US2582504A

US2582504A - Power can opener

Info

Publication number: US2582504A
Application number: US205150A
Authority: US
Inventors: Adelbert B Reed
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-01-09
Filing date: 1951-01-09
Publication date: 1952-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 1969-01-15

Description

Jan. 15, 1952 I A. B. REED 2,582,504

POWER CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 9, 1951 4 .R\ 0" 17 ,ea 24 Z 11 Z0 12 l 19 r Ill ve /0% wider 12 fleed Patented Jan. 15, 1952 POWER CAN OPENER Adelber-t B.'Reed, Newton Center, Mass.

Application January 9, 1951(Serial No. 205,150

6 Glaim's.

This invention relates to powered can'openers particularly of the type having rotary feeding and cutting wheels and has for one object to provide a can opener of light construction which may be operated with one hand leaving the other hand free to advance and set aside the cans and dispose of the tops.

Other objects are to simplify the construction of the can so as to eliminate the cans and bevel gears usually required for bringing the aforesaid'cutting and feedin wheels into operation, to adjust the position and speedof the cutting wheel as scams or other irregularities are encountered, and to render these wheels more accessible for cleaning and sterilization.

In one aspect the present invention comprises a motor having a casing from which a rotating drive shaft extends forwardly, a toothed drive wheel for engagement under the lip of a can carried by the drive shaft, a handle for supporting the casing disposed longitudinally thereof, and a lever carrying a cutting disk for causing the cutting disk to pierce the top of the can and move into operative relation with the drive wheel, the lever being pivotally mounted on the casing so as to extend between the casin and the handle and afford one-handed operation in which the resiliency of the operators hand yieldingly holds the disk and wheel in operative relation. Preferably the lever is pivoted at a point below the axis of the cutting disk. If the disk is mounted coaxially with the lever, the pivot will also be below the lever.

Ina more specific aspect the lever comprises a straight 'rod anchored in a block which is pivotally supported on the casing below the axis of the rod.

In another aspect a leaf spring support member extends forwardly of the block andcarr-ies a-mag-net movable with the rod and block into contact with the top of the can to be opened. Preferably the support member has a downwardly directed extension adapted to bear on the forward face of the cutting disk to hold the cutting disk on the forward end of the abovementioned lever.

"In still another aspect a switch for starting the motor is located at the forward endof the above-mentioned handle for actuation by the operators thumb.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment of the invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings in which Figs. "1 and 2 are side elevations of a can op n r;

Fig. '3 is a planview;

Fig. 4 is 'an end elevation, parts being omi-tted; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on 1ine-55--o'f Fig. 1.

Atypical embodiment shown 'for the purpose of illustration in the drawings includes generally

cylindrical housing portions

1 and 2 covering respectively an electric motorand reduction gears. Extending forwardly from the rear endof the motor casing I is a handle 3 :of tubula-r material which encloses wires connected between the motor and a -push-button switchl at the forward upturned end of the handle. The forward end of the handle 3 is supported by a strap 16 fixed to the reduction gear housing 2. Extending forwardly from the *gear housing 2 is a shaft 6 driven by 'the'motorwhich carries at its end a toothed drive wheel 1. At the forward end of the gear housing 2 is a forwardly extending shoulder 5 against which a yoke 8 is fixed by a knurled nut l5. Supported in the yoke by a pivot pin It) is a block 9. A straight cylindrical rod H is anchored in the block 8 by threads at its forward end which are engaged in the block, and by a knurled nut 23 locked against the block. The rod H carries at its forward end a composite wheel including a cutting disk l3 and a positioning disk l2. The wheel I2-|3 fits on a portion 29 of reduced diameter at the forward end of the rod (Figs. Band 4). A stop M on the top of the motor casing l holds the after end of the rod spaced from the casing l.

Pivoted on the top of the block 9 is a "forwardly extending leaf spring I! carrying "at its forward end a permanent magnet 18 having a flat under face IS. The magnet is loosely suspendedfrom the leaf spring by a screw 26 which permits angular adjustment of the magnet face. The leaf spring is folded at its forward end to provide a downwardly directed extension 2! having bifurcations-28 at the lower end thereof. The bifurcations 28 straddle the reduced portion 29 at theforward end of the rod all to lock the extension 2'! in a position in which it yieldingl bears on the forward face of the cutting disk is and retains the cutting and positioning disk on the'rod ll. Owing to the resiliency-of the support I1 the bifurcated endof the extension 21 may be sprung away from the reduced portion 29, to allow the support l1, magnet-l8 and extension 2'! to be swung to the position shown in Fig. 3., so that the cutting and .positioning disk may be readily slipped off the rod Ii for cleaning. To facilitate swinging the support 2! to one side, the screw 24 pivoting the support to the block 9, is set in the block with a slight clearance between the support and the screw. This clearance is taken up when the support is sprung to lock the bifurcations on the reduced portion 29 of the rod II.

According to the present invention the rod H acts as a lever for swinging the cutting disk i3 downwardly into operative relation with the motor driven toothed wheel 7. By arranging the pivot l ofi the axis of the lever a very simple attachment of the cutting wheel coaxially with the rod II is permitted. The block 9 is pivoted below the axis of the rod H and the cutting disk I3 in order to bring the pivot point of the cutting disk i3 closer to the axis of the drive wheel 1, so that as the cutting disk is swung into operative relation with the drive wheel the cutting disk engages the top of the can C at right angles to the top and does not have a component of rearward motion tending to thrust it forward. The cutting and positioning disks may therefore be held on the red by the moderate pressure exerted by the leaf spring support I! and its extension 21, there being no tendency for it to thrust against the bifurcated end 28 of the extension when it is caused to pierce the top of the can.

As shown in Fig. 2 the can opener is adapted to be supported in one hand by the handle 3. Normally the lever or rod H by its own weight assumes a position against the stop M as shown in Fig. 1. When it is desired to apply the opener to a can, finger of the hand supporting the opener are inserted through the spacing provided by the stop 14 under the rod H. The toothed wheel I is then positioned under the lip L of a can C, and the cutting wheel I3 is disposed above the top of the can. The rod H is then squeezed toward the handle 3 by the fingers and palm of the operators hand, the thumb being left free to operate the switch 4 at the forward end oi the handle 3. Preferably the motor is started by pressing the switch 4 before sumcient pressure is applied to cause the cutting disk to penetrate the top of the can C. As the cutting disk l3 pierces the can the positioning disk !2 engages the outside of the lip L positively fixing the cutting disk in relation to the lip. The speed of the cutting disk is varied according to the'gauge of metal in the can by tightening or loosening the pressure on the rod ll. For example in opening a small can of light gauge, it is desirable to decrease the cutting speed by increasing manual pressure so that the interaction of the cutting disk and drive wheel applies a braking action to the motor.

It is apparent that by employing a straight rod disposed between the casing and the handle an extremely simplified mounting is provided for the cutting disk. At the same time the natural resiliency of the operators hand permits the rod to adjust the speed and position of the cutting disk as the cutting disk rides over a seam, dent or other irregularity in the can and thus prevent damage to the motor or the cutting disk. All the operations of engaging the can, adjusting for irregularities, varying the speed and disengaging the cutting disk and severed top are reduced by the present invention to a simple manipulation of the rod l I.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and 4 equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle on the casing for manually supporting the casing, a lever pivotally mounted on the casing and extending between the handle and the casing, and 'a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the lever, said disk being movable with the lever in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, whereby said opener may be applied to a can by squeezing the lever toward the handle with one hand to swing the disk against the top of the can.

2. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle extending longitudinally of the casing for manually supporting the casing, a lever pivotally mounted on the casing and extending between the handle and the casing, and a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the lever, said disk being movable with the lever in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, and said lever being pivoted to said casing below the axis of said disk, whereby said opener may be applied to a can by squeezing the lever toward the handle with one hand to swing the disk against the top of the can.

3. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle extending longitudinally of the casing for manually supporting the casing, a yoke fixed to said casing and extending upwardly therefrom, a block pivotally mounted in the yoke, a straight rod fixed in said block to extend between the handle and the casing, and a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the rod, said disk being movable with the rod in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, said block being pivoted to said yoke below the lever, whereby said opener may be applied to a can by squeezing the lever toward the handle with one hand to swing the disk against the top of the can.

4. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extendingtherefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle on the casing for manually supporting the casing, a lever pivotally mounted on the casing and extending between the handle and the casing, a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the lever, said disk being movable with the lever in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, said lever being pivoted on the casing at a point below the axis of said disk, a support member extending forwardly of the cutting disk and mounted to move with said lever, a downwardly directed extension from said member, the lower end of said member having an operative position in which it resiliently bears on the forward face of the cutting disk to hold the cutting disk on the shaft, and said member being pivotally mounted to swing the extension from its operative position out of line with the cutting disk, whereby the cutting disk may be removed for cleaning.

5. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle on the casing for manually supporting the casing, a lever pivotally mounted on the casing and extending between the handle and the casing, a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the lever, said disk being movable with the lever in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, said lever being pivoted on the casing at a point below the axis of said disk, mounted to move with said lever a leaf spring member extending forwardly of the cutting disk, a downwardly directed extension from said member, the lower end of the extension having a bifurcated portion for straddling the forward end of the lever and locking said portion in an operative position in which said lower end bears on the forward face of the cutting disk to hold the cutting disk on the shaft, and said spring member being pivotally mounted to swing the extension from its operative position out of line with the cutting disk, whereby the cutting disk may be removed for cleaning.

6. A powered can opener comprising a motor having a casing and a rotating shaft extending therefrom, a toothed wheel on said shaft disposed forwardly of the casing for engagement under the lip of the can, a handle on the casing for manually supporting the casing, a lever piv- 6 otally mounted on the casing and extending between the handle and the casing, a cutting disk rotatively mounted on the forward end of the lever, said disk being movable with the lever in and out of operative juxtaposition with said wheel, said lever being pivoted on the casing at a point below the axis of said disk and having a portion of reduced diameter at its forward end, mounted to move with said lever a leaf spring member extending forwardly of the cutting disk, a magnet carried by the spring member for engaging and lifting the top of the can, a downwardly directed extension from said member, the lower end of the extension having a bifurcated portion for straddling the forward end of the lever and locking said portion in an operative position in which said lower end bears on the forward face of the cutting disk to hold the cutting disk on the shaft, and said spring member being pivotally mounted to swing the extension from its operative position out of line with the cutting disk, whereby the cutting disk may be removed for cleaning.

ADELBERT B. REED.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Powers Dec. 9, 1941 Number