IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING PRESERVED MEAT OR OTHER TINS, CANS, OR LIKE RECEPTACLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rufus Herbert Rose, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF
AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING PRESERVED MEAT OR OTHER TINS, CANS, OR
LIKE RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 20th May 1877, and dated the 22nd March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Rufus Herbert Rose at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1877.
RUFUS HERBERT ROSE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING PRESERVED MEAT OR
OTHER TINS, CANS, OR LIKE RECEPTACLES."
This Invention consists in modes of and apparatus for opening cans or meat tins,
in which the fulcrum is placed in the centre of the head of the tin, and the knife
cuts round the tin near the corner; it consists in a sharp steel point, preferably
shaped like a trowel, in the head of a bar sliding in a hole, groove, or brackets, in
or on a handle. The hole can be closed at the other end with a removable stud
with a point available for piercing the can, and a ring for carrying or hanging up
by. The bar has preferably a piston at the other end. The piston is screwed or
attached to the bar by set screw or otherwise, so that it can be taken off when the
bar is required to be taken out, and the point sharpened. When the piston is used
the bar slides in a well-fitting hole round it at the end of the handle nearest the
point aforesaid. Attached to the handle, preferably by screws, is an adjustable
blade or otherwise of any convenient shape, as it can be a wheel or be trowel or
scimitar shaped, for instance, and projecting out parallel with the bar before men-
tioned, or at an angle with it. Two friction rollers can be attached to run on pins
If
on opposite sides of the bar and take off friction, as hereafter described.
parallel to the bar the knife cuts the sides of the tin; if at an angle, the end or
head.
The mode of action is as follows:-The blade being adjusted, pierce the can with
it, and then set the point approximately in the centre of the head, pressing it in to
act as a fulcrum. Now pressing on the knife, and guiding it round the tin, the
head is cut off. The friction rollers or side of the bar, coming in contact with the
rim when cutting the sides of the tin, act as a guide for the cut.

page_text: Some tins are square or oblong, and therefore not well adapted for the foregoing;
I therefore use one of the following modifications:-Instead of a central fulcrum,
round which the knife works, I make the fulcrum revolve thus:-I fix a flange or
other wheel on to a bent stem of a curved blade; the wheel runs round the edge,
the flange, if there be one, keeping it in position; the end of the curved blade is
inserted into the tin, and the wheel acts as a fulcrum to the upward cut. The blade
near the point is blunt, so as to prevent it cutting its way clean out of the tin
unless desired. The heel of the stem of the cutter acts as a second fulcrum, if
necessary, to overcome any strong resisting point. If I want to cut the sides or top
of the tin I use two of these fulcrum wheels, one in the same place as before, the
other on a spur sticking out beyond the base of the handle. The stem joining these
two wheels is curved out, so as not to come in contact with the pin. I can do, if
necessary, altogether without a wheel, using a toggle instead, the toggle acting as a
fulcrum in the same way that the toggle handspike is used for pushing carriage
wheels along in shunting on railways. In place of a toggle a flat or curved double-
ended fulcrum pinned to the stem will do, curved in one side and flat in the
other, and hinged or otherwise adjustable, so as to suit any kind of surface; the
implement then resembles a shears with a stationary blade or fulcrum reversable,
the other blade being double, cutting when the motion changes from right
to left.
When it is desired to cut the exact corner of the tin all round, I sometimes make
a concave cornered fulcrum, and fix the blade solidly to it, so that the concave
fulcrum fits the corner, and the blade cuts against it at an angle of 45°; this
differs chiefly from other cutters now in use, from its cutting the exact corner instead
of on the flat.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Rufus Herbert Rose in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st Sep-
tember 1877.
->
RUFUS HERBERT ROSE, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MODES OF AND APPARATUS FOR OPENING PRESERVED MEAT OR
OTHER TINS, Cans, or like RECEPTACLES."
This Invention consists, 1st, in modes of and apparatus for opening cans or ment
tins, in which the fulcrum is placed in the centre of the head of the tin, and the
knife cuts round the tin near the corner; it is shown in Figures 1, 2, 2a, and 3,
and consists in a sharp steel point B¹, preferably shaped like a trowel, in the head
of a bar B sliding in a hole, groove, or brackets, in or on a handle A. The hole can
be closed at the other end with a removable stud D with a point available for
piercing the can, and a ring, not shown in Drawing, for carrying or hanging up.
The bar has preferably a piston Cat the other end. The piston is screwed or attached
to the bar B by set screw or otherwise, so that it can be taken off when the bar is
required to be taken out, and the point sharpened. When the piston is used the
bar slides in a well-fitting hole round it at the end of the handle nearest the point
B. Attached to the handle, preferably by screws, is an adjustable blade E or
otherwise of any convenient shape, as it can be a wheel or be trowel or scimitar
shaped, and projecting out parallel with the bar before mentioned, or at an angle
with it. Two friction rollers F, F, can be attached to run on pins on opposite sides
of the bar, and take off friction, as hereafter described. If parallel to the bar
the knife E cuts the sides of the tin, as shewn in full lines in Figure 3; if at an
angle, the end or head, as shown in dots.
The mode of action is as follows:-The blade, being adjusted, pierce the can with
it, and then set the point approximately in the centre of the head, pressing it in to
act as a fulcrum. Now pressing on the knife, and guiding it round the tin, the

page_text: bead is cut off. The friction rollers For side of the bar coming in contact with
the rim when cutting the sides of the tin guide the cut.
Some tins are square or oblong, and therefore not well adapted for the foregoing;
I therefore use one of the following modifications:-Instead of a central fulcrum,
round which the knife works, I make the fulcrum revolve; this is shown in Figure 4.
In this I is a flanged or other wheel on a bont stem of a curved or hooked blade H;
the wheel I runs round the edge, the flange, if there be one, keeping it in position;
the end of the hooked blade is inserted into the tin, and the wheel acts as a
fulcrum to the upward cut. The blade near the point is blunt, so as to prevent it
cutting its way clean out of the tin unless desired. The heel of the stem of the
cutter acts as a second fulcrum, if necessary, to overcome any strong resisting point.
If I want to cut the sides or top of the tin I use two of these fulcrum wheels I, I,
as in Figure G, one in the same place, as in Figure 5, the other on a spur sticking
out beyond the base of the handle. The stem joining these two wheels is curved
out, so as not to come in contact with the tin. This is to enable one to cut a
curved surface like C, D, or a flat one like A, B. Various kinds of wheels can be
used besides that shown in Figure 4; three other forms are shown in Figure 5.
I can do, if necessary, altogether without a wheel, using a toggle instead; this is
shown in Figure 7, the toggle acting as a fulcrum in the same way that the toggle
handspike is used for pushing carriage wheels along in shunting on railways. The
two pins P and Q serve to prevent the blade from sinking in too far, and to guide
the blade in cutting. This tool differs from others in its mode of working, in that
the cut is not effected by prising, but by a steady downward pressure, the toggle
and pins converting the downward pressure into a forward one. Figures 8, 9, and
10 show other forms of toggle. In place of an ordinary toggle a flat or curved
double-ended fulcrum pinned to the stem will do, curved on one side and flat on
the other, and hinged or otherwise adjustable, so as to suit any kind of surface;
the implement then resembles a shears with a stationary blade or fulcrum reversible,
the other blade being double cutting when the motion changes from right
to left.
This plan is more complicated than my other forms, and I do not consider so
good, so need not describe it any further.
When it is desired to cut the exact corner of the tin all round, I sometimes make
a concave cornered fulcrum, and fix the blade solidly to it, so that the concave
fulcrum fits the corner, and the blade cuts against it at an angle of 45°; this
differs chiefly from other cutters now in use from its cutting the exact corner as
well as on the flat.
It is shown in Figures 11 and 12, section and side view respectively. The
knife S is rivetted firmly into the fulcrum shank T, which is made with a deep
nearly rectangular groove to fit over the edge of the tin. The knife cutting the
exact corner of the tin at an angle of 45 degrees, the fulcrum bears on the uncut
angle in front, and is curved so as not to cause all the pressure to come on one
point, but to change the bearing as fast as the cut progresses, so as to make a shear
cut, not a tear.
Having now described my Invention and the best ways known to me of carrying
it into effect, I wish it to be understood that, as regards Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, I
do not claim the central fulcrum of itself; but what I believe to be new and desire
to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent,-
1st. The combination of a sliding bar having a curved point or other fulcrum at
the end, together with a handle and cutting blade, for the purpose, described
2nd. The mode of cutting tins by means of a central fulcrum moveable relatively
to the knife and handle, in combination with a knife having a directly forward
continuous cutting action instead of a prising or levering action, as in ordinary
cutters.
3rd. The use of a rolling fulcrum or fulcra working on the uncut portion of
the tin in front of the cut in combination with a hooked blade for the purposes
described.

page_text: 4th. The peculiar form of cutting blade, substantially as described and shown in
Figure 4.
5th. A can opener worked on the principle of a toggle, substantially as described
and shown in Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10.
6th. The mode described in reference to Figure 11 of cutting a tin open on its
angle instead of on the flat.
7th. A can opener constructed with a handle, a blade, and a grooved fulcrum, so
constructed as to be adapted to cutting open tins or cans in their corners, as well of
on on their flat surface.
8th. The curved fulcrum, curving outward, for the purposes described.
9th. A can opener, constructed substantially as described in the foregoing Speci-
fication, or as delineated in any of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
colorable imitation thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rufus Herbert Rose, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
1877
Witness,
W. P. THOMPSON,
Patent & Trademark Agent,
6, Lord Street,
Liverpool.
RUFUS HERBERT ROSE. (LS.)