US2690687A - Plier type jar cover remover - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5, 1954 KRAG 2,690,687

PLIER TYPE JAR COVER REMOVER Filed Jan. 21, 1954 F 11 IF 15 Invemor':

Fro KKra I Patented Oct. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLIER TYPE JAR COVER REMOVER Franz K. Krag, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 21, 1954, Serial No. 405,390

This invention relates to improvements in jar cover removers, and the like. Specifically, the invention relates to devices intended for ready removal of the flange type covers from containers of that type in which the container is provided with an upwardly extending neck onto which the flange type cover is sealed, the cover flange extending down around the neck of the container a short distance to a location slightly above and separated from an outwardly extending rib on the container. This rib is usually formed integrally with the container and provides a narrow outwardly reaching flange against which a suitable tool may be placed. The slight space between the lower edge of the cover flange and the upper face of this rib thus constitutes an annular recess into which a suitable cover removing tool may be inserted during the cover removing operation. My present invention relates to a convenient and very effective tool for insertion into and use in this annular recess during the cover removing operation.

In order to effect removal of the cover from the container neck it is necessary to develop a separating force between the top face of the container rib and the lower edge of the cover flange. The slight clearance between these parts, in the form of the annular recess before referred to, enables the insertion of the tool into location where the desired separating force may be developed; but this space is small, generally of the order of to inch vertical dimension, at the time the cover is in sealed condition on the container, and prior to commencement of the removing operation.

It is necessary to develop a relatively large starting force to break the seal between the cover and the container neck, but it is evident that the available space within which such force may be developed is small, so that the implement must be of design which may develop the desired large starting force within such small space limitation. It is prime object of my invention to produce this result.

I have provided a tool in the form of a pair of jaws pivoted together into a form of pliers V so that a high amount of force may be developed between the jaws by reason of the mechanical advantage due to the length of the pliers handles. In use the jaws are inserted into the annular space aforesaid, but in the present device these jaws are so designed that they will exert the intended force in a direction at rightangles or normal to the plane in which the jaws and the handles move, so that during use for the cover removing operation the handles and the E jaws lie substantially within a plane parallel to or nearly parallel to the plane which includes f the annular recess, being a plane normal to the 5 7 container axis.

That is, to produce the cover 4 Claims. (Cl. 81-3.46)

removing operation the two jaws are inserted into the annular recess with the tool lying parallel to the plane of such recess, or nearly parallel to such plane, and in orderto produce the cover starting and removing movement the two handles are drawn together, thus exerting the cover starting and removing force in a direction at right angles to the plane which includes the tool handles. Such an operation is to be clearly distinguished from the force producing action developed by the conventional form of pliers.

In order to secure the desired development of force in the direction referred to above, I have designed the jaws with cam surfaces or inclined planes, one on each jaw, such two surfaces facing away from each other, and one such surface being intended to engage the upper surface of the container rib and the other cam surface being intended to engage the lower edge of the cover flange. The two jaws and their cam surfaces are also so related to each other that during the movement of the jaws for cover start and removal the two jaws travel over each other, thus producing a combined spreading action of sufficient amount to not only start the cover, but to effectively remove it to the extent neces sary to enable ready manual removal from the container after the tool has been removed from the container location. These two jaws are also so designed that during the above operations one face of one jaw engages the upper face of the container rib, and the opposite face of the other jaw engages the lower edge of the cover flange, thus producing a direct force between the lower edge of the cover flange and the upper face of the container rib.

Due to the above explained interengagement between the two jaws, and due to the fact that the jaw movement is in a direction parallel to the plane which includes the annular recess, it is possible to produce a jaw movement which is much greater than the actual amount of separating movement occuring between the lower edge of the cover flange and the container rib. In fact, in one embodiment of my present invention I am able to obtain a jaw movement of substantially inch, with a cover removing action of substantially inch, being a multiplication of substantially six to one in the force which is developed during this operation. That is, it is possible to develop substantially six times as much cover removing force, due to the peculiar manner in which the force is developed between the jaws in my improved form of tool, as could be developed by use of a conventional pliers type of tool, when a specified force is applied to the tool handles.

A further and very important advantage which flows from the present improved form of the pliers tool is as follows:

The tool is so designed and constructed that when the jaws are in their fully opened condition (which is conveniently produced by a suitable spring), the two jaws are not yet in their overlapping condition. Thus the thickness of metal which must be inserted into the available annular recess opening at such time, is merely the thickness of one jaw, being one thickness of the sheet metal of which the tool is made. As the two jaws are afterwards shifted with respect to each other for the starting and cover removing operation, the jaws commence to overlap each other, with a corresponding increase of space needed for their accommodation. Thus the spreading operation is produced; but still the space needed at the commencement of the operation is only that space needed to accommodate one thickness of sheet metal. Furthermore, I have provided tapered jaw thicknesses so that at the beginning of the operation the single thickness of metal to be inserted into the available annular space is even less than the normal or usual metal thickness. Thus the wedging and camming operation is further increased and improved. It is thus evident that I have provided a tool which may be used for removing the covers from containers, even in cases where the cover flange comes very close to the top surface of the container rib, so that the available space for tool accommodation is very small, and less than intended in such class of containers.

A spring is conveniently provided for urging the jaws into their opened position, after the use of the tool has been completed.

It is a further object of the invention to form the jaws and handles of the tool from sheet metal by simple stamping and forming operations, and at low cost. It is a further object of the invention to provide a very simple pivoted connection between the two jaws, and one which can be readily completed by a simple riveting operation, produced on a punch press or like tool.

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same, which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation the upper portion of a familiar and conventional form of container having applied thereto a flange type cover which may be conveniently removed by use of a tool embodying the features of my present invention; and this figure shows the shallow annular recess into which the jaws are inserted to produce the needed engagement for cover removal;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the container and cover embodiment shown in Figure 1, and with a tool embodying the features of the present invention set into place to commence the cover starting and removing operation, the tool jaws being inserted into the annular recess, but the jaws being still in their spread apart condition ready to commence the operation;

Figure 3 shows an edge view corresponding to Figure 2, and it shows only the upper portion of the container; and this figure shows that when the jaws are inserted into the annular recess the plane of the tool (that is, the plane of the handles) lies close to, but somewhat tilted with respect to, the plane which includes the annular recess;

Figure 4 shows an end view looking towards the jaws of the tool in their spread apart condition; and

Figure 5 shows a side elevation or edge view of the tool.

In the several figures the handles have been shown .cut ofi, and not of their full length, for purposes of convenience in illustration.

Referring first to Figure 1, the container there shown, by way of illustration only, is of glass or other moulded material, and includes the body portion It, from which the neck portion H extends upwardly for a short distance. The flanged cover 12 is set down onto this neck portion, such cover being provided with the conventional downwardly extending flange [3. This flange securely grips the upper edge of the neck,andusually asuitable sealing lining or surfacing is provided on the inside surface of the cover and flange. Usually, also, a gasket of rubber or neoprene or like material is placed around the inside face of the flange, so that when the cover is drawn or clamped inwardly slightly towards the neck a permanent and gas tight seal is provided between the neck and flange. Due to the effective seal thus produced, as well as the partial vacuum usually developed within the container when cool, the force needed to start the cover for removal is considerable, as is well known.

The conventional type of container intended for seal by such covers is also provided with the outwardly extendingrib I4 at such a location that when the cover has been sealed to the container there is left a relatively small annular recess 15 between the upper face of such rib and the lower edge is of the cover flange. It is desired to insert the cover starting and removing tool into this recess. Having made such insertion it is desired to exert a reaction force between the rib and the flange sufficient to produce the intended results.

The present tool includes the two companion jaw and handle elements I? and I8, pivoted together at the point l9. In the present embodiment these two elements i1 and I8 are identical in form, so that they can both be made by the same set of dies or forming elements. Each unit includes the jaw element 2i) and the handle element 2 I. The two elements I1 and [8 are formed with ofisets 22 adjacent to the location of the pivotal point, these offsets being of amount equal to substantially one-half the thickness of the sheet metal used in producing the units. Thus the two handles may be brought into the same plane, but the two jaws will occupy adjacent planes so that they may overlap each other during the cover starting and removing operations. The handles are provided, close to the pivotal location, with inwardly reaching lugs 23 which receive the ends of the compression spring 24 by which the units are urged apart into the unoperated position shown in Figure 2. Examination of Figures 2, 3, 4 and '5 will show that the body portions of the jaws lie parallel to the corresponding handles, although slightly separated from the handle planes, due to the offsets already referred to. Thus, during the closing movement against the force of the spring, said jaw body portions may slide or ride readily over the corresponding elements of the other units.

Examination of Figures 4 and 5,. in particular, will show that the end portions of the jaws are twisted from the planes of the body portions of the jaws, through angles of substantially fifteen degrees. These jaw end portions are designated 25. Figure 4 is a view looking directly at the edges of the parts, and looking along the plane which includes the jaws and handles,

so that the end portions of the jaws appear twisted upwardly and downwardly in that figure; whereas Figure 5, which is an end view of the jaws and their twisted portions, is drawn with the plane of such twisted portions parallel to the base of the sheet, so that the handles and the body portions of the jaws are, in that figure, shown as lying within a plane substantially fifteen degrees to the horizontal.

In Figure 2 the twisted end portions of the jaws are shown as inserted into the annular recess to the extent that the corners 25 of the jaws come into engagement with the surface of the container neck I I, the jaws and handles being in their open or separated condition as urged by the spring. Under these conditions it is seen (from Figure 2) that only the inner corner portions of the twisted jaw portions have been received into the recess, such effect being due to the retreating curvature of the container neck and the approaching curvatures of the ends of the jaws. Under these conditions the bodies of the jaws, and the handles, must lie within a plane which is non-normal to the containers axis, by substantially the amount of fifteen degrees, being the amount of twist of the jaw ends. This fact is most readily apparent from examination of Figure 3. In Figure 5 the jaw ends, there shown, are in substantially the position which they occupy in setting the device into position for operation.

Having made insert of the corner portions of the jaw twisted ends into the recess, the lower face of the twisted end 25 will bear against the top face of the rib l4, and the upper face of the twisted end 25 will bear against the lower edge of the cover flange. As the handles of the device are now drawn towards each other, thus closing the jaws towards each other, it will be evident that the twisted end 25 will have to ride over the twisted end 25 and contrarily, the twisted end 25 will have to ride under the twisted end 25 During this operation the amount by which the top surface of the end 25 and the bottom surface of the end 25 will be separated will increase as the jaw closing operation continues, thus exerting a corresponding increase of separation between the lower edge of the cover flange and the top surface of the rib l4.

Due to the fact that the body portions of the two jaws lie in facial engagement with each other it is seen that the opposing forces thus developed between the top face of the twisted portion 25 and the bottom face of the twisted portion 25* are properly brought together, so that the desired separating action is developed to start and remove the cover from the container neck. It is only necessary to so design the parts that the needed amount of separating movement will be produced to ensure the desired amount of separating movement between the parts.

It is to be again noted that during the foregoing operation the handles will be lying within a plane substantially fifteen degrees from the plane which includes the annular recess. Therefore the handles and parts will occupy substantially the relative positions shown in Figure 3. By designing the parts so that the tilt is in the direction shown in that figure, that is, so that the upper faces of the parts are made visible, it will be found most convenient to grasp the handles in the right hand, and without need of twisting that hand into an uncomfortable position during the clamping operation.

Examination of Figures 4 and 5, also shows that the end edges of the two twisted portions of the jaws are of bevelled thickness, being thinner at their inner or proximate portions than at their most removed from each other portions. This bevelling will further reduce the needed size of the annular recess into which the end portions of the tool may be initially inserted, so that the tool may be used with containers having very thin or restricted annular opening sizes.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a utensil for the removal of covers from containers and the like, comprising in combination a pair of sheet metal elements in crossing relationship to each other and in substantially planar facial contact with each other at the location of such crossing relationship, a pivotal connection between said elements at the location of said crossing, the element portions of both elements at one side of such pivotal connection comprising companion jaws and the element portions of both elements at the other side of such pivotal connection comprising companion handles to be grasped in the hand of a user, spring means between the elements and urging the elements in a direction to separate the handles from each other and to separate the jaws from each other, each jaw being broad in the direction normal to the pivotal axis, and the outer end corner portions of the jaws being warped from the plane of the pivotal crossing body portions of the jaws to present cam surfaces at the ends of the jaws, the cam surfaces of the two jaws facing outwardly away from each other, said warped portions being of progressively greater warp measured outwardly from the jaw portions which are proximate to each other, whereby the cam surfaces are progressively farther from the plane of facial contact between the jaws, whereby when the elements are swung on the pivotal connection againsu the urging of the spring to bring the warped cam portions into overlapping relationship the distance between the cam surfaces measured in a direction parallel to the pivotal axis increases as the overlapping or the warped jaw portions increases.

2. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the amount of warp of the end portions of the jaws is substantially fifteen degrees measured from the plane of the pivotal crossing body portions.

3. An article as defined in claim 1, wherein the end portions of the jaws are of tapered thickness, with increases of thickness of each jaw from its portion proximate to the other jaw towards its portion more removed from such opposite jaw.

4. An article as defined in claim 2, wherein the end portions of the jaws are of tapered thickness, with increases of thickness of each jaw from its portion proximate to the other jaw towards its portion more removed from such opposite jaw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,290,846 Smith Jan. 7, 1919 2,059,736 Manarik Nov. 3, 1936 2,483,456 Campos Oct. 4, 1949 2,596,719 Pankonin May 13, 1952 2,680,294 Shoffner June 8, 1954

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