Can opener

1 . A can opener for removing the top of a can by cutting the can along a rim and around the top in a generally upright position by cutting the can, comprising:

a cutting head adapted to be positioned in an operating position alongside the top of the can with one side of the cutting head beside the top of the can, and having a cutting mechanism on said one side for engaging and cutting the can, and rotary drive knob projecting away from the cutting head on the side thereof opposite the cutting mechanism, said drive knob being drivingly connected to the cutting mechanism to operate the mechanism when the drive knob is rotated;

a handle for said can opener to be positioned over the top of the can when the cutting head is in said operating position, said handle comprising an enlarged knob having a flat top surface generally parallel to the top of the can in said operating position for engaging the palm of a user's hand, and an undercut side for engagement by the user's finders during gripping of the handle;

and at least one support element connecting said handle to said cutting head in spaced relation and forming a gap between said handle and said one side of said cutting head, said handle being sized and positioned by said support element to counterbalance said cutting head and said rotary drive knob and establish a center of gravity for the can opener that is over the top of the can;

whereby the can opener may be held over the can by said handle in the operating position and may be left at rest on top of the can.

2 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein the handle is joined to the cutting head by two support pins that extend across said gap to bear against the rim of the can in the operating position.

3 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein the center of gravity of said can opener in said operating position is over the cutting mechanism to lie over the can near the rim thereof.

4 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein said handle has a beveled edge alongside said flat top on the side thereof adjacent to the cutting head for engagement with the user's thumb.

5 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein said undercut side of said handle is a concavely tapered side and is on the side of the handle opposite said cutting head, whereby the top of the handle is offset away from the cutting head.

6 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein the adjacent sides of said handle and said cutting head are substantially vertical in said operating position, and said handle is connected to said cutting head by two support rods extending substantially horizontally across the rim of the can in said operating position and positioned to bear on the rim during the cutting operation.

7 . A can opener as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive knob is a double-ended crank rotatably mounted on said cutting head by an axle that extends through the head and drives said cutting mechanism.

8 . A can opener for removing the top of a can by cutting around the top, comprising:

a cutting head adapted to be positioned in an operating position alongside the top of the can with one side of the cutting head beside the top of the can and supporting a cutting mechanism for performing the cut;

a rotary drive knob on the cutting head for driving said cutting mechanism, said drive knob being disposed beside said cutting head on a side thereof remote from the can when the cutting head is in the operating position;

a knob-shaped handle for said can opener spaced from said one side of said cutting head and positioned to overlie the top of the can when the cutting head is in said operating position, said handle having an upper side for engaging a user's palm when the handle is held by the user, and having an underside for engaging the top of the can;

and at least one support element connecting said handle to said cutting head and supporting said cutting head and said drive knob on the handle;

said handle having sufficient weight to counterbalance the cutting head and the drive knob and establish a center of gravity for the can opener sufficiently close to the handle to lie over the top of the can in the operating position.

9 . A can opener as defined in claim 8 wherein said handle has flat upper and lower sides and an undercut, concavely curved side facing away from the cutting head to offset the top of the handle away from the cutting head.

10 . A can opener as defined in claim 8 wherein said cutting head and said drive knob are joined to said handle by two support pins that are anchored at opposite ends in the cutting head and the handle and are positioned to bear on the top of the can when the cutting head is in the operating position.

11 . A can opener as defined in claim 10 wherein said handle is doorknob shaped, with an undercut side remote from the cutting head.

12 . A can opener as defined in claim 11 wherein the handle is sized, shaped and positioned to position the center of gravity between the cutting mechanism and the handle, to lie over the can when the cutting mechanism is engaged.

13 . A can opener as defined in claim 12 wherein the handle is sized, shaped and positioned to position the center of gravity close to the cutting mechanism.

14 . A can opener having a cutting head including a cutting mechanism for removing the top of a can, a manually operable drive crank, and a handle for holding the cutting head in cutting engagement with a can to be opened, characterized by the position of the handle in spaced relation with the cutting head to lie over the top of the can during the cutting, and wherein the center of gravity of the can opener lies approximately over the cutting mechanism to lie over the can.

15 . A can opener is defined in claim 14 further characterized by the position of the center of gravity being between the cutting mechanism and the handle, whereby the can opener may be left at rest in the cutting position.

16 . A can opener as defined in claim 14 wherein the handle is generally doorknob-shaped and has a flat side for engagement with a user's palm, and recessed side remote from the cutting mechanism for engagement with a user's fingers.

17 . A can opener as defined in claim 16 wherein said recessed side is concavely tapered to a small end surface opposite said flat side for engaging the top of a can.