US2755958A - Can openers - Google Patents

Description

y 4, 1955 H. J. ECKSTEIN 2,755,958

CAN OPENERS Filed March 26. 1953 INVENTOR. HARRY J. ECKSTEIN ATTORNEY CAN OPENERS Harry J. Eckstein, Salem, Oreg. Application March 26, 1953, Serial No. 344,324 Claims. (Cl. 2l 0-.-52)

My invention relates to can openers andis particularly adapted for removing unsealing or unwindin bandsfrom cofiee cans and the like.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an opening device that will unwind the band from the can and maintain the same in alignment with itself throughout the complete unwinding of the same.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for adapting the opening to various widths of bands. 7 A still further object of my invention is the provision of means for ejecting the unwound band from the opener when the same is coiled up therein after having been removed from the can.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my new and improved opener as it is applied to the unwinding band of a sealed can.

Figure 2 is an end sectional view of the opener and a sectional view of the can with the band being removed therefrom, taken on line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated.

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view of the can and opener taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is the same as Figure 2, except that the ejector and shim piece is brought into position for unwinding a narrow band, and taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an end sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1, showing the crank withdrawn from the band and the ejector being pushed in the direction of the arrow for ejecting the band from the opener.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the opener being applied to the can for removing a narrow strip just before the band is unwound.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a disposable opener.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view of the can looking into the edge of the opener removing the band.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the method of mounting the guides on the stem of the opener.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

My new and improved can opener consists of spaced parallel bars 1 and 2, having a reverse bend 3 at their one end and being brought together at 4 at their opposite end and adapted to be inserted in the handle 5. A bifurcated shaft 6 is adapted to pass through the openings 7 of the bar 2 and an opening 8 of the bar 1 when the opener is being used.

When the opener is not in use the shaft 6 is withdrawn to the position shown in Figure 5. The amount that the shaft can be withdrawn is limited by the stop 9 which is formed on the bar 2, as best illustrated in Figure 5. Limit stops 10 are formed on the side of the shaft preventing the said shaft from passing through the opening 11 of the stop 9, therefore the shaft 6 is never disconnected from the opener while not in use.

A crank 12 forms part of the shaft 6 and is adapted to can being opened by a handle having at 2,755,958 Patented July 24, 1956 ice 2 rotate the same on opening the can, which will be more fully described later. A lever 13 is pivotally mounted at 14-to the lowerbar 1. The purpose of this lever is to eject the unwinding band from the opener as shown in Figure-5 and actsas a spacer as shown in Figures 4 and 6 for-narrow bands.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 illustrate a modification of my new and improved method'of removing unwinding bands from cans. This is a disposable-opener wherein guides 15 and 16 are rotatably mounted-on-the shaft 17 and spacedapart by the limit stops 1-8.and -the guide-16 being held in positionby the limit stops-19. The shaft 17 is removable from the portion 20, which is-soldered-to the can;2 1 inthe usual-manner. A s1ot 22is formed in the shaft and is adapted to receive the end of the unwinding band.

I will now describe-my new and improved can openers. Referring to Figure 6, the sides of the bars 1 and} closest to the shaft 6 are brought against the side ofthe can. The end -of the unwinding band is inserted within the bifurcated end of the-sha-ft 6, after which the crank 12 is rotated in thedirection of the arrow, rolling up the unwindingband, removing the same from thecan. The principle of this invention is thatthis band is being rolled between the bars 1 and 2 which guide the same within itself, not dependingzupon the contact of the opener with the can.

"Figures 1, '2, 3 and 5 illustrate a wide a band being -4--and 6 illustrate a narrow band 1 and 3. Figure 5 illustrates the wide band being ejected by the said lever 13.

In the case of the opener shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the guides 15 and 16 embrace the sides of the unwinding band, guiding the same within itself during the opening of the can.

The principle of both of my forms of invention is to hold the coil of the unwinding band in alignment with itself until the band has been removed from the can. It requires no attention from the operator after the same has been started.

What I claim is:

l. A can opener of the type for removing a sealing band between separable parts of a can, comprising a one end spaced apart horizontal guides formed with aligned openings, a bearing on one of the guides, said bearing having a horizontal portion positioned parallel with the spaced-apart guides so as to form at least three parallel members, a vertically movable and rotatable stern mounted in the bearing lIl alignment with parallel with the axis of said stem, an ejector hinged to the horizontal guides so as to swing between them, and means between the bearing and the guides to retain the stem in position to register with and engage in the openings when thrust downwardly to position the slot between the guides to receive the free end of and hold said band to be wound when the stem is rotated.

2. A can opener of the type for removing a sealing hand between separable parts of a can, as defined in claim 1, wherein the band receiving slot is at the lower end of band.

3. A can opener of the type for removing a sealing band between the top and body portion of a can, comprising a pair of spaced-apart guides to receive the free end of a band to be removed, the guides having aligned openings, a rotatable and vertically reciprocal stem having a slot in its free end to receive the free end of a band mounted in the aligned openings in said guides, means for holding the lower slotted end of the stem in the opening in the upper guide when the stem is in elevated position, said means contacting with the upper guide when the stem is depressed to engage the opening in the lower guide and position the slot between the guides to receive the free end of a band, an ejector hinged to the spaced-apart guides so as to swing between them, and a handle for rotating the stem.

4. A can opener of the type for removing a sealing hand between the top and body portion of a can comprising a pair of spaced-apart guides to receive the free end of a band to be removed, aligned openings in the guides, a rotatable and vertically reciprocal stem having a slot in its free end to receive the free end of a band mounted in the aligned openings in said guides, means for holding the lower slotted end of the stem in the opening in the upper guide when the stem is in elevated position, said means contacting with the upper guide when the stem is depressed to engage the opening in the lower guide and position the slot between the guides to receive the free end of a band, a handle for rotating the stem, and an ejector pivoted between the guides to swing across the axis of the openings to remove a band after having been wound on the stem and the stem is elevated and free of said band.

5. A can opener of the type for removing a sealing band between the top and body portion of a can comprising a pair of spaced-apart guides to receive the free end of a band to be removed, aligned openings in the guides, a rotatable and vertically reciprocal stem having a slot in its free end to receive the free end of a band mounted in the aligned openings in said guides, means for holding the lower slotted end of the stem in the opening in the upper guide when the stem is in elevated position, said means contacting with the upper guide when the stem is depressed to engage the opening in the lower guide and position the slot between the guides to receive the free end of a band, a handle for rotating the stem, and a lever pivoted between the guides, said lever having a notch on one edge to register with the aligned openings when turned inwardly between the guides whereby the space between the guides is reduced to accommodate bands of less width than the distance between the spaced-apart guides.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,199,790 Holcomb Oct. 3, 1916 1,646,719 Young Oct. 25, 1927 1,911,613 Epstein May 30, 1933 2,068,597 Dazey Jan. 19, 1937 2,140,151 Dazey Dec. 13, 1938 2,572,820 Schluter Oct. 23, 1951 2,612,287 Snook Sept. 30, 1952 2,649,990 Lyle Aug. 25, 1953 2,660,331 Inman Nov. 24, 1953 2,693,897 Johnston et al Nov. 9, 1954

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