Improvements in Can Openers.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Can Openers.
I, HERBERT SMITH, of 7, Eagle Street, Nelson, in the County of Lancaster,
Grocer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-.
This invention relates to an improved can opener, by which the opening of the
can is facilitated without the same tendency to injure the fingers or hand of the
person using the implement, as with openers at present in use.
The invention consists in a cutter or blade adjustably fixed to a radial arm or
lever pivotted to a base plate having spikes, which are driven or knocked into the
can, and by the movement of which radial arm the cutting of the can lid is effected.
The different parts of the opener may be. of cast malleable or steel, or sheet
metal, or partly of malleable iron, and partly of steel, or otherwise.
The said base plate is provided with two, three, or more spikes, which are
knocked or driven into the tin in the centre. To this base plate is pivotted the
said arm or lever, on which is mounted a cutter or blade provided with a slot, by
which it is adjusted in any position on the said radial arm or lever, to suit various
sizes of tins, and then securely fixed in position by a thumb screw, so that on the
movement of the said radial arm, the said cutter will circumscribe and open the
tin near its edge, or at any given point from the centre.
Dated this 15th day of August 1898.
RICHMOND & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant, 12, Standish Street, Burnley.
I, HERBERT SMITH, of 7, Eagle Street, Nelson, in the County of Lancaster,
Grocer, 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 improved can opener, by which the opening of the
can is facilitated without the same tendency to injure the fingers or hand of the
person using the implement, as with openers at present in use.
The invention consists in a cutter or blade adjustably fixed to a radial arm or
lever pivotted to a base plate having spikes, which are driven or knocked into the
can, and by the movement of which radial arm the cutting of the can lid is effected.
The different parts of the opener may be of cast malleable or steel, or sheet
iron, or partly of malleable iron and partly of steel, or otherwise.

page_text: The said base plate is provided with two, threo or more spikes, which are
knocked or driven into the tin in the centre. To this base plate is pivotted the
said arm or lever, on which is mounted a cutter or blade provided with a slot, by
which it is adjusted in any position on the said radial arm or lever, to suit various
tins, and then securely fixed in position by a thumb screw, so that on the
movement of the said radial arm, the said cutter will circumscribe and open the
tin near its edge, or at any given point from the centre.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan of my
improved can opener.
A is the radial arm or lever, B a sliding boss, provided with a slot, through
which the arm is passed, and capable of sliding or being. adjusted to any desired
position along the said arm. To this sliding boss is secured the blade or cutter C
in any suitable manner, but preferably by being passed through the slot, and bent
at right angles as shewn at D. The said sliding boss may be furnished with a
thumb screw, by which the cutter may be fixed in any position it may be set, but
in practice, this is found to be unnecessary.
Mounted on a stud E at or near one end of the radial arm is base plate F,
which is disposed in a line parallel to the radial arm, and is provided with two,
three or more prongs G, which may be struck up out of the metal by the forma-
tion of slits as shewn, or they may be stamped at the periphery, and struck
down, or otherwise.
A hole is made both in the base plate and the radial arm, and the stud E (which
may consist of a copper rivet or the like hammered into the hole in the base plate)
allows the radial arm to be turned upon the same, as upon a pivot.
In using my improved can opener, the prongs G of the base plate F is pressed
or knocked into the can at or near its centre, and the blade or cutter set to the
edge of the can, when the handle or radial arm A is turned once round or nearly so.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The arrangement and combination of parts of a can opener, substantially as
described and illustrated.
2. A can opener, having a radial arm A, furnished with adjustable cutter C,
and pivotted to base plate F provided with two or more prongs G, substantially
as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of Mar. 1000
RICHMOND & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 12, Standish Street, Burnley.