patent filed October 25, 1948 included

these elements

This early package claims

―

with one or two

easy twists, the most stubborn of Champagne

bottle corks yields ... nice and clean! ... without

spilling any of the Champagne ... and without

getting anyone mad or hurt!

‖

In addition it

―

will open more than 40 other food closures.

‖