Patent ID: 6101727
Filing Date: 2000-08-15
Classification: B67B

Abstract:
A pump-action dual handle can opener operable using one hand comprising:(a) a housing having a first handle;(b) a cutting wheel associated with the housing and first handle having a cutting edge for severing an exterior circumferential wall of a seam of a can, said cutting wheel defining a cutting wheel axis which is substantially perpendicular to the lid of the can when the can opener is in position to cut the seam of a can;(c) a traction wheel associated with the housing and first handle having a gripping surface for engaging an interior circumferential wall of the seam of the can, said traction wheel defining a traction wheel axis which is substantially parallel with the lid of the can when the can opener is in position on the seam of the can;(d) a releasable look associated with the housing and first handle and having both an unlocked position and a plurality of locked positions, wherein, in each of said plurality of locked positions, said traction wheel is in direct contact with the interior circumferential wall of the seam of the can and said cutting wheel is in direct contact with the exterior circumferential wall of the seam of the can;(e) a second handle which is movable towards and away from said first handle, said first handle and second handle together forming the shape of the handle of a pistol, and said second handle, when initially moved towards said first handle after the can opener is installed on the seam of the can, actuates said lock in one of said plurality of locked positions, causing said traction wheel to contact the interior circumferential wall of the seam of the can and the cutting wheel to contact the exterior circumferential wall of the seam of the can, and until said lock is released back into its unlocked position, the second handle on subsequent reciprocal movement towards and away from the first handle through a series of levers and gears causing the traction wheel to rotate in incremental steps and advance the traction wheel along the interior circumferential wall of the seam of the can and thereby cause the cutting wheel to rotate and cut the exterior wall of the seam of the can; and(f) a traction wheel gear and a pump handle gear, which have different diameters to thereby provide a mechanical advantage when the second handle is moved towards the first handle.