IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS FOR HOLDING OR STORING OILS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN POWDER FLASKS AND OTHER METALLIC CANS OR VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Rowland Bourne, of the Firm of Rea, Neale, and Bourne,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers and Japan-
ners, and Henry Shilton, of Birmingham aforesaid, Lamp Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS FOR HOLDING OR STORING OILS AND
OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN POWDER FLASKS AND OTHER METALLIC CANS OR
VESSELS."
Sealed the 30th May 1879, and dated the 13th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Rowland Bourne and Henry
Shiltou at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th December
1878.
ROWLAND BOURNE, of the Firm of Rea, Neale, and Bourne, of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers and Japanners, and HENRY SHILTON,
of Birmingham aforesaid, Lamp Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS FOR HOLDING
OR STORING OILS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN POWDER FLASKS AND OTHER METALLIC
CANS OR VESSELS."
We will describe our Invention with reference to an oil can.
Oil cans as ordinarily constructed are provided with a neck at which the can is
filled with oil, and from which the oil is poured. This neck is closed with a cork
or screw cap. In using the cans the loss or mislaying of the cork or screw cap may
give rise to accidents, and in the case of volatile oils accidents of a dangerous kind,
as the upsetting or the inclining of the can, may result in the spilling of a highly
inflammable liquid.
The object of our Invention is to remove the risk of accidents of the kind referred
to by providing the can with an automatic spring valve or closer which keeps the
neck of the can closed until pressure is applied as herein after described, and
thereby prevents the spilling of its contents in case of the accidental upsetting of
the can.

page_text: In constructing an oil can according to our Invention we prolong the neck down-
wards in the interior of the can to a depth nearly equal to the depth of the conical
top of the can. The said internal neck is perforated with a series of large holes.
In the said neck is a strong helical or coiled spring, the lower end of which bears
upon a crossbar situated at the base of the conical shoulder of the can. The top of
the spring carries a circular disc or valve or closer, which is pressed up by the
spring against a valve seat at the top of the internal neck. When the spring and
valve are in their normal positions the neck of the can is closed. External to the
can, and near the top of the handle of the can, is a. thumb plate, on which, when
the handle is held in the ordinary way by the hand, the thumb can be readily
pressed. This thunib plate is fixed on the top of a rod or stem which works in a
collar in the interior of the external neck. The lower end of the said rod or stem
is bent into a circle at a right angle to the other part of the stem, and the said
circular part rests upon the upper side of the valve or closer described.
By pressing the thumb upon the thumb-plate the said valve or closer can be
depressed from its seat, and oil can now pass either into or out of the can.
Immediately the thumb is removed from the thumb-plate the spring closes the
valve.
In cans where it is desired to be able to fix the valve or closer for a time in its
open position the rod or stem may have a pin travelling in a slot in its collar, the
said slot turning at bottom at right angles. When it is wished to fix the valve
open, the thumb-plate, after depression, is turned through a small angle when the
pin of its rod or stem passes into the bottom cross slot, and fixes the said rod or
stem in its depressed position. Or the valve may be locked in its open position by
means of a spring snap fastening.
By making a cross slot in the upper part of the collar in which the rod or stem
works the valve or closer by the turning of the thumb-plate may be locked in its
closed position.
The construction and arrangement described of the parts for closing oil cans may
also be applied to the closing of cans for holding other liquids, and to the closing of
powder flasks and other metallic vessels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Rowland Bourne and Henry Shilton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th June 1879.
ROWLAND BOURNE, of the Firm of Rea, Neale, and Bourne, of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers and Japanners, and HENRY SHILTON,
of Birmingham aforesaid, Lamp Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANS FOR HOLDING
OR STORING OILS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN POWDER FLASKS AND OTHER METALLIC
CANS OR VESSELS."
We will describe our Invention with reference to an oil can.
Oil cans as ordinarily constructed are provided with a neck at which the can is
filled with oil and from which the oil is poured. This neck is closed with a cork or
screw cap. In using the cans the loss or mislaying of the cork or screw cap may
give rise to accidents; and in the case of volatile oils accidents of a dangerous kind,
as the upsetting or the inclining of the can, may result in the spilling of a highly
inflammable liquid.
The object of our Invention is to remove the risk of accidents of the kind referred
to by providing the can with an automatic spring valve or closer which keeps the
neck of the can closed until pressure is applied as hereinafter described, and
thereby prevents the spilling of its contents in case of the accidental upsetting of
the can.
In constructing an oil can according to our Invention we prolong the neck down-
wards in the interior of the can, and perforate the said internal neck with a series
of large holes. In the said neck is a strong helical or coiled spring, the lower end of
which bears upon a cross bar or plate situated at the base of the internal neck.
The top of the spring carries a circular disc or valve or closer, which is pressed up
by the spring against a valve seat at the top of the internal neck. When the
spring and valve are in their normal positions the neck of the can is closed.
External to the can and near the top of the handle of the can is a thumb plate, on
which, when the handle is held in the ordinary way by the hand the thumb can be
readily pressed. This thumb plate is fixed on the top of a rod or stem which works
in a collar or guide in the interior of the external neck. The lower end of the said
rod or stem is bent into a circle at the right angle to the other part of the stem,
and the said circular part rests upon the upper side of the valve or closer
described.
By pressing the thumb upon the thumb plate the said valve or closer can be
depressed from its seat, and oil can now pass either into or out of the can.
Immediately the thumb is removed from the thumb plate the spring closes the
valve.
In cans where it is desired to be able to fix the valve or closer for a time in its
open position the rod or stem may have a pin travelling in a slot in its collar, the
said slot turning at right angles. When it is wished to fix the valve open the
thumb plate after depression is turned through a small angle when the pin of its
rod or stem passes into the bottom cross slot, and fixes the said rod or stem in its
depressed position. Or the valve may be locked in its open or closed position by
means of a spring snap fastening. By making a cross slot in the upper part of the
collar in which the rod or stem works the valve or closer by the turning of the
thumb plate may be locked in its closed position.
We will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing,
the manner in which our Invention may be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent vertical sections, and Figure 3 a horizontal section
taken on the line a, a, Figure 1, of an oil can the neck of which is closed by an
automatic spring valve or closer the parts of which are constructed and arranged
according to our Invention.
In Figure 1 the valve or closer is represented raised against its seat, and the neck

page_text: of the can closed; and in Figure 2 the said valve or closer is represented depressed
from its seat, and the neck of the can opened.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
b is the body of the can; c is the conical shoulder of the can; and d is the spout;
e is the internal cylindrical neck perforated with a series of large holes, the said
necke being connected by its top to the shoulder c. In the cylindrical pendent
neck tube e is a strong coiled spring f, the lower end of which bears upon the
closed or partly closed bottom g of the said neck tube e, and the top of the said
spring carries a circular disc valve or closer h which is pressed up by the spring f
against the valve or annular projection i at the top of the internal neck c. The
spring works freely in the internal neck tube e, which serves to guide the valve
in its motion. The bearing face of the valve or closer may be made of leather or
other slightly yielding material to form a liquid tight joint between it and the
valve seat. is a thumb plate external to the can. The said thumb plate bears by
its foot upon the upper face of the valve h, the stem m of the said thumb plate
working through the collar or guide n in the interior of the neck. The thumb
platek is situated near to the handle p of the can, so that when the said handle p
is held by the hand the thumb can readily press upon the thumb plate k, and
depress and open the valve h. When it is wished to open the can the thumb plate k
is pressed upon. The valve or closer h is thereby depressed from its seat as illus-
trated in Figure 2, and the can is opened and oil may be poured into or out of the
said can.
On removing the thumb from the thumb plate k the spring f raises the
valve h against the valve seat i, and closes the neck of the can as illustrated in
Figure 1.
Figure represents in vertical section a can of large size in which the automatic
spring valve or closer is provided with an arrangement for locking it in its closed
and open positions respectively. Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the same, taken
on the line q, q, Figure 4; and Figure 6 represents an elevation of the thumb plate
detached. e is the internal perforated neck; f is the spring; and h the valve or
closer seating itself against the seat i as before described with respect to the can,
Figures 1, 2, and 3. The summit of the neck of the can consists of an external
conical tuber and an internal cylindrical tube 8. Within the internal neck tube 8
is a thumb plate k, the stem m of which slides in the guide n. In the said stem m
are two holes t, u, into one or other of which holes a stud w² on the free end of the
spring snap fastening w may take. This spring snap fastening is situated in the
space between the tubes r and s. An opening x is made in the outer conical tuber
opposite the head of the spring snap fastening w, through which opening the
releasing of the fastening is effected. When the valve h is in the position repre-
sented in Figure 4 the neck of the can is closed by the said valve h, which is fixed
or locked in its raised or closing position by the stud w² of the snap fastening w
engaging in the lower hole u in the stem m of the thumb plate k. When it is
wished to open the can and lock or fix the valve in its open position the head of
the spring snap fastening wis pressed outwards by means of the thumb passed
through the opening x. The stud w² of the spring fastening is thereby withdrawn
from the hole u in the stem m of the thumb plate. The valve h is thereby released,
and by pressure on the thumb plate k the valve h may be depressed, and the neck
of the can opened. On pressing down the thumb plate k to its full extent the top
hole t in the stem m is brought opposite the stud w³ of the snap fastening w, when
the said stud snaps into the said hole t, and fixes or locks down the valve in its
open position while liquid is poured into or out of the can. On releasing the snap
fastening w the valve h rises by the elasticity of its spring f, and closes the neck of
the can, as illustrated in Figure 4.
Instead of the arrangement represented for fixing the valve either in its closed or
open position a pin on the stem mi may be made to engage in one or other of two
cross slots in the interior of the neck tube as herein-before described, but we prefer
the arrangement of parts represented in Figures 4, 5, and 6.
The construction and arrangement of parts described and represented for closing

page_text: oil cans may also be applied to the closing of cans for holding other liquids, and to
the closing of powder flasks and other metallic vessels.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
Invention of improvements in cans for holding or storing oils and other liquids, and
in powder flasks and other metallic cans or vessels,―
The combination or arrangement of parts herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying Drawing for opening and closing the necks of the said cans
and vessels; that is to say, the combination of the pendent and perforated neck
tube e, g, in which the spring valve is supported and guided with the thumb
plate and parts connected with it for depressing the said valve from its seat when
it is wished to open the neck of the can or vessel, substantially as described and
illustrated. Also the combination or arrangement of parts described and illus-
trated in Figures 4, 5, and 6 for fixing or locking the valve in its open or closed
position.
In witness whereof, I, the said Rowland Bourne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
0 Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
ROWLAND BOURNE. (L.s.)