Abstract: A can opener has first and second operating elements pivotal with respect to one another. The first operating element has a rotatable traction wheel and the second operating element has a cutting assembly. The operating elements pivot such that traction wheel and cutter assembly are moveable between an inoperative position and an operative position. In the inoperative position, the traction wheel and cutter assembly are spaced from one another so that the rim of the can to be opened is locatable between the traction wheel and cutter assembly. In the operative position, the traction wheel and the cutter assembly are in close proximity and engagable with the can to effect opening of the can. The cutter assembly has an axle engaged with the second operating element at a first end and has a thread at a second end. A rotatable circular cutting blade is located on the axle between the first and second ends and is held in place by a nut engaged with the thread. A decorative cover covers the nut.

Abstract: A can opener has a shaft for effecting rotation of a traction wheel for moving a can relative to a cutting wheel to sever an upper annular lateral side of the can, and is equipped with an adjustment element, which is screwed onto a threaded outward end portion of the shaft, and which has two wing portions in contact with corresponding sloping portions of a hexagonal member so that when the shaft is turned together with a rotary lever in the cutting direction, the hexagonal member is first turned relative to the adjustment element for a small angle for the higher portions of the sloping portions to be pressed against the wing portions to cause reduction to the space between the traction wheel and the cutting wheel; thus, the wheels can clip an annular wall of a end cover of a can in between.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a can opener appliance with a side cutting mechanism. The can opener appliance includes housing portions, which include a cutter support mounted therein. A cutter wheel is mounted at least partially within the cutter support and has a cutting edge for severing a can wall. A traction wheel is also positioned inside the housing portions of the can opener appliance. The traction wheel has a gripping surface to engage the can. The cutter wheel and the traction wheel are rotatable and the axes of rotation of the wheels are substantially perpendicular to each other. The wheels are positioned adjacent and spaced apart from each other to define a gap to accept a can to be opened. One of the wheels is moveable towards the other to engage and lock the can between the wheels. The cutter wheel then acts to sever the can wall and the traction wheel acts to move the can past the cutter wheel The cutter wheel is formed of a drawn tool steel with a Rockwell C hardness from about 53 to about 57.

Abstract: Portable metal drum openers allow the use of a cutting head with a relatively small diameter so that most metal drum covers can be removed without having to beat down or remove bungs in the cover. The cutting head is spring mounted so that the small diameter cutting head will not slip or stall when encountering a kink in the chime. The cutting head is tilted downward in the direction of cutting so that the cutting head would tend to move downward along the chime when making the cut, however, the cutting head is physically restrained from moving downward past a selected chime cutting height. The selected chime cutting height is preferably adjusted by adjusting the position of a shaft collar along threads on a cutting shaft that projects perpendicularly from the cutting head. It is preferred that the drum opener be driven either manually, or by an electric DC motor.

Abstract: A portable fiber drum chime remover allows the disassembly of fiber or paperboard drums on location. The height of the cutting head is adjustable so that the portable chime remover can remove both the upper metal chime and the lower metal chime during the fiber drum disassembling process. The cutting head height can be selected among predetermined settings using a grooved cutter shaft and a spring-loaded stop, or can be self-setting using the fiber drum geometry as a guide. The fiber drum chime remover preferably has a restraint element to prevent the cutting head from coming in direct contact with the drive wheel when the cutting head is engaged to cut the fiber sidewall of the drum.

Abstract: A can opener of the type having a housing, a motor, a feed wheel for rotating a can about its axis, a gear assembly connecting the motor and the feed wheel, and a cutter for severing a can lid from a can includes a cutter control associatively connected to the cutter and operable to bias a switch contact to a closed position while the cutter is severing the can lid from the can and to automatically open the switch contact after the can lid has been severed, the cutter control comprising an integrally formed spring operable to engage an armature mounted on the housing, and a cutter support plate supporting the cutter and associatively connected to the cutter control, the cutter support plate operable to lower a magnet assembly into contact with the can lid when the cutter is moved into contact with the can lid and to raise the magnet assembly and the can lid when the cutter is raised from the can after the can lid has been severed from the can.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a can opener (1) having in its casing (2) a drive unit which is comprised of an electric motor (32) secured to a mounting plate (41), a gear train (33) and an output shaft (42) driving the drive wheel (17). The longitudinal axis (8) of the casing (2) along which the electric motor (32), the gear train (33) and the output shaft (42) are arranged forms with the direction determined by the input shaft (70) of the electric motor (32), the shafts (61, 62, 63) of the gear train (33) and the output shaft (42) of the drive wheel (17) an angle (a) which is smaller than 90.degree..

Abstract: An automatic can opener is described which is operable using a single hand to complete the opening of a can merely by positioning the can in an opening position. Particularly, the can opener senses when a can has been placed in a position to be opened, and automatically retains the can in this position and begins cutting the top thereof. Subsequently, when the cutting is completed, the can opener automatically terminates the cutting operation while retaining the can in position. Thereafter, when a user begins to remove the can, such action is automatically sensed, and the can is automatically released for removal.

Abstract: An electrically operated portable can opener being adjustable in height to enable opening various size cans, the can opener having a primary housing which is partially received within a secondary base housing with a rotary cam serving to control the raising and lowering of the primary housing with respect to the base housing.

Abstract: In a can opener having a traction wheel (18) for driving the end seam (26) of a can past the opener, and a cutter wheel (16) for severing the outer seaming wall of the seam, the axes (36,38) of the wheels being mutually perpendicular, the working parts are carried in a common cartridge (58) of metal, mounted removably in the housing (10) of the opener, the cutter wheel and its spindle (74) being integral with each other and mounted in a separate bearing cup (66) fixed in the body (60) of the cartridge and having a thrust bearing (68) remote from the cutter wheel. The housing carries a projecting abutment (54) having a forwardly curved seam-engaging surface which enables a variety of shapes and sizes of cans to be opened.

Abstract: An electric powered can opener has a housing, a feed gear that is motor connected and rotatably mounted to drive and rotate a can by holding it by its rim. An operating lever is pivoted above the gear on the housing and carries a cutter mechanism to remove the can lid. To this conventional arrangement an improvement is added in the cutter mechanism of a non-round cutter wheel connected to and movable by the lever and having a lobed or flat portion within the periphery and oriented so that the cutter wheel is substantially stationary as it is pulled into the can lid such that the meeting edge of the periphery at the flat and round periphery provides a power pierce whereupon the cutter wheel then rotates for a clean severing of the can lid. The cutter is preferably a dish-shaped cutter with a hollow ground flat or lobe portion. The lever is preferably spring biased for rotation toward the can at all times and has a slidable switch actuator that is linkage-connected to the lever for manual operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a can opener comprising a cutter moved in the vertical direction by an operation lever and a feed gear mechanism disposed below the cutter, in which by the co-operative action of the cutter and the feed gear mechanism, a lid of a can is cut off while the can is rotated. The cutter is rotatably attached to the front face of a movable member having an engaging portion on the lower end thereof, and a regulating member is disposed in the rear of the feed gear mechanism. When the cutter is brought down together with the movable member by the operation lever to cause the cutter to bite into the can lid, the engaging portion of the movable member is engaged with the regulating member.

Abstract: A motor driven can opener includes a pivotal hand lever assembly which may be removed from the can opener frame. A latch on the frame engages an edge portion of the hand lever to retain the lever on the frame throughout its normal operating range. A plate on which a can cutting element is carried is mounted to slide on the forward surface of the lever. A tab projects from the plate and catches on a hardened steel pin of the frame to hold the hand lever against the actuator of a rotary switch which maintains the motor in its energized condition during shearing of a can lid. When the can shearing is completed, the tab releases from the pin to automatically deenergize the motor.A manual crank may be employed as an alternative to electrical power. The motor is removed from the drive train when the crank is employed and brought back into the drive train when the crank is removed.