111

Culinary Tool

Zelco advertising:

―

Food Tool. The Multi-Purpose

Culinary Tool, Extraordinaire. This lightweight, die-

cast aluminum utensil is an essential tool for camping,

picnicking, kitchens, bars, patios, and boats. It

includes: a stainless steel corkscrew that is Teflon -

coated so it can twist smoothly into cork; a handy, easy

to use bottle opener; and --in high quality, hardened

stainless steel -- a sharp laser-edge knife, a can opener,

and a screwdriver. Removable, emergency salt and

pepper shakers have snap-lids to keep out moisture.

And this culinary tool extraordinaire closes down into

a compact 5.7

‖

for easy storage and portability. Indispensable for travel. Color: Silver

Dimensions: 5 3/4

‖

x 1/2

‖

x 3/4

‖

or 146 x 12 x 19mm.

‖

The Zelco Food Tool

was patented (above)

by Henry Zeller and

Stuart Harvey Lee on

October 3, 2000. U. S.

Patent No. 6,125,489

was assigned to Zelco

Industries of Mount Vernon, New York. The patent abstract is

―

A combination food and

beverage tool includes a housing, at least one of a blade and a can opener slidably

mounted within the housing and a slide mechanism for slidably moving the at least one

of the blade and can opener between a first position in which the at least one of the

blades and can opener is recessed within the housing and a second position in which at

least a portion of one of the blades and can opener is exposed outside the housing. At

least one container has a first end, and a

second end, and a removable lid. The first

end of the container is mounted within

the housing, the lid covering the second

end of the container.

‖

Elements of Ernst Klinger's German Patent

No. 2,443,703 of March 23, 1976 can be seen in

the Zelco tool including the removable salt

and pepper shakers. Klinger's patent is for a

Vielzwek-Tisch und Taschenkombi.