Year: 1886

page_text: I, WILLIAM BRUCE, of Victoria Dock, Dundee, Forfarshire, Marine and General
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows :-
My invention has reference to, and comprises certain improvements in the construc-
tion of the tops or open ends of milk cans or vessels, and their closing lids and fittings,
which will be much better and more convenient for the stoppering and opening up of
such cans, and preserving the milk in them clean and without loss, during transit,
than has been the case with milk vessels as heretofore constructed.
When applied to the common tall conical milk cans now in use, made of galvanized
sheet metal with outerwardly domed bottom and a strong outer protecting basement
hoop rim; having the small conical top part made nearly all open as the filling and
emptying mouth, with joint set for lid and a reverse conoidal rim projecting outwards
and upwards with strong thin rim at top, to form a safety filler and a protector to the
lid fitted in ring seat, inside this upper conical filler rim. My said improvements
consist, in forming the closing or jointing seat parts of the mouth of the cans, and of
the lid, of strong rings of brass or other suitable metal, flat on their adjacent faces,
but soldered outside to their enclosing sheet metal parts. In the upper face of the
said ring seat part of the mouth of the can, a small sunk dove-tail groove is formed,
into which a flat vulcanized india-rubber ring is fitted or compressed, so that it is
quite secured by the angled edges of the groove, and has its broadish flat face
preferably projecting up a little above the surface of its ring seat. The inverted ring
part of the lid, which joints over and covers in the said ring seat and mouth of can, is
sufficiently less in diameter to be easily raised and lowered on a new removable hinge
at one side of and within the conical filler mouth at the top of the can, and has a
domed sheet metal top soldered or otherwise secured liquid tight to the upper face
and outer edge of the ring; which has on its inner and lower face a deep edge rim
formed to fit easily down into the open mouth, in the ring seat of the can, as also a
V shaped ring slightly rounded and projecting down from its flat face, a little larger
in diameter, so that its lower sharp rounded edge comes down over and forms a liquid

page_text: tight joint on and with the india-rubber ring in the top seat and mouth of the can,
when folded and pressed down by its said hinge joint parts, secured to it and the
inner face of the conical top rim of the can. The lid is thus pressed down to make
the tight joint, by a short jointed or hinged hand lever, which has its lower joint part
riveted, or otherwise secured to the lid on the opposite side to the separating hinged
parts, on which it opens and shuts, so that when the upper jointed lever part is pulled
over or outwards a slot in it takes over an angular or curved staple secured to the
near inside of the said conical filler part at top of the can, which by the lever and
inclined or wedge action of the securing staple, presses down the lid on its rubber seat
and secures it very tight by this simple action, easily effected or released in a second
or so. A padlock, or securing pin, can easily be inserted through a hole in the outer
end of the staple, outside the retaining strap of the hand lever folded over it, so as to
secure the lid and prevent its getting loose or being tampered with during transit,
either using seals or sealed labels or not as desired. The body of the cans would have
the usual side handles for carrying, tilting, and emptying them. The hinged part of
the lid on the opposite side of the tightening and securing hand lever, is preferably
formed in two parts, so as to allow of the lid being easily removed when opened up,
for cleaning and ease of emptying out the milk without the lid. The hollow joint
part of the hinge is secured to the inside of the conical filler top, and the other fulcrum
part is secured to the top of the lid, having the fulcrum projecting up so as to enter the
hollow fixed hinged part, so as to act with a leverage to tighten down the hinged side
of the lid when pressed down by its securing handle at the other side.
Other simple or equivalent means of tightening down the said lids to their india-
rubber seats, night be employed, besides the one described, to suit other shapes and
constructions of milk cans or vessels; as for flat topped or wooden vessels the fixed
part of the hinge of the lid might be secured to the top end of the vessel as described
(when that was larger than the ring seat fitted into it), and the jointed pressing down
handle could be folded down over a curved or angled tightening staple secured in the
front or outside of milk vessels of this character, which had no inverted cone filler rim
at top to secure the staple and tightening handle to. Or otherwise, instead of hinging
the lid as stated, it might be fitted with a cross bar or tripod, and a central screw
tightening lever over it, made so that when the lid was inserted into the seat, the wedge
ends of the locking cross bar could be pressed into the staples, or the screw could be
turned after the ends of the locking bar were shifted or turned under the staples,
according to their shape; and in either case, the lever of the lockers, or the screw,
could be secured by a padlock or otherwise, to prevent the loosening of the lid or
tampering with it. When these locking cross bars are used, the top of the can could
be strengthened by cross bars or otherwise, to receive the strain of the screw or
lever on it.
In some cases, when preferred, a small ventilating opening and valve may be fitted
in the top of the lid, preferably within a small cap soldered on it for the purpose.
The small hole would open through the cover into a small chamber in the lower part
of the cap, fitted with a valve in the upper part of this chamber, which would auto-
matically open by gravitation, and allow any gases to escape from the milk, (caused
by motion or heat) into the upper part of the cap. A conical baffle plate would
preferably be fitted over the opening of the valve, with openings at side and centre, to
allow the gases to escape through small lateral holes in the upper part of the cap
without escape of the milk, which would run back into the can through the valve,
which if the can was turned up, would automatically close and prevent the escape of
the milk.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Fittings Connected with the Tops and Lids of Milk Cans
or Vessels.
I, WILLIAM BRUCE, of Victoria Dock, Dundee, Forfarshire, Marine and General
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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My invention has reference to, and comprises certain improvements in the construc-
tion of the tops or open ends of milk cans or vessels, and their closing lid and fittings,
which will be much better and more convenient for the stoppering and opening up of
such cans, and preserving the milk in them clean and without loss, during transit,
than has been the case with milk vessels as heretofore constructed.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood I have hereunto appended an
explanatory sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to indicate
corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figures 1 and 2 are an elevation
and plan respectively with the upper part in Figure 1 in section, to show the details
of construction of the improvements, all of an ordiniary shape of milk can, to which
my improvements are shown as applied; consisting generally of an ordinary tall
conical milk can such as now commonly in use, with conical body or case A made of
galvanized or tinned sheet metal, with an outwardly or inwardly domed bottom A¹ and
a strong outer protecting basement hoop rim at A", shown dotted in in Figure 1
with side handles A³ for carrying, tilting and emptying the vessel by, and having the
small inverted conical top part also made of sheet metal and nearly all open as a filling
and emptying mouth, with a detachable joint heel hinge a a¹ and hinged hasp a² for
securing the lid B on opposite side, and a reverse conoidal rim projecting outwards
and upwards with strong thin rim at top, to form a safety filler and a protector to the
lid B, which is fitted on ring seat B¹, inside this upper rim, all so far substantially
of a usual form and construction. Figure 3 shows the new or improved lid B inverted,
to show the under or inside, as shown in detail section in Figure 1, and in plan in
Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a plan view of the milk can with the lid removed, to show
the new or improved groove and ring of india-rubber & as fitted within the rim B' for
tightening down the lid B upon, as will hereinafter be explained.
Referring to these Figures 1 to 4 :-My said improvements consist in forming the
elosing or jointing scat part B' of the mouth of milk cans, and of the lid B, of strong
rings of brass or other suitable metal at B and B2 flat on their adjacent faces, but
soldered to their outer enclosing sheet metal parts A2 and B respectively. In the
upper face of the said ring seat part B of the mouth of the can, a small sunk dovetail
groove is formed, into which a flat vulcanized india-rubber ring b' is fitted or com-
pressed, so that it is quite secured by the angled edges of the groove, and has its

page_text: broadish flat face preferably projecting up a little above the surface of its ring seat B¹.
The inverted ring part B2 of the lid B, which joints over and covers in the said ring
seat B¹ and mouth of can, is sufficiently less in diameter to be easily raised and lowered
on a removable hinge at one side of and within the conical filler mouth A² at the top
of the can, and has a domed sheet metal top B soldered or otherwise secured liquid
tight to the upper face and outer edge of the ring B2; which has on its inner and
lower face a deep edge rim 62 formed to fit easily down into the open mouth B¹, in the
ring seat of the can, as also a V-shaped ring 6 preferably slightly rounded and
projecting down from the flat face ring B2 a little larger in diameter than the rim 62
so that its lower sharp rounded edge comes down over and forms a liquid tight joint
on and with the india-rubber ring b¹ in the top seat B', and mouth of the can, when
folded and pressed down by its said hinge joint parts a, a¹ and a², secured to it and
the inner face of the conical top rim A2 of the can.
The lid B, B², is thus pressed
down to make the tight joint, by the short jointed or hinged hand hasp lever a² which
has its lower joint part riveted or otherwise secured to the lid B on the opposite side
to the separating hinged parts a and a' on which it opens and shuts, so that when the
upper jointed lever hasp part a² is pulled over or outwards, a slot a³ in it takes over
an angular or curved staple c secured to the near inside of the said conical filler
part A2 at the top of the can, which by the hasp lever a² and inclined or wedge action
of the securing pin, can easily be inserted through a hole in the outer end of the
staple c, outside the retaining hasp of the hand lever a foldod over it, so as to secure
the lid B and prevent its getting loose or being tampered with during transit, either
using locks, seals or sealed labels or not as desired. A simple form of twisted strong
brass wire or pin c¹ is shown for so securing the hasp and lid, attached by a light
chain c² to the lid, easily inserted through the hole in the staple c, as shown inserted
and secured in Figure 2, and loose in Figure 3. The hinged part a, a¹ of the lid B, B2
on the opposite side of the tightening and securing hand lever a², is preferably formed
in two parts, so as to allow of the lid being easily removed when opened up for
cleaning, and ease of emptying out the milk without the lid. The hollow joint part a
of the hinge is secured to the inside of the conical filler top A2 and the other fulerum
part a' is secured to the top B of the lid, having the fulcrum projecting up so as to
enter the hollow fixed hinged part, to act with a leverage to tighten down the hinged
side of the lid when pressed down by its securing handle a² at the other side.
Figure 1 A shows a sectional elevation of a plain lid B, B2, b, all formed as described
without any ventilating arrangement, in accordance with the said improvements. But
when preferred, a small inverted valve and its seat 1), D', opening inwards, is fitted in
the top of the lid B as shown particularly in Figure 1, preferably within a small inner
case, and cap D2, D3, screwed or soldered into the lid B from the inside for the
purpose. A small hole d would open through the cover 13 into the small chamber D²
in the lower part of the valve case D₁ of the lid B the valve D being fitted to work in
the upper part D¹ of this chamber D2 which would automatically open by gravitation,
and allow any gases (caused by motion or heat) to escape from the milk through the
holes d', in the case D2, into and out through grooves in the valve D, and holes d² in
the upper part or case d³ above the valve. A conical plate or disc is formed in the
cap D³ fitted over the small opening d of the valve case D2 having a brass or other
ball e in it which supports the valve D when it is slightly open to allow the gas to
escape as described, when the can is standing on end, all as indicated by the arrows in
Figure 1. But to prevent the escape of the milk, when the can was tilted, the ball e
would roll on the conical end of the cover D³, and automatically shut the valve D
against its seat D¹, and prevent any escape of the milk; but as soon as the can was
turned back on end, the valve would again open and allow of the escape of the gas ;
while any milk which got into the case D2 of the valve would run back into the can
through the small hole d in the conical cap D³. Although the bearing rim b has been
shown as formed on the cover B, B² it might be fitted on the rim B' of the top of the
can, and have the india-rubber groove and ring b¹ formed in the rim B2, of the
cover B, that is, have the jointed parts b,, inverted and act all in an equivalent
manner for tightening up the lid, as shown in detached section in Figure 1 B.

page_text: For milk cans with different shapes of tops from that described and shown in the
Drawings as for flat topped or wooden milk vessels:-Other simple or equivalent
means of tightening down the said lid B, B2, and its edge rim to its india-rubber
seat might be employed besides that described and illustrated by the hinged and
jointed parts a, a, and the hasp a² and c, in which case the fixed part a of the hinge a¹
of the lid B might be secured to the top end of the vessel as described (when that was
larger than the ring seat fitted into it), and the jointed pressing down handle a² could
be folded down over a curved or angled tightening staple as c secured in the front or
outside of milk vessels of this character, which had no inverted cone filler rim at top
to secure the staple and tightening handle to. Or otherwise instead of hinging the
lid as stated, it might be fitted with a cross bar or tripod, and central screw tightening
lever over it made so that when the lid was inserted into the seat, the wedge ends of
the locking cross bar could be pressed into staples around the seat or the screw could
be turned after the ends of the locking bar were shifted or turned under the staples
according to their shape; and in either case, the lever of the lockers, or the screw,
could be secured by a padlock or otherwise, to prevent the loosening of the lid or
tampering with it, all substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of
the Drawings. When these locking cross bars are used, the top of the can could be
strengthened by cross bars or otherwise, to receive the strain of the screw or
lever on it.
my
said invention,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts of the lids
of milk cans or vessels, for making them liquid tight, or ventilating them, substantially
as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction or arrangement and combination of the lids B, B2, of
milk cans or vessels, with rims for tightening down on india-rubber rings or seats 61
in the mouth B¹ of the can, either with or without the ventilating valve arrangements,
substantially as and for the purposes and advantages herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In the lids of milk cans or vessels, the combination of the parts of a
ventilating valve D, D', and its case, for permitting ventilation and preventing the
escape of the milk, substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.