US2825963A

US2825963A - Can opener

Info

Publication number: US2825963A
Application number: US622552A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles J Sykes; Glen E Wimmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-11-16
Filing date: 1956-11-16
Publication date: 1958-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-11

Description

March 11, 1958 c. J. SYKES ET AL 2,825,963

, CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 16, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet l Indedtrs char ea 52 1665 March 11, 1958 c. J. SYKES ET AL CAN OPENER 2 m M i m 2 2M Filed Nov. 16, 1956 March 11, 1958 c. J. SYKES ET AL 2,825,963

CAN OPENER 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. l 6, 1956 Eta/mars Cccares Sykes March 11, 19 58 c. J. SYKES ET AL 2,825,963

CAN OPENER '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 16, 1956 Ira/61221515 668?? 5 fpmmar c. J. SYKES ET AL 2,825,963

CAN OPENER March 11, 1958 7 Shets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 16, 1956 j-zz/er ziars Cfwr/es #593666 March 11, 1958 C J. SYKES ET AL CAN OPENER 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed NOV. l 6, 1956 United States Patent CAN OPENER Charles .1. Sykes and Glen E. Wimmer, Chicago, Ill. Application November 16, 1956, Serial No. 622,552

14 Claims. (Cl. 30-4 Our invention relates to can openers and includes as its primary objective at substantially complete automation of the entire can opening process, with'minimum attention and effort required of the user.

Motor driven can openers which perform some or most of the operations automatically have been repeatedly proposed in the past, but to the best of our knowledge none of them has ever achieved general acceptance.

According to the invention, the following criteria are completely satisfied.

First, there is automatic starting only when all operating parts are correctly engaged with the can, including not only the cutting mechanism, but the automatic lid lifter and automatic stop mechanism.

Second, there is automatic stopping only after the lid has been completely severed and lifted.

Third, the cutting mechanism achieves complete severance and lid removal in spite of quite serious dents in the rim of the can or other imperfections.

Fourth, the automatic sensing means and method 'for accomplishing all three of the results enumerated as items first, second, and third are not dependent on the user for any effort or information whatever. But the opened can with the cover lifted above it remains firmly held indefinitely until the users attention is again given to taking the can away.

Fifth, there is a provision for manual by-passing of certain of the automatic sen-sing means for motor control, to make substantial use possible even with entire rim sections caved down into the can body.

Sixth, the cutting mechanism proper is free from interference because of torn or damaged can labels.

Seventh, the entire equipment can be mounted without change or alteration of the essential operating parts in any one of a wide variety of situations.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 is a side elevation of a complete operating unit according to the invention, of the appliance type, mounted on its own pedestal;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the same unit;

Figure 4 is a rear view substantially as in section on line 44 of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective of the power drive to the feed wheel;

Figure 6 is a vertical median section of the operating mechanism in cutting position with the location of a can indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 7 is a detail section on line 7--7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an isometric projection of the frame casting of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the magnet, magnet arm, and switch control mechanism viewed from line 9--9 of Figure 10;

Figure 10 is a plan view with the magnet arm cover and the main housing removed;

Figure 11 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism with the magnet arm and cover and the cutter and cutter wheel shaft removed;

Figure 12 is an isometric projection of the cutter head;

Figure 13 is a plan view of the pressure rider fork;

Figure 14 is a side elevation with the cutter in cutting position;

Figure 15 is a side elevation with the cutter in raised inoperative position;

Figure 16 is a side elevation of the magnet arm in the operative position, while the can is being cut;

Figure 17 is an exploded view of the magnet and magnet supporting parts prior to assembly;-

Figure 18 is a face view of the driving wheel;

Figure 19 is a section on line 19-19 of Figure 18;

Figure 20 is a side elevation of the operating parts in the normal position of rest prior to use;

Figure 21 is a side elevation of the same parts with the magnet thrown up ready for insertion of the can;

Figure 22 is a similar view of the same parts with the t can in position;

Figure 23 is a similar view with the cutter lowered into cutting relationship with the can;

Figure 24 is a similar view from the opposite side with the magnet lowered and the can in motion;

Figure 25 is a view similar to 24 in the stopped position with the lid picked up by the magnet and the motor at rest;

Figure 26 is a view of the parts from the same side as 20 indicating removal of the can;

Figure 27 is a fragmentary section in the vertical plane of the cutter axis, indicating the engagement of the cutter with the metal being cut; 4

Figure 28 is an elevation of the same parts viewed from the right;

Figure 29 is a plan view of the same parts viewed from above;

Figure 30 is a sectional view of one type of can head; and

Figure 31 is a similar section of a more common type.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention, the main frame is indicated as a whole by the reference character 10 (see Figure 8) and may be a die casting. It provides a support for the other stationary parts, and bearings for the support of the movable parts. The drive wheel 12, Figures18, 19, is provided with sharp serrations 14 of hardened metal, analogous to the teeth of a milling cutter, and capable of biting into the head to secure positive driving action. The inner face 16 of the drive wheel 12 is dished to the shape of a shallow saucer as clearly indicated in Figure 19, for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

Except for rotation around its own axis, the drive wheel 12 is immovably supported on the final drive shaft 18, Figure 6, mounted in fixed bearings at 20 and 22. This shaft is driven by a gear 24 on its rear end which re- Above the shaft 18 (see Figures 6 and 8) the frame 10 is shaped into an upwardly opening channel having a floor 44, a left side wall 46, and a right side wall 48. The cutter head 50 is best illustrated in Figure 12. It is a block, pivoted on a transverse axis on a pintle 52 (see Figure 6) near its rear end, and spaced above the floor 44 (see Figures 14 and 15). It has a forwardly and downwardly facing front end, or breast, 54 drilled and tapped at 56 to receive the stem 58 of the cutter knife 60, which is of the rotary wheel type. In plan view, as indicated in Figure 10, the axis of the knife 60 is inclined about 8 to the right of the vertical median plane of the equipment, and in side elevation, as best seen in Figure 6, it inclines downwardly about 30.

Means are provided for rotating the cutter head 50 and cutter wheel 60 around the pintle 52 to lower them into operative position with the edge of the wheel 69 shearing through the lid 150 of the can 96, or to raise them to permit insertion or removal of the can. We have illustrated a hand lever 62 rigid with a cam shaft 64. The cam shaft carries a simple eccentric cam 66 received in the elongated cross bore 68 near the front of the head 50. A top opening at 70 provides for convenient lubrication.

It will be obvious that rotating the eccentric about 150 counter-clockwise from the position of Figures 6 and 14 will lift the cutter head 5% and cutter wheel 69 to the position of Figure 15. The eccentric 66 will move to the front end of the cross bore 68 at the mid point of this movement and then back to the rear end. in the lowered position of Figure 14, the eccentric 66 is substantially on dead center. The cutting load in the position of Figure 14- exerts no effective force tending to move the parts out of cutting engagement.

Can control The drive wheel 12 and cutter wheel 60 engage the can during the cutting operation, with the bead 97 trapped above the drive wheel by the conical rear face of the cutter. This engagement is of sufficient mechanical strength to endure the weight of the can and contents, but the contact points are so close together that the can would wobble around if it were not otherwise provided with guidance and support. Furthermore, with only the weight of the can to force the bead down onto the drive wheel 12, the drive wheel might slip.

The pressure fork 72 is illustrated by itself in Figure 13. It includes the reach 74 with an upturned heel 76 at its rear end. At its front end the reach 74 joins the trapezoid inclined section 78 which extends forward and upward and carries the integral side horns 8G. About midway of its length, the fork is provided with duplicate side cars 82 each apertured to receive the top hook of a tension spring 84. As best illustrated in Figure 7, the lower ends of the springs 84 are anchored in cars 86 carried by the frame 10. In the working position of Figure 14, the reach 74 rests on the door 44 at its rear end under the heel 76. The heel 76 takes into a transverse groove 88in the lower face of the cutter head 50 and this engagement restrains the pressure fork from longitudinal movement. In the presence of a can, the head of the can will underlie and support the horns 80 in the positionof Figure 14, thus lifting the front end of the reach 74 slightly away from thefloor 44 so that substantially halt the downward force exerted by the springs 84 will be effective on the horns 80. This provides a downward force pushing the bead down onto the drive wheel 12 with a total force amounting to several times the weight of a medium sized can-and its contents.

We have provided a lost motion connection between the fork 72 and. the cutter head 50, whereby, when the cutter head 50 is moved up intothe position of Figure 15, the fork 72 is raised to permit the user to disengage the can from the drive wheel. The headed screw 99 is threaded in the lower face of thecutter head 50 and projects through a central hole 92 in the reach 74 (see Figure 7-). It will be obvious that initial upward movement of the cutter head 50 will first bring the head f the screw 90 into load-carrying. abutment with the reach 74 and during the remainder of-- the upward movement, the: fork 72 will move in-unison with the cutter head 50 tip to the piisition of Figure 15, where there is ample room for the user to remove the head of the can.

The operation in inserting the can is a simple reversal. The bead is first positioned on the drive wheel 12 and the handle 62 rotated to move the parts from the position of Figure 15 to that of Figure 14. As the cutter makes its initial penetration into the can lid, the pressure fork moves down at the same time and its horns engage the top of the bead at two spaced points equally distant from the point of driving engagement with the wheel 12. This provides a strong stabilizing force to keep the can in alignment.

With respect to the median plane of the apparatus the can is illustrated at 96 in Figure 6 with its own axis inclined slightly forward from a vertical downward direction. Fairly close approximate alignment in this respect is maintained with respect to small and medium sized cans by a simple shelf 98, see Figure 6. The shelf 93 extends forward far enough to have abutment with the cylindrical wall of the can at a point spaced considerably below the head, so that the weight of the can will not be imposed on the bead alone.

For cans of maximum size and weight the support provided by the shelf 98 may be insutficient in amount. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 we provide the housing with a small abutment shelf 100 spaced below the shelf 98 and about 8 or 10 times as far from the bead as the shelf 98. This abutment will perform no function with small or medium sized cans, but when a very large can extends down beyond the abutment 100, that abutment prevents the weight of the can from overloading the bead and the shelf 98.

Lid lifting The lid lifter is apermanent magnet 102. It is provided with four poles 104 and housed in a plastic sheet 106 which covers its upper side and its cylindrical periphery. The cover 106 enlarges the can sizes that can be handled by preventing the side of a pole from sticking to the head of a can of minimum size.

The lid lifter is mounted on the lifter arm, designated as a whole by the reference character 163 (see Figures 9", 10, and 17). This lifter arm includes the cross piece 116 and the elbowed arms 112 and 11- both extending downward and then rearward to pivot freely on the transverse shaft 64. Midway of the bridge is the rearwardly extending leg'114 apertured' at 116 for fastening to the ornamental cover 118, which cover is also fastened at a central point at 120. From the bridge 110, forwardly projecting and vertically turned ears 122 support the transverse pivot 124 carried by the shank 126 of the magnet assembly. This magnet 162 has a sliding rotary fit on the shank 126' to permit the magnet to turn freely around theaxis of theshank. The magnet 1G2 and shank 126 canalso swing together on the pintle 124 enough to adjust completely to the tilting of the can, but all other movement is prevented. Thus thelower poles of the magnetassembly. The magnet 102 has a sliding and-aft inclination oftheplane of the lid of the can, but the engagement between the magnet and the can assists in stabilizing the movement of the can laterally, and keeping-its axis in the'vertical median plane of the equipment. I have indicated a non-magnetic shank 126 and a fastening screw 128 for connecting the magnet proper to its supporting pintle 124.

The'arrns 112 and Int-each have a lug 1'13 positioned to'engagethe-edge of the window 212 (see Fig. 4) and limit upward movement to the position of Figure 21.

Automation In the normal use of the equipment, as indicated in Figures 2-0-26 inclusive, the first operation is to lift the cover 118 to the-position of Figure 21., which exposes the cutter 60 and drive wheel 12. The next operation in Figurea22 is toput'the can 96 in position, with its'bead overlying the drive wheel 12. The handle 62 is then rotated counter-clockwise through about 150 to the posititon of Figures 23 and 6. This moves the cutter head 50 from the position of Figure 15 to the position of Figure 14 and forces the cutter 6th through the lid of the can and lets the pressure horns 86 come down on the bead of the can to provide a good working load on the drive wheel 12.

. Automatic means are provided for starting the motor to operate the can as a function of the next step taken by the user, which is to lower the magnet 106 into contact with the lid 150 of the can as shown in Figure 24. Referring to Figures 16 and 17, the switch cam 130 is pivoted on the same cross shaft 64 with the magnet arm, and its central reach lies close above the platform 132 on the cutter head 50. When the platform 132 is in the position of Figure 15, the clockwise rotation of the switch cam 130 is limited by the platform 132 and it is impossible for the user to start the motor. The transmission for closing the electric circuit is a simple ear 134 positioned to swing up into contact with a conventional micro-switch 136 (see Figure 16), when the cam 130 tilts forward as far as shown in that figure, but with the platform 132 close up under the switch cam, it is impossible for the switch cam to move to that position.

The transmission from the magnet arm 10% to the switch cam is through a spring held key 138 articulated at its right end with the right end of the switch cam 130 and extending beyond the left end to receive the downward force of a tension spring 140 connected between the key 138 and a point of attachment on the frame 10. A button 142 projecting downward from the bottom of the key 138 normally rides in a notch 144 in the generally circular head 14-6 at the end of the magnet arm 112. With the platform 132 in the position of Figure 15, no movement of the arm 112 and head 146 can pull the switch cam 130 far enough forward to close the micro switch 136. Instead, the button 142 slips up out of the notch 144 and coasts along the edge of the head 146. With the platform lowered into the position of Figure 14, movement of the magnet to engage the top of the can will close the micro switch 136, as indicated in Figure 16. If no can is present and the magnet is rotated to the position of Figure 16, it will go on clockwise down into the closed position of Figure 20. The cutter carrier platform 132, Figures'6, 12, prevents the switch cam 130 from following, and the button 142 slips out of notch 144 and lets the spring 148 turn the switch cam counterclockwise. Again the motor is no longer energized.

- This makes it possible, for demonstration purposes, to hold the magnet in the position of Figure 16 by hand, with the hand lever 62 thrown forward, and the motor will run with no can present. This abnormal manual operation can be only intentional and does no harm at all. It is also available in opening a can that has been hit on one corner so forcibly as to cave an entire corner into the body of the can to such an extent that the supporting engagement between the magnet and the can lid would fail during part of the cutting operation. An operator confronted with this rare and peculiar situation could still cut the can top (except where the caved-in portion occurred) by holding the magnet in place with one hand.

As soon as operation begins, according to Figure 24, the user need pay no attention to the equipment at all, and can go away indefinitely. The motor will continue 'to operate until the can lid is completely severed, at

'which time a tension spring 148 (see Figure 6) connected between the switch cam 130 and a point of attachment on the head 50, will swing the magnet up into the position of Figure 25, carrying the can lid 150 with it. This lifting; force was present throughout the cutting, but untilthe lid 15tl is freed by severance, the magnet 102 holds itself down in the position of Figure 6.

The can lid 150 is thus removed by a direct upward movement immediately upon severance and does not move down at any time to get into contact with the contents of the can. Movement of the magnet arm to the position of Figure 25 moves the leg 134 down away from the micro switch 136 and'the motor stops. The can remains firmly supported, with its bead still riding on the drive wheel 12 and firmly held in that position by the conical rear surface of the cutter 60. It is also mechanically supported by abutment with the edge of the shelf 98, or with the lower bumper in case the can is very large. The can and the equipment remain as in Figure 25 indefinitely until the user comes back and removes the can as indicated in Figure 26. To do this the user has to return the lever 62 to initial position in order to be able to get the can out. It would be possiblefor the user to leave the equipment in the condition of Figure 26 with the magnet elevated and the severed can lid still sticking to the magnet, but any person of normal tidiness will take hold of the cover 150 and take it away at the same time as the can. Usually, re moval of the cover 150 will start the magnet down so that it will fall into the position of Figures 2 and 20. If not, a touch of a finger tip on top of the cover 118 will achieve that result. 1

Automatic control of the cutting The degree of freedom apparently given to the can during the cutting operation turns out to be an advan v tage rather than a disadvantage, provided the cutter is of just the right shape and pitched at just the right angle to secure several contact points that generate forces for automatically keeping the can at just the right angle; The cutter 60 has a substantially plane face at 152 (see Figs. 6 and 27) and a conical portion 154. These meet at a cutting edge 156 of the realtively blunt or aX-like configuration best adapted for shearing the can cover. Because of the downward inclination of the axis 'of the cutter, the conical face, as shown in Figure 29, will have the curved contour indicated at 158, and the lateral inclination indicated at 160 in the same figure is not sufiicient to bring the point of the cutting edge that is actually shearing the metal, as indicated at 162 in Figure 29, completely into the vertical plane of the inner surface of the bead at 164. Instead, severance will occur at the point 162, leaving a small triangular metal portion at-166-that would remain projecting inwardly andperhaps be an undesirable rough edged flange on which the user might scratch a finger, if it were not forcibly flattened down to the vertical position indicated at 168 in Figure 27 by the conical face 154 as motion continues. This flattening will be elfected by the continued contact, down to some such point as 170 in Figure 29, between the conical surface 154 and the drive wheel 12. At the opposite side of the crescent, at the point 172 in Figure 29, the front face 152 of the cutter is pushing strongly against the newly severed edge of the top 150. Experience shows that this strong contact at the point 172 mechanically completes the downward deflection of 'an edge portion indicated at 174 in Figure 27. This heavily loaded edge portion 174 yields somewhat irregularly, and the final result is a scalloped edge, of which two convex portions are illustrated in Figure 29 at 153 and 155 with a slight horn at 157 between them. The horn 157 does not come back up to the level of the top 150, but it does extend'radially out farther than the concave portions and it lies a little higher. This machining after severance achieves a relatively large reduction in the diameter of the severed portion so that there is never any danger of the severed portion catching on the remainder of the can at the time of removal of the lid.

The rotary action of the contacts at 166 and 172 must both be resisted by the contact with the entire bead 97 of the cone 154 and drive wheel 12. This twistingaction is sufficient, in many instances, to more or less iron out or smooth any small radial dents that may have been formed in the bead. It also assures completion of the flattening of the triangular area 166 into a vertical plane.

It should be noted that the support of the cutter and the drive wheel is sufiiciently rigid so that the cutter will shear right through a lump of solder, or the like, and mechanically iron out small irregularities in bead contour without yielding at all. At the same time, the downwardly turned lip at 174 is rounded over a little and reference to Figure 28 will show that the severed portion of the can lid 150 extends down at 168 a little below the original level of the can lid, because the narrow triangular area 166 has been mechanically rolled down into parallelism with the side wall of the can itself.

Referring now to Figures 30 and 31, the beads on cans in use vary considerably, and the thickness of the metal in the can wall and in the lid also varies. There are cans with extremely simple beads such as that illustrated in Figure 30 where the side wall 176 comes to a simple cutoff end and the lid 178 extends up at 180 and across at 182 and down the outer side at 184 to define a single U-shaped groove receiving the edge of the side wall.

A more common construction is illustrated in Figure 31 where the side wall 186 is doubled over and turned back down at 188 to define a downwardly opening groove and the lid 190 extends up at 192 over the top of the doubled back side wall and down the outside at 194 and finally at 196, up inside the downwardly opening groove formed by the turned back side wall.

Variations in the size of the bead structure to the left of the side wall of the can are largely immaterial because of the configuration of the drive wheel 12, but the actual metal thickness of the side wall plus the thickness of the lid metal constitutes a clearance that must always be allowed between the cone 154 and the drive wheel 12; otherwise there would be an actual compression of solid metal between these two parts that would rupture or break some part of the equipment.

Accordingly, it is necessary to have the clearance between the drive wheel 12 and the cone 154 equal to the maximum thickness that will be encountered. Then in opening cans where the actual thickness is considerably less, the strong contact at 172 counterbalances the force at 166 and keeps the cone 154 pressed firmly against the inner surface of the head 97.

It should be noted, as best illustrated in Figure 27, that the inclination of the can leaves a material clearance at 197 between the lower edge of the cutter and the adjacent can body. This, per se, is well-known in the art, but because the face of the cutter is saucer shaped, this clearance is greatly enlarged at the precise point where a torn or partially removed paper label on the can would other- Wise tend to pile up into a solid mass and interfere with the operation of the machine. The concavity of the cutter face facing toward the can achieves freedom from interference by the paper wrapper.

The frame 16 and all the parts carried thereby can be mounted in a wide variety of ways. We have illustrated an appliance type assembly in which a rear mounting plate 198 is aflixed to the frame 10, as by cars 200 (see Figure The plate 193 is shown with spaced bayonet cars 2012 taking over straps 204 mounted on a supporting column 206. The column 266 is at the center of an armate base having duplicate horns 208 extending forward on either side to provide a stable ground contact and leave maximum clearance between them for the can to be The housing is simply set in place and fastened to the frame 10, as by means of the apertured lugs 214 indicated in Figure 4. -It forms no part of the operating mechanism, with the sole exception of the abutment 100 for steadying an abnormally large can. It will be obvious that the straps 204 may be positioned on any primary support, such as the side wall or the door of a household refrigerator or kitchen cabinet, or the back wall of a recess in such a side wall or door, within which recess part or all of the total equipment may be concealed.

Others may readily adapt the invention for use under various conditions of service by employing one or more of the novel features disclosed or equivalents thereof. It will, for instance, be obvious that two switches wired in series, one controlled by the movement of the cutter to operative position, and the other by movement of the lid lifter to operative position would secure the same functioning, so far as the user is concerned, as the mechanical interlock disclosed.

As at present advised, with respect to the apparent scope of our invention, we desire to claim the following subject matter:

1. In an automatic can opener, in combination: a drive wheel; a cutter movable to an inoperative open position remote from said drive wheel to permit the can head to be set on said drive wheel, and to an operative closed position close to said drive Wheel to retain said bead, and to cut into the associated can lid; manual means for moving said cutter to either position; lid lifting means inde pendent of said cutter moving means and movable up into an upper position and down into a lower position of operative relationship to the lid of an unopened can retained by said drive wheel and cutter; a motor operatively connected to actuate said drive wheel; and an automatic motor control means actuated by movement of said lid lifting means into operative position for connecting said motor to a source of power.

2. A combination according to claim 1 in which said manual cutter moving means includes a manual control member; a transmission from said control member to said cutter; and means for automatically locking said transmission against opening movement by force exerted on the cutter when the cutter is in closed position.

3. A combination according to claim 2 in which said lid lifting means is resilient and lifts the severed lid automatically upon severance thereof; and means actuated by the lid-lifting movement for operating said motor control means to disconnect said motor when lid lifting means moves up.

4. A combination according to claim 2 in which said automatic locking means is part of said transmission itself, and comprises a force-transmitting eccentric moving into dead-center position when said cutter is in closed position.

5. A combination according to claim 1 in which said lid lifting means is a permanent magnet, resiliently biased to its upper position.

6. A combination according to claim 5 in which said lid lifting means is the sole actuating means for said motor control means; whereby the undistorted portion of the lid of a caved-in can may still be cut out by holding said magnet manually in the position it would occupy if the can were of normal shape.

7. In an automatic can opener, in combination: a drive wheel rigidly mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis; said drive wheel having upwardly facing milling teeth adapted to bite into the lower edge of a can bead and propel the can; a cutter wheel; a rigid cutter wheel carrier rigidly mounted for rotation about a fixed axis to position said cutter wheel in operative position with a can bead trapped behind the rear face of said cutter wheel and on top of said milling teeth; a lid lifter pivoted about a fixed axis and having a lidengaging element movable down into operative contact with the lid of a can held by said cutter and drive wheel; a motor and transmission for actuating said drive wheel; a switch for starting and stopping said motor; a movable switch operating element for opening and closing said switch; mechanical contact means on said carrier for obstructing movement of said operating element into switch-closing position when said cutter wheel is in inoperative position; said switch operating clement having an irregularity of contour; a resilient interlock connected to said lid lifter and normally engaging said irregularity of contour to move said switch operating element in unison with said lid lifter; said switch operating element having a guide portion adjacent saidirregularity for guiding said interlock into operative engagement with said irregularity.

8. A combination according to claim 7, in combination with manual means for rotating said carrier into and out of cutting position; said manual means in cutting position being locked, and unyielding under the cutting load.

9. A combination according to claim 7 in which said lid-lifter and switch operating element are journaled about a common fixed axis.

10. A combination according to claim 9 in which said guide portion faces radially outward from said fixed axis; and said interlock is pressed resiliently against said guide portion.

11. An automatic can opener comprising, in combination: lid lifting means movable into three different positions; a first intermediate position in working engagement with the lid to be severed; a second elevated position above said first position; a third lowered position below said intermediate position and in the space normally occupied by a can while being opened; cutting means adapted to hold and open a can; power means for actuating said cutting means; and an automatic control for energizing said power means when said lid lifting means is in working position, and for deenergizing said power means when said lid lifting means is moved to said elevated or lowered positions.

12. A combination according to claim 1 in combination with a mechanical interlock between said cutter and said lifting means for preventing the energizing of said motor except when said cutter is in operative position.

13. A combination according to claim 1 in combination with an interlock between said clutter and said lid lifting means for preventing the energizing of said motor except when said cutter is in operative position.

14. A combination according to claim 11 in which said lid lifting means moves in a curved path, and, in lowered position, encloses and covers said cutting means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,595,162 Nessler Apr. 29, 1952 2,609,599 Wilson Sept. 9, 1952 2,755,548 Fleming July 24, 1956 KARL en AXLINE U. 5. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,825,963 March 11, 1958 Charles Jo Sykes et elo It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent ehould read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 58, strike out "aeeemblyo 'The magnet 102 has a sliding and. insert instead 104 can accommodate themselves to fore column 10, line l5 for "clutter" read me cutter" Signed and sealed this thday of May 1958o (SEAL) v Attest:

ROBERT C WATSON Atteeti @fficer Qmnissioner of Patents