Improvements in Metal Canisters and Cases and their Lids to Facilitate the Opening thereof.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Metal Canisters and Cases and their Lids to
Facilitate the Opening thereof.
I, GEORGE WISTON BAKER, of Danemore, Mayow Road, Forest Hill, in the
County of Surrey, Physician and Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:
My invention relates to metal canisters and cases the lids of which are opened
by means of a cutting wire contained in a groove formed either in the canister
or in the lid. Such canisters or cases as heretofore made are open to two objec-
tions; on the one hand. on soldering on the lid the solder is apt to run into the
groove containing the wire, and in thereby fixing the latter, renders the cutting
operation very difficult. On the other hand, the more or less ragged sharp edge
formed by the cutting operation is liable to cut the fingers of persons handling
the opened tins. My present invention has for its object to remedy both these
objections, for which purpose I construct the canisters and lids as follows:-
According to one construction I form on the lid three annular grooves formed
by outward bulges or beads close together; the middle groove is formed by an
angular bulge of only sufficient depth to contain the cutting wire, while the upper
and lower rounded grooves are made of greater depth so that the external
rounded beads formed thereby on the lid project beyond the middle angular
bead.
The result of this construction is as follows: when the lid is fitted on the
canister and is secured by soldering round the edge below the lower groove, the
melted solder in creeping up between the lid and the canister, as frequently
occurs, will pass into the bottom groove, and will thereby be prevented from
passing up into the middle groove containing the wire so that any fixing of the
latter is effectually prevented.
Furthermore, when the middle groove has been ent through by means of the
wire, the sharp edges formed by the cut, both on the lid and on the canister, are
effectually prevented from injuring the fingers by the fact that the uncut beads
project to a greater extent than the cut edges and therefore keep the fingers
away from the latter.
According to another modification the said three grooves are formed by outward
bulges on the canister instead of on the lid, which in that case fits into the canister
so as to cover the grooves. The soldering being in this case effected between
the upper edge of the canister and the top of the lid, the solder can only penetrate
into the top groove on the canister and is prevented from entering the middle
groove containing the wire. On cutting through the middle groove the cut edges

page_text: are again prevented from injuring the fingers, on the hand by the greater pro-
jection of the bottom bead on the canister, and on the other hand by the top
head, which remains fixed to the lid together with the second cut edge.
According to another modification in which the lid fits into instead of on to
the canister, I form only two annular outward bulges on the lid close together
so as to leave a narrow annular space between them which constitutes the groove
for the wire.
On fitting this lid into the canister, the two beads thereof fit close against the
inner surface of the canister, so that when the soldering is effected between the top
edge of the canister and the top of the lid, the solder in creeping down between
the two is effectually stopped by the top bead on the lid, which is in close contact
with the canister, and consequently prevents the solder from entering the groove
containing the wire. In this case there would be no protection against the sharp
edge on the canister formed by the cutting, but the edge of the part which comes
away with the lid may be protected by a projecting rim formed round the top of
the lid.
Dated this 24th day of June 1898.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Metal Canisters and Cases and their Lids to
Facilitate the Opening thereof.
I, GEORGE WISTON BAKER, of Danemore, Mayow Road, Forest Hill, in the
County of Surrey, Physician and Surgeon, 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:—
My invention relates to metal canisters and cases the lids of which are opened
by means of a cutting wire contained in a groove formed either in the canister
or in the lid. Such canisters or cases as heretofore made are open to two objec-
tions on the one hand. on soldering on the lid the solder is apt to run into the
groove containing the wire, and in thereby fixing the latter, renders the cutting
operation very difficult. On the other hand, the more or less ragged sharp edge
formed by the cutting operation is liable to cut the fingers of persons handling
the opened tins. My present invention has for its object to remedy both these
objections, for which purpose I construct the canisters and lids as follows:-
According to one construction I form on the lid three annular grooves formed
by outward bulges or beads close together; the middle groove is formed by an
angular bulge of only sufficient depth to contain the cutting wire, while the upper
and lower rounded grooves are made of greater depth so that the external
rounded beads formed thereby on the lid project beyond the middle angular
bead.
The result of this construction is as follows: when the lid is fitted on the
canister and is secured by soldering round the edge below the lower groove, the
melted solder in creeping up between the lid and the canister, as frequently
occurs, will pass into the bottom groove, and will thereby be prevented from
passing up into the middle groove containing the wire so that any fixing of the
latter is effectually prevented.

page_text: Furthermore, when the middle groove has been cut through by means of the
wire, the sharp edges formed by the cut. both on the lid and on the canister, are
effectually prevented from injuring the fingers by the fact that the uncut beads
project to a greater extent than the cut edges and therefore keep the fingers
away from the latter.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing shew the above described con-
struction Fig. 1 shews a part elevation of the canister with its lid fixed on,
Fig. 2 shews a part vertical section, and Fig. 3 shews the same section with the
lid separated by means of the cutting wire. The lid a is formed with three ex-
ternal annular bulges b, b, c forming three corresponding internal grooves, of which
the middle one is only of slight depth and is preferably made of angular section
as shewn. Into such middle groove is placed the cutting wire d, either before
or after the lid is fitted on, one end of which wire is fixed to the lid, while the
other is passed out through a hole as shewn at e Fig. 1. The lid having been
fitted on the canister g, it is soldered at f, and it will be seen that any solder that
may creep up beyond the joint f will only enter the lower groove b so that any
objectionable soldering of the wire d in the groove c will be prevented.
On cutting through the bulge e by means of the wire, as shewn at Fig. 3 it will
be seen that the bulges project beyond the sharp edges of the cut bulge and
consequently the hand will be protected against being injured by such edges.
In the modification shewn in the sections at Figs. 4 and 5, the above described
three bulges b and c are formed on the canister g instead of on the lid a the
lid a having been fitted within the canister, the soldering is effected at h at the
upper edge of the latter, the solder being again prevented by the groove 6 from
passing to the wire which is inserted either before or after fitting in the lid.
On cutting through the bulge c by means of the wire as at Fig. 5, the bulge b
again acts as guards to the sharp edges.
Fig. 6 shews a modification of the arrangement with internally fitted cover
in which two outward bulges bb are formed on the lid which is formed with a
projecting rim against which the edge of the canister g fits, the soldering being
effected at j. The wire d being inserted in the narrow groove formed between
the bulges bb which fit tight against the inner surface of the canister it will be
seen that any solder that may enter beyond the point at ; will be again intercepted
in the space at k.
Figs. 7 and 8 show a modified form of the second described arrangement in
which the three bulges are formed on the canister g, the lid a being in this case
fitted over the canister instead of into it. In this case the wire d is inserted into
the narrow groove between the bulges bb, and the bottom bulge / is made with
a slope against which the edge of the lid a fits in a similar manner to that used
with some existing constructions, the soldering being effected at m.
Here again
the solder is prevented by the hollown from gaining access to the wire d.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a lid for a canister adapted to be opened by a cutting wire, the combina-
tion of two deep annular bulges such as bb, and a shallow bulge such as c situated
between these, the wire for cutting the lid being situated in the said shallow
bulge substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to
Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings.
2. In a canister adapted to be opened by a cutting wire the combination of two
deep bulges such as 6, b and a shallow bulge as c, situated between these the
cutting wire being situated in the said shallow bulge c which is closed by an
internally fitting lid substantially as and for the purposes herein described with
reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.
3. The modified arrangement of the canister referred to in the second claim,
wherein the cutting wire is placed in the space between the two bulges bb, while

page_text: the third bulge is formed with an incline to which the externally fitting cover
is soldered, substantially as and for the purposes described with reference to Figs. 7
and 8.
4. In an internally fitting lid for a canister adapted to be opened by a cutting
wire, the combination of two annular bulges bb in the space between which the
cutting wire is placed, and a projecting rim on the lid, to which the edge of the
canister is soldered, substantially as and for the purposes described with reference
to Fig. 6 of the drawings.
1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.