IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER HERMETICALLY CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Rollason, of Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, in
the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for an Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS
IN PROVISION AND OTHER HERMETICALLY CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO
FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Rollason at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1881.
WILLIAM ROLLASON, of Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER HERMETI-
CALLY CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF."
This Invention relates to improvements in provision and other hermetically closed
cases or boxes to facilitate the opening thereof.
These cases are usually made of tin-plate, and in constructing them according
to my Invention I make the body of the case and the lid in the usual manner, that
is, the rim lid slips inside the body, the latter being slightly belled or recessed out
to receive the lid. Around the outer surface of the rim of the lid, and in a plano
parallel to the top surface of the lid, I form by spinning or otherwise a small groove,
into which I insert a turn of wire so as to lie flush with the outer surface of the
rim of the lid. One end of this wire is fastened to the lid by being turned in and
soldered or otherwise, and the other end is turned outwards, and as the lid is placed
in the recess of the body of the case to be soldered in, this end is passed through
a small holo in the body, and thus is made to project outside, and is folded against
the side of the case till required for use. The lid is now soldered down in the
ordinary way. When it is required to open the tin the projecting end of the wire
is taken hold of by a suitable instrument and pulled through the tin casing, thereby
cutting same and severing the lid from the body without the use of the ordinary
tin opener, and with much greater facility. The wire should be as thin as possible
to render the cutting the more easy, and to this end the material should be the

page_text: strongest possible. By applying the opening wire according to my Invention a
great advantage is obtained over previous attempts in this direction, inasmuch as
the ordinary method of making the cases (proved by long experience to be the
best) is not departed from, whilst though the extra cost of forming the groove
round the rim of the lid and applying the wire is merely nominal, a very great
desideratum attained. A convenient tool to draw the wire through the body of
the case is a small round bar of iron or other metal, having a handle at one end and
a slit in the other of a width about the thickness of the wire. This alit is placed
over the wire and the instrument turned round and round, winding the wire onto
it, and so drawing it through and cutting the metal of the case. It may be
advantageous to form this bar slightly conical to facilitate the removal from it of
the coil of wire when the cutting has been completed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said William Rollason in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th December 1881.
:
WILLIAM ROLLASON, of Kirby Street, Hatton Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER HERMETI-
CALLY CLOSED CASES OR BOXES TO FACILITATE THE OPENING THEREOF."
This Invention relates to improvements in provision and other hermetically
closed cases or boxes, either of circular, oval, oblong, or other form, to facilitate the
opening thereof.
These cases are usually made of tin plate, and in constructing them according to
my Invention I make the body of the case and the lid in the usual manner, that
is, the rim lid slips into the upper part of the body, the latter being made slightly
bellied or recessed to receive the lid. Around the outer surface of the rim of tho
lid, and in a plane parallel to the top surface of the lid, I form by spinning or
otherwise a small groove, into which I insert a turn of wire, which wire may be
used as a single line, doubled, twisted, or stranded, the wire being sunk in the
groove so as to lie flush with the outer-surface of the rim of the lid. One' end of
this wire is fastened to the lid by being turned in and soldered or otherwise
secured, and the other end is turned outwards. As the lid is placed in position for
closing the box, previously to soldering, this free end of the wire is passed through
a small hole in the upper part of the case, and thus is made to project outside the
case, and is folded closely against the side of the case until the case is required to
be opened. The lid is then soldered down in the ordinary way, and solder is
applied to the hole to seal the same. When it is required to open the tin, the
projecting end of the wire is taken hold of by a suitable key or other instrument
and forcibly pulled in a direction away from the body of the case. This causes the
wire to cut away the upper edge of the tin case, and thereby sever the connection
of the lid with the body of the case, and thus renders the opening of the case much
less difficult than with ordinary tin cases. Wire formed of material which has
great tensile strength and ductility is preferred, in order that thin wire may be
used to facilitate the cutting operation. By applying the opening wire according
to my Invention a great advantage is obtained over previous attempts in this
direction, inasmuch as the ordinary method of making the cases (proved by long
experience to be the best) is not departed from, while the extra cost of forming the
groove round the rim of the lid and applying the wire is very small. A convenient
tool to draw the wire through the body of the case is a key or round bar of iron
or other suitable metal, having a handle at one end and a longitudinal slit at the
other end suited to the thickness of the wire. This slit seizes the wire, and the
instrument being wound, turned, or revolved on the circumference of the case,
the wire is wound upon the key, thereby cutting the metal of the case. It is
preferred to form the slotted end of this bar slightly conical, in order to facilitate
the removal therefrom of the coil of wire when the cutting has been completed.
And in order that my said Invention may be clearly understood, reference is
made to the accompanying Drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate
similar parts in the several Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side view of a lid formed in accordance with my said Invention.
a is the top of the lid, and b is the groove which surrounds the rim for the
reception of the wire. Fig. 2 is an inside plan view of the same with the wire in
position, the inner end soldered thereto at c, and the outer end being laid against
the outside, as shewn at d. This free end is passed through the hole in the outer
case when the lid is put in and laid close against the outside. This wire may bo
doubled, twisted, stranded, or single.

page_text: Fig. 3 is an elevation of the complete case with the wire terminal & projecting
through the hole e, as shown; f is the body of the case.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent the forms of keys to be preferred; g is the slot or opening
for seizing the wire. The lower edges h, h, of the fork are ground to a chisel edge
to facilitate the operation of opening.
When the key is applied to the outer end of the wire, the wire cuts its way
through the tin, the wire being rolled upon the key, and when the operation is
complete the tin appears as shown in Fig. 4, the lid being attached to the case by a
very small portion of the circumference, from which it may be readily removed by
hand.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed and carried into effect,
I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,
The general construction, means, and arrangements, together forming my improve-
ments in provision and other hermetically closed cases or boxes to facilitato the
opening thereof, substantially as herein before described and shewn on the Drawings,
or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Rollason, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.