Corkscrew.Com - Compound Lever Corkscrews

Leverage: Compound Levers

Original patents for corkscrews utilizing compound levers were obtained in France, Germany and Great Britain. But the French really took these "Concertina", Hinged Lattice, "Lazy tongs" Corkscrews to heart, and the Zig-Zag is manufactured there to this day.

A corkscrew based on the lazy-tongs principle, from the first half of the twentieth century.

FRANCE.

The Hinged Lattice

With a "lazy tongs" principle, this corkscrew utilizes compound levers in the form of a hinged lattice. As you pull the handle, the expansion of this nifty gadget puts on an entertaining kinetic show.

Zig-Zag. 1920s. France.

Another corkscrew based on the lazy-tongs principle, from the first half of the twentieth century. The "shank" of the worm is designed so that the worm does not swing when the corkscrew is in a closed position.

KIS-PLY, PARIS.
BREVETE DEPOSE.
UNIVERSAL CUTLERY, FRANCE.

Marked RAPID.

Late Nineteenth Century. England.

A contemporary version based on compound levers. Although the corkscrew works well, it is somewhat optimistically imprinted PERFECT.

BREVETE S.G.D.G.
Twentieth Century. France.

The Pisces
A contemporary Lazy Tongs model, designed to look like a fish.