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Ho Hum

On June 24, 1976, Johannes Liebscher and Rolf Schülein were issued German

Patent 2,628,352 for a frame type corkscrew with a rollover locking handle. The

very detailed patent contains 15 pages of description and 2 pages of drawings.

On January 23, 1979 the pair received U. S. Patent 4,135,415 for the corkscrew.

The patent was assigned to and manufactured by Leifheit International GmbH in

Nassau, Germany. Here is the abstract of the patent which is just a small portion

of the numerous pages:

A corkscrew includes a support consisting of a supporting ring adapted to

engage a neck of a bottle, and a support bracket connected to the

supporting ring. An elongated spindle

having a cork-engaging helix at its leading

end and a threaded portion at its trailing

end is mounted on the support for turning

relative thereto and also for longitudinal

displacement. A nut engages the threaded

portion of the spindle and has handgrip

portions, and a locking element embraces

the nut and is pivotable relative thereto

between a locking position in which it

connects the nut to the spindle for joint

turning and longitudinal displacement, and

an unlocking position in which it releases

the spindle for longitudinal displacement during the further turning of the

nut. The locking element has an actuating portion which engages an

abutment surface of the support when the helix has penetrated into the

cork to the desired extent, the engagement of the actuating portion with

the surface pivoting the locking element into its unlocking position

whereupon the cork is drawn out of the bottle. A biasing arrangement,

such as a torsion spring, is interposed between the nut and the locking

element, urging the latter towards its locking position. The supporting

ring has an elastic lining which contacts the neck of the bottle.

It just goes on and on and on!