The Hinged-Bowl Lemon Squeezer: Two Cast Handles, One Bowl Inside the Other

The wooden lemon squeezers of the day soon soaked up stale juice and smelled of it. George M. Thomas of New York received US 35,554, dated 10 June 1862, for "constructing the squeezer of cast metal and of such form or in such a manner that a very durable, economical, and light implement for the purpose is obtained, and one that may be manipulated or operated with greater facility than the ordinary kinds in general use." Two handles are pinned together at their front ends; the lower carries a perforated bowl, the upper a smaller half-sphere that fits inside it with a space between; the half lemon is put in the lower bowl and the handles are pressed together. The lower bowl hangs below its handle, so the squeezer can rest on a glass. This rung works out the force of the handles, with a work check, then makes the squeezer from flat bar, a tin cup and a hardwood dome and squeezes lemons with it.