Improvements in or relating to the Closure of Receptacles for Food and other substances.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893--Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Closure of Receptacles for Food
and other substances.]
I, JEAN LEEMBRUGGEN of 9 P.C. Hooftstraat, Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
In the Specification of my application for Letters Patent dated 14 March 1892
No. 5001, I have described a construction of food or other receptacle having a
cover provided internally with a cross piece, and externally with a rib or shoulder
adapted to bear upon a corresponding rib or shoulder formed within the upper part
or neck of the receptacle, an air tight joint being produced between the cover and
receptacle by placing a washer of suitable packing material between the two ribs or
shoulders and either creating a partial vacuum within the receptacle, whereby the
external pressure of the atmosphere serves to hold the cover securely in place, or
by tying down the cover by means of a flexible wire, thread or cord passed through
holes in the receptacle and arranged to bear upon the rib of the cover and upon the
cross piece, its ends being twisted or otherwise secured together and, it may be,
sealed to prevent the cover being removed without detection. Or the cover may be
held down by both of these means conjointly.
Now my present invention has reference to other constructions of receptacles and
covers of the kind referred to, and to means for preventing the covers being removed
without detection.
According to one construction the inwardly projecting rib of the receptacle is in
the form of a ring having at its upper side a ridge or bead and produced by forming
in the upper part or neck of the receptacle, before the bottom is attached, an
inwardly projecting rib of curved form in cross section and about one centimetre
deep, afterwards flattening this rib by compressing it between two dies so as to bring
its upper and lower portions into close contact with each other and by which means
the ribs may also be grooved at the same time. The distance of this rib from the
top edge of the receptacle may advantageously be equal to about one eighth of the
diameter of the receptacle plus four millimetres.
The cover is dished or domed, the convexity being uppermost. It is formed at
its periphery with a circular flat or grooved rim or edge of about one half centimetre
in width. The groove in this rim when used, corresponds with the ridge or bead
on the rib in the receptacle so that when the cover rests on the said rib the said
ridge will enter the groove and thereby make a more effectual joint. A small
loop or bent piece of metal is provided on the cover to facilitate the handling of
the same.
The upper part or wall of the receptacle is formed with a groove projecting out-
wardly and located at a distance above the rib of the receptacle, of about th of its
diameter. This groove serves to receive the ends of a spring, the middle portion of
which is arranged to press upon the top of the cover and force the rim thereof
towards, the rib in the receptacle.
To facilitate insertion and removal of this spring, the upper edge of the groove
is bent back at one part for a distance slightly greater than the width of the spring
so as to form a recess adapted to receive one end of the spring.
To effect an air tight closure a ring or washer of suitable packing material such
as felt or india-rubber is inserted between the rib of the receptacle and the rim of
the cover, the shape of each of which may be modified according to the nature of the
packing material used.
When the receptacle is intended to contain preserves or other substances from

page_text: which the air must be excluded it is placed, after the said washer cover and spring are
in position, in a heating medium to produce rarefaction of the air within the
receptacle after which the receptacle is suddenly cooled whereby the cover is then
forced down and held in place, by the greater pressure of the external atmosphere.
The temperature should be as high as possible consistent with avoiding injury to
the contents of the receptacle.
In order to raise the cover the spring is first removed, then equilibrium of
pressure is re-established, by heating the receptacle or by forming in the cover a
small hole through which air can enter and which can be afterwards soldered up
when it is desired to use the cover again or by removing a stopper, as herein
described, after which the cover is raised by the aid of the bent piece of metal
secured thereto.
In some cases the cover may be provided with a small circular hole closed by a
stopper of suitable material such as metal or india rubber, having a large bearing
surface, and provided, if it is not capable of itself making a good joint, with a
jointing washer. The spring keeps this stopper pressed against the cover when the
receptacle is heated. In order to subsequently open the latter it is merely necessary
after the removal of the spring to raise the stopper by means of a device such as a
knife blade so as to admit air to the receptacle.
A wire or cord is provided to prevent improper opening of the receptacle without
detection. The ends of this wire or cord may be sealed either outside or inside of
the wall of the receptacle.
In one arrangement the wire or cord is passed around the spring and its ends are
passed through a hole formed in the wall of the receptacle at a point slightly above
the edge of the cover. The ends are then twisted and sealed with lead."
In another arrangement the wire or cord is passed through two holes formed in
the wall of the receptacle at a point slightly above the edge of the cover; then it
is carried round the spring; and the two ends are twisted together and sealed with
lead at the inner side of the wall of the receptacle. The holes are located two or
three centimetres from the recess at the side towards which the corresponding end
of the spring is turned in closing the receptacle, so that it is impossible to cause the
spring to re-enter the recess, in order to open the box, without cutting the wire
or cord.
When the receptacles are not of circular shape the spring may be provided at
one end with a pin which is caused to pass into a hole formed in the wall and having
opposite to it a groove for the other end of the spring. Or instead of a groove, the
upper edge of the receptacle may be turned over, to receive the said other end of
the spring.
In this case the holes for the wire or cord forming the controlling device, are
located in the wall of the receptacle, at both sides of the end of the spring, opposite
to that having the point referred to.
Dated this 29th day of November 1892.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Closure of Receptacles for Food
and other substances.
I, JEAN LEEMBRUGGEN of 9 P.C. Hooftstraat Amsterdam, in the Kingdom of
the Netherlands, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
In the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me dated 14 March 1892
No. 5001, I have described a construction of food or other receptacle having a cover

page_text: provided internally with a cross piece, and externally with a rib or shoulder adapted
to bear upon a corresponding rib or shoulder formed within the upper part or neck
of the receptacle, an air tight joint being produced between the cover and receptacle
by placing a washer of suitable packing material between the two ribs or shoulders
and either creating a partial vacuum within the receptacle, whereby the external
pressure of the atmosphere serves to hold the cover securely in place, or by tying
down the cover by means of a flexible wire, thread or cord passed through holes in
the receptacle and arranged to bear upon the rib of the cover and upon the cross
piece, its ends being twisted or otherwise secured together and, it may be sealed to
prevent the cover being removed without detection. Or the cover may be held
down by both of these means conjointly.
Now my present invention has reference to improved constructions of food and
other receptacles and covers therefor and to means for holding the covers in place
and for preventing the covers being removed without detection as I will now
proceed to explain, referring for this purpose to the accompanying drawings in
which,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the upper part of one form of receptacle and cover
with closing device constructed according to this invention; and
Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.
The remaining figures which illustrate modified arrangements, are hereinafter
described.
1 is the upper part of a sheet metal receptacle provided with an inwardly pro-
jecting rib or flange 2 in the form of a ring produce by forming in the upper part
or neck 1 of the receptacle, before the bottom is attached, an inwardly projecting
rib of curved form in cross section and about one centimetre deep, and afterwards
compressing this rib between dies, so as to bring its upper and lower portions into
contact with each other. In the drawings the said two portions are, for the sake of
clearness, shown slightly separated.
The rib or flange 2 is shown as formed with an upwardly projecting ridge or bead
produced by grooving it on its under side. The distance of this rib or flange from
the top edge 1 of the receptacle may advantageously be equal to about oue eighth
of the diameter of the receptacle plus four millimetres.
The cover 3 is dished or domed the convexity being uppermost. It is formed at
its periphery with a circular grooved rim or edge 4 of about one half centimetre in
width, the groove in this rim or edge corresponding with the ridge or bead on the
rib or flange 2. The rib or flange 2 and the rim or edge 4 instead of being formed
as shown, may be made flat or be otherwise formed. A small loop or bent piece of
metal 3ª is provided on the cover to facilitate the handling of the same.
The upper part or wall 1 of the receptacle is formed with a groove 5 that projects
outwardly and may advantageously be arranged at a distance of about th of the
diameter of the receptacle above the rib or flange 2. This groove serves to receive
the ends of a holding down device consisting of a spring 6, the middle portion of
which is arranged to press upon the central raised portion of the cover 3 as shown
and force the rim 4 thereof towards the rib or flange 2.
To make insertion and removal of this spring possible, the upper portion of the
groove and the part of the receptacle above it, is bent back, as at 5ª for a distance
slightly greater than the width of the spring so as to form a recess adapted to
receive one end of the spring.
In placing the spring 6 in position, one of its ends is first inserted in the groove 5
at a point opposite to the recess 5" into which the other end is then pressed. The
spring is then partly turned to cause the end thereof in the recess 5ª to enter the
groove 5, so that it and the cover will then be firmly held in place and cannot be
removed until the end of the spring is again moved into the recess 5".
The groove 5 may extend wholly around the receptacle from the recess 5" and
be arranged parallel or approximately so with the rib or flange 2 as shown in Fig 1,
or it may be divided into two portions 5, 5* as shown in perspective in Fig. 3 each
portion being slightly inclined to the said rib or flange and the highest point of

page_text: each portion corresponding with the points of insertion of the spring so that upon
partly turning the spring into its locked position, the ends of the spring will be
depressed and the spring will be caused to exert a gradually increasing pressure
upon the top of the cover 3. By making the central portion of the cover of the
dished or domed shape shown, it is when made of sheet metal, rendered resilient
whereby the pressure on the packing material is uniformly distributed, while the
upward pressure of the cover on the central portion of the downwardly bent spring 6
tends to force the ends of the spring more tightly into the groove 5 or grooves 5, 5*
as the case may be, and thereby effectually secures the same in place.
To effect an air tight closure, a ring or washer 7 of suitable packing material,
such as plastic felt or india rubber, is inserted between the rib or flange 2 and the
rim 4 of the cover, the shape of each of which may be modified according to the
nature of the packing material used.
When the receptacles are intended to contain preserves or other substances from
which the external air must be excluded, they are placed after the said washer,
cover and spring are in position, in a heating medium to produce rarefaction of the
air within the receptacle, after which the receptacle is suddenly cooled whereby the
cover is then forced down and held in place, by the greater pressure of the external
atmosphere. The temperature should be as high as possible consistent with
avoiding injury to the contents of the receptacle.
In order to raise the cover the spring is first removed, equilibrium of pressure is
then re-established by heating the receptacle, or by forming in the cover a small
hole through which air can enter, and which hole can be afterwards soldered up
when it is desired to use the cover again; or by removing a stopper, as hereinafter
described, after which the cover is raised by means of the bent piece 3º, which may
conveniently be done by passing a cord or the spring 6, under the said bent piece
and pulling the cord or the spring as the case may be.
In some cases the cover 3 may be provided centrally with a small circular hole
closed by a stopper of suitable material such as metal or india-rubber, having a
large bearing surface, provided, if it is not capable by itself of making a good joint,
with a jointing washer. Such a stopper is indicated at 3* in Fig. 4 which is a cross
section of the cover detached, and comprises a metal disc having a central pro-
jection that extends through the hole in the cover, and a piece of soft obturating
material such as plastic felt, or india-rubber placed between the disc and the cover.
When instead of this stopper, only a piece 3* of plastic felt or india rubber (Fig. 5)
is used, a portion of the cover around the hole may be corrugated for a short
distance as shown, to form a suitable seat for such material. This stopper or piece
of plastic felt or india rubber is pressed against the cover during the heating of the
receptacle, by the spring 6, and afterwards by the external air pressure. In order
to subsequently open the receptacle it is merely necessary to raise the said stopper
or the piece of obturating material (after the removal of the spring) by means of a
device, such as a knife blade, so as to admit air to the receptacle.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, 8 is a wire or cord by which improper
opening of the receptacle, without detection is prevented. The wire or cord
passed around the spring 6, and its ends are passed through a hole formed in the
wall of the receptacle at a point 10 slightly above the edge of the cover 4. The
ends are then twisted and sealed with lead, as at 9, at a point outside the wall of
the receptacle.
In the modified arrangement shown in plan in Fig. 6, the wire or cord 8 is passed
through two holes at 10 and 10* formed in the wall of the receptacle at points
slightly above the edge of the cover; then it is carried around the spring; and the
two ends are twisted together and sealed with lead as at 9, at a point inside the
wall of the receptacle. In each case the holes are located two or three centimetres
from the recess 5 at the side towards which the corresponding end of the spring is
turned in closing the receptacle so that it is impossible to cause the spring after it
has been turned away from the recess and secured by the wire or cord to re-enter
the recess, in order to open the box, without cutting the wire or cord.

page_text: In each of the examples hereinbefore described, the receptacles and covers are of
circular form in plan.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are respectively a plan, a vertical section, and a side elevation
illustrating a receptacle and cover with straight or flat sides, being in the example
shown of square form in plan. In this case the curved spring 6 may, as shown, be
provided at one end with a pin 6ª adapted to enter a hole formed in the wall at one
side of the receptacle, the other end of the spring being arranged to enter a groove 5"
in the opposite wall of the receptacle as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7. Instead
of this groove 5b, the upper edge of the receptacle may be turned inward, for a
portion of its length as shown at 1 in Fig. 10.
In these cases the holes 11 for the wire or cord forming the controlling device,
are, as shown in Fig. 9 formed in the wall of the receptacle at each side of the end
of the spring opposite to that having the pin 6" above referred to.
For receptacles that are much longer than they are broad, two or more springs 6
may be used.
In the example shown, the receptacles and covers are shown as made of sheet
metal, but they may obviously be made of other material, as for example of
earthenware.
As will be readily seen, receptacles and covers constructed as described are simple
in construction, and can be cheaply made; they can be effectually closed, and are
thus adapted for containing substances of various kinds; they can be conveniently
packed for transport; and after being wholly or partly emptied can be re-used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A receptacle for food or other substances in which the closing device is in the
form of a cover located within the top of the receptacle and formed with a domed
or raised central portion and an outer rim that is caused to bear upon a rib or
flange within the receptacle or upon packing material placed between the said rim
and rib or flange by means of a downwardly bent spring 6 the central portion of
which bears upon the domed portion of the cover and the ends of which are rigidly
held by the wall of the said receptacle substantially as described and shown.
2. A receptacle and cover or closing device with spring constructed and arranged
as specified in the preceding claim, in which the cover is formed with an aperture.
normally closed by a stopper or by a piece of obturating material that is held in
place by the spring or jointly by the spring and by the external pressure of the
atmosphere when a partial vacuum is set up within the closed receptacle, substan-
tially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in Figure 4 and in
Figure 5 of the drawings annexed for the purpose specified.
3. My improved food or other receptacle with rib or flange 2 and groove 5,
sheet metal cover or closure 3 having a domed or raised central portion and a
rim 4, and spring 6, with or without the packing material 7, these parts being con-
structed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed, or modified according to Fig. 3
and whether or not the spring be retained in its closed position by a wire or thread
passed around it and through a hole or holes in the wall of the receptacle and
having its ends sealed as illustrated in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 6 of the drawings for the
purpose specified.
4. The modified constructions of receptacle with closing device and spring shown
in and described with reference to Figs. 7, 8 and 9 and to Fig. 10 of the drawings
annexed.
J. LEEMBRUGGEN.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.