Improvements in Means for Closing Ends of Cans or Readily Opening same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Closing Ends of Cans or Readily
Opening same.
I, ANDREW JACKSON RITTER, of Mammoth, in the County of Pinal and
Territory of Arizona, United States of America, Carpenter, 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:-
My invention relates to the class of devices for soldering or otherwise closing the
ends of tin cans and which will permit of their being readily opened again.
My invention consists of the novel construction of the herinetically sealed and
readily separable joint which I shall now describe by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is a view of a can, showing my fastening.
Figure 2 is a detail cross-section of same.
A is the body of a can having around its exterior surface, near its end, a small
trough or channel a which may be formed in any suitable manner, preferably by
the turning over of the end of the can upon itself and then folding upwardly and
outwardly the extremity as shown.
B is the cover of the can, the flange 6 of which fits down into the trough or
channel a of the body.
The edge of the trough a is bent outward sufficiently to leave a space between it
and the flange of the cover, in which to secure a piece of wire C, of suitable metal,
said wire practically filling the space. Solder, represented by D, is now applied
over the top of the wire and bridges the space between the two flanges above the
wire, so that the joint is complete and closed.
To open the can, an end c of the wire, which is purposely left projecting, is
grasped, and the wire is torn forcibly from its seat, the solder D, which is a thin
layer, yielding readily. The solder being thus broken, the fastening between the
cover and can is severed and the two may be easily separated. If the solder be
too hard to prevent the wire from being easily pulled out by fingers, it can be rolled
around a lead pencil, pocket knife, or other small object and twisted. The can is
in no way damaged by the opening, and can be used again. There is no danger of
solder or soldering fluid getting into the can when being sealed, and no special key
is required for the opening; also, the cover, having been removed, can be replaced
to form a sufficiently tight joint to protect the remaining contents of the can, and,
if desired, it can be again hermetically sealed.
This device is applicable to the closing of cans used for the preservation of
vegetables, fruits, meats, etc., or for any other cans. It is equally applicable to
round or square cans.
Having now 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 :-
1. A means for closing the ends of cans and readily opening the same,
consisting of a trough or channel on the can body formed by returning the edge of
the can body parallel upon itself and then bending it upwardly parallel with the
returned portion for a short distance and then bending it outwardly, a cover for
the body having a depending flange adapted to enter the channel, or trough
between the returned portion of the edge of the can body and the upwardly turned

page_text: portion thereof, a wire fitting said trough or channel and practically filling the
space between the outer wall of the flange of the cover and the inner wall of the
outwardly bent portion of the edge of the body portion and a breakable layer of
solder bridging the trough or channel over the wire and connecting the wall of the
trough or channel with the can cover flange.
2. A means for closing the ends of caus and readily opening the same, consisting
of a can body having its edges bent downwardly and then upwardly parallel with
the body to form a U-shaped channel or trough with its open end presented
upwardly, and a can cover having a flange to enter the channel, said channel being
enlarged at its upper open end by bending its edge outwardly whereby an
essentially V-shaped space is formed between the adjacent walls of the can cover
flange and the outwardly bent portion of the trough or channel, a removable wire
occupying the base of the V-shaped space and resting in contact with the outwardly
bent portion of trough or channel and the can body flange, and a breakable layer
of solder over the wire and bridging the V-shaped space over the wire and
connecting the walls of the trough or channel with the can cover flange.
3. A meaus for closing the ends of cans and readily opening the same, consisting
of the outwardly folded and upwardly and outwardly bent top of the can body
forining an exterior encircling trough or channel, below the top of the can and
with its open end presented upwardly, into which the flange of the can cover
extends, a removable wire lying in said trough or channel and a breakable layer of
solder bridging the trough or channel over the wire and connecting the wall of the
trough or channel with the can cover flange.
Dated this 19th day of August 1895.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.