US2324110A - Can opener - Google Patents

Description

July 13, 1943. G, REENSTIERNA CAN OPENER Filed May 23, 1942 w 5 i all/annnnflhnn IIH.

INVENTOR. 6 USTAF L. REE NSTIERNA Paul ATLwar;

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 13, 1943 CAN ()PENER Gustaf L. Reenstierna, Union City, N. 5., assignor of onehalf to Rome Aiazzone, Union City, N. J.

Application May 23, 1942, Serial No. 444,168

8 Claims.

My invention particularly relates to a device for opening tin cans and cans commonly used in the home, as well as elsewhere. Among the purposes and objects are to provide:

A. device for opening cans with a minimum of physical effort.

A safe can opener.

A can opener which permits all of the con tents to be drained from the can.

A sanitarily opened can.

A can opener which lifts the out out opening outwardly.

A can opener which cuts out, bends outwardly the cut out portion and forms a pouring spout.

A can opener which, by its operation, grips any can.

A can opener which opens cans having a small rim bead or no gripping edge. I accomplish these and other objects by the construction herein described and shown in the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this patent, and in which:

l is a section at li Fig. 5.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section at ll Fig. 5, in which the can is pierced ready to be opened.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the cutter.

Fig. i is an elevation of the hook.

Fig. 5 is a section at 55, Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing the application of my device.

'7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the opening in the can.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawin and in the specification to follow.

The many devices for opening the ordinary tin can, and particularly when operated by the housewife, have much to be desired; they are diihcult to handle and dangerous, and many cause the dirt or metal from the can to be mixed with the contents. Most require a strong hand to hold the can while cutting the metal in opening it.

These, and other difliculties, are overcome by my can opener. Its operation is simple, safe, and the strength of the hands or" the user need not be exerted in holding or operating the cutter.

My device is applied to the can, the lever is raised and lowered, and the device is swung upwardly and removed. These two simple operations not only cut the opening but bend the cut out portion outwardly and also form a pouring lip or spout outside the normal periphery of the top of the can. The lifting of the lever clamps the can firmly due to the foot engaging the bottom of the can. The can thus may not have a rolled top peripheral edge and the can does not have to be held firmly, as the process of cutting does this, as will be seen by a study of the construction. The can may even be clamped onto the kitchen table, if desired, by the mere operation of the lever, and in such case, the foot engages the bottom surface of the table instead of the bottom of the can, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

My device comprises a frame l, the lower end 2 of which serves to hold the can 3 by means of the foot 4 which may be adjustably secured to the frame, thereby adapting my device to cans of various heights, as well as to both the can and table 5, if desired.

The upper end 6 of the frame is provided with the cutter guide 1 into which the cutter 8 is slidably mounted and moved by the lever 9, one end of which is provided with the segmental rack it} and pivot ii, the pivot pin 12 of which engages the apertured bosses 13 of the frame I. The lever 9 is preferably moved downwardly or retracted by the torsional spring Hi disposed around the pivot pin 52. A handle i5 is provided at the free end of the lever 9 which swings about 180 degrees in the piercing and forming of the spout at the top of the can. The teeth of the segmental rack ii preferably engage the apertures I"! in the cutter 8, thereby moving the cutter downward in its vertical travel to pierce and form the canby raising the handle of the lever and withdrawing the cutter upwardly as the lever is moved by the spring it back to its normal lowered position.

The cutter 8 is preferably cylindrical in shape, and the cutting edge i3 is preferably formed at an angle of about 45 degrees so that the lowest point i9. pierces the can near the rim 2% first, and upon further movement extending the pierced circular slot to about of a circular, thereby leaving a hinge 2i on which the cut out portion 22 of the top 23 of the canS may be bent up-" wardly.

The cutter 8 has an outwardly projecting spout forming projection 24 which is slightly less in width than the slot 25 in the frame i into which said projection forces the rim 29 to form the spout 26.

Near the top end of the cutter 8, I have provided the bosses 2'! and pin 28 engaging the slot '29 in the hook 3B which permits the hook to swing as well as travel vertically in relation to said cutter. To yieldingly hold the hook in its normal vertical position, I have provided the torsional spring 3|, and to cooperate with said spring 3| in holding the hook in its normal lower position, I have provided the shoulder 32 on said hook on which the compression spring 33 rests, the upper end of the spring 33 pressing against the washer 34 and bosses 21.

When the cutter is forced downwardly to pierce the can the bottom end 35 is brought against the top of the can and cut out portion 22, causing the hook to compress the spring until upon further movement the end 35 is thrust into the cut slot until the lip 36 of the hook engages the edge 31 of said cut out portion 22, and upon the completion of forming the spout and cut out portion, the lever handle is lowered and the handle and frame are simultaneously swung upwardly to bend the cut out portion 22, and thereby provide the desired opening in the top of the can.

It is to be noted that the pressure of the cutter against the can top by the cutter also forces an equal pressure by the foot on the bottom of the can or the table when the foot is extended to engage the table as well as the can.

I have shown the foot secured to the extension member 38 which may be adjusted to extend the frame the desired length'by inserting the pin 39 of said member into the predetermined aperture 40 of the row of apertures 4| in the lower end of the frame I which otherwise is the same as the frame I, A spring 4| may be added to hold the extension in the desired place of adjustment. This and other details of construction may be modified: for instance, the shape of the cutter may be a polygon, oval or a part of a cylinder or any other desired shape.

I have shown and described in detail my pre ferred construction as illustrative of the embodiment of the principles underlying my invention. To those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains and after a study of this disclosure, it is believed that numerous modifications of the construction herein disclosed may be apparent to suit my device to the many uses for which it may be adapted. I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction, as I may wish to depart therefrom within the scope of the appended claims which set forth my invention.

I claim:

1. In a can opener, a frame, a lever operated cutter slidably mounted in said frame and a foot engaging the bottom of the can or the table upon which the can rests, vertical guiding means for said cutter and a projection on and beyond the outer surface of said cutter and beyond the normal periphery of the can thereby forming a spout on said can, said projection forcing the top rim of the can outward beyond its normal periphery when moved down vertically in said guiding means.

2. In a can opener, a frame, a lever operated cutter slidably mounted in said frame and a foot engaging the bottom of the can or the table upon which the can rests, and a hook carried by said cutter engaging the cut out portion of the top of the can to bend said out out portion out of and away from the top of the can, and spring means holding said hook yieldingly in its normal position.

3. In a can opener, a frame, a lever operated cutter slidably mounted in said frame and a foot engaging the bottom of the can or the table upon which the can rests, and a hook carried by said cutter engaging the cut out portion of the top of the can to bend said out out portion out of and away from the top of the can, and spring means holding said hook yieldingly in its normal position, said hook being forced to move against said spring means to enter the cut made by said cutter, and a lip on said hook engaging the inside edge of the cut out portion of the top of the can.

4. In a can opener, a frame, a lever operated cutter slidably mounted in said frame and a foot engaging the bottom of the can or the table upon which the can rests, and a hook carried by said cutter engaging the cut out portion of the top of the can to bend said out out portion out of and away from the top of the can, and spring means holding said hook yieldingly in its normal position, said hook being forced to move against said spring means to enter the cut made by said cutter, and a lip on said hook engaging the inside surface of the can at the edge of the cut out portion.

5. In a can opener, a cutter, guide means for vertically guiding said cutter, a frame and means supported by said frame operating said cutter and forcing said cutter to pierce the top of the can and an outward projection formed on said cutter to form a spout beyond the normal periphery of the can by the vertical travel of said cutter and projection.

6. In a can opener, a cutter, guide means for said cutter, a frame and means supported by said frame operating said cutter and forcing said outter to pierce the top of the can, said cutter having apertures, and a lever having a segmental rack engaging said apertures.

'7. In a can opener, a cutter, guide means for said cutter, a frame and means supported by said frame operating said cutter and forcing said outter to pierce the top of the can and a guide on said frame guiding said cutter vertically, and a projection on the surface of said cutter forming a spout while said cutter pierces the top of the can in its vertical downward travel.

8. In a can opener, a cutter, guide means for said cutter, a frame and means supported by said frame operating said cutter and forcing said cutter to pierce the top of the can and a guide on said frame guiding said cutter vertically, and a projection on the surface of said cutter forming a spout while said cutter pieces the top of the can in its vertical downward travel, said guide forcing said projection against the inner rim of the can.

GUSTAF L. REENSTIERNA.

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