An Appliance or Tool for Seaming or Turning in the Edges of Sheet Metal Caps or Covers on Cans or other Vessels and for Analogous Purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Appliance or Tool for Seaming or Turning in the Edges of Sheet
Metal Caps or Covers on Cans or other Vessels and for Analogous
Purposes.
1, FREDERICK JOHN TOMLINSON of 1, Upper Thames Street in the City
of London, 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 :-
This invention relates to a tool or appliance to be used for seaming or turning
in the edges of sheet metal caps or covers on the mouths or outlets of cans (such
as those of the character usually employed for holding varnish) or other vessels
or receptacles which are adapted to be closed by turning in the edges of and so..
fixing a sheet metal cap over the flanged or other suitable mouth or outlet thereof;
and other analogous purposes-for which seaming and fixing operation said tool or
appliance may be applicable.
For the sake of brevity I shall hereinafter refer to such tool or appliance as a
"tool," to the sheet metal cap or cover (upon which said tool operates) as a "cap,"
to the seaming or edge turning in rolls (which operate to turn inwards the edge of
said caps) as "rolls" and to the mouth or outlet of cans or other vessels to which
this invention is applicable as "can spouts."
In one
A tool embodying my invention comprises in its construction a stock provided at
its lower end with a part adapted to engage the upper surface of the sheet metal
cap and one or more seaming or turning in rolls revolvably supported adjacent to
the edge of said part on the lower ends of downwardly projecting arms which are
pivotally connected to the stock and are adapted to be oscillated to force the said
turning in rolls inward into position to bend or close the edge of the cap around or
upon the flanged or other suitable mouth of the can as the tool is rotated.
advantageous form in which I have practically embodied my invention said pivotted
arms are adapted to be oscillated by direct pressure upon the tool along the axis
thereof the stock of the tool being to this end formed of two parts arranged to
telescope together or to otherwise slide longitudinally of each other one part
including a circular plate or disc which engages the upper surface of the cap and
the other part including a shank to which any suitable handle or other device for
operating the tool is attached.
In such case the arms carrying the rolls are pivotted to one part of the stock
and are so connected or arranged with reference to the other parts that when said
parts are forced together the lower ends of the arm will be swung inward bringing
the said rolls into position to turn in the edge of the cap as herein before stated.
This will be more fully understood from the following description of a construction
of tool of the class last referred to taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings illustrative thereof in which
.
Fig. 1 is a partially sectional elevation of a tool constructed in accordance with
my invention showing the same as first applied to a cap and can spout with the said
rolls out of operative position.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same taken on line 2-2. of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detail section showing the position of the parts when the said rolls are
in operative position.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the cap as ready to be applied to the can
spout and

page_text: Fig. 5 is a similar view after the cap has been subjected to the operation of
the tool.
A designates the stock of the tool thus illustrated and A¹ the circular plate or
disc provided at the lower end of the stock and adapted to engage the upper
surface of the sheet metal cap. As ordinarily constructed such cap (designated S
in the drawings) is formed with a depressed centre s of sufficient diameter to fit
the interior of the mouth of the can spout S¹ and centre the cap relatively thereto
and in such cases said disc A' as herein shown is provided on its lower surface with
a central circular lug or annular rib a adapted to fit within the recess s and centre
the tool relatively to the cap and can spout. Said disc is herein shown made
separate from the body portion of the stock A and is connected thereto by means
of a cylindric lug or spindle A2 provided centrally on the upper side of said disc
and engaging a central longitudinal bore A³ in the stock A. A set screw a¹
provided in the stock and projecting into a wide annular groove or recess a² in the
spindle A normally prevents the withdrawal of the spindle from the bore A³ while
at the same time permitting longitudinal and rotary movement of said spindle
relatively to the stock. The latter is herein shown as provided at its lower ends
with three radially projecting lugs A' located symmetrically around the stock and
formed at their outer ends with vertical slots or recesses a³. Within said recesses
are pivotted upon horizontal pivot pins a the oscillatory arms or levers B the
downwardly projecting ends of which support the rolls C at points adjacent to the
edge of the disc A¹. As herein shown said rolls are journalled upon the arms B
in such manner as to be movable longitudinally thereof and are maintained in
substantially the same plane with said disc A' by means of wide flanges e provided
on the upper ends of the rolls and engaging an annular groove a³ in said disc A¹.
The lower ends c¹ of said rolls C are also enlarged as shown so that when said rolls
are thrown inward against the disc A' said lower ends c¹ project beneath the edge
of said disc in such manner as to bend or turn in the edge of the sheet metal cap
over the flanged mouth of the can.
The upper portions of the oscillating levers B are herein shown as bent radially
inward through recesses a into the central bore A3 of the stock where they engage
the upper end of the spindle A2. A suitable spring A5 provided in the upper end
of said bore A³ serves to normally maintain said levers in contact with the upper
end of the spindle A2 and to maintain the latter in its lowermost position relatively
to the stock and in this instance a washer a is shown as inserted between said
spring and the inner ends of the levers B to afford a sufficient bearing surface
between the same.
For the convenient manipulation of the tool the stock A is herein shown as
formed at its upper end with a tapered shank A to which any suitable handle A'
may be applied.
The construction of the tool being as described the manner of operating the same
is substantially as follows:-
A sheet metal cap S is laid over the mouth of a can spout S¹ and the annular
rib a of the tool is inserted in the depressed centre of the cap as shown in Fig. 1.
The stock A of the tool is then forced downward by pressure upon the handle A'
causing the spindle A2 to move upward relatively to said stock and thereby raise
the inner ends of the bent levers B. Obviously such action throws the lower ends
of said levers inward and forces the rolls C mounted thereon toward the edge of
the disc A. Such inward movement of the rolls will obviously bend turn or seam
the adjacent portion of the edge of the cap upon the flanged mouth of the can spout
and the tool being thereupon rotated such action will be continued throughout the
entire circumference of said cap. During such action the disc A' and the annular
rib a at the lower side thereof will obviously act as an anvil to resist any distortion
of the cap and spout by the pressure of the rolls and to afford a firm backing
between which and said rolls the edges of the cap and spout may be compressed.
The upper end of the spindle A2 is advantageously rounded off or chamfered and
the engaging ends of the bent levers B made bevelled as shown so that said

page_text: spindle exerts a wedging action as well as a direct thrust upon said levers and
enables the tool to be operated with a less pressure than would otherwise be
required. Obviously by the downward movement of the stock A the lower ends.
of the arms B will be forced downward past the disc A¹ but the rollers C will by
the engagement of their flanges c with the groove A³ of the said disc simply slide
farther up on the arms B and thereby be maintained in their normal position.
relatively to said disc A'. As soon as the pressure upon the handle is released the
spring A will lift the stock A. to its uppermost position relatively to the disc and
release the rollers C from their engagement with the cap S.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A tool for fixing caps upon can spouts comprising a stock made of two-
relatively movable sections one adapted to be grasped in operating the tool and the.
other provided with a cap engaging part a lever pivotted to one of the sections and
adapted for oscillation by the relative movement of said sections and a seaming or
edge-turning roll upon the lever substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. A tool for fixing caps upon can spouts comprising a stock made of two-
relatively reciprocatory sections one adapted to be grasped in operating the tool
and the other provided with a cap engaging part a lever pivotted to one of the
sections and adapted for oscillation by the relative reciprocation of said sections.
and a seaming or edge-turning roll upon a lever substantially as described.
3. A tool comprising a stock provided with a circular plate or disc rolls mounted.
adjacent to the edge of said disc upon oscillatory arms pivotted to the stock and
means adapted for actuation by pressure upon the stock for oscillating said arms to.
throw the said rolls into operative position substantially as described.
4. A tool for fixing caps upon can spouts comprising a stock made in two.
sections adapted to reciprocate upon each other one section being provided with a
cap-engaging part and one section having a lever pivotted thereto a roll mounted
upon said lever adjacent to said cap engaging part and means for oscillating said
lever by the reciprocation of the sections upon each other substantially as.
described.
5. A tool comprising a stock made in two sections adapted to be reciprocated.
upon each other one section being provided with a disc and the other having
oscillatory levers pivotted thereto rolls mounted on said levers adjacent to said disc
and means for oscillating said levers by the reciprocation of the sections upon.
each other substantially as described.
6. A tool comprising a stock made in upper and lower sections the lower section
being provided with a disc bent levers pivotted to the upper section with their
ends resting normally on top of the lower section and rolls mounted on said levers
adjacent to said disc whereby the forcing of the sections together will throw the
said rolls inward into operative position substantially as described.
7. A tool comprising a stock provided with a longitudinal bore a disc having on
its upper side a spindle engaging said bore bent levers pivotted to said stock with
their upper ends projecting into the bore thereof and normally engaging the upper-
end of the spindle and rolls mounted on the lower ends of said levers adjacent to.
said disc substantially as described.
8. A tool comprising a stock provided with a longitudinal bore a disc having on
its upper side a spindle engaging said bore bent levers pivotted to said stock with
their upper ends projecting into the bore thereof and normally engaging the upper
end of the spindle a spring in the upper end of said bore normally holding the
upper ends of the levers and the spindle in their lowermost position with relation
to the stock and rolls mounted on the lower ends of said levers adjacent to said
disc substantially as described.
9. A tool comprising a stock provided with a circular plate or disc an annular-
groove in the edge of said disc rolls mounted adjacent to the edge of said disc-

page_text: upon oscillatory arms pivotted to the stock said rolls being provided with annular
flanges engaging said groove and means for oscillating said arms to throw the rolls
into operative position substantially as described.
10. A tool for the purposes stated arranged constructed combined and acting
substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings
hereunto annexed.
Dated this 1st day of June 1894.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.