Rival Manufacturing Company

Robert E McLean

James B Aberer

Leo F Aberer

A power operated can opener includes a feed wheel that is driven by a shaft carried on a pivotal yoke, with the shaft being driven by an electric motor through reduction gearing. A pawl is pivoted to a rock plate which is in turn pivoted to a spring loaded lever mounted on the can opener frame. The pawl is operated by a pair of push buttons and associated linkage which energizes the motor as the pawl is pivoted against the feed wheel shaft. Orbiting pins carried outboard of the shaft axis are engaged by the pawl to effect movement of the feed wheel toward or away from the can cutting element between a can shearing position and a can release position. A roller carried on the rock plate is moved against the shaft to lock the feed wheel in can shearing position. The spring loaded lever provides a cushioning means which increases the thrust of the feed wheel and thus improves the efficiency of the initial piercing of the can end. The cutting element is carried on a mounting plate which is retained on the can opener frame by a releasable latch.

Push button operated can opener

An electrically powered can opener includes a can cutting element carried on a mounting plate which is pivoted to the can opener frame. An operating lever is connected to the mounting plate for limited pivotal movement beyond which the plate and lever pivot unitarily on the frame. A notched area on the hand lever becomes engaged against a catch member on the frame to retain the lever in place when it is brought into position to shear a can lid. The lever is held against a plunger switch which maintains the motor in its energized condition during shearing of the can lid. After the completion of the shearing when the operating thrust is no longer present, biasing forces acting on the lever disengage it from the catch member and release the plunger for automatic shut off of the motor.

Power operated can opener with automatic shut off means

A power operated can opener includes a hand lever which pivots on the can opener frame to carry a cutting element into and out of cutting position. A can feed wheel is carried on a motor driven shaft which is supported for limited vertical movement within a tapered, elliptical bore in the frame. A spring biased switch control lever is pivoted to the back of the frame in contact with the feed wheel shaft. When the cutting element is moved against the lid of a can, the downward force on the feed wheel displaces the shaft downwardly and pivots the switch control lever against the motor switch to initiate rotation of the feed wheel before the can lid is pierced by the cutting element.

Power operated can opener having power pierce means

A compact, electrically powered can opener with power pierce has a compound piercing lever comprised of a pivotally mounted hand lever and an interconnected, removable cutter mounting plate. The cutter mounting plate is removably and pivotally connected to the frame by a pin member latching combination. A first pin member extends rearwardly from the cutter mounting plate and is received in a suitable aperture in the can opener frame to pivotally attach the cutter mounting plate thereto. A cooperating latching combination, comprised of a latch arrangement located between the cutter mounting plate and the can opener frame and a slotted frame aperture which cooperates with a second, rearwardly extending cutter mounting plate pin, firmly maintains the cutter mounting plate in correct alignment with respect to the frame as the cutter mounting plate pivots, precluding axial separation therebetween throughout a major portion of the pivot arc. However, when the cutter mounting plate is rotated to a predetermined angular position, the latching combination disengages for easy removal of the cutter mounting plate from the can opener frame. A third pin member, also extending rearwardly from the mounting plate, engages a suitably constructed slot in the hand lever so that manipulation of the hand lever correspondingly effects proper movement of the cutter mounting plate. The slot in the hand lever is uniquely shaped to insure recapture of the mounting plate third pin member when the removable mounting plate is reattached to the frame. Motor activation means, interconnected with the piercing lever, activates the motor in response to upwardly directed forces on the hand lever occurring when the cutter wheel engages a can, thereby effectuating power pierce. Additionally, when a can is not in the opener, the heel portion on the piercing lever enables it to fulcrum on a frame boss in response to minimal piercing lever movement, thereby actuating the motor and operating accessory cutlery grinding means (when same is provided) without additional switches.

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Raytown, MO, United States of America

Robert E McLean