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A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the

A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive according to a preferred embodiment of the invention for use with a bowl and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing formed to mate with the bowl; b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to the housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation; c) a handle pivotally attached to the housing and oriented to move in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotation wheel; and d) gears connecting the handle to the rotation wheel. Also disclosed are an automatic clutch that engages the rotation wheel only when the handle is moved in one direction, and a braking mechanism that includes a disk having a diameter substantially smaller than the rotation wheel.

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1. A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive for use with a bowl having an open top and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing having a top, and having a bottom that is formed to mate with the top of the bowl;b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to said bottom of s

1. A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive for use with a bowl having an open top and a basket formed to nest within the bowl, comprising: a) a housing having a top, and having a bottom that is formed to mate with the top of the bowl;b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to said bottom of said housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation;c) a handle pivotally attached to said housing at a handle axis in said top of said housing and moveable, between an extended position and a down position, within a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said plane of rotation, wherein when in said down position said handle lies in a plane that is substantially parallel to said plane of rotation; andd) gears connecting said handle to said rotation wheel. 2. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, further comprising a rack. 3. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, further comprising a pinion. 4. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, wherein the bowl is solid-walled and the basket is perforated. 5. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 4, wherein said rotation wheel includes fins. 6. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, further comprising a clutch. 7. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 6, wherein said handle is biased toward the extended position. 8. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 6, wherein said handle, gears, clutch, and rotation wheel are configured such that movement of said handle only drives said rotation wheel in one direction. 9. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 8, wherein said clutch comprises a cog with an axle having ends set within a path. 10. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 9, wherein said path has a first and a second end, and said cog is connected to said rotation wheel when said cog is at said first end of said path, and said cog is not connected to said rotation wheel when said cog is at said second end of said path. 11. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, wherein said handle is biased. 12. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 1, further comprising means for decelerating the rotation wheel, wherein said means includes a disk. 13. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 12, wherein said disk has a diameter that is substantially smaller than the diameter of said rotation wheel. 14. A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive for use with a bowl having an open top and a basket formed to nest within the bowl: a) a housing having a top, and having a bottom that is formed to mate with the top of the bowl;b) a rotation wheel rotatably connected to said bottom of said housing, formed to mate with the basket, and having a plane of rotation;c) a handle pivotally attached to said housing at a handle axis in said top of said housing and moveable, between an extended position and a down position, within a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said plane of rotation, wherein when in said down position said handle lies in a plane that is substantially parallel to said plane of rotation; andd) means for transferring pivotal force exerted on said handle into rotation of said rotation wheel. 15. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 14, further comprising a clutch. 16. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 15, wherein said handle is biased toward the extended position. 17. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 15, wherein said handle, means for transferring, clutch, and rotation wheel are configured such that movement of said handle only drives said rotation wheel in one direction. 18. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 17, wherein said clutch comprises a cog with an axle having ends set within a path. 19. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 14, wherein said handle is biased. 20. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 14, wherein said means for transferring comprises gears. 21. A pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive for use with a container having a bottom and an open top, comprising: a) a housing having a top, and having a bottom that is formed to mate with the top of the container;b) a rotating member for use with food items and formed to sit rotatably within the container;c) a rotating drive at said bottom of said housing, formed to engage said rotating member when said rotating member is seated within the container and said bottom of said housing is mated with the top of the container, and defining a drive axis of rotation; said rotating drive being oriented such that when said rotating member is seated within the container and said bottom of said housing is mated with the top of the container and said rotating drive is engaged with said rotating member, said drive axis of rotation runs centrally through the open top and the bottom of the container;d) a handle having two ends one of which is pivotally attached to said top of said housing such that said handle is oriented for a direction of pivotal movement between an extended position and a down position, the range of said movement defining a handle movement plane that is substantially perpendicular to a plane that is perpendicular to said drive axis of rotation, wherein when in said down position both ends of said handle are intersected by a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said drive axis of rotation; ande) gears and a clutch connecting said handle to said rotating drive. 22. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, further comprising a rack. 23. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, further comprising a pinion. 24. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, wherein the container for which the device is for use with is a solid-walled bowl and wherein said rotating member is a perforated basket. 25. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 24, wherein said rotating drive includes fins formed to engage said perforated basket. 26. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, wherein said drive is configured so that said clutch is not engaged when said handle moves upwardly. 27. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 26, wherein said clutch comprises a cog with an axle having ends set within a path. 28. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 27, wherein said path has a first and a second end, and said cog is connected to said rotating drive when said cog is at said first end of said path, and said cog is not connected to said rotating drive when said cog is at said second end of said path. 29. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, wherein said handle is biased toward the extended position. 30. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 29, wherein said handle, gears, clutch, and rotating drive are configured such that downward and upward pivoting of said handle uni-directionally rotates said rotating member. 31. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, further comprising means for braking the rotating drive, wherein said means includes a disk. 32. The pivotally-leveraged manual centrifugal drive of claim 21, wherein said pivotal attachment of said handle to said top of said housing includes a shaft.