Abstract:
A power driven device for twisting a crown cap from a neck of a bottle as the cap and neck are inserted into a cup shaped driven head that pivotally supports a number of cap engaging knives. The head contains a spring loaded member that moves the loosened cap outwardly with the neck, as the latter is withdrawn from the head. A sring mounted on the interior of the head separates the cap from the neck should the cap tend to cling to the latter.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     Power Driven Bottle Cap Remover 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In bars and entertainment centers that sell a substantial volume of bottled beer, the removal of caps from the necks of the bottles is time consuming and when done rapidly may result in the heads of the bottles being chipped or the necks of the bottles broken if the glass defining the same has not been amended properly. 
     A major object of the present invention is to provide a power operated device that twists a crown cap loose from the head of the bottle on which it is mounted when the neck is inserted in a power driven head, automatically moves the loosened cap outwardly with the neck of the bottle as the neck is removed from the head, and a spring separating the cap from the neck if the loosened cap tends to cling thereto. 
     Another object of the invention is to furnish a bottle cap remover for use in bars or in the home, one that is easily operated and has a simple mechanical structure, requires a minimum of maintenance attention, and may be sold at a sufficiently low price as to encourage the wide spread use thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention preferably includes a protective housing and a clamp that removably supports the housing at a convenient location in a bar or in the home. A power driven inverted cup shaped head is axially aligned with an opening in the housing. The housing contains a number of circumferentially spaced, pivotally supported knives that engage the cap on the neck of a bottle when the neck is at least partially inserted in the head. 
     Insertion of the neck into the head results in the latter rotating, and the knives gripping the cap to twist the cap loose from the neck. A spring loaded member moves the loosened cap outwardly with the neck as the latter is withdrawn from the head. A spring situated within the head separates the loosened cap from the neck should the cap tend to cling thereto, with the separated cap then dropping down to the ground or a suitable container due to gravity. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the bottle cap remover; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the cap remover taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a transverse cross sectional view of the cap remover taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the power driven head taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the head taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4; and 
     FIG. 6 is the same view as shown in FIG. 5 with the cap of the bottle being gripped by a number of pivotally supported knives in the head to be twisted from the neck as the head rotates. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The power driven device A of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and includes a protective housing B that by a support D is secured in a convenient position on a bar C. A bottle E that has a neck on which a crown cap F is mounted may have the cap removed by inserting the neck into an inverted, cup shaped, power driven head G that is disposed within the housing and axially aligned with a housing opening 12. 
     The housing is illustrated in the drawing as including a top 14, bottom 16, pair of end walls 18, and pair of sidewalls 20, all of which cooperate to define a confined space within the housing. 
     The housing has a support plate 24 therein as shown in FIG. 3, to which an electric motor M is secured by a member 26. 
     A number of speed reducing gears 28 are driven by motor M, with the gears and supporting shafts referred to collectively by the numeral 30 being rotatably supported from plate 24 by conventional means. The gears 28 include a first elongate driven gear 32 that is engaged by a second gear that may move longitudinally relative to the first gear. 
     The second gear 34 is rigidly secured to the upper end of a driven shaft 36 that is rotatably and slidably mounted in a tubular boss that extends upwardly from support plate 24. 
     A normally open electric switch occupies a fixed position relative to motor M, which switch has a spring loaded member 42 projecting therefrom above second gear 34. Member 42 at all times tends to remain in a first position, when the member 42 moves upwardly to a second position by upward movement of second gear 34, the switch 40 assumes a closed position. Two insulated electrical conductors 44 are connected to motor M, with one of the conductors having the switch 40 connected in series therein. The conductors 44 extend through an opening 46 in the housing B to a source of electric power (not shown). 
     The inverted cup shaped head G has a top 48 secured to the lower end of driven shaft 36, and the top having a cylindrical sidewall extending downwardly therefrom. A centered tubular boss 52 extends downwardly from the top 48 within the cylindrical sidewall, which boss 52 has a closed upper end 52a. 
     A first compressed helical spring 54 encircles driven shaft 36 and bears against support plate 24 and top 46 to at all times tend to maintain head G in a first position. 
     A rod 56 is slidably mounted in boss 52, with the rod having an enlarged lower end 58 that may be pressure contacted by cap F. A second compressed helical spring encircles rod 56, with one end of the spring abutting against the lower end of boss 52, and the other end bearing against end 58. The second spring 60 at all times tends to maintain rod 56 in a first position. A set screw 62 extends through a tapped transverse bore 63 in boss 52. The inner end of screw 62 slidably engages a slot 64 in rod 56 to prevent the rod dropping out of boss 52. An opening 66 is formed in cylindrical sidewall 50 in alignment with screw 62. The opening 66 allows a suitable tool such as a screw driver (not shown) to be inserted therethrough to engage the set screw 62 to loosen or tighten the same. 
     A number of slotted cages H that are radially disposed and circumferentially spaced are secured to the interior surface of sidewall 50 by screws 68 as shown in FIG. 6. Each cage supports a transverse pin on which an elongate knife 72 is pivotally supported. Each knive 72 has a slightly convex inner cutting edge 72a that will indent into cap F when brought into pressure contact therewith. Each cage H and knife 72 has a third opening 74 operatively associated therewith as shown in FIG. 6 that at all times tends to maintain each knife in a first position. The lower edge of each knife 72 is slightly convex, and the inner portion of the lower edge contacting the cage H and acting as a stop to prevent the knife pivoting inwardly beyond the first position. 
     When a cap F is to be removed from a neck 10 of a bottle E, the neck is moved upwardly in the head G. The knives 72 pressure contact the cap F when in the first position. Continued upward movement of the neck 10 results in the knives pivoting to second positions, and the cap pressure contacting end 58 of rod 56. The rod 56 then moves upwardly towards a second position, and in so doing contacts closed end 52a to move driven shaft 36 and head G upwardly to second positions, with switch member 42 being moved to a second position due to upward movement of second gear 34. Motor M now drives head G to rotate together with the knives 72 to twist the cap F loose from neck 10. The bottle E is now moved downwardly relative to the head G, with spring 54 returning the head to the first position where it no longer rotates. Spring 60 now expands longitudinally and moves rod 56 from the second to the first position, and as a result the loosened cap moving downwardly relative to the knives 72. A spring 78 shown in FIG. 6 is secured to the interior surface of sidewall 50, with the spring having an inner end 78a that engages the cap F as the bottle E is moved downwardly relative to head G, and separates the loosened cap from the neck. The end 78a also serves to engage a paper label or covering (not shown) that may be secured to neck 10, and sever the label or covering therefrom. 
     The use and operation of the invention has been described previously in detail and need not be repeated.