US2474982A - Rotary drive wheel type can opener - Google Patents

Description

R. E. M LEAN 2,474,982

ROTARY DRIVE WHEEL TYPE CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 5, 1949.

Filed Feb. 27, 1946 Il -II INVENTOR I ATTORNEY Robert E M Le-an July 5, 1949.

R. E. M LEAN ROTARY DRIVEWHEEL TYPE CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 27, 1946 Fig 7.

- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Flt; 9. 147 10,

INVENTOH RobrtE. Mlean ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1949 .ROIIIARYv DRIME WHEEL TYPE aphehamcteam Fqaaennm aca;

Application-February 27, 1946, Serial No. 650,5ififiai;

lifllaims. (C1. 30.-- 15,):,

This invention ;rela.te s generally to the 7 class -ofqcan ;op.eners,and -p er t,ainsaparticular1y to an opener of.-the type employing :a :rotaryrcanfdriving- ;,wheel by means tofizwhich relative movement vis effiectedhetweennthe opener; carrying: cutting knife and-the cant-op.

Thepresent' invention has for a :principal .cbi ct t provides-1a rotaryl drive. wheel .type can opener-wherein a newandnovel means istemp1oyedv for;efiec,ting arelative movementhetween the canand: theicamtoppenetrating knife1simul- ;taneously:with the rotation,\-ofthe driving :wheel rotating crank.

Another object ofqthe. invention is ;-tov provide a roan opener ..of :the character stated wherein a :novel :type :of thrust mechanism is employed "for efiecting thegiorcible :penetra-tion vof: the can to cutting knife into :the can :top, \WhiOh :thrust mechanism of a compact construction andzdesigned to operate vin-such manner as to facilitate the. penetration-of the cutting knife into the can top withva minimum of effort.

Another object .of the invention is to provide a can opener .of the character stated wherein a rotatabletoothed driving-wheel, designed to,

.efiectthe turningof-the can relativeto a cutting knife, forms apart of thethrust mechanism by :means of which the-can'headis forced into ensaid segment to :vperform the double function :of turning the can andsimultaneously oscillating the saecifica-tidnmw thi h 'u derstan n ho a vt -a hat thezint ntiomiv .notlconfi edto a s ric ,conicrmityrlvithutheshowing,of; the ,drawings but may be angedaort mcdiiiedcso Aenea -suc ..chanaes -;n mod ficationstmaxktno mater ald qtn ez remstheisalien it etures\o thetinvent cnas :expresse. nt he anne detdz laimsl flthetdrawihgs:

fi ure :1 isa .vi w-;ine1evationrot herisht hand side LOf, annimpmvad can o enerd onstructediin ac ordancemiththe new: intent n-1 Ei ur 21 1a mewiimel na ian omhe.left .han or can-aside: of- :.:thj. menenshowing the thrust mechanism inilomenedpr stamina pos t onv meanest ise r ew -z" in lirontselevation o t device.

fi ure a tr ewa nst p n anio -tth sam iFieurei .ia xerticatsectinn take eu t tially on thei-line fiwirnftFieuretz. I v v zEi n esfi a ttransvers zs satiqnrtalieni nthe line 66 of Figure 1.

v Fieuxeflvisariew inielevatiqntoftther ia tvha d ;or:entersidezoetheeopeaen gulpnedwith -handle .orv handi oldimeana t Fi ure azeectiena xiawataken s bstantial y on the lihfitaB- LQ Emi i relerationrcf-cthe.lowerrend and innerasid rq lefi llandasid ro can opener (showin -ta:gmndlficatton-o the puo ineab tw n the rcammenaactoran eteand th geanv e t :Fiemrerlozisaeectianalwiew alie zsubs ant elly tontzthezline D lgfltqf-ilfig l fisa Fi ure-r1; isa iewi llns ra ingtheianpl ca ion of amonntinezhraclsfitm h Qnenerstructme 135tfacilitatin x;theitmfltlmtingm sti -nam on a s thegearrsegment:forgthe actuation of the thrust s40 oi-the body :plate nd; the construction, qft the mechanism.

Still another object'of theinvention is to provide' in. a can opener f the character .stated, :a novel can rim'engagingrsteadyingmeans for'facil- Other objects ;.andadvantages of the invention will; become apparentxas; the description of the same proceeds and :thevinvention :will be best understood from a consideration of the following ..deta'iled :description ltakenarin connection with the accompanying drawingsr'gionnine a Farthitaneularly d itee =parts associated; with 317118; driving wheel rotating shaft;

jgReferring-gnow more marticul'arly @to rthea drawingsithemumeraltfl generally designates,=in:=Fig- ,itating thexmaintenance of the opener in properz gw -.mesalto,5lmcluswgiimgbddyrplateoflthejpresent improved can "opener. 1' Late; as shown, is re1atmelylmaandis designed. 0gbe 'vertical'l jdis- "nose ifo tus As bestlseen-animeureszaxandtheubody n at entirely flat-sprain pile tplaner-thmughqll n9,J Q iPQ T1 i. *ofat. engtltwhi h nortioni desi nated than atcn tendatziss orm dtto prov de a headf e era s esisaat fl i licommtisin th i 9? terms 'andttheidenenfl ne 3 inner part [4 which is in spaced parallel relation with the body portion II.

In referring to the positions of the difierent parts reference will be made to the front and rear of the device and to the inner and outer sides thereof.

In referring to the front and rear of the device reference will, of course, be had to the parts of the device which are respectively nearest to and farthest from the user of the device when it is set up and the inner and outer sides refer respectively to the left hand and right hand sides or the side of the device upon which the can is postioned and the side remote from the can.

At its lower end the body plate is formed, adjacent to the inner edge thereof, with the inwardly directed can rest or foot l5.

In line longitudinally of the body plate with the center of the can rest [5, the body portion H is provided with the longitudinally extending elliptical bearing opening I6 and above this opening and opposite to the portion M of the head are the merging openings H, the purpose of which will be hereinafter disclosed.

Also in line longitudinally of the body plate with the bearing opening l6 and the center of the can rest I5, is the fixed rivet [8 which extends inwardly or to the left of the body plate as shown in Figure and upon which are oscillatably supported the cammed sector plate I9 and the gear sector 20. These units are, in addition to being oscillatably supported upon the pivot rivet l8, securely fastened together in the presently described embodiment of the invention by the rivet 2| and the sector plate 19 is disposed between the body plate and the gear sector as shown.

The gear sector has the arcuate series of gear teeth 22, the are upon whichsaid teeth are laid out, being struck from a, point or center eccentric to the pivot rivet l8, which center is rearwardly of the rivet.

The cammed plate [9 has formed therein the arcuate opening or slot 23 which has the inner and outer radii 24 and 25 respectively which are concentric with the arc of the gear sector 20.

At the rearward end-of the cam slot 23 the inner radius edge 24 is modified to provide the raised bearing shoulder 26 which is formed on a true radius on the axis of the pivot rivet l8 and this radius for the bearing shoulder 26 is slightly greater than the radius between the axis of the pivot rivet I8 and any point of the inner radius 24 of the cam slot of the cammed sector l9.

Extending through the bearing slot [6 is the arbor 21 which carries upon the inner or left hand side of the body plate, the journal 28 and inwardly from the journal, the combined can rim engaging driving wheel and thrust mechanism operating gear 29.

Upon the outer side of the arbor 21 is mounted the spacer sleeve 30 upon the inner end of which is carried the collar 3| which overlies the opening [6 and is adapted to engage the outer side of the body plate to maintain the arbor and adjacent parts connected therewith, in proper position with respect to the body plate and the elements I9 and 20.

4 thereof throughout the entire length of the latter with the exception of the portion where the bearing shoulder 26 is formed.

As shown in Figure 2 the high point of the bearing shoulder 26 is slightly beyond the rearward end of the row of teeth 22 forming a part of the gear sector 20 whereby it will be understood that when the journal 28 is in the rearward end of the cam slot 23 where it will be closely engaged between the outer radius 25 and the shoulder 26, the teeth of the gear wheel which, in all other positions of these parts are in mesh with the teeth 22, will be out of engagement with the teeth 22 of the gear sector and consequently free rotation of the wheel 29 may be maintained.

The numeral 33 generally designates the head carried can rest. As shown most clearly in Figures 4 and 6 this unit is of substantially U-shaped form and comprises the central portion 34 and the side portions or wings 35 which are turned at right angles to the portion 34.

The overall width of the can rest 33 is the same as that of the body plate It! and accordingly, as shown in Figure 4, the depending portion [4 of the head 12 is of sufliciently reduced width to be snugly received between the wings 35 and thus when the can rest is in position it will not project beyond the front and rear edges of the body plate. Upon the outer side of the downwardly extending portion M of the head there is fixed, in the vertical plane of the arbor 21, the knife or cutter 36. This part and the can rest 33 are secured by means of the rivets 31 which pass through the intervening head portion I 4. By the provision of the openings I! in the body plate, the placement and securing of these rivets in fixed position is readily accomplished.

The lower or cutting end of the cutter blade 36 is sufliciently blunt to assure adequate traction of the teeth of the can driving wheel 28 with the under edge of the rim or flange of a can. This is accomplished by wedging the end and rim or flange of a can between the cutting end of the cutter blade and the teeth of the Wheel 29.

While the can driving wheel and th journal 28 have been described as being a part of the arbor 2! it is contemplated as being within the scope of the present invention to make these parts separate and fix them in a suitable manner to the arbor 2? if such practice is preferable.

In a modified construction shown in Figures 7 and 8 the can opening device generally designated 38 and which may be a duplicate of the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, is shown equipped with a handle 39. This handle may be secured to the body plate Hla. by suitably extending the pivot rivet 811 and using a second countersunk rivet 60 as shown in Figure 8. The use of this handle 39 with the unmounted embodiment of the opener structure, is, of course, optional.

Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a modification of the coupling means between the cammed plate and the gear sector, such modified coupling rcplacing the fixed rivet 2| as shown and described in connection with the first embodiment.

The modified gear sector is designated 20aand this also is oscillatably mounted-on'the pivot l-ac but is designed to have limited independent oscil-- lation from the plate l'9a.

' The plate 19a has struck therefromandextendin inwardly the stop -44-and the "gear sector 20a has formed therein the opening- 45 in-which the stop M is positioned. As shown inFigure Q'the Width of the opening 45 is greater thanthe width of the stop 44 and consequently thegear sector 20a may oscillate slightly upon thepivot I-Bcindependently of the carnmedplatel a.

Ihe gear sector Zlla-is pressed or otherwise suitably iormed in'that portion through which the rivet lBc extends, to form'theoifset- 46 which extends inwardly away "from the plate Illaand thus provides between this plate andthe gear sector, the shallow chamber 37 in which is housed a spring 48. The spring 48 is turned around'the body of the pivot rivet I30 and one-oi its ends is turned outwardly and secured in a suitable opening 49 in the cammed plate l9a while the pposite end is turned inwardly and secured in a suitable openin in the gear sector as indicated at 50.

The spring 48, which is substantially U-shaped, is of light tension and is so biased that one end thereof is normally urged away iromthe other end, It will thus be seen that the gear sector 20a will be constantly urged to oscillate rearwardly with respect to the adjacent cammed plate so that when the toothed driving wheel, not shown in Figures 9 and 10, is in the rearward end of the cam slot of the plate l9a the toothed plate will be instantly moved into the proper positionfor the engagement of its teeth with the teeth of the driving wheel as soon as reverse or counterclockwise rotation is imparted to the driving wheel for the purpose of releasing a can from the opener.

In Figure 11 the numeral M generally designates an extension arm secured to-the lower end of the opener body plate, here designated lllb, by the pivot rivet 58b andva countersunk rivet 40a, corresponding to the rivetAil shownin Figtires? and 8. This extension arm forms part of a conventional type of wall mounted supporting bracket such as is shown in my priorPatent No. 2,351,531 of June 13, 1944.

There is also shown invFigure 11 a crank arm 42 which is more suitable for use with the can opener when the latter is mounted upon a wall bracket such as that shown, than the-thumb and finger operated crank 32. This crank arm 42 is, of course, secured, in place of the crank 32,. to

the outer-end of thelarborz'laand it carriesat the end opposite from thearbor, the knob 43 by which the crank may be grasped for the purpose of turning the can driving wheel. i

The numeral llld, in Figure 12,, ener-ally'designates another body form for use with the thumb and finger crank 32a. As shown, this body plate Hid is offset at to permit insertion of'a spacer Washer 52 between the body andthe cammed sector I91).

'6 2-1 and consequently the bearing opening 16a will be of corresponding-width andsl'arger than the opening-l6.

A second journal-is mounted upon the shaft 21b uponthe inner side-of the-spaceri52; this second Journal being designated 28b-andbeing positioned within thecam slot 23a-of the plate -l 9b.

Secured to the inner end-of the-shaft 211) is the pinion gear 29a which-meshes with the teeth of the gear sector 20b andflxed against the pinion gear 290 is the toothed driving wheel 2% which lies-in a plane inside the gear sector 2%- as shown'and is adapted to 'engage the under side of the canrim.

The several units as shown upon theshaft flb are assembled in proper order after the-spacer 53 is positioned on the'shait and thezsh'a'ft is extended throughthe bearing opening IB'a, afterwhich the inner end of the'shafttis-suitably swaged to lock the several parts in position thereon. Since the shaft isof polygonal crosssection the parts will be maintained in position against turning.

As will be readily apparent theextension arm 4| orthe handle 39 may beused, if desiredgin connection withthe structure illustrated in Figur 12.

Although the device here illustrated is shown as having a cammed quadrant of substantially ninety "degrees, it is to be understoodthat this quadrant may be of any-desired number of degree less thanillustrat'ed, :the pitch of the cam and the-corresponding pitch of the toothed gear sectoror: gear segment, being increased to eiiect the required vertical movement of'the can driving wheel.

1 The operation of the present device-is as folowsz' If the handle or crank 32, 32a or 42 is not in the extremecounterclockwiseposition, it is first rotated to :such position whichaction will bring the cammed sector plate rearwardly so that the Journal "of the can" driving wheel will be in the forward endof thecam slot 23 or 23a and the can driving-wheel will belowered-with respect to the cutter.

The unmounted embodiment of the invention, showniin Figures lto 6 inclusive and-Figurel2, is 'then'installed on 'thecan by hanging the cutter blade over therim or bead of the-can. When in thisposition thecan rest=33 will limit the oscillation 'ofthe'device on the can and the inner end of the foot rest 15 will position'against the side of the can.

Thecrankis then-rotated clockwise and-at the start of such rotation, the-teeth of "the can driv mg wheel 29 :or gear 29a-being-in mesh with the teeth of the toothedlgear sector and riding there'- on. such gear sectorand the adjacent quadrant plate will be oscillated counterclockwise.

: As the gearsector turns beneath the rotating gear; wheel its eccentric form wi-th respect to the pivot center of the rivet l8 orcorresponding rivets 18a, 1811501180, will=raise the can driving wheel or gear, wheel and: thus force the can headinto The handle 32a is formed. integrally with-the ment w h th nif au -the knife to penetrate the-head.

When the cutter has penetrated the -can head a predetermined depth, t'he teeth of the gear wheel-will run out of mesh withtheteeth of the toothed-gear sector or-segment and the journal 281or 28b w-ill seat on the shoulder-26 of the cammedquadrant.

Continued clockwiserotation of the operating handle-feeds thedevice-about thecan'- until the 7 end of -the oan is completelycut out.

Due to contact between the journal 28 or 281) with the bearing seat 26, counterclockwise rotation of the operatin handle will cause the teeth of the can driving wheel 29 or of the pinion gear 29a to reengage with the teeth of the toothed sector and the operating handle is rotated counterclockwise to its extreme position, as shown particularly in Figure 2.

During such counterclockwise rotation of the operating handle or crank, the can rest 33 also prevents the device from tilting or oscillating on the can. Preferably, the operator exerts a slight downward pressure on the top of the device when rotating the operating handle counterclockwise. The device may then be lifted from the can.

Operation of the embodiment shown in Figure 11 is the same, except that the can is held with its upper end against the lower end of the cutter blade until the can driving wheel, not shown, arrives at its uppermost position during clockwise rotation of the operating handle 42. The can is again held as the operating handle 42 is rotated counterclockwise to release the can from the device after the end of the can has been cut out.

The outer radius 25 of the cam slot 23, and corresponding parts of the other embodiments, maintains the teeth of the can driving wheel 29, or of the gear pinion 29a, in substantially full depth engagement with the teeth of the gear sector at all times that the teeth are in mesh. The toothed gear sector controls the upward movement of the can driving wheel, whereas the outer radius of the cam slot of the quadrant controls the downward movement of the can driving wheel.

The operation of the modified thrust mechanism shown in Figures 9 and 10 will, it is believed, be readily obvious. As will be apparent, when the clockwise rotation of the operating crank is begun the gear sector 20a will first be oscillated against the tension of the spring 48 until such oscillation is checked by the stop 44 after which the quadrant lSa and the gear sector will move together until the journal 28 moves into position on the shoulder 26. At this time the driving wheel or gear will run out of engagement with the teeth of th gear sector and the driving wheel may be rotated freely. As soon as counterclockwise movement is imparted to the driving wheel, the action of the spring tending constantly to move the gear sector counterclockwise, causes the adjacent end tooth of the gear sector to move into contact with the teeth of the can driving wheel or gear pinion so that immediate engagement between these parts is effected. In other words, the spring operates constantly to maintain the teeth of the driving wheel or pinion and the teeth of the gear sector constantly in contact in the nature of a ratchet.

The head [2 constructed in the manner herein disclosed, has sufficient resiliency to permit the cutter blade to be forced laterally away from the can driving wheel sufficiently, when necessary, as when the cutter is passing the seam of the can, to facilitate operation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a can opener constructed in accordance with the present invention is of compact form and makes possible the operation of puncturing the can top with the cutting knife and the rotation of the can relative to the cutter, by the manipulation of a single crank member. The device also provides novel means for effecting the return engagement of the gear element when it is desired to remove the device from theican, without the em.

8 ployment of movable parts in addition to the can driving wheel and the oscillatable thrust mechanism.

While in the structure shown in Figure 12 there have been illustrated two separate elements 29a and 29b described respectively as a gear pinion and a toothed can driving wheel, it will be readily recognized that these elements may be made as a single unit and also that the teeth of the Dart now described as the pinion gear 29a, may be formed in the same shape as the teeth of the can driving wheel so that a single wheel may be provided having teeth like those shown in Figure 2 for the wheel 29, the outer ends of which engage the teeth of the gear sector 20b while the inner ends engage the can rim to efiect the desired turning of the can. Accordingly, in the claims the wheel will, in these two embodiments be understood as embracing both the toothed member and the member which engages the can rim to effect the movement of the can.

It will also be readily apparent that the crank 42 may be used in substitution for the thumb and finger crank 32a of Figure 12 by establishing the proper coupling between the shaft 21b, separated from the crank 32a, and the crank 42.

I claim:

1. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprising a body plate, a cutting knife carried thereby, a toothed unit supported on the body for rotation and for rectilinear movement toward and away from the knife, said unit being designed for operative driving connection with the under edge of a can rim, means for rotating said unit, a thrust unit oscillatably supported on the body and having an eccentric arcuate portion, said rotary unit having positive rolling driving connection with and being adapted to be supported on said arcuate portion, and means for freeing the rotary unit from said positive driving connection for free rotation upon the turning of the thrust unit to a predetermined extent in one direction, the thrust unit functioning upon turning in the said one direction to move the rotary unit toward the knife.

2. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprising a body plate, a cutting knife carried thereby, a toothed wheel rotatably supported on the body plate for rectilinear movement toward and away from the knife, the wheel being designed for peripheral driving connection with the under edge of a can rim, means for rotating the wheel, a thrust unit for effecting the positive shifting of the wheel toward the knife and comprising a body oscillatably supported upon the body plate and having an eccentric arcuate portion, means forming a positive rolling driving connection between said wheel and the arcuate portion of the thrust unit plate, said thrust unit plate being beneath and positively supporting said wheel while the wheel is in driving connection therewith, and means for disconnecting the driving connection between the wheel and the thrust unit plate for free rotation of the wheel, upon the turning of the unit to a predetermined extent in a direction to effect movement of the driving wheel toward the knife.

3. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprisin a body plate, a cutting knife carried thereby, a toothed wheel rotatably supported on the body plate for rectilinear movement toward and away from the knife, said wheel having peripheral teeth adapted to engage the under edge of a can flange to impart rotary motion to the can, a thrust member for imparting movement to the wheel toward and away from the upqnthe; body plate, a gear sector-connected with the thrust platebeneath said ;wheeland having teethqarranged eceentrie to the center of oscillation of the thrust plate, said wheel teeth being adapted for driving connection with the gear sector,teeth, means for rotating the wheelto effect oscillation of the thrust plate, the Wheel when rotated in one direction riding overand being supported by the gear sector and oscillating the thrust plate in one direction and moving the wheel toward the knife, the thrust plate. when oscillated a predetermined extent in the saidone direction movin the gear sector'out of toothed connection with the wheel, and means for bringing the toothed sector back into connection with the wheel upon opposite rotation of the wheel.

4. A can opener structure of the character stated in claim 3 in which said last means comprises a journal rotatable with the wheel and means for establishing frictional contact between the journal and a portion of the thrust unit plate upon separation of the wheel from the gear sector.

5. A can opener of the character stated in claim 3 in which the last mentioned means comprises a spring coupling between the gear sector and the thrust unit plate and a positive coupling permitting a limited relative oscillatory movement between the gear sector and the thrust unit plate, the spring being biased to shift the gear sector in a direction to effect reestablishment of the toothed connection between the sector and the toothed wheel upon reverse rotation of the wheel after the wheel has been shifted to the stated predetermined extent toward the knife.

6. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprising a body plate, a cutting knife carried thereby, a toothed rotatably mounted wheel carried by the body for movement toward and away from the knife, said wheel being designed to have its teeth operatively connected with the under edge of a can rim to effect turning of the can, means for rotating the wheel, a thrust unit for effecting movement of the wheel toward and away from the knife comprising a plate sector pivotally mounted upon the body plate and having an eccentric arcuate slot, a journal concentric with the wheel and adapted to rotate therewith and lying within said slot, an eccentric gear sector supported for coaxial oscillation with the sector plate and having toothed connection with said wheel, the gear sector being of less arcuate extent than the slot whereby upon oscillation of the sector plate to a predetermined extent in one direction to effect movement of the wheel toward the knife, the wheel will be freed from the gear sector, and means cooperating with the journal for effecting reengagement of the wheel with the gear sector upon turning of the wheel in one direction following the separation of the wheel from the gear sector.

7. A can opener of the character stated in claim 6 in which the last means comprises an elevated portion of the inner radius of the slot with which the periphery of the journal frictionally engages.

8. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprising a body plate, a cutting knife carried thereby, a toothed wheel rotatably supported on the body for movement toward and away from the knife, said wheel being designed to have the teeth thereof operatively engaged with the under edge of a can rim to impart rotary motion to the can, means for rotating the wheel, a journal 10 coupled, withthe wheel forrotation therewith, a thrust unit for effecting movement of the wheel toward and away from the knife and comprising a sector plate a pivotal coupling between the sector plate and the, body plate for oscillation of the sector plat inpa planeparalleling the body plate and transverselyof the rotary axis of the wheel, an arcuateslot-in the sector plate in which said journal positions, the journalhaving periphceral contact witlrtheouterradius of the slot and being free of contactrwith the innerradius oftheslot, the slot being eccentric .to the oscillation. center. of the sector plate, a sector gear supported for oscillation with the sector plate, the gear having teeth concentric with the slot and adapted to be engaged by the teeth of the wheel, the arcuate extent of the gear teeth being less than the extent of the slot whereby upon oscillation of the sector plate in a direction to effect movement of the wheel toward the knife the wheel teeth will run free of the gear teeth, and a shoulder formed upon the inner radius of the slot at a point to frictionally engage the periphery of the journal when the wheel teeth run free of the gear teeth.

9. A can opener structure of the character stated in claim 8 in which the gear sector is supported for independent oscillation from the sector plate, a coupling means between the gear sector and sector plate for limiting oscillation of the gear sector relative to the sector plate and a spring means coupling the gear sector and sector plate and normally urging oscillation of the gear sector toward the end of the slot in which the shoulder is formed.

10. A can opener of the rotary drive wheel type, comprising a relatively long flat plate adapted to be vertically disposed for use, the plate having a head at its upper end comprising a horizontal, lateral extension and a terminal depending extension in spaced parallel relation with the body of the plate, a can rim engaging driving wheel rotatably supported by the plate for limited movement longitudinally thereof toward and away from the head, means for rotating said wheel, a thrust mechanism forming an operative coupling between the wheel and the plate for effecting movement of the wheel toward and away from the head upon clockwise and counterclockwise rotation of the wheel, a knife secured to said depending extension for coaction with the wheel and disposed in a plane offset from the side of the wheel remote from the plate, a can rim engaging rest comprising a substantially U-shaped member having a straight central portion and spaced parallel right angularly extending end portions, the central portion of the rest being disposed across the depending portion of the head and the right angularly extending end portions of the rest extending toward the body plate whereby the bottom edges thereof lie in a plane extending across the planes of the knife and wheel, said end portions being free of connection with the body plate and means securing the rest to the head.

11. A can opener of the character stated in claim 10 in which said securing means comprises rivets passing through the central portion of the rest, the depending portion of the head and the knife blade.

12. A can opener of the character stated in claim 10 in which the knife blade comprises a fiat blade member disposed upon the side of the depending portion of the head adjacent to the body plate, the central portion of the can rest 11 being disposed across the side of said depending head portion remote from the body plate, and securing rivets passing through the knife plate, depending head portion and central can rest portion to secure said parts as a unit.

13. A can 'opener of the character stated in claim 10, with an angularly directed foot portion formed integrally with the lower end of the body plate to'.extend from the side thereof adjacent to the depending portion of the head for coaction with said rest.

14. A can opener of the character stated in claim 10, with a rigid handle member secured to and across a side face of the body plate at the The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,020,580 Schoenberger Nov. 12, 1935 2,186,668 Curtis Jan. 9, 1940

Images