AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OIL CANS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Lees, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster,
Tin Plate Worker, and William Lees; of the same Place, Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OIL CANS."
Sealed, the 19th April 1859, and dated the 11th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left. by the said James Lees and William
... Lees at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 11th November 1858.
We,, JAMES.. LEES, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Tin Plate
Worker, and WILLIAM LEES, of the same Place, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of. the said. Invention for, "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF OIL CANS," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in constructing oil cans with an air tube reaching
from near the bottom thereof to within a short distance from the end of the
spout or tube through which the oil is delivered. Both these tubes are fixed
to the lid, and they are surrounded by a case, into which any oil that runs
down the spout or tube is collected.. By means of this improvement the oil

page_text: cannot escape from the oil can when it is lying down, and the can may be
filled till the oil nearly touches the lid; the cans are also easier to clean or
repair than those hitherto made.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Lees and William Lees in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 9th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
LEES, of Oldham, in the County of Lancaster, Tin Plate Worker, and WILLIAM
LEES, of the same Place, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said James Lees and William Lees, Her special licence that we, the said
James Lees and William Lees, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said James Lees and William Lees, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF OIL CANS,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said James Lees and
William Lees, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, or their, or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Lees and William Lees,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say):-
A
Our Invention consists in constructing oil cans with an air tube reaching
from near the bottom thereof to within a short distance from the end of the
spout or tube through which the oil is delivered. Both the air and delivery

page_text: tubes are fixed to the lid, and they are, surrounded by a case, into which any
oil that runs down the delivery spout or tube is collected: By means of this
improvement, the oil cannot escape from the oil can when it is lying down,
and the can may be filled till the oil nearly touches the lid; the cans are also,
easier to clean or repair than those hitherto made.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon.
Figure 1 is an elevation; Figures 2 and 3 are sectional elevations; and
Figure 4, a plan of an oil can constructed according to our improvement.
a is the body of the oil can, which we prefer to make of a cylindrical form
below and conical above, but the form of the body may be modified to suit
the particular purpose for which the can is intended. To the upper part of
the oil can is soldered or fixed the screwed piece b, into which is screwed the
lid c; the air tube d passes through and is fixed to the lid c, this air tube
reaches nearly to the bottom of the oil can; to the lid c is also fixed the
delivering tube e, and both the air and delivering tubes are surrounded by the
case f, which is also fixed to the lid c; this case forms a receptacle for the oil
that runs down the delivering tube after the can has been used. The upper
end of the air tube projects beyond the case f, in order that the orifice may
not become stopped by dust or impurities in the oil. When this improved oil
can is to be filled, the lid is unscrewed, and the oil is poured in until the can
is nearly full, the lid c (with the tubes d, e, and case f attached to it) is then
screwed on. In using this improved can, the oil cannot escape from the
delivering tube e until the end of the air tube d near the bottom of the can is
uncovered; the air then passing through the air tube d enters into the interior
of the oil can, as shewn in Fig. 5, thereby permitting the oil to flow freely
through the delivering tube e. When the oil can is overthrown or placed in a
horizontal position no oil can escape, for if the can be nearly full, the inner
end of the air tube is closed, and consequently no air can enter the can, and if
the can is less than half full, the level of oil will not reach up to the level of
the inner end of the delivering tube. These improved oil cans are easier to
clean and repair than those of the ordinary construction.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described the manner
of performing the same, we wish it to be understood that we are aware air
tubes have before been applied to oil cans; we therefore make no claim to the
use of air tubes except when applied to oil cans in the manner shewn and
described; but what we do claim is,-

page_text: First, the peculiar combination and arrangement of the air and delivering
tubes of oil cans, as shewn and described.
And, secondly, the application of a case surrounding the air and delivering
tubes, as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we; the said James Lees and William Lees, have
hereto set our hands and seals, the Sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
JAMES LEES.
(L.B.)
WILLIAM LEES. (L.S.)