GB2220928A

GB2220928A - Lid removal device

Info

Publication number: GB2220928A
Application number: GB8819793A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Mccune
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-07-21
Filing date: 1988-07-21
Publication date: 1990-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-21
Also published as: GB2220928B; GB8819793D0

Abstract

A lid removal device 1 comprises a lever arm 2 and a lid engaging means 3A including spaced tooth elements 4, 5 arranged for engagement with a lid of a tin. An engaging means may be provided at both ends of the lever arm, one of said engaging means being adapted for use with tins of larger diameter than those for which the other engaging means is designed. <IMAGE>

Description

LID REMOVAL DEVICE The present invention relates to a lid removal device for use in removing lids from tins of the type having an annular rim at the upper end of the tin including an upwardly facing concave portion; which concave portion provides an inner annular lip defining the tin mouth and provlding an abutment surface with respect to ä peripheral rim of a closure lid located in the mouth, and an outer annular lip which can provide a fulcrum point for a lever serving to remove the lid. Such a tin is hereinafter referred to as a tin of the type aforesaid In removing lids from tins of the type aforesaid, it has been customary to use whichever suitable tool, comes to hand e.g. a screwdriver, as a lever to prise off the lid.However lids of tins can be obstinate to remove, especially in the case of lid removal for re-opening paint tins after use, and it can be difficult with a screwdriver or the like to apply the necessary levering force for lid removal. Also, where in screwdriver is used, there is considerable liklihood of damage to the lid such as to prevent the lid sealing properly in the tin mouth when refitted.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lid removal device which has improved effectiveness in operation.

According to the present invention a lid removal device for removing lids of tins of the type aforesaid comprises a lever arm member, said lid engaging means including spaced tooth elements arranged for engagement with a lid of a tin.

Preferably the lid engaging means blends into the lever armmember via an arcuate transition.

Preferably the arcuate transition is arcuate additionally in a transverse direction so as to be concave towards the tooth elements.

Preferably the lid engaging means includes a curved indent extending between the spaces tooth elements.

In a preferred embodiment a lid engaging means is provided at both ends of the lever arm member, one of said lid engaging means being adapted for use with a tin of larger diameter than the other.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a pictorial top view of a lid removal device according to the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a pictorial view from below of the device; Fig. 3 shows a side view of the device; Figs. 4 and 5 show sections A-A and B-B in Fig. 3 respectively; Figs. 6 and 7 show pictorial views of the ends of the device; and Fig. 8 shows part of a tin in section with the device positioned for lid removal 9 Referring to the drawings, a lid removal device 1 comprises a lever arm 2 with a lid removal means 3a, 3b extending laterally from each end of- thc arm 2.

Each lid removal means 3a, 3b comprises a pair of spaced teeth 4, 5 linked by a curved indent portion 6.so that the reii?oval means 3a, 3b are each of forked tongue form.

The means 3a which is intended to remove the lids of relatively larger tins is wider than the means 3b (for smaller tins) and the sides of the arm 2 taper between the means 3a, 3b.

Each means 3a, 3b blends into the arm 2 by arcuate transition 7 and at the transition 7 the outer surface is transversely curved with radius Which approximately matches the radius To (see Fig. 8) of the outer rim 14 of the tin for which the particular lid removal means 3a, 3b is designed. The corresponding inner surface of the transition 7 has a transverse curve RI corresponding to the radius TI of this inner rim (lid) of the tin.

The transition portion 7 therefore presents surface portions which are concave towards the teeth 4, 5.

Fig. 18 shows the device 1 in use to remove the lid 9 of the tin 10. As can be seen the tin 10 is of conventional design and includes a rim structure 11 extending inwardly from the wall 12 of the tin and presenting an upwardly facing concave formation 13. The formations 13 presents the tins outer rim 14 and an inner lip 15 defining the tin mouth which is closed by lid 9. The device 1 is inserted under rim 9a of lid 9 by moving from the position shown to the vertical position,and by subsequently levering the arm 2 in the direction of arrow L a powerful levering force about the line of engagement of the transition 7 with the outer rim 14 is applied to the rim 9a via the spaced teeth 4, 5 to prise off. the lid 9. The arcuate transition 7 ensures that maximum leverage is applied to the rim 9a.

Thus the present invention provides a device which can apply lid removal forces of increased effectiveness in comparison with prior levering devices and by virtue of these forces being applied via the spacer teeth 4, 5 there is less liklihood of damage to the lid.

Claims

1. A lid removal device comprising a lever arm member and a lid engaging means including spaced tooth elements arranged for engagement with a lid of a tin.

2. A lid removal device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the lid engaging means blends into the lever arm member via an arcuate transition.

3. A lid removal device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the arcuate transition is additionally arcuate in a traverse direction so as to be concave toward the tooth elements.

4. A lid removal device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lid engaging means includes a curved indent extending between the spaced tooth elements.

5. A lid removal device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein a lid engaging means is provided at both ends of the lever arm member.

6. A lid removal device as claimed in Claim 5 wherein one of the lid engaging means is adapted for use with a tin of larger diameter than that for which the other engaging means has been adapted.

7. A lid removal device as claimed in Claims 3 to 6 inclusive wherein the outer surface of the arcuate transition is traversely curved with a radius approximately equal to the radius of the outer rim of a tin for which the lid removal device is designed for use therewith.

8. A lid removal device as claimed in Claims 3 to 7 inclusive wherein the inner surface of the arcuate transition is traversely curved with a radius approximately equal to tne radius of the inner rim of a tin for which the lid removal device is designed for use therewith.

9. A lid removal device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 to 8 of the drawings.