Improvements in Metallic Boxes or Cases for Storing Articles of Food, Tobacco, Snuff, and Paint, and for other like Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 25th May, 1887. .
Complete Accepted, 28th June, 1887.
Improvements in Metallic Boxes or Cases for Storing Articles of
Food, Tobacco, Snuff, and Paint, and for other like Purposes.
We WILLIAM BLIZARD WILLIAMSON and GEORGE HENRY WILLIAMSON trading as
W. B. Williamson and Sons of Providence Works in the City of Worcester
Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
Our invention consists principally of the improvements in or additions to an inven-
tion for which Letters Patent were granted to one of us namely George Henry
Williamson on the 1st day of August 1885 No. 9251.
Our improvements are however applicable to metallic boxes or cases of the ordinary
kind.
Our invention has for its object to facilitate the opening of the metallic boxes or
cases and consists of the improvements in or additions to the said boxes or cases
hereinafter described by which improvements the boxes or cases are opened with
great facility and without the use of a knife or other detached instrument.
We will describe our improvements with reference to metallic boxes or cases made
according to the said patented invention.
For the purpose of the more readily explaining our invention we remark that the
patented invention hereinbefore referred to consists in making hermetically sealed
metallic boxes or cases having their tops closed by tagger tin plate sheet lead or strong
tin foil and provided with loose fitting covers which covers are used to protect the
contents of the box or case after the tagger tin plate or other top has been removed.
The removal of the tagger tin plate top is effected by a knife or other detached cutter
which is not required when the said boxes are made according to our invention.
To the underside of the loose cover and preferably near its margin we affix by
soldering or otherwise a pointed steel cutter somewhat resembling the end of the blade
of a pen knife but having both its edges cutting edges. When the loose cover having
the said cutter is put on the box or case and pushed home thereon the said cutter
penetrates the tagger top of the box and by turning the loose cover round upon the
box the said cutter cuts away the greater part of the tagger top of the box thereby

page_text: giving access to its contents. As the turning of the loose cover upon the box causes
the cutter to describe a true circle the cutting away of the tagger cover is effected with
a precision facility and neatness unapproachable by the use of a detached knife or
cutter.
When the filled boxes or cases are issued it is necessary that the loose cover shall
be prevented from being accidentally pushed home as in such case the tagger top would
be punctured and the air would have access to the contents of the box. To effect this
object we place a pad or other packing on the top of the box which pad or packing
prevents the descent of the loose cover to the distance necessary to puncture the tagger
tin top. The pad or packing may consist of a disc or card or a ring of metal or other
filling piece of the required thickness. When it is wished to open the box the loose
cover is first removed the pad or packing removed and the cover replaced. By now
pressing upon and turning the loose cover the tagger top of the case may be removed
as hereinbefore explained.
The pad or
packing in the loose cover may be dispensed with by connecting the
cutter with a flat spring on the outside of the cover the cutter passing through a
slot in the cover.
In this case the flat spring is pressed down in order to make the
cutter penetrate the tagger top and is maintained in its depressed position during the
turning of the cover.
Although we prefer to use one cutter yet two or more may be used. When only
one cutter is used the cover has to be turned through a complete circle but where two
cutters at opposite points of the cover are employed motion of the cover through a
semi circle only is required and where more than two cutters are employed a less
motion of the cover is sufficient.
Although for convenience of description we have described our improvements only
in connection with the patented invention referred to yet we wish it to be understood
that our improvements are also applicable to all kinds of hermetically sealed metallic
boxes or cases having tagger tin plate or other like tops and provided with loose fitting
covers.
Dated this Seventh day of September 1886.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Food, Tobacco, Snuff, and Paint, and for other like Purposes.
We WILLIAM BLIZARD WILLIAMSON and GEORGE HENRY WILLIAMSON trading as
W. B. Williamson and Sons of Providence Works in the City of Worcester, Manu-
facturers do hereby declare the nature of our Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our invention consists principally of the improvements in or additions to an
invention for which Letters Patent were granted to one of us namely George Henry
Williamson on the 1st day of August 1885, No. 9251.
Our improvements are however applicable to metallic boxes or cases of the ordinary
kind.
Our invention has for its object to facilitate the opening of the metallic boxes or
cases and consists of the improvements in or additions to the said boxes or cases
hereinafter described by which improvements the boxes or cases are opened with
great facility and without the use of a knife or other detached instrument.
We will describe our improvements with reference to metallic boxes or cases made
according to the said patented invention.
For the purpose of more readily explaining our invention we remark that the
patented invention herein before referred to consists in making hermetically sealed
metallic boxes or cases having their tops closed by tagger tin plate, sheet lead or
strong tin foil and provided with loose fitting covers which covers are used to
protect the contents of the box or case after the tagger tin plate or other top has
been removed. The removal of the tagger tin plate top effected by a knife or other
detached cutter which is not required when the said boxes are made according to our
invention.
To the underside of the loose cover and preferably near its margin we affix by
soldering or otherwise a pointed steel cutter somewhat resembling the end of the
blade of a pen knife but having both its edges cutting edges.
When the loose cover having the said cutter is put on the box or case and pushed
home thereon the said cutter penetrates the tagger top of the box and by turning the
loose cover round upon the box the said cutter cuts away the greater part of the
tagger top of the box thereby giving access to its contents. As the turning of
the loose cover upon the box causes the cutter to describe a true circle the cutting
away of the tagger cover is effected with a precision, facility and neatness un-
approachable by the use of a detached knife or cutter.
When the filled boxes or cases are issued it is necessary that the loose cover shall
be prevented from being accidentally pushed home as in such case the tagger top
would be punctured and the air would have access to the contents of the box. To

page_text: effect this object we place a pad or other packing on the top of the box which pad or
packing prevents the descent of the loose cover to the distance necessary to puncture
the tagger tin top. The pad or packing may consist of a disc or card or a ring of
metal or other filling piece of the required thickness. When it is wished to open the
box the loose cover is first removed the pad or packing removed and the cover
replaced. By now pressing upon and turning the loose cover the tagger top of the
case may be removed as hereinbefore explained.
The pad or packing in the loose cover may be dispensed with by connecting the
cutter with a flat spring on the outside of the cover the cutter passing through a slot
in the cover.
In this case the flat spring is pressed down in order to make the cutter
penetrate the tagger top and is maintained in its depressed position during the turning
of the cover.
Or the cutter may take its depressed position by the action of a spring.
Although we prefer to use one cutter yet two or more may be used. When only
one cutter is used the cover has to be turned through a complete circle but where two
cutters at opposite points of the cover are employed motion of the cover through a
semi circle only is required and where more than two cutters are employed a less
motion of the cover is sufficient.
Although for convenience of description we have described our improvements only
in connection with the patented invention referred to yet we wish it to be understood
that our improvements are also applicable to all kinds of hermetically sealed metallic
boxes or cases having tagger tin plate or other like tops and provided with loose
fitting covers or rims.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation partly in vertical section a metallic box or case
with which a cutter constructed according to our invention is combined, the said box
or case being furnished with a pad or packing to prevent the cutter puncturing the
tagger top of the box or case; Figure 2 represents in plan of underside the loose
cover detached from the box or case and Figure 3 represents side elevations, partly in
section taken at right angles to one another, of the said loose cover; Figure 4
represents in elevation partly in section and Figure 5 in plan the box or case after the
pad or packing has been removed and the tagger top of the box or case partly cut
away by the rotation of the loose cover upon the said top as hereinafter particularly
explained.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figure 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5.
a is the body of the box or case; b the tagger top of the said box or case and c is
the loose cover; d is the pointed steel cutter affixed to the underside of the said loose
cover. The cutter d may be fixed in various ways to the loose cover. For example
it may be fixed by soldering or rivetting to the underside of the cover or it may be
fixed by turning back a portion of the plate or strip from which the cutter is made on
the outer side of the cover. The method last described is represented in Figures 1. 2.
3. 4 and 5. In this case, two slots or piercings e, e are made in the loose cover c and
the ends of the plate or strip from which the cutter d is made are passed through the
said slots and turned back on the outer side of the loose cover as best seen in
Figures 3. 4 and 5. The cutter is thereby fastened to the loose cover.
In Figure 1 the filled box or case is represented in the condition in which it is
supplied to commerce, that is, the loose cover c is prevented from being accidentally
pushed home and the tagger top b punctured by the cutter d by means of the pad
or packing which is represented as consisting of a ring of metal or card or other
material but a disc or other filling piece may be used in place of a ring.
It will be seen that so long as the ring or packing piece f is interposed between the
cover c and the tagger top 6 of the box, the cutter is inoperative inasmuch as the said
ring or packing piece prevents the cutter when the loose cover c is pressed down or
rotated from puncturing or cutting the said tagger top. When it is wished to open
the box, the loose cover c is first taken off the box or case and the pad or packing f
removed and the cover c then replaced as represented in Figures 4 and 5. By now
pressing upon the loose cover so as to push it home upon the top of the box, the

page_text: cutter d carried by the said cover, penetrates the tagger top 6 of the box and by
turning the loose cover round upon the box so as to describe a true circle the cutter d
cuts away the greater part of the tagger top 6 of the box thereby giving access to its
contents. In Figures 4 and 5 the loose cover c is represented as having been pushed
home and rotated through about a quarter of a circle and the tagger top 6 cut away to
the same extent by the cutter d, the incision made in the tagger top 6 being marked g
in Figure 5.
Instead of using a single cutter, two cutters may be used as represented in section
in Figure 6 and plan of underside of the loose cover in Figure 7. In this case, the
cutters d d are made at the opposite ends of the strip d² arranged in the direction of
a diameter on the underside of the loose cover c and rivetted thereto. When only one
cutter is used as first described the loose cover c has to be turned through a complete
circle to cut away the tagger top of the box but when the two cutters d, d Figures 6
and 7 are used, motion of the loose cover through a semi circle only is required to cut
away the tagger top. When more than two cutters are used, a less motion of the cover
is sufficient. For example, two double cutters of the kind represented in Figures 6 and 7
may be arranged and fixed at right angles to one another one the underside of the
cover. In this case motion through a quadrant is only required to effect the cutting
away of the tagger top.
Figure 8 represents partly in elevation and partly in section and Figure 9
in plan of upper side, a box or case in which the pad or packing is dispensed
with and the cutter is carried by a flat spring or spring arm.
In the said Figures 8
and 9, the flat spring carrying the cutter his marked i. The said spring is fixed
on the upper side of the cover c and the cutter h, when the spring arm
is depressed, passes through a slot k in the cover C. In the normal position
of the cutter h it occupies the raised position represented in Figure 8 and
does not touch the tagger top of the box a. In order to cut away the
tagger top the spring arm i is pressed down and the cutter h made to penetrate
the tagger top 6 and the said cutter his maintained in its depressed position during the
turning of the cover for cutting away the tagger top b. In order to conceal the cutter
and its spring arm, they may be situated on the inside of a dome or raised part e² of
the cover as represented in section in Figure 10 and plan of upper side in Figure 11.
In this arrangement the cutter his pressed down by acting upon the projecting
pusher piece carried by the spring arm i.
b
Instead of making the spring arm raise the cutter out of action as last described the
said spring may be made to depress the cutter into contact with the tagger top and the
cutter may be held out of action by a jointed lifting piece or by a sliding lifting
piece.
Figure 12 represents in section and Figure 13 in plan the spring arm and cutter i, h
provided with a jointed lifting piece and Figure 14 represents in section and
Figure 15 in plan the spring arm and cutter i, h provided with a sliding lifting
piece m.
When the hinged lifting piece 7 is turned under the cutter end of the spring arm i
as represented in Figures 12 and 13, the cutter his supported out of action but by
turning the lifting piece I into the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 13, the
cutter takes its depressed position and can be made to penetrate the tagger top
preparatory to the turning of the cover for cutting away the said top. In Figures 14
and 15 the sliding lifting piece m is represented in its back or withdrawn position and
the cutter in its depressed position for penetrating the tagger top. By sliding the
lifting piece m forwards it passes under the spring arm i and holds the cutter h out of
action as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 14.
When the contents of the boxes or cases are not required to be protected by loose
covers after the boxes or cases have been opened, a rim or ring may be used for
carrying the cutter in place of a cover the said rim being combined with the box and
used for cutting away the tagger top in the same manner as a cover. Figure 16
represents in section a rim or ring provided with a fixed cutter d for the purpose

page_text: described, the said cutter & being connected to the underside of the top or flange of
the rim p.
in
Figure 17 represents in section and an inside elevation of a portion of the same,
another rimp in which the cutter d is attached to the side of the rim instead of to the
top or flange. Figure 18 represents in section and a portion in plan, another rim
which the cutter d is made on the end of an arm d³ fixed on the outer side of the rim,
the cutter d being bent over the edge of the rim and made to project on the inner side
of the said rim.
The combined rim p and cutter d is used in the same way as the combined
loose cover c and cutter d Figures 1. 2. 3. 4 and 5.
Our improvements may be applied to metallic boxes or cases of the ordinary kind as
well as to boxes or cases having tagger tops or other like tops.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that we claim as our Invention
of "Improvements in metallic boxes or cases for storing articles of food, tobacco, snuff
and paint and for other like purposes
-
First Combining with a loose cover used to protect the contents of the box or case
after the box or case has been opened, or combining with a loose ring like rim which
can be fitted on the tagger or other top of the box or case, a fixed pointed cutter or
cutters substantially of the kinds herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 16. 17 and 18 of the accompanying Drawings, the said
combined loose cover or rim and cutter or cutters being used to remove or cut away the
tagger tin top or other top of the box or case and acting substantially as described and
illustrated.
Secondly Preventing the pointed cutter or cutters of the combined loose cover or
loose rim and cutter or cutters from accidentally puncturing the top of the box
or case by means of a pad or packing piece interposed between the top of the box or
case and the said loose cover or rim substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly-Mounting the cutter upon a spring or spring arm of the kinds and for the
purpose herein before described and illustrated in Figures 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14
and 15 of the accompanying Drawings.