Improvements in Collapsible Tubes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th June, 1896-Accepted, 18th July, 1896
Improvements in Collapsible Tubes.
I, STEPHEN ARTHUR SEWELL of No. 62 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the collapsible tubes in general use for
artists-colours, toilet necessaries, other moist preparations, scents and liquids.
These well known tubes are thin cylinders of tin or other ductile metal struck up
in a fly-press in one solid with their closed top ends, which end carries a pierced
nozzle, also in the solid, through which their contents are expressed; the nozzle is
screwed externally and provided with a removable cap or cover. Hitherto, after
the tubes have been partially filled with the colour or other mixture through their
lower open ends, their contents are retained airtight, as regards the base of the
tube, by compressing together opposite sides of the open end of the latter until
these meet in a diametrical line, and then by folding the edge so formed once or
twice over upon itself and by pinching this fold all throughout its length. This
method of closing the lower end, hitherto exclusively employed, considerably
diminishes the capacity of the tube by reason of the departure from the cylin-
drical form it causes a large portion of the length of the tube to assume; it
requires dexterity and special tools to effect cleanly and neatly; and it is incon-
venient when the tube has to be crushed lengthwise to express its contents.
In my improved method I close the lower open end of the tube by affixing
thereto a flat base, and, in such a manner as to leave the tube of the same capacity
or cylindrical throughout its entire length. This base I usually make of the same
material as that of the tube itself, in which case it usually consists of a short
cylinder closed at one end by a flat surface in the solid; struck up in dies in the
same manner as the tubes themselves, the cylindrical portion or rim being of about
the same thickness or substance as that of the tube. I impress or indent the
cylindrical portion of this base with a helix throughout its length, and I indent a
short length of the open end of the tube with a corresponding helix and screw the
one within the other by these helical corrugations to close the end of the tube,
I also sometimes find it convenient to make the base after the manner already
described but of greater length as to its cylindrical portion, for the purpose of
placing the helical joint of the two halves higher up the complete tube. The short
base piece first mentioned may also be of any other suitable material, or it may
be a wood plug or button-like disc screwed upon its cylindrical or quasi-cylindrical
edge, or the wood or other flat base may be secured within the end of the tube
in any other efficient manner than by screwing, but so as to give the tube a flat
bottom and to maintain its cylindrical form throughout its length. The screwing
together or other fixing of these parts suffices for the preservation of numerous
mixtures, but for those that are very liquid or liable to fermentation I annoint
with or I dip the base or the end of the tube, as regards their helical or other
fitting, in warmed parrafine wax, or other suitable compound before screwing or
fixing these parts together to hermetically seal the contents within the tube.
Dated this 26th day of September 1895.

page_text: I, STEPHEN ARTHUR SEWELL of No. 62 Ranelagh Road, Ealing, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the collapsible tubes in general use
for artists-colours, toilet necessaries, other moist preparations, scents and liquids.
These tubes are thin cylinders of tin or other ductile metals struck up in a fly
press in one solid with their closed top ends, which end carries a pierced nozzle,
also in the solid with their closed top ends, through which their contents are.
expressed, and this nozzle is screwed externally and provided with a removable
screwed cap or cover. Hitherto after the tubes have been partially filled with the
colour or other mixture through their lower open ends t'ieir contents are retained
airtight, as regards this end or base of the tube, by compressing together opposite
sides of the open end of the latter until these meet in a diametrical line and then
by folding the edge so formed once or twice over upon itself and by pinching this
fold all throughout its length. This method hitherto exclusively employed for
closing the lower open end considerably diminishes the capacity of the tube by
reason of the departure from the cylindrical form which it causes a large portion
of the length of the tube to assume, and the wedge shaped form thus acquired by
the end of the tube is inconvenient when the tube has to be crushed in the
direction of its length to express its contents.
My said invention consists in closing the lower open end of the tube by affixing
therein or thereto a flat base piece and in such a manner as to leave the tube itself
of the same capacity or cylindrical throughout its entire length. This base
I usually make of the same material as that of the tube itself, in which case it
usually consists of a short cylinder, closed at one end by a flat surface in the
solid, struck up in dies in the same manner as the tubes themselves, and I usually
make it of about the same or sometimes of a little greater thickness or substance
than that of the tube. I impress or indent the short cylindrical portion of this
base with a helix throughout its length and I indent a short length of the open
end of the tube with a corresponding helix and screw the one within or without the
other by these helical corrugations to close the end of the tube. I sometimes find
it convenient to make the base piece after the manner already described but of
greater length as to its cylindrical portion for the purpose of placing the helical
joint liigher up the complete tube. The short base piece first mentioned may also
be of any other suitable material, or it may be partially filled with plaster of Paris
or other suitable cement to give it additional stiffness, or it may be a wood,
vulcanite or metal plug or flat button-like disc screwed upon its edge, or the wood
or other flat base piece may be secured within the end of the tube in any other
efficient manner than by screwing, but so as to give the tube a flat bottom and to
maintain its cylindrical form throughout its length. The screwing together or
other fixing of these parts suffices for the preservation of numerous nixtures but
for those that are very liquid or liable to fermentation, I annoint with or I dip the
base piece or the end of the tube, as regards their helical or other fitting, in
warmed paraffine wax or other suitable compound before screwing or fixing these
parts together to hermetically seal the contents within the tube.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 represent the ordinary collapsible tube in two views with the
lower open end pinched together in the usual manner to secure its contents.
Fig. 3 is an elevation and Fig. 4 is a section of my improved tube, of the same

page_text: capacity or cylindrical throughout its length, with its added base piece in position
in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a section of the base piece detached.
Fig. 6 is a section of a similar "struck up" base piece partially filled with
plaster of Paris to give it additional stiffness when within the tube, and
Fig. 7 shows a solid base piece of wood or other suitable material screwed upon
its edge.
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 :-
:―
The addition of separate pieces to the lower open ends of collapsible metal
tubes, screwed or otherwise fixed therein or thereon, to retain their contents and
to maintain the said tubes cylindrical or of the same capacity throughout their
entire length, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th day of June 1896
STEPHEN ARTHUR SEWELL.