US3142417A

US3142417A - Can opener and pouring spout

Info

Publication number: US3142417A
Application number: US239625A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bill L Campbell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-11-23
Filing date: 1962-11-23
Publication date: 1964-07-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-07-28

Description

July 28, 1964 s. L. CAMPBELL CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Filed Nov. 23, 1962 INVNTOR BILL L cAM l-'fBELLl AGENT United States Patent O 3,142,417 CAN OPENER AND POURING SPOUT Bill L. Campbell, Star Rte., Canton, Okla. Filed Nov. 23, 1962, Ser. No. 239,625 3 Claims. (Cl. Z22-83.5)

The present invention relates to can openers and more particularly to a combined can holder and opener.

The prior art reveals a plurality of can taps or openers which include a pouring spout. Most of the can spouts or openers used for opening quart cans of oil, or the like, feature a sharpened point at one end of the spout which is diicult to force through the sealed end of the can and is simimlarly diilicult to remove from the can after the latter is emptied. Furthermore, the patents of the prior art do not disclose a means for easily opening and holding a can while emptying the latter through the can tap spout or in removing the can from the opener when the can has been emptied.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a can opener having a pouring spout which may be easily connected to the can and retain the latter during the opening and emptying of the can.

Another object is to provide a device of this class wherein lever means forces the can into opening contact with the pouring spout.

An additional object is to provide a can opening device which may be locked in can opening position until the can has been emptied and is ready for disposal.

Still another object is to provide a can opening and holding device which will automatically release the can from the tap and pouring spout when the can is to be discarded.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing a pair of U-shaped members interconnected to form a handle portion and a can holding frame. Pivoting lever means forces one end of the can into contact with a can opening and pouring spout.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the device, per se.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device, partly in cross section, illustrating its relative position when in can opened position, the can being shown in cross section, and illustrating, by dotted lines, the relative position of the device and a can before being opened and in ejecting position; and,

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates the device, as a whole, which is rectangular in general configuration comprising a U-shaped can holding frame 12 and a U-shaped handle portion 14. The frame 12 is preferably formed of metallic strap material having a bight portion 16 and

parallel leg members

18 and 20 which are adapted to extend transversely of opposing ends of a can 22, or the like. The

leg members

24 and 26 of the U-shaped handle 14 are connected at their respective ends to the bight portion 16 of the frame 12 opposite the direction of the

legs

18 and 20. The leg member 26 of the handle 14 is preferably formed of two parallel members 28 and 30 for transversely journaling a pin 32 which pivotally mounts, intermediate its ends, an elongated rod or lever 34. One end portion 36 of the lever 34 extends upwardly within the U-shaped handle 14 toward its other leg member 24. The other end portion 38 of the lever extends arcuately downward and upward to extend freely through a suitable aperture 40 in the leg 20. The free end of the lever end 3,142,417. Patented July 28, 1964 ICe portion 38 is provided with an axially connected disk 42 for the purposes which will presently be apparent.

A tubular pouring spout 44 extends through the leg member 18 adjacent and parallel with respect to the bight portion 16. The inwardly directed end portion 46 of the spout is sharpened in a conventional manner for piercing a can. A helical spring 48 is connected to the inner surface of the frame leg 18 and projects toward the disk 42 for the purposes more fully explained hereinbelow.

Operation In operation the can 22 to be opened is positioned within the frame 12 with one end 52 of the can resting on the disk 42 and its other end 54 is spaced relation with respect to the spout end portion 46 and the spring 48. The user has one of his hands surrounding the bight portion of the handle 14 with his fingers grasping the handle end 36 which is pulled toward the bight portion of the handle to pivot the handle about the pin 32 and force the disk 42 against the can end 52 so that the can end 54 is moved toward the frame leg 18 and contacts and is pierced by the spout end portion 46. Simultaneously the spring 48 is compressed between the frame leg 18 and the outer surface of the can end 54. The handle end portion 36 is provided with a slot 56 which loosely receives a guide pin 58 horizontally supported between a pair of ears or lugs 60 connected with the bight portion of the handle 14 and extending inwardly thereof. A plunger or pin 62, transversely supported by the ears 60, may then be manually pushed into a suitable aperture 64 formed in the free end portion of the handle 36 communicating with the slot 56. The shank 66 of the pin 62, frictionally engaged within the aperture 64, holds the handle in can 'holding position. A spring 68, surrounding the shank of the pin 62 between its head and the adjacent ear 60, aids in releasing the handle end portion 36 from its locked position when the can is to be released. When the handle 36 is unlocked the spring 48 expands and forces the can end 54 out of contact with the pouring spout end portion 46, as shown by dotted lines (FIG. 2), for disposal of the can.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be conned to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A can tap and pouring spout, comprising: a substantially U-shaped frame for receiving a can to be opened, said frame comprising a bight portion and a pair of spacedapart parallel legs normal with respect to the plane of the bight portion, one leg of said U-shaped frame having an aperture; handle means connected to said U-shaped frame, said handle means including a substantially U-shaped handle member having a bight portion and parallel legs, said U-shaped handle member having the ends of its legs connected to the bight portion of said U-shaped frame on that side opposite the legs of the latter, one of the legs of said handle member comprising a pair of parallel spaced-apart members; a lever pivotally connected intermediate its ends between the pair of parallel spaced-apart members of said handle member leg, said lever projecting beyond said handle means and arcuately curved toward and extending at one end into said `U-shaped frame through the aperture in said one leg; a disk axially connected to the end portion of said lever within said frame adapted to engage the adjacent end surface of a can to be opened and force the latter toward the other leg of said U-shaped frame when said lever is moved in one direction; a pouring spout extending through the last mentioned leg of said U-shaped frame, said spout having a sharpened end portion positioned inwardly of its connection with said leg for piercing the end Wall of a can to be opened when the latter is forced intocontact with said sharpened end portion by movement of said lever; and locking means holding said lever in can opened position.

2. Structure as specied in claim l and a helical spring connected at one end to the inwardly directed surface of the leg of said U-shaped frame having the spout extending therethrough, said spring extending toward said disk a distance at least as great as the length of the sharpened end portion of said spout.

3. Structure as specified in claim 1 in which the lever locking means includes a pair of ears connected with the bight portion of said handle means and projecting in parallel spaced relation toward said U-shaped frame for receiving the adjacent end portion of said lever therebetween, the adjacent end portion of said lever having a transverse opening; and a spring urged pin slidably mounted transversely by said ears and removably engageable within the opening in said lever.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,880,354 Mueller Oct. 4, 1932 2,024,898 Weltner Dec. 17, 1935 2,038,775 Weber Apr. 28, 1936 2,320,160 Snowden May 25, 1943 2,499,259 Prickett Feb. 28, 1950 2,582,156 Peterson Jan. 8, 1952 2,657,828 Crippen Nov. 3, 1953

Claims

1. A CAN TAP AND POURING SPOUT, COMPRISING: A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED FRAME FOR RECEIVING A CAN TO BE OPENED, SAID FRAME COMPRISING A BIGHT PORTION AND A PAIR OF SPACEDAPART PARALLEL LEGS NORMAL WITH RESPECT TO THE PLANE OF THE BIGHT PORTION, ONE LEG OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME HAVING AN APERTURE; HANDLE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID U-SHAPED FRAME, SAID HANDLE MEANS INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED HANDLE MEMBER HAVING A BIGHT PORTION AND PARALLEL LEGS, SAID U-SHAPED HANDLE MEMBER HAVING THE ENDS OF ITS LEGS CONNECTED TO THE BIGHT PORTION OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME ON THAT SIDE OPPOSITE THE LEGS OF THE LATTER, ONE OF THE LEGS OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER COMPRISING A PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED-APART MEMBERS; A LEVER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS BETWEEN THE PAIR OF PARALLEL SPACED-APART MEMBERS OF SAID HANDLE MEMBER LEG, SAID LEVER PROJECTING BEYOND SAID HANDLE MEANS AND ARCUATELY CURVED TOWARD AND EXTENDING AT ONE END INTO SAID U-SHAPED FRAME THROUGH THE APERTURE IN SAID ONE LEG; A DISK AXIALLY CONNECTED TO THE END PORTION OF SAID LEVER WITHIN SAID FRAME ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE ADJACENT END SURFACE OF A CAN TO BE OPENED AND FORCE THE LATTER TOWARD THE OTHER LEG OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME WHEN SAID LEVER IS MOVED IN ONE DIRECTION; A POURING SPOUT EXTENDING THROUGH THE LAST MENTIONED LEG OF SAID U-SHAPED FRAME, SAID SPOUT HAVING A SHARPENED END PORTION POSITIONED INWARDLY OF ITS CONNECTION WITH SAID LEG FOR PIERCING THE END WALL OF A CAN TO BE OPENED WHEN THE LATTER IS FORCED INTO CONTACT WITH SAID SHARPENED END PORTION BY MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER; AND LOCKING MEANS HOLDING SAID LEVER IN CAN OPENED POSITION.