Can opener

Claim 2

In a power driven can opener having a housing defining a front opening, a recess in its upper portion and a low speed drive shaft accessible within the lower part of the recess, the combination therewith of: a unitary means movable to and from a working position within said recess and non-rotatively supported therein and including: a. a block; b. a pin carried by said block above the level of said drive shaft and supported against axially directed forces thereon; c. a handle carried by said pin at the front face of the block in limited relative rotational relationship with respect to the block and extending laterally beyond said recess for access and manual arcuate movement thereof; d. pin means carried by said handle; e. a feed wheel and driven shaft assembly journalled on said block engaging in driven relationship with said drive shaft and with the axis of said pin disposed approximately within a vertical projection of the circumference of the drive wheel; f. a cutter carried by said pin means on said handle for movement from a position marginally above and ahead of said feed wheel to a working position above and overlapping said feed wheel; means activating said drive shaft actuated by said handle being moved to its advanced position; and manually actuated means carried by said housing releasably engaging said block to hold said unitary means in said working position and sAid shafts in drive relationship when said activating means is actuated.

Claim 3

The combination called for in claim 1 including resilient means intermediate said housing and unitary means to urge said unitary means from its working position upon release of said manually actuated means.

Claim 4

The combination called for in claim 1 including cam means actuated by operative movement of said handle to advance and retract said cutter and feed wheel in an axial direction with respect to each other simultaneously with piercing and releasing a can being opened.

Claim 5

The combination called for in claim 3 in which said cam means comprises a threaded relationship between said unitary means and handle for pivotally supporting said handle and cutter for axial displacement of the cutter towards said feed wheel as the cutter is driven by the handle to pierce and sever a can top.

Claim 6

The combination called for in claim 1 in which said handle in its advanced position horizontally overlaps said activating means a distance less than the distance of axial travel between said shafts to engage and disengage said drive and driven shafts.

Claim 7

The combination called for in claim 1 in which said block and housing include interengaging slide tracks parallel with the axis of said driven shaft of a length greater than the distance of axial travel between said shafts to engage and disengage said drive and driven shafts.

Claim 8

In a can opener having a housing with a recess in the front face thereof the combination of: a block slidably removable from said housing; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement to a position above and closely overlapping the feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft in said recess; releasable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengaged by axial movement of said block; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release the clutch means.

Claim 9

In a can opener having a housing with a recess in the front face thereof the combination of: a block slidably removable from said housing; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement to a position above and closely overlapping the feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft in said recess; releasable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengaged by axial movement of said block; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release the clutch means.

Claim 10

The combination called for in claim 7 including: resilient means urging separation of said block from said housing; and resilient means urging said cutter movably out of overlapping coaction with said feed wheel.

Claim 11

The combination called for in claim 7 in which said clutch means comprises a tongue on one shaft having a non-circular configuration, a recess on the other shaft having walls mating in tongue transmitting relationship during terminal movement of the shafts in an axial direction towards each other, said walls outwardly of said terminal movement having spiral faces axially engaging said tongue to urge disengagement of said clutch relationship under torque differentials between said shafts.

Claim 12

The combination called for in claim 9 in which said tongue is diametrically disposed and axially extending and said recess is a mating groove, both walls of which are provided with a square contour adjacent the bottom thereof and having a cam-like sloping contour extending with a spiral inclination from said square contour to a rounded apex.

Claim 13

The combination called for in claim 9 in which said block and housing include interengaging slide tracks parallel with the axis of said clutch means of a length greater than the distance of axial travel between said shafts to engage and disengage said clutch means.

Claim 14

The combination called for in claim 7 which includes: a normally open switch carried by said housing and having an actuating element; said handle in said position horizontally overlapping said actuating element a distance less than the distance of axial travel between said shafts to engage and disengage said clutch means.

Claim 15

The combination called for in claim 7 in which said latch means includes: a forwardly facing shoulder on said block; a frame member slidably mounted at the lower end on the housing for coaction with said shoulder to retain said block iN its working position and having a tongue and button assembly at the top thereof slidably mounted in an aperture through said housing; and resilient means urging said frame member into the path of movement of said shoulder.

Claim 16

In a can opener having a frame member supporting a motor and speed reduction gearing including a drive shaft axially disposed transversely to the front side of said frame member; a removable unit guidedly mounted in said frame and comprising a body portion, a driven shaft journalled in said body portion substantially coaxial with said drive shaft; a feed wheel carried by said driven shaft to engage and propel the rim bead of a can to be opened; clutch means interconnecting said shafts and disengageable in an axial direction; a hand actuated lever carrying a cutting element; means pivotally mounting said hand lever on said body to swing said cutting element toward and away from said feed wheel; guide means interconnecting said frame and body for supporting the body in a position in which said drive and driven shafts engage and disengage said clutch means, upon relative movement of said body portion and said frame; said pivotal means comprising cam and follower means carried by said handle and body by which at least a portion of said handle travels towards the cutting wheel has an axial component of movement towards the drive wheel; said clutch members having elements to urge disengagement under a torque loaded rotary interdrive relationship upon appreciable displacement of said unit; and a releasable latch means having one element carried by the body and the other element carried by the frame engageable to hold the clutch members in engagement and including manual means for releasing said latch means; resilient means urging movement of said body in a direction to disengage said interdrive relationship when said manual means is actuated; said guide means being of a length to partially disengage while still supporting the body on the frame when said clutch members are disengaged.

Claim 17

In a can opener having a frame member supporting a motor and speed reduction gearing including a drive shaft axially disposed transversely to the front side of said frame member; a removable unit guidedly mounted in said frame and comprising a body portion, a driven shaft journalled in said body portion substantially coaxial with said drive shaft; a feed wheel carried by said driven shaft to engage and propel the rim bead of a can to be opened; clutch means interconnecting said shafts and disengageable in an axial direction; a hand actuated lever carrying a cutting element; means pivotally mounting said hand lever on said body to swing said cutting element toward and away from said feed wheel; guide means interconnecting said frame and body for supporting the body in a position in which said drive and driven shafts engage and disengage said clutch means, upon relative movement of said body portion and said frame; said pivotal means comprising cam and follower means carried by said handle and body by which at least a portion of said handle travels towards the cutting wheel has an axial component of movement towards the drive wheel; said clutch members having elements to urge disengagement under a torque loaded rotary interdrive relationship upon appreciable displacement of said unit; and a releasable latch means having one element carried by the body and the other element carried by the frame engageable to hold the clutch members in engagement and including manual means for releasing said latch means; resilient means urging movement of said body in a direction to disengage said interdrive relationship when said manual means is actuated; said guide means being of a length to partially disengage while still supporting the body on the frame when said clutch members are disengaged.

Claim 18

In a power driven can opener having a housing: a feed wheel for engaging the rim bead of a can to be opened; driven shaft means carrying said feed wheel and supported on the housing in journalled relation for rotating said feed wheel in a predetermined direction about a predetermined axis; a cutter for progressively severing the top of a can to be opened marginally along the inside edge of said rim bead; a handle carrying said cutter and supported on the housing in journalled relation for pivotal movement in a direction counter to said direction of rotation from a resting position separated from the feed wheel to an position in overlapping relation with said feed wheel and in substantial vertical alignment with and between the axes of said feed wheel rotation and said pivotal movement; means for urging the handle from its said advanced position including a spring opened switch located in the path of movement of said handle actuated by said handle in said advanced position to supply power to said drive shaft.

Claim 19

In a power driven can opener having a housing: a feed wheel for engaging the rim bead of a can to be opened; driven shaft means carrying said feed wheel and supported on the housing in journalled relation for rotating said feed wheel in a predetermined direction about a predetermined axis; a cutter for progressively severing the top of a can to be opened marginally along the inside edge of said rim bead; a handle carrying said cutter and supported on the housing in journalled relation for pivotal movement in a direction counter to said direction of rotation from a resting position separated from the feed wheel to an position in overlapping relation with said feed wheel and in substantial vertical alignment with and between the axes of said feed wheel rotation and said pivotal movement; means for urging the handle from its said advanced position including a spring opened switch located in the path of movement of said handle actuated by said handle in said advanced position to supply power to said drive shaft.

Claim 20

In a can opener having a housing the combination of: a block removable from a working position on said housing for cleaning; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutting means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement from a position above and closely overhanging the feed wheel to an advanced working position closely overlapping said feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft; releasable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengageable by axial movement of said block; resilient means urging separation of said block from said housing; means actuating said drive shaft activated by said handle being moved to its advanced working position; resilient means urging said cutter means to move out of overlapping coaction With said feed wheel; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release said block from said housing, to release the clutch means, and to de-activate said actuating means in one operation.

Claim 21

In a can opener having a housing the combination of: a block removable from a working position on said housing for cleaning; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutting means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement from a position above and closely overhanging the feed wheel to an advanced working position closely overlapping said feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft; releasable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengageable by axial movement of said block; resilient means urging separation of said block from said housing; means actuating said drive shaft activated by said handle being moved to its advanced working position; resilient means urging said cutter means to move out of overlapping coaction With said feed wheel; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release said block from said housing, to release the clutch means, and to de-activate said actuating means in one operation.

Claim 22

In a can opener having a housing receiving a block in supported relation throughout a predetermined range of relative movement in an engaging direction; a driven member journalled in said block including a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement from a retracted can receiving position to a working position closing with the feed wheel for severing the wall of a can along its rim bead; a motor and transmission including a drive member journalled in said housing; releaseable clutch means between said drive member and driven member for the transmission of torque to drive the feed wheel, said clutch means being disengaged by movement of said block a predetermined distance less than that of said range of movement in a direction opposite to said engaging movement; releaseable latch means to secure said block in supported relation with the clutch means in engagement; and resilient means urging relative movement of said block and housing said predetermined distance in said opposite direction to release said clutch means when said latch means is released and including the time when said handle is in its working position; said releaseable latch means having a manually actuatable control member in said housing at one side of said handle.

Claim 23

In a can opener having a housing receiving a block in supported relation throughout a predetermined range of relative movement in an engaging direction; a driven member journalled in said block including a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement from a retracted can receiving position to a working position closing with the feed wheel for severing the wall of a can along its rim bead; a motor and transmission including a drive member journalled in said housing; releaseable clutch means between said drive member and driven member for the transmission of torque to drive the feed wheel, said clutch means being disengaged by movement of said block a predetermined distance less than that of said range of movement in a direction opposite to said engaging movement; releaseable latch means to secure said block in supported relation with the clutch means in engagement; and resilient means urging relative movement of said block and housing said predetermined distance in said opposite direction to release said clutch means when said latch means is released and including the time when said handle is in its working position; said releaseable latch means having a manually actuatable control member in said housing at one side of said handle.

Claim 24

In a can opener comprising a housing having a recess in front face thereof: a block slidably removable from said housing; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement to position above and closely overlapping the feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft; releaseable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengaged by axial movement of said block; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release the clutch means, clutch means including an axially extending projection on one shaft and means mating with said projection operating under torque effort between them to urge separation of the drive relationship.

Claim 25

In a can opener comprising a housing having a recess in front face thereof: a block slidably removable from said housing; a driven shaft journalled in said block carrying a feed wheel; cutter means including a handle pivotally carried on said block for movement to position above and closely overlapping the feed wheel; a motor and transmission in said housing including a drive shaft; releaseable clutch means between said drive and driven shaft for the transmission of torque and disengaged by axial movement of said block; and releasable latch means securing said block in said housing to release the clutch means, clutch means including an axially extending projection on one shaft and means mating with said projection operating under torque effort between them to urge separation of the drive relationship.