IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL BOXES AND CANS
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN ALEXANDER LLOYD and ALFRED LLOYD, both of Bush Lane, in the
City of London, Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL BOXES AND CANS" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to boxes, cans, or receptacles, of tin plate or other sheet
metal, such as are used for holding food or other substances, and it has for its object
a novel method of making such box, or can and its lid so that when the lid is in
its place it is perfectly firm and secure and the contents of the vessel are properly
preserved, whilst when desired the lid can be readily removed without the aid of
any separate knife or instrument.
In order to put our invention in operation, supposing that it is to be applied to
a cylindrical can of tin plate to one end of which the lid is to be fitted, we form
this end of the can of tin plate stamped up without seam so that a flange is formed
round its external edge which fits upon or in the ends of the cylinder and is soldered
thereto, whilst a second flange is also formed projecting upward or outward round
a central opening which is to be covered by the lid.
This second or inner flange may either project from the Bat end of the can or
from the edge of an annular recess formed in such end, so that when the lid or
cover is in its place it does not project above the end of the can.
The lid or cover
itself consists of a disc of tin plate having a flange round its circumference such
flange fitting accurately and sufficiently tightly upon the flange already described
upon the end of the can. For this purpose both the flange upon the can and the
corresponding one upon the lid or cover are stamped up without seam by circular
dies made perfectly true and accurate in size and shape so that when the lid is
fitted upon the end of the can the joint between them is practically airtight,
and to facilitate this accurate fit the flanges are made preferably slightly conical
instead of cylindrical so that the lid fits more tightly as it is pressed down upon
the can end.
The lid or cover is made flat or nearly so either over its entire surface or with its
central part depressed slightly below the edge from which the flange descends
without any lateral projection, and consequently any pressure inward or outward
at the centre only tends to hold the cover more tightly round the flange upon the
can end.

page_text: In order to remove the lid or cover we form or attach to it at or close to its
outer edge a ring or handle by pulling which with moderate force it is easily and
quickly detached, and not being injured can be replaced and used as often as
desired.
We have spoken of the lid or cover as being fitted sufficiently tightly for the
purpose required upon the end of the can, but it may if desired be also soldered in
its place, the solder being broken when the cover is detached by its lateral ring or
handle as described.
Instead of the flanges upon the can end and the lid or cover being circular it is
evident that they may be made of different shape such as elliptical, with which the
action will be the same if the two flanges are made to fit each other perfectly truly
and accurately, and the ring or handle by which the lid is detached is fixed to its
edge, preferably at the longer diameter of the ellipse.
The metal may be strengthened by increasing its effective thickness where
necessary.
Metal boxes, cans, or receptacles, of cylindrical or other shape, constructed
according to our invention, are simple, cheap, and easily made and used, whilst
their lids or covers are sufficiently tight when in their place and are readily
detached when desired without the use of any knife or separate instrument.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1884.

page_text: We, JOHN ALEXANDER LLOYD and ALFRED LLOYD both of Cannon Street in
the City of London, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL BOXES AND CANS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawing (that is to say)
"
This invention relates to boxes, cans, or other receptacles, of tin plate or other
sheet metal, such as are used for holding food or other substances, and it has for
its object a novel method of making such box, or can, and its lid, so that when the
lid is in its place it is.perfectly firm and secure and the contents of the vessel
properly preserved, whilst when desired the lid can be readily removed without the
aid of any separate knife or instrument.
In order to put our invention in operation, supposing that it is to be applied
to a cylindrical can of tin plate to one of the ends of which the lid is to be fitted,
we form this end of the can of tin plate stamped up without seam so that a flange
is formed round its external edge which fits upon or in the end of the cylinder and
is soldered thereto, whilst as econd flange is also formed projecting upward or
outward round a central opening which is to be covered by the lid. This second
or inner flange may either project from the flat end of the can, or from the inner
edge of an annular recess formed in such end, so that when the lid or cover is in
its place it does not project above or beyond the end of the can. The lid or cover
itself consists of a disc of tinplate having a flange round its circumference such
flange fitting accurately and sufficiently tightly upon the flange already described
upon the end of the can. For this purpose both the flange upon the can and the
corresponding one upon the lid or cover are stamped up without seam by circular
dies made perfectly true and accurate in size and shape so that when the lid is
fitted in its place upon the end of the can the joint between them is practically
airtight, and to facilitate this accurate fit the flanges may be made preferably
slightly conical instead of cylindrical so that the lid fits more tightly as it is
pressed down upon the can end.
The lid or cover is made flat or nearly so, either over its entire surface, or having
its central part depressed slightly below the edge from which the flange descends
without any lateral projection, and consequently any pressure inward or outward
at the centre only tends to hold the cover more tightly round the flange upon the
can end,
In order to remove the lid or cover we form or attach to it at or close to its
outer edge a ring or handle by pulling which with moderate force it is easily and
quickly detached, and not being injured by such removal, it can be replaced and
used as often as desired.
We have spoken of the lid or cover as being fitted sufficiently tightly for the
purpose required upon the end of the can, but it may if desired be also soldered in
its place, the solder being broken when the cover is detached by its lateral ring or
handle as described.
Instead of the flanges upon the can end and the lid or cover being circular it is
evident that they may be made of different shape such as elliptical, with which the
action will be the same if the two flanges are made to fit each other perfectly truly
and accurately by means of dies of corresponding shape, and the ring or handle by

page_text: which the lid is detached is fixed to the edge of the latter, preferably at the longer
diameter of the ellipse.
The metal may be strengthened where necessary by increasing its effective
thickness.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention. Figure 1 is a
vertical section, and figure 2 a plan from above, of a cylindrical tin can, the lid
being shewn in its place closed.
a is the body of the can, and b the upper end having a flange at c by which it is
soldered to the body in the usual way. d is a recess in the end b, and e is a
cylindrical or slightly conical flange rising up from the inner edge of the recess d.
The cover f is formed with a corresponding flange g which fits tightly upon the
flange e, and h is a ring or other convenient form of handle attached to the cover at
or near the edge of the latter.
When the lid or cover f is fitted in its place, as shewn in figure 1, any internal or
external pressure upon its surface tends to fix it more firmly, but by raising the
ring or handle h the edge is first raised, as shewn in figure 3, and the cover is easily
and quickly removed without being in any way injured. No separate instrument
of any kind whatever is required for so removing the lid.
Figure 4 is a vertical section, and figure 5 a plan from above, of a modified shape,
in which the flange e rises directly from the flat end b of the can, the recess d in
figure 1 being omitted.
Figure 6 is a plan and figure 7 a vertical section of a rectangular tin or
receptacle having our invention applied to it in a manner similar to that shewn in
figures 1 and 2.
In this case the recess d, the flanges e and g, and the cover fare elliptical.
The handle or ring his attached to the cover f at one end of the longer diameter
of the ellipse, and by it the cover can be easily and quickly removed without
injury, whilst any internal or external pressure at its centre only tends to fix it
more firmly.
The lid or cover may be hinged at the side opposite to the ring or handle, and
the flange on the lid may fit inside instead of outside the flange on the end, the lid
being made somewhat concave so that any pressure upon its centre tends to tighten
it in its place.
The flange upon the end of the can may project inward instead of outward.
Our invention may be applied to boxes, cans, or receptacles, cylindrical, elliptical,
or of other suitable shape, and they are very simple, cheap, and casily made and
used, whilst their lids or covers fit sufficiently tightly when in their place, and are
readily detached and opened when required, without the use of any knife, lever, or
other separate instrument of any kind, and as the cover is not injured by being so
detached it can be replaced and again used as often as may be desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
In metal boxes, cans, or receptacles, the combination of the flange e upon.the.end
of such box, can, or receptacle, the corresponding flange g upon the lid or cover,
and the ring or handle h at or near the edge of the lid or cover, substantially as
and for the purpose described and shewn in the drawing.