US2776477A - Can opener with sliding base - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1957 R. A. WITHERS 2,776,477

CAN OPENER WITH SLIDING BASE Filed Dec. 23. 1955 2 She ets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR. Raymond A. IW/zers L .M Af/j 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 8, 1957 R. A. WITHERS CAN OPENER WITH SLIDING BASE Filed Dec. 25; 1955 I I C ,4 B 0 Fig 6 INVENTOR. Raymond/1. Wfilrers United States Patent CAN OPENER WITH SLIDING BASE Raymond A. Withers, Belmont, Calif.

Application December 23, 1955, Serial No. 555,044

1 Claim. (Cl. 3010) This invention relates to improvements in can openers and has particular reference to a can opener which will serve for the opening of any style of can, irrespective of its size.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a can opener wherein a sliding base permits the can support to be moved toward or away from the punching elements so as to accommodate cans of various sizes.

A further object is to produce a device of this character which is economical tomanufacture, easy to install and one having a minimum number of parts.

A still further object is to produce a device of this character which will take up a minimum amount of space when secured to the supporting structure.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a side elevation of my improved can opener;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the can support having a portion thereof broken away;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a can having a hole punched therein; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the supporting bar before being bent.

Ordinary can openers, particularly the punching type, will accommodate only a given size can. Applicant has therefore devised a can opener which is adjustable for small cans, medium size cans, or large cans and has produced a can opener which will automatically position the can support with relation to the height of the can, after which the punching element will form an opening in the can, together with a pouring spout.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a U-shaped bar which is provided with V cuts 6 and 7 and with V cuts 8 and 9. The result of this construction is that when portions A and B are folded, a right-angled bend will be formed in the bar and then the ends C and D are further bent at right angles to form end portions in paral- 2,776,477 Patented Jan. 8, 1957 ice lel alignment with the face of the bar when in supporting position.

The portions C and D are punched as well as aligned with said bar so that supporting screws 11 and 12 may extend therethrough to support the bar as a whole from a supporting structure such as a wall.

Secured to the top of the bar by the screw 12 is a bracket 13 to which is pivoted as at 14 a handle 16 having a punching element 17. It will be noted that the bracket 13 has two cut- away portions 18 and 19 for the reception of the top beaded portion of a can, such as shown at 21 in Fig. 5.

Referring now to Fig. 3 it will be noted that the base member 22 is pivoted as at 23 to a slider 24 mounted on the bar 5 and having a pair of pinch pins 26 and 27 and a spring-pressed detent 28, which detent is best shown in Fig. 3.

In use the support 22 is moved to a horizontal position, a can is placed thereon and the same moved upwardly until it comes in contact with one of the cut-away portions 18 or 19, after which the weight of the can on the support 22 will cant the same downwardly, causing the pinch pins 26 and 27 to tightly engage the bar 5, and to hold the can and the support in adjusted position.

The handle 16 is now moved from a vertical position to the position of Fig. 1 and the punching element 17 will cut through the top of the can and cause an opening 29 therein and a pouring spout 31.

As soon as the can is removed, the spring detent 28 will push outwardly, thus releasing the pinching action and the support 22 will drop to its lowermost position ready for the next can to be placed thereon.

It will thus be seen that I have accomplished all of the objects above set forth. It is to be understood that the form of my invention shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A can opener having a U-shaped bar, the end portion of said bar being bent at right angles to form a U-shaped supporting member, a pivoted punching element secured to said supporting member at a point adjacent its upper end, a sliding can support mounted on said supporting member, means for locking said can support on said supporting member, said means comprising a pair of pinch pins engaging opposite sides of said supporting member, and spring releasing means carried by said sliding support for releasing said sliding support when the load is removed therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,540,541 Myers Feb. 6, 1951 2,663,077 Fortune et a1. Dec. 22, 1953 2,712,177 Bauer July 5, 1955 2,722,737 Withers Nov. 8, 1955

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