US2772381A - Magnetic lid lifter for can openers - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1956 P. RHODES 2,772,381

MAGNETIC LID LIFTER FOR CAN OPENERS Filed June 25, 1951 lnlx/ENToE: IQF) P. RHODES,

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United States Patent MAGNETIC LID LIFTER FOR CAN OPENERS Ira P. Rhodes, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Swing-A-Way Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 25, 1951, Serial No. 233,328

1 Claim. (Cl. 317-159) The present invention relates generally to can openers, and more particularly to novel improvements in magnetic lid lifters or holders adapted for use in combination with mechanical can openers.

Briefly, the invention contemplates an improved magnetic lid lifter or holder comprising a novel arrangement of two permanent magnets between opposed pole pieces to form a magnet assembly, said assembly being resiliently suspension mounted in a shell-like enclosure or cover which is, in turn, pivotally mounted to an element of a known type of can opener.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide improvements which will overcome certain deficiencies in the manufacture and in the operation of known de vices intended generally to retain a severed can top or lid to prevent it from falling into the can.

In the attainment of the general object, as above set forth, it is a specific object to provide a novel magnetic can top or lid lifter or holder which is so mounted as to permit ready and convenient access to parts of the associated can opener which it is desirable to clean periodically.

It is another specific object of the invention to provide a magnetic lid lifter or holder having an exceptionally efl'icient magnet assembly, which exceptional efficiency results from the employment of a plurality of separate magnets cooperating with common pole pieces.

It is another object of the invention to provide a ma net assembly for a magnetic lid lifter or holder, which magnet assembly has a plurality of spaced apart surfaces adapted to contact a can lid, thereby to exert a concentrated attractive force at a plurality of relatively Widely distributed points on the can top.

It is another object of the invention to provide a magnetic lid lifter or holder in which the magnet assembly is freely supported so as to enable it to conform to the usual tipped position of the can lid at the moment of final severance, thereby to lessen the possibility of pulling the lid from the lifter at the moment of maximum holding strain.

It is another object of the invention to provide a magnetic lid lifter or holder in which the magnet assembly is resiliently suspension mounted, thereby continuously to adapt the position of the magnet assembly to the various positions of the lid as it is severed from the can, and, further, to exert through spring retraction an effective mechanical lifting force upon the lid when it is finally severed from the can to raise it from the contents thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a magnetic lid lifter having relatively few parts adapted to relatively inexpensive mass production and assembly, which is neat and compact in appearance, which is automatic in its action, and which has an inherent long life.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a magnetic lid lifter constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, shown attached to a mechanical can opener of known type severing the lid from a can;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of Fig. l, but showing the magnet assembly in end elevation;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, but substantially limited to the lid lifter and with the magnet assembly shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken generally on the longitudinal centerline of the magnetic lid lifter showing the magnet assembly in a normal position of rest;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a removed magnet assembly;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view thereof; and

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, a magnetic lid lifter 10 is shown pivotally mounted by means of a rivet 12 to a horizontally disposed flange or can top guide bracket 14 on a known type of wall mounted can opener 16. Although not shown in the drawing, the rivet 12 may have assembled therewith a resilient device, for example, a common lock washer for the purpose of providing continuous frictional contact between the abutting surfaces of theriveted joint.

As mentioned, the can opener 16 may be a known type adapted for wall mounting and may comprise principal elements such as a frame 20 upon which is slidably mounted a carrier 22 so as to be movable with respect to the frame 20 upon rotation of a lever 24. A crank 26 and a feed wheel (not shown) are rotatably mounted on a lower portion of the frame 2%, the feed wheel (not shown) being adapted to cooperate in conventional overlapping relation with a cutter disc 30 rotatably mounted on the carrier 22 in severing a lid, such as 32, from a can, such as 34, by supporting the can 34 beneath the top bead.

The conventional can rim supporting function and the overlapping relation of the feed wheel (not shown) and the cutter disc 30, when the lever 24 is in the position of Fig. 1, provide effective support for the weight of the can 34 and the contents thereof, and the can 34 is rotatably maintained in a vertical position by lateral abutment of its side with a conventional horizontally disposed can guide flange (not shown) of the frame 20, and by vertical abutment of its upper rim with the underneath surface of the can top guide bracket 14. A rim guide bracket 38 mounted on the carrier 22 serves to prevent the can from pivoting laterally about its area of engagement with the feed wheel 28.

The magnetic lid lifter 10 includes a shell-like enclosure or cover 40 preferably formed from non-magnetic material, such as aluminum, and having a horizontally disposed mounting flange 41 for the aforementioned pivotal attachment to the can top guide bracket 14. The cover 40 forms an enclosure with a downwardly directed open space, the open space lying in a single plane. The generally preferred shape of the cover 4%? is clearly depicted in the several views of the accompanying drawing.

A magnet assembly 42 comprises a pair of identical pole plates 44, a pair of identical bar magnets as, and a retaining element 48. A preferred general configuration of the pole plates 44 is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 6, it being particularly noted that the lower edge of each plate 44 provides depending projections or feet 58. Additionally, each of the plates 44 is seen to have a pair of rectangular apertures 51 and also a pair of indentations 52, both the apertures 51 and the indentations 52 being disposed symmetrically about the vertical centerline of the plates 44. It will be noted that the indentations 52 are produced through deformation of the plates 44 so as to provide shallow cavities or pockets which, when two plates 44 are disposed oppositely, act in opposed pairs 3 as receptacles for the ends of the respective bar magnets 46.

The cross-sectional shape of the bar magnets 46 is not critical, it being only desirable that it conform generally to the configuration of the indentations 52. The shape shown in Fig. 4, for example, has been found to be both structurally efiicient and relatively economical. Obviously, the received ends of the magnets 46 constitute the poles thereof, and it will be understood that the north poles of both magnets are received in one of the plates 44 and that the south poles of both magnets are received in the other plate 44. The plates 44, being formed from magnetic material, thus constitute common pole pieces for the magnets 46. i

The retaining element 48 may, as illustrated, take the form of an inverted letter U, as best shown in Fig. 4, thus to comprise a bight portion 55 and two leg portions 56. The width of this U-shaped element 48 is somewhat less than the length of the bar magnets 46, except for coextensive integral tabs which extend from the edges of the leg portions 56. Each of the tabs 57 extends through an aperture 51 in a plate 44 and has its end indented or otherwise deformed so as to retain the several parts of the magnet assembly 42 in rigid assembled relation. The retaining element 48 is preferably formed of non-magnetic material, such as aluminum, and an aperture 58 is provided centrally of the bight por tion 55 for a purpose to appear.

The magnet assembly 42 is movably suspended within the cover 40 by means of a preferably non-magnetic rivet pin 60 which may, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing, take the form of a flat strip shaped to form an in verted letter T. The stem portion of the pin 60 passes loosely through the aperture 58 in the retaining element 48 and a reduced portion 61 of the pin 60 is firmly secured to the cover 40, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4. A preferably non-magnetic compression spring 62 is interposed between the suspended head of the pin 60 and the underneath surface of the bight portion 55 of the retaining element 48, the magnet assembly 42 being thus supported and, at the same time, urged toward abutment with the inside top of the cover 40. It will be noted that, although the distribution of weight in the magnet assembly 42 is such as to dispose it in a normally level rest position, it is free to tip in any direction therefrom. This ability readily to occupy a tipped position cooperates with the usual tipping of a can lid at the moment of final severing and thus tends to equalize the holding strain upon the feet 50 at the time of maximum demand upon the attractive force of the magnet assembly. Obviously, after the can lid is completely severed from the can, the spring 62 tends to lift both the magnet assembly and the severed lid, thereby preventing the latter from dropping into the open can.

Operation With a can such as 34 supported in the can opener 16, as previously described and as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, the attractive force of the magnet assembly 42 upon the lid 32 causes the magnet assembly 42 to descend against the action of the spring 62 until the feet 50 rest upon the lid 32, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As the crank 26 is turned, the rotating feed wheel causes the can 34 to rotate upon its vertical axis, the cutter disc 30 thereby shearing the lid 32 from the can 34, the feet 50, meanwhile, remaining in continuous sliding contact with the lid 32. At the moment of complete severance of the lid 32 from the can .34, the normal rearwardly downward tipping of the lid 32 causes a maximum strain upon the holding power of magnet assembly 42 which is in part accommodated by the above-mentioned ability of the magnet assembly 42 to assume a slanting posit-ion. Upon complete severance of the lid 32 from the can 34, the former continues to be attracted to the magnet assembly 42, whereupon, the spring 62 is etfect-ive to withdraw the lid 32 upwardly from the can 34 so that the latter may be removed from the can opener 16 without the lid 32. After removal of the can 34, the lid 32 may be either pulled or slipped from the attraction of the magnet assembly 42. It will be noted that the spaced arrangement of the feet 50 is such as to provide multiple contact at relatively widely separated points on a can lid even though the latter be uneven or bent, and, further, that such spacing of the feet 50 provides for the secure holding of a large diameter lid even when its center is relatively remote from the magnet assembly 42.

When, for purposes of cleaning the cutter disc 30 or parts associated therewith, it may be desirable to move the magnetic lid lifter 10 from its normal proximate position relative to such parts, it is only necessary to swing the magnetic lid lifter 10 about the rivet 12 to the position indicated by the phantom lines of Fig. l to gain the desired access.

It is apparent that there has been provided a magnetic lid lifter which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing.description and the accompanying drawing have been given only by way of illustration and example, and that changes in form and substitution of. equivalent elements which will be apparent to those skilled in the art are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claim which follows.

Whatis claimed is:

A magnetic lid lifter for a can opener, said lid lifter comprising a magnet assembly and a non-magnetic support therefor, said magnet assembly including identical opposed magnetic pole plates of symmetrical form disposed in parallel, a plurality of bar magnets interposed between said plates and in abutment therewith, said magnets being disposed in symmetrical parallel arrangement, the north pole of each of said magnet-s extending in the same direction, non-magnetic securing means disposed in symmetrical arrangement with the magnets retaining the pole plates in compressive abutment therewith, and means fastened to said non-magnetic securing means for suspending said magnet assembly from said non-magnetic support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,574,904 Kucera Mar. 2, 1926 1,863,531 Bungay June 14, 1932 1,987,653 Von Wolforsd-orf Jan. 15, 1935 2,046,093 Schaaf et a1 June 30, 19.36 2,063,319 Lee Dec. 8, 1936 2,216,339 De Reamer Oct. 1, 1940 2,265,491 Powers Dec. 9, 1941 2,267,545 Wente Dec. 23, 1943 2,369,300 Kehoe Feb. 13, 1945 2,385,859 Jacobson Oct. 2, 1945 2,437,234 Webb Mar. 2, 1948 2,489,475 Blind Nov. 29, 1949 2,501,032 Harbaugh Mar. 21, 1950 2,503,467 Blind Apr. 11, 1950 2,508,.305 Teet-or May 16, 1950 2,565,625 Phelon Aug. 28, 1951 2,573,427 =Frolich Oct. 30, 1951 2,615,738 Johnson Oct. 28, 1952 2,648,127 Nelson Aug. 11, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 514,604 Great Britain Jan. 29, 1937 OTHER REFERENCES Ser. No. 397,677,. Zodtner (A. P. C), published May 18, 1943.

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