Improvements in or relating to Covers and the Mode of Fitting them to Sheet Metal, Earthenware or other Receptacles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Covers and the Mode of Fitting
them to Sheet Metal, Earthenware, or other Receptacles.
We, Messrs. SEYMOUR & Co. LD., of Stockton-on-Tees, in the County of Durham,
Tin Plate Workers, and WILLIAM THOMAS SEYMOUR, Managing Director of the said
Company, 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:-
Our Invention relates to covers and the mode of fitting them to sheet metal,
earthenware or other receptacles such as cans, drums, boxes, or cases, and refers
more especially to that class of such articles in which the covers forming lids, plugs,
caps or stoppers completely close and render air tight the said receptacles without the
use of solder or other like means of fastening the cover to the receptacle, which covers
are removed or unfastened by means of a detached lever such as the blade of a knife,
a coin or other convenient appliance.
The object of our invention is not only to obtain a reliable and air tight fit
between cover and receptacle but to be able to force up the cover and open the
receptacle without inflicting injury or damage to either cover or receptacle when
applying the requisite pressure by means of the lever. A further object of
our invention is to bring the surface of the cover flush up to the neck of the
receptacle and in contact with the contents thereof if the receptacle has been
filled to the brim, thereby economising the space occupied by each receptacle in
proportion to its contents, and affording protection to the contents thereof
which are enclosed when required in a tightly packed condition: our invention
also enables the receptacle to be completely cleared of its contents when the
cover is removed, or in case of liquids or easy flowing contents to provide
means when required for draining the receptacle little by little without removing
the cover.
In order that our invention may be fully understood and carried into effect we will
now proceed to describe the same with reference to the annexed sheet of drawings, in
which Figure 1 illustrates in sectional view an ordinary sheet metal can with a cover
C

page_text: fitted thereto in accordance with our invention; Figure 2 is a corresponding view in
plan with the cover removed; Figure 3 illustrates in sectional view a modification
of our invention as hereinafter explained. a is the surface of the cover, is the
neck of the receptacle onto which the rim of the cover fits, a close and reliable fit
being obtained by the requisite contact between the neck of the can or receptacle
and the rim e of the cover. In Figures 1 and 2 the neck is of less diameter or
sectional area than the body of the receptacle to which it is connected by the annular
surface which forms the shoulder d; corresponding to the surface or shoulder we
provide the cover with an annular extension or flange e; to force off the cover from
the body of the receptacle, the blade of a knife, a coin or a like convenient appliance
is inserted between the shoulder and the flange and leverage applied. Figure 3
illustrates a modification of our invention by substituting a projecting flange for
the shoulder illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the object being to obtain a uniform
diameter or sectional area both in the body of the receptacle and the neck b. instead of
the reduced diameter or sectional area in the neck when the shoulder d forms the
connection between the neck and the body of the receptacle. As the flange of the
cover when pressed home should or may be in contact with the shoulder
the receptacle, we provide spaces between the flange e and the shoulder for the
insertion of appliances for levering off the lid; this may be effected in various ways
such as by providing depressions or recesses in either the flange e or the shoulder,
or in both or raised or projecting parts such as the stops f f f³ illustrated in
Figure 2 may be provided on either or both of the above named surfaces at suitable
parts to prevent the continuous contact between the flange of the cover and the
shoulder of the receptacle which would prevent the insertion of a lever between them.
In Figure 1, g is an opening through the cover provided with an inside neck or
funnel for the reception of a cork or plug or screw cap which can be pushed or
screwed in flush with the surface of the cover, small openings through this
inside neck and extending flush to the inner side of the surface a of the cover are
provided by which means liquids or easily flowing materials of any kind such as
finely divided powder or small seeds or the like may be emptied or drained out of
the receptacle without leaving behind any waste and without removing the cover
when the opening so made would be too large for the economical discharge of such
contents.
of
It will be observed that the only obstruction to the discharge of the contents of
receptacles fitted up according to our invention is the surface din Figures 1 and 2
which forms an internal shoulder, which is nevertheless easily accessible and therefore
admits of liquids and disentegrated materials generallybeingreadilydischarged without
waste, but where viscous, plastic or adhesive matter is to be discharged from the
receptacle in the lump, we prefer to substitute the projecting flange d as illustrated in
Figure 3 for the shoulder in Figures 1 & 2, in which case all obstruction to the
discharge of the contents of the receptacle is removed.
We are aware that cans and the like receptacles have been in use in which a blade
of a knife or a coin or other convenient appliance is employed for levering off the
cover, but as hitherto constructed there are essential differences in the modes hitherto
in use of fitting the covers to the receptacles as compared with the like articles when
fitting up according to our invention; that by fitting the cover to the receptacle by
the rim receiving the neck in the manner described and illustrated we bring the
surface of the cover flush up to the neck of the receptacle and avoid all waste of space
within the receptacle; we also avoid the difficulty of completely emptying the
receptacle of its contents, the only obstruction to which is the easily accessible corner
formed by shoulder d in Figures 1 and 2, there being no obstruction at all when the
said corner is dispensed with as described in reference to Figure 3; that by sub-
stituting the flange e extending from the edge of rime of the cover instead of forming
a continuation of the surface of the cover in the manner described and illustrated in
the Specifications of George Featherstone Griffin No. 1301 of 1882 and No. 1187 of
1884, we avoid all risk of injury or damage to the can or receptacle due to using the
ledge or rim of the receptacle edgewise for a fulcrum.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be applied to covers and the mode of fitting
them to sheet metal, carthenware or the like receptacles to be levered off by a knife
blade, coin or the like convenient appliance, what we claim is :-
Firstly. The improved combination and arrangement of parts in which the neck of
the can or receptacle fits by pressure into the rim of the cover and if required flush
with surface of the cover, the leverage for forcing up or removing the cover from
the receptacle being applied between a flange extending from the rim of the
cover and a corresponding shoulder or projecting flange provided on the receptacle,
stops or their equivalents being employed to prevent continuous contact between
the flange of the cover and the shoulder or flange of the receptacle, substantially
as and for the purpose as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Secondly. The combination with or addition to the covers of such receptacles of
the internally fitted neck or funnel g, furnished with perforations g'extending to the
inner surface of the cover for discharging liquid or casy flowing materials from the
receptacle little by little as required until the whole of the said contents are drained
away without removing the cover. substantially as and for the purpose as hereinhefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 30th day of January 1889.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Agent for the Applicants.