Improvements in Cans.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cans.
I, WILLIAM PRATT, of No. 60 Charron Street, in the City of Montreal, in the
District of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Dominion of Canada, Tinsmith, 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 sheet metal cans used more particularly for the
conveyance of paint and the like, and hitherto consisting of a cylindrical body, a
fixed bottom and a removable top, the latter having a turned up flange and being
fitted into the cylindrical body, the method of fastening the cover in place either
consisting in a series of projecting clips rivetted to the outside of the body and bent
inward over the flange of the cover, or such clips have been formed integral with
the body and bent in the same way over the flange of the cover and when the cover
is to be released bent back again to their original position.
It has also been customary in addition to rivetting a handle, in the form of a
bent strip of metal, to the cover to facilitate its removal, to provide a handle or
bail by which the vessel can be conveniently carried after the cover is removed,
such bail being in the form of a bowed strip of wire with its ends inserted in sockets
rivetted to the side of the vessel. The sockets on the side of the vessel and the
handle on the cover thereof interfere with the close packing of a number of the
vessels for shipment and I have found it desirable to dispense with both as well as
the clips for holding the cover in place, both to facilitate packing and economise in
the cost of manufacture.
To the above ends dispense with any handle to the cover other than a small
finger hold, and use a bail of special construction which passes through eyes formed
through the upper edge of the can body and the flange of the cover and furnishes a
part transversely of the vessel, which can be used both as a scraper for paint
brushes when the cover is removed and the can in use, or as a convenient support
from which such brushes can be hung, while as a means of securing the cover in
place, I simply effect at a series of points around the circumference of the vessel,
the engagement or intersection of the metal of the body with the metal of the
cover flange which engagements or intersections can readily be broken and the parts
disconnected when the cover is to be removed.
I also improve this class of cans by a special setting of the bottom in place
whereby the interior capacity of the can is increased without adding to the quantity
of the material used in the construction of the can, or the capacity can remain the
same and the amount of metal be diminished.
A further improvement consists in forming a depression in the underside of the
cover so that without removing the bail the cover after being removed can be
temporarily fitted over the part thereof which extends across the month of the can
to form a brush support.
For full comprehension however of the invention, reference must be had to the
annexed drawings forming a part of this Specification, in which like symbols
indicate corresponding parts and wherein
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved can with cover in place and the
upper edge of the body and the cover flange partly broken away;
Figure 2 being a side elevation of the can with the cover removed and the upper
portion of the body partly broken away:
Figure 3 being a plan view of the can with the cover in place and parts of the
body and the cover flange broken away,

page_text: Figures 4 and 5 detail views of the handle and cover respectively,
Figures 6 and 7 detail sectional views showing various methods of securing the
engagement or intersection of the metal of the body with that of the cover for
holding the latter in place, and
Figure 8 a detail sectional view showing a method of finishing the points of
engagement between the body and the cover.
a is the body of the can formed at its lower edge with a circumferential recess or
concavity a¹ on its inside and a horizontal flange a, b being the bottom having the
flange &c. corresponding in cross section to the form of the recess a' and fitted in
same with such flange, turned or facing the interior of the can instead of as usual,
arranged in an opposite way. By this arrangement or setting in place of the
bottom, I increase the capacity of the can or reduce the quantity of metal required
to construct a can of the same capacity as formerly.
c is the cover, c being the upwardly turned flange of the latter fitting against
the inside of the body.
The cover is preferably provided with a finger hold in the shape of a small ring c
pivotally connected with it near the edge and opposite the vertical seam in the body
of the can, so that the cover can the more easily be removed as less resistance is
experienced in raising one end of the cover at a time, than in pulling centrally upon
the whole cover. When not in use this ring can be turned down flat upon the cover
so as not to interfere with the packing of cans one upon the other.
To secure the cover in place, I prefer to first cut a series of eyes d in the body
of the can near its upper edge (removing the disc of metal) and after placing the
cover in position with its flange across the eyes d, I punch through the metal of the
cover flange immediately over each eye d and force the burre of the last opening
thus formed through it, into lateral engagement with the eye in the body thus
securing the cover firmly in place.
Figure 6 shows another method of effecting the engagement of the metals of the
body and cover flange, and which consists in punching an opening y through both
metals thus causing the burrs of both metals to be driven laterally outward; or
instead of cutting the metal through, a series of small indentations has shown in
Figure 7, can be made around the circumference of the can the metal of the
indentation in the cover flange being forced into the indentation in the body.
If desired the connecting openings made through the body and cover can be
finished by securing an eyelet therein as shown in Figure 8.
To free the cover from the body it is only necessary to chisel or strike off the
projecting burr and the ends of the eyelet, if this latter is used, or to flatten out the
indentations, after which, by hammering upon cach connecting part, particularly
the one formed in the seam of the body opposite the finger hold, and around the
upper edge of the body in an upward or oblique direction, as can conveniently be
done owing to the usual circumferential concavity j in the body, and also at the
same time drawing upon the finger hold, the cover will be very casily moved out
of place.
To carry the can I use a removeable bail or handle which consists of a strip of
wire the handle portion proper of which is curved to a semi-circular form
corresponding with and only slightly larger in size than the can so that when turned
down over the upper edge.thereof part of it will fit into the usual concavity and
be out of the way when the cans are packed for transportation.
Instead of making the handle merely with hooked ends to take into the openings
in the can body I form depressions in the strip of wire at the ends of the semi-
circular portion thereof and leave projecting portions m n of uneven length which
extend toward each other horizontally across the mouth of the can but are separated
from each other by a sufficient space to allow of fitting over them a sleeve or
length of tubing so as to form a continuous support across the can upon which
paint brushes can be scraped or laid, or from which they can be suspended with
the bristles in the paint to keep them from drying when not in use. I prefer to
bend the longer portion m of the bail out of line with the shorter one so that when

page_text: it is pressed into line with the short one in order to fit the sleeve O over the two,
the pressure upon it serves to contract somewhat the semi-circular handle portion
proper thus holding it closer to the sides of the can. The longer length m is also
slightly curved so as to effect a frictional hold upon the sleeve O and prevent it
slipping out of place. If desired the longer length m of the bail can be projected
entirely across the can and fitted through a perforation in the opposite side of the
can to form a continuous support.
In order that the cover can be temporarily refitted in place after having been
removed to open the can, it is formed with a diametrical depression in its under-
side to accommodate and fit over the transverse support across the mouth of the can
formed by the ends of the bail.
It will of course be readily apparent that my method of connecting the cover to
the body is not confined to the securing of such parts together as other parts or
joints in the vessel could be secured in the same way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is-
1. Securing together the parts of a can by the engagement or intersection of the
respective metals of such parts at a series of points around the circumference or in
the line of the joints of the can.
2. As a method of securing together the parts of a can, first forming openings
in one part and forcing the metal of the other part into such openings.
3. Securing the cover of a can to the body thereof by the engagement or inter-
section of the respective metals of the body and cover at a series of points around
the circumference of the can.
4. As a means for securing the flanged cover of a can to the body thereof, a
series of coinciding points of engagement in the respective metals of the body and
cover flange for the purpose set forth.
5. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having a flange fitting against the body, of a series of coincident connecting
openings formed through the cover flange and body for the purpose set forth.
6. As a method of securing the cover of a can to the body thereof, first forming
openings in the can body, fitting the cover in place with its flange across such
openings and forcing the metal of the flange into same.
7. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having a flange fitting against the body, of a series of coiucident connecting
openings formed through the cover flange and body with a finishing eyelet set in
such openings.
.
8. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having a flange fitting against the body, and both body and flange being perforated,
of a removable bail or carrying handle with its ends passed through said
perforations.
9. A bail or handle for cans adapted to be secured in place by its ends passing
through openings in the can body and consisting of a strip of wire bent to form a
handle portion proper and having one or more lengths projecting inwardly across
the mouth of the can for the purpose set forth.
10. A bail or handle for cans adapted to be secured in place by its ends passing
through openings in the can body and consisting of a strip of wire bent to form a
semicircular handle portion proper, having depressions at the ends of such semi-
circular portion and having one or more lengths projecting inwardly across the
mouth of the can for the purpose set forth.
11. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having an upwardly turned flange and both body and flange being perforated, of a
bail or carrying handle passed through the perforations therein.
12. A bail or handle for cans adapted to be secured in place by its ends passing
through openings in the can body and consisting of a strip of wire bent to form a

page_text: handle portion proper and having lengths (one longer than the other) projecting
inwardly across the mouth of the can, together with a sleeve or tubular section
adapted to be fitted over such lengths to secure a continuous support across the
mouth of the can for the purpose set forth.
13. A bail or handle for cans adapted to be secured in place by its ends passing
through openings in the can body and consisting of a strip of wire bent to form a
handle portion proper and having lengths, one longer than the other, projecting
inwardly across the mouth of the can, and the longer length bent out of line with
the shorter or at an angle thereto for the purpose set forth.
14. A bail or handle for cans adapted to be secured in place by its ends passing
through openings in the can body and consisting of a strip of wire bent to form a
handle portion proper and having lengths, one longer than the other, projecting
inwardly across the mouth of the can, the longer length being slightly curved, and
a sleeve or tubular section adapted to be fitted over such lengths for the purposes
set forth.
15. In a paint or other can having a transverse wire or support across the mouth
thereof and a removable cover, the latter formed with a transverse or diametrical
depression in its underside to accommodate and fit over said wire or support.
16. In a can, the combination with the lower edge of the body having a flanged
circumferential recess or concavity on its inner side, of a bottom piece formed with
a peripheral flange corresponding in cross section to the shape of said recess and
set into same with its flange inside the can for the purpose set forth.
17. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having a flange fitting against the body, and connected therewith at a series of
points around the circumference of the can, of a finger hold located near the
periphery or edge of the cover for the purpose set forth.
18. In a can, the combination with the body and the cover therefor, the latter
having a flange fitting against the body and connected therewith at a series of
points around the circumference of the can, of a pivoted finger hold located near
the periphery or edge of the cover, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 13th day of July 1894.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.