US3670410A - Can opener with a hand lever removable from the frame by the position of same - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrically powered can opener has a cutter wheel carrying hand lever pivotally attached to the upright frame of the can opener by a pin member which extends from the lever through an aperture in the frame. The hand lever has an edge surface contacting an embossed surface of the frame to maintain the hand lever in an operative position with respect to the can feed wheel and to permit an annular groove in the pin member to engage a portion of the frame adjacent the aperture therein. A suitably sized notch is located in the hand lever adjacent the frame boss contacting edge of same thereby permitting the lever notch to be aligned with the boss, the hand lever moved downwardly so that it is no longer in secured engagement with the can opener frame. This movement enables the hand lever and associated pin member to be withdrawn from the aperture within the frame. A second embodiment utilizes cooperating bosses respectively extending from the can opener frame and from the inner surface of the hand lever to both allow operative hand lever movement and yet to permit separation and removal when the hand lever is moved to cause disengagement of the respective bosses.

Description

Unite States Patent McLean [451 June 20, 1972 [54] CAN ORENER WITH A HAND LEVER REMOVABLE FROM THE FR BY THE POSITION OF S Robert E. McLean, Raytown, Mo.

Rival Manufacturing Company, Kansas City, Mo.

[22] Filed: July 6, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 52,549

[72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

[52] US. Cl. ..30/4 R [51] Int. Cl ....B76b 7/38 [58] Field of Search ..30/4 R, 9

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,520,056 7/1970 Scott ..30/4 R Primary Examiner-Andrew R. J uhasz Assistant ExaminerGary L. Smith Attorney-Scofield, Kokjer, Scofield & Lowe [5 7] ABSTRACT An electrically powered can opener has a cutter wheel carrying hand lever pivotally attached to the upright frame of the can opener by a pin member which extends from the lever through an aperture in the frame. The hand lever has an edge surface contacting an embossed surface of the frame to main tain the hand lever in an operative position with respect to the can feed wheel and to permit an annular groove in the pin member to engage a portion of the frame adjacent the aperture therein.

A suitably sized notch is located in the hand lever adjacent the frame boss contacting edge of same thereby permitting the lever notch to be aligned with the boss, the hand lever moved downwardly so that it is no longer in secured engagement with the can opener frame. This movement enables the hand lever and associated pin member to be withdrawn from the aperture within the frame.

A second embodiment utilizes cooperating bosses respectively extending from the can opener frame and from the inner surface of the hand lever to both allow operative hand lever movement and yet to permit separation and removal when the hand lever is moved to cause disengagement of the respective bosses.

4 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures P'A'TENTEDJum I972 sum 10F 2 INVENTOR. 3060'? f. Melee)? CAN OPENER WITH A HAND LEVER REMOVABLE FROM THE FRAME BY THE POSITION OF SAME BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The Robert J. Scott Patent Application entitled REMOVABLE HAND LEVER CONSTRUCTION, filed Jan. 15, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,520,056, issued July 14, 1971, which is owned by the same assignee, fully explains the advantages of electrically powered can openers having removable hand levers which carry the cutting elements thereon. Further, advantages of maintaining the cutting elements of the can opener in a clean and sanitary condition were detailed therein and my invention relates to a unique can opener construction which permits the easy removability of such a hand lever.

My invention utilizes a hand lever which carries the cutting element of the can opener thereon and which has a tapered end pin member (with an annular groove therein) extending from same to facilitate the pivotal attachment of the hand lever within an aperture in the upright frame of the can opener. The aperture is generally oval in shape with the rear surface of the can opener frame having an attached plate on a suitable bossed area that has a keyhole shaped opening defined therein. The lower portion of the keyhole opening is substantially the same dimension as the diameter of the oval aperture, however, the upper portion of the keyhole is necked down so that the plate portion adjacent thereto may be engaged within the annular groove of the pin member. The forward surface of the can opener frame includes a suitable boss that is positioned relative to the aperture in the frame so that an edge of the hand lever may ride on a surface portion of the boss when the lever is in any operative position.

The mounting or the removal of the hand lever is facilitated by'the notched portion of the hand lever adjacent the edge of same which contacts the forward frame boss. This notched portion is sized to matingly fit over the forward boss when the pin member is located in the lower portion of the frame aperture and corresponding plate opening. With upward movement of the can opener hand lever moving the annular groove in the pin member to a rear plate engaging position, the abovementioned hand lever edge will then be able to be swung to contact the surface of the forward frame boss. In this position (the normal operating position), the removal of the hand lever and associated cutting element is precluded.

When it is desired to remove the hand lever from the can opener, the lever is swung past the normal uppennost operating position so that the above-mentioned notch in the hand lever registers with the forward frame boss, thereby permitting the hand lever and the grooved pin secured therein to be moved downwardly within the frame aperture and the plate .opening. As a result, the annular groove is moved out of engagement with the rear plate and axial separation of the pin member and aperture-plate opening combination is thereby permitted.

The second embodiment of my can opener utilizes cooperating bosses which respectively extend from the can opener frame and from the inner surface of the hand lever to both allow operative hand lever movement and yet to permit separation and removal when the hand lever is appropriately moved to cause disengagement of the respective bosses.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide in a can opener of the type wherein the cutting element is carried by and moved into and out of the cutting position by a hand lever substantially pivoted to the body or frame of a can opener, a readily removable can piercing hand lever which is uniquely constructed to permit the removability and reassembly of the hand lever with respect to the frame by the appropriate relative positioning of the hand lever.

Another object of my invention is to provide a readily removable can piercing hand lever assembly which is removable by the positioning of the hand lever with respect to the frame and which maintains the hand lever in its operative positions and precludes removal of same from the can opener frame by unique cooperating elements of both the frame and the lever structures.

A further object of my invention is to provide a uniquely constructed power can opener with a removable hand lever assembly which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to operate, and which insures inadvertent misalignment between the cooperating elements of the can opener which permits the hand lever removability. It is a feature of my invention that the hand lever is suitably notched to cooperate with its associated pin member and the frame construction so that the above ob ject may be carried out.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a front fragmentary elevational view of a power operated can opener with a removable can piercing hand lever assembly and with the parts shown in approximately the normal operating or at rest position;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the can opener upright frame and including the rear plate and keyhole opening therein which cooperates with the frame aperture;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows and showing the hand lever and pin assembly in the normal operating position, such as that indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, however with the lever assembly pivoted and moved downwardly to a position which would permit removal of same from the can opener frame; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view with the hand lever shown in broken lines and in a position to either permit removal of same with respect to the frame or the reattachment of the hand lever on the frame.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a power operated can opener using the second embodiment of my invention with the boss on the inner surface of the can opener hand lever shown in broken lines;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the rear surface of a can opener frame shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 in the direction of the arrows and showing the hand lever in an engaged position with respect to the frame to preclude removal of same;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the hand lever moved to a position that will permit removal from the frame; and

FIG. 10 is a front elevational view of the can opener frame shown in FIG. 6 with the hand lever removed.

Referring now to the drawing, reference numeral 10 generally designates the body or frame of a typical electrically operated can opener and, as such, may include various thicknesses and embossed areas. The principal portion of the frame shown in the various views is adapted to cooperate with an open front boxdike casing 10a and serves to support the various operative parts of the can opener.

A serrated or toothed rotary feed wheel 11 is operatively located on the forward side of frame 10. The feed wheel drive shaft 12 extends through frame 10 and is rotatively supported in an appropriate bearinged aperture in a thickened portion of frame 10. An electric motor means (now shown) rotates shaft 12 and drives feed wheel 1 l in a conventional manner.

A can piercing hand or operating lever 13 is constructed to be located forwardly of frame 10 so as to provide a movable support for cutter wheel 14. The cutter wheel is mounted for free rotation on the usual stud or arbor anchored in lever 13 and held on the arbor by screw 15. Hand lever 13 has an elongate pin assembly extending through a suitable fitted aperture in the lower left-hand portion of the lever (see FIG. 1) and is fixedly secured thereto. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the forward or outwardly extending portion of the pin assembly includes a cylindrical rod-like projection 46 which functions as a can guide. The intermediate portion of the pin assembly includes the continuation of can guide 16 with a nut 17 and a circular flange 170 on either side thereof further fixedly locating and positioning the hand lever at an optimum location relative to other portions of the pin assembly. For convenience of illustration, the intermediate portion 17b is indicated as being externally threaded to further accommodate the above-described pin assembly elements. The rearward extending portion of the pin assembly includes the tapered end pin member 16b which has an annular groove 16c in the rear end portion thereof but forwardly of the tapered end of same.

Pin member 16a is rotatively positionable within the elongated or oval aperture 18 (see FIG. which angles upwardly and to the right from the lower axis of same. In actual practice, aperture 18 is suitably sized to freely accommodate the diameter of pin member 1612 along its entire length and, since it has an oval shape, the pin member is permitted to slide from the lower left end of the aperture to the upper right end of same. As shown in FIG. 2, the rear surface of frame immediately adjacent aperture 18 has a plate 19 fixedly attached thereto by means of screw 20 or any other suitable means. In any event, plate 19 will have a keyhole shaped opening 21 located therein with the lower portion of the slot in registration with the lower left-hand portion (as seen from the front) of aperture 18 and with the upper and smaller necked down portion of keyhole opening 21 in registration with the upper righthand portion of slot 18. The plate thickness is selected so as to permit same to be engaged within annular groove 16c in pin member 16b as will be described later.

The forward surface of frame 10 is selectively embossed immediately to the left and below aperture 18. This boss hereinafter identified by the numeral 22) has a radial face 22a which substantially parallels mating surface 13a of a lever 13 whenever lever 13 is in any operating position, such as shown in FIG. 5. The sides of the boss 22 extend substantially perpendicular to a chord through the radial surface terminating edges and is sized to permit registration with a notch in the hand lever as will be described later.

Turning now more particularly to hand lever 13, the lefthand edge surface of same includes the above-mentioned notch 123 which is defined by substantially perpendicular edges with respect to the left-hand edge of lever 13 with the upper perpendicular notched edge extending deeper within lever 13 than the lower perpendicular notched edge. Both notched edges are spanned by the interconnecting inner edge 230 which likewise has a curvilinear or arcuate shape when viewed from the front as in FIG. 1. The left-hand lever edge below slot 23 (represented by the numeral 13a) is arcuately shaped to mate with the radial surface 22a of boss 22 and to permit the lever to ride thereon in its normal operating positions.

In operation, the hand lever is mounted or attached to frame 10 by positioning same with respect to frame 10 so that pin member 1612 enters aperture 18 at the lower left-hand end thereof (when viewed from the front) and with notch 23 circumscribing through sides of boss 22 or in the position represented by the broken lines in FIG. 5. The hand lever is then moved so that pin member 16b is moved upwardly and to the right within aperture 18 and within the registering rear plate opening 21. This movement is permitted by the presence of annular groove 160 in pin member 16b which allows the necked down portion of the keyhole shaped opening 21 to now be in registration with annular groove 160 so that the sides of plate 19 adjacent thereto are engaged within the groove. Downward swinging of lever 13 will then cause arcuate lower left-hand edge 13a of hand lever 13 to be in engagement with cooperating arcuate surface 220 of boss 22 so that the surface edge 13a may ride thereon when the lever is in any of its normal operating positions. It should be pointed out that with the plate 19 adjacent the necked down portion of keyhole slot 21 engaged within annular groove 16c axial separation of the pin member from aperture 18 and the corresponding slot is precluded, yet pivotal movement of the hand lever is permitted.

When it is desired to remove the hand lever from frame 10 for cleaning purposes, hand lever 13 may be rotated upwardly and to the left (as seen from the front) or to the broken line position as shown in FIG. 5. At this time, notch 23 registers with boss 22 and permits the pin member to be moved downwardly and to the left within aperture 18 (FIG. 5 or to the position shown in FIG. 4) so that no portion of plate 19 is then engaged within annular groove 16c and axial separation of the pin member and the aperture-rear plate opening combination is permitted.

Turning now more particularly to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 through 10, the principal portions of the can opener which include the can opener frame 10, the lever 13, the pin assembly including pin member 16b and the latching plate 19 with the keyhole opening 21 therein are substantially the same as that described with respect to the first embodiment. There are certain differences which has changed the external appearance of the can opener as well as the operating principles involved in the ability to remove the hand lever with the cutting element thereon from the can opener.

For example, the oval opening in the forward portion of the can opener which was previously identified by the numeral 1 18 is now repositioned so that it extends upwardly to the left (when viewed from the front) and is identified by the numeral 30 in the appropriate figures. A boss 31 having an arcuate upper edge surface 31a is spaced from the upper end extremity of slot 30 and located on the forward surface of frame 10. The boss (31) is designed to cooperate with boss 32 which is projection welded to the inner surface of hand lever 13. Boss 32 has a radial surface 32a which substantially parallels the mating surface 31a of boss 31 whenever lever 13 is in any operating position such as that shown in FIG. 1. The upper end of the boss 32 (32b) substantially forms a straight edge terminus to correspond with the lower edge terminus 31b of boss 31 and to permit boss disengagement and hand lever removal as will be described later.

As mentioned above with respect to the embodiment shown in FIGS. l-5, in order to permit the hand lever which carries the cutting element thereon to be removed from the can opener frame, it is necessary that pin member 16b is permitted to move to the lowermost position within the frame opening 30. This unintentional movement of the pin member within opening 30 is prevented by the engagement of the radial boss 32 which extends from the inner surface of hand lever 13 with the upper surface 31a of frame boss 31. It should be noted, however, that if lever 113 is swung more than approximately 60 from its normal rest position (FIG. 1), the boss 32 of lever 13 will disengage from frame boss 31 thus permitting the user to move the hand lever and the associated pin member 16b to the lower end of the oval opening 30 in frame 10. Accordingly, the annular groove in pin member 16b no longer contacts any portion of latch plate 19 since it has likewise been reoriented to correspond to the angular position opening 30 and the pin member and interconnected hand lever may be readily withdrawn from the remainder of the can opener for cleaning or other purposes.

To reassemble, pin member 16 is inserted in the lower end of opening 30 in frame 10 and then pushed rearwardly until the lever seats adjacent the frame boss 31. Of course, lever 13 must be held at an angle slightly greater than 60 from the horizontal when this is done. The pin member 16 is then moved to its uppermost position in the opening 30 of frame 10 thereby permitting lever 13 to be swung downwardly so that engagement of the radial boss 32 of lever 13 with a cooperating arcuate or radial boss 31 will prevent unlatching since the annular groove 160 contacts portions of the latching plate 19 adjacent the necked down or smaller portion of the keyhole opening 21 therein.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a can opener having an upright frame member, a rotary feed wheel and a means for rotating said feed wheel, the combination therewith of a hand lever carrying a cutting element, means for mounting said hand lever to said frame member for pivotal movement of said lever to swing said cutting element toward and away from said feed wheel, said means including an opening defined in a portion of said frame member and a pin member secured to and projecting from said hand lever, said opening receiving said pin member therein and having at least a first portion shaped to permit axial separation of said pin member from said opening and a second portion spaced from said first portion for precluding axial separation and maintaining said pin member therein for rotative movement, said opening being further shaped to permit movement of said pin member when located therein that is transverse to the axis of said pin member, said pin member having a means on an end portion thereof for facilitating the retaining of said pin member for said rotative movement within said opening, wherein said retaining means located on an end portion of said pin member engages a portion of said frame adjacent a portion of said opening when said pin member is located in a preselected portion of said opening, and holding means for operably locating said lever on said frame.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said frame has a portion thereof defining a surface that selectively contacts an edge portion of said hand lever, said pin member being in said retained position within said opening when said edge portion of said hand lever contacts said frame surface.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said hand lever has a notch defined therein adjacent said frame contacting edge surface, said hand lever being movable to a position that permits said notch to come in registration with said frame surface contacting said edge surface thereby permitting said lever to be moved in a direction to move said pin member within said opening so that said retaining means no longer is engaged by a portion of said frame and to thereby permit axial separation of said pin member from said opening within said frame.

4. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said frame member has a boss extending towards said lever when said lever is mounted on said frame, said lever having a boss extending therefrom toward said frame when said lever is mounted in said frame, said bosses having cooperatingly engaged surfaces when said lever is mounted on said frame which precludes said pin member movement from said second position to said first position, said lever being further positionable with respect to said frame to permit said bosses to become disengaged and to allow said pin member to move to said second position.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE CERTIFICATE OF CQRECHQN Pat nt NO- 3,670,410 Q Dated, June 20, 1972 lnventofls) Robert E. McLean It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In Column 2, Line 68 "now" should be "not" In Column 3, Line 4 numeral "46" should be "16" In Column 3, Line 3 6 "Hereinafter identified by the numeral 22" should be enclosed in parentheses.

In Column 3, Line 45 numeral 123" should be '23" In Column 4, Line 28 numeral "118" should be "18" In Column 4, Line 5 numeral "113" should be "13" Signed and sealed this 10th day of April 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (1o e9) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 w u.s, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1959 0-356-334,

Claims (4)

1. In a can opener having an upright frame member, a rotary feed wheel and a means for rotating said feed wheel, the combination therewith of a hand lever carrying a cutting element, means for mounting said hand lever to said frame member for pivotal movement of said lever to swing said cutting element toward and away from said feed wheel, said means including an opening defined in a portion of said frame member and a pin member secured to and projecting from said hand lever, said opening receiving said pin member therein and having at least a first portion shaped to permit axial separation of said pin member from said opening and a second portion spaced from said first portion for precluding axial separation and maintaining said pin member therein for rotative movement, said opening being further shaped to permit movement of said pin member when located therein that is transverse to the axis of said pin member, said pin member having a meaNs on an end portion thereof for facilitating the retaining of said pin member for said rotative movement within said opening, wherein said retaining means located on an end portion of said pin member engages a portion of said frame adjacent a portion of said opening when said pin member is located in a preselected portion of said opening, and holding means for operably locating said lever on said frame.

2. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said frame has a portion thereof defining a surface that selectively contacts an edge portion of said hand lever, said pin member being in said retained position within said opening when said edge portion of said hand lever contacts said frame surface.

3. The combination as in claim 2 wherein said hand lever has a notch defined therein adjacent said frame contacting edge surface, said hand lever being movable to a position that permits said notch to come in registration with said frame surface contacting said edge surface thereby permitting said lever to be moved in a direction to move said pin member within said opening so that said retaining means no longer is engaged by a portion of said frame and to thereby permit axial separation of said pin member from said opening within said frame.

4. The combination as in claim 1 wherein said frame member has a boss extending towards said lever when said lever is mounted on said frame, said lever having a boss extending therefrom toward said frame when said lever is mounted in said frame, said bosses having cooperatingly engaged surfaces when said lever is mounted on said frame which precludes said pin member movement from said second position to said first position, said lever being further positionable with respect to said frame to permit said bosses to become disengaged and to allow said pin member to move to said second position.

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