US2751678A - Can openers - Google Patents

Description

D. M. BAUER June 26, 1956 CAN OPENERS Filed Feb. 2, 1956 17/ 5.; AM J INVENTORY:

M m WWW j :6 8

CAN OPENERS David M. Bauer, Norristown, Pa.

Application February 2, 1956, Serial No. 563,071

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-6.1)

This invention relates to can openers.

A number of the openers heretofore available, while suitable for the opening of cans for fruit juices and the like, have not proven satisfactory for the opening of cans of heavier gauge metal now in use for beer.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a can opener which is particularly suitable for opening cans of heavy gauge metal, such as those used for beer, but which is not limited to such use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener having improved dual cutting blades, one of which forms an opening for pouring the contents of the can and the other of which pierces an opening for an air vent.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener having an operating lever with a can opening blade pivotally mounted thereon which is guided by the can side wall.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener having a plurality of cutter blades of relatively hard material for attachment to an operating lever of softer, lighter and less expensive material.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener which is of relatively simple construction and which can be quickly and easily assembled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a can opener having cutting blades with which the can top is perforated and out without any likelihood of separating metal fragments which might fall into the interior of the can and which might injure the user.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily undertoocl from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a can opener in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the can opener shown in Fig. 1, and taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the can opener in a different operating position;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the can opener shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the can opener of the present invention includes a manually operable lever 10, which is preferably made as a sheet metal stamping. The lever has an elongated relativenited States Patent() ly fiat central portion 11 with downwardly extending side edges or flanges 12 to provide a channel-shaped or C-shaped transverse cross section which is resistant to bending. The outer or free end of the flat portion 11 is preferably flared as at 13 and marginal edges or flanges 14 flare outwardly therewith and converge to the end portion 13 to provide a surface for engagement by the palm or heel of the hand of the user. The lever 10, at the other or inner end thereof, is provided with aligned short struck-in sleeves 15 for the reception of a normally horizontally disposed pivot pin 16 which is preferably in the form of a longitudinally split tube of hardened spring steel movable with respect to the sleeves 15.

A piercing cutter 18 is provided, having a fiat portion 19, disposed on the lower face of the lever portion 11, and a rivet 20, extending therethrough and through the lever portion 11, holds the cutter 18 in place. A struck down portion 21, which engages in an opening 22 in the cutter 18, is also employed to prevent turning of the cutter 18 about the axis of the rivet 20. The cutter 18 has a downwardly extending portion 23 with a terminal blade portion 24, preferably triangular in shape, between cutting edge faces 25 and 26. The blade portion 24 is inclined rearwardly or away from the pivot pin 16.

A horizontally disposed pivot pin 30 is provided, also preferably a split tube of the same type, in spaced relation to the pivot pin 16, and is mounted in aligned struckin sleeves 31 in the side flanges 12.

A cutter 32 is provided, U-shaped in horizontal cross section, with flat parallel side walls 33 connected by an integral arcuate wall 34, and with a flat top section 35 normal to the side walls 33 and the arcuate wall 34. The side walls 33 have struck-in sleeves 36 for pivotal engagement on the pivot pin 30.

The lever 10 has a cut out portion 37, bounded at one end by an arcuate part 38 substantially complemental to the shape of the arcuate wall 34 of the cutter 32 and which serves as a limit stop for the cutter 32. The cutout portion 37 also has a transverse boundary part 39 which also serves as a limit stop for the ends of the walls 33 of the cutter 32. j

The side margins of the cut-out portion 37 also serve as sidewise limit stops or positioners for the cutter 32.

The cutter 32, at the lower part thereof, has the lower margins of the side walls .33 inclined with respect to the plane of the top section 35 with coplanar heel portions 40 and cutting edges 41 ground or otherwise shaped in planes converging inwardly and upwardly. The cutting edges 41 are continued into part of the lower margin of the arcuate wall 34 and then, while still converging as before, curve downwardly, as at 4101, to a terminal point 42.

A leaf spring 44 is provided normally urging the cutter 32 so that the ends of the walls 33 engage the boundary part 39. The spring 44 is held at one end by the rivet 20, is disposed between the lower face of the lever portion 11 and the portion 19 of the cutter 18, and extends arcuately around the pivot pin 30 and downwardly in engagement with the interior face of the arcuate wall 34, on which face it has a limited sliding movement. In order to reduce wear at the part of the wall 34 engaged by the free end of the spring 44 it is preferred to provide the end of that spring with an arcuate or convex engaging part 45.

While any desired can engaging structure may be utilized for mounting the lever 10, one suitable can gripping structure 46 comprises a central section 47 and a pair of arms 48 extending therefrom with lower edges 49 for engagement with the top surface of the can.

The pivot pin 16 extends through and is in relatively tight engagement in openings 50 in the arms 48 to provide a pivotal connection for the lever 10. The can gripping structure 46, below the arms 48, is provided with a pair of can wall engaging legs 51, connected by a wall 52, and having arcuate cut-outs 53 for the reception of the top rim of the can. The legs 51 have upwardly disposed parts 54, held in engagement with the arms 48 by rivets 56 and with spacer parts 55 extending therefrom and through which the pivot pin 16 also extends. The spacer parts 55 position the lever on the pivot pin 16.

The mode of operation will now be explained.

With the lever 10 in a raised position, the can gripping structure 46 is placed on the top of the can with the arms 48 across the top of the can, with the rim of the can within the cut-outs 53, and with the legs 51 extending downwardly along the side wall of the can.

Upon downward movement of the free end of the lever 10, the terminal point 42 of the cutter 32 is brought into contact with the top wall of the can while the outer face of the arcuate wall 34 is guided by the interior of the rim of the can.

Upon further downward pivotal movement of the lever 1.0, the top of the can is punctured by the point 42 and the cutting edges 41 cut the top of the can and roll the out part inwardly and out of sight. The cutter wall 34, during downward movement, is guided by the interior wall of the can. The margins on the top of the can where the cutting occurs are deflected slightly downwardly so that there is no readily accessible sharp edge on the top of the can.

Upon still further downward movement of the lever, and while the cutting by the cutter 32 is still taking place, the piercing cutter 18 cuts a small air vent hole in the top of the can, also with safe edges.

When the cutting has been completed the can opener can readily be disengaged from the can so that the contents of the can are available for pouring.

It will be noted that the can opener does not have any locations in which food particles are likely to lodge, and that all parts are readily accessible for washing.

The use of cutting for both the pouring hole and the air vent hole reduces the force required for operation while at the same time a clean, smooth and safe edge is provided when the cutting is effected.

I claim:

1. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having a central portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontal pivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotally connecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardly extending cutter member pivotally mounted on said lever at said central portion, and a resilient member carried by said lever and engaging said cutter member for urging said cutter member to a position at an angle with respect to said lever.

2. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having a central portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontal pivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotally connecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardly extending cutter member U-shaped in horizontal cross section and pivotally mounted on said lever at said central portion, and a resilient member carried by said lever and engaging said cutter member for urging said cutter member to a position at an angle with respect to said lever.

3. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having a central portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontal pivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotally connecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardly extending cutter member pivotally mounted on said lever, said lever having an opening through which said cutter member extends and the margins of which provide limit stops for said cutter member, and a resilient member carried by said lever and engaging said cutter member for urging said cutter member to a position at an angle with respect to said lever.

4. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said cutter member is U-shaped in horizontal cross section.

5. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said resilient member is a leaf spring.

6. A can opener as defined in claim 3 in which said resilient member is a leaf spring with a rounded end portion engaging said cutter member.

7. A can opener comprising a can engaging member, a lever having a central portion with downwardly extending side flanges, a horizontal pivot member extending through said side flanges and pivotally connecting said lever to said can engaging member, a downwardly extending cutter member U-shaped in horizontal cross section and pivotally mounted on said lever, said lever having an opening through which said cutter member extends and the margins of which provide limit stops for said cutter member, and a resilient member carried by said lever and having a rounded end portion engaging in the interior of said cutter member for urging said cutter member to a position inclined with respect to said lever.

No references cited.

Images