US2814412A - Device for removing circumferential sealing bands from cans - Google Patents

Description

- Nov. 26, 1957 E. J. BRASSEUR 2,8

DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING. BANDS FROM CANS Filed June 20, 1955 INVEN TOR.

2,814,412 DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING BANDS FROM CANS Filed June 20, 1955 Nov. 26, 1957 E. J; BRASSEUR 2 She ets-Sheet 2 EElw 5Z/V657'J. 52/055608 INVENTOR.

BY I i "2 v DEVICE FOR REMOVING CIRCUMFERENTIAL SEALING BANDS FROM CANS Ernest J. Brasseur, Los Angeles, Calif. Application June 20, 1955, Serial No. 516,490 7 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to devices for removing the circumferential sealing strips or bands from conventional coffee cans and the like, which sealing bands are removably bonded. to the cans by solder or the like. Such a can. has a lid at one end that is secured circumferentially by the removable band.

A small winding key is furnished with each can and is usually lightly bonded to one end of the can for easy removal. This winding key typically comprises a piece of stiff wire that is looped at one end to form a handle and is both flattened and slotted at the other end to receive the starting end of the sealing band. Such a key, however, is too small to be manipulated with ease for the removal of a sealing band and it is difficult to rotate the key in a sufficiently stable manner to cause the band to wind in the form of a single, simple spiral. In the absence of means to stabilize the rotation of the key relative to the can, the sealing band wraps itself around the key in an irregular manner to make the task progressively difiicult.

The broad object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple device to eliminate these difiiculties and to simplify for housewives. the task of opening coffee cans and the like. For this purpose the invention provides a base member to seat against the lid end of the can and further provides a rotary member journalled in the base member, which rotary member is equipped with jaw means to grip the handle portion of the key.

To use the invention the key is applied to the end of the sealing band on the can to initiate the winding operation, the lid end of the can is then seated on the base member and the handle portion of the key is gripped by the rotary jaw means. The jaw means is then rotated about the axis of the shank of the key for the desired winding and peeling action.

When the key is rotated in this manner to wind the sealing band thereon, the pull on the sealing band by the key is resisted by the solder bonding the band. This resistance tends to cause the can to rotate about the axis of the key and if such rotation were permitted it would slide the can clear off the base member. The invention further includes, therefore, means carried by the base member for contact with the periphery of the can to limit such rotary displacement of the can on the base member.

In the preferred practice of the invention a single projection on the base member is provided for this purpose, this projection being spacedfrom the rotary jaw means for peripheral contact with the can to block the tendency of the can to slide off the seat surface. Thus the peeling action caused by winding the sealing band onto the key simply moves the can into peripheral or tangential abutment against the base member projection and at this position further peeling action causes the can to rotate substantially about its own axis. The projection, of course, is spaced from the rotary winding jaws in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can.

In this regard, a feature of the preferred practice of 2,814,4l2 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 the invention is the positioning of the base member projection at an angle of less than degrees from the position of the key in the rotary jaw means, the apex of the 90 degree angle being at the axis of the can. The projection, moreover, has a relatively extensive surface for abutment with cans to make it possible to use the device with cans of different configurations and of widely different cross-sectional dimension. Thus a can of relatively small diameter or cross-sectional dimension, abuts the base member projection at a point relatively close to the gripped key and a can of larger diameter or cross-sectional dimension abuts the projection at greater distance from the key.

As will be explained, further features of the invention relate to the specific. construction and arrangement of the rotary jaw means. These features along with other objects and advantages. of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, whichv are to illustrative:

Fig. l is, a perspective view of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention with a can shown thereon in phantom;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device at the beginning of a band-peeling operation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontalv section. taken. as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the can at a later stage of the peeling action;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of. the device showing the. configurations of various cans thereon;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the rotary jaw means in open position to receive the handle portion of a key;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the jaw means taken as indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated by the line 7- 7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing how an adapter may be substituted, for the rotary jaw assembly and crank in a further practice of the invention.

The principal parts of the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings include a base member, generally designated, by numeral 10, that has a planar seating surface 12 for sliding contact. with the lid end of a can C that has a circumferential sealing band. If desired, this seating surface 12 may be broken by a series of grooves 14.

Preferably the base member 10 is adapted for mounting on a Wall. For this purpose the. base member 10 is provided with a mounting flange 15 to wedge into a wall bracket 16 in a well known manner. The wall bracket 1'6 may be made of sheet metal with a central web 18 adapted for mounting on. a. wall 20 by suitable screws 22. The wall bracket 16 is shaped. to form two grooves 24 and these grooves are inclined to form a Wedge channel for the tapered mounting flangev 15. A suitable thumb screw 25 may be advantageously threaded into the mounting flange 15 for abutment against the wall bracket 16 to make the base member 10 rigid relative to the wall.

In accord with; the invention, the base member 10 is formed with a circular opening 26 to journal a rotary jaw assembly, generally designated by numeral 28,. that is adapted to grip a conventional winding key K in, the manner shown in Figs. 1,. 2 and 3. The shank of the key K is engaged by the rotary jaw assembly in position extending upward along the axis of the jaw assembly, The key is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in initial winding. engagement with the end of the sealing band or ribbon 30 of the. can C, the can resting on the planar seating surface 12 of the, base member 10.

In the construction shown, the rotary jaw assembly 28 be regarded as merely includes a rotary body 32 having a radial flange 34 that seats in a circumferential recess 35 in the circular opening 26. The rotary body 32 lies wholly on one side of the plane of the seating surface 12 of the base member 10 and preferably the end 36 of the rotary body is flush with that surface as shown. The rotary body has a suitable aperture 33 extending inward from its end 36 to receive the winding key K and suitable jaw means is provided to grip or clamp the key K in this aperture.

The jaw means may comprise a single jaw or clamp member 40 that is movably mounted in the aperture 38 to cooperate with one longitudinal surface 42 of the aperture for clamping engagement with the key K. For this purpose the aperture 38 is so dimensioned and so located that when the key is pressed against the longitudinal aperture surface 42 the shank of the key lies along the axis of rotation of the rotary body 32.

The clamp member 40 may be in the form of an upright plate with a short flange 44 at its upper end turned towards the longitudinal aperture surface 42, this flange being formed with a central notch 45 to receive and center the shank of the key K. The width of the end flange 44 is less than the diameter of the key shank and the notch 45 is cut to a depth to permit the key shank to lie flat against the inner face of the clamp member 40. By virtue of this arrangement the clamp member 40 may be moved towards the longitudinal aperture surface 42 to cause the handle and part of the shank of the key K to be placed under gripping pressure by extensive portions of both the clamp member 40 and the aperture surface 42, as shown in Fig. 2.

Any suitable means may be employed to control the jaw or clamp member 40 for releasably engaging a key K. In this embodiment of the invention the clamp member 40 is rigidly. mounted on an elongated block 46 that is slidingly mounted in a transverse passage 48, this transverse passage intersecting the aperture 38. In the construction shown the transverse passage 48 comprises a diametrical groove in the lower end of the rotary body 32, this end of the rotary body extending below the base member 10. A crank arm 50 is mounted on this lower end of the rotary body 32 by suitable screws 52. The crank arm has a cylindrical wall 54 embracing the end of the rotary body and has a web 55 that extends across the lower end of the body as a bottom wall to complete the transverse passage 48.

Both the elongated block 46 and the transverse passage 48 in which it is slidingly mounted are preferably of square or rectangular cross section. In the construction shown the clamp member 40 is apertured to receive a reduced end portion 56 of the elongated block 46 and this reduced end portion is embraced by a retaining collar 58. The reduced end portion 56 may be peened for anchorage of the retaining collar.

The elongated block 46 may be moved along the transverse slot 48 by a suitable clamping screw 60 which extends through a radial bore 62 in the cylindrical wall 54 of the crank arm and which is threaded into a longitudinal bore 64 in the elongated block. The clamping screw 60 has a knurled head 65 to facilitate manual rotation.

To hold the clamping screw 60 against longitudinal or axial movement while permitting free rotation thereof, the shank of the clamping screw extends through an aperture 66 of an angular clip 68 that is mounted on the crank arm 50 by a pair of the previously mentioned screws 52. The shank of the clamping screw has a pair of circumferential flanges 70 in abutment with opposite sides of the angular clip 68. Thus when the clamping screw 60 is rotated, the angular clip 68 holds it against longitudinal movement so that rotation of the clamping screws results in corresponding longitudinal movement of the elongated block 46 in the transverse passage 48.

Since the jaw or clamp member 40 extends upright from the elongated block 46 and engages a key K at a distance above the elongated block, the tightening of the clamping screw 60 creates a moment in reaction to the clamping engagement, which moment tends to rotate the elongated block 46 clockwise in a vertical plane as viewed in Fig. 2. As a result the outer end of the elongated block presses upward in the transverse passage 48 and the inner end, i. e., the retaining collar 58 presses downward against the transverse passage. In this regard it is to be noted that the elongated configuration of the block 46 is important in that it spaces these two pressure points relatively far apart for increased effectiveness and minimum looseness or play of the elongated block in the transverse passage.

The manner in which the invention functions for its purpose may be readily understood from the foregoing description. In preparation for opening a can C, the winding key K that accompanies the can is engaged with the end of the sealing ribbon or band 30 and is given a twist to initiate the Winding of the band on the key to a sufficient extent to cause the band to hold the key.

With the jaw or clamp member 40 retracted away from the aperture surface 42 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the can C is placed on the seating surface 12 of the base member 10 with the handle portion of the key extending into the aperture 38 between the clamp member 40 and the aperture surface 42. With the shank of the key registering with the central notch 45 of the clamp member, the clamping screw 60 is manually rotated to shift the clamp member towards the aperture surface 42 to clamp the key against the aperture surface as shown in Fig. 2.

The operator then grasps the crank handle 53 and rotates the rotary body 32 until the sealing band or ribbon 30 is completely peeled away from the can. The can C tends to rotate about the axis of the key K during this peeling action and this tendency causes the can to press against the upright projection or stop member 72 as shown in Fig. 3. With the stop member 72 blocking lateral shift of the can, the can rotates about its own axis on the seating surface 12 as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 until the winding action peels the sealing ribbon or band 30 free from the can. It is then a simple matter to turn the released can upright for removal of the lid.

It is to be noted that the projection or stop member 72 is positioned on the margin of the seating surface 12 of the face member 10 at a position less than degrees from the axis of the rotary jaw assembly 28. This angle may be considered as measured either from the center of the seating surface 12 or from the axis of a can seated against that surface. Preferably the stop member 72 has a fiat surface as shown for peripheral contact with the cans and the lateral dimension of this surface is sufficient to cooperate with cans of the different diameters or radial dimensions that are commonly encountered in the kitchen.

Fig. 4 shows how the stop member 72 makes contact with various cans of various configurations and dimensions to hold the cans on the seating surface 12 of the base member 10 during the peeling action. C and C-1 are configurations of cylindrical cans of different diameter. C-2 is a configuration of a relatively fiat can and C-3 is the configuration of a generally triangular can, these two configurations being commonly employed for packing meat products. It can be seen that the stop member 72 cooperates with all of these configurations but makes peripheral contact with each configuration at a different distance from the axis of the rotary jaw assembly 28.

After a can has been opened in the described manner it is a simple matter to loosen the clamping screw 60 to retract the jaw or clamp member 40 to permit the key K with the wound sealing band thereon to be removed and discarded. This final act readies the device for a subsequent repetition of the can-opening procedure.

While the device may be mounted on a wall in the described manner for maximum convenience, it may also be used to open a can with the can positioned right side up on a flat surface. To carry out such an operation the device is lifted out of the wall bracket lt'iafterl'oosening of the thumb screw 25. The winding key is-engaged with the end of the sealing band by initial winding action, as"

heretofore described, so that the sealing ribbonholds the key upright with the handle portion above the top of the can.

The base member is then placed upside down on the top of the can with the key extending into the, aperture 38 of the rotary jaw assembly and the clamping screw 60 is tightened as heretofore described. The can may then be held stationary with one hand while the other hand turns the crank to peel the sealing band away from the can. If the can is held stationary in this manner the rotating key travels around the periphery of the can and causes corresponding rotation of the base member 10. If desired, however, the base member 10 may be held stationary with one hand while the crank is rotated, the can being permitted to rotate in the usual manner'against the projection 72 in response to the. peeling action.

It is to be noted that the depth of the aperture 38 in the rotary jaw assembly is adequate to accommodatee winding keys of different dimensions and to permitwinding keys to extend to various depths into the aperture. If a winding key is of a given length, the depth to which the winding key extends into the aperture 38 depends'upon the distance of the sealing ribbon or band 30 from the adjacent end of the can. If the sealing band is close to the end of the can the key will extend into the aperture 38 to a maximum depth. It has been found that with the end 36 of the rotary body 32 flush with the seating surface 12 of the base member 10, the flange 44 of the clamp member 40 may be approximately of an inch thick without interfering with the handle portion of a key at the maximum elevation of the key required for opening any ordinary can. If the thickness of the flange 44 is substantially greater than & of an inch it will unduly limit the range of vertical adjustment of keys in the rotary jaw assembly.

Fig. 8 indicates how an adapter, generally designated by numeral 75, can be substituted for both the rotary jaw assembly 28 and the crank arm 50 to make it unnecessary to use the winding key K. The adapter may be desirable, for example, for use in restaurants, since it makes it unnecessary to insert a new winding key in the device for each can opening operation.

The adapter includes an upper bushing 76, a lower bushing 78 and a winding spindle 80 that is integral with the shank 82 of a crank 84. The upper bushing 75 has a radial flange 85 that rotatably seats in the previously mentioned circumferential recess 35 in the circular opening 26 and the lower bushing 78' has a radial flange 86 that rotatably abuts the lower rim of the circular opening. Suitable screws 88 interconnect the two bushings in a releasable manner with a space 90 between the bushings.

The crank shank 82 is rotatably mounted in the two bushings 76 and '78 and is held against axial movement by a collar 92, the collar being fixedly held on the crank shank by a set screw 94. The collar 92 fits snugly but in a freely rotatably manner in the space 90 between the two bushings. The winding spindle 80 at the upper end of the crank shank 82 has a slot 95 to receive the starting end of the usual sealing band 30.

It is apparent that a can may be placed on the seating surface 12 of the base member 10 with the starting end of the winding band in the spindle slot 95 and that the crank d4 may then be rotated to wind up the sealing band. As the sealing band is peeled away from the can, the can behaves as heretofore described in abutment against the projection or stop member 72. After this operation is completed, it is a simple matter to remove the wound sealing band from the spindle 80.

The spindle 86 may be of any suitable configuration, for example the configuration set forth in my copending a plication, Serial Number 467,058, entitled Device for 6 Removing Circumferential Sealing Bands From Cams, and filed on or about November 5th, 1954, which dis closure is hereby made apart of the present disclosure by reference.

My description in detail of the presently preferred embodiments of'the invention, by way of example and to illustrate the principles involved, will suggest various changes, substitutions'and other departures from my disclosure thatproperly'lie within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1.'In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a can to free a lid' from one end of the can, said can" being accompanied by a winding key having a handleportion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a' circular opening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end of said body extending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion'of the key extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped by said jaw means andwith the key engaging the end of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotatesaid key for peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mountedon said other end of said body; and a projection from said basemember intersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response to the winding operation.

2. In a device for peeling otf the circumferential sealing'band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a planar surface for sliding contact with said one end of the can; a manually operable winding member rotatably mounted on said base member with its axis substantially perpendicular to said surface; manually operable jaw means on said Winding mem ber for gripping the handle portion of said key with the shank of the key positioned substantially coaxially of said axis and extending away from said planar surface, whereby with said planar surface in contact with said end of the can and with said key gripped by said jaw means and engaging the end of said sealing band, said winding member may be manually rotatable to peel olf the sealing band; and stop means carried by said base member and extending outward from said planar surface for abutment against the periphery of the can to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said planar surface in response to the winding operation, said winding member being a cylindrical body lying on one side of the plane of said surface, said body having an aperture in the end thereof open to said surface to receive the handle portion of said key.

3. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a Winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a planar surface for sliding con tact with: said one end of the can; a manually operable winding member rotatably mounted on said base member with its axis substantially perpendicular to said surface; manually operable jaw means on said winding member for gripping the handle portion of said key with the shank of the key positioned substantially coaxially of said axis and extending away from said planar surface, whereby with said planar surface in contact with said end of the can and with said key gripped by said jaw means and engaging the end of said sealing band, said winding member may be manually rotatable to peel E the sealing band; and stop means carried by said base member and extending outward from said planar surface for abutment against the periphery of the can to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said planar surface in response to the winding operation, said winding member being a cylindrical body lying on one side of the plane of said surface, said body having an aperture in the end thereof open to said surface to receive the handle portion of said key; said jaw means comprising a jaw member movable relative to one side of said aperture to cooperate with said aperture side for gripping the handle portion of the key.

4."In a device for peeling off the circumferential seal ing band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular opening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end of said body extending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of the key extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging the end of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; and a projection from said base member intersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response to the winding operation; the spacing of said projection from the axis of rotation of said cylindrical body being less I than 90 degrees relative to the axis of the can.

5. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular opening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end of said body extending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of the key extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging the end of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; and a projection from said base member intersecting the plane of said face, the other end of seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response to the winding operation; said jaw means comprising a jaw member in said aperture movable relative to one side of the aperture to cooperate with said aperture side for gripping said key.

6. In a device for peeling off the circumferential scaling band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular opening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end jour naled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture in said one end open to said seating surface, the other end of said body extending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of the key extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging the end of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; and a projection from said base member intersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response to the Winding operation; said jaw means comprising a jaw member in said aperture movable relative to one side of the aperture to cooperate with said aperture side for gripping said key; said jaw member having a central recess to receive the shank of said key.

7. In a device for peeling off the circumferential sealing band of a can to free a lid from one end of the can, said can being accompanied by a winding key having a handle portion and a shank portion, the combination of: a base member having a surface to seat against said one end of the can in a sliding manner, said base member having a circular opening therein with the axis of the opening perpendicular to said surface; a winding member in the form of a cylindrical body having one end journaled in said opening, said body having an axially extending aperture in said one end open to said seating sur said body extending away from said base member; a crank operatively connected with said other end of said body for rotation thereof; jaw means in said aperture to grip said key with the shank portion of the key extending along said axis through said seating plane and beyond, whereby with said seating surface in contact with said end of the can, with said key gripped by said jaw means and with the key engaging the end of said sealing band, said crank may be rotated to rotate said key for peeling the sealing band away from the can; a manual control for said jaw means mounted on said other end of said body; a projection from said base member intersecting the plane of said seating surface for contact with the periphery of the can at a point spaced from the axis of rotation of said body in the peripheral direction of rotation of the can relative to the base member to oppose the tendency of the can to slide off said seating surface in response to the winding oper ation; a passage in said cylindrical body intersecting said aperture; a slide member slidingly mounted on said passage; a jaw member rigidly carried by said slide member and extending therefrom into said aperture to cooperate with one side of the aperture for gripping said key; and a manually rotatable screw threaded into said slide member longitudinally thereof, said screw being held against axial movement whereby rotation of the screw shifts said slide member in said passage to cause said jaw member to move into and out of clamping engagement with said key.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Bodin et a1. Jan. 13, 1953 Stiller Apr. 14, 1953 Bahler Oct. 19, 1954 Druilhet a Mar. 1, 1955

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