An Improved Cutter or Opener for Meat Tins or Cans and other Hermetically Closed Tins or Cans Containing Preserved Food or other Substances.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 1st Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Jan., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cutter or Opener for Meat Tins or Cans and other
Hermetically Closed Tins or Cans Containing Preserved Food or
other Substances.
I, CYRUS PRICE, trading as Cyrus Price and Company, of Britannia Works,
Wednesfield Road, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, safe and lock manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object to produce a cutter or opener, for the purposes
named in the title, in which the cutting part shall be carried by, and operated by
means of, a lever supported upon a fixed fulcrum, and which shall be simple in
construction, convenient of application, and readily adjustable to suit various sizes
and shapes of tins or cans.
A cutter or opener constructed according to this invention, for the purposes stated,
consists of a plate or bed, of a standard or support thereon, of a handle-lever
fulcrumed to such standard or support so as to be capable of being moved in a vertical
plane and carrying a cutting tool by which the lid or other part of a tin or can is cut
open. The apparatus thus constituted rests by its plate or bed upon a table or other
support without requiring to be fixed thereto, and is operated by passing the tin or can
to be opened underneath the cutting tool while the same is worked up and down by
means of the handle-lever.
It is convenient to connect the lever with the standard or support by passing a pin
through a jawed end formed on the lever to pass on each side of the standard, and
also through the support, and the jaw may be formed of an elongated shape with
several holes therethrough to admit of a ready adjustment of the distance between
the fulcrum and the cutting tool, to suit the size or shape of the tin or can to be
opened; and a number of holes may be formed through the standard so as to
permit of a ready adjustment of the height of the fulcrum, as may be required.
The cutting tool may be conveniently formed as a separate piece from the lever and
be fixed, by means of a bolt, within a recess formed in the side face of the lever; and
such tool may be double-ended so as to be reversible when one cutting edge becomes
dull; or one edge may be formed straight on plan for cutting in straight lines,

page_text: and the other curved on plan for cutting open circular tops. The cutting edges
may be formed slanting vertically, in which case the tin or can is moved
along under the tool, between each separate cut, in a direction from the lowest
point of the tool. The cutting tool may be adjustable as to height, in relation to the
lever, by forming a slotted hole or a number of holes through such tool suitable for
the reception of the bolt by which it is fixed.
The standard and plato may he conveniently cast either in one piece, or separately,
and afterwards fixed together, and the lever also may be cast, if desired.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Cutter or Opener for Meat Tins or Cans and other
Hermetically Closed Tins or Cans Containing Preserved Food or
other Substances.
1, CYRUS PRICE, trading as Cyrus Price and Company, of Britannia Works,
Wednesfield Road, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, safe and lock
manufacturer, 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 following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and
the letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say)
This invention has for its object to produce a cutter or opener, for the purpose
named in the title, in which the cutting part shall be fixed rigidly to, and be operated
by means of, a lever pivotted direct to a fixed support, and which shall be simple in
construction, convenient of application, and readily adjustable to suit various sizes
and shapes of tins or cans, and to give a greater or less leverage in cutting.
A cutter or opener constructed according to this invention, for the purpose stated,
consists, in its main features, of a plate or bed, of a standard or support thereon, of a
handle lever fulcrumed direct to such standard or support so as to be capable of being
moved in a vertical plane and having a cutting tool fixed rigidly thereto by which the
lid or other part of a tin or can is cut open. The apparatus thus constructed
rests by its plate or bed upon a table or other support to which it may be fixed,
if desired, and is operated by passing the tin or can to be opened underneath
the cutting tool while the same is worked up and down by means of the handle
lever.
Referring to the drawings herewith, figure 1 is a side elevation of an opener
constructed according to this invention, and figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Upon a bed A

page_text: is formed or fixed a standard or support B B', and a lever C, which carries a
cutting tool a fixed rigidly thereto, is fulcrummed direct to the standard B B¹, by
means of a pin b, so as to be capable of being moved up and down in a vertical plane.
The lever is formed with a jawed end for connection with the standard, the sides of
the jaw passing on each side of the standard, as shewn. In the illustration the jaw
is shewn to be formed by rivetting plates c c to a plain part of the lever, for the sako
of simplicity and economy of manufacture. A number of holes d d etc. are formed
vertically above one another near the edge of the standard for the reception of the
pin b, so as to give a considerable range of variation as to the hoight at which the
lever may be fulcrummed to suit various depths or widths of tins or cans to he
opened; and two corresponding holes e e (or there may be more) are formed through
the jaw to admit of a ready adjustment of the distance between the fulcrum and the
cutter, to suit the size or shape of the tin or can to be opened, or to give a greater or
less leverage. The pin b is formed with a loop or ring at one end by which it is
drawn out from and inserted within a hole, and by which it is connected, by means of
a chain, with the standard to prevent its being lost. The bottom of the cutting tool a
is inclined upwards from its hinder end, as shewn, and the tin or can to be opened is
moved along under the tool, between each separate cut, in a forward direction from
the lowest point of the tool, either in a straight line or axially, depending on whether
a straight or curved line is being cut. The cutting edge of the tool may be somewhat
curved on plan, as shewn specially by figures 3 and 4, of which figure 3 is a section
on linea of figure 1 showing a transverse section through the lever and a front
edge view of the tool, and figure 4 is a view of the underside of the tool and of the
forward end of the lever shewing also parts of the plates c c forming the jaw. When
the cutting edge of the tool is thus formed it may be employed to cut either in a
straight (or approximately straight) line, or in a curved line, as in cutting open the
lid of a circular tin or can from the top. The tool is fixed to the lever by means
of a screw and is steadied by butting on one edge against the edge of one of
the plates c.
A stud g projects from the tool and forms a stop against the tin
or can which is being opened, to prevent the tool being pressed down unnecessarily
far.
It will be seen that the lever C projects straight outwards from the standard B B'.
A notch may be formed in a vertical edge of the tool, as shewn, in which case it
is an advantage to pierce or cut into the lid of the tin or can somewhere towards the
middle thereof, or in other convenient part, before cutting partially around such lid
for the purpose of opening it, as after the lid has been thus cut around, the tool may
be again inserted into the original cut, and the edge of the metal at one end of the
cut be brought within the notch, when an upward movement of the handle will raise
up the lid. The same purpose may be effected by forming the vertical edge of the
tool to project at the bottoin, but in such case there is a liability of such projection
catching as the tool is simply cutting around the lid. The tool may be formed
double-ended, if desired, so as to be reversible when one cutting edge becomes
dull. It is preferred to fix the tool rigidly to the handle lever as described whether
it is made single or double ended, but it may in either case be formed solid therewith
if desired.
The part of the standard which has the holes for the pin b formed therethrough
may be formed to project forwards from the base or stem B', as shewn, in order to
allow a sardine or other flat-shaped tin of considerable lateral dimensions being moved
under such projection to allow of the lid being properly cut open.
The bed A and standard B may be cast together in one piece, if desired, but for
convenience of packing these parts may be formed separately and be afterwards
screwed or fixed together. In the illustration the bed is shewn as of thin wrought
plate with a piece i rivetted thereto to give thickness for receiving a screw projecting
from the bottom of the standard. A special bed or plate may be dispensed with, if
desired, and the standard be simply fixed direct to the top of a counter or other part
on which it is required to be used, in which case such top answers as the bed of the
apparatus.

page_text: 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 in respect
of a cutter or opener for meat tins or cans and other hermetically closed tins or cans
containing preserved food or other substances, is :-
1. The combination of a standard supported on a suitable plate or bed with a
lever fulcrummed direct to such standard so as to be capable of being moved up
and down in a vertical plane and carrying a cutting tool which is fixed rigidly
thereto or formed solid therewith, substantially as described and shewn for the
purpose set forth.
2. A lever carrying a cutting tool fixed rigidly thereto or formed solid therewith
and fulcrummed direct to a standard or support so as to be capable of being moved
up and down in a vertical plane, substantially as described for the purpose set
forth.
3. The notch h in the cutting tool (or the equivalent of such notch as described)
substantially as described, and shewn, for the purpose set forth.
4. The standard B having the part with the holes for the pin b therethrough
formed to project substantially in the manner described and shewn, for the purpose
set forth.
5. The pin b in combination with a number of holes dd etc. substantially as
described for the purpose set forth.
6. The pin b in combination with two or more holes e e through the inner end of
the lever C, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
7. The tool a fixed rigidly to the lever C, substantially as described.
8. The stud g projecting from the tool a, substantially as described for the purpose
set forth.
9. A lever having a cutting tool formed therewith or fixed rigidly thereto
fulcrummed to a vertical edge of a support or standard so as to project straight
outwards from such support or standard, substantially as described and shewn.
10. The general construction and combination of parts, substantially as described
and shewn for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 29th day of November 1887
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicant.