US2950023A

US2950023A - Can strip remover

Info

Publication number: US2950023A
Application number: US770110A
Authority: US
Inventors: Shultz Theodore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-10-28
Filing date: 1958-10-28
Publication date: 1960-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1977-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1960 T. SHULTZ CAN STRIP REMOVER Filed Oct. 28, 1958 I --q F IG. 4 Mill-Jim 2-H 20 23 C INVENTOR. Theodore Shulrz ATTORNEY United States Patent CAN STRIP REMOVER Theodore Shultz, 518 Pennsylvania Ave., Brooklyn, .N.Y. Filed Oct. 28, 1958, Ser.No. 770,110

6 Claims. (Cl. 220- 52) This invention relates to a device for removing the narrow tear strip found on metal containers which joins the cover of the can or container to the body thereof.

Metal cans or containers for products such as coffee, shortening, preserved meats, and the like, have a narrow metal tear strip extending circumferentially about the can adjacent one end thereof and joining the cover of the can to the body thereof. Such tear strip may vary in width, and the free end which is adapted to be engaged by a removing key, may vary in length.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved can strip remover which is adapted to engage metal tear strips of varying width, and further, is designed to engage said tear strip at the free end thereof, even though such tear strip may be of minimum length.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described, which comprises a mini mum number of parts; is of simple construction; of mini mum weight and bulk so as to facilitate the use -thereof; and which is economical to manufacture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an im proved can strip remover which includes handle and guide means which facilitates the manipulation thereof.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part, hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a front elevational view embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof, showing the device in use and engaging a relatively wide tear strip; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, showing the device engaging a relatively narrow tear strip.

Referring in detail to the drawing, designates a can strip remover embodying the invention. The same comprises a pair of substantially

parallel plates

11, 12 interconnected by a pair of transversely extending,

parallel pins

13, 14.

Plate 11 is provided along the lower, longitudinal edge thereof with an outturned flange and is formed intermediate the ends thereof, with a vertical slot 16, .the lower end of which terminates in a rear portion of flange 15. Plate 12 is similar to plate 11, except that it includes a handle and guide portion 17 projecting from one end thereof; plate 12 being provided with an outturned flange 15a and a vertical slot 16a which is aligned with slot 16 in plate 11, and also terminates at its lower end, in flange 15a.

Plates

11, 12 are held together by

pins

13, 14, which freely pass through openings formed in opposite end portions of the plates. The

pins

13, 14 are headed at one end thereof, as at 18, which heads abut the outer surface of plate 11. The opposite ends of

pins

13, 14 may be threaded to receive nuts 19. Spring members 20 are located on

pins

13, 14, with one end thereof abutting the of a can strip remover outer surface of plate 12 and the other end abutting nuts 19. Spacer collars 21 are disposed on

pins

13, 14 to provide a minimum spacing between

plates

11, 12, while allowing said plates to be displaced from each other.

A key 22 is provided for association with device 10, to engage and remove a tear strip T on a container C, as indicated in Figs. 3, 4. The key 22 includes a portion 23 adapted to pass through slots 16, 16a in

plates

11, 12; said key portion 23 having an open ended slot 24 formed therein. Key 22 further includes a crank handle portion 25 extending from portion 23.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, device 10 is disposed in contact with a circumferential portion of container C, with

plates

11, 12 located on opposite sides of the tear strip '1 are close together, as indicated in Fig. 4, whereas in thecase of a wider tear strip, said plates are displaced from each other to accommodate the strip, as shown in Fig. 3.

The key 22 is turned by handle means 25 while device 10 is guided by handle 17, thus winding the tear strip T on key portion 23 in a smooth spiral kept even by confinement between

plates

11, 12. Thus the device 10 moves around the periphery of container C until the entiretear strip is wound on key portion 23 thereby removing the same from the container and freeing the cover D from the container body. As the tear strip T is wound on key portion 23, the winding increases in diameter. and the key portion 23 carrying said spirally Wound strip, rises upwardly in plate slots 16, 16a.

Means is provided for initially confining key portion 23 to the bottom of slots 16, 16a so as to facilitate the introduction of'strip end 26 into slot 24 on key portion 23; particularly when said strip end may be very short in extent. According, a latch member 27 is pivotally mounted on one of the pins 14, said member being disposed in contact with the outer surface of plate 11 and head 18.

Latch member 27 includes a short slot 28 formed on the bottom portion thereof for receiving therein key portion 23; said slot 28 being defined by depending

projections

29, 30 which abut flange 15. A short lug 31 extending horizontally from the upper edge of member 27 provides handle means for moving said member 27 between operative and inoperative positions.

It will be apparent, that with latch member 27 in its operative position, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, key portion 23 is held in its lowermost position in plate slots 16, 16a to allow for easy insertion of tear strip end 26 into slot 24 of said key portion. After a few turns of handle 25 to start the spiral winding of the leading edge of the tear strip on key portion 23, latch member 27 may be lifted by lug 31, to its inoperative position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus allowing key portion 23 to rise in plate slots 16, 16a as the diameter of the strip wound thereon increases.

Plate flanges 15, 15a provide bearing means for device 10 with respect to the wall of container C while the device is in use. Additionally, said flanges permit the slots 16, 16a to extend downwardly to a point substantially coincident with the bottom edge of plates 15, 15a, without danger of breaking through the metal to open said slots at the lower end thereof. Thus, key portion 23 may be located in slots 16, 16a to receive in key slot 24 extremely short tear strip ends 26.

When, tear strip T is fully wound on key 22, said key may be withdrawn from slots 16, 16a; allowing the Wound strip to be withdrawn from between the

plates

11, 12. Spring members 20

compress plates

11, 12 together in accordance with the width ofthe tear strip T being removed from container C.

The combination of handle means 17 and crank handle 25 permits simple manipulation of the device as the same moves about the periphery of container C, as handle means 17 may be grasped in the left hand of the user while crank handle 25 is operated with the right hand. Such arrangement insure proper circumferential movement of device 10' as strip T is being progressively removed from container C and simultaneously Wound on key portion 23. a r

As various changes might be made in the embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein set forth is illustrative and notlimiting except as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed my inventlon, I claim as new 1 and desire to protect by Letters Patent: 7

1. A device for removing a sealing strip from a can and holding the removed strip in spiral form on a slotted key on said device, comprising a pair of opposed substantially parallel plates, each plate having an outturncd flange extending along the lower edge thereof, said flanges extending in opposite directions and being substantially coplanar, a pair of pins extending through said plates at right angles thereto and respectively positioned adjacent the opposite ends of said plates, at least one of said plates being .slidably mounted on said pins, resilient means normally urging said plates toward each other, stop means limiting the movement of said plates toward each other, said plates having aligned vertical slots for receiving said key, the lower end of each slot terminating at a point coincident with the top surface of the flange, said key being insertable in said aligned slots for rotation and rectilinear movement therein from a position immediately adjacent said flanges to positions spaced from said flanges, and movable latch means on one-of .said plates, said latch means being formed with a notch registrable with the lower end portion of the slot on said one plate upon movement of said latch means to one position thereof whereby to retain said key against upward movement in said aligned slots.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said latch means is pivotally mounted on one of said pins.

3. A device for removing a'sealing strip from a can and winding said removed strip spirally on a slotted key, comprising a pair of opposed, substantially parallel plates, flange means extending along the lower edges of each of said plates, a pair of pins interconnecting said plates for relative movement, spring means for normally urging said plates toward each other, said plates having aligned vertical slots for rotatably and slidably receiving said key, the lower end of said slots terminating in said flange means, stop means on said pins between said plates to limit the movement of said plates toward each other, and a latch pivotally mounted on the outer surface of one plate, the outer end of said latch being formed with a notch registrable with the lower end portion of the vertical slot on said one plate upon pivoted movement of said latch whereby said key is restrained against upward movement in said plate slots.-

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said latch is pivotally mounted on one of said pins.-

a 5. A device as in claim 3 wherein one of said plates includes a wall portion projecting longitudinally beyond one end of the other plateto provide longitudinally extending handle means.

6. A device as in claim 3 wherein said latch includes means engageable with the flange of said one plate for limiting the movement of said latch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,723,046 Reeves Nov. s, 1955 2,758,746 Brockett Aug. 14, 1956 2,769,567 Turbett Nov. 6, 1956 2,784,866 Virgilio Mar. 12, 1957 52,811,2 8