IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Timothy Coleman Blanchflower, Timothy Coleman Blanch
flower, junior, and John Coleınan Blanchflower, Trading under the Style or
Firm of Blanchflower and Sons, of Great Yarmouth, in. the County of Norfolk,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO PROVISION AND OTHER
CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Timothy Coleman Blanch-
flower, Timothy Coleman Blanchflower, junior, and John Coleman Blanchflower,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1877.
TIMOTHY COLEMAN BLANCHFLOWER, TIMOTHY COLEMAN BLANCHFLOWER, junior,
and JOHN COLEMAN BLANCH FLOWER, Trading under the Style or Firm of Blanch-
flower and Sons, of Great Yarınouth, in the County of Norfolk. "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE
OPENING THEREOF.'
This Invention consists of improvements in metallic cases which are used for
preserved provisions and other purposes, and same is so formed that the case when
closed is hermetically sealed, but provision is made so that the lid can be cut to
open the case without the use of the can opener now generally used, or a knife,
instrument, or other means, and thus we avoid the trouble, difficulty, and danger
that very often arises in opening cases.
In carrying out our Invention we adopt mainly the following arrangements":―
The case is made in the ordinary way with a rim lid; the rim is provided with a
flange in which is inserted a wire. The lid is put on the case, and the same is
soldered or hermetically secured or closed. The wire which is in the lid is arranged
so that the end thereof is outside, and formed preferably with a loop at the end
thereof, or button or other terminal may be used.

page_text: To open the case all that is required is to take hold of the loop of the wire; and
upon the wire being pulled, severance is effected, and thus the lid may be removed;
and by this operation no injury is done to the case, and when desired the lid may
be replaced.
Where cases contain liquid or semi-liquid substances or other matters which may
render it desirable, or where rim lids are not generally used, we arrange the wire
around the top of the lid, and the action of pulling same cuts the top of the lid
and opens the case.
Instead of wire it may sometimes be desirable to use strips or pieces of metal or
material, so placed as to allow of the same action being performed as is performed
by the wires, as above described.
It is to be observed that, although not imperative, it is desirable that the lid or
the top of the case should be made of a thin or "tagger" tin so as to facilitate the
cutting action of the wire or material.
Sometimes it might be desirable to place the wire in a groove or flange on the
case.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Timothy Coleman Blanchflower, Timothy Coleman Blanchflower, junior,
and John Coleman Blanchflower, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
January 1878.
TIMOTHY COLEMAN BLANCHFLOWER, TIMOTHY COLEMAN BLANCH FLOWER, junior,
and JOHN COLEMAN BLANCHFLOWER, Trading under the Style or Firm of Blanch-
flower and Sons, of Great Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk. "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE
OPENING THEREOF."
This Invention consists of improvements in metallic cases which are used for
preserved provisions and other purposes, and same is so formed that the case when
closed is hermetically sealed, but provision is made so that the lid can be cut to
open the case without the use of the can opener now generally used, or a knife,
instrument, or other means, and thus we avoid the trouble, difficulty, and danger
that very often arises in opening same.
In carrying out our Invention we adopt substantially the following arrange-
ments: The case is made in the ordinary way with a rim lid; the rim is provided
with a flange in which is inserted a wire. The lid is put on the case, and the same
is soldered or hermetically secured or closed. The wire which is in the lid is
arranged so that the end thereof is outside, and formed preferably with a loop at
the end thereof, or button or other terminal may be used.
To open the case all that is required is to take hold of the loop of the wire; and
upon the wire being pulled, severance is effected, and thus the lid may be removed;
and by this operation no injury is done to the case, and when desired the lid may
be replaced.

page_text: Where cases contain liquid or semi-liquid substances or other matters which may
render it desirable, or where rim lids are not generally used, we arrange the wire
around the top of the lid, and the action of pulling same cuts the top of the lid
and opens the case.
Instead of wire it may sometimes be desirable to use strips or pieces of metal or
other material, so placed as to allow of the same action being performed as is per-
formed by the wires, as above described.
It is to be observed that, although not imperative, it is desirable that the lid or
the top of the case should be made of a thin or "tagger" tin, so as to facilitate
the cutting action of the wire or material; but this is not absolutely necessary.
Sometimes it might be desirable to place the wire in a groove or flange on the
case.
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice,
we will now proceed (aided by the accompanying Drawings) to further and parti-
cularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, that is to say :-
.
applied thereto.
Figure 2, side view of same when opened, with top part of lid cut off.
Figure 3, section of side of case and lid, showing the position of wire and flange,
as in Figures 1 and 2.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3, the wire for cutting open the case is arranged (as shewn)
in a flange or recess a in the upper part of the case A.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of our arrangements for opening cases, adapted to the
top of case.
Figure 5 is top plan.
Figure 6, side view of case, with flange or recess for wire made in the lid instead
of in the case, as before described in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Figure 7, part section of arrangement shown by Figure 6.
In these Figures A is the case, which is made in the ordinary way with lid B,
and provided with a flange or recess a, in which the wire C is inserted. Said flange
or recess may be either in the case A, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, or in the
lid B itself, as shown in Figures 6 and 7.
In
In Figures 4 and 5 the wire C is arranged under the top part of case.
this arrangement a portion of the upper part D is cut out, leaving a flange "6" on
the case itself. The top portion D, when the case is required to be closed, is
soldered to this flange b, the wire being arranged underneath, as shown in
Figure 4.
The action in each of the arrangements, shown by the Drawings, is substantialiy
the same.
All that is required, in order to open the case, is to take hold of the loop C¹ of
wire C; and upon the same being pulled, severance is effected, and thus the lid may
be removed, as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, we hereby declare that we claim the Invention of "Improvements Applicable
to Provision and other Closed Cases or Boxes to Facilitate the Opening thereof,"
substantially as the same is herein-before set forth and described, and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings, wherein the important and peculiar feature is the
use and adaptation of a cutting or ripping-open wire, arranged and combined in the

page_text: construction of provision or other closed cases or boxes to facilitate the opening
thereof, substantially as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Timothy Coleman Blanchflower, Timothy
Coleman Blanchflower, junior, and John Coleman Blanchflower, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.