US2196182A - Method of opening cans - Google Patents

Description

April 1940- c. A. ARNESEN METHOD OF OPENING CANS NvEI. N-rd Cfiar/o/fe 646%?656/7 Filed Feb. 8, 1939 Patented Apr. 9, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ms'rnon or orsmc. cans Charlotte a. was, Chicago. n1.

Application February 8,1939, Serial n zsssos 6 Claims. 30-15) an annular space disposed'externally of the canand fashioned to promote the circumferential severance of the seam by means of a cutting implement.

The primary object of the invention is to pro- 5 vide for the opening of a container by severing a double interlocking seam and forming as an incident to the severance of the metal of a seem a removable friction slip cover for the container.

-A further object is to provide for the severance of the seam externally of the can so as to form a removable slip cover and to eifect simultaneously with the severance of the metal a circumferential expansion of the portion of the seam forming the skirt of the cover whereby to facilitate removal of the cover.

The objects of the invention thus generally stated together with other and ancillary advantages are obtained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing showing the invention in a preferred embodiment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevationel view of my improved container. 1

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing one end portion of the container body and an associated end member in assembled rela-' tion .but before being secured together.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illustratingthe first step of the double seaming ,opera--;

tion, the roller being shown partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the. final seam.

sealing operation and illustrating the. formation of an annular bead providing the. aforesaid severing operation.

Fig. 5 is a side elevatiohal view of a cutter applied to the container in position to perform the severing operation.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken approximately inthe plane of line 0-4 of Fig. 5 but on a somewhat larger scale.

The novel methodof opening cans is illustrated in connection with a container of the type shown and claimed in my said copending application 56 and comprising a cylindrical body l with end members 9 (one only eing shown) united with the body by means of seams in and H. The bottom seam l0 may be of usual construction. The top seam H, is a conventional upstanding 7 double interlocking seam modifiedto facilitate the I circumferential severance of the seam externally of the cylindrical body, and for this purpose the outer layer of the seam is fashioned so as to define an annular space adapted to receive the point of a cutting implement, so that in opening 10 the can it is onlynecessary to penetrate a-single layer of metal without obstruction to the cutter from any other part of the seam.

Referring now to Fig. 4, a cutter-receiving space it is provided through the provision of an annular ll bead l2 projecting radially from the bottom portion of the seam. The head thus forms a downwardly facing shoulder l2 radially enlarged to facilitate engagement by the cutting edge of an implement bearing upon the upper edge of the go seam.

The can body is initially formed with an outwardly projecting flange I, (Fig. 2) and the cover section I is formedwith a central depression providing a vertical annular portion ll of 25 an external diameter corresponding with the internal diameter of the can body. Projecting outwardly from the upper end of the annular portion I! is a peripheral portion or flange it of a width substantially greater than the body flange 30 I4 and terminating ira downwardly and inwardly turned curl l1. I8 designates the usual gasket of rubber composition or other suitable sealing material applied to the peripheralportion I of the end member, this gasket being 35 omitted from Fig. 4 for the sake of clearness.

After the parts have been assembled as shown in Fig. 2 the first step of the seeming operation is performed, substantially as in the well known manner. In this operation a forming roller I9 engages with the outer surface of the flange l6, curling the same inwardly. In this forming oper-- ation, the body flange I4 is bent downwardly in the form of a lip presenting a cylindrical outer face and the curled edge portion I1 is bent in 45 wardly and upwardly between the flange l4 and the side wall 8.

In the next and final sealing operation shown in Fig. 4, a roller 20' having a specially shaped forming groove 2| in its periphery is applied 50 to the now rounded flange i 6 of the end memher so as to force the several parts tightly together, with the terminal portion I 1 between the wall 8 and the flange l4, and with the flange ll interlocked tightly between the cover flange 5 II and its terminal portion I'I. At the same time the bead I2 is formed, providing the annular cutter-receiving space I 3. It will of course be understood that in accordance with common practice an inner driving member or chuck (not shown) engages with the annular vertical wall portion I5 50 as to cooperate with the outer rolls in the formation of a tight seam.

In accordance with the present invention the can is opened by inserting a cutter through the layer of metal forming the bottom wall I2 of the annular space I3 and relatively moving the cutter and can so as to effect a circumferential severance of the seam at a point below the top thereof thereby forming a friction slip cover for the can. To facilitate removal of the cover the outer severed edge portion of the seam is forced outwardly with a circumferentially expanding movement, breaking the seal formed by the gasket I8. The term bottom as applied to the wall of the bead is used for the sake of brevity in the present description and claims to designate the wall I2 on the bead which lies at the end of the bead adjacent the body of the can as distinguished from that adjacent the end of the can.

In performing the opening operation a suitable cutting implement is employed. Such implement may take various forms, but essentially the arrangement is such that as an incident to performing the cutting operation the outer severed portion of the seam is forced or spread outwardly away from the adjacent body flange I4 as shown in Fig. 6. Herein, I have shown a rotary cutter 22 rotatably mounted in a bracket 23 and shiftable relative to the bracket and in a direction parallel with the side wall of the can body into and out of penetrating relation to the cutter receiving space I3.

The bracket 23 is guided for movement circumferentially of the can during the cutting operation, and for this purpose is formed at its upper end with a hook 24 engageable slidably with the upper and inner faces of the double seam as shown in Fig. 6, and with a pair of bearing lugs 25 on opposite sides of the hook portion adapted to engage slidably with the top surface of the seam. At its lower end the bracket has a flange 26 arranged to bear upon the outer cylindrical face of the can body.

The cutter 22 has a hub 21 journ alled in a bushing 28 which in turn is rotatably mounted in the bracket 23. The hub 21 is arranged to be rotated manually, to impart a rotary motion to the cutter, by any suitable means such as a handle 29 fixed to the outer end of the hub as by a screw 30 and suitably held against rotation relative to the hub. As shown, the handle 29 is in the nature of a double-winged key for convenience in manipulation.

The cutter is preferably shaped (Fig. 6), to provide a beveled outer face 3| and a knurled inner face 32 perpendicular to the axis of the cutter; and. formed integral with the cutter at the inner side thereof is a bearing disk 33 for engagement with the under surface of the shoulder portion I2 of the hollow bead I2, it being observed that this hearing disk is disposed in opposed relation to the underside 24 of the hook 24 at the upper end of the bracket.

For the purpose of shifting the cutter bodily a predetermined distance into and out of penetrating relation to the space I3, the hub 21 thereof is mounted eccentrically in the bushing 28 as shown clearly in Fig. 6, and means is provided for rotating the bushing relative to the bracket. This means comprises in the present instance a lever 34 having at one end an enlarged portion 35 apertured to receive the hub and suitably fastened to the hub in nonrotatable relation thereto. At its opposite end the lever has a handle portion 38, and the arrangement is such that in the movement of the lever from the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 to the full line position or through approximately 180 degrees, the cutter 22 is shifted from a position slightly below the shoulder I2 of the seam through the bottom wall of the space I3 and into the position shown in Fig. 6 where it is held by the dead center action of the eccentric.

In the operation of opening the improved can, the implement is applied thereto with the lever 34 in the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 5 and with the cutter in its lowered position. Thereupon the lever 34 is operated to revolve the bushing 28 and, due to the eccentric mounting of the cutter relative to the bushing, as the lever moves into the full line position shown in Fig. 5, the cutter is forced a predetermined distance through the bottom wall of the space I3 and into the position shown in Fig. 6. Thereupon the key handle 29 is rotated, and in such rotation the knurled face 32 bitingly engages with the inner edge of the severed layer of metal with the result that the implement moves circumferentially of the can body.

It will be understood that the proportions of the parts are such that as the cutter 22 is forced into cutting relation to the seam, the beveled surface 3| thereof acts upon the outer severed edge of the layer of metal penetrated, folding the same upwardlyagainst the top wall of the bead I2. At the same time, the beveled edge portion of the cutter forces the flange 2| progressively outwardly with a wedging action to effect a circumferential expansion of the flange. Such expansion of the flange serves to disrupt the seal afforded by the gasket I8 and thus facilitates removal of the end wall in the form of a removable slip cover of which the flange 2I forms the depending outer skirt or lip. It will, of course, be understood that in the drawing, and particularly in Fig. 6, the parts are shown on a substantially enlarged scale so that the amount of clearance shown between the flange 2I and the adjacent body flange I4 is apparently exaggerated. In actual practice, the clearance is just sufficient to insure disruption of the seal. After the cover has been completely severed, it may be replaced upon the can for reclosure-purposes, with the inner flange portion I5 fitting snugly into the upper end of the body and the outer flange portion 2I encircling the body flange I 4.

It will also be observed that in the operation of removing the end wall or cover the inner severed edge of the wall portion I 2 of the body is folded around the lower edge of the body flange I4. In the travel of the cutter circumferentially of the can, this folded edge is severed by the knurled inner face of the cutter and is serrated thereby as an incident to the pressure of the knurled face against the edge of the metal. The result is that any sharp edges which might otherwise protrude are effectually eliminated. At the same time the outer edge of the severed layer of metal is folded upwardly so as to eliminate any sharp edges on the cover portion. Thus the cutter operates to fold the severed edge porin the case of the body tions backwardly against adjoining parts, both and the cover, so as to avoid danger of cutting the user.

No claim is herein made to the cutting implement shown and described, such implement being claimed in my copending application Serial No. 205,159, filed April 30, 1938.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall and the body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a body flange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form a narrow, outwardly protruding bead providing an annular cutter penetrable space in said seam externally of the can body, which comprises inserting a cutter through the portion of the seam forming the bottom wall of said bead and between the body flange and the adjacent flange of the endv wall, relatively rotating the can and the cutter circumferentially of the can to sever the bottom of the bead, and progressively forcing the flange on the end wall outwardly away from the body flange.

2. The method of removing an end wall of a can 'in which the end wall and the body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a body flange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to provide an annular space at the bottom of the seam, which comprises inserting' a cutter through the bottom of the seam into said space, and, while moving the cutter circumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seam and simultaneously folding the inner severed edge portion of the flange on the end wall upwardly around the lower edge of the body flange.

3. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall and the body are united in a double interlocking seam composed of a body flange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form an outwardly projecting bead providing an annular space in the bottom portion of the seam, which comprises inserting a cutter through the bottom of the seam into said space and between the body flange and the adjacent flange of the end wall, and, while moving the cutter circumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seam and simultaneously forcing the flange on the end wall outwardly away from the body flange and folding the inner severed edge portion of the end wall flange upwardly around the lower edge of thebody flange.

4. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall and the body are united in a double'interlocking seam composed of a body flange and an interlocking flange on the end wall fashioned to form an outwardly projecting bead providing an annular space in the bottom portion of the seam, which comprises inserting a cutter through the bottom of the seam into said space and between the body flange and the adjacent flange oi the end wall, and, while moving the cutter circumferentially of the can, severing the bottom of the seam and simultaneously folding the severed edge portions of the end wall flange upwardly one against the top wall of the bead and the other against the lower edge of the body flange.

5. The method of removing an end wall of a can in which the end wall and the body are united in an upstanding double interlocking seam fashioned to form a narrow outwardly protruding bead providing an annular cutter penetrable space in said seam externally of the can body, which comprises inserting the cutting edge of a cutter upwardly through the portion of the seam forming the bottom wall of the bead, and relatively rotating the can and cutter with the cutting edge penetrating said space so as to sever the metal of the seam circumferentially.

6. The method of removing the top wall of a can in which said wall is united to the body in an upstanding double interlocking seam composed of a reversely bent flange on the body and a flange on the top wall interlocked with the body flange, which comprises forcing the cutting edge of a cutter upwardly through the bottom of the seam into a position between the body flange and the overlying layer of metal forming a part of the end wall' flange so as to force said layer outwardly from the body flange, and relatively rotating the can and cutter while holding the cutter in said position whereby to sever the seam circumferentially. I

CHARLO'I'I'E A. ARNESEN.

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