US2787052A - Can opener - Google Patents

Description

G. DIAMON D April 2, 1957 CAN OPENER Filed April 19, 1954 INVENTOR.

M BY M ATTORNEY United States Patent CAN OPENER George Diamond, Flushing, N. Y.

Application April 19, 1954, Serial No. 423,896

7 Claims. (Cl. 30-46) The present invention relates to a device for opening meta-l cans containing liquid foods or beverages and particularly cans containing beer, ale, and similar beverages.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a can opener of simple construction which can be operated to perforate metal cans with the use of only one hand and without danger of tilting or tipping the can during the perforating operation.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a can opener which securely grips or clamps the bead or rim of the can in such manner that the resultant pressure on the can is in a downward direction, so that tipping of the can is prevented.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a can opener which is so constructed that it can be made with a minimum of parts and of stamped sheet metal which can be readily produced on a large scale and at low cost.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a can opener which basically is of simple plier construction, is capable of gripping and holding the can securely as the perforating member is pressed into the top of the can, so that the use of both hands to prevent tipping of the can is unnecessary, and which is composed essentially of two parts and is free from complicated mechanisms which are unappealing to persons not mechanically inclined and to women generally.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a splash guard to protect the user against spray when the opener is employed to perforate cans containing liquids under pressure, as in the case of cans containing beer or other carbonated beverages.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a can opener whose parts are so constructed and related that they lend themselves to shaping in a pleasing and attractive design.

The can opener of the present invention is composed principally of two crossed levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends in the manner of a simple pair of pliers. One of the members terminates in a sharp end constituting the perforating member, which engages the top of the can for perforating the same, while the other member is provided with a gripping end portion so constructed that it both engages against or under the bead or rim of the can as well as over and around such bead in such a manner that in the operation of the device, such end portion presses down on the bead substantially in the same direction as, but parallel to, the pressure exerted by the pointed end of the other member, so that no couple having a turning moment develops which acts to tilt the can, as is the case with known devices of plier-like construction.

The present invention contemplates also the provision of a splash guard forming a permanent part of the device, and which moves automatically into operative position as the opener is applied to a can with one hand, there being no need to employ the other hand either to fit the opener to the can, or to hold the can on a table against tilting or to put the splash guard into functioning position.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example on the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 shows a side view of the can opener in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the opener;

Fig. 3 shows the opener in position on a can just prior to the perforating operation, and shows the splash guard in operative position;

Fig. 4 shows a bottom plan view of the clamping or gripping member; while Fig. 5 illustrates a modified construction for the clamping lip.

Referring to the drawing, the can opener comprises two levers 10 and 11 formed of sheet metal and pivotally secured to each other intermediate their ends, as by means of a rivet or pin 12. The outer and longer arms 10a and 11a of the levers may be bent over as indicated at 13 to provide convenient hand grips. The shorter arm 11b of the lever 11 is provided with a clamping end which is adapted to engage the side or underside of the usual bead at the top of a can and at the same time pass over such bead and engage the rear or inner surface thereof. For this purpose, the free end of arm 11b is slightly curved as indicated at 14, so as to fit the contour of the bead of the can, while fixed to the arm is a gripping member or jaw 15 which is secured thereto by rivets 16 or by spot welding or the like. The member 15 is hook-shaped and its free end terminates approximately in the same plane as the end of the arm 11]), but is spaced therefrom by a gap 17 of such width that the bead 17a of the can is snugly engaged therewithin, as shown in Fig. 3.

The arm 10b of lever 10 overlies the arm 11b, the two arms being twisted through an angle of as indicated at 18. The arm 10b is further bent downwardly transversely of its plane, as indicated at 19, and forwardly of the hooked gripping member or jaw 15; it terminates in a point 20 which may be slightly bent, as shown in the drawing, so as to exert a force on the top of the can substantially perpendicular to such top.

A U-shaped bracket 21 having side arms 22 is spot welded or otherwise secured to the bent-down portion of the arm 10]: adjacent to the bend 19. A pivot pin 23 passes through perforations in the side arms 22 and its ends are received in the depending sides 24 of a splash guard 25 which overlies the perforating element 10c. The free end of the guard 25 preferably extends a short distance forwardly of the point 20, and the guard is preferably yieldingly urged against the perforating element by means of a coil spring 26 mounted on the pin 23, one end of the spring engaging the top surface of the perforating element or the horizontal portion of the bracket 21, while the other end engages the underside of the splash guard 25 at a point rearwardly of the pivot pin 23.

In use, the opener is held in one hand, and with the levers 10 and 11 slightly separated, the gripping member is first applied to the body of the can in such manner that the free end of the jaw 15 is first passed over the bead and by a downward movement is caused to engage against the inner face of the bead. The opener is then swung slightly downwardly to cause the edge 14 of the lower jaw to engage the side or bottom of the bead. In this way,

the bead is securely gripped and clamped by the arm 11b, and by pressing down on the arm 11a of such lever, the can is held against the table or other surface on which it rests.

The aim 10a of the lever 10 is then raised with the fingers to bring the point 20 into engagement with the top of the can, the splash guard 25 at the same time moving a short distance away from the point 20 and against the action of the spring 26. Continued lifting of the arm lllacauses the point 20 to penetrate the can and cut an approximately triangular hole therein, the splash guard being at the same time lowered into more or less horizontal position as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The guard 25 at all times overlies the opening cut into the top. of; the can, and'asits'free end is always in contact with the top of the can during the perforating; operation, any liquicl or spray that is expelled from the can as it is perforated, owing to the pressure therein or for any other reason, is caught by the guard and returned into the can.

I have found that the gripping or clamping action a:ccomplished by the gripping member 15- is so secure that the can is capable of being perforated while held suspended in the air by the opener. The gripping member, as already indicated, can be applied to the bead of the can without the aid of the other hand, while the splash guard,

as will. be clear from the above, goes intooperation automatically and without any need for manual positioning.

It will be seen from the foregoing that l have provided acan opener of extremely simple construction and made from a minimum of parts, all of which can be manufactured at low cost from stamped sheet metal, such as steel or the like.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of construction for the clamping end of arm 11b, wherein the hook member 27 is formed integrally with the arm and is shaped by bending the arm back on itself, as indicated at 28, and then bending it forwardly and downwardly to provide the gap 17 for receiving the bead of the can.

It will be noted that in both embodiments of the clamping or gripping jaw structure, the parts of such structure, namely the forward end of the arm 11b with its gripping edge 14 or 14a and the overlying jaw .15 or 15a, are so shapedand spaced that the inner face of the bead or rim and likewise the outer side thereof, or the wall of the can adjacent to the bottom of the bead, are simultaneously engaged by the clamp so as to be firmly wedged therein, the clamp being disengaged from the bead after the top of the can has been perforated upon slight counterclockwise movement of the arm 11a.

In the illustrated device, the clockwise rotation of the splash guard on its pivot is limited by the engagement by the upper rear edge of the guard against the bend 19 in such manner that the guard cannot fall rearwardly into an inoperative position, the pivot pin being so located that the guard will always fall forwardly against the perforating element c by the action of gravity should the spring be broken.

The free end portion of the upper jaw can be made sufficently long to engage not only the inner face of the bead but also the top of the can, to provide a firmer grip on the can when downward pressure is exerted on the arm 11a. At the same time, pressure is exerted by the perforating point 20 of the arm 10b against the top of the can; however, since the pressure exerted by the parts 20, and or 15a is in the same downward direction, no couple is developed and no tilting moment is exerted on the can. To facilitate cutting of the top of the can, the sides of the perforating element 10c can be beveled in known manner to provide sharp cutting edges.

Other modifications of the construction illustrated in the drawing will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, the U-shaped bracket can be dispensed with and can be replaced by lugs or cars struck up from the sides of the perforating element 10c while, if desired, the spring 26 can be omitted and the guard 25 allowed to rest on the top of the can by the action of gravity.

Iclaim:

1. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripheral bead, comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, the arms of the levers at one side of the pivot constituting hand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivot terminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, and the other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jaws spaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm so asto. grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage the inner and outer faces of the bead, the free end of the said other arm terminating in a curved edge corresponding approximately to the curvature of a cylindrical can to be opened, said curved edge constituting one of the spaced jaws, and the other jaw comprising a hook-shaped member extending from said other arm with its free end terminating approximately in the plane. of said curved edge.

2. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripherai bead, comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, the-arms of thelevers at one side of the pivot constituting hand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivot terminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, and the other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jaws spaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm so as to grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage the inner and other faces of the head, said levers being made of sheet metal, the portions constituting the hand-grip members being bent on themselves and the arms at said other side of the pivot being each bent through approximately degrees and lying in approximately horizontal planes when in use, the free end of the said one arm being bent toward the other arm and tapering to the said perforating point.

3. An opener as defined in claim 2, wherein one of the jaws is in the form of a hook-shaped member secured to the said other arm.

4. An opener as defined in claim 2, wherein the end portion of the said other arm is bent on itself rearwardly, and then forwardly and downwardly to provide the said spacedjaws.

5. An opener for metal cans and the like having a peripheral bead, comprising a pair of levers pivoted to each other intermediate their ends, the arms of the levers at one side of the pivot constituting hand-grip members, one of the arms at the other side of the pivot terminating in a point for perforating the top of a metal container, and the other arm at said other side of the pivot being provided with jaws spaced substantially in line with the extension of said other arm so as to grip between them the bead at the top of the can and engage the inner and outer faces of the bead, and a splash guard of approximately channel cross section and pivotally mounted at one end on the said one arm at a point spaced from the free pointed end of such arm, said splash guard being adapted to receive within it the cutting end portion of the said one arm and thereby prevent injury by said pointed end in the idle condition of the opener.

6. An opener as defined in claim 5, including a spring normally urging the splash guard against the end portion of the said one arm.

7. An opener as defined in claim 5, wherein said splash guard normally extends beyond the pointed end of said one arm so as to engage the top of the can to be perforated at a region spaced from the perforated area of the can, so that the free end of the splash guard slides alogg the top of the can as the perforating operation procee 5.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,626,052 Schaefer Apr. 26, 1927 1,641,054 Schanning Aug. 30, 1927 1,662,172 Schaefer Mar. 13, 1928 2,077,675 Cross Apr. 20, 1937 2,253,481 Eberts Aug. 19, 1941 2,280,336 Maihack Apr. 21, 1942 2,317,541 Leck Apr. 27, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 571,757 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1945

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