Improvements in Tin or Can Openers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Tin or Can Openers.
We, BENJAMIN SCOTT, of James Street, in the City of Carlisle, Manufacturer,
and GEORGE HARVEY KNIGHT, of 5, Great Winchester Street, in the City of
London, Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to tin or can openers, and has for object to provide a tin
opener of simple, compact and handy form, which is more particularly intended for
opening or cutting the inner tops or covers made of soft thin tin known as tagger
tin, or other sheet metal such as sheet lead and the like, of hermetically sealed
tins, cans and the like, such for example as those described in the Specification of
Fatent No. 15817 of 1897. The tins may be either rectangular, circular or oval,
and have either a loose or a hinged outer lid.
Tin or can openers made in accordance with this invention may be formed
by casting or stamping of any suitable metal.
A suitable form of tin or can opener constructed according to this invention,
and designed more especially for opening a tin or can by cutting the soft metal
or tagger tin top or inside air-tight cover of the same close to its edge or periphery
after the raising of the outer lid, is preferably stamped in one piece from sheet
metal or other suitable metal and it comprises a cutter and a main body or handle
of such form that it can be conveniently held during use between the thumb
and one or two fingers. The cutting portion of said tin or can opener is pre-
ferably of the shape approximately of a ploughshare or right-angled triangle, with
its apex pointing downwards. Either the upright or inclined side of the trianglo
forming the cutting edge, which may be sharpened or not according to the thick-
ness of the sheet steel or other metal from which the cutter is stamped or cast,
and according to the thickness of the tagger tin or other sheet metal to be cut.
The point of the cutter is sufficiently sharp to be forced by slight pressure through
the thin metal cover of the tin to be opened,
The said cutter is preferably bent at right angles to the main body or handle,
the handle when the cutter is in use projecting either horizontally from the upper
edge of the tin body or vertically above said edge, and the bend in either caso
may be such that in use the cutter moves either behind or in front of the handle.
In the most approved form, the bend between the cutter and the handle is
such that the shape of the opener allows of its being laid when not in use with'
the handle flat upon the tagger tin cover and the cutter along the outer edge of
the tin or can body, so that it will be retained in one position by the outer lid
when this is in place; thus economising space between the inner cover of thin
metal or tagger tin and the outer hinged or loose cover, and without necessitating
any special provision being made for the accommodation of said opener in the
shape of embossed or recessed receptacles for same, either in the inner cover or
the outer cover, thus lessening the number of operations in the manufacture of
the tin or can, and avoiding any disfigurement of design in the case of decorated
tins, as is usually caused by embossing or recessing. The opener will also be.

page_text: prevented from rattling about as it would be liable to do if simply placed loosely
in the space between the outer and inner covers.
Between the cutter and the handle or main body of the opener, is a recess or
open ended slot, adapted to receive the edge of the can or tin body when the point
of the opener has been pushed through the cover to be cut. This slot affords
suitable guidance to the cutter whilst cutting, and its width is such as to keep
the cutter sufficiently close to the side of the can body, but clear of the soldered
edre of the tagger tin cover or inner lid, and to keep the side of the cutter press-
ing against the ragged edges of the severed tagger tin or other sheet metal which
are formed by the cutting edge in passing, and thus press them down against
the body of the tin or can.
The opener may be suitably ribbed, embossed or corrugated for the purpose
of ornamenting or strengthening the same, and assisting the cutter to flatten the
ragged or rough-cut edges adhering to the inner side of the tin or can after
passing of cutter.
The opener,
The preferable manner of using the opener is as follows:-The tin or can
to be opened is held in the left hand of the operator with the
cover upwards.
which is held in the right hand, is
forced with its point through the cover close to the edge of the tin or can body,
und the cutting part of the opener is then pushed or drawn, as the case may be,
along near the edge of the cover, so as to cut it to the extent required for obtaining
access to the contents of the tin or can.
Dated this 10th day of January 1899.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.
We, BENJAMIN SCOTT, of James Street, in the City of Carlisle, Manufacturer,
and GEORGE HARVEY KNIGHT, of 5, Great Winchester Street, in the City of
London, Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to tin or can openers, and has for object to provide a tin
opener of simple, compact and handy form, which is more particularly intended for
opening or cutting the inner tops or covers made of soft thin tin known as fagger
tin, or other sheet metal such as sheet lead and the like, of hermetically sealed
tins, cans and the like, such for example as those described in the Specification of
Patent No. 15,817 of 1897. The tins may be either rectangular, circular or oval,
and have either a loose or a hinged outer lid.
Tin or can openers made in accordance with this invention may be formed
by casting or stamping of any suitable metal.
A suitable form of tin or can opener constructed according to this invention,
and designed more especially for opening a tin or can by cutting the soft metal
or tagger tin top or inside air-tight cover of the same close to its edge or periphery
after the raising of the outer lid, is preferably stamped in one piece from sheet
metal or other suitable metal and it comprises a cutter and a main body or handle
of such form that it can be conveniently lield during use between the thumb
and one or two fingers. The cutting portion of said tin or can opener is pre-

page_text: ferably of the shape approximately of a ploughshare or right-angled triangle, with
its apex pointing downwards. Lither the upright or inclined side of the triangle
forms the cutting edge, which may be sharpened or not according to the thick
ness of the sheet steel or other metal from which the cutter is stamped or cast,
and according to the thickness of the tagger tin or other sheet metal to be cut.
The point of the cutter is sufficiently sharp to be forced by slight pressure through
the thin metal cover of the tin to be opened.
The said cutter is preferably bent at right angles to the main body or handle,
the handle when the cutter is in use projecting either horizontally from the upper
edge of the tin body or vertically above said edge, and the bend in either case
may be such that in use the cutter moves either behind or in front of the handle.
In the most approved form, the bend between the cutter and the handle is
such that the shape of the opener allows of its being laid when not in use with
the handle Hat upon the tagger tin cover and the cutter along the outer edge of
the tin or can body, so that it will be retained in one position by the outer lid
when this is in place; thus economising space between the inner cover of thin
metal or tagger tin and the outer hinged or loose cover, and without necessitating
any special provision (in the shape of embossed or recessed receptacles for same,)
being made for the accommodation of said opener either in the inner cover or
the outer cover, thus lessening the number of operations in the manufacture of
the tin or can, and avoiding any disfigurement of design in the case of decorated
tins, as is usually caused by embossing or recessing. The opener will also be
prevented from rattling about as it would be liable to do if simply placed loosely
in the space between the outer and inner covers.
Between the cutter and the handle or main body of the opener, is a recess or
open-ended slot, adapted to receive the edge of the can or tin body when the point
of the opener has been pushed through the cover to be cut. This slot affords
suitable guidance to the cutter whilst cutting, and its width is such as to keep
the cutter sufficiently close to the side of the can body, but clear of the soldered
edge of the tagger tin cover or inner lid, and to keep the side of the cutter press-
ing against the ragged edges of the severed tagger fin or other sheet metal which
are formed by the cutting edge in passing, and thus press them down against
the body of the tin or can.
The opener may be suitably ribbed, embossed or corrugated for the purpose
of ornamenting or strengthening the same, and assisting the cutter to flatten the
ragged or rough-cut edges adhering to the inner side of the tin or can after
passing of cutter.
The opener,
The preferable manner of using the opener is as follows:-The tin or can
to be opened is held in the left hand of the operator with the
which
cover upwards.
is held in the right hand, is
forced with its point through the cover close to the edge of the tin or can body,
and the cutting part of the opener is then pushed or drawn as the case may be,
along near the edge of the cover, so as to cut it to the extent required for obtaining
access to the contents of the tin or can.
In the accompanying drawings we illustrate by way of example some forms
of openers constructed according to this invention.
Figures and are respectively a front and a side elevation of a tin opener
of the type in which the handle projects vertically at right angles to the vertical
cutter. The opener is stamped in one piece from sheet metal and it consists of
a cutter 1 and a main body or handle 2 of a convenient shape for holding the
same during use between the thumb and one or two fingers. The cutter I has
the shape approximately of a ploughshare or right-angled triangle with its apex
pointing downwards. The inclined side of the triangle is made or sharpened to
form the cutting edge 3. The point 4 of the cutter is sufficiently sharp to be
forced by slight pressure through the thin metal cover of the tin to be opened.
The cutter 1 is bent at right angles to the main body or handle 2 which is designed
to be held approximately upright when the opener is being used to cut the hori-

page_text: zontal top or cover of a tin or can. In the opener shown in Figures 1 and 2 the
bent is such that the cutter 1 moves behind the handle 2 when the opener is
pulled towards the user in cutting, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 2.
Between the cutter and the main body of the opener is an open-ended slot 5
adapted to receive the edge of the can or tin body when the point 4 of the opener
has been pushed through the cover to be cut. The depending portion 6 of the
main body which forms the outer edge of the slot 5 affords suitable guidance to
the cutter whilst cutting and the width of the slot 5 is made such as to keep the
cutter sufficiently close to the side of the can body, but clear of the soldered edge
of the tagger tin cover or inner lid.
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a front and a side elevation of an opener of the
same type as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 but in which the direction of the
bend is such that the cutter moves in front of the handle in cutting as indicated
by the arrow in Figure 4. In this form the cutting edge 3 is constituted by
the upright side of the triangular cutter.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a rear and a side elevation of an opener of the
same type which is intended to cut by being pushed away from the user. In this
form the cutting edge 3 is constituted by the inclined side of the triangular
cutter which moves in front of the handle in cutting, as indicated by the arrow
in Figure 6. The cutter may if desired be made with a vertical cutting edge
foremost as indicated at 3" in dotted lines in Figure 6.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a front elevation, a side elevation, and a plan
of a form of opener of the type in which the handle 2 projects horizontally at
right angles to the vertical cutter 1. In this opener which is intended to be
drawn towards the user in cutting, the cutting edge 3 moves behind the handle 24,
as indicated by the arrow in Figure 8. The upper edge of the opener is turned
over on itself at 7 for the purpose of strengthening the same.
Figures 10, 11 and 12 are respectively a rear elevation, a side elevation and
a plan of an opener of the same type which is intended to be pushed away from
the user in cutting. In this form the cutting edge 3 moves behind the handle "
which is corrugated as indicated at 7" for the purpose of strengthening the same.
Figure 13 is a perspective view illustrating the mode of use of openers of the
type shown in Figures 1 to 6, and Figure 14 is a similar view illustrating the
mode of use of openers of the type shown in Figures 7 to 12.
In both figures, 8 indicates a tin or can body, 9 a lid or outer cover which may
either be hinged to the body as shown or be loose, and 10 is an inner cover to be
cut which is made of tagger tin or similar soft metal. The lid 9 having been
opened by hand, the tin body 8 is held in the left hand of the operator with the
cover 10 upwards as shown. The opener which is held in the right hand by
means of its handle 2 or 2", is forced with its point 4 through the cover 10 as
shown, and the opener is then pushed or drawn as the case may be along near the
edge of the cover so as to cut it to the extent required.
Figures 16 and 16 are perspective views illustrating the preferred mode of
packing the two hereinbefore described types of openers in their tins or cans,
namely with the handle 2 or 2 laid flat upon the inner cover 10 and with the
cutter 1 along the outer edge of the tin or can body 8. For this purpose the bend
between the cutter 1 and the handle 2 must be made to fit the angle of the edge
of the body 8, and the handle 2 of the opener should not project beyond the plane
of the outer side of the cutter 1, as indicated by the dash-dotted vertical lines
in Figures 1, 3, 5, and 7. The flange 11 of the lid or outer cover 9 is made of
sufficient depth to cover the point and the cutting edge of the opener, so as to
prevent any sharp portions of the opener injuring the hands or catching inte
other articles when the closed tin or can is being handled.
It is to be understood that openers made in accordance with this invention may
be formed with cutting edges on either of the sides or on both sides of the tri-
angular cutter, the opener being drawn or pushed as most convenient to suit the
cutting edge in use.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:―
1. A tin or can opener made in one piece of plate or sheet metal comprising
a cutter of substantially triangular shape bent approximately at right angles to
the main body or handle, with an intervening open-ended slot or recess to receive
the edge of the tin or can which is being cut, substantially as and for the purposes
horein before described.
2. The tin or can opener, constructed substantially as described and shown
in Figures 1 and 2.
3. The tin or can opener, constructed substantially as described and shown in
Figures 3 and 4.
4. The tin or can opener constructed substantially as described and shown in
Figures 5 and 6.
5. The tin or can opener constructed substantially as described and shown in
Figures 7, 8, and 9.
6. The tin or can opener constructed substantially as described and shown in
Figures 10, 11 and 12.
Dated this 6th day of October 1899.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.