Improvements in Metal Cans, Boxes, and other Receptacles.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Cans, Boxes, and other Receptacles.
I, GUSTAVUS ALBERT WARBER of 78 Hudson Street in the City of New York,
United States of America, Merchant, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide for the opening of a metal can, box, or
other receptacle, by tearing out a strip of the metal of which the can or box itself, or
the cover thereof is composed, as distinguished from a strip made of a separate piece of
metal.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side view of the upper part of a
cylindrical can or box, illustrating one example of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a
central vertical section corresponding with Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a section, on an
enlarged scale, of that portion of the can or box which includes my invention. Fig. 4
represents a vertical section of part of one side of a can, illustrating another example
of my invention. Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4, illustrating still another
example.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
1 will first describe the example shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
A designates the side wall or body of the can or box, and B the head or cover
thereof. The head, or cover is represented as overlapping the said wall or body
externally. At a suitable point below the head B, there is produced, in the wall or
body A, an external depression, and a corresponding internal projection b, the said
internal projection presenting the form of an internal fillet or band.
In the margins or corners of this projecting band or fillet, at c. c., there are
incisions, which may be made in the metal before it is made up into the can or box,
or after the can or box is made or partly made, the said incisions extending around
the body or wall. The said incisions may be of a depth equal to, say, one half or less
of the thickness of the metal. The width of the said band or fillet, between the
incisions c. c., may be, say, about one-quarter of an inch.
From the outer edge d of the joint of the wall or body A, in line with the band b,
there is provided a projecting tongue e.
In the example illustrated by Fig. 4, the projecting band or fillet projects
outward instead of inward. In other respects, this example is like that shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 3.
In the example shown in Fig. 5, the projecting band or fillet is in the cover B,
but in other respects this example is like that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, & I wish it
understood that I consider the cover for the can as constituting part of the can
itself, and that the projecting band or fillet, if formed on the cover, would be within
the scope of my invention.
To open the can or box, the projecting tongue e is taken hold of by hand, or
by any suitable instrument, and by pulling it, a portion of the body or wall of the
can or box is torn out in the form of a strip around the can or box, thereby separating
the upper part of the can or box from the part below, & allowing the said upper part
to be removed to obtain access to the contents of the can or box.

page_text: The incisions c. c., may be in the inside or the outside of the box or can, and may
be on the salient or reëntering angles of the projections.
It is obvious that my invention is as well applicable to cans or boxes of polygonal
or other form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A metal can, box, or receptacle, having around its perimeter, a projection, on
the margins or corners of which are incisions, substantially as specified.
2. A metal can, box, or receptacle, having around its perimeter, a projection, on
the margins or corners of which are incisions, and a tongue upon said projection, sub-
stantially as specified.
Dated this 14th dow of Inno 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.