Improvements in and relating to Cans, Canisters, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cans, Canisters, and the like.
We CHARLES BAUER of 34 Sussex Street, London S.W. Engineer and
BARCLAY AND FRY LIMITED of The Grove, Southwark Street, London, S.E.
Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to cans, canisters and the
like and said invention consists in improved means for enabling cans, canisters and
the like-which are hermetically sealed by means of a covering of tagger-tin or
equivalent-to be readily opened.
We are aware that a knife or cutter has been attached to the outer lid of circular
cans, canisters and the like for the purpose of cutting out a circular piece of the
tagger-tin covering, but such arrangement entails considerable trouble as well as
expense inasmuch as the cutter must be made separate and in addition to the lid;
further, said separate cutter must then be fixed or attached in a suitable manner to
the lid which still further increases the cost.
One object of this invention is to obviate these defects and this is accomplished
by dispensing altogether with any attachment for cutting the tagger-tin cover, aud
we employ the lid itself or a portion thereof to act as a cutter so that said cutter or
knife is integral with or forms part of the lid and consequently does not require
separate manufacture nor does it require to be attached to the lid.
In carrying out this invention we make a more or less V shaped slit at, say,
about the edge of the top of the lid so that a more or less V shaped tooth or the
like can be bent downward and thus form the cutter. If desired, a portion of the
side of the lid may be used as the cutter.
The portion of the lid which is intended to act as a cutter may if desired be bent
into its cutting position at the time the lid is made and to prevent its entering or
cutting into or through the tagger-tin cover, any suitable means may be employed
but we prefer to form said cover with an indentation or equivalent into which the
cutter may enter without cutting said cover the arrangement being preferably such
that when the lid is turned the tagger-tin cover will be cut.
If desired the V shaped part of the lid may be allowed to remain almost or
quite in its normal or original position, in this event when the tagger-tin cover is
to be cut it is only necessary to take off the lid, bend the V shaped portion thereof
into cutting position and then cut the cover.
Or, if desired the cutting portion of the lid may be driven through the tagger-tin
cover when the lid is first put on or applied and if this arrangeinent should not
prove to be quite air-tight we may first coat the cutting part of the lid with suitable
cement or other material which will entirely close up any crevice there may be
between the said cutting part of the lid & the slit in the tagger-tin cover; or we
may provide a ring, washer or other shaped piece of rubber or other material for
this purpose.
We wish it to be understood that although we have referred to a V shaped
part of the lid, we do not confine ourselves to any particular shape of tooth nor to
any particular part of the lid which may be adapted to act as a cutter.
A further object of this invention is to enable cans, canisters or the like of other
than circular shape to be cut open and for this purpose we bend the portion of the

page_text: lid which is to act as cutter outwards instead of inwards so that said cutting part
may, when the lid is removed, be entered into or pushed through the tagger-tin
cover and said cover cut out. The lid may also, if desired be cut or shaped so as
to act as a guide to that portion which acts as a cutter or said lid may be provided
with such guide.
The portion of the lid which acts as a cutter may be corrugated or otherwise
strengthened if desired and its shape, angle of inclination and position may be any
which in practice may be found most suitable and if desired the edges of the cutting
part of the lid may be sharpened or otherwise brought to a better cutting edge
although we have found in practise that this is not necessary.
Dated this 9th day of September 1896.
ани
We, CHARLES BAUER, of 34, Sussex Street, London, S.W. Engineer, and
BARCLAY & FRY LIMITED, of The Grove, Southwark Street, London, S.E.
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to cans, or sheet metal boxes or the like-especially of the
character in which such cans metal boxes etc. are provided with an inner cover
and an outer lid i.e. cans or boxes provided with a very thin tagger tin or other
suitable cover (which for the sake of brevity will hereinafter be referred to as the
"cover") bermetically secured thereon and a loose or removable lid or outer
cover (which will hereinafter be referred to as the "lid ") adapted to fit more
or less closely (or otherwise) over said cover or more or less closely over the
mouth of the can or vessel after said cover has been cut out.
According to this invention the lid itself or a portion thereof or equivalent is
employed to act as a cutter so that said cutter or knife is integral with or forms
part of the lid and consequently does not require separate manufacture nor does it
require to be attached to the lid.
This invention is carried out by forming a more or less V-shaped slit at say
about the edge of the top of the lid so that a more or less V-shaped tooth or the
like or other suitably shaped tooth can be bent downward or otherwise and thus
form the cutter or if desired a portion of the rim or side or flange of the lid may
be cut or formed so as to be adapted to be used as the cutter.
Any portion of the lid may be employed which is adapted to act as a cutter and
same may if desired be bent into its cutting position at the time the lid is made and
to prevent its entering or cutting into or through the tagger tin or other cover any
suitable means may be employed for instance said cover may be formed with an
indentation or equivalent into which the cutter may enter without cutting said cover
the arrangement being advantageously such that when the lid is turned the
tagger tin cover will be cut; or if desired any suitable packing piece or other
means may be interposed between the cover and the cutter or between the cover
and the lid so that such packing must be first removed before the said cutter can
cut or enter the cover to cut out same.
If desired the V-shaped or other shaped cutter may be allowed to remain almost

page_text: or quite in its normal or original position and in this event when the tagger tin
cover is to be cut it is only necessary to take off the lid, bend the V-shaped portion
thereof or other shaped cutter into cutting position and then cut the cover
therewith.
It is to be understood that although the cutter or part of the lid which acts as
the cutter has been referred to as V-shaped nevertheless this invention is not
confined to any particular shape of such cutter or tooth nor to any particular part
of the lid which may be employed to act as such cutter.
A further object of this invention is to enable cans, canisters or the like of other.
than circular shape to be cut open in similar manner and by similar means to the
foregoing and for this purpose the portion of the lid which is to act as cutter is
bent in any suitable direction for instance outwardly instead of inwardly so that
said cutting part may when the lid is removed be entered into or pushed through
the tagger tin or other cover and said cover thereby cut out. The lid may also if
desired be cut or shaped so as to act as a guide to that portion which acts as a
cutter or said lid may be provided with such guide.
The portion of the lid which acts as a cutter may be corrugated or otherwise
strengthened if desired and its shape, angle of inclination, and position may be any
which in practice may be found suitable and if desired the edge or edges of the
cutting part of the lid may be sharpened or otherwise brought to a better cutting
edge.
We are aware that a knife or cutter has been attached to the outer lid of
circular cans canisters and the like for the purpose of cutting out a circular piece
of the tagger tin or the like covering but such arrangement as hitherto used or
known entails considerable trouble as well as expense inasmuch as the said cutter
has been made separate from the lid and then said separate cutter fixed or attached
to the lid which still further increases the cost.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a lid Å with cutter B formed integrally out of
the substance of the flat portion of the lid and not out of the flange or rim A¹
thereof.
Fig. 2 is part sectional side view thereof showing the cutter B formed out of
the material of the lid and partly bent down but not sufficiently to cut or enter
the cover and the lid and cutter can thus be applied to a can or metal box without
requiring any packing to be interposed between such cutter and the thin cover C
on the can D.
Fig. 3 is similar view to Fig. 2 showing the cutter B turned down into the
cutting position i.e. into position to cut the cover C of the can D as shown in
Fig. 4 which illustrates the upper part of a metal can in section with the lid A
applied thereto and showing a thin metal cover C hermetically sealed on or to said
can D.
Fig. 5 illustrates an oval lid for a correspondingly shaped can and Fig. 6 is a
view in elevation of part of the rim or flange A' of such lid having the cutter B
formed in said flange and integrally therewith.
Fig. 7 shows such lid in the act of cutting out the cover C of said oval-shaped
can D.
Fig. 8 is plan, Fig. 9 end view and Fig. 10 side view (partly in section) of an
oblong lid A for an oblong shaped tin or canister.
Fig. 11 is a plan view showing part of the lid removed and also showing the lid
applied in the act of cutting out the cover C.
Fig. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view of such oblong tin with lid applied.
In this arrangement (Sheet 2) the cutter B is formed out of the flange A¹ of the
lid A and bent outwards and downwards see Fig. 10 to form a cutter adapted to
cut the cover of an oblong box.
In the case illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 i.e. with circular cans-the circular
flange A' of the lid A serves as guide or means to control the lid and consequently

page_text: the cutter when said lid is being revolved on the can i.e. the rim A serves to guide
the cutter during the operation of cutting the cover.
In the other cases illustrated-the lid is first entirely removed from the can and
then the cutter B forced through the cover C and the edge or part of the flange A¹
adjacent to the cutter B thereon bears against the outside of the wall of the can D
and so serves to guide or steady the lid while same is moved around the can to thus
cut the cover C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. Constructing lids or equivalent devices for cans, canisters, or the like with a
cutter formed integrally out of the said lid and such cutter adapted to cut out the
thin metal or the like cover of said cans, canisters, etc., substantially in the manner
and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. Forming a cutter such as B integrally with and out of the material
constituting the lid such as A or flange such as A¹ thereof substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1807
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.