Method of and Means for Hermetically Enclosing Substances.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Sept., 1899
Onnifination loft 15th Mov 1000 1ccented 28th July 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Means for Hermetically Enclosing Substances.
I, HENRY SOLOMON WELLCOME, of Snow Hill Buildings, Holborn. Viaduct,
London, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
on to be as follows:
My invention consists of a new method of applying hermetically-sealed cover-
ngs or envelopes of metal or other material or combination of materials to chemical
nd other substances.
The objects of my invention are:-
1. To provide a protective hermétically-sealed covering or envelope applicable
to articles and to solid, semi-solid and liquid substances of any or no definite
hape to secure the contents-
a. from contamination with other articles or substances.
b. from evaporation.
c. from atmospheric influence such as would otherwise take place were the
substance to be enclosed of an efflorescent, a deliquescent, or hygroscopic
naturé.
d. from danger in handling, such as would otherwise be the case were the
substance to be enclosed of a corrosive nature.
e. from adulteration.
2. To provide a protective covering or envelope applicable to chemicals and
other substances which may reduce to a minimum-
a. the existing liability to injure such products in packing,
b. the expense of packing various products which could only otherwise be
safely issued for sale in glass containers.
3. To provide in a protective hermetically-sealed covering or envelope capable
of containing solid, semi-solid, liquid or gaseous products, an important facility
for emptying the contents.
The coverings or envelopes may be made of any suitable material or combination
of materials, but preferably of tinfoil of stout quality.
My method consists of taking a piece of the enveloping material, out of which
I form that I may term the container portion of my covering or envelope,
which is formed into any desirable shape, and is provided with a continuous
outward flange at its outlet or mouth.
66
The container portion" of my covering or envelope may be shaped by any
of the usual methods of shaping substances, according to the nature of the sub-
stances under treatment.
66
The container portion" of my covering or envelope is then filled or partly
filled with the article or substance required to be enclosed.
I then take another piece of the enveloping material, out of which I form
what I may term the lid" of my covering or envelope which is preferably
formed of a flat piece of material shaped to correspond with the outlet or mouth
of the container, but is slightly larger.
I place the "lid" upon the "container portion" of my covering or envelope

page_text: so that the edge of the "lid" overlaps the continuous outer flange upon the
outlet or mouth of the "container portion of my covering or envelope.
The overlapping edge of the "lid" is then bent over the continuous flange of
the container portion" of the covering or envelope, and is caused to combine
with it by pressure being exercised upon the same in any suitable manner.
My protective hermetically-sealed covering or envelope is thus provided with
a flange which may be torn off to facilitate the expulsion of the contents.
I do not limit myself to any special design of covering or envelope, the essential
feature of my invention being the simple method of hermetically-sealing sub-
stances by providing a covering or envelope made of two portions, the one con-
taining the substance to be hermetically sealed, and the other forming the "lid."
These two portions are sealed by means of a continuous outer flange upon the
container portion" and an overlapping edge upon the "lid." The overlapping
edge upon the lid is bent over the continuous outer flange upon the
tainer portion and is pressed tightly down upon the same.
"
Dated this 4th day of September 1899.
con-
Method of and Means for Hermetically Enclosing Substances.
I, HENRY SOLOMON WELLCOME, of Snow Hill Buildings, Holborn Viaduct,
London, England, Manufacturing Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
The object of my invention is to provide a method for hermetically enclosing
substances in order to preserve them from deterioration, from evaporation, from
adulteration, from danger in handling, as would otherwise be the case were the
substance of a corrosive character; from atmospheric influence as would otherwise
be the case were the substance of an effluorescent, a deliquescent, or hygroscopic
character.
My new method for enclosing substances also has for its object to provide a
protective covering or envelope which may reduce to a minimum
The existing liability to injure varied products of commerce in packing, and
The expense of packing such products of commerce as could only otherwise be
safely issued for sale in glass containers.
The novelty and the many advantages of my new method for hermetically
enclosing substances will be fully understood from the following description and
claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which-
Figure 1 is a sectional view of what I may term the container portion of my
covering or envelope.
Figure 2 is a sectional view of what I may term the lid portion of my covering
or envelope.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the two parts of my covering or envelope, the
lid resting upon the flange of the container portion.
Figure 4 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the lid portion is
brought into contact with the flange upon the container portion for the purpose
of effecting a hermetically-sealed union.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a covering or envelope made according to the
method hereafter described.
My method for hermetically enclosing substances consists of the formation of
the cup-like receptacle A (Figure 1) which I may term the " container portion"

page_text: of my covering or envelope, which is provided with a continuous outward flange a
at its outlet or mouth.
I next form a lid for my covering or envelope out of a piece of material of a
greater diameter than that of the outer periphery of the container portion so as
to enable me to turn the edge of the lid down upon the flange. I accomplish the
formation of the container portion, and of the lid, by the use of male and female
dies by moulding or any other suitable manner.
My covering or envelope may be made with any suitable material or combination
of materials, but is preferably made of tin foil.
I mould or stamp out the lid portion with a downward turned edge B Figure 2
which, when placed upon the previously filled or partly filled container portion,
may be bent in an inward direction by any suitable means to unite the portion B
of the lid Figure 2 with the flange a Figure 1 as illustrated in Figure 4.
I do not limit myself to any special design of covering or envelope, the essential
feature of my invention being the simple method of hermetically sealing substances
by providing a flange upon the container portion of my covering or envelope, and
causing to unite therewith a bent over portion of the lid, but the device I have
chosen to illustrate my specification is one that I have found particularly suitable
for stamping out in tin foil.
A perspective view of the finished hermetically-sealed covering or envelope is
shown in Figure 5, in which it will be readily seen that the formation of my
covering or envelope in any design provides a peripheral extension which may be
utilised for the purpose of expelling the contents when it is no longer required to
be hermetically sealed.
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 method for hermetically enclosing substances consisting of a container
provided with a flange at its mouth and a lid of a sufficiently large diameter to
allow its edge to be turned down upon the said flange substantially as described.
2. A hermetically sealed covering or envelope having a peripheral extension
at its extremity which may be readily displaced for the purpose of expelling the
contents, substantially as described.
Dated this Fourteenth day of May 1900