US2850800A - Combination beverage can punch and bottle opening device - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 9, 1958r n D. T. `f :ARLsoN 2,350,800

` COMBINATION BEVERAGE CAN PUNCH AND BOTTLE PENING DEVICE Filed nec. s, 195e INVENTOR.

I Wd

A TTORNEK COMBINATION BEVERAGE CAN PUNCH AND BOTTLE OPENING DEVICE Drexel T. Carlson, Kansas City, Mo.

Application December 3, 1956, Serial No. 625,980 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-6.1)

The present invention relates to can and bottle opening devices, and particularly to such devices as are used for removing the caps or closure elements of bottles as well as those devices designed to punch openings in metal cans for facilitating the pouring of the contents therefrom; and the overall purpose of the invention is to provide a simplified as well as more eicient operating construction for such devices, both as regard the bottleV opening as well as the can-punching functions.

Accordingly, one of the primary objects of the invention is to provide an improved combination unit having both bottle opening and can punching means in an assembly adapted to be mounted and attached in operative position to an upright wall or the like, or underneath a bar or counter structure, and so constructed as to facilitate removal of said unit to permit ready and convenient operation of the bottle opening or can punching means independently of the remainder of said assembly.

The invention further comprises specific features ofV improvement as regards the structure of the bottle open-v ing and can punching elements, for increased refinement of operation and more efficient results in carrying out the required bottle opening and can punching functions, respectively.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the pres-V ent invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one suitable form of embodiment of the improved features of the new device, after which those 'features of construction and combinations thereof deemed to be novel and patenta-ble will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing- Figure l is a perspective view showing a combination bracket and bottleeopening and can punching device constructed in accordance with my present invention;

Figure 2 lis a sectional elevation of the same, mounted underneath a bar or counter and in operative relation to a bottle for removing the cap or crown closure element therefrom; Y

Figure 3 is an elevation showing the combination structure attached to the face of an upright wall, and in operative ,relation to a can for punching vent and pouring openings 'therein (the dotted lines representingV tion of a can `and the removable portion of the device the initial point of operation);

Figure 4 is also an elevation showing the upper pordetached from its supporting bracket portion and applied in operative relation to the top of the can for punching the required openings therein;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view, representing as'ection taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an e-dge view (partly in section) illustrating a slight modification of the removable slide unit forming part of the construction. n

A primeobject of the invention being to provide a combination or integral unit having both bottle opening and can punching means in an assembly which may be States Patent O Patented Sept. 9, 1958 rice attached to a vertical Wall or, if desired, underneath a a combination unit in its relation to a wall structure, whereas its position in relation to a bar or counter is illustrated in Figure 2. In each of said applications of ,the device the operating member, combining the bottle opening and the can punching means in a single unit, comprises a slender bar or plate10 constructed to provide both the bottle opening and can punching elements, and in turn attached by rivets 12 or the like to the under face of a second and slightly wider bar or plate 14 which is adapted to be removably inserted within a bracket member indicated generally by the numeral 16.

This bracket member is stamped Ifrom suitable sheet metal to form a top portion 18 connecting a pair of spaced side wall portions 20 terminating in a pair of rear end portions 22 combining to form a rear wall and having openings 23 to accommodate screws 24 designed to attach the device in outwardly projecting relation to any suitable wall structure 26, as represented in Figure 3. The top portion 18 of the bracket member is similarly provided with openings 23 for screws or the like, to facilitate attachment of the device to the under face of a. bar or counter structure 28, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The lower edges of the forward portions of the spaced wall portions 20 of the bracket member are formed with inturned flanges 30 extending in downwardly and rearwardly inclined relation and designed to slidingly support the bottle opening and can punching means by engagement with the outer edges of the plate 14, which plate is retained in such slidingly supported relation by suitable guide lugs 32 struck inwardly from the side walls 20 into overlying position above the plate 14, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 5.

The lower rear portions of the side walls 20 of the bracket member extend so-me distance below the rear ends of the inturned flanges 30 and are integral with the rear end portions 22 of the bracket, but are iiared somewhat outwardly (as indicated at 20'), to facilitate insertion of the mouth end of a bottle-into cap-removing position, as hereinafter explained. l

Referring further to the bottle opening and can punching unit, comprising the sliding plate 14 carrying the slightly narrower plate 10 adapted to move within the slideway space extending between the parallel anges 30, said plate 10 is y'formed at its rear end with a downwardly bent lug 34 and also an adjacent downwardly struck lug 36 for bottle cap engaging purposes, as shown in Figure 2; whereas the opposite end of said plate 10 is also formed with a downwardly bent and slightly curve-shaped lug 38 of triangular outline for cooperating with a pointed and downwardly extending lug 40 located about midway the length of said plate, in the can punching operation. In this connection, the adjacent outer end of the plate 10 is formed with a downwardly projecting and inwardly curved flange -42 having a sharpened edge as shown, for cooperating with the end lug 38 in maintaining effective retaining engagement witzhgthe edge of the can in said can punching operation, sented in Figure'3.

In assembling the sliding unit, formed by the plates 10 Y and 14, iwithin the bracket member 16, the side walls 20 of the bracket are designed to slightly grip said unit for holding the same in place when the device is toV be used as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing. vFor facilitating withdrawal of said sliding unit, for use independently of the bracket member 16, in the manner illustrated in Figure 4, the front end of the bracket-member 16 is formed with a depending lip 45 vto serveas a thumb rest for aid in releasing said unit fromengagement with the side walls 20 as the unit is being withdrawn,

as 'repre- Referring now to the use of the device when attached to either a vertical supporting member or underneath a bar or counter, as represented in Figures 2 and 3, it will be obvious from both these illustrations that the device is equally well adapted for either bottle opening or can punching operations. The-inclined position of the sliding unit having the bottle or can engaging means is such as to facilitate the locating of the bottle or 4can in initial operative position; and in the case of a bottle 48 it is presented rst in-engagement with the lug 36, for lifting engagement of its curved lip underneath the edge of the bottle cap t9-as shown in Figure 2. Beginning with the position of the bottle as indicated by the dotted lines, it is then swung forward into the full line position, whereby the cap 49 is engaged by the lug 34, after which the continued movement of the bottle separates it from the cap, as shown. In this connection it is pointed out that the angular shape of the lug 36 is such as to provide ample clearance, and the lower edge of the lug is of thin edge form and also of approximately the same curvature as the neck of the bottle, thereby facilitating ready engagement beneath the cap as well as insuring a maximum extent of such engagement.

On the other hand, the method of operation for punching the required openings in the end of a can is illustrated in Figure 3, the can i) being manipulated to bring the end edge or rim 52 of the can into engagement with the lug 42, beginning with the can in the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3 and then swinging the can downward and toward the device into the full line position, whereby the end of the can is brought into engagement, first with the lug 38 for cutting and punching a portion 54 of the end material to produce the pouring opening Sti-and thereafter into engagement with the pointed lug 4i) for piercing said end material to produce the required vent opening 58. An important feature in this connection is the provision of the lug 42 with a thin lip or edge and of such curvature as to effect not only maximum engagement with the rim of the can but also operate to prevent disengagement from the can at any time during the punching operation.

In case it should be desired to use the device separately or independently of the bracket or holder, either for bottle opening or for can punching, the sliding unit is simply slipped out of the bracket member, when it may be applied in the conventional manner for removing the caps from bottles, or, in the case of can punching the method of operation may be followed as indicated in Figure 4. With the can preferably resting on a table or other support the device is applied in approximately vertical position to hook the lug 42 in engagement with the rim 52 of the can in substantially the same manner as indicated in Figure 3 and as represented by the dotted lines in Figure 4, following which the device is swung downwardly into approximately horizontal position over the top of the can as represented by the full lines in said Fig. 4, thereby accomplishing the same result as regards producing both the vent and pouring openings as already explained. In either method of operation the can punching action takes place with the can in substantially upright position and hence without any opportunity of spilling the contents.

The operation illustrated in Figure 4 can of course be carried out by simply holding the can firmly in upright position independently of any other support if desired, the only precaution necessary being the maintaining of the can in approximately vertical position.

It will therefore be apparent that I have devised a practical and efficient construction for the carrying out of the desired purposes of my invention. Its outstanding characteristics are the extreme simplicity of design as well as economy of construction, and the novel and highly efiicient principle of operation involving a continuous operative movement or stroke in one direction; and in the example illustrated in Figure 4 (where the operative action is downward toward the can) greater stability is attained over the conventional method of operation-involving upward operative strokes away from the can and as a consequence requiring extra force or means to hold the can in its proper position. Other advantages are the guiding elements for proper positioning of the bottle with reference to the cap lifting elements, and also the safety feature of the hook formation of the can engaging means to insure against casual disengagement before actual ycompletion of the punching operation.

The improved construction aims also to provide for increased insurance against unsatisfactory punching of beverage cans, by the proper control of the size of vent openings and thus guarding against an excessive amount of air reaching the contents. It is further pointed out that the type of improved construction illustrated is well adapted for home use as well as for bars and taverns or restaurants, etc., and moreover is of such small proportions that it may well be included as part of vending machine equipment.

It is of course obvious that the improved device as above described and illustrated is susceptible of some minor modications, one form of which is illustrated in Figure 6 ofthe drawing, showing the slide bar unit having the can punching and bottle opening elements all constructed as one single and integral unit, comprising a single oblong plate 10 formed with the end lug 42' and stamped to provide the can punching elements 38 and 40 and bottle cap engaging elements 34 and 36', designed to function in the same manner as the analogous parts of the form of construction already described; and, in a manner similar to said two-plate form of construction, the side edges of the plate 10 are resiliently engaged by the side walls 2t) of the bracket i6 and slidingly supported by the inturned tianges 30,-as will be readily understood.

Accordingly, while I have illustrated and described what I have found to represent satisfactory and efficient types of construction for embodying my invention, I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make such modifications or changes as clearly fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A manually operated can punching device, comprising a bracket member adapted to be secured in fixed position and provided with an inclined guideway, and a slide bar removably mounted in said guideway and having can punching means projecting therefrom, the bracket member being provided with daring guard extensions at opposite sides of said guideway projecting into housing relation to one end of said guideway and corresponding end of said slide bar.

2. A manually operated bottle opening device, comprising a bracket member attachable in fixed relation to either an upright wall face or in depending relation to a horizontal structure and provided with an inclined guideway, a slide bar removably mounted in said guideway and having bottle opening means at one end of said bar, and guard extensions projecting from opposite sides of said bracket member into shielding relation to one of the ends of said guideway.

3. A manually operated can punching device, comprising a bracket member adapted to be secured in fixed position and provided with an inclined guideway, a slide bar unit removably mounted in said guideway and comprising two bars of different width secured together in superposed relation, said guideway including spaced flanges supporting the wider of said bars and accommodating the narrower bar between said tianges, and can punching elements supported in depending relation from said narrower bar of the slide bar unit.

4. A manually operated can punching unit, comprising a bracket member of resilient sheet metal forming a horizontal portion with depending portions forming spaced side walls terminating in inclined edges having inturncd anges, a slide bar unit removably mounted in said bracket References Cited in the Ele of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS lMeier et al Mar. 26, 1940 Hothersall Jan. 27, 1942 Story Oct. 14, 1952 Gutekunst Dec. 16, 1952

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