US2028778A

US2028778A - Can opener

Info

Publication number: US2028778A
Application number: US755682A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank F Hosmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-12-03
Filing date: 1934-12-03
Publication date: 1936-01-28
Anticipated expiration: 1953-01-28

Description

F. F. HOSMER Jam, 28,. w36;

CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 3, 1934 Illllllll w @mi mun-n '"-i Illlilllllllll Patented Jan. 28, 12936 UNITED STATES tiene PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a can opener and has for its principal object, the provision of a. relatively simple, practical and inexpensive device that may be utilized for the convenient and rapid opening Of cans.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a can opener having means carried by a pair of pivotally connected jaws and handles for clamping the bead on the edge of a can, one of said jaws carrying a puncturing and cutting blade and the other jaw carrying means for rotating the can against the cutting blade so as to cut a smooth edged disc from the end of the can immediately adjacent the bead thereon and thereby cut a circular opening of the largest possible size in the end wall of the can.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a can opener of the character referred to, having a crank handle and enmeshed pinions for conveniently imparting rotary motion to the toothed wheel that rotates the can during the cutting operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a can opener of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the device taken looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 3-3 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view o1' the combined puncturing and cutting blade utilized in my improved can opener.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0' designates -a short section o-f strap metal, the rear end of which is bent into a horizontal plane to form a handle II and the forward end of the strap is bent outwardly to form a jaw I2 that occupies a plane offset from and parallel with that portion of the strap that connects said jaw and the handle II.

Member I0 is pivotally connected preferably by means of a rivet I3, to the vertically disposed leg I4 of a combined jaw and handle and the upper portion of said leg is curved rearwardly so as to occupy a position above the member I0 and the rear portion of this member is bent so as to occupy a substantially horizontal plane to form a handle I5 that is positioned above and spaced apart from handle I.

The horizontally disposed leg IB of the L-shaped member which functions as a jaw, occupies a position just below and to one side of the jaw member I2 and the strap from which the L-shaped member is formed is extended outwardly at right angles from the forward end of the jaw I6 and thence rearwardly parallel with and spaced apart from said jaw It, as designated by I'I.

A shaft I8 has its ends journaled in the forward portions of members I6 and I'l and mounted on said shaft and retained thereon by a set screw I9 is a pinion 20.

Shaft I8 extends a short distance beyond member Il and suitably secured to the projecting end Ais one end of a crank handle 2|.

Journaled in the rear portions of members I6 and Il, is a shaft 22, the forward end of which projects a short distance beyond jaw member IB and mounted on this shaft and secured by a set screw 23 is a gear wheel 24 that meshes with pinion 20.

The end of shaft 22 that projects through member I6 is threaded and screw-seated upon this threaded end is a disc 25 having a notched or serrated periphery and interposed between said 25 disc and the member I1, ls a washer 26.

The notched edge of disc 25 engages thev bead or flange that is formed between the side wall and end of a can.

Rigidly secured to the intermediate portion 30 of jaw I2 and in the same vertical plane with shaft 22, is one end of a stud 21 that occupies a position directly above the end of shaft 22 that carries the toothed disc 25 and mounted to rotate freely upon said shaft is a disc 28, the size of 35 which is such that its periphery occupies a position immediately adjacent and spaced a slight distance apart from the points of the teeth on the periphery of disc 25. This disc 28 is retained 0n stud 21 by means of a washer 28 and a Cotter -f pin 3U that passes diametrically through the stud.

The periphery of disc 28 is formed with portions of slightly different diameters, thereby providing a groove or offset on a portion of the periphery of said disc and which arrangement accommodates both upstanding and outwardly presented beads or flanges that are formed on the edges of the can between the side wall and end walls.

Positioned between the inner face of jaw I2 and the adjacent face of the disc 28, is a combined puncturing and cutting member comprising a substantially rectangular body 3|, in the upper portion of which is formed a notch 32 for the accommodation of a stud 21.

Formed through the end portions of the body 5 member 3|, are threaded apertures 33 that receive the threaded ends of screws 34, which latter pass through apertures in the jaw member I2 and thus detachably secure the cutting member to said jaw.

Depending from the intermediate portion of the lower edge ofjplate 3l,V is a blade 3@ having a beveled lower edge 35 tljiat is inclined lengthwise and the lowermost portion of this beveled edge occupies a position inst above the center of the shaft 22 that carries the notched disc 25, thus providing a point that is adapted to puncture the can upon which the opener is used and the sharp edge on the lower end of the blade 34 extends forwardly'and upwardly so as to cut through the thin sheet metal that forms the top Y short jaw on the forward end of the other handle, i a shaft journaled in the members forming the of the can that is being opened.

In thefruse of my improved can opener, the

handles il and i5 are swung away from each c toothed wheel Ymounted on onel end of said shaft, arating the jaws i2 and E76 and the beaded edge Y of the can that is to be opened is positioned dii mentioned shaft, the teeth of which pinion mesh other onthe pivot formed by rivet I3, thus seprectly over the top of the toothed disc 25. 'l

jj The handles l and l5 are now brought toi glether by the pressure of one hand so that the point 36 punctures the top of the can immediately Y adjacent the bead on the edge thereof and as the Y jaws are brought together, the bead will be firmly clamped between the disc 28 and the teeth on the edge of disc 25. i:

Crank handle 2l is now manipulated so as to rotate pinion 29 and rotary motipn will thus be imparted to gear wheel Zi, shaft V22 and toothed disc 25, with the result that the can will be slowly rotated with the engaged bead passing between the edge of disc 28 and the teeth of disc 25, which teeth engage the bead so las to impart rotary motion tov the can. l Y f l As the can isY thus rotated, the sharp beveled edge 35 of the blade produces a clean edged cut through the .top of the can immediately adjacent the bead the edge thereof so Ythat when the can has been completely rotated a clean edged disc of metal is cut from the top so that the con-1 tents ofjthe can"may be readily removed without encountering rough or jagged edges such as are produced by certain types of manually operated canrlopeners'.Y i I prefer to detachably mount the toothed disc ,.25 on the end kof shaft 22 so that said disc when has become worn or unfit for service may be removed and replaced bycca new disc, but if desired this disc may be permanently Vsecured toy the shaft 22, either by being riveted thereon or keyed thereto. Y f The combinednpuncturing and cutting member may be readily removed from jaw I2 by withdrawing screws 34 Vand this permits the edge of the cutting member to be resharpened or said member may be discarded and replaced by a new cutting member. Y W Y The disc or wheel 2S that clampsl the beaded edge of the can against the toothed disc 25 provides a rolling befaring fon that portion of the bead that is directly engaged by the teeth of said disc .25 and as a resijlt the rotation of the can when properly engaged by the jaws of the can opener may be readily accomplished and further, such operation is conveniently accomplished through the use of a crani handle and pinions of diiferent sizes for-imparting rotary motion to the shaft 22 that carfr' sV toothed Wheel 25.

Thus it will be'seen that I have provided a can opener that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and veryeffective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form andconstruction of the various parts of my improved can opener may be made and substituted forethose herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Agcan opener, comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles, a double jaw on the forward end ofgone of said handles, said doublerjaw comprising spacedV parallel members, a relatively double jaw, a gear wheel mounted on said shaft, a

a second shaft journaled in the members forming the double jaw, a pinioncarried by the second with the teeth of said gear wheel, a crank handle secured to said second mentioned shaft, a stud seatedin the short jaw, a rolleigjournaled on said stud and positioned above thetoothed wheel on the rst mentioned shaft and a pointed blade detachably secured to the shortjaw adjacent said stud within the point of said blade overlying the face of said toothed wheel.

2. A can opener, comprising a pair of pivotally i* vconnected handles, a double jaw on the forward end of one of said handles, said double jaw comprising spaced parallel members, a relatively short jaw on the forward end of the other handle, a shaft ijournaled in the members forming the double jaw, a gear wheel mounted on said shaft, a toothed wheel mounted on one end of said shaft, a second shaft journaled in the members forming the double jaw, a pinion carried by the second mentioned shaft, the teeth of which pinion mesh with the teeth of said gear wheel, a crank handle secured to said'second mentioned shaft, a stud seated'in the short body, a roller journaled on said stud and positioned above the toothed wheel on the rst mentioned shaft, a plate detachably secured to the inner face'of tine shortjaw, said plate having arnotch for the reeeption of the stud that is seated in said short body and a pointed blade depending from said plate with the point of said blade overlying the outer face of said toothed wheel.V Y; f Y

3. Acan opener, comprising a pair of pivotally connected handles, a double jaw on the forward end of one of said handles, said doublejaw comprising spaced parallel members, a relatively short jaw on the forward end ofthe other handle, aV

Y the first mentioned shaft, the periphery of whichY rolleris formed at different diameters to provide a groove for the accommodation of the bead or flange on the edge of the can to iwhich the opener is applied and a pointed blade detachably secured to the short jaw adjacent said stud with the point of said blade overlying the face of said toothed wheel.

FRANK F. HOSMER.