US2646705A - Lever type vacuum cap lifter - Google Patents

Description

July 28, 1953 Filed April 5, 1949 J. BELPEDIO LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAP LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

LTUELEY EIELFEDIU BY a. L/Jfi ATTUR'NE 1'.

July 28, 1953 J. BELPEDIQ 2,646,705

LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAP LIFTER Filed April 5, 1949 2' Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

LIUEEY EELPEDIU A T TURNEY.

Patented July 28, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEVER TYPE VACUUM CAP LIFTER J obby Belpedio, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application April 5, 1949, Serial No. 85,522

1 Claim. 1

. The present invention relates to an implement for opening jars, bottles, cans, and the like, and has for an object to provide a device of this character, preferably formed from a single piece of sheet metal pressed and bent to shape, and which includes means for cooperative enga ment'with the covers or caps of various sized food and drink containers such as are found in the ordinary household kitchen. As is well-known the covers or caps of these containers are of various diameters and thicknesses and are held upon the containers by different methods, as for instance by frictional fit, by inherent springiness of the metal, by screw threads, etc., and it is usually extremely difficult to remove such covers or caps with the ordinary implements found in a household kitchen. It is proposed in the present invention to provide an implement having means adapted for quickly and easily removing covers or caps of "various types and diameters, without damage to the container or distortion of the cover or cap. Further objects are to providean implement including means for opening a can by cutting out itsend closure, and also having means for puncturing the end closure of the can to provide a pouring opening for removal of its contents. 1

' With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in theclaim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the implement, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view.

Fig. 4 is a front end view.

- Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the implement engaged with a friction fit jar cover preparatory to removing it.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, partiallyrin section, showing the cover being removed.

Fig. '7 is a side elevation showing the implement in an inverted position and engaged with a relatively thin cover of a jelly glass or the like, Dreparatory to removing it.

Fig. 8 shows the implement engaged with a bottle cap preparatory to removing it.

Fig. 9 shows the implement engaged with a screw cap of a jar preparatory to removing the cap by unscrewing it.

Similar-reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings the implement, according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, is pressed and bent from. a

single piece of relatively heavy gauge sheet metal and comprises a longitudinally extending handle portion In flanged downwardly, as at lll I, along each of its longitudinal side edges for comfort in handling the implement and for imparting stiffness to it, the handle merging at its forward end into a widened head portion I2 of substantially semi-circular shape in plan outline and having peripheral flange portions l3 at its rounded side edges merging with the flang portions H of the handle portion.

The head portion I2 is provided at its forward edge with two prong portions I4 -l4 slightly curved downwardly, as

appear; At each of the side edges of the head portions there are provided downwardly extending leg portions |5--l5 having inwardly bent finger portions Iii-I6 inclined downwardly and inwardly to a slight degree, as indicated in Figs.

2 and 4, the inner ends I! of these fingers being 6. It is pointed out that the lateral spacing of the fingers l6l6 and the angularity of the edges l'l|'!, as well as the size of the clearance opening I8, are such that the implement may be engaged with the covers of jars of various diam eters to remove them with equal facility. Several covers of various diameters are indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3.

Centrally of the rearward curved edge of the of the opening I8 there is provided an upwardly bent lug l9, which is adapted for removing the covers of jelly glasses or the like, where there is no bead beneath the rim of the cover to permit the prying ofi of the cover. As clearly shown in Fig. '7, the implement is inverted with the top;

surfaceof the headportion engaging the top of the cover and with the forward edge of the lug l9 engaged beneath the rim. In this position the implement is effectually locked with the cover and the cover may beremoved simply by lifting up onthe handle portion of the implement, the substantial area of the head portion [2 engaged with the cover preventing any possibility of the latter becoming bent or distorted during the,

removal operation. 1

The clearance opening I 8, by virtue of the corner formations 20-20 produced by the formation of thelug 19 also constitutes a bottle cap indicated in Fig. 2, and adapted for frictional engagement with the top of a container cover, as will hereinafter more fully;

3 remover, the implement being engaged with the bottle cap, as shown in Fig. 8, with the forward straight edge of the clearance opening engaged with the top of the bottle cap and the corner formations 2i] engaged beneath the rim of the cap. By lifting upwardly on the handle the bottle cap is easily removed without distorting the cap. As a cooperative feature of the bottle cap removing means the rearward end of the :handle is provided with a circular pocket portion 2i, adapted to be engaged over a bottlecap to effectually replace it upon the bottle, this pocket por-- tion being fitted over the bottle cap and thereupon pressed tightly downwardly or hit "with a sharp blow with the palm of the hand to reengage the bottle cap upon the bottle.

At an intermediate point of the handle portion I!) there is provided a downwardly projecting can opener blade portion 22, formed by a portion of the metal of the handle portion pierced and bent downwardly therefrom, this blade portion preferably having a pointed end provided with sharpened angular cutting edges at each side, so that the blade may be operated during the cutting operation by movement in either direction. At each side, of the blade 22 notches 23-23 are formed in the flanges HH to .provide guide means for engagement with the rim flange at the upper end of a can, so that the blade 22 after piercing the end closure of the can may be guided circumferentially adjacent the inner edge of therim flange. As clearly shown by the dot-and-dash lines in 3 the notches engage the circular rim flange at points substan tially spaced at each side of the blade and provide guides for turning the implement to cause the blade to produce a circular cut to-remove the end closure of the can. The notches are so placed that the blade is positioned substantially adjacent the rim flange of the can, there being a slight variationin the spacing of the blade from the rim flange in the case of variations in the diameter of the can.

At an intermediate point of the handle portion there is provided a can top perforating portion R formed-by a portionof the metal 'of'the handle portion pierced and bent downwardly therefrom, this perforating portion being bent into substantially semi-cylindrical form and having an inclined sharpened cutting surface '25 forming a sharp point for easy piercing of a can top. The portion 2' 1, projects substantially belowthe lower edgeof the flanges ii, so that by pressing downwardly on the handle to cause the portion 2a to perforate the can top, the flanges act as stop means to limit the extent of downward movement of the portion 24 into the can.

The operation of the implement is as follows:

In removing a jar cover of the type illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, wherein the cover is frictionally held in place and a projecting bead is provided beneath the edge of the cover, the portions iii-16 are engaged beneath the rim of the cover as shown in Fig. 5, the outer corners of the end surfaces H engaging beneath the rim and the edges I? being in position to bear upon the bead of the jar as a fulcrum. The cover is removed by pressing the handle downwardly, causing the edge portions ii to swing upon the bead of the jar thus prying the cover upwardly. As the edge of the cover swings upwardly it engages in the clearance opening I8. As shown by the dot-anddash lines in Fig. 3 the portions 16 will engage covers of various diameters to remove them in similar manner. In the case of relatively thin 4 covers, such as are provided upon jelly glasses and the like, these may be effectually removed by inverting the implement and engaging the hook portion l9 beneath the rim of the cover, the upper surfaceof the head portion l2 engaging with the upper surface of the cover so'as to support it against distortion as the cover is removed by upward pressure on the handle of the implement.

As shown in Fig. 8 the implement may be used for removing bottle caps by engaging the cap in the clearance opening it with the forward straight edge of the opening pressing upon the upper surface of the cap and the corner formations zi'i engaging beneath the edge of the cap, the

cap being removed by pressing the handle upwardly. As shown in Fig. 9 the implement may be employed for effectually removing screw caps from jars. For this. purpose the edges of the portion It are engaged in the groove of the screw thread and the prong portions l4ie are pressed against the top. of the cover. Thereupon by a combined. pressure inwardly upon the, handle to press the portions i6 into. the. screwthread, and upward pressure to force the portions l6 upwardly against the underside of the screw thread and at the same time to force the prong portions Hi downwardly in frictional engagement with the top of the cover, the cover is firmly gripped so that by turningthe implemen'twhile still holding these pressures the screw cap is turned to unscrew it from the jar.

The concave edge between the prong portions I i may be eifectually employed for removing a frictionally-hel'd catsup bottle cap or the like.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that changes may be made therein, within the spirit and-scope thereof, as defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

An implement for removing the covers of jets or-the like,. comprising a member having a longitudinal handleportion and a laterally widened head portion at the. forward end ofv said handle portion provided with -a forward cover-top-engaging edge, said head portion having at each side of its longitudinal axis a downwardly extending leg portion and a finger portion extending inwardly from the lower end of said leg portion, each finger portion terminating in 'a forwardly inclined edge extending away from the longitudinal axis for engagement. beneath apart of the rim of a covergsaid leg and finger portions being rearwardly of said cover-top-engaging "edge, and said head portion. having a clearance opening including a forward edge forwardly of said finger portions and a rearward edgeJoverlying said linger portions adjacent its ends and extending rearwardly from said finger portions to clear the rim of a cover pried upwardly by said finger portions.

J OBEY BELPEDIO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 86 L378 Ives Aug. 27, 1907 2;03'1,420 'Lebherz Feb. 18, 1936 2,323,621 Penney July 6, 1943 2,501,204 Boucher- Mar. 21, 1950 2,501,205 Bou'cner Mar. 21, 1950 2,545,979 Tregear Mar. 20, 1951

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