AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR HOLDING THE COVERS OR STUDS ON METAL CANS OR CASES TO FACILITATE THE SOLDERING OF THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Valentine Halford at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th March 1879.
JAMES VALENTINE HALFORD, of Upper St. Martin's Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer of Preserved Indian Curries. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR HOLDING THE COVERS OR STUDS ON METAL CANS OR CASES TO FACILITATE
THE SOLDERING OF THE SAME."
My Invention relates to an improved apparatus for facilitating the soldering of
the lids or covers upon metal cans or cases containing meat, fruit, vegetables, or
other substances or articles to be preserved therein, and the chief object of the said
Invention is to provide means whereby this soldering may be effected much more
expeditiously than is practicable by the methods heretofore in use.
According to the ordinary method the operator after the can or case has received
the meat or other substance which it is to contain places a lid or cover usually
called a "stud" upon the circular or other aperture left in the centre of the top or
bottom of the said case or can, and then proceeds to solder the said stud in its place
in such a manner that the case will be hermetically sealed. After one case or can
has thus been soldered he passes to the next, and so on, but it is necessary after
the solder has been applied that each cover or stud should be held in place for a
short time before the operator can pass on to the next case or can, for the reason
that the solder would yield and not constitute such a tight joint as is necessary
were the stud released from pressure too soon after the application of the solder.
It is found in practise that although the time required for this pressure is small for
each separate can or case, it is nevertheless considerable when considered in regard
to the number of cases or cans a man might solder in a given time if he could pass
from one to the next in succession as fast as the soldering is effected.
My said Invention provides means whereby this advantage may be obtained, and
it is carried into practice as follows, that is to say:
I provide a rod or bar, which is supported in a horizontal position by two or
more uprights firmly attached to a bed or base-plate designed to be screwed, bolted,
or otherwise securely fastened to a bench or table. The said rod or bar is placed
in these supports in such a manner as to be capable of turning therein, and is fur-
nished with a handle at one end, by means of which the rod is turned in its bearings
when required, as hereinafter explained. I furnish the said rod or bar with a
number of curved rods, which are so placed and extend forward in such a manner
that a row of cases or cans may be placed under them in such a position that the

page_text: end or extremity of each of the said curved rods will be immediately over one of
the said cases or cans.
Each of the said curved rods is formed at one end thereof
with a sleeve or collar, through which, the aforesaid horizontal rod passes, and the
internal diameter of the said sleeves or collars is such that they will readily turn
upon the horizontal rod. In each of the said sleeves I make a slot, through which
a screw or stud passes into the horizontal rod, and this screw or stud limits the
extent to which the sleeve can turn around the said rod. I provide underneath
each of the said curved rods, at the part where they are attached to the horizontal
rod, a suitable spring, which is connected to the curved rod immediately above it
by a chain or otherwise, and constantly tends to pull down the said curved rod.
The aforesaid handle at one end of the said horizontal rod extends upward at
right angles to the latter, and on being pushed backward turns the said rod slightly
in its bearings, and all the curved rods are thereby elevated to a corresponding
extent, that is to say, to a suitable height to permit of the metal cases or cans con-
taining the meat or other substances or articles to be placed under them, the said
cases or cans having each been furnished with a stud in the proper position over the
aperture; then on bringing forward the said handle the horizontal rod is turned in its
bearings, and the extremity or point of each curved rod descends upon the cover or stud
immediately beneath it, and all the said covers or studs are thus held tightly in
position upon the cans or cases, and the operation of soldering may be effected very
expeditiously, as the operator may pass from one case to the next in succession as
fast as he pleases without being required to stop to hold down the stud until the
solder has become sufficiently hard.
The horizontal rod may be of any convenient length, and may be provided with
as many curved rods as can be placed thereon, leaving sufficient space for the row
of cans or cases.
In order to cause the aforesaid horizontal rod, and consequently the curved rods
thereon, to remain firmly in either of the required positions, I extend the stem of
the aforesaid handle below the horizontal rod, the part below the latter being
enlarged and provided with a curved slot, through which a stud or pin projecting
from the upright passes. Upon the said handle a lever is loosely pivotted, the
upper portion thereof being in such a position that it may be grasped with the
handle. The lower part of this lever has a curved recess, into which the said pro-
jecting pin or stud fits when the handle is pushed back. The said lever is so hung
upon the handle that when the latter is pushed back the lever falls by gravity into
such a position that the said pin or stud enters the aforesaid curved recess, and the
handle, horizontal rod, and curved rods are held back securely. When it is desired
to bring them forward the operator has only to grasp the handle and lever, and
push slightly backward, when the lever will be released from the stud or pin, and
the aforesaid springs will immediately bring forward the curved rods, the horizontal
rod, and the handle and lever.
The said curved rods are made movable partly around the horizontal rod in
order that whenever desired one of the same may be lifted independently of the
others. I may however in some cases construct the apparatus without providing
for this independent lifting, in which case it will not be necessary to provide each
curved rod with a separate spring, as one spring connected directly to the horizontal
rod will be sufficient
With suitable modifications, which will be readily understood without special
description, I may arrange the said apparatus in a curved position instead of in a
straight line, so as to adapt it to a circular table or bench.