Cork extractor

Abstract

Apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprises a corkscrew mounted in a carrier, the carrier being mounted on a frame for longitudinal reciprocating movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of the corkscrew and the corkscrew being rotatably mounted on the carrier for joint longitudinal movement therewith, the axis of rotation of the corkscrew being generally coincident with the centre line of the corkscrew. A control nut is rotatably mounted on the frame, the control nut having a screw passage therethrough, the screw passage being positioned to receive the corkscrew and configured to mate with the configuration of the corkscrew whereby, upon longitudinal movement of the corkscrew in the screw passage, rotational movement is imparted to the corkscrew. Actuator means is operatively connected to the carrier for reciprocating the carrier. The apparatus includes first restraint means independent of the control nut for restraining rotation of the corkscrew with respect to the carrier, second restraint means for restraining rotation of the control nut with respect to the frame and latch means for releasably latching the control nut to the frame to restrain relative movement therebetween in the longitudinal direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the corkscrew. The first and/or second restrain means comprises a detent on the part whose rotation is to be restrained and a recess for receiving the detent when rotation of the part is to be restrained.