IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR CANS FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED MEATS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Henderson, of No. 263, Commercial Road, Peckham,
"
in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
CASES OR CANS FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED MEATS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 11th February 1879, and dated the 23rd November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1878.
"
JAMES HENDERSON, of No. 263, Commercial Road, Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR CANS FOR CONTAINING PRE-
SERVED MEATS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in cases or cans for containing
preserved meat and other articles.
In order that such cases or cans, which are made of thin tinned iron, may be
easily and neatly torn open to obtain access to the contents, I double inwards the
edge of the sheet of metal which forms the rim or upper edge of the body of the case
or can, and in soldering up the side I leave this doubled edge or rim unsoldered on the
outside of the case or can, but on the inner side I complete the soldered joint to the
top. The cover of the case or can is also soldered in, still leaving free the outer
end of the double rim.
When it is desired to open the case or can the free end of the rim is taken hold
of by any instrument which may be to hand, and when it is pulled the doubled rim
tears off and separates from the cover. The direction which the tear takes is con-
trolled by the strip of metal which is doubled inwards, the lower edge of which as

page_text: it were cuts through the metal forming the body of the can or case. The depth to
which the metal is doubled is such that the tear takes place immediately beneath
the cover.
Sometimes when the cans or cases are intended to hold liquids, I insert the cover
to some distance below the top of the rim, and it is then unnecessary to leave a free
end, as with this construction the end can be readily laid hold of when the solder
joint is completed to the top on the outer as well as upon the inner surface of the
body of the case or can.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd May
1879.
JAMES HENDERSON, of No. 263, Commercial Road, Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASES OR CANS FOR CONTAINING PRE-
SERVED MEATS AND OTHER ARTICLES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in cases or cans for containing
preserved meat and other articles.
In order that such cases or cans which are made of thin tinned iron may be easily
and neatly torn open to obtain access to the contents, I double in wards the edge of the
sheet of metal which forms the rim or upper edge of the body of the case or can, and
in soldering up the side I leave this double edge or rim unsoldered on the outside
of the case or can, but on the inner side I complete the soldered joint to the top.
The cover of the case or can is also soldered in, still leaving free the outer end of
the double rim.
When it is desired to open the case or can the free end of the rim is taken hold
of by any instrument which may be to hand, and when it is pulled the double rim
tears off and separates from the cover. The direction which the tear takes is con-
trolled by the strip of metal which is doubled inwards, the lower edge of which as
it were cuts through the metal forming the body of the can or case. The depth to
which the metal is doubled is such that the tear takes place immediately beneath
the cover.
Sometimes when the cans or cases are intended to hold liquids I insert the cover
to some distance below the top of the rim, and it is then unnecessary to leave a free
end, as with this construction the end can be readily laid hold of when the solder
joint is completed to the top on the outer as well as upon the inner surface of the
body of the case or can.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a case or can for containing preserved meat or the
like; Figure 2 is a vertical section, and Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
a, a, is the cylindrical body and a¹ is the margin of the strip of tin plate of which
the body is formed, doubled inwards, so that the edge of the metal is brought to the
position at which it is desired that the body of the case should tear in opening.
a is the free end left to this doubled rim or edge, the soldering of the exterior
of the body being carried up only as far as a, but within the case or can the
soldered joint is completed to the full length of the body. The free end a³, which
also is of the double thickness is, as the Drawing shows, cut sufficiently long to
admit of its being taken hold of by any instrument which may be to hand; b and
c, the bottom and top of the case or can, are soldered to the body in the usual
manner.
Figure 4 shows a convenient opening instrument, to which however no claim is
made, and these cases or cans may be opened by any instrument capable of taking
a firm hold on the free end a².
When the instrument or key, shewn in Figure 4, is used, the free end a² is intro-
duced into the notch at d, and the tool being then turned round and round the
double rim is wound up upon it and neatly torn from the remainder of the body,
leaving the case or can open.
Figure 5 is an elevation, and Figure 6 is a vertical section of a case or can with
a sunken cover; it is adapted to contain liquids as it opens immediately below the
level of the cover, so that although completely full scarcely any of the contents will
be spilled in opening.

page_text: a is the body and a' the doubled margin, as in Figure 1, but the end a in this
form is not left entirely free but is rendered readily detachable for the purpose of
commencing the tear by forming a slit a, a³, in the part of the rim above the cover
C. In this form also the soldered joint is completed for the full length of the body
on the outside as well as within. The case or can is opened in the manner already
described by taking firm hold of the ond a² with any convenient instrument, and
by a sufficient strain put upon it tearing off the doubled rim or edge of the body all
round.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim in cases or cans for
containing preserved meat and other articles, the doubled rim or edge to the
body, having an end free or unsoldered or readily detachable; substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
I also claim the construction of cases or cans for containing preserved meats and
other articles, substantially as described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Henderson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
JAMES HENDERSON. (L.S.)