US2738577A

US2738577A - Can piercing device

Info

Publication number: US2738577A
Application number: US525977A
Authority: US
Inventors: Uhrin John
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1955-08-02
Filing date: 1955-08-02
Publication date: 1956-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 1973-03-20

Description

March 20, 1956 J. UHRlN 2,738,577

CAN PIERCING DEVICE Filed Aug. 2, 1955 INVENTOR. JOHN UH RIN PAR KER 2^ CARTER ATTO RNEYS United States Patent() CAN PIERCING DEVICE John Uhrin, Kenosha, Wis. Application August 2, 1955, Serial No. 525,977 2 Claims. (Cl. Sil-6.1)

My invention relates to can piercing devices and more particularly to a device that will pierce a pouring spout and an air vent into the top of a can or container.

The object of my invention is to provide a piercing device that enables the user to pierce two openings with a single operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device in which a pair of apertures may be pierced into the top of a can, one aperture being especially adapted for use as a pouring spout, and the other an elongated aperture to form an air vent for the can while its contents are being poured.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a piercing means having a pair of blades adjustably mounted, to space the pouring aperture and the vent at any predetermined distance from each other.

A further object of my invention is to slidably support the blades in a manner to prevent their disengagement from the support. y It is common practice to pierce the cover of a container or can containing liquid beverages or the like, with an aperture for pouring the contents of the can, and another aperture to permit air to enter the can while the liquid is being poured. This is generally done by the user in two separate operations, using the outer peripheral edge of a can or container as' a guide or fulcrum for the piercing device.

The device shown and described herein provides a single unit having a pair of slidably supported piercing points that may be set at any predetermined position in their relation to each other, and means for enabling the operator to force both points into engagement with, and through the top of the container n one operation. The tool described is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, yet highly efficient for the purpose for which it is intended.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceedsl when l taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of one form of device having a rounded knob at its upper end, and showing the device in operative position relative to a can, with the top of the can shown in cross section.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the device taken at the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a modified form of device in which the top end of the unit is in the form of a at plate, and the said device has a cork pulling means pivotally attached to the side of the body.

Figure 4 is a top view of the device shown in Figure 2, but having its top plate extended laterally to provide a means for removing a bottle cap, and also having a blade for forming a means to be inserted between a frictionally engaged cover of a can or bottle for removing the cover by lever action. f

Figure 5 is a cross section of the device shown in Figure 3 taken on the line 5-5 thereof.

2,738,577 Patented Mar. 20,y 1956 ICC Referring to details of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures l and` 2 of the drawings, the device has a body consisting of a knob'10-at the: upper end of a vertical shank 11 terminating ina hollow cross support 12 at its bottom. Said cross support consists of. spaced

upright side walls

12 and 12",` closed at the top 13 and at the bottom 14 as shown, and open at both ends to accommodate two sliding blade supports therein. One blade support 15 has a downwardly projecting integral point 16 at its outer end, for forming an air vent.

The second blade support 17 has a blade 18 at its free end for piercing the pouring aperture. In the form shown, said blade 18 is made of a separate piece, pointed at its lower end, and V-shaped in horizontal section and extending inwardly along opposite sides of the blade support 17. Said V-shaped blade 18 is attached to the end of the second blade support 17 by an upright channel member 18 xed along the crotch of the V-shaped blade, and with its side walls xed to opposite sides of the blade support 17 as by welding (see Figure 2). The end of the blade support 17 is also provided with a depending rounded knifelike surface 19 for forming an inwardly elongated cut as the point 18 pierces a pouring spout into the top of the can, which elongated cut is indicated at 20 in Figure l.

The blade supports 15 and 18 are slidably mounted in the cross support 12 so as to extend in oppositely extending telescopic relation to each other to permit adjustment of the

points

16 and 18 toward one another 0r away from one another as the size of the can may require. A thumb screw 29 may be threaded through one side wall 12 of the cross support 12 to hold the blade supports 15 and 17 in any desired xed position of adjustment relative to each other. Said blade supports are also provided with outwardly extending

knobs

22 and 23, respectively, on their inner faces, adjacent their opposite ends. These knobs are designed to frictional- 1y engage the opposed face of the other blade support, and also to engage each other for limiting extending movement of the blade supports between the

walls

12 and 12".

Figure 3 shows a modied form of the device, which has a top plate 24 cut out at 25 along one edge to form a conventional bottle opener for removing bottle caps. The top plate also has a concave blade 26 along its opposite edge to act as a wedge for insertion between a can cover and the can when the cover frictionally engages the top of the can, the blade 26 acting as a prying agent with a lever action.

A cork puller 27 may also be mounted on one side of the vertical shank 11. This cork puller 27 is shown with its upper end pivoted at 25 on said shank and is merely an additional accessory and not a necessary part of the invention but an aid in the utility of the device when assembled as a unit.

Although I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described but that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a device for piercing can tops and the like, an upright body having a hollow cross support at its lower end, two blade supports extending from opposite ends of said cross support and mounted in the latter for endwise telescopic adjustment relative to each other, each of said blade supports having an integral downturned piercing blade at its outer end, an auxiliary piercing blade, V-shaped in cross-section, fixed in the outer end of one of said blade supports and extending inwardly along opposite sides of the latter to cooperate with the downturned piercing blade therebetween to produce an elongated generally V-shaped cut, and clamping means on said cross support to hold said blades in adjusted posi tions relative to said cross support.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the blade supports have projections on adjacent sides thereof for limiting their sliding movement in said cross support, relative to each other, and the clamping means consists of References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kempf Aug. 14, 1900 Rook Sept. 3, 1912 Schwartzberg Sept. 9, 1919