Improvements in the Loose Covers and Cutters for Opening Hermetically Sealed Metallic Boxes or Cases.
Year: 1897

page_text: T
Improvements in the Loose Covers and Cutters for Opening
Hermetically Sealed Metallic Boxes or Cases.
I, ARTHUR CULPIN, of No. 1, Sidbury, in the City of Worcester, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to hermetically sealed cylindrical metallic boxes or cases
for containing articles of food, tobacco, cigarettes, snuff and paint and for other
like purposes provided with separate or loose covers to which loose covers cutters
are attached, the said cutters being capable of a slight radial sliding motion.
When the said cutter is in its outer position and the loose cover in place on the
box or case the point of the said cutter is out of action, that is, is not. presented to
the soldered top of the case to be cut out, but when the said cutter is drawn inwards
and the loose cover pressed to its seat on the top of the case the point of the cutter
punctures the soldered top of the case and by turning the said loose cover the said
cutter cuts out the said soldered top of the case. The said sliding cutter is usually
permanently attached to the underside of the loose cover and is only capable of
moving thereon in the radial direction herein before referred to.
My invention consists of a cutter which may be sent out with the loose cover of
the box or case but not permanently attached to the said loose cover. The acci-
dental puncturing of the box or case which sometimes occurs in transit is thereby
avoided. The loose or detachable cutter constructed as hereinafter described can be
readily put in position on the under side of the loose cover by hand that is to say,
without the use of any tools and can be brought into operation in the same way
as the ordinary cutter herein before referred to.
In constructing the loose cover and cutter according to one arrangement of my
invention proceed as follows. I make a slot in the flat top of the loose cover
and at a short distance from the edge of the same and I slightly raise the metal
between the said slot and the edge of the cover I also form on the top of the said
loose cover, by piercing an inclined tongue immediately behind and somewhat
narrower than the slot described the raised end of the tongue being most distant
from the slot. I form the cutter from a blank of thin sheet steel of a width equal
I make at one end
or approximately equal to that of the slot in the loose cover.
of the said blank, and at right angles to the other part, a V shaped point or cutter
proper for piercing and cutting the soldered top of the box or
which the loose cover is to he applied. I make in the rear or tail end of
the said cutter, that is, the end opposite to that at which the cutter proper
is situated an oblong hole or piercing of a width equal to that of the tongue on
the loose cover. The front edge of the ohlong hole or piercing in the cutter is
turned up so as to form a projection by which the cutter can be moved on the
cever.
case to
In applying the cutter described to the loose cover the turned down V shaped
cutter proper is passed through the slot in the loose cover from the upper side of

page_text: the said loose cover and the rear or tail end of the cutter is pressed down so as to
engage the inclined tongue of the loose cover in the hole or piercing in the cutter.
The tongue is then pressed down so as to lie parallel to the flat top of the loose
cover when the cutter is secured in place and is ready for use; that is to say it
may be moved radially on the said loose cover so as to make it occupy its forward
or non-acting position or its back position in which last named position if the
loose cover is pressed and turned on the box or case the soldered top will be
punctured and cut out.
According to another arrangement of my invention I make a cutter with a
raised tongue at. its middle the front or free end of which tongue being near the
acting end of the cutter. A pair of lips are found at each side of the cutter by
making short slits or piercings therein and by raising the metal between the said
piercings. The loose cover with which the said cutter is to be used has a sunken
part in its underside for the reception of the said cutter, the said sunken part having
two rectangular slots or piercings in line, in the opposite sides of which are notches
of such a size and in such a position that when the cutter is applied to the cover
in the manner hereinafter described the lips formed in the sides of the said cutter
pass through the said notches and project above the top of the said cover.
The cutter is attached to the cover by applying it to the underside of the said
cover in an oblique position so as to engage the tongue, the free end of which
is slightly raised, with the bar formed by the separation of the two slots herein-
before referred to in the sunken part of the cover. The cutter is passed along
until the lips are opposite the notches described when by slight pressure on the
cutter the lips are forced through the notches and by a slight radial sliding motion
of the cutter in one or another direction they may be made to engage with the sides
of the slots or piercings herein before referred to in the cover.
When the cutter is not required for use it is pressed into its outer position
but when it is desired to open the hermetically sealed box or case the cutter is
drawn inwards and operated through the movable cover in the ordinary way.
Dated this Sixteenth day of March 1897.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Loose Covers and Cutters for Opening
Hermetically Sealed Metallic Boxes or Cases.
I, ARTHUR CULPIN, of No. 1, Sidbury, in the City of Worcester, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My invention relates to hermetically sealed cylindrical metallic boxes or cases
for containing articles of food, tobacco, cigarettes, snuff and paint and for other
like purposes provided with separate or loose covers to which loose covers cutters
are attached, the said cutters being capable of a slight radial sliding motion. When
the said cutter is in its outer position and the loose cover in place on the box or
case the point of the said cutter is out of action, that is, is not presented to the
soldered top of the case to be cut out, but when the said cutter is drawn inwards
and the loose cover pressed to its seat on the top of the case the point of the cutter
punctures the soldered top of the case and by turning the said loose cover the said
cutter cuts out the said soldered top of the case. The said sliding cutter is usually

page_text: permanently attached to the underside of the loose cover and is only capable of
moving thereon in the radial direction herein before referred to.
The acci-
My invention consists of a cutter which may be sent out with the loose cover of
the box or case but not permanently attached to the said loose cover.
dental puncturing of the box or case which sometimes occurs in transit is thereby
avoided. The loose or detachable cutter constructed as hereinafter described can
be readily put in position on the underside of the loose cover by hand, that is to say,
without the use of any tools and can be brought into operation in the same way
as the ordinary cutter hereinbefore referred to.
In constructing the loose cover and cutter according to one arrangement of my
invention I proceed as follows. I make a slot in the flat top of the loose cover
and at a short distance from the edge of the same and I slightly raise the metal
between the said slot and the edge of the cover. I also form on the top of the
said loose cover, by piercing, an inclined tongue immediately behind and some-
what narrower than the slot described, the raised end of the tongue being most
distant from the slot. I form the cutter from a blank preferably of thin
sheet steel of a width equal or approximately equal to that of the slot in the
loose cover.
I make at one end of the said blank, and at right angles to the other
part, a V shaped point or cutfer proper for piercing and cutting the soldered top
of the box or case to which the loose cover is to be applied. I make in the rear or
tail end of the said cutter, that is, the end opposite to that at which the cutter
proper is situated, an oblong hole or piercing of a width equal to that of the tongue
on the loose cover. The front edge of the oblong hole or piercing in the cutter
is turned up so as to form a projection by which the cutter can be moved on the
cover.
In applying the cutter described to the loose cover the turned down V shaped
cutter proper is passed through the slot in the loose cover from the upper side of
the said loose cover and the rear or tail end of the cutter is pressed down so as to
engage the inclined tongue of the loose cover in the hole or piercing in the cutter.
The tongue is then pressed own so as to lie parallel to the flat top of the loose
cover when the cutter is secured in place and is ready for use; that is to say, it
may be moved radially on the said loose cover so as to make it occupy its forward
or non-acting position or its back position in which last named position if the
loose cover is pressed and turned on the box or case the soldered top will be
punctured and cut out.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings represent respectively in plan
and section a loose lid or cover and cutter constructed according to this arrange-
ment of my invention the cutter being in its drawn back or acting position;
Figure 3 represents in section a portion of the said loose lid or cover and cutter the
cutter being in its forward or non acting position; Figure 4 represents in plan the
loose lid or cover before the attachment of the cutter thereto and Figure 5 is a
section of a portion of the same; Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which the
cutter is applied to the loose lid or cover. Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent in plan,
section and end elevation respectively the cutter separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawings.
a is the slot in and near the edge of the loose lid or cover (see Figures 4 and 5)
and a the raised part between the said slot a and the edge of the loose lid or
cover. a is the inclined tongue formed by a piercing and raising operation at the
rear of the slot a. b is the cutter and b₁ the pointed end or cutter proper of the
same. At the rear end of the said cutter is an oblong hole or opening c of a size
proper when the cutter is applied to the loose lid or cover in the manner herein-
after described to take upon the inclined tongue a² of the said loose lid or cover.
The front edge 68 of the hole or opening e is turned up so as to form a projection
or finger catch 6 by which the cutter may be moved on the loose lid or cover into
its acting or non-acting position.
In applying the cutter 6 to the loose lid or cover the pointed end 6 is passed

page_text: through the slot a as illustrated in the section Figure 6 and the opening c.which
has been thereby brought over the inclined tongue a² is passed on to, the said
tongue a². The tongue a² is then pressed down flat as illustrated in the plan
Figure 1 and sections Figures 2 and 3 so as to overhang the rear or. tail end of the
cutter and thereby secure it to the lid. By pressing the finger catch or projec-
tion 62 in a forward direction the cutter may be made to take its. non-acting
position Figure 3 and by pressure in the reverse direction the cutter may be made
to take its acting position Figures 1 and 2.
According to another arrangement of my invention I make a cutter with a raised
tongue at its middle the front or free end of which tongue being near the acting
end of the cutter. A pair of lips are formed at each side of the cutter by making
short. slits or piercings therein and by raising the metal between the said piercings.
The loose cover with which the said cutter is to be used has a sunken part in its
underside for the reception of the said cutter, the said sunken part having two
rectangular slots or piercings in line, in the opposite sides of which are notches of
such a size and in such a position that when the cutter is applied to the cover in
the manner hereinafter described the lips formed in the sides of the said cutter
pass through the said notches and project above the top of the said cover.
This arrangement of my invention is illustrated in Figures 10 to 19 both inclu-ive
of the accompanying drawings.
Figure, 10 represents the loose lid or cover and cutter in plan and Figure 11
represents a portion of the same in section the cutter being in its forward or non-
acting position; Figures 12 and 13 represent similar views with the cutter in its
drawn back or acting position.
Figure 14 represents the loose lid or cover in plan before the attachment of the
cutter thereto and Figure 15 represents a portion of the same in section.
Figures 16, 17 and 18 represent respectively in plan, side and end elevation the
cutter separately, and Figure 19 represents a portion of the loose lid or cover in
section and the cutter in the act of being applied thereto.
In carrying this arrangement of my invention into effect I prefer to raise that
part of the loose lid or cover to which the cutter is to be attached as will be best
understood by reference to Figures 14 and 15. I make in the raised part two holes
or openings dd having notches d³, d, at opposite sides. I also form in the raised
part of the loose lid or cover a curved depression e. The cutter (Figures 16, 17
and 18) to be used with the said loose lid or cover has in addition to the turned
down V shaped point or cutter proper 6 an inclined middle tongue 62 and side
lips 3. 63, 63, 63 at positions on opposite sides of the cutter 6 proper when the
cutter is applied to the underside of the cover in the manner hereinafter described
to pass through the notches in the opposite sides of the openings d, d. To
attach the cutter b to the loose lid or cover the said cutter is applied to the under-
side of the loose lid or cover and the inclined tongue is passed through the rear
hole or opening as is illustrated in Figure 19. The lips 63, 63 are opposite
the notches, the cutter is pressed upwards so as to force the said lips through
the notches, d when by motion of the cutter b in one or other direction the lips
may be made
to overhang and engage with the sides of the
ings d, d, as is best seen in Figures 10 and 12. The middle inclined
tongue 62 is pressed down over the bar separating the openings d, d
and the cutter is thereby securely attached to the loose lid or cover so as to he
capable of a sliding motion thereon. The curved depression e serves to retain
the cutter when applied to the loose lid or cover in its forward or backward
position.
'
open-
From the description hereinbefore given it will be seen that loose lids or covers
and cutters made according to my invention may be sent out separately. that is,
unconnected, the attaching of the cutters being effected when required for use.
without the use of tools and without the aid of skilled labour. Consequently the
danger of the accidental puncturing of the soldered ton of the box or case with
which the loose lid or cover and cutter is used, in transit is obviated.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention:-
First; The improvements in loose covers and cutters for opening hermetically
sealed metallic boxes or cases hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1
to 9 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings the said improvements con-
sisting in forming the loose lid or cover with a slot and inclined tongue and
making in the pointed cutter which passes through the slot of the loose lid or
cover a hole or opening for passing upon the inclined tongue which is then closed
down on the rear or tail end of the cutter substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated.
Secondly; The improvements in loose covers and cutters for opening hermeti-
cally sealed metallic boxes or cases hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 10 to 19 both inclusive of the accompanying drawings the said improve-
ments consisting in forming the loose lid or cover with notched holes or openings
and the cutter with a series of side lips for engaging with the edges of the holes
or openings in the lid or cover and also with a tongue for closing upon the bar
separating the holes or openings in the loose lid or cover substantially as and for
the purpose described and illustrated.
Dated the Eighteenth day of November 1897.