US1932211A

US1932211A - Package opener and cigar cutter

Info

Publication number: US1932211A
Application number: US618678A
Authority: US
Inventors: William C Groble
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1932-06-22
Filing date: 1932-06-22
Publication date: 1933-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1950-10-24

Description

Oct. 24, 1933.- .w. c. GROBLE PACKAGE OPENER AND CIGAR CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 22, 1932 Oct. 24, 1933. w c GROBLE 1,932,211

PACKAGE OPENER AND CIGAR CUTTER Filed June 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll l a %J 6 r 8 e Z fi 3 J wh: 7 2; E ::EE%E w 1/ 1 6 WM 2 z i a m M Z Z ,W. a 7 a Z 2 1% W Patented Oct. 24, 1933 PACKAGE @FENIER AND CIGAR CUTTER William Groble, Anderson, Ind.

Application June 22, 193%. Serial No. 618, "I8

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a package opener and cigar cutter and will be described as incorporated in a device for opening a package of cigarettes and the like.

An object of this invention is the provision of a device of the class identified which is adapted to open a package of cigarettes and the like by cutting the packaging material at one end adjacent one side to facilitate the dispensing of the .1 contents of the package.

It has become the practice of cigarette manufacturers in the packaging of cigarettes, to place the cigarettes in a paper container which is sealed at the end and thereafter to cover the paper conf tainer with a transparent moisture and airproof sealing member of the type commonly known as Cellophane. The sealing element or covering for the paper package or container is relatively tough and diflicultto tear or break with any dejgree of accuracy. It has therefore in the past been practically necessary to completely remove the moisture-proofing material from the package prior to opening the package. As it is customary to open a ci arette package at one corner and I remove the cigarettes one at a time as used, it

is desirable that the moisture-proofing material should remain on the package until the cigarettes have been used. It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a device which is adapted ito out the moisture-proofing material together with the paper package at one end of the package adjacent one corner or edge to facilitate the removal of cigarettes without the necessity of first removing the moisture-proofing material I from the package.

Another object is the provision of a device of the type above identified which has combined and associated therewith a cigar cutter and other means for mounting and illuminating an adveri tisement.

Other advantages and objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

On the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a package opening device and cigar cutter incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the device shown in Figures 1 and 5 and taken on substantially the line III-III of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on substantially the line IVIV of Figure 2.

(o ran-5s) figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on substantially the line V-V of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a cigarette package having been opened by a device ofthe type disclosed in Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section of a modification of my invention illustrating a novel form of actuating means for the cutting knife.

As shown on the drawings:

The device herein illustrated preferably comprises a cast metal casing 5 comprising side walls 6 and 7 and

end walls

8 and 9 having their lower edges in a single plane adapted to rest on a table and the like for supporting the package opener.

The top 11 of the casing 5 has a downwardly inclined portion 12 having an opening 13 therein. About the edges of the opening 13 is preferably fixed a frame 14 by suitable rivets 15 for holding in. position a translucent advertisement 16 adapted to be illuminated from beneath by an electric lamp 17' disposed in a socket 18'. A package receiver 17 to which access may be gained through the top 11 is preferably of a size and shape to oconnnodate one end of a cigarette package 18 disposed therein as shown in Figure 5. Adjacent the bottom wall 19 of the receiver 17, a slot 21 is provided through the side walls of the receiver through which the cutting knife 22 is adapted to pass in the manner best shownin Figure 4 for severing a portion 23 from one end of the package as shown in Figures 5 and 6 to permit the removal of cigarettes which may be contained therein without otherwise injuring the package. Through the bottom 19 of the receiver 1*! I have provided an opening 24 into which one end of a cigar may be placed for holding it in position while the knife 22 is actuated to clip the end from the cigar.-

For the purpose of guiding and actuating the knife, I have provided a mechanism comprising two parallel blade rods 26 and 2'? secured at their opposite ends in the end wall 8 and in openings in a depending lug on the bottom 19 of the receiver 17. Slidasly disposed on the guide rod is a crosshead 29 having the rear end of the knife fixed to its upper face by a bolt or set screw 31 for rigidly securing the knife to the crosshcad and moving the same longitudinally as the crosshead is actuated along the

guide rods

26 and 27. A spring 33 is disposed between the crosshead 29 and the depending lug 28 for normally urging the crosshead rearwardly to withdraw the knife to the position shown in full lines in Figure 4 from the position shown in broken lines in Figure 4. The crosshead 29 is adapted to be forcibly actuated forwardly by a connecting rod 35 pivotally 110.

secured at one end to the crosshead 29 and at the other end to a rotatable disc 36 pivotally mounted on the sidewall 6 by a bolt 37 and spaced therefrom by a spacer 38. It will be readily understood from this construction that by rotating the disc 36 by means of the actuating handle 41 through the slot 42 will cause the connecting rod 35 to be moved forwardly thereby drawing the crosshead 29 along the

rods

26 and 27 and force the knife 22 through the slot 21 in the receiver 17 to open the package 18 or to clip the end from a cigar which may be positioned in the opening 24.

In Figure '7 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the connecting rod 35 is pivot ally secured at the forward end to a crank arm 45 fixed on the gear disc 46. The disc 46 is pivotally secured adjacent the side wall 6 by a bolt 4'7 and is adapted to be actuated by a rack 48 having teeth 49 meshing with teeth 50 on the gear disc 46. A guide roller 52 is mounted on the wall 6 and disposed for engagement by the rear side of the rack 48 for guiding the same throughout its range of reciprocation. The upper end of the rack i8 is preferably cylindrical and of reduced size forming a plunger 53 passing through the upper wall 11 of the casing. On the upper end of the plunger 53 is disposed a cap 54 throu h which pressure may be transmitted to the plunger for moving the rack 48 downwardly. A coil spring 55 is provided which connects the rack 43 to top 11 of the casing for returning the rack to normal position after it has been moved downwardly by the plunger 53.

Although I have herein described and illustrated only the preferred forms of my invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that this invention is susceptible of various forms and modifications without departing from the principle thereof as set forth in the appended claims and I desire that the patent to be granted hereon shall not be limited in any manner except as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a receptacle adapted to confine one end of a package to be opened, a wall of said receptacle having an aperture theret rough spaced from the bottom of the receptacle, cutting means disposed to be projected into the receptacle through the ape"- ture to cut open a package positioned in the receptacle when the cutting is actuated, guide means for said cuttin means, an- :neans operably connected to said cutting means whereby cutting means may forcibly actuated, said actuating means comprising a member slidably mounted on said guide means, a connecting rod pivotally fixed to said member, and crank means for ctuating said connecting rod.

2. In a device of the class described, a receptacle adapted to confine one end of a package to be opened, a wall of said receptacle having an aperture therethrough spaced from the bottom of the receptacle, cutting m ans disposed to be projected into the receptacle through the aperture to cut open a package positioned in the receptacle when the cutting means is actuated, guide means for said cutting means, and means operably connected to said cutting means whereby said cutting means may be forcibly actuated, said actuating means comprising a member siidabiy mounted on said guide means, a connecting rod pivotally fixed to said member, and rack and gear mechanism operably connected to said connecting rod for actuating the same.

3. In a device of the class described, a receptacle adapted to confine one end of a package to be opened, a wall of said receptacle having an aperture therethrough spaced from the bottom of the receptacle, cutting means disposed to be projected into the receptacle through the aperture to cut open a package positioned in the receptacle when the cutting means is actuated, guide means for said cutting means, a plunger disposed adjacent said receptacle, a rack on said plunger, a gear engaged by said rack and devices operably connecting said gear to said cutting means for actuating the cutting means.

4. In a device of the class described, a package receptacle having an opening therein, a casing supporting said receptacle, a knife disposed adjacent to said receptacle and adapted to pass through the opening into the receptacle and cut a package disposed therein when actuated, a guide rod for said knife, a crosshead on said guide rod fixed to said knife, and means for reciprocating said crosshead along said guide rod to actuate said knife.

5. In a device of the class described, a package receptacle having an opening therein, a casing supporting said receptacle, a knife disposed adjacent tosaid receptacle and adapted to pass through the opening into the receptacle and cut a package disposed therein when actuated, a guide rod for said knife, a crosshead on said guide rod fixed to said knife, and means for reciprocating said crosshead along said guide rod to actuatesaid knife, said receptacle having a recess into which a cigar may be anchoredin the path of movement of said knife to be clipped thereby when said knife is actuated.

In a device of the class described, a package receptacle havin an opening therein, a casing supporting said receptacle, a knife disposed adjacent to said receptacle and adapted to pass through the opening into the receptacle and cut a package disposed therein when actuated, a guide rod for said knife, a crosshead on said guide rod fixed to said knife, and means for reciprocating said crosshead along said guide rod to actuate said knife, said means comprising a vertically movable plunger, a spring normally urging said plunger upwardly, a rack on said plunger, a gear actuated by said rack and a connecting rod operably connected to said gear and to said crosshead to actuate said knife when said plunger is pressed downwardly.

'7. In a device of the class described, a package receptacle having an opening therein, a casing supporting said receptacle, a knife disposed adjacent to said receptacle and adapted to pass through the opening into the receptacle and cut a package disposed therein when actuated, a guide rod for said knife, a crosshead on said guide rod fixed to said knife, and means for reciprocating said crosshead along said guide rod to actuate said knife, said means comprising a vertically movable plunger, a spring normally urging said plunger upwardly, a rotatable element disposed adjacent said plunger, means on said plunger engaging said r tatable element for rotating the same, a connecting rod operably connected to said rotating element and to said crosshead to actuate said knife when said plunger is pressed downwardly, and spring means interposed between said receptacle and said crosshead for returning the crosshead and the knife to normal position after it has been actuated forwardly.

WILLIAM C. GROBLE.