IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES FOR CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA AND OTHER ARTICLES AND IN THE LIDS OR COVERS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN CLARE of Penketh near Warrington Co of Lancaster Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES FOR
CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA AND OTHER ARTICLES AND IN THE LIDS OR COVERS
FOR THE SAME to be as follows:-
•
Hitherto Caustic Soda has been packed in sheet iron drums or packages in a
liquid state through a circular aperture in the top or head of the said sheet iron.
drum or package which aperture has been covered or closed by a cast iron or
other lid or cover attached to the head of said drum by screws or by means of
levers or toggles.
Now the nature of my invention is to do away with the necessity for the use of
such screws or other such mechanical means for fastening in the said lids or covers
while making as I'claim a more convenient, better fitting & more economical
closing of the said aperture.
For this purpose if it be desired to retain the circular form of the aperture
though I prefer the one mentioned hereafter I proceed to so treat the top of the
drum around the aperture as described immediately hereafter, that is, forming all
around a fold or collar, and make the circular lid or cover in the same manner as
is described also immediately following the particulars last referred to, that is by
forming all around a fold or collar, and the mode of applying this same circular lid
or cover is by making a notch or slot in both the turned back portion of the
drum top & likewise in that of this circular lid & by applying the lid so that
the notches shall be in contact and thus allowing the one fold to slide within the
other so that the lid by a circular motion to left or right as may be, will by the
thus turning gradually enter within the folds & fasten itself: but I prefer for
the purpose to make a square or squarish aperture in the drum head or an
opening such that at least two opposite sides shall be in great part parrallel or
nearly so to one another & I proceed either at the same time or as an after
operation or operations & by hand or mechanical means to turn up & lay back and
down so much of the sheet iron or metal of each such sides of the aperture as may
form a fold or seam or open beading on the top face or end of the said drum or
package of such convenient width as desired say 3/8ths of one inch wide on the face
or top & so turned or laid down as to leave a vacancy between the said portion so
B

page_text: turned back and laid down & the top of said drum of from 1/18th to 1/8th of an inch
more or less as desired & so as to permit the easy sliding therein of the lid or cover
next hereafter mentioned, the portion turned up being in fact a groove, roll or slide
for the after mentioned lid or cover to work backwards & forwards in, into,
upon & against.
The lid or cover for the said aperture I form by preference of wrought sheet
iron, tin plate, or other sheet metal & of such size as needed to cover the said hole
and being provided with turned & folded edges so that at least two of them
(unless it be made circular) may be parrallel or nearly so & so as to slide into,
between, along upon and against & to clasp, the returned or lapped or folded
portion of the side of the aperture into drum or package as above named so that
moving along & upon the said slides or folds the cover may advance along till the
said aperture be covered and upon being withdrawn the said aperture will (of
course) be again uncovered.
In application the said grooves or folds in the drum top (around the aperture)
will be turned upwards & folded outwards & downwards; those in the cover will
in effect be turned downwards & underwards so that when applied they will
interlock with those around the aperture in the drum top & slide along between &
on them on either side until the aperture be covered and the size space & degree of
fold & closeness of the one will govern that of the the other & they must be as
nearly as may be in agreement & of equal width & space so as easily to pass, the
one, the cover folds, within & along the other entering from either end of the two
parrallel sides or one end only if so wished.
If it be desired to make the lid more securely fast in its place (after being slid
over the opening) I take out in the making so much of the one turned edge of the
lid as may suffice to leave exposed the edge of and some small portion of the fold
likewise around the drum head aperture & when the lid is so in its place turn up
Blightly by a pair of pincers or some such means through the space named above
the then underfold so as to prevent the plate or cover moving backwards or
forwards.
-
I also claim to use a cast metal lid or cover so cast as that it shall clasp and
enter within from one end or side the space of the grooving or fold on drum top &
being pushed along cover the aperture as already described.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JOHN CLARE of 7 Elizabeth Terraco Ditton, by Widnes (late of Halehook,
Penketh, near Warrington) Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PACKAGES FOR CONTAINING CAUSTIC SODA &
OTHER ARTICLES AND IN THE LIDS OR COVERS FOR THE SAME, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
Hitherto Caustic Soda has been packed in sheet iron drums or packages in a
liquid state through a circular aperture in the top or head of the said sheet iron
drum or package which aperture has been covered or closed by a cast iron or other
lid or cover attached to the head of the said drum by screws or by means of levers
or toggles, now the nature of my invention is to do away with the necessity for
the use of such screws, or other such mechanical means for fastening in the said
lids or covers while making as I claim a more convenient better fitting and moro
economical closing of the said aperture.
For this purpose if it be desired to retain the circular form of the aperture
(though I prefer the one mentioned hereafter) I proceed to so treat the top of the
drum around the aperture as described immediately hereafter, that is, forming all
round a fold or collar and make the circular lid or cover in the same manner as is
described immediately hereafter, also, and following the particulars last referred to,
that is, by forming all around a fold or collar and the mode of applying this same
circular lid or cover is making a notch or slot in both the turned back portion of
the drum top and likewise in that of this circular lid and by applying the lid so
that the notches shall be in contact and thus allowing the one fold to slide within
the other so that the lid, by a circular motion to left or right as may be, will, by
the thus turning gradually enter within the folds and fasten itself: but I prefer
for the purpose to make a square or squarish aperture in the drum head or an
opening such that at least two opposite sides shall be in great part parralel or
nearly so to one another and I proceed either at the same time or as an after
operation or operations & by hand or mechanical means to turn up & lay back
and down so much of the sheet iron or metal of each such sides of the aperture as
may form a fold or seam or open beading on the top face or end of the said drum
or package of such convenient width as desired say 3/ths of one inch wide on the
face or top, & so turned or laid down as to leave a vacancy between the said
portion so turned back and laid down and the top of said drum of from 1/18th to
1/8th of an inch, more or less as desired, and so as to permit the easy sliding therein
of the lid or cover next hereafter mentioned, the portion turned up being in fact a
groove roll or slide for the aftermentioned lid or cover to work backwards and
forwards in, into upon and against.
The lid or cover for the said aperture I form by preference of wrought sheet
iron, tin plate, or other sheet metal of such size as needed to cover the said hole
and being provided with turned & folded edges so that at least two of them
(unless it be made circular) may be parralel or nearly so and so as to slide into

page_text: between along upon and against and to clasp the returned, or lapped, or folded,
portions of the sides of the aperture into drum or package as above named so that
moving along and upon the said slides or folds the cover may advance along till
the said aperture be covered and upon being withdrawn the said aperture will (of
course) be again uncovered.
In application the said grooves or folds in the drum top (around the aperture)
will be turned upwards & folded outwards & downwards those on the cover will
in effect be turned downwards and underwards so that when applied they will
interlock with those around the aperture in the drum top and slide along between
& on them on either side until the aperture be covered, and the size space and
degree of fold & closeness of the one will govern that of the other & they must be
as nearly as may be in agreement & of equal width & space so as easily to pass the
one, the cover folds, within and along the other entering from either end of the
two parralel sides or one end only if so wished. If it be desired to make the lid
more securely fast in its place (after being slid over the opening) I take out in the
making so much of the one turned edge of the lid as may suffice to leave exposed
the edge of & some small portion of the fold likewise around the drum head
aperture and when the lid is so in its place turn up slightly by a pair of pincers or
some such means through the space named above the then exposed underfold and
so as to prevent the plate moving backwards or forwards; I also claim to use a
cast metal cover so cast as that it shall clasp and enter within from one end or side
the space of the grooving or fold in drum top & being pushed along cover the
aperture as already described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 The doing away with use of screws and toggles.
2 The making a cover to fit and fasten on by means of the folding of the edges
of said cover and of vessel top to correspond as described.
3 The using of a cast metal cover so cast as to fit & slide on the top of vessel as
prepared for same by the folding of the edges of aperture as described.
Dated this Eleventh day of May 1885