Improvements in Boxes and Cans provided with means for Opening the same.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boxes and Cans provided with means for Opening
the same.
I, ALEXANDER CAMERON, Junior, of No. 519, East Franklin Street, in the City
of Richmond, County of Henrico, State of Virginia, United States of America,
Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to cans or boxes, preferably made of tin, steel or other
material for shipping goods, as for instance, tobacco, paint, condensed milk, etc.,
which it is desired to keep hermetically sealed during transportation, and which
can be readily opened without the use of an auxiliary can opener.
To this end, my invention consists of a box or can, the body of which is pro-
vided with a thin permanent cover, sometimes termed a tagger top, and on its
outer surface near its upper edge, with a stud, projection or flange, and a remov-
able outer cover formed with a vertical flange and provided on its under side with
a cutter and the flange of the removable cover provided with novel means for
holding the cutter, during transportation, out of engagement with the tagger top,
but which is so constructed that, when desired, the cutter can be brought into
contact with the tagger top and the cover revolved to cut out the tagger top.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a box or can made in accordance with my in-
vention and showing the cover raised slightly above the body of the can.
Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the same, but showing the position of the cover,
on the can, as it appears when in condition for transportation.
Fig. 3, is a similar view of Fig. 2, except that the stud or projection on the can
is in position within the vertical slot and also in position to enter the peripheral
groove on the flange of the cover.
Fig. 4, shows a perspective view of a slightly modified form of construction of
slot, the slot in this instance being approximately T-shaped and formed with an
upwardly extending extension for temporarily holding the stud.
Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of another form of slot, comprising approxi-
mately a vertical slot, and a lateral extension, the lateral extension extending
upwardly and diagonally from the vertical opening.
Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of another modification of my improved can
and cover, the stud or projection in this instance being elongated and the cover
being provided with lower peripheral flanges which rest on the elongated stu.ls
or projections on the cover, during transportation, and said cover is also provided
with elongated openings to receive the elongated studs or projections on the ran
when it is desired to have the cutter on the cover penetrate the tagger top, the
said cover being also provided with a peripheral groove.
Fig. 7, is a perspective view of a cover showing a modified form of slot.
Fig. 8, is a perspective view of another slightly modified form of slot.
Fig. 9, is a vertical sectional view through the box with the stud engaging the
slot on the cover to prevent the further descent of the cutter.

page_text: Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the box or can showing the outer cover
forced down and the cutter penetrating the tagger tin and the stud engaging the
peripheral groove.
Fig. 11, is a perspective view of the inside of the outer cover showing the cutter
formed with one shoulder.
Fig. 12, is a similar view showing the cutter formed with two shoulders.
Fig. 13, is a vertical section through the box and cover showing the socket
engaged by the stud, and the knife or blade away from the permanent thin tin
top.
Fig. 14, is a similar section but showing the removable cover forced down in
contact with the permanent thin top and the knife or blade penetrating the thin
tin top.
Fig. 15, is a perspective view of the body of the can showing the sockets.
Fig. 16, is a perspective view of the cover showing the knife or blade and the
spring stud, and
Fig. 17, is a perspective view of the cover showing a modified form of cutter.
A in the drawings represents the body of the can, which is preferably cylin
drical in shape and can be made in any desired size. Near the upper edge of the
body of the can on the outer surface thereof, studs or projections a are provided.
The body of the can is also provided with a permanent tin or tagger top a B
represents an outer removable cover which is provided on its under side with a
downwardly projecting knife or cutter C which is preferably formed by stamping
it out of the metal constituting the cover, but it may be constructed of steel and
secured to the cover in any suitable manner. The cutter C may be of any suitable
shape. The flange of the cover is provided with vertical slots D having lateral
extensions d. The slots in which construction, as well as in all of the construc-
tions to be described, may be open slots, that is, cut out of the material or they
may be closed slots, that is, stamped or pressed out of the material. The lateral
extensions d of the vertical slots D form horizontal shoulders against which
the pins a on the body of the can rest when the can is being transported or before
the tagger tin has been cut out. The studs or projections a thus engaging the
shoulders prevent the cutter C from accidentally coming in contact with the
tagger top and puncturing the same. The vertical slots Ď with the extensions
extend at intervals around the cover and are preferably three in number so as to
have the cover rest securely and firmly on the pins or projections on the box.
The vertical slots or grooves penetrate the outwardly extending peripheral groove E
formed by stamping the cover from the inside. The operation is as follows;
After the goods have been placed in the box and hermetically sealed by the tagger
top, the outer removable cover is placed on the can so that the projections or
studs engage the under side of the shoulder of the lateral extension of the
vertical slot. The removable cover remains in this position during transportation.
When it is desired to cut out the tagger top, the outer removable cover is turned
so as to bring the studs or projections in line with the vertical slots and the cover
is then forced down until the studs are in line with the peripheral groove on the
cover in which position, upon the outer removable cover being revolved, the studs
or projections will enter the peripheral groove and the knife or knives will cut
out the tagger top. When the cover has made a complete revolution and the
studs again come in line with the vertical slots, the outer removable cover can
be raised vertically and the cut out top removed and the removable cover again
turned to any position on the can and locked in such position by allowing the
studs to enter the peripheral groove.
The operation of the other modifications which are now about to be described
are practically the same as that just mentioned.
In Fig. 4 I have shown an approximately T-shaped slot F except that the inner
end of the lateral extension of the slot is formed with an upwardly extending
recess which is designed to engage the pin or stud on the cover and prevent the
cover from having an accidental rotary movement on the body of the can and

page_text: thus to become disengaged from the can. The flange of the cover will be made
deep enough so that when the stud or projection on the body of the can is raised
up in the recess f the knife will be out of contact with the permanent tagger top.
In Fig. 5 the lateral extension of the vertical slot is made to extend upward as
at G so that the liability of the removable cover to accidentally rotate on the can
is greatly lessened.
the can.
In Fig. 6 I have shown the body of the can provided with an elongated stud or
projection H; several of these projections would be provided at intervals around
The outer removable cover his formed on the lower edge of its flange h¹
with shoulders h³ which rest, before the can is opened, upon the elongated studs
or projections H on the body of the can and prevent the knife or cutter provided
on the cover accidentally coming in contact with the tagger top. The vertical
flange h¹ of the cover is cut away at intervals as at h³ corresponding to the length
of the elongated projections or pins H on the body of the can.
The said vertical
flange h of the cover is also provided with a peripheral groove h*. From the
aforegoing description, it will be seen that when it is desired to prevent the cutter
or cutters from coming in contact with the tagger top, the removable cover is
placed on the body of the can so as to have the shoulders h at the lower edge of
the flange rest on the elongated projections H on the body of the can and that
when it is desired to bring the cutter in contact with the tagger top, it is simply
necessary to revolve the cover until the elongated projections are brought into
line with the cut away portions h³ on the cover, when the cover can be pressed
down until the elongated projections will be in line with the peripheral groove
on the cover, in which position the cutter will have been caused to penetrate the
tagger top, and by revolving the cover, the tagger tin will be cut out.
In Fig. 7 the vertical slot I does not penetrate the peripheral groove but is
formed with a horizontal extension i the inner end of which is extended up as
at ¹, so as to enter or join the peripheral groove I². In this construction when
the cover is placed upon the studs so that the studs rest in the portion I³ of the
vertical slot, the cover cannot be accidentally rotated, but when it is desired to
cut out the tagger top, the cover can be slightly raised so as to bring the projec-
tion or stud in line with the horizontal extension i and by giving the can or cover
a slight turn the projection or stud will be brought in line with the inner end i
of the horizontal extension and by then pressing the cover downward, the stud or
projection will be brought in line with the peripheral groove I2. In this position,
the cutter or cutters on the cover will have been caused to penetrate the tagger
top and by rotating the cover the said top will be cut out.
In Fig. 8 I have shown the removable cover provided with a slightly different
form of slot J. In this instance the slot J is approximately T-shaped as in
Fig. 4 but it is not provided with a notch f as shown in Fig. 4 for preventing the
cover from being accidentally revolved. In Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 I have shown
the cover provided with a knife or cutter K. In Fig. 11 the knife or cutter is
provided with a single shoulder and in Fig. 12 it is shown as provided with two
shoulders. By constructing the knife or cutter with a shoulder or shoulders, it
will be observed, that when the knife or cutter is forced through the tagger tin
and the removable cover revolved, the shoulder or shoulders will engage the under
side of the tagger tin and the knife will thereby be prevented from accidentally
becoming disengaged from said tin, but can readily be disengaged after the cut-
ting operation is completed, by reversing the movement of the removable cover.
By constructing the knife or cutter with two shoulders, the tagger tin can be cut
out by revolving the removable cover in either direction and either shoulder will
engage the under side of the tagger tin where as when only one shoulder is pro-
vided, the knife could not conveniently be revolved in both directions to cut out
the tagger tin and be held in engagement with the under side of the tin.
In Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 I have shown another modified means of pre-
venting the outer cover carrying the knife or cutter from accidentally coming

page_text: in contact with the tagger top. In this construction, the body of the can is pro-
vided on its outer surface near its upper edge with a socket or groove L and the
outer removable cover is provided with a vertical flange of slightly greater depth
than usual, and said flange is provided with spring tongues M having studs or
projections m and with a cutter or cutters O. These tongues are formed by slit-
ting the flange of the cover. The studs or projections m on the tongues are
arranged a proper distance from the lower edge of the flange so that when the
said cover is placed upon the body of the box or can and forced down so that the
projections or studs m m will spring into and engage the sockets or grooves L L
on the body of the can, the under side of the cover will be out of contact and
considerably above the tagger top. As stated above the flange of the cover is
also provided with one or more knives or cutters 00 which are shown preferably
stamped from the metal constituting the flange of the cover and bent inwardly
and downwardly. If desired, the cutter or cutters may be separate from the
material of the cover and riveted or otherwise secured to the same. The cutter
or cutters may be formed with a shoulder as shown in Fig. 16 or with
shoulders oo as shown in Fig. 17 so as to engage the under side of the tagger
top when the cutters are forced through said cover, and prevent them becoming
accidentally disengaged therefrom during the cutting operation.
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. A box or can comprising a body portion having studs or projections on its
outer surface near its upper edge and a permanent tagger cover or top and a
removable outer cover having a vertical flange and provided with a stationary
knife or cutter and on its vertical flange with means for engaging the studs on
the body of the can and holding the cutter, during transportation, out of engage-
ment with the tagger top, substantially as described.
2. A box or can comprising a body portion having studs or projections on its
outer surface near its upper edge and a permanent tagger cover or top, a remov-
able outer cover having a vertical flange and provided with a stationary knife or
cutter and on its vertical flange with a peripheral groove and means for engaging
the studs on the body of the can and holding the cutter, during transportation,
out of engagement with the tagger top substantially as described.
3. A box or can comprising in its construction a body portion proper provided
on its outer surface near its upper edge with a projection or stud, a removable
cover having a downwardly extending flange, said flange being provided with a
peripheral groove and a vertical slot or groove which penetrates or connects with
the peripheral groove and is formed with a horizontal extension forming a
shoulder, substantially as described.
4. A box or can comprising in its construction a body portion proper provided on
its outer surface near its upper edge with a projection or stud, a removable cover
having a downwardly extending flange, said flange being provided with a peri-
pheral groove and a vertical slot or groove which penetrates or connects with the
peripheral groove and is formed with a horizontal extension forming a shoulder,
the horizontal extension being cut out completely to the lower edge of the flange,
substantially as described.
5. A box or can comprising a body portion having studs or projections near its
upper edge and a permanent tagger tin top or cover, a removable outer cover
provided with a vertical flange and a knife or cutter and on its vertical flange
with a peripheral groove and means for holding the cutter, during transportation,
out of engagement with the tagger top and also preventing the cover from acci-
dentally rotating, substantially as described.
6. A can or box for holding goods arranged substantially as herein described
in combination with a fixed cutter so arranged that during transportation this

page_text: cutter shall be held out of engagement with the top of the can, but which when
desired can be brought into contact therewith and cut off the top when the cover
is revolved substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of Anril 1808
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.