US2838818A

US2838818A - Can group attaching plate

Info

Publication number: US2838818A
Application number: US468060A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph K Brennan
Original assignee: PACKETTE CORP
Current assignee: PACKETTE CORP
Priority date: 1954-11-10
Filing date: 1954-11-10
Publication date: 1958-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1975-06-17

Description

June 17, 1958 J. K. BRENNAN 2,838,818

CAN GROUP ATTACHING PLATE Filed Nov. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS June 17, 1958 Filed NOV. 10, 1954 J. K. BRENNAN 2,838,818

CAN GROUP ATTACHING PLATE 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOSEPH K.BRENNAN ATTORNEYS CAN GROUP ATTACHING PLATE Joseph K. Brennan, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Packette Corp., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation This invention appertains to a novel means for clamping and temporarily securing a group of cans together for dispensing and carrying purposes, the cans being of the type utilized for beer, soft drinks, foods, etc.-

' One of the primary objects of my invention is the provision of a plate which can be readily connected to a group of cans by a stamping die for securing the cans together and which can be easily pried off of the cans by the use of a common kitchen tool or'can puncturing device.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of a partially pre-formed plate against which the cans are grouped, as the same leave the filling and sealing machine, the plate being deformable by stamping into gripping contact with the rims of the cans, whereby the cans will be eflectively connected together without danger of the cans being accidentally separated during carrying, etc.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of a stamping formed from relatively thin sheet material having on its perimeter arcuate hook shaped flanges for receiving the outer faces of the rims of cans, the flanges having formed thereon normally outwardly extending lips overlying the can terminals, which are adapted to be bent into gripping contact with the inner faces of the can rims to prevent accidental displacement of the cans relative to one another.

Another further object of my invention is the provision of means on said lips for receiving a tool to facilitate the desired dislodgement of a can from the plate.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of a finger hole formed in the plate to facilitate the convenient carrying of a group of cans.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision of a pair of can clamping plates which can be simultaneously secured to the tops and bottoms of a group of cans for securely uniting the cansagainst movement relative to one another.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will be hereinafter more specifically described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a pair of my plates in gripping cont-act with a group of cans for tem- United States Patent O Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the plate bent into gripping contact with the cans;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the top and bottom plates bent into gripping contact with the cans, the view also illustrating the use of a can puncturing tool for dislodging the plate from a can, and

Figure 8 is a top plan view showing a series of plates for securing more than four cans together.

Referring tothe drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout. the several views, the letter P generally indicates one of my novel partially pre-formed plates utilized for connecting a group of cans together. The plates P are preferably utilized in pairs, one at the top of a group of cans and the other at the bottom of a group of cans, as will later appear and each plate of the pair is of identical, like construction and hence only one plate will be described in detail.

The plate P includes a central flat main body portion 10 and the plate is of a polygonal shape in plan and in the present instance has four main sides. Each side has formed thereon an arcuate hook shaped flange 11 which is of such a shape and character as to engage the outer face of a rim of a can and hook under or over such rim. Formed on the outer edge of each flange 11 is an outwardly extending deformable lip 12. Each lip has formed therein a substantially centrally disposed elongated opening 13, and the lip is struck outwardly beyond the opening 13 to provide a prying bridge 14. The axial center of the body portion 10 of the plate has formed therein an enlarged opening 15 constituting a finger hole and the wall of this opening is preferably rolled over, as at 16, to avoid the forming of rough, sharp edges.

This plate, as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, is formed from thin sheet material, and is in the nature of a stamping. Hence, the plate is preferably formed from sheet metal. The plates are secured to a group of cans by the further bending of the lips 12, as will later appear. While I have stated that the plates are preferably formed from sheet metal, it is to be understood that the plates can be molded from thermoplastic material, and in which instance, the lips 12 are further bent into engagement with the cans by pressure and heat.

In the drawings, the cans are indicated by the reference character C and the cans themselves form no part of the porar'ily securing the group together for dispensing and plate into gripping contact with the cans;

present invention, and are of a type commonly used for beer, soft drinks, foods and the like. Thus, each can includes a cylindrical side wall 17 and like top and

bottom walls

18 and 19. These top and bottom walls are flanged over the side wall 17 and form rims 20.

'As best shown in Figures 4 and 5, a group of four cans are slid toward one another with the rims 20 riding into the hook shaped flanges 11 of a pair of top and bottom companion plates P. The hook shaped flanges 11 conform to the curvature of the cans andengage around the outer surface of the rims 20, with the cans grouped as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The lips 12 are bent down by a stamping die into intimate engagement with the inner surfaces of the can rims 20 and this bending forms an inner arcuate flange 21 which forces the hook shaped flanges 11 into forcible hooked relation with the rims and this brings about the secure uniting of the group of cans. This is best shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7. During the stamping of the lips 12 not only are the flanges 21 formed, but a portion 22 of the lips is bent parallel to the can terimnals. The bridges 14 extend slightly above the can terminals, as is best shown in Figure 7.

By this construction and arrangement, a group of four Patented June 17, 1958 cans can easily be secured together as a unit for dispensing and carrying purposes, and a finger can be inserted within the hole 15 to facilitate the carrying of the group of cans.

When it is desired to dislodge a can from the plate, it is merely necessary to utilize a tool, such as a can puncturing opener O of a type now in common use, and as shown in Figure 7, the puncturing prong of the opener is inserted under a desired bridge 14, after which the handle of the opener is swung down and this will easily pry off a lip from a can.

Where it is desired to unite more than four cans together, say six, then two upper and lower plates P are utilized, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings.

Various changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention, but what I claim as new is:

In a device for holding a group of cans of the type having end cap terminals and peripheral rims together for dispensing and carrying purposes, a partially preformed plate formed from a single thin sheet of material, a series of arcuate hook shaped flanges on the perimeter of the plate into which a portion of the rims of a group of cans are placed, outwardly extending lips on said flanges normally overlying the cans, said lips having inwardly directed arcuate flanges engaging a portion of the inner surfaces of the rims, whereby the rims are clamped between the last mentioned flanges and the hook shaped flanges, each of the last mentioned flanges having an extension provided with a centrally disposed weakening opening, and an outstruck bridge beyond said opening for receiving a prying tool between said bridge and adjacent can portion, to facilitate the prying thereof off of a rim of a can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 266,577 Babcock Oct. 24, 1882 603,455 Pinney May 3, 1898 1,516,232 Kratzer Nov. 18, 1924 1,567,387 Rode Dec. 29, 1925 2,090,477 Graham Aug. 17, 1937 2,212,476 Kielberg Aug. 20, 1940 2,285,801 Burnet June 9, 1942 2,384,112 Meyer Sept. 4, 1945 2,440,902 Lutey May 4, 1948 2,637,475 Gialanella May 5, 1953 2,646,911 Holmbe'rg July 28, 1953 2,702,641 Arthur Feb. 2, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 182,378 Great Britain July 6, 1922