US1945137A - Can opener - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1934.

M. DAHL 1,945,137

CAN OPENER 1 Filed Feb. 25. 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 14/? T/N DIHL ATTORNEY Jan. 30, HL CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MflRT/N DHHL,

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ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to can openers, and it has reference more particularly to can openers of that type whereby the top end of a can may be severed from the can body by a circumferential out about 5 the can just below the double seam which attaches the end, or closure, of the can to the body flange.

The principal object of this invention is to improve upon the above mentioned types of can open- "ers by a novel construction which provides a more easily operated device and also by which it is possible to make quick and easy adjustment of parts whenever such is necessary to compensate for looseness 'or wear that may result incident to use of the device, or to adapt the device for use on cans in which the thickness of the seams to which it is applied may vary.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a can opener that is easily applied and which will automatically maintain its proper position during a can opening operation after it has once been clamped onto the can end flange. Also to provide for its automatic advancement about the can in accordance with the rotative action of a feed roller -associated with the cutter.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a can opener which does not require that it be held in clamped condition on the can by hand gripped levers, clamps or other devices, nor does it require the use of both hands for manipulation of the can opener.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a can opener including a cutting disc which is held in cutting position when the device is clamped on the can, by the co-action of a knurled feed roller and a clamping roller; the latter being rotatably mounted at one end of a plate having an eccentric pivot attaching it to the lever that is adjustable to vary the spacing between the clamp- -ing and feed rollers, thus to accommodate them for functionally gripping can flanges of different thicknesses.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction, in the combination -of parts and in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these objects I have provided improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of a can opener, embodied by the present invention, to a can for cutting the end therefrom.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of an opener, showing in fulllines the relative positions of the lever and clamp plate for applying to the can end, and in dotted lines showing the position of the plate when the parts are clamped to the can flange preparatory to removing the can end.

Fig. 3 is a view lengthwise of the opener and 0 partly in section, illustrating the application of the clamping and feed rollers to the double seam of the can and the position at which the cutting disc severs the can wall below the seam.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the mounting bolt for the clamp plate and. the eccentric mounting portion on the bolt which effects adjustment of the plate.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a can opener of an alternative form of construction. Fig. 6 is a side view of the same. p

Referring more in detail to the drawings- In the preferred form of construction, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the can opener comprises a hand lever 1 which, at its inner end, 7 has a short stub shaft 2 rotatably mounted therein. On what may be termed the lower end of this shaft there is fixed a knurled or roughened feed roller 3 and immediately below this is a cutting disc 4 of larger diameter and having a bevelled cutting edge adapted to sever the can wall when the opener is applied functionally to the can. At the upper end of the shaft 2 is a cross member or bar 5 serving as a means whereby the shaft and feed roller may be rotated to advance the cutter about the can, as will presently be described.

overlying and pivotally mounted on the lever 1 near the shaft 2 is a clamping plate 6,.the outer or swinging end of which is arranged to extend somewhat beyond the end of the lever 1, and this end mounts a clamping roller 7. The roller .7 is freely rotatable and is mounted by a pivot bolt 8 extended through the plate and held by a nut 9 and this roller'is so arranged that it lies in the same plane as the knurled roller 3 and in such 5 relationship thereto that by certain-adjustment of the plate, the two rollers may be clamped tightly in engagement with opposite side surfaces of the double seam of the can which is to be opened, as will be seen best in Fig. 3,wherein 10 designates the can and 10' the double seam which attaches the can end to the body.

The plate 6 is pivotally mounted on the lever by a bolt 11 extending through these parts and it is provided with journals l2 and 13 of different diameters and eccentric with respect to each other and fitted revolubly in openings 14 and 15' provided therefor respectively in the plate 6 and lever 1, so that rotative adjustment of the bolt will effect a relative extending or retracting adjustment of the plate on the lever thereby to vary the spacing between the knurled roller 3 and the clamping roller 7 as clamped on the can flange. This rotative movement of the bolt 11 is effected by means of an adjusting lever 17 which, at its inner end, is clamped tightly on the bolt by a nut 18. As seen in Fig. 4, the inner end of this lever is disposed between Washers 19 and 20 and the washer 20 rests against a shoulder 21 formed on the bolt. When the nut 18 is tightened onto the bolt, the lever 17 will be gripped between the washers and thus firmly locked relative to the bolt so that by moving the lever in one way or the other the bolt will be rotated accordingly and thus the eccentrically located journal portions 12 and 13 will cause adjustment of the plate and lever to move the clamping roller '7 closer to or farther away from the knurled roller 3. In order to maintain an adjustment, the clamping lever is upwardly yieldable and is provided at one edge with a prong 23 adapted to seat within any one of a plurality of 'notches 24 that are formed on the surface of the plate.

Assuming that the device is so constructed it is used as follows:

First, the clamping plate 6 and lever 1 are adjusted by swinging the plate outwardly on its pivotbolt 11 to a position like that shown in Fig. 2. This spaces the clamping roller and feed roller sufficiently apart that the seam 10 of the can to be opened may be received between them. Then, by swinging the lever 1 into alignment with the clamp plate, as to the position shown in Fig. 1, the cutting disc 4 will be pressed through the 7 can body just below the flange and the seam will be gripped tightly between the feed roller 3 and the clamping roller '7, as seen in Fig. 3. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 2 that the clamp plate is provided with a laterally opening recess '25 at one side to receive therethrough the shaft 2 and this permits the axial line of the shaft and cutting disc topass into line with, but preferably just slightly beyond the dead center line drawn between the bolts 8 and 11, so that the clamping 5 action then has no tendency to cause a release of the device, but automatically retains its grip onthe seam.

Then,-after the parts have thus been clamped onto the can flange, rotative movement of the shaft 2 by means of the cross bar 5 in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 2, will cause the device to be advanced along the can seam in the direction of the arrow B, and this advancement of the device causes the disc 4 to form a cut about the can body wall just below the double seam, curling the metal of the body slightly inward so as to prevent injury later to the user of the can by reason of any exposed sharp edge.

A feature of this invention resides in the pro- 0 vision of the means for adjusting the clamp plate so as to adapt the device to grip onto double seams of different thicknesses and also to compensate for wear or looseness that may result incident to continued use of the device. Therefore, should the device when clamped onto the can flange 10' not have suflicient grip that it will advance the cutting disc, adjustment is made by rotative move ment of the lever 1'7 to draw the clamping roller '7 closer to the knurled roller 3 until the desired gripping action is effected. If the flange is too thick for any certain adjustment, the effective lengthof the plate may be extended by adjustment of the lever in the opposite direction. While I have shown the eccentric pivot bolt 11 5 as mounting the clamp plate on the lever, 'it'iswith a small gear 34 fixed on a shaft 35.

' seam of the can with the feed roller 7a first disapparent that the same result might be accomplished by reversing the positions of the bolts 8 and 11 so that adjustment for wear and for different thicknesses of seams could be made by changing the position of the clamping roller relative to the plate. This is merely optional and one way might be employed as well as the other.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated an alternative form of construction in which there is ahandle or clamping lever 1a and a form of plate 6a overlying the outer end of the lever 1a and pivotally mounted thereon by a bolt 32 which might be of the same construction as the eccentric pivot bolt 11. This plate 30, along its inner edge is provided with gear teeth 33 adapted to mesh At the lower end of the shaft 35 is a knurled feed roller 3a and a cutting disc 40. of larger diameter. Mounted on the inner end of the plate Go by a bolt 11a is a clamping roller 7a adapted to cooperate with the feed roller 3a in the same manner and for the same purpose as these correspond-' ing parts in the device of Fig. 1.

In using this device, it is placed upon the end posed against the outer side of the seam and with the cutting disc 4a engaging the can just below the seam. Then, the plate 6a is swung into position so that the teeth of gear segment 33- will engage with the gear 34. Then, by rotative movement of the shaft 35, and gear'34, the plate So will be swung inwardly and the clamping rollerbrought against the inside of the can flange and clamped thereagainst so as to press the cuttingdisc through the can wall, as illustrated inFig. 6; 1m

A continued rotative movement of the shaft and gear finally moves the gear segment out of mesh with the gear 34, just as the clamping roller passes slightly beyond the dead center line between the pivot bolts 32 and shaft 35; It is limited in its closing movement by a stop 38 on plate 6a engaging lever 1a. Then a farther rotation of the shaft advances the device about the can flange, as in the operation of the previously described construction.

Devices of this character are relatively inexpensive. They are easily applied and easy to operate after they are applied, there being no holding or gripping required by one hand of theuser while the other hand is used to rotate the feed shaft. The device automatically maintains its grip on the can flange, and feeds forwardly incident to rotation of the knurled roller. Quick and easy adjustment may bemade at any time by movement of lever 17 to adapt the device to can flanges of different thicknessesor to compensate for wear and looseness in the parts.

It is quite readily apparent that various de tails of construction and alterations in shape or dimensions of the parts might be made without 1 5- departing from the spirit of the invention and for this reason it is not desired that the claims shall be limited to the details of construction i'llustrated, but that they shall be given an interpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention disclosed.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by'Let ters Patent is 1. A can opener comprising a hand level, a shaft extended revolubly through the lever atone end, a clamping plate having a pivot bolt attach: ing it to the lever at a distance spaced within the point of mounting the said shaft, and having its free end adapted to extend beyond theend or 150 said lever, a knurled feed roller on said shaft, 2. cutting disc fixed on the shaft coaxial of and closely adjacent the feed roller, a clamping roll on the swinging end of the clamp plate arranged to coact with the feed roll to grip against opposite sides of a can end flange, means for rotating the shaft to advance the device along the can seam when clamped thereon, said clamping plate mounting bolt having an eccentric journal mounting the said plate and said bolt having means whereby it may be rotatably adjusted to thereby effect adjustment of the plate.

2. A can opener comprising a hand lever, a shaft extended revolubly through the lever at one end, a clamping plate having a pivot bolt attaching it to the lever at a distance spaced within the point of mounting the said shaft, and having its free end adapted to extend beyond the end of said lever, a knurled feed roller on said shaft, a cutting disc fixed on the shaft coaxial of and closely adjacent the feed roller, a clamping roll on the swinging end of the clamp plate arranged to coact with the feed roll to grip against opposite sides of a can end flange, means for rotating the shaft to advance the device along the seam when clamped thereon, said clamping plate mounting bolt having an eccentric journal mount-' ing the said plate, an adjusting lever fixed to the bolt whereby it may be rotatably adjusted and means for holding the adjusting lever at set positions.

3. A can opener comprising a hand lever, a shaft extending revolubly through the lever at one end, a clamping plate having a pivot bolt attaching it to the lever at a spaced distance within the said shaft and having its free end adapted to extend beyond the end of the lever, said plate having a series of notches formed therein radially about the pivot bolt, a knurled feed roller on the shaft, a cutting disc fixed on the shaft coaxially of and closely adjacent the feed roller, a clamping roll on the swinging end of the clamp plate arranged to coact with the feed roll to clamp the device against opposite sides of the can end flange, means for rotating the shaft; said clamping plate mounting bolt having an eccentric journal mounting said plate, an adjusting lever fixed on the bolt whereby it may be rotated to adjust the clamping plate; said lever having a prong for engaging the notches of the plate to retain them at different positions of adjustment. 1

MARTIN DAI'UJ.

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