Improved Self Locking Device for the Lids or Covers of Railway Milk Cans or Tankards and other similar Receptacles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Self Locking Device for the Lids or Covers of Railway
Milk Cans or Tankards and other similar Receptacles.
I, EDWARD FITTON of the Meadows, Willaston, Nantwich, Cheshire, Clerk,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the recessed or tray shaped lids of railway milk cans or
tankards and other similar receptacles, and has for its object to provide a simple
and efficient means for automatically locking or securing such lids in the closed
position.
In carrying out my invention I employ a spring blade some six or seven inches
Jong fitted horizontally or vertically against the inner side of the lid and surrounded
by a suitable frame to protect it from injury. This spring is rivetted to the lid at
one end but is left free at the opposite end and is provided with a tongue or
projection which passes through an opening formed in the lid and projects beyond
the outer surface thereof.
On closing the lid this tongue or projection is pushed back until a recess is
reached in the neck of the can when it immediately rebounds under the action of
the spring blade and enters the recess aforesaid automatically locking the lid in
position. To release the lid the tongue is drawn back by means of a ring or
handle secured to the free end of the spring.
By means of my invention I dispense with the troublesome hooks, chains and
other fittings hitherto used.
Dated this 15th day of January 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Self Locking Device for the Lids or Covers of Railway
Milk Cans or Tankards and other similar Receptacles.
I, EDWARD FITTON of Brassey Hall, Nantwich Farm, Cheshire, Clerk,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:―
My invention relates more particularly to the recessed or tray shaped lids of
railway milk cans or tankards and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient
means for securing such lids in the closed position.
In carrying out my invention I employ a spring blade some six or seven inches
long fitted horizontally or vertically by preference against the inner side of the
lid, and surrounded by a suitable frame to protect it from injury. This spring is
rivetted to the lid at one end, but is left free at the opposite end and is provided
with a tongue or projection which passes through an opening formed in the lid and
projects beyond the outer surface thereof.
On closing the lid this tongue or projection is pushed back until a recess is
reached in the neck of the can when it immediately rebounds under the action of
the spring blade and enters the recess aforesaid effectually locking the lid in
position. To release the lid the tongue is drawn back by means of a ring or
handle secured to the free end of the spring blade.
On the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a tankard with the lid shewn
tilted in order that the fastener may be more clearly seen.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a transverse section of a portion of the tankard and the lid.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of a tankard with an outside lid.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan with the withdrawn position of the spring blade shewn
in dotted lines.
Fig. 5 is a side view shewing the tongue of the spring blade secured by a
padlock.
In accordance with my invention A is the spring blade rivetted at one end as
shewn to the lid B, but free at the opposite end to be pulled away from the lid
side by the ring C, and surrounded or unsurrounded by a protecting frame as
desired.
D is the tongue on the spring blade which projects through the opening E in lid
side. The elasticity or tension in the spring blade causes it to always lie against
the side of the lid so that on the lid being closed the tongue is pushed back until
it reaches the opening F when it rebounds and entering said opening effectually
secures the lid in position.
To remove the lid the spring blade is drawn back by the ring C and the
tongue D is consequently drawn out of the opening F (as indicated by the dotted
lines in Fig. 4) and thus the lid is free to be removed or opened.
As applied to tankards with an outside lid the spring blade may be secured as
shewn in Fig. 3.
Instead of fixing the spring blade to the lid it may be fixed upon the outside of
the tankard with the tongue projecting through openings in the lid and tankard
side, but this arrangement is objectionable owing to the liability of the blade to
be damaged or knocked off.
In some cases I provide the blade with two tongues or I form the blade with
two free ends being rivetted in the centre and provided with a tongue at each end.
By forming a hole in the tongue D it may be secured by a padlock or by a
leaden seal (see Fig. 5). The tongue is curved or tapered to facilitate closing of
the lid.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. For securing the lids or covers of milk cans or tankards and other similar
receptacles a spring blade secured to, the lid or tankard side with a tongue or
projection entering an opening in the tankard side or lid substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent.