Can opener apparatus

An elongate shaft includes a top wall and bottom wall having a hook at the top wall, with a handle mounted diametrically through the shaft adjacent the bottom wall. A latch including a side wall rod having a head spaced from a side wall is arranged for receiving a looped can opening member to effect a rolling of the pop top to permit its spacing from an opening in a conventional pop top type container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The field of invention relates to can opening apparatus, and more 
particularly pertains to a new and improved can opener apparatus wherein 
the same is arranged for the ease of manipulation and separation of a can 
top lid relative to a container. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The lifting and separating of a can top relative to a container is 
frequently a difficult and arduous task, wherein individuals of limited 
physical capacity have at times difficulty in effecting this opening. 
Prior art to assist in such opening has been presented in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,949,600 to Tricinella permitting the leveraged opening and lifting of a 
pop top relative to a pop top container. The instant invention, however, 
is directed to the manipulation of a can top to initially effect 
tensioning of the top and its subsequent folling relative to a container 
to permit ease of removal of a container lid relative to such a container 
and as such, it may be appreciated that there continues to be a need for a 
new and improved can opening apparatus as set forth by the instant 
invention which addresses both the problems of ease of use as well as 
effectiveness in construction and in this respect, the present invention 
substantially fulfills this need. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of pop 
top opener structure now present in the prior art, the present invention 
provides a pop top can opener apparatus wherein the same is arranged for 
the lifting and separating of a can top relative to a container. As such, 
the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved pop top 
can opener apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior art pop top 
opening apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
To attain this, the present invention provides an elongate shaft including 
a top wall and bottom wall having a hook at the top wall, with a handle 
mounted diametrically through the shaft adjacent the bottom wall. A latch 
including a side wall rod having a head spaced from a side wall is 
arranged for receiving a looped can opening member to effect a rolling of 
the pop top to permit its spacing from an opening in a conventional pop 
top type container. 
My invention resides not in any one of these features per se, but rather in 
the particular combination of all of them herein disclosed and claimed and 
it is distinguished from the prior art in this particular combination of 
all of its structures for the functions specified. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, 
additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter 
and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which 
this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved can opener apparatus which has all the advantages of the prior 
art can opener apparatus and none of the disadvantages. 
It is another object of the present invention to provided a new and 
improved can opener apparatus which may be easily and efficiently 
manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved can opener apparatus which is of a durable and reliable 
construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and 
improved can opener apparatus which is susceptible of a low cost of 
manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly 
is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby 
making such can opener apparatus economically available to the buying 
public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provided a new and 
improved can opener apparatus which provides in the apparatuses and 
methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while 
simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated 
therewith. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 to 5 
thereof, a new and improved pop top opener apparatus embodying the 
principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated 
by the reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, the can opener apparatus 10 of the instant invention 
essentially comprises an elongate shaft 11 having a shaft bottom wall 12 
spaced from and parallel a shaft top wall 13, wherein the bottom top walls 
are orthogonally oriented relative to an axis of the shaft 11. A 
cylindrical side wall 14 extends coextensively between the bottom and top 
walls as illustrated. A handle rod 15 is diametrically directed through 
the elongate shaft 11 adjacent the bottom wall orthogonally oriented 
relative to the shaft axis, with a hook member 16 fixedly mounted medially 
of the shaft top wall 13. A latch member is directed into the cylindrical 
side wall 14 having a side wall rod 17 orthogonally oriented relative to 
the latch axis oriented between the handle rod 15 and the top wall. The 
side wall rod 17 has a side wall rod head 18 extending laterally beyond 
the side wall rod fixedly mounted at an outer distal end of the side wall 
rod spaced from the cylindrical side wall 14. 
In use, the hook member 16 is directed through a can lid loop 19, whereupon 
pulling of the handle rod effects a lifting and separation of the lid loop 
and lid relative to the container. Subsequently, the latch member is 
directed into the loop to effect a rolling of the lid loop relative to the 
container to effect continued and greater separation of the pop top 
relative to the container to effect an opening thereof. 
As to the manner of usage and operation of the instant invention, the same 
should be apparent from the above disclosure, and accordingly no further 
discussion relative to the manner of usage and operation of the instant 
invention shall be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.