Improvements in Canteens.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Canteens.
I, GEORGE SIMEON KNAPP, of 534, Sheridan Road, Evanston, in the County of
Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturers' Agent, 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 follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to canteens and has for its object to provide a device
of this character with a combined closure and filter, whereby the contents of the
canteen may be filtered before use, the filter and closure being connected with
each other and thereby adapted to be inserted into and withdrawn from the
canteen together, so that this latter may be readily and quickly filled when the
device is removed therefrom, while the filter will be protected from injury when
in place in the canteen. My invention also has for a further object to provide
a canteen which may be constructed at a comparatively small expense and with
great rapidity, and which shall be strong, simple and durable and free from
certain objections attendant upon canteens as ordinarily constructed.
To these ends the present invention consists in certain novel features which I
will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which: -
Figure 1 is a view of the inner face of one-half of the canteen, and
Figure 2 is a similar view of the other half, before the two portions are
assembled;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing the two halves or portions placed
together but with their edges not yet seamed or united;
Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view through the completed canteen with all
of its parts assembled; and
Figure 5 is a perspective view, illustrating the several parts of the filtering
apparatus removed from the canteen and slightly separated.
In carrying out my present invention I construct the canteen of sheet metal in
two similar halves or portions divided centrally in the plane of the body of the
canteen. One of these halves or portions, as shown in Figure 1 comprising a
body portion 10, which forms one-half of the completed body of the canteen,
and a neck or nozzle portion 11, which forms one-half of the neck or nozzle of
the completed canteen, the two parts 10 and 11 being integral or formed from a
single sheet or blank of sheet metal, preferably by striking them up to shape
in suitable dies. The other half or portion of the canteen comprises a body
portion 12, similar to the body portion 10, and a nozzle portion 13, similar to
the nozzle portion 12, the two parts 12 and 13 being also integral and preferably
struck up in the manner stated. One of the two members or portions, as, for
instance, the portion 12, is formed from a blank of somewhat larger dimensions
than the other portion, so that the other member may fit within the margin
thereof and the two members may be joined by spinning or turning down the
edge of the larger member upon the included edge of the smaller one. In
Figure 3 I have shown the two members as thus placed together before the

page_text: spinning or seaming operation, while in Figure 4 I have shown the two members
as joined together by the completion of the seam. The joint thus formed may
be readily soldered by the dipping process, or in any other suitable manner.
In order to form a vent to permit the entrance of air during the pouring of
the contents of the canteen, I provide in the nozzle portion of one of the two
halves of the canteen a slot or cut 14, and I form in said nozzle portion a groove
or channel 15 extending downward toward the body of the canteen. This groove
or channel is formed by pressing outward the body of the metal, and this may
be conveniently accomplished by the same dies which give the general shape to
the member and simultaneously with the shaping up thereof. If desired, the
slit or cut 14 may be made at the same time, so that the entire vent may be
formed at one operation when the body is struck up.
The canteen thus constructed has certain advantages over such vessels as ordi-
narily made, in which the body of the canteen is formed separately from the
neck or nozzle, which is joined thereto by seaming and soldering, thus forming
an internal enlargement or roughness which tends to gather dirt or refuse and
prevents the proper cleaning of the interior of the canteen. Moreover, with the
ordinary construction, the vent is formed of a separate tube soldered to the
exterior of the canteen and requiring that an aperture be formed through the
body in order to permit it to communicate with the interior thereof, necessita-
ting also a soldered joint at this point. All these disadvantages are done away
with by the construction which I have devised and the canteen is much more
quickly, readily and cheaply made and easier to clean. The vent is formed at
the same time that the body is shaped up and all soldering in connection there-
with is avoided.
Although the canteen body as thus constructed possesses the advantages pointed
out, I do not limit my invention to the employment, in connection with the com-
bined closure and filter hereinafter described, of this particular canteen body of
my invention, as said closure and filter may be employed in connection with can-
teens of other constructions.
My improved closure and filter comprises a closure 16, constructed of rubber
or other elastic material, having an opening therethrough from end to end and
provided about midway of its length with an internal annular groove or seat 17.
The closure 16 is adapted to fit the interior of the neck or nozzle of the canteen
and is preferably provided at its outer or exposed end with a flange or enlarge-
ment 18 to act as a stop and seat itself against the end of the neck. I prefer
to construct said closure entirely of rubber, but it may be constructed of some
other material and be provided with an outer ring or jacket of rubber, if desired.
19 indicates the filter tube, which preferably consists of a hollow tube of porous
earthenware, closed at its lower end and provided at its open upper end with a
bead or flange 20 which fits within the groove or seat 17 and serves to hold the filter
tube in place. This form of filter tube possesses superior filtering properties and
is very readily cleaned by simply washing its exposed or outer surface. The
rubber closure serves not only to make a tight joint to prevent leakage at the
nozzle of the canteen, but also forms a portion of the defining wall of the vent
passage 15, and, by reason, of its compressibility, serves to more firmly hold
the filter tube in place when said tube and the closure are inserted in the neck
or nozzle of the canteen. 21 indicates a stopper which is adapted to close the
mouth of the closure and which is provided with a ring or eye 22, by means of
which it may be secured to the body of the canteen by a chain or other suitable
flexible connection.
It will be seen that, by reason of the construction above described, the closure,
along with the filter tube, may be withdrawn from the canteen and the canteen
quickly and readily filled through the comparatively large opening thus left
at the neck or nozzle. The closure and filter may then be re-inserted, with the
stopper 21 in place within the mouth of the closure, whereupon the canteen will
be effectually closed and will itself enclose and thus protect from injury the

page_text: filter tube 19. The water in the body of the canteen will filter through the
walls of the tube 19, and the interior of this latter will become filled with pure
filtered water, which may be drawn or poured therefrom at any time by removing
the stopper from the pouring orifice. The apparatus as a whole takes up no
more space than the ordinary canteen without the filter attachment, and a con-
stant supply of filtered water is thus rendered obtainable without adding to any
appreciable extent to the weight or number of the articles to be carried by the
soldier.
It will also be seen that the body of the closure forms, in practice, a nozzle
or mouth piece, so that the filter tube, when withdrawn from the canteen, may
be inserted into a body of water, and the water may be drawn directly by suc-
tion through the same, thus permitting the user to drink directly from the body
of water with safety.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :--
1. The combination, with a canteen having a neck or nozzle, of a removable
closure therefor having a pouring orifice and an internal seat or recess, the
external wall of said closure being of a material, such as rubber, adapted to form
a tight joint with the neck or nozzle, a filter tube composed of porous material
having a closed lower end and an open upper end and adapted to the internal
seat or recess of the closure, and a removable stopper for the pouring orifice,
substantially as described.
2. The combination, with a canteen having a neck or nozzle, of a removable
closure of rubber or like elastic material having an opening therethrough and
an internal groove or seat, a filter tube composed of porous material having a
closed lower end and having a bead or flange upon its open upper end to fit
the groove or seat of the closure, and a removable stopper for the closure, sub-
stantially as described.
3. A sheet metal canteen composed of two similar halves or portions united
at their edges, each portion comprising in one integral piece one-half of the body
and one-half of the neck or nozzle, substantially as described.
4. A sheet metal canteen composed of two similar halves or portions united
at their edges, each portion comprising in one integral piece one-half of the body
and one-half of the neck or nozzle, and one of said portions being slit or cut at
the neck or nozzle and grooved or channelled from said slit or cut to the body,
substantially as described.
5. A sheet metal canteen composed of two similar halves or portions united
at their edges, each portion comprising in one integral piece one-half of the
body and one-half of the neck or nozzle, and one of said portions being slit or
cut at the neck or nozzle and grooved or channelled from said slit or cut to the
body, in combination with a closure adapted to fit the neck or nozzle and having
an opening therethrough, a filter tube composed of porous material having a
closed lower end and having its open upper end secured in the opening of the
closure, and a removable stopper for the upper end of the closure, substantially
as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.