Improvements in Boxes and like Vessels for the Preservation of Food.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boxes and like Vessels for the Preservation of
Food.
A communication from abroad by THE AKTIESELSKABET CARL LUNDS
FABRIKER, of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No. 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent, 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:-
In order to facilitate the opening of conserve-boxes and the like (hereinafter
referred to generally as boxes) a separate metallic ribbon has hitherto been used
for connecting the lid and the box, to both of which it has been soldered after
the box has been filled. The box was opened when desired by means of a key
attached thereto, which removed the ribbon by breaking its solder-connection.
This method of sealing conserve-boxes has been employed, amongst other reasons,
in order to meet the demands of consumers, who desired to close a box again
before the whole of the contents, for instance sardines, butter or lobsters, was
withdrawn. This method of manufacturing the boxes is however rather com-
plicated and expensive, as it entails two soldering operations and the employment
of a separate ribbon.
Now the object of this invention is to obviate these drawbacks, which is
accomplished by means which I will proceed to describe with the aid of the accom-
panying drawing, in which
Fig. is a perspective view of a box sealed in accordance with this inven-
tion, showing it in the condition in which the opening operation has been
commenced; and
Fig. 2 is a section of a portion of the box drawn to a larger scale.
The lid A is, according to this invention, formed like an ordinary box-lid
except that in the flange B there is made about half way up either inside or
outside, a groove or incision of suitable depth, whereby the thickness of the
material is diminished and the flange consequently weakened at this place, so that the
part of it below the groove can be removed with comparative ease. The lid A is
fastened to the box D by means of a single ring of solder C.
When the box is to be opened, the flange B is divided along the groove b
by any suitable means such as a key or opening instrument of the usual kind, and
so as to break the solder-connection; the lid A can then be easily removed but
can be again employed for closing the box, as the part of the flange B that
has not been removed from the lid forms a sufficient means of attachment.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A box or like vessel for the preservation of food, having a lid the flange of
which is formed with a groove or incision so that after the said lid has
been fastened in place by solder applied between the free edge of its flange
and the box, the latter can be easily opened by dividing the flange along the
T

page_text: said groove or incision and breaking the solder-connection after which the lid will
still be capable of being employed for temporarily closing the box, substantially as
described and shown.
Dated this 1st day of August 1891
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.