Improvements in Openers for Cans, Tins, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLUTE DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in Openers for Cans, Tins, and the like.
A communication by MAX OESTREICH, of Hagen, Westphalia, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, Merchant.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an improvement in tin case openers of that kind by
which a circular cut may be produced and also a straight or curved or irregular
cut, as desired. The improvements of this invention offer the advantage of great
simplicity of construction and an easy method of cutting or opening tin cases of
any kind and shape.
The improved tin case opener of this invention contains, in the form of one
implement, two cutters or knives, one of which has its cutting edge set at right
angles to the shaft and serves to produce a circular incision into the metal, the
other knife having its edge set parallel to the shaft and serving to cut the metal
by leverage, in a straight or curved or irregular line.
Instead of using two different knives or cutters, a single knife or cutter may be
employed in such a way that, for producing the circular incision, the said knife or
cutter is fixed to the implement in one direction, at right angles to the shaft, and,
for cutting in a straight line or otherwise, the same knife or cutter is removed
from its seat and fixed into another seat, with its edge parallel to the shaft.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings:-
Figure 1 represents one modification of this invention, the implement being
shown in perspective while producing a straight incision in the sheet metal of a
tin box.
A is a shaft, preferably of metal, and of any suitable shape, provided with a
convenient handle a¹ and having its front portion bent, as shown, the end of said
bent portion being provided with a sharp spike a. A sliding cutter head B, to
which a knife or cutter C is secured by a screw or other suitable means, is
arranged so as to be easily adjusted by a set screw b at the desired distance from
the point a on the shaft A.
The mode of producing a circular incision in the tin or sheet metal by means of
the said cutter C is apparent. The spike a is pushed into the metal and the neck
of said spike is the centre point around which the shaft is turned by holding the
handle af and carrying it around in a horizontal plane.
The novelty of this invention, in this modification, consists in providing another
knife or cutter D, formed in one piece with or rigidly secured to the said knife or
cutter C, but extending in a plane vertical to that of the knife C, the edge of said
cutter D being parallel to the shaft A. In using this implement for cutting in a
straight line, as shown, the point of the cutter D is pushed into the sheet metal E,
and the edge of cutter D introduced below the metal sheet. Now, if the bent
forward part of the shaft A is resting upon the metal and the handle a¹ is being
lifted, the edge of cutter D will cut the metal from below, in the well known
manner. The cutter D will, in no way, interfere with the operation, if the
cutter C is being used for cutting in a circular manner, nor will the cutter C,

page_text: :
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form any obstacle in using the implement as shown in Figure 1, for cutting the
straight way.
Another modification, shown in Figure 2, consists in securing the knife or
cutter D within the cutter head B on the other side of shaft A, quite separate
from the cutter C. The mode of securing the said cutter D within the cutter
head B may be varied. The implement, in Figure 2, is shown in position to
perform the straight cut, as in Figure 1, the upper surface of shaft A. serving, in
this case, to press upon the metal while the edge of knife D cuts from below, as
the handle a¹ is raised.
Another modification of this invention is illustrated by Figures 3 and 34. This
construction differs from the one shown in Figure 2 only by the mode of fixing
the knife or cutter D. The knife D, in this case, has a flat shank d, Figure 3A,
which, instead of being secured within the cutter head B, is loosely fitted into the
enlarged hole, through which the shaft A passes. The set screw b, being screwed
up to lock the cutter head B in the desired position on the shaft A, simultaneously
serves to hold the cutter D in its place. The shank d of cutter D may be provided
with a suitable depression or indentation to facilitate the screw 6 binding the
cutter head B and knife D at the same time together to the shaft A.
modification provides an easy and convenient means for removing the cutter D
when only the circular cutter C is being used, or for the purpose of sharpening the
edge of the knife D.
This
Figures 4 and 5 represent, in side elevation and cross section respectively,
another modification of this invention, consisting in the use of one single knife or
cutter only, secured in such a way as to be removable within the cutter head B.
Figure 4 represents the cutter mounted in a position parallel to the shaft A, for
cutting in a straight line, by leverage, and Figure 5 represents the same knife or
cutter mounted within another seat of the cutter head, at right angles to the
shaft A, thus allowing a cut to be made in a circular line. The mode of securing
the knife or cutter within the two different seats of the cutter head B may vary; in
the drawings, the cutter is held in its seat by a set screw b¹.
Figures 6 and 6^ illustrate another modification of this invention, shown in
perspective view and longitudinal section respectively, which consist in providing
within the shaft A a longitudinal slot A', through which passes the shank C₁ of the
knife or cutter C. The sliding cutter head B, in this case, is formed by a flat
piece made in a piece with or suitably secured to the cutter D.
The end of the shank C¹ of knife C is screw threaded and a nut c, being screwed
down on said shank c', which passes through the slot A' and through a slot B' of
the cutter head B, simultaneously locks the cutter head B on the shaft A, and
holds the cutter C firmly in position. The nut c may be formed with thumb rests
for tightening and releasing the same without the aid of a key.
Finally, this invention has reference to an improvement connected with the
blade D for performing the straight cut by leverage.
This part of the invention is illustrated by Figure 7 and it consists in providing
the knife or cutter D, at or near its rear edge, with a laterally projecting pin or
which serves as a fulcrum to the lever formed by the shaft A and
stud
e,
knife D.
The usual way of cutting the metal by leverage is to provide a fulcrum for the
lever in front of the cutting edge and to raise the shaft, while cutting; with the
modification illustrated in Figure 7, the shaft A, on the contrary, is pressed down
while cutting the metal, and the fulcrum e of the lever is arranged behind the
cutting edge.
The operation is greatly facilitated by this improvement.
The inventor is aware that tin case openers are known and used in which two
separate knives or cutters are combined to cut either in a circular or in a straight
line, as desired: it is, therefore, to be understood that the combination of two
cutters in au implement for opening cans or tin boxes is not hereby broadly claimed
under this invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is-
1. In an opener for cans, tins and the like the combination with a shaft A and
sliding cutter head B adjustably mounted thereon, of a knife or cutter C having its
edge set at right angles to the shaft, and a knife or cutter D having its edge set
parallel to the shaft, the said two knives or cutters being made of one piece or
rigidly secured to each other or to the said cutter head, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
2. In an opener for cans, tins and the like, the combination with a shaft A and a
sliding cutter head B adjustably mounted thereon, of a knife or cutter C secured
to said cutter head and having its edge set at right angles to the shaft, and a knife
or cutter D having its edge set parallel to the said shaft, such latter knife or
cutter D being loosely inserted between the shaft and cutter head and locked by a
common binding screw substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In an opener for cans, tins and the like, the combination with a shaft A and
a sliding cutter head B adjustably mounted thereon, of a knife or cutter D forming
part of or secured to the said cutter head and having its edge set parallel to the
shaft A and a knife or blade C, the shank c' of which passes through a slot of the
shaft A and a slot of the cutter head B, a nut c serving to bind both the cutter C
and cutter head B substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In an opener for cans, tins and the like, the combination with a shaft A
and a sliding cutter head B adjustably mounted thereon of a blade or knife
removably mounted in either of the seats or sockets of said cutter head B in a
manner to cut, as red, either in a straight line parallel to the shaft, or in
a circular line at rig angles to the shaft, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
5. In an opener for cans, tins and the like, the combination with a shaft A
of a cutter having its edge set at right angles to the shaft, a knife or
cutter D having its edge set parallel with the shaft, and a pin or stud e pro-
jecting laterally on one or both sides of the said knife D. to serve as a fulcrum
for the lever in its downward stroke, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 20th day of August 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.