US2800712A

US2800712A - Can opener means

Info

Publication number: US2800712A
Application number: US410766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Horace F Jernegan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-02-17
Filing date: 1954-02-17
Publication date: 1957-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1974-07-30

Description

July 30, 1957 H. F. JERNEGAN 2,800,712

CAN OPENER MEAN Filed Feb 17,, 1954 FIG. 3.

|2 I4 INVENTOR HORACE F. JERNEGAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent CAN OPENER MEANS Horace F. Jernegan, Siasconset, Mass.

Application February 17, 1954, Serial No. 410.766 4 Claims. (Cl. 3(l1) This invention relates to an opener for rimless and other types of cans.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cheaply constructed standard which may be used with conventional can openers for opening cans containing liquids, semi-liquids, and solid materials, such as beer, fruit juices, vegetables, and for paints and other commodities.

A further object is to provide a can standard that may be furnished with one or more cans gratis due to its cheapness.

An additional object is to provide a can standard consisting of a single piece of material, such as sheet metal, for use with a conventional can opener whereby to enable the latter to readily open or puncture a rimless can.

Other objects will appear hereinafter throughout the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a conventional can opener; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a can with parts thereof broken away, shown with a can opener and the device of this invention.

Referring to the drawings, indicates the shank portion of the standard. The lower end of the shank portion is provided with a substantially right-angled support or foot 12 for supporting the can. Preferably, the juncture of the foot with the shank includes a depressed portion 14, in order that the standard may be used to open cans having rims as Well as cans of the rimless type, the depressed portion merely serving to accommodate a rim of a can of the first-mentioned type.

The upper portion of the shank is provided with a turned-over or slightly hook-shaped end 16. This end accommodates the downwardly-extending boss 18 of the conventional opener 20, which latter was provided with the usual sharpened cutting element 22 and a handle portion 24.

Numerous types of cans, especially cans for dispensing milk in liquid or flaked form are of the rimless type. It is not possible to use with such cans, a conventional can opener such as indicated at 20. Such cans may be readily opened by the device of the present invention by merely inserting the foot 12 of the standard 10 beneath the base of the can. With the can resting on this foot, and with its axis parallel to the shank portion 10 of the standard, it is only necessary to insert the downwardlyextending boss of conventional opener 20 beneath the turned-over end of the standard, When the handle 24 is pulled upwardly, the can will be punctured by the pointed end 22. The can may then be rotated on the support 12 and the operation repeated to provide a second puncture or hole in the top of the can.

Due to the fact that the device of this invention may be made from a single stamping of metal, the cost of same will be negligible. It can be used with any conventional type of can opener or can puncturing device, such as shown in the figure of the drawings.

The above description and drawings disclose a single embodiment of the invention, and specific language has been employed in describing the several figures. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitations of the scope of the invention are thereby contemplated, and that various alterations and modifications may be made such as would occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

I claim:

1. A standard for use with a can opener having a downwardly-extending boss, and a sharpened cutting element extending beneath said opener and spaced from said boss, said standard comprising a shank portion, a foot extending adjacent the lower end of said shank portion, and a turned-over end adjacent the upper end of said shank portion whereby said foot is adapted to support a can whilst the boss of said opener is in engagement with the said turned-over end of said support during the opening of said can, said turned-over end extending in the opposite direction from said foot, said standard turned-over end and said can opener downwardlyextending boss forming facing hook members engageable with and disengageable from each other, whereby when said hook members are in engagement with each other said can opener boss may rotate against a surface of said standard turned-over end to thereby permit operation of said can opener on a can supported by said foot.

2. A standard for use with a can opener having a curved downwardly extending boss and a sharpened cutting element extending beneath said opener and spaced from said boss, said standard comprising a shank portion, a foot extending adjacent the lower end of said shank portion, and a downwardly curved, turned-over end adjacent the upper end of said shank portion whereby said foot is adapted to support a can while the boss of said opener is in engagement with the said turned-over end of said support during the opening of said can, said standard turned-over end and said curved downwardly extending boss of said can opener forming facing hook members engageable with and disengageable from each other, whereby when said hook members are in engagement with each other said can opener boss may rotate against a curved surface of said standard turned-over end to thereby permit operation of said can opener on a can supported by said foot.

3. A standard for use with a can opener having a downwardly-extending boss, and a sharpened cutting element extending beneath said opener and spaced from said boss, said standard comprising a shank portion, a foot extending adjacent the lower end of said shank portion, and a turned-over end adjacent the upper end of said shank portion whereby said foot is adapted to support a can whilst the boss of said opener is in engagement with the said turned-over end of said support during the opening of said can, said turned-over end extending in the opposite direction from said foot, said foot, turned-over end, and shank portion comprising a single piece of metal stamping, said standard turned-over end and said can opener downwardly-extending boss forming facing hook members engageable with and disengageable from each other, whereby when said hook members are in engagement with each other said can opener boss may rotate against a surface of said standard turned-over end to thereby permit operation of said can opener on a can supported by said foot.

4. A standard for use with a can opener having a curved downwardly extending boss and a sharpened cutting element extending beneath said opener and spaced from said boss, said standard comprising a shank portion, a foot extending adjacent the lower end of said shank portion, and a downwardly curved, turned-over end adjacent the upper end of said shank portion whereby said foot is adapted to support a can while the boss of said opener is in engagement with the said turned-over end of said support during the opening of said can, said foot, said downwardly curved turned-over end and said shank portion comprising a single piece of metal stamping, said standard turned-over end and said curved downwardly extending boss of said can opener forming facing hook members engageable with and disengageable from each other, whereby when said hook members are in engagement with each other said can opener boss may rotate against a curved surface of said standard turnedover end to thereby permit operation of said can opener on a can supported by said foot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 470,024 Welch Mar. 1, 1892 1,280,675 Cullen Oct. 8, 1918 1,452,287 Burke Apr. 17, 1923 2,638,666 Mayo et a1 May 19, 1953 2,677,882 Scheringer May 11, 1954