Patent ID: 6845562

Claim:
A can opener for cutting a can having a body portion and a top wall connected to the body portion, said can opener comprising: (a) a support assembly; (b) a housing assembly connected to said support assembly, said housing assembly including a housing having a longitudinal bore therethrough; (c) a spindle housing having an axial center line rotatably carried within said longitudinal bore of said housing for rotation between first and second positions, said spindle housing also having a longitudinally extending bore having an axial centerline radially offset from said axial centerline of said spindle housing; (d) a spindle rotatably carried within said longitudinally extending bore of said spindle housing; (e) operating means connected to said spindle for rotating said spindle and said spindle housing between first and second positions; (f) a cutter wheel connected to said spindle for rotation therewith for cutting the top wall of the can; and (g) clutch means mounted within said housing for controlling the rotation of said spindle housing, said clutch means comprises a wrap spring carried by said spindle, said wrap spring being movable from an engaging position wherein said wrap spring is in driving engagement with said spindle to a disengaged position wherein said wrap spring is disengaged from said spindle.