US3290967A

US3290967A - Tool for opening containers having removable plug-type closures

Info

Publication number: US3290967A
Application number: US407835A
Authority: US
Inventors: Stark Karl Gunnar
Original assignee: Platmanufaktur AB
Current assignee: Platmanufaktur AB
Priority date: 1964-10-30
Filing date: 1964-10-30
Publication date: 1966-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-13

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 G STARK K. TOOL FOR OPENING CONTAINERS HAVING REMOVABLE PLUG-TYPE GLOSURES Filed Oct. 30, 1964 INVENTOR KARL GUNHQR sTnRK ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice await? Patented Dec. 13, 1966 3,290,967 TOOL FOR OPENING CONTAINERS HAVING REMOVABLE PLUG-TYPE CLOSURES Karl Gunnar Stark, Malmo, Sweden, assignor to AB Platmanufaktur, Malmo, Sweden Filed Oct. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 407,835 6 Claims. (Cl. 81-3.4-6)

The present invention relates to a tool for opening cans of the plug closure or paint can type wherein the edge of the opening of the can body is turned over so as to present a peripheral part directed outwardly with relation to said body opening, and in which the cover of the can consists of a tubular part which is closed at one end to provide a closure plug inserted in the can, and which has its upper edge turned over to provide a part which is directed outwardly to overlie the outwardly directed body part defining the can body opening. When the cover is applied on the can, it is held in place by the friction between the outer body surface of the tubular part thereof and the inner body surface of the can body, the two parts of the cover and body which are directed outwardly then being in contact with each other. In the use of cans of this kind, it is desirable that the cover may be removed and replaced a number of times without being damaged, the can then being satisfactorily sealed after each cover removal and replacement, particularly since cans of this kind are widely used as containers for paint.

It has been found difficult to fulfill the above-mentioned desire for satisfactorily sealing cans of the kind referred to after replacement of the cover, as a consumer of the contents of the can is usually very careless when opening the can. To open such cans, a screw driver or the like is most often used, the same being forced in between the opposed outwardly directed parts of the can body and the cover. The cover is thereafter pried off, and both the outwardly directed part of the cover and the like part of the can body are then damaged by this prying practice. In order to open the can, it is necessary that the screw driver be reinserted at a number of places between the two closely opposed outwardly directed body and cover parts about the periphery of the can. These parts will thus be damaged at several places about the periphery.

The purpose of thepresent invention is to provide a novel tool by use of which cans of the type referred to can be opened with a minimum of damage to the outwardly directed parts of the can body and the cover, so that the cover can be removed and replaced a number of times and still fulfill the desire for satisfactory sealing of the closed can.

The tool of the present invention and which provides for the desired gentle opening of cans of the character stated is characterized by a rather long part, intended to be in contact with the inner body surface of the plug wall of the cover, preferably along a line in an axial plane through the can and the cover, by a second part opposite said part, located outside said can at said contact surface, and joined to the first-mentioned part by means of a yoke or connecting portion, and by a pointed part in the nature of a wedge and which emanates from said second part, which pointed part has its point directed mainly towards the first-mentioned part, so that at said contact and at a turning of the tool along said line in a fulcruming action, said pointed part penetrates with a wedge effect between the closely opposed outwardly directed parts of the cover and the can and pries them apart so that the cover is raised.

According to a further feature of the invention, the

tool is provided with a part formed to be engageable between opposed outwardly directed cover and can body parts and manipulated to force said parts away from each other so that with this aid a partly opened cover can be further opened.

According to still another feature of the invention, the tool has another portion thereof formed into a screw driver, so that when the tool is usedfby a painter, for instance, he has a combination tool with which he can both open or start and then complete the opening of the can, as aforesaid, or perform other functions such as screwing off hardware on doors.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a preferred form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating an alternative or modified form of the tool.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the tool shown in its initial position of application on a can to be opened thereby, the opening cycle being about to commence.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with the tool swung to the side and completing the initial or partial lifting or opening of the can cover.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing the tool of FIGURE 1 with its can opening or cover lift completing portion inserted in the space between cover and can body provided by the partial opening illustrated in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the tool turned to complete the opening or uplifting of the cover or closure plug.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary radial sectional view illustrating initial application of the tool to a covered container wherein the opposed peripheral parts of the cover and container are reinforced by a fiat fold.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the opposed peripheral parts of a container reinforced by a more nearly curled edge reinforcement.

The tool structure shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 through 6 may be stamped from a plate and shaped to include a contact or fulcrum part I, a wedge-formed penetration part 2, which is bent in angular relation to the main body or shaft part or downward, as viewed in FIGURE 1, and a yoke or connecting part 3. Furthermore, the main body or shaft part 4 has an end portion 5 which is formed into a screw driver. Along one side of the shaft part, there is provided a rather long projection part 6, the ends 7 and 8 of which have a trough-shaped character. One of the sides of the part 6 is joined to the shaft 4-. In the left-hand end, as viewed in FIGURE 1, the tool also has a hole 9, so that it can be put on a key r1ng.

In the modified design of the tool shown in FIGURE 2, there are included the contact part 1, the wedgeformed penetration part 2', which is bent downward as viewed in FIGURE 2, or to one side of the plane of the main body, and the yoke or connecting part 3'. A part 4' extends in one direction from said three parts, one end 5 of which is formed into a screw driver, and in the other direction, at right angles to the part 4', a part 10 extends, the end of which is provided with the part 6, the ends 7 and 8' of which have the beforementioned trough-shaped character as clearly shown in FIGURE 2. Also, this tool may be stamped from a plate.

In both said tools, the contact part 1 or 1', the wedgeformed penetration part 2 or 2' and the yoke part 3 or 3', as well as the part 6 or 6' serve the same purpose and are operable in generally the same manner. Therefore, in the following description, only the functioning of the tool according to FIGURE 1 will be described.

If then FIGURE 3 is studied, it will be noted that the contact part 1 or fulcrum is brought to bear vertically against the inner or tubular body surface 11 of a cover 12 which has been applied to seal a can 13. See FIGURE 7. The cover has a part 14 which is turned outward, and the can has a similar part 15. Said turned-out parts are in close contact with each other, so that there is only a narrow space 16 between them. The penetration or wedge part 2 is brought to bear against said narrow space 16. If now the tool is turned counter-clockwise, as indicated by the arrow A, while the contact or fulcrum part 1 continues to bear against the inner body surface of the cover, the wedge-formed part 2 will penetrate between the two turned-out

parts

14 and 15, so that the cover will be raised in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4. This cover lifting procedure can be repeated at further points about the periphery of the can, if desired.

The raising of the cover, which has been achieved with the aid of the parts 1-2, can be augmented with the aid of the part 6, which is then inserted in the space formed between the

parts

14 and 15, as clearly shown in FIG- URE 5. When thus inserted, the trough-shaped end 7 of the part or projection 6 is brought to bear against the turned-out part of the can, and the trough-shaped part 8 against the turned-out part 14 of the cover. Following this insertion of the part 6 and said contact of the ends 7 and 8, the tool is turned 90 clockwise around an axis at right angles to the body surface of the can, as indicated by the arrow B, and the cover 12 is thus raised to a height corresponding to the length of the part 6 as shown in FIGURE 6.

From the foregoing, it is evident that, according to the present invention, an extremely simple tool is provided with which to open cans of the abovementioned kind without causing any major damage to the parts of the can which are to be separated from each other.

It should be obvious that the can itself, instead of having a turned-out part, can have a body of a thickness which corresponds to the turned-out part.

The particular form which the tool can be given can be varied on the condition that it has the parts 1-3 and 6, located in such a way that the tool can fulfill the functions described herein. For example, in the optional development shown in FIGURE 2 the desired functional identity of the initial prying or wedging parts and the follow up lift enlarging parts is retained and yet their relative positioning on the main body or shaft is ma terially altered, said body or shaft itself being changed from straight line to a generally right angular shaping.

It is to be understood also that the tool is adaptable for opening containers or the like of various forms wherein the opposing peripheral cover and container parts are outwardly directed. These parts, preferably, are reinforced, and either a flat fold reinforcement, as shown in FIG- URE 7 or a more nearly curled edge reinforcement, at 14, 15', as shown in FIGURE 8 will serve not only to provide the desired strengthening against deformation, but also will facilitate entrance of the wedge-like lifting part 2.

I claim:

1. A tool for opening a container, said container provided with a body having an opening and a removable plug type cover including a generally cylindrical inwardly facing friction wall engageable in the container opening, the container body and the cover each having an outwardly directed peripheral part which parts are disposed to closely oppose each other wvhen the container is closed by the cover, said tool comprising a generally planar body having fulcrum means at one end and a handle portion at the other end, said fulcrum means providing fulcruming line contact with the inwardly facing friction wall of the cover with said planar body placed generally along a line in an axial plane through the cover and the container, and wedge means on said planar body located opposite said fulcrum means and between said fulcrum means and said handle portion, said wedge means being placed for disposition outwardly of the container opposite said fulcruming contact and including a wedge-like point directed towards said fulcrum means, whereby upon fulcruming of the tool body generally about said fulcruming line, said point will penetrate with a wedging action between the closely opposed peripheral parts of the cover and the container and lift the cover.

2. A tool according to claim 1 and also including an elongated projection on said tool body, said elongated projection being insertable in the space which is formed between the opposed peripheral cover and container body parts when the cover has been partially raised, the ends of said elongated projection being spaced so that when the tool is turned around an axis at right angles to the body of the container with continued contact against said opposed peripheral parts, the spacing between said peripheral parts will be increased to the length of said elongated projection.

3. A tool according to claim 1 and also including an elongated projection on said tool body, said elongated projection being insertable in the space which is formed between the opposed peripheral cover and container body parts when the cover has been partially raised, the ends of said elongated projection being spaced so that when the tool is turned around an axis at right angles to the body of the container with continued contact against said opposed peripheral parts, the spacing between said peripheral parts will be increased to the length of said elongated projection, the effective end extremities defining the length of said elongated projection being trough-like in character.

4. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said planar body includes two end portions joined in generally right angular relation, and wherein the opposing fulcrum means and the wedge-like point are disposed at the juncture of said angularly related end portions.

5. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said generally planar body includes two end portions joined in generally right angular relation, the opposing fulcrum means and the wedge-like point being disposed at the juncture of said angularly related end portions, and also including on one of said angularly related end portions an elongated projection insertable in the space which is formed between the opposed peripheral cover and container body parts when the cover has been partially raised, the end portions of said elongated projection being spaced so that when the projection is turned about its center the spacing of said peripheral parts and the degree of opening of the cover will be increased to the length of said elongated projection.

6. A tool for opening a container, said container provided with a body having an opening and a removable plug type cover including a generally cylindrical inwardly facing friction wall engageable in the container opening, the container body and the cover each having an outwardly directed peripheral part which parts are disposed to closely oppose each other when the container is closed by the cover, said tool comprising a generally flat planar body having fulcrum means thereon for fulcruming line contact with the inwardly facing friction wall of the cover with said body placed generally along a line in an axial plane through the cover and the container, and wedge means on said body opposite said fulcrum means, said wedge means being placed for disposition outwardly of the container opposite said fulcruming contact and including a wedge-like point directed towards said fulcrum means, said wedge-like point being turned angularly to one side of said plate, whereby upon fulcruming of the tool body generally about said fulcruming line, said point will 5 penetrate with a wedging action between the closely op- 1,568,312 posed peripheral parts of the cover and the container and 1,676,649 lift the cover. 2,501,205 2,675,721 References Cited by the Examiner 5 3,172,317

UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 46,983 2/1915 Holden. D. 169,490 5/1953 Hug 81-3.46

6 Becker.

Podel 81-3.46 Boucher 81-346 Kramer et a1 81--3.46 Blakeslee et a1 81--3.46

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A TOOL FOR OPENING A CONTAINER, SAID CONTAINER PROVIDED WITH A BODY HAVING AN OPENING AND A REMOVABLE PLUG TYPE COVER INCLUDING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INWARDLY FACING FRICTION WALL ENGAGEABLE IN THE CONTAINER OPENING, THE CONTAINER BODY AND THE COVER EACH HAVING AN OUTWARDLY DIRECTED PERIPHERAL PART WHICH PARTS ARE DISPOSED TO CLOSELY OPPOSE EACH OTHER WHEN THE CONTAINER IS CLOSED BY THE COVER, SAID TOOL COMPRISING A GENERALLY PLANAR BODY HAVING FULCRUM MEANS AT ONE END AND A HANDLE PORTION AT THE OTHER END, SAID FULCRUM MEANS PORVIDING FULCRUMING LINE CONTACT WITH THE INWARDLY FACING FRICTION WALL OF THE COVER WITH SAID PLANAR BODY PLACED GENERALLY ALONG A LINE IN AN AXIAL PLANE THROUGH THE COVER AND THE CONTAINER, AND WEDGE MEANS ON SAID PLANAR BODY LOCATED OPPOSITE SAID FULCRUM MEANS AND BETWEEN SAID FULCRUM MEANS AND SAID HANDLE PORTION, SAID WEDGE MEANS BEING PLACED FOR DISPOSITION OUTWARDLY OF THE CONTAINER OPPOSITE SAID FULCRUMING CONTACT AND INCLUDING A WEDGE-LIKE POINT DIRECTED TOWARDS SAID FULCRUM MEANS, WHEREBY UPON FULCRUMING OF THE TOOL BODY GENERALLY ABOUT SAID FULCRUMING LINE, SAID POINT WILL PENETRATE WITH A WEDGING ACTION BETWEEN THE CLOSELY OPPOSED PERIPHERAL PARTS OF THE COVER AND THE CONTAINER AND LIFT THE COVER.