US3079683A - Sanitary can opening mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1963 H. CAREW ETAL 3,079,683

SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March 3, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORJ Herman (176w March 5, 1963 H. cAREw ETAL SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed March 3, 1958 IN V EN TOM H rmer? (drew BY fl/fr a 71! [2 2 29 ATTORNEYS March 5, 1963 H. CAREW ETAL SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March 5, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS War: 422 [476W March 5, 1963 H. CAREW ETAL 3,079,683

SANITARY CAN OPENING MECHANISM Original Filed March 3, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 w lw United States Patent Ofifice 3,679,533 Patented Mar. 5, 1%53 3,679,583 SANITARY CAN OPEh-IING MECHANISM Herman Carew, Tarpon Eprings, Fla, and Alfred W.

Kinney, Washington, Ni, assignors to American Can Company, New You, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey v Original application Mar. 3, 1958, Ser. No. 718,683. Divided and this application duly 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,208

15 Claims. (Cl. tl4) cation entiled Method of and Apparatus for Dispensing Hot Foods, filed March 3, 1958, Serial No. 718,683.

I The instant invention might well be incorported in apparatus that may be coin controlled the manner of automatic vending machines, for the dispensing of hot or cold edibles directly from tin cans and the like into a suitable dish or container for immediate consumption by the purchaser. The invention is also highly desirable for use in restaurants and similar establishments wherein food is frequently dispensed from tin cans or the like for immediate consumption by the purchaser, and the invention might also be utilized with apparatus wherein the contents of cans are periodically emptied into a larger vat or reservoir tank from which measured amounts are ultimately dispensed, there being many and varied uses for the instant invention, the important feature residing in the dispensing of edibles firom tin cans and the like in a strictly sanitary condition.

In the past, many and various types of machines and mechanisms for the opening of tin cans and the like have been developed, but in no instance of which we are aware, except as pointed out in our aforesaid copending application, did any such machine or mechanism open a tin can in a strictly sanitary manner, wherein anything entering the can or coming directly in contact with the contents of the can was utilized only once and then immediately discarded. In many cases with can opening mechani ms heretofore known the cutting element was repeatedly used and after each use, in certain instances, the cutting element was dipped into a sterilizing solution or otherwise treated for sanitary purposes, but that manner of maintaining the apparatus in a sanitary condition rill not satisfy the strict sanitary codes and laws in many localities. That is because there is no adequate Way of telling whether or not the sterilizing solution is effective, has not deteriorated, if there is 'sufiicient of it at any one time, or when and how it is replaced, and un- I sanitary conditions would likely result. :In many other cases, automatic can opening machines did not provide a clean cut and smooth edge at the top of the can particularly if the cover was completely or substantially removed, so that the contents might be safely consumed directly from the can itself.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a machine or mechanism for sanitarily opening tin cans and the like, in

which a new cutting blade is utilized for each individual invention embodied in a vending lso an object of this invention is the provision of can opening mechanism which functions automatically to sever the cover from the can, hold the can cover out of the way while the can is emptied of its contents, and then automatically drop the cover back into the empty can for disposition in a waste receptacle.

Still another feature of the instant invention resides in the provision of can opening mechanism for automatically opening tin cans which mechanism includes a cutting blade for completely severing a cover from a can, means for automatically holding the cover out of the way while the can is emptied, after which the mechanism automatically discharges the used cutting blade into the empty can and then ejects the cover into the empty can over the cutting blade, whereby the can, blade, and cover may be easily disposed in a waste receptacle.

It is also a desideratum of this invention to provide automatic can opening means, in which a cutting blade is utilized only once, a new blade being substituted for each can, and which severs a cover from a can in a manner to leave a smooth even edge at the top of the can to permit safe consumption of the contents directly from the can.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a new and highly efiicient cutting blade which is so economical as to warrant its use only once.

While some of} the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURES l to 5 inclusive are somewhat diagrammatic fragmentary, part sectional, part elevational views indicating the operation of salient portions of the mechanisms embodied in the instant invention;

FIGURE 1 illustrates the cutting mechanism at the time the can is initially punctured;

FIGURE 2 illustrates the holding of the can cover after it has been severed completely from the can;

FIGURE 3 illustrates the discharge of the used knife blade into the empty can and the substitution therefor of anew knife blade for the next operation;

FIGURE 4 illustrates the discharge of the cover into the can after the knife blade already used has been discharged into the can;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view illustrating the cutting of the cover from the can;

FEGURE 6 is a side elevational view or face view of one of the knife blades, showing the same in horizontal position for convenience;

FIGURE 7 is an end view of the knife blade taken at the cutting edge, but illustrating the curvature in a somewhat exaggerated manner;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary rear elevational view showing mechanism embodying principles of the instant machine, parts being broken away to illustrate parts therebeneath; r

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IX-I X of FIGURE 8, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 10 is also a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken substantially as indicated by the line XX of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE ll is a fragmentary front elevational view of mechanism embodying the instant invention incorporated in the vending machine;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line XVXV of FIGURE 12; and

FIGURE 16is a fragmentary view of the right-hand 7 portion of FIGURE 15 showing the same in a different stage of operation.

As shown on the drawings:

It will be understood that the illustrating and describing of the instant invention in association with a vending machine is merely illustrative, and not by way of limitation, for the purpose of completely presenting the full mechanism and its operation. sired to dispense with some of the mechanism, such as the means for ejecting the knife blade and severed cover back into the empty can, depending upon the particular installation in which the invention may be used.

It will also be understood that in connection with FIGURES l to inclusive, the diagrammatic showings, that the parts shown therein will be connected with other parts later herein, a better understanding of the complete mechanism being more easily obtained if the general function and purpose of the invention is first explained in connection with these figures.

In all of FIGURES 1 to 5 inclusive, a commonly known form of tin can 1 having acover 2 is being acted upon. Looking at FIGURE 1, it will be seen that at At times it may be de-' the start of the operation a shaft 3 is forcibly lowered toward the can which is held in fixed position by means to be later described. 0n the lower end thereof the shaft 3 carries a permanent magnet 4, and ahead 5 is also fixedly connected to the shaft in any suitable manner. This head 5 carries means to hold a cutting blade 6 in operative position and when the shaft is forcibly lowered, the cutting blade 6 penetrates the cover 2 of the can. Relative rotation is then set up between the head 5 and the can 1 so that the cutting blade severs the cover 2 completely'from the can and when the severing operation is completed, the can cover is immediately held by the magnet 4, as seen in FIGURE 2.

As soon as the can cover is severed and held by the magnet, the shaft 3 and head 5 are retracted or elevated away from the can to permit the contents of the can to be emptied, and the can re-righted, in timed sequence with the movement of the head 5, this particular operation not being shown in the drawings.

The head 5 carries a magazine of additional cutting blades 6a thereon and the head is provided with a tapering slot 7 therein to permit-the ejection of one cutting blade at a time through the head. When the can is rerighted after having been emptied, ejecting means operate to force out a new blade 6a toward cutting position and thenew blade pushes the used blade 6 ahead of it into the empty can, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The head 5 also carries a pair of spaced rods 8-8, each of which is biased upwardly by a spring 9, and after the used and ejected blade 6 enters the empty can 1, the ejecting means press the rods 88 downwardly against the action of the biasing springs and force the can cover 2 off the magnet 4 and the cover also drops into the empty can on top of the ejected blade, as shown in FIGURE 4. The can containing the used blade and cover may then be deposited in a waste receptacle by hand, or by any suitable means.

Of course, the head 7 together with the cutting blade may rotate relatively to the can, or the can may be rotated relatively to the head in order to effect the cutting operation. In the illustrated instance, the head 5 rotates while the can is held in fixed position. All of the above described operations, including the return of the head vby the arrow, so that in one complete revolution the cover will be totally severed and there will be no hair ing a polygonal aperture 11 therein adjacent the upper endof the blade. The opposite end of the blade is formed into a point and preferably bevelled on each angular edge as indicated at 12 to provide a cutting edge. The blade is preferably struck so as to form a curvature in the tapering cutting portion of the blade as indicated at 13 in FIG- URE 7, and when the blade is forced through the top of the can the convex side of the cutting end is preferably toward the outside of the can. .With the blade so positioned, when a cut is made, the remaining marginal portion of the severed cover adjacent the can chime is turned downwardly against the inside wall of the can as shown at 14, thus providing a smooth margin at the open end of the empty can which will not interfere with safely drinking or otherwise consuming the contents directly from theopened can itself, if sodesired. This manner of cut ting out the can cover also insures the cutting of the cover at such a size that the cover will always fall within the can when pushed off the magnet 4 after the can has been emptied, and there will be no trouble resulting from a misplaced or stuck can cover. It should be noted that the aperture '11 in each blade, while preferably polygonal, need not have an exactly square shape as shown, but it may be of any shape desired as long as it has a flat side at the bottom for firm engagement by the blade holding means to be later described.

' For illustrative purposes, the mechanismembodied in the instant invention is shown associated with an automatic vending machine which is more fully set forth, described and claimed in our aforesaid copending application. With reference to FIGURES 8, 9, 10 and 11 it will be seen that the vending machine incorporates container dispensing and placing means, can positioning means, and

empty can discharging means all of which operate in timed sequence during the vending, opening, emptying, and disposing of a tin can initially containinga commodity. The container dispensing and positioning means includes a bellcrank 15 actuated by cam mechanism 16 to 'move a pusher 17 laterally and place a cup 18, automatically delivered from a dispenser 19, in proper position on a platform 20 to receive the contents of an opened can.

Can placing means including a pushing bar 21 operated access door to a filled container 18 at the front of the 7 housing. These mechanisms of the overall vending machine do not form any part of the instant invention, but do provide one environment for the invention.

The vending machine includes a fixed frame structure 26 provided with suitable uprights and crossbars wherever needed, fabricated in any suitable manner, and it is not necessary herein to specifically describe the frame structure, bearing mountings for the various shafts, pivot points, and the like since such is constructed in a manner well known in the art. Various mechanisms of the vending machine as well as of the instant invention are driven from a motor 27 mounted upon a portion of the fixed frame 26, through a gear train 28 and a main drive shaft 29, all seen in FIGURE 8. 1

In FIGURES 8 and 10 the can holding means are best illustrated. These means include a pair of elongated allochiral levers 33 and 31 each of which is pivoted to a ross shaft as indicated at 32. These levers are interconnected by a spring 33 which tends to draw them together below the pivot points and cause cam riders 34 and 35 on the lower ends of the respective levers to remain in engagement with opposite sides of a cam 36 fixed to the drive shaft 29. This cam has a high part 37 on each side thereof, both identical in size, and which extends substantially half-way around the cam. When the high parts of the cam come between the riders 34 and 35,-the lower ends of the levers 30 and 31 are spread apart bringing the upper ends of the levers above the pivot points toward each other. This causes a forceable holding of the can 1 in stationary position by means of a gripping element 38 on the upper end of each lever, the can being gripped tightly between the elements 38-33 to prevent rotation of the can about its vertical axis. Opposite its gripping element, the lever 30 carries a pulley wheel 39 over which a cable 40 is trained, one end of the cable being connected to a spring 40a and the other end to cam means not shown in the drawings which periodically release the cable so that the spring a may rotate the pulley 3-9 and the two gripping elements 38-38 to empty the can after the cover has been removed. Immediately after emptying the can is again righted so that the used knife blade and severedcover maybe dropped into it.

As soon as the can has been firmly gripped between the elements 38-38 the can top severing mechanism comes into operation. This mechanism is also controlled and actuated from the main drive shaft 29 and a separate motor which rotates the aforesaid head 5 and the knife blade 6 carried thereby. Thesevering mechanism includes a slidable frame comprising opposed vertical side members 41 and 42, FIGURES 8 and 9, connected at the top by a transverse member 43 and a short distance there- 'below by a .pair of spaced transverse members 4444. This entire frame structure vertically reciprocates along guides 45 on the fixed main frame. The reciprocable frame structure is urged downwardly at all times by means of a plurality of springs 46, there being four such springs in the illustrated showing, each having its upper end connected to a cross-member 44 of the reciprocable frame, and its lower end anchored to a portion of the main frame 26. Thus, the cutting mechanism is always urged into cutting position.

The cutting mechanism -is moved to and from cutting position by means of cam riders in the form of rollers 47 and 48 carried onthe lower ends of the reciprocable side members '41 and '42 and riding respectively earns 49, and 5t) carriedon the main drive shaft 29. These . cams 49 and 50 are identical in construction and disposed in the same angular position, and as seen in FIGURE 9 each such cam includes a drop off dwell 51 that extends partially around the cam and permits the springs 46 to pull the reciprocable frame downward toward the can resting on the platform 22 "so as to cause the knife blade '6 to puncture the can cover.

' While the cam riders 47 and 43 remain in the dwells S-lv of the cams 49 and 53, the aforesaid head S-together with the knife blade is rotated one complete revolution to sever the cover'fr'om the can. The mechanism for accomplishing this. is best seen in FIGURES 12 to 16 inclusive. 'Fiirediy secured -to the underside of the head radially outwardlyjbya compression spring 59.. Thisv 6 detent is flat on the underside and has a sloping upper wall, as seen clearly in FIGURES 15 and 16, and it e);- tends through the opening 11 in the knife blade 6 with the flat underface of the detent bearing against the flat bottom edge of the opening 11. With the knife blade so positioned and held as seen in FIGURE 15 it is apparent that the knife blade cannot move upwardly when the cutting mechanism is brought downwardly, but the knife blade is effectively forced through the cover 2 of the can 1, and the knife blade is held rigid during a revolution of the cutting mechanism so as to completely sever the cover from the can.

Rotation of the head 5 and shaft 3 is accomplished by way of the ring gear 53 which, as seen in FIGURE 8, meshes with gearing 69 leading to a bevel gear arrangernent 61 connected to the shaft of a cutter drive motor 62 carried on the side member 42 of the reciproc'able frame. This motor 62 rotates at a faster speed than the main drive shaft 29, because as soonas a cutting revolution is completed, the camriders 47 and 48 on the reciprocable frame strike the high parts of the cams 49 and 50 and the entire slidable frame is elevated to withdraw the knife blade from the can, the can cover 2 being carried upwardly at the same time by the magnet 4 on the lower end of the shaft 3. The motor 62 may be energized by any suitable form of starting switch and cam, located on any desirable part of the mechanism such as the main drive shaft 29, all as more fully explained in our aforesaid copending application. The motor is stopped at the end of a single revolution by means of a known form of cycle switch =63 actuated by a cycle cam 64 carried on the upper end'of the shaft 3.

As soon as the cover is removed from the can and en} gaged by the magnet 4, if the instant invention is embodied in the machine of the character illustrated in the drawings, the head 5 remains elevated for a sufficient length of time for the can to be emptied of its contents and rerighted, in the manner above explained. As soon as the can is re-righted, the knife blade and cover ejecting means come into operation. These means are seen bestin FIG; URES 8, 12, 13 and 15, and embody a solenoid 65 mounted on the underside of the top member 43 of the slidable frame carrying the cutting mechanism, and the armature of this solenoid is connected to an adjacent end of an intermediately pivoted lever 66. The outer or free end of this lever 66 is bifurcated as indicated at 67, FIG.- URES 12 and 13. The bifurcations 67 spread sufficiently to overlie the aforesaid spring biased rods 8 carried by the head 5 and its associated mechanism. Extending sidewise or laterally from one of the furcations 67 is an arm or bracket 68 having a blade pusher 69 depending .from the outer end thereof, the opposite furcation being thickened to compensate for the thickness of the arm 68.

As seen best in FIGURES 15 and 16, a magazine 70 of knife blades 6a, in stacked relationship and resiliently urged toward the left-hand end of the stack as seen in these figures by means not shown, is mounted in any suitable manner on the head 5 against a stop member 73. which properly positions the magazine. This magazine may be made of any suitable material such as light 'metal, paperboard, cardboard, plastic,'or other substances. It is presumed that the cutting blades 6d are sterilized before or after being placed in the magazine which is designed to keep them in sterile condition until each individual blade is removed. The magazine arrangement itself is more fully set forth, described, and claimed in a copending application-entitled Cutting Blade Magazine and Dispense -filed July 3, 1961, Serial No. 127,986, which is also a division of our aforesaid copending application.

This magazine is provided with a slot 72 in the top thereof and a slot 73 in the bottom thereof adjacent the end abutting the stop 71, both these slots being inalignment with the aforesaid slot 7 in the head 5. The slots are or" just sunrcient size-to pass a single blade andalso top'of the discharged blade.

permit the entry of the blade pusher 69 carried on the arm 68.

With reference to FIGURES l and 16, it will be seen that after a can has been opened, the cover retained on the magnet 4, and the head elevated, when the solenoid 65 is energized to actuate the lever 66, the blade pusher 69 enters the magazine, forces out the adjacent blade 6a, the point of which strikes the used blade 6, and pushes it past the detent 80 and into the empty can. Shortly after the blade has been ejected from the head, the furcations on the lever 66 contact the spring urged rods 88 and force them downwardly to dislodge the can cover from the magnet 4, the cover falling into the empty can on As the new blade passes the detent 58, when the aperture 11 in that new blade is reached the detent will snap back into position, and hold the new blade in cutting position.

Briefly reviewing the operation of the instant invention, we find that at the start of the operation a filled can 1 is automatically held against rotation by the gripping elements 38-38 on the levers 30 and 31, then the slidable frame carrying the cutting mechanism is permitted to be .pulled downwardly by the springs 46 bringing the cutting head and the cutting mechanism toward the cover of the can and forcing the knife blade through the can cover. Thereafter, by virtue of the cutter motor 62, the entire headwith the cutting means is rotated to completely sever the can cover 2 from the can, and the severed cover is immediately held, by the magnet 4. The cutter head is then elevated to withdraw the knife blade from the can, permitting the can to be tipped, emptied, and re-righted. At that time, the solenoid 65 actuates the lever 66 to eject 'the'used blade into the can and then eject the severed cover into the can on top of the used blade, at the same time positioning a new blade from the magazine 70 into cutting position for the next operation. The operation is completely automatic, and the electrical connections Eor operating the respective motors, solenoid and other parts of the mechanism in timed sequence is of the character usually utilized in machines requiring a sequence of operations, and is more fully set forth and explained in our aforesaid copending application.

From the foregoing itis apparent that we have provided simple and effective automatic means for opening tin cans and the like containing edible substances in a strictly'and completely sanitary manner, wherein anything that comes in contact with the contents of a can is utilized only once and discarded. An economical form of can opening blade is-provided, one for each separate opening operation, from a magazine of blades which is easily replaced with a new magazine containing a stack of blades when necessary. The mechanism is highly durable, requires little servicing, occupies little room, and is economical to manufacture and use.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a machine for dispensing the contents of cans, a magazine of can opening blades, a rotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover and then severe the same by the carried blade, and blade feeding means arranged to discharge the used blade and contemporaneously position a new blade from said magazine in said assembly.

2. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means, housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drive mechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate one of said means relatively to. the other to sever the can cover by said blade, a supply of blades associated with said housing means, and ejecting means to remove a used blade from said housing means and position a new blade from said supply.

3. In a machine for opening can! and the like, can hold- 8. ing means to restrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a blade slot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and a cutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latch projecting through said aperture with an end of the blade projecting beyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can.

4. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means to restrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a blade slot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and a cutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latch project- 7 ing through said aperture with an end of the blade projecting beyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can, means to lower said assembly and project the exposed blade end through the held can and later raise the assembly, and means to rotate said assembly when in the lowered position. 7

5. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means to restrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a blade slot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot,and a cutting blade'having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latch project ing through said aperture with an end of the blade project ing beyond the assembly'tosever the cover from the held can, a magazine for cutting blades associated with said assembly, said magazine having a blade discharge slot therein in alignment with the slot in said assembly, and eject ing means to force out a blade from said magazine into said assembly while driving out the used blade.

6. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can hold- 7 ing means, housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drive mechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate oneof said means relatively to the other to sever the can cover by said blade, means to move said housing means toward and away from the held can, cover holding means on said housing means, and an ejector assembly including a blade ejecting element and a cover ejecting element. i

7. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means, housing means, a blade carried by said housing means, and drive mechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate one of said means relatively to the other to sever the can cover by I said blade, means to move said housingmeans toward and away from the held can, cover holding means on said housing means, and an' ejector assembly including a blade ejecting element and a cover ejecting element, the blade ejecting element extending in advance of the cover eject-ing element to cause ejection of the used blade and then the can cover. a

8. In a machine for opening cans and the like, can holding means to restrain rotation of a can, a rotary housing assembly having a blade slot therethrough, a spring biased latch extending into said slot, and a cutting blade having an aperture therein held in said slot by said latch projecting through said aperture with an end of the blade projecting beyond the assembly to sever the cover from the held can, a magazine for cutting blades associated with said assembly, said magazine having a blade discharge slot therein in alignment with the slot in said assembly, a cover holding magnet on said assembly, and cover and blade ejecting means including a blade ejecting element to enter the magazine slot and force a new blade into engagement with said latch driving out the used blade and a cover ejecting element to push the cover oif said magnet. t

9. In can opening mechanism, a rotary-head, blade holding means on said head, a magazine of 'blades'on said head, means to hold a can against rotation, means to move said head toward said can and force the blade in said holding means through the cover of the can, means to rotate said head and sever the cover from the can, magnet means associated with said head to hold the severed cover, and pusher means to eject tthe knife blade from said holding means and substitute a new blade from said magazine and also force the severed cover off said magnet means.

10. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, a rotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover and then sever the same by the carried blade, drive means to rotate said assembly, and means carried by said assembly to control said drive means and cause the assembly to stop after a single revolution.

11. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, a rotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover and then sever the same by the carried blade. drive means to rotate said assembly. means carried by said assembly to control said drive means and cause the assembly to stop after a single revolution, a magazine of can opening blades, and blade ejecting means operable to eject the blade carried by said assembly and substitute a new blade from said magazine therefor at the end of each cutting operation.

12. In can opening mechanism, means to hold a can against rotation, a rotary blade carrying assembly movable to penetrate the can cover and then sever the same by the carried blade, said assembly including a shaft extending therefrom, a motor connected to rotate said assembly, a cycle switch controlling said motor, and a cam on said shaft to actuate said switch and stop said motor at the end of a single revolution of said assembly.

13. In can opening mechanism, a reciprocable frame, a rotary blade carrying assembly on said frame, a blade held in cutting position by said assembly, means to hold a can, means to move said frame forcefully toward the held can and cause said blade to penetrate the can cover, means to rotate said assembly and sever the cover from the can, cover holding means on said assembly, means to elevate said frame and assembly to permit emptying the can, and ejecting means carried by said frame to eject both the blade and the severed cover from said assembly.

14. In can opening mechanism, a reciprocable frame, a rotary blade carrying assembly on said frame, a blade held in cutting position by said assembly, means to hold a can, means to move said frame forcefully toward the held can and cause said blade to penetrate the can cover, means to rotate said assembly and sever the cover from the can, cover holding means on said assembly, means to elevate said frame and assembly to permit emptying the can, a magazine of cutting blades carried by said assembly, and ejecting means carried by said frame and operable to first eject the used blade from said assembly and substitute a new one from said magazine therefor and also push the severed cover from said holding means immediately after ejecting the used blade.

15. In can opening mechanism, cutting head means, a cutting blade carried by said head means, can holding means, drive mechanism to move one of said means toward the other and rotate one of said means relatively to the other to sever the can cover from the can by said blade, a magnet depending from said head means to hold the severed can cover, a pair of rods associated with said head means disposed on opposite sides of said magnet, resilient means biasing said rods away from a cover on said magnet, a magazine of blades associated with said head means, and ejecting means operable to eject the used blade from said head means and substitute a new blade from said magazine while actuating said rods to push the severed cover from said magnet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,012,880 M-archand Dec. 26, 1911 1,176,914 Lostumo et al. Mar. 28, 1916 1,618,457 McGrath Feb. 22, 1927 2,523,810 rown Sept. 26, 1950 2,579,189 Ienson Dec. 18, 1951 2,896,319 Pinette July 29, 1959

Claims (1)

1. IN A MACHINE FOR DISPENSING THE CONTENTS OF CANS, A MAGAZINE OF CAN OPENING BLADES, A ROTARY BLADE CARRYING ASSEMBLY MOVABLE TO PENETRATE THE CAN COVER AND THEN SEVERE THE SAME BY THE CARRIED BLADE, AND BLADE FEEDING MEANS ARRANGED TO DISCHARGE THE USED BLADE AND CONTEMPORANEOUSLY POSITION A NEW BLADE FROM SAID MAGAZINE IN SAID ASSEMBLY.

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