Improvement in Self Locking Oan Tops.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
Improvement in Self Locking Oan Tops.
We, THOMAS HARRIS COAKLEY, of 59 N. Calhoun Street, City of Baltimore,
Maryland, United States of America, Canner, and EVAN MADISON MITCHELL,
corner Carrollton Avenue and Fayette Street, Baltimore, Maryland, United
States of America, Funeral Director, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 certain new and useful improvements in can tops. The
object of our invention is to provide a can top of such a nature as to be self locking
and yet permit of hermetic sealing if desired. We form the top with an opening
having a surrounding depending flange and into this opening is designed to be forced
by any suitable means a cap having a depending flange, the lower end of which
extends outward upon a taper or curve so as to be of a diameter greater than that
of the depending flange of the top of the can, so that when forced in the flange of
the cap will yield and allow of the flange of the top to pass beyond the lower edge
thereof, when it will spring outward and prevent the withdrawal of the cap.
The
cap is formed at its upper edge with an outwardly extending flange resting upon a
depressed annular portion surrounding the opening in the can top, being however, of
less diameter than that of the depressed portion of the cap, so as to leave an annular
groove into which the cement or some plastic or liquid, or semi-liquid mass may be
placed to effect the sealing.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel
features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with
the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of this specification, and in
which,
Figure 1 is a plan view of our can top with the cap in place, and
Figure 2 is a substantially central, vertical section through the same.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.
Referring now to the details of the drawings by letters, A designates the top,
which we stamp, spin or otherwise form, preferably of a single piece of tin or other
metal. It has an outer depending annular flange a to engage over the end of the
can body, and upon its upper face an inclined annular portion A' and at the center
an opening surrounded by a depending flange a', the metal of the can top around
said opening being depressed as seen at A' and forming a substantially horizontal
shoulder a as seen best in Figure 2.
B is the cap having a depending flange 6 of an exterior diameter substantially the
same as the interior diameter of the flange a' of the top, the lower edge, however of
said flange b being spun or otherwise turned outward, as seen at Bi, to be of a
greater diameter than that of the flange a. The cap is formed further with an
annular outwardly extending flange B³, the upper face of which is rounded or
inclined as seen at b.
In practice, the cap is forced into position, its depending flange being entered in
the central opening in the top and by sufficient force of pressure forced into the
same until the lower edge B¹ passes beyond the lower end of the flange a', the said
flange yielding sufficiently to allow of the passage of the flange of cap and then the

page_text: said flange springs outward and beneath the inner edge of the flange a¹ as indicated
in Figure 2, so as to prevent displacement of the cap. The annular flauge B' of
the cap rests upon the shoulder a surrounding the opening in the top and
the inclined or rounded portion 6 thereof forms in connection with the inclined
portion A surrounding said opening, a groove or recess C to receive the cement
or other material for sealing the can. We may deem it advisable to change the
shape of the parts and the relative size of the flanges as well as that of the
groove C.
Other modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the spirit
of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The combination with the top having a central opening with a continuous
surrounding depending flange and inclined portion, of the cap having a continuous
depending flange, the lower edge of which is normally turned outward, substantially
as shown and described.
2. The combination with the top having an outer depending flange and a central
opening with continuous inclined wall and depending flange, of the cap having a
depending flange the lower end of which is normally turned outwardly around its
entire circumference and at the upper edge formed with an outwardly extending
flange, the upper face of which is inclined, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Fifth day of November 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W. C., Patent Agents.