Egg cleaning and decorating method

Abstract

A of treating a raw egg for decorative purposes is provided wherein the egg has an outer shell, an exterior surface, an interior, a membrane in the interior adjacent to the outer shell and fluid contents including albumen and vitellus material. The method includes the step of forming an opening through the outer shell at a first selected. This opening can be formed by sandpaper and can be ovoid in shape. Next, air is injected into the interior of the egg at a second location spaced from the first location at a pressure sufficient to eject the fluid contents out of the opening. Where sandpaper is used to form the opening, it can be supported on a rib. The egg is slid along the rib and can be laterally supported during this step. Cleaning fluid can be injected into the interior of the shell after the fluid contents thereof have been ejected, and the shell can thereafter be decorated.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of treating a raw egg for decorative purposes wherein said egg has an outer shell, an exterior surface, an interior and fluid contents including albumen and vitellus material, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming an ovoid opening through the outer shell of said egg at a first selected location; and    (b) injecting air into the interior of said egg at a second location spaced from said first location at a pressure sufficient to eject the fluid contents out of the ovoid opening.    
     
     
         2 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 1  wherein the step of forming the ovoid opening is accomplished by sanding away an area of the outer shell.  
     
     
         3 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 2  including the step of supporting a piece of sandpaper on a longitudinally extending rib and thereafter sliding the outer shell longitudinally along the rib and sandpaper.  
     
     
         4 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 3  including the step of guiding lateral side portions of the outer shell during the sliding movement thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 2  wherein the step of sanding away the area of the outer shell is accomplished with sandpaper of the wet and dry type.  
     
     
         6 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 6  wherein said sandpaper has a grit size in a range of about 100-150, inclusively.  
     
     
         7 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 1  including the step of providing a holder that includes a resilient first portion and a second portion adapted to be manually grasped by the decorator such that the decorator can manipulate said shell during the decorative process and the step of engaging the ovoid opening with the resilient first portion of said holder.  
     
     
         8 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 1  including the step of injecting a cleaning fluid into the interior of the shell after ejecting the fluid contents of said raw egg thereby to wash albumen and vitellus residue therefrom.  
     
     
         9 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 1  wherein the egg has a membrane adjacent to the outer shell, the step of forming an ovoid opening through the outer shell of said egg being accomplished without rupturing said membrane.  
     
     
         10 . A method of decorating an egg shell that has an exterior surface, an interior and fluid contents including albumen and vitellus material, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming an opening through the outer shell of a raw egg at a first selected location; and    (b) injecting air into the interior of said raw egg at a second location remote from said first location at a pressure sufficient to eject any fluid contents therein out of the ovoid opening;    (c) providing a holder for said shell, said holder including a first resilient portion operative to engage the opening in said shell after removal of the contents thereof;    (d) inserting the resilient portion of said holder through the opening and into the interior of said shell whereby the resilient portion engages the opening;    (e) supporting said shell on said holder; and    (f) decorating the exterior surface of said shell while on said holder.    
     
     
         11 . A method of decorating an egg shell according to  claim 10  wherein the step of decorating the exterior surface of said shell is accomplished by submerging said egg shell in a decorative fluid.  
     
     
         12 . A method of decorating an egg shell according to  claim 10  including the step of suspending said shell from a display support after the step of decorating the exterior surface of said shell.  
     
     
         13 . A method of decorating an egg shell according to  claim 10  wherein the step of decorating the exterior surface of said shell is accomplished with decorative materials selected from a group consisting of: dyes, paints, inks, foils, decals, string, beads, glitter, stickers, wax stickers, fabric, paper and feathers.  
     
     
         14 . A method of treating a raw egg for decorative purposes wherein said egg has an outer shell, an exterior surface, an interior and fluid contents including albumen and vitellus material, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) forming an opening through the outer shell of said egg by sanding away an area of the outer shell at a first selected location; and    (b) injecting air into the interior of said egg at a second location spaced from said first location at a pressure sufficient to eject the fluid contents out of the opening.    
     
     
         15 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 14  including the step of supporting a piece of sandpaper on a longitudinally extending rib and thereafter sliding the outer shell longitudinally along the rib and sandpaper to form the opening.  
     
     
         16 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 15  including the step of guiding lateral side portions of the outer shell during the sliding movement thereof.  
     
     
         17 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 14  including the step of injecting a cleaning fluid into the interior of the outer shell after ejecting the fluid contents of said raw egg thereby to wash albumen and vitellus residue therefrom.  
     
     
         18 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 14  wherein the egg has a membrane adjacent to the outer shell, the step of forming the opening through the outer shell of said egg being accomplished without rupturing said membrane.  
     
     
         19 . A method of treating a raw egg according to  claim 14  including the step of decorating the outer shell after ejecting the fluid contents out of the opening.