IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING CANS, BARRELS, KEGS, AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Joseph Lindsay
Nicholson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his.
Petition, on the 1st August 1868.-A communication from abroad
by Edward Jenkins, of Ravenswood, Queen's County, State of New
York, United States of America.
I, CHARLES JOSEPH LINDSAY NICHOLSON, of 20, Threadneedle Street,
in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING CANS, BARRELS, KEGS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR RECEPTACLES," (a communication,) to be as follows, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings making part of this Specification,
and to the letters of reference marked thereon:-
Fig. 1 is a view of my Invention for closing apertures; Fig. 2 is a
bottom view of the same; Fig. 3 is a view of the same as applied to a
can for preserving fruits; in the Drawings like parts of the Invention'
are pointed out by the same letters of reference.

page_text: The nature of my Invention consists in the construction and operation
as more fully hereafter described of a new and useful Invention for
closing apertures applicable to the closing of cans for the preservation
of meats, and fruits, and vegetables, the closing of kegs and barrels, and
to other purposes.
To more fully explain my Invention I will describe its construction
and operation in detail as follows:-
A shews a plate of metal with a central opening through which is
inserted a screw B; beneath this metal is placed a washer C of rubber,
leather, or any other suitable material, through which also passes the
screw B; D shews a second plate of metal made oblong or oval and
smaller than the plate A, and having upon its under side a nut d;
through this plate D the screw B passes and has inserted in its bottom
end a pin b, which bears against the bottom side of the nut d and
screws to hold the plate D upon the screw B; E is a pin attached to the
plate A and made of sufficient length to extend through the plate D,
when the plate A is removed as far from the plate D as the turning of
the screw will allow; being thus constructed its operation is as follows:-
The lever plate of metal D is inserted within the opening to be closed by
turning apparatus, so as to bring it lengthwise across the opening to be
closed, inserting one end of the plate D within the opening and carrying
it laterally after such insertion so as to admit the opposite end, then
turning it so as to bring it directly over the opening and tightening the
screw B by means of a screwdriver or any other tool as the screw is
tightened, the same operating upon the nut d causes the plate D to
approach the plate A and washer C, and finally firmly fasten the same.
The plate D when the screw B is fully tightened bearing upon the under
side of the metal or wood surrounding the opening, and the washer C
and plate A upon the upper side of the metal or wood surrounding the
opening, and thus effectually closing the opening in the can, keg, or
barrel, or other article. The pin E, passing through the plate D,
prevents the same turning when the screw B is turned. When desired
to remove the apparatus the screw is unfastened to its full extent and
the apparatus turned the same as when inserted. The lower plate may
be lifted out of the opening or aperture by moving the apparatus laterally
and liberating one end of the plate D, when the rest of the plate will
readily follow.

page_text: As previously stated my Invention will be found particularly ap-
plicable to the closing of cans for the preservation of fruits, vegetables,
and meats.