Improvements in or connected with Metal Cans or Cases, intended more particularly to Contain Perishable Goods.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
JULI
7000
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Metal Cans or Cases, intended
more particularly to Contain Perishable Goods.
I, JOHN WALTER BROOKE, of Adrian Iron Works, Lowestoft, in the County
of Suffolk, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates more particularly to that class of cans or cases which
contain perishable goods such as meat, fish or the like and which are hermetically
sealed.
Cans of this class, more especially those of large dimensions which are generally.
formed of fairly stout tin plate, are troublesome to open inasmuch as it is necessary
to cut off one end of the can by means of a can opener or knife and this operation
is also dangerous inasmuch as it is not uncommon for the operator to be severely
cut by the sharp and jagged edges of the sovered metal.
Many attempts have consequently been made to devise a convenient means of
opening cans without the necessity for cutting the metal by means of a can opener
or knife, and, amongst these, perhaps the best that is at present known is that which
consists in forming the can in two parts and connecting such parts by means of a
strip of metal soldered to both, and, at one end, left, free to form a looso tag adapted
to engage a key by turning which the strip of metal may be stripped or torn off the
can thus separating the two parts thereof and exposing the contents.
This device when perfect answers its purpose fairly well but it sometimes
happens that the soldering of the metal strip to tho tin is imperfect leaving
openings through which air finds its way into the can with the result that the
contents are rendered unfit for food.
Now, the object of the present invention is to construct the case in such manner
that whilst the opening thereof may be effected in a similar way the risk of making
a faulty joint as hereinbefore pointed out will be avoided.
In carrying the invention into effect, the metal sheet to form the can is at a short
distance from the top or bottom edge thereof doubled back or folded upon the body
of the sheet so as to form three thicknesses at that part but leaving the edge above
the doubling a single thickness.
This sheet of metal at the fold is then rolled or otherwise pressed which has the
effect of weakening the metal at the bends of the fold and the sheet is afterwards
made into an open ended cylinder in the usual way.
The end which is formed with a turned down rim or flange is then inserted into
the cylinder above the fold and solder is run round the small gutter formed by the
meeting parts thus when the opposite end is also closed hermetically sealing the can
in a secure manner.
That part of the cylinder above the fold is at the joint of the edges of the sheet
formed or provided with a tag or loop adapted to engage a slotted koy or ring so
that by turning the key in a similar manner to that described with respect to the
soldered strip hereiubefore referred to, or, by pulling upon the ring, the upper part
of the tin, by reason of the weakness of the metal at the fold and the soldered joint
at the top, will be rolled or torn off thus opening the can.
Instead of forming or rolling the metal at the fold flat the several thicknesses at.

page_text: that part may be rolled or pressed either internally or externally of the can with a
sharp angular or V-shaped indentation or indentations which will have the effect
of stiffening the body of the can but at the same time weakening the fold to be
broken.
By the means herein before described, the only soldored joint employed is that for
fixing the top in position which joint is of a solid character aud easy to make perfect
so that there is no possibility of leakage, whilst the metal body of the can remains
intact until it is severed in the opening operation.
Although the principal application of the invention is to hermetically sealed cans
or cases it will be understood that it is also applicable to other vessels.
Dated thin 95th
1900
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or connected with Metal Cans or Oases, intended
more particularly to Contain Perishable Goods.
I, JOHN WALTER BROOKE, of Adrian Iron Works, Lowestoft, in the County
of Suffolk, Engineer, 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 said invention relates more particularly to that class of cans or cases which
contain perishable goods such as meat, fish or the like and which are hermetically
Bealed.
Cans of this class more especially those of large dimensions which are generally
formed of fairly stout tin plate, are troublesome to open inasmuch as it is necessary
to out off one end of the can by means of a can-opener or knife and this operation
is also dangerous inasmuch as it is not uncommon for the operator to be severely out
by the sharp and jagged edges of tho severed metal.
Many attempts have consequently been made to devise a convenient ineans of
opening cans without the necessity for cutting the metal by means of a can opener
or knife, and amongst these perhaps the best that is at present known is that which
consists in forming the can in two parts and connecting such parts by means of a
strip of metal soldered to both, and, at one end, left free to form a loose tag adapted
to engage a key by turning which the strip of metal may be stripped or torn off the
can thus separating the two parts thereof and exposing the contents.
This device when perfect answers its purpose fairly well, but it sometimes
happens that the soldering of the metal strip to the tin is imperfect leaving openings
through which air finds its way into the can with the result that the contents are.
rendered unfit for food.
Now, the object of the present invention is to construct the case in such manner
that whilst the opening thereof may be effected in a similar way the risk of making
a faulty joint as hereinbefore pointed out will be avoided.
In carrying the invention into effect, the metal sheet to form the can is at a short
distance from the top or bottom edge thereof doubled back or folded upon the body
of the sheet so as to form three thicknesses at that part but leaving the edge above
the doubling a single thickness.
This sheet of metal at the fold is then rolled or otherwise pressed which has the
effect of weakening the metal at the lower bend of the fold and the sheet is
afterwards made into an open onded oylinder in the usual way.
The end which is formed with a turned down rim or flange is then inserted into

page_text: The sheet of metal a. at the fold a' is then rolled or otherwise pressed into the
form shown at Figure 3, which has the effect of weakening the metal at the lower
bend a of the fold a' without actually fracturing or separating the metal and the
sheet of metal is aftorwards made into an open ended cylinder in the usual way
and as represented at Figuro 1.
The end or lid b. of the cylinder which is formed with a turn down rim or
flange is then inserted into the cylinder above the fold a' as shown more
particularly at Figure 4., and solder is run round the small gutter 6* formed by
the meeting parts and thus when the opposite end is also closed hermetically sealing
the can in a secure manner.
That part a' of the cylinder a. above the bend a is adjacent to the joint at at
the edges of tho sheet formed with a tag a' which is soldered to the part a' to
form a loop in which is inserted a ring a so that by pulling upon the ring a the
upper part a' of the tin by reason of the weakness of the metal at the bend a
and the soldered joint b at the top will be stripped or torn off the solder thus
opening the can.
The edges of the sheet of metal forming the can are for the greater part of the
depth thereof united by the ordinary S seam a but this seam terminates at or
beneath the bend a" of the double part a' and abovo tho sonm a' two thicknesses
of the folded part a' are for a short distance cut away as shown at a Figure 10.,
so that the meeting ends of the folded part will abut against one another whilst iu
order to afford a proper overlap of the parts a cut or incision a' is made in one of
the meeting edges of the piece of metal previous to forming the seam a' as shown
at Figure 10., thus when the S seam a' is formed as shown at Figure 12 leaving a
projecting portion a co-extensive with the cut a' which constitutes the necessary
overlap to enable the solder to make a tight joint.
The mode of folding or bending the meeting edges so as to interlock when
subsequently flattened into the S seam a is shown at Figure 11., whilst in
Figure 10. the dotted lines a indicate the crease or fold and the dotted lines a
indicate the point to which the edges are foldod back in the seaming operation.
In the example given at Figure 13., the device is the same as that hereinbefore
described with the exception that the end of the tag a' is not soldered to the
part a of the cylinder to form a loop, but is left free and is engaged by the
ordinary slotted key or opener a° as will be readily understood.
In the example given at Figure 14., instead of pressing or rolling the metal at
the folds a flat in order to weaken the bend a as hereinbefore described the
several thicknesses at that part are rolled or pressed internally or it might be
externally with a sharp angular or V-shaped indentation or bead as or indentations
which will have the effect of stiffening the body a of the can but at the same time
weakening the fold a' at the point a to be broken.
In the example given at Figure 15., the devico is similar to that hereinbefore
described with the exception that the folds a¹ are dispensed with and con-
Bequently the angle a of the part a' to be broken is sharper than in the former
arrangement.
In the example given at Figure 16. instead of the angular device being shown
as a V-groove or indentation it is arranged.so as to produce a sharp right angle
beud or indentation a between the body a of the can and the part a' thus
materially weakening the part a to be broken.
It will be obvious that the details of the device may be still further varied
whilst retaining the essential feature thereof namely the soldering of the end of
the can to the lid or bottom and the weakening of the can at a short distance
therefrom.
By the meaus hereinbefore described the only soldered joint in addition to the
seam a and tho overlap a is that for fixing the top bin position, and
which is of a solid character, and easy to make perfect, so that there is no
possibility of loakage whilst the metal body a of the can remains intact until
it is severed in the opening operation.

page_text: 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 metal can or case comprising an internal lid or end soldered to the body,
a circumferential bend, angle, bead or weakened part, located a short distance
from the end of the body and a tag or the like for facilitating the tearing off of
that part of the body between the weakened part and the end, substantially as
herein shown and described.
2. A metal can or case comprising an internal lid or end soldered to the body,
a circumferential fold located a short distance from the end of the body and
pressed to weaken the metal at the bend and a tag or the like for facilitating the
tearing off of that part of the body between the weakened part and the end,
substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 21st day of January 1897
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.