Improvements relating to Metal Cans, Canisters, or Packing Tina.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Metal Cans, Canisters, or Packing Tina.
I, JULIUS DAVID FALK, of 16 and 17 Great Winchester Street, Old Broad Street,
in the City of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to metal cans or canisters for packing tobacco and other
goods, and has for its object improved means for opening such cans which are
hermetically sealed by means of a thin sheet of tin soldered around the mouth of
the can which sheet must be cut around the periphery and removed to allow of the
contents of the can being reached. According to my invention fix on the inner
face of the lid or cover at a suitable distance from the rim a cutter consisting of a
ring of sheet metal in the case of round cans, or in the case of rectangular or other
shaped can a strip of sheet metal conforming to the shape of the can. To open
or unseal the can all that need be done is to apply pressure to the lid or to strike
the lid a sufficiently powerful blow to force or drive the cutter through the sealing
disc or sheet whereupon on removing the lid the sealing disc or sheet can be removed
and the contents of the can thereby exposed.
I sometimes insert a cardboard or other disc in the lid to prevent undue pressure
of the cutter on the sealing disc or sheet during transport or at other times when
the can is not required to be opened. This disc may have an advertisement or
other printed matter upon it. In lieu of a disc I sometimes provide a metal spring
or bridge piece or other equivalent device for accomplishing the same end.
Dated this 12th day of May 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to Metal Cans, Canisters, or Packing Tins.
I, JULIUS DAVID FALK, of 16 and 17 Great Winchester Street, Old Broad Street,
in the City of London, Merchant, 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 metal cans, boxes, or canisters, for, packing tobacco and
other goods and has for its object to provide improved means for opening cans or
boxes which are hermetically sealed by means of a thin sheet of metal, such as tin,
soldered around the mouth of the can and requiring to be cut around the periphery
and removed to permit of access to the contents of the can.
According to my invention I fix on the inner face of the lid or cover at a
suitable distance from the rim, a cutter consisting of a ring of sheet metal in the
case of round cans or, in the case of rectangular or other shaped cans, of a strip of
sheet metal conforming to the shape of the can.

page_text: pressure
striking it a sumciently powerful
w, the
cutter is forced through the sealing disc or sheet of tin, whereupon the latter can
be easily removed.
In order that the invention may be readily understood I will proceed to describe
the same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of one construction of circular metal can or box
and its lid or cover.
Figure 2 is an underside view of the said lid or cover.
Figure 24 is a vertical section of a slight modification of the cover shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an underside view of the cover of an oblong or rectangular box
provided with my improvements.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of another construction of circular box, and
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively an underside view and a transverse section of
the lid thereof.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side or edge view and a plan of another
construction of lid for an oblong box.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the
drawings.
a is the body of the can or box. a' is the thin disc or sheet of tin, which
in this instance is provided with an upturned edge whereby it is soldered in the
mouth of the box so as to seal it hermetically. b is the lid or cover of the
box and is the cutter arranged on the inner face of the said lid or cover.
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 the said cutter & consists of
a circular strip or ring arranged inside the rim of the lid or cover at a short
distance therefrom and concentric therewith. When the parts are in their
normal position, that is to say the position they occupy when the can or box is
filled and ready for sale, the said cutter rests upon the rim of the disc or sheet a',
and the rim of the lid is only passed partially on to the upper edge of the box.
To open or seal the can therefore all that need be done is to apply pressure to
the lid or to strike the lid a sufficiently powerful blow to force or drive the
cutter through the sealing disc or sheet, whereupon on taking off the lid the
sealing disc or sheet can be removed and access can be had to the contents of
the can or box.
In the case of a rectangular or oblong box, the hody thereof is provided with a
thin sheet of tin in a precisely analogous manner to that of the circular can or box
just described, and the lid is formed as shown in Figure 3 with a cutter consisting
of a strip of metal arranged parallel with the rim thereof.
In the preceding arrangements the cutter has a straight or plain edge parallel with
the top of the cover, or it may be slightly inclined thereto as shown in Figure 24
In some cases however I find it advantageous to employ a cutter having a serrated
or saw-like edge, and such an arrangement is shown as applied to a circular box in
Figures 4 to 6 and to a square box in Figures 7 and 8. As before, a is the body
of the case or box, 6 the lid or cover thereof, and the cutter, which is provided
with teeth or serrations . It will be obvious that these teeth penetrate the metal
of the disc or sheet a¹ more readily than do the plain edges of the cutters shown in
Figures 1 to 3.
In order to prevent accidental or unintentional perforation of the disc or sheet a
should the lid or cover be subjected to undue pressure during transport or at other
times when the can or box is not required to be opened, I sometimes provide in the
lid or cover a cardboard or other disc or ring in the position indicated by the
dotted lines (Figure 1). This dise may have an advertisement or other printed
matter upon it. In lieu of the cardboard or other disc I may in some instances
employ a metal spring, a bridge piece, or other equivalent meaus for accomplishing
the same purpose.
For example in the construction shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 the circular box
cr can a is provided with suitable studs bosses or projections a* of which there may

page_text: be conveniently three, formed or secured around it in proximity to the upper edge
thereof, whilst the rim of the lid or cover is provided with recesses b*, corresponding
in position to the studs or projections a*.
When the box or case is ready for transport the lid is turned into such a
position that the parts of the rim midway between the recesses 6x bear upon the
studs or projections a* and consequently accidental forcing in of the lid is prevented.
When however it is desired to open the box, the lid is turned until the recesses
come over the studs or projections, in which position the lid is free to move inwards
when subjected to a blow or pressure for the purpose of effecting the cutting
operation.
It will be understood that when the box is ready for use the same is usually
surrounded in the ordinary manner by a paper wrapper or cover secured to the
body and rim thereof by a suitable adhesive medium. This wrapper or cover serves
to retain the lid or cover on the box firmly and securely in spite of the fact that
the rim of the said lid or cover is normally only partially in engagement with the
upper edge of the case or box.
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 :-
1. A metal can, box, canister or packing tin, the body of which is hermetically
closed by a thin metal sheet or disc and the lid or cover of which is provided with
a cutter extending around it inside its rim and having either a plain edge or a
serrated edge, substantially as described.
2. My improvements in metal cans, boxes or the like, substantially as bereinbefore-
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
CRL 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.