Improvement in Metal Canisters and Cases to Facilitate their Opening.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 16th Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Metal Canisters and Cases to Facilitate their
Opening.
I WILLIAM MERTON of Hill End in the Colony of New South Wales, Watch-
maker 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 :-
This invention relates to certain kinds of canisters and cases which are made of
tinned iron or soft metal and are hermetically soldered so as to preserve their
contents from contact with the atmosphere. While specially useful for canisters
and preserve cans and small boxes for food supplies this invention is equally
serviceable for packing cases for merchandise &c. Many devices have hitherto
been proposed for producing what has been termed a "self-opening tin " or case
namely a canister or case which contains within itself the means or devices by
which its top or side or one end may be cut or nearly cut off to allow access to
its contents. Among such devices have been a number in which a wire held in
or on the can is pulled or used to cut through the metal of the tin. Now this
improvement refers particularly to the way in which such a cutting wire is held
on the body of the canister passes through the end of a bulging on the end or
face to be removed and is looped and is then bedded in a recess for said loop in said
end or face.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now
be made to the drawing herewith in which Figures 1 and 2 are sectional and
plan respectively of a canister in its packed or "closed down" position ready for
labelling. Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 of the canister in the act of being
opened by the cutting wire. Figure 4 is a section of the canister on line xx
Figure 1. Figures 5 and 6 are views of enlarged joints in Figures 1 and 3 above
point y of Figure 2. Figures 7 and 8 are sectional elevation and plan respectively
of the canister with the wire cutting down and the lid thus formed (in Figure 8)
ready for uplifting and (in Figure 7) partially uplifted.
The canisters or cases are made with a groove or recess A' in the outer face of
the body at the highest point possible or in other words the shell of the canisters
or cases terminate in an external groove A¹. The cover is a rim or flanged lid
which has a depression or recess B₁ in its shell or disc at the top and has a
bulging B at the periphery or where the flange joins the top such bulging not
quite encircling or running around such periphery but leaving an unbulged part B²
of small dimension. Through one end B3 of the bulging B is a hole or perforation.
A wire C has its end soldered to the canister or case in the recess or groove A¹
at point A preferably where the lapping of the body of said canister or case
takes place or said wire C might be passed through a hole in the groove A¹ at same
point into the canister and be knotted or looped on the inside so that it cannot be
easily pulled out again. The wire C is then passed round the tin in groove or
recess A¹ and threaded through hole in end B3 of bulging B' of the flanged or
rim lid and the lid is turned around so that wire C will be tightened in groove A¹.
The canister or case is now ready for soldering around the edge of the rim or
flange of the cover and at the perforation in end B3 which being done the loop
or ring C is made on the end of wire C and is placed in depression or recess B¹
and retained therein by a label over the end of the canister or case which is the
bottom during the filling and now becomes the top.

page_text: To open the packed canister or case so prepared it is only necessary to break or
tear through the label above the recess B and to pull upon the wire by means
of loop or ring C¹. In the case of a canister of preserves or an easily handled case
said loop C¹ is conveniently placed over a nail or peg and the canister is pulled away
from said peg. The pull upon the wire causes said wire to cut the top of the metal
through at the hulging B (where said bulging causes it to be thinnest and weakest)
as shown in Figures 7 and 8 and then to pull away from the solder or fastening
at A' clear of the canister leaving a very small part B2 of the lid to form a hinge
for said lid if desired.
This improvement is shown and described with reference to a circular canister
but it may be used for other shaped containers or cases of small and large sizes as
for sardine boxes and for the zinc linings of merchandise cases &c. The wire
shown also is a circular wire but it may be of other section say of triangular
section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
:-
Improvement in metal canisters and cases to facilitate their opening consisting
of groove or recess such as A' on one end or edge of the body or shell of a bulging
such as B with an unbulged space such as 132 on the cover or lid of a depression or
recess such as B' in said cover or lid and of a wire such as C soldered or fastened
in said groove or recess such as A' at point such as A2 passing through end such
as B of said bulging such as B and terminating in loop or ring such as C¹ adapted
to take in said recess or depression such as B' and to be retained in place by a
label substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated this Thirtieth day of November One thousand eight hundred and
mnety-four.
Witness-
FRED WALSH,
Fel. Aust. Inst. P.A., Sydney.
WILLIAM MERTON.
Edwards & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.