US993396A - Can-opener. - Google Patents

Description

F. NOEL.

CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1910.

993,396. Patented May 30,1911.

FRANK NOEL, OF NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.

CAN-OPENER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 39, 1911.

Application filed August 15, 1910. Serial No. 577,264.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK NOEL, citizen of the United States, residing at North Platte, in the county of Lincoln and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in canopeners and the object of the invention is to provide an improved device of this character which is thoroughly reliable and eliicient in operation and which permits the top of the can to be easily and quickly severed from the body portion thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a can-opener which possesses to a marked degree the characteristics of simplicity, durability and strength, which is compact in form, and which is capable of being cheaply manufactured.

With these and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and then point out the novel features of in the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using my improved canopener; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the canopener; Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and, Fig. 5 is a fragmentary bottom plan view.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved can opener is preferably constructed from a single length of stout wire or other similar blank material, which is doubled upon itself at an intermediate point to form a frame-like handle 1. The handle consists of a pair of substantially parallel spaced side members, designated 2 and 2 respectively, and a curved intermediate or connecting portion 3.

At the extremity of one of the side members, say the side member 2, the wire is bent to provide an elongated loop that is deflected transversely at an intermediate point so that its end portions lie in substantially perpendicular planes. One portion of the loop extends obliquely forwardly and down wardly between the side members and occupies a longitudinal plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the handle, said portion constituting a fulcrum member 4 which is approximately U-shaped in side elevation. The member 4 is formed at its fulcrum point, that is, at its lower bent portion, with an outstanding sharpened projection or tooth 5, for a purpose to be hereinafter disclosed. The other portion of the loop extends transversely between the side members and rests against the under side of the member 2 in order to have a firm bearing against the handle and to constitute a base 6 for the fulcrum member. The fulcrum member is thus materially reinforced and is held rigidly in position against any lateral bending movement. The forward arm or side of the fulcrum member is extended upwardly through the base 6 and is engaged by one terminal of the wire which is twisted or tied thereabout at the extremity of the side member 2*, as indicated at 7. The side member 2 is formed in its under side at a short distance behind its extremity with a seating recess or notch 8 in which the rear side of the base 6 is received. It will thus be seen that the side member 2 extends across the elongated loop and engages with both sides of said loop so as to effectually tie the sides together and to prevent the loop from spreading under pressure. Attention is here directed to the fact that the base 6 projects laterally outwardly beyond the side member 2 so as to provide an extended bearing for the finger of the operator.

A wire is bent angularly from the forward side of the fulcrum member and is extended forwardly to provide a straight shank 9 that is disposed substantially in alinement with the handle. At the forward end of the shank the wire is returned obliquely rearwardly toward the handle and in opposed relation to the fulcrum member and is flattened to constitute a cutting blade 10, the knife edge of which is located at its rear side. It will be observed that the fulcrum member, shank, and cutting blade all lie in substantially the same plane, the fulcrum member and blade converging away from the shank with their extremities spaced apart in a line substantially parallel to the shank.

In practice, the extremity of the cutting blade is placed upon the top of the can and is forced downwardly th'erethrough by the application of pressure upon the shank. The fulcrum member is brought to bear upon the can top in rearwardly spaced relation to the point of penetration of the blade. The handle is then pressed downwardly so as to rock the device about the fulcrum member. The blade is thus lifted and its rear edge cuts a slit toward the bearing point of'the fulcrum member. The device is then rocked in the reverse direction and is drawn rearwardly until the blade is positioned at the rear end of the slit. This operation is repeated until the top has been severed from the can bottom. The sharpened projection 5 bears against the can top so as to prevent the fulcrum member from slipping during the rocking movement of the device. Inasmuch as the loop-shaped fulcrum member is disposed obliquely forwardly, it receives the pressure or thrust more nearly in the direction of its axis during the operation of the device, and therefore is not so likely to become accidentally bent out of place.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim 1s l. A can-opener comprising a handle, a shank provided with a cutting blade extending obliquely rearwardly toward the handle, and a fulcrum member outstanding from the shank and extending obliquely forwardly toward the blade, the blade and the fulcrum member lying in substantially the same plane.

2. A can-opener comprising a handle, a shank provided with an angularly disposed cutting blade, and a fulcrum member proj ecting angularly from the shank, the blade and the fulcrum member lying in the same plane and converging away from the shank.

3. A can-opener formed of a single length of blank material and comprising a handle, a shank provided with a cutting blade, and a loop-shaped fulcrum member projecting angularly from the shank and connecting the shank with the handle, the blade and the fulcrum member lying in substantially the same plane.

4. A can-opener formed of a single length of blank material and comprising a handle, a fulcrum member, a cutting blade, and a substantially straight shank connecting the fulcrum member and the blade, the fulcrum member and the blade lying in substantially the same plane and extending angularly from the same side of the shank.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK NOEL. [L. s]

Witnesses:

HARRY LAMPLAUGI-I, CHESTER A. MACOMBER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents'each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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