Improvements in Means for Opening Cans, Canisters, and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Opening Cans, Canisters, and the like.
I, CHARLES BAUER, of 6, Elm Bank Gardens, Barnes, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to cutters or
openers such as are used for cutting open hermetically sealed cans canisters and
the like in which a cutter is fixed to the lid which lid is then placed on the can
canister or the like the latter being closed by a tagger tin or other cover-
sufficient pressure being brought to bear to cause the cutter to pierce the cover
and if now the lid or the can or both be rotated in opposite directions the cutter
will cut out the cover and thus open the can canister or the like. The lid fits
by preference easily or fairly loosely on the can or the like so as to readily turn
thereon.
The object of my invention is to provide a cutter adapted to open a can or the
like in the manner described but which cutter will obviate certain well known
disadvantages appertaining to those hitherto in use, and the object of my inven-
tion is also to provide a cutter which shall be adapted to be fixedly attached to
the lid or other part by means of solder rivets or otherwise-a fixed attachment
being the most simple-the knife portion of said cutter being further adapted
to be swung or moved out of its cutting position by pushing it aside with the
edge of the can canister or the like when the lid or equivalent is being put on
and said cutter being so constructed and arranged that when the lid or equivalent
is removed the knife portion will automatically return into its normal position
and ready to be used for cutting out the cover in the manner hereinbefore
described it being essential for the purposes of my invention that there be no
packing piece or slide or any special construction of the lid or equivalent or of
the can or the like necessary to prevent the knife portion from cutting when not
so required and, further, the cutter or its knife portion shall not require to be
especially moved but shall automatically move-by the mere lifting up of the
lid or equivalent-into its cutting position and the cutter or its knife portion
shall not require to be depressed in any manner other than by simply pressing
the lid on to the can canister or the like nor shall it require to be especially
released otherwise than in the manner described-so as to enable it to move
nto its cutting position nor shall the cutter or its knife portion require to be
eld in its cutting position.
The cutter hitherto found to be the best and most suitable for the purpose
nd which is now practically the only one used is a sliding cutter which neces-
itates after the removal of the lid or equivalent the especial sliding or moving of
he cutter by the fingers into cutting position-if the cutter is not jammed tight.
t does however frequently happen that a cutter cannot be readily slid or moved
ato its cutting position by reason of its being jammed and then considerable
rouble is necessary to move it.
My invention obviates all these defects and at a cost which should be much
ess than the sliding cutter.

page_text: My improved cutter consists of a strip of suitable metal of any desired sec-
tional form one end of which strip is fixedly attached to the lid and the opposite
end of which is bent downwards or otherwise formed or provided with a knife
portion. The fixed end is by preference situated closely adjacent to the rim of
the lid and is fixed in such a position that the opposite or knife end is a little
removed from the rim of the lid so that if in this position the lid be put on the
can canister or .the like with sufficient pressure the knife portion will pierce the
tagger or other top in the usual manner.
It now the lid be rotated on the can or the like in the usual manner the
cutter will cut out the tagger or other top.
For the purpose of enabling the lid to be put on without the tagger or other
cover being pierced it is only necessary when the lid is about to be put on to
engage the inner side of the knife portion with the outer side of the can canister
or the like and by pushing slightly sideways which is necessary to put on the
lid the knife portion will be held between the rim of the lid and the outside of
the can and the material which I employ has sufficient spring or elasticity in it,
so that immediately the lid is moved the knife portion will automatically spring
back to its original or cutting position.
The width of the knife portion and the angle to which said knife portion is
set will guide it in course of cutting and if it be desired that the whole of the
cover be cut out it is only necessary to "set" the knife portion at an angle
slightly inclined towards the edge or rim of the can or canister. This latter
advantage I can readily attain by bending down the knife portion at such an
angle as to properly fit on the outside of the can when said knife portion is not
in its cutting position so that if my improved cutter be released the swinging
movement of said cutter will serve to put the knife part into the angle indicated.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1899.
CHARLES BAUER,
Applicant.
Improvements in Means for Opening Cans, Canisters, and the like.
I, CHARLES BAUER, of 6, Elm Bank Gardens, Barnes, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:- -
"
This invention has reference to improvements in and relating to cutters or
openers such as are used for cutting open hermetically sealed cans canisters and
the like in which a cutter is fixed to the lid which lid is then placed on the can,
canister or the like the latter being closed by a tagger" tin or other cover-
sufficient pressure being brought to bear to cause the cutter to pierce the cover
and if now the lid or the can or both be rotated in opposite directions the cutter
will cut out the cover and thus open the can canister or the like. The lid fits
by preference easily or fairly loosely on the can or the like so as to readily turn
thereon.
The object of my invention is to provide a cutter adapted to open a can or the
like in the manner described but which cutter will obviate certain well known
disadvantages appertaining to those hitherto in use, and the object of my inven-
tion is also to provide a cutter which shall be adapted to be fixedly attached to
the lid or other part by means of solder rivets or otherwise-a fixed attachment
being the most simple-the knife portion of said cutter being further adapted

page_text: to be swung or moved out of its cutting position by pushing it aside-towards
the rim of the lid with the edge of the can canister or the like when the lid
or equivalent is being put on and said cutter being so constructed and arranged
that when the lid or equivalent is removed the knife portion will automatically
return to its normal position and ready to be used for cutting out the cover in
the manner herein before described it being essential for the purposes of my
invention that there be no packing piece or slide or any special construction of
the lid or equivalent or of the can or the like necessary to prevent the knife por-
tion from cutting when not so required and further, the cutter or its knife
portion shall not require to be especially moved but shall automatically move-
by merely lifting up or off the lid or equivalent-into its cutting position no
matter in what position it is being held and the cutter or its knife portion shall
not require to be depressed in any manner other than by simply pressing the
lid on to the can, canister or the like nor shall it require to be especially released
-otherwise than in the manner described so as to enable it to move into its
cutting position nor shall the cutter or its knife portion require to be held in
its cutting position.
In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows a bottom plan view of a lid pro-
vided with my improved cutter and Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof.
My improved cutter A consists of a strip of suitable metal of any desired sec-
tional form one end a of which strip is fixedly attached to the lid B and the
opposite end of which is bent downwards or otherwise formed or provided with
a knife portion a¹. The fixed end of my improved cutter is by preference
situated closely adjacent to the rim of the lid or equivalent and is fixed in
such a position that the opposite or knife end is a little removed from the rim of
the lid so that if in this position the lid be put on the can, canister or the like
with sufficient pressure the knife portion will pierce the tagger or other top in
the usual manner.
If now the lid be rotated on the cam or the like in the usual manner the cutter
will cut out the tagger or other top.
For the purpose of putting the lid on without the tagger or other cover being
pierced it is only necessary when the lid is about to be put on to engage the inner
side of the knife portion with the outer side of the can, canister or the like and
by pushing slightly sideways which is necessary to put the lid completely on
the knife portion will be held between the rim of the lid and the outside of the
can and the material of which my improved cutter is made has sufficient spring
or elasticity in it so that immediately the lid is removed the knife portion will
automatically spring back to its original or cutting position.
"
The width of the knife portion and the angle to which said knife portion is
set will guide it in course of cutting and if it be desired that the whole of the
cover be cut out it is only necessary to set "the knife portion-when originally
made--at an angle slightly inclined towards the edge or rim of the lid. This
latter advantage I can readily attain by bending down the knife portion at such
an angle as to properly fit on the outside of the can when said knife portion is
not in its cutting position so that when my improved cutter is released the
swinging movement of said cutter will serve to put the knife part into the angle
indicated.
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. The improved cutter consisting of a strip of metal one end of which is
fixedly attached to the lid or equivalent and the other end of which is formed
or provided with a knife portion the fixed end being in close proximity to the
rim of the lid and the knife portion being normally a small but sufficient dis-
tance from the rim said cutter being sufficiently elastic or having sufficient spring
in it as to permit its knife portion being sprung or pushed to one side against

page_text: or towards the rim of the lid-by the outer edge of the can when not required to
cut and so that said knife portion will automatically spring back or return to
its normal or cutting position when the lid or equivalent is removed from the
can, canister or the like all for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
2. In a cutter such as hereinbefore described and claimed in Claim 1, a knife
portion set or bent at such an angle as to enable the tagger or other top to be
completely cut out substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of February 1900.