AN IMPROVEMENT IN CANS FOR PRESERVING FRUITS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lanc,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN CANS FOR PRESERVING FRUITS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
-A communication from abroad by William Helme Ireland Howe,
of New York City, United States of America.
Sealed the 20th June 1873, and dated the 19th April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th April 1873.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN CANS FOR PRESERVING FRUITS AND OTHER
SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:—
The object of this Invention is to prevent the destruction of air-tight
cans used for preserving fruits, milk, dessicated vegetables, fish, and
meats, as well as spices, teas, coffee, and various other articles; and it
consists in an air-proof top or disk soldered or fastened air-tight to the

page_text: top of the can, and in a tin cover combined therewith and used on the
can the same as the cover of a tin pail.
The can, properly made of tin, is of the size and proportion of the tin
cans ordinarily used in preserving various articles air-tight. The top
made of tin foil or other air-proof material, but preferably of tin foil, is
tightly soldered or fastened to the rim of the can, and is protected from
injury by the external metal cover which is fitted to the can so as to be
removed at pleasure.
The cans may be made square or in any other suitable form, and the
external cover may be hinged to the can if desired. The cans as now
used are when emptied thrown away, and the quantity annually destroyed
numbers many millions. The object of this Invention, as before stated,
is to prevent the great waste and allow the cans to be used over and
over again for the same purpose, or to become convenient receptacles
of other articles, as small pails or vessels convenient for a great variety
of purposes. The foil top is readily removed with a knife when the can
is to be opened. After the can is emptied it may be returned to the
manufacturer or dealer as it possesses value after use which the old can
does not.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 1
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 23rd July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melville
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN CANS FOR PRESERVING FRUITS AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," a
communication to me from abroad by William Helme Ireland Howe, of
New York City, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to, be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say) :-
:-
The object of this Invention is to prevent the destruction of air-tight
tin cans used for preserving fruits, milk, desiccated vegetables, fish, and
mcats, as well as spices, teas, coffee, and various other articles; and
it consists in an air-proof top or disc soldered or fastened air-tight to the
top of the can, and in a tin cover combined therewith and used on the
can the same as the cover of a tin pail.
In the Drawing Figure 1 is a vertical section of the can, taken on the
line x, x, of Figure 2; Figure 2 is a top view with the cover off showing
the foil top partly in section. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
A is the can, properly made of tin, of the size and proportion of the
tin cans ordinarily used in preserving various articles air-tight; B is a
top, made of tin foil or other air-proof material, but preferably of tin
foil, which is tightly soldered or fastened to the rim of the can; C is the
cover, which is fitted to the can so as to be removed at pleasure; D is
the bail, but the can may be made either with or without a bail.
The cans may be made square or in any other suitable form, and the
cover C may be hinged to the can if desired.

page_text: The fruits, fish, condensed milk, desiccated vegetables, or other
substances which are put up in tin cans for transportation to every part
of the world and for use in all parts of the country form a large item in
the products and trade of the country. The tin cans as now used are
when emptied thrown away, and the quantity annually destroyed
numbers many millions. The object of this Invention (as before stated)
is to prevent this great waste and allow the cans to be used over and
over for the same purpose, or to become convenient receptacles of other
articles, as small pails or vessels convenient for a great variety of
purposes. The foil top B is readily removed with a knife where the can
is to be opened. After the can is emptied it may be returned to the
manufacturer or dealer, as it possesses value after use which the old can
does not.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim as the
Invention to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―-
1st. The tin foil top B in combination with a can for preserving fruits
or other substances air-tight, substantially as shown and described.
2ndly. The foil cover B in combination with the cover C and can A,
as shown and described.
3rdly. A tin can provided with an air-tight top beneath the cover C, as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, 2
in the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
three. .
Witness,
HENRY W. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK.
(L.S.)