Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Cans and like. Receptacles to Facilitate the Opening of the same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1897
TRUVIDIONAL
DE MOLTIVATION
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Cans and like.
Receptacles to Facilitate the Opening of the same.
I, JOHN FEAVER, of Long Walk, Bermondsey Square, in the County of Surrey,
Iron and Tin Ware Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to make metal cans and like receptacles in an
improved manner for the purpose of facilitating the opening of the same.
My said invention relates more particularly to metal cans designed to be opened
by the tearing of a strip of the metal out of the periphery or from the top or
bottom of the can by means of a key upon which the said strip is wound in the
operation of tearing it out.
Cans of this kind are usually made with weakening beads or lines formed by
compression or stretching of the metal, or with incisions along the two edges of
the strip of metal to be torn out, or with a single weakening bead or line or a
single incision along one edge of such strip, the other edge thereof being secured
by soldering to the body or top of the can, as the case may be. Such weakening
or incising of the metal of the can is undesirable, especially when it causes
abrasion or stretching of the metal, by reason of the liability to exposure and
consequent rusting of the iron plate along the weakened parts where the coating of
tin has been injured or removed.
Now my present invention is designed to accomplish the desired result without
weakening the can or compressing or stretching the metal and without injury to
the coating of tin or removal of the same from the iron plate.
It has been heretofore proposed to attain this end by depressing the strip of
metal to be torn out so as to produce at both edges of the said strip abrupt changes
in the form of the surface of the can along the lines where it is desired the metal
should be torn. I have found in practice, however, that the change of form of
the surface brought about by simply depressing the strip to be torn out is not
sufficient to ensure the desired result, as it does not properly confine the tearing to
the lines along which such change of form is produced.
By my invention I provide for very efficiently guiding the key in the operation
of tearing out the strip in such a manner as to prevent tearing of the metal at an
angle to the said strip on either side of the same. For this purpose I form along
each edge of the strip of metal to be torn out, or along one edge thereof when
the other edge is soldered to the body or top of the can, a groove or depression
which in transverse section has substantially the form of a V with one of its sides,
which in the line along which the metal is to be torn, nearly perpendicular to
the surface of the can. I make such grooves or depressions by rolling or pressing
the metal between rollers or dies so made that they will form the said grooves or
For this
depressions without compressing, stretching or abrading the metal.
purpose I use rollers or dies one of which has a projection or projections and the
other of which has corresponding recesses or grooves, but which are so formed
that, when the metal is rolled or pressed between the said rollers or dies, it will
not be pressed between the ridges of the said projections and the bottom of the
said ranassas or grooves

page_text: In the accompanying drawing I have shown, drawn to a greatly enlarged scale,
a section through a portion of a pair of rollers such as I employ. It will be seen
that the space between the rollers at the bottom a of the grooves in the roller-die b
is greater than that between the two rollers at any other part so that the metal
cannot be squeezed between the ridge of the projections on the other roller d
and the bottom of the said grooves. It is by using rollers or dies constructed in
this manner that I accomplish the desired result without compressing, hardening or
weakening the metal.
In tearing out the strip, the latter, when wound on the key, has ridges or
projections along its edges which roll along in the grooves or depressions formed
in the can and thus very efficiently guide the key so as to ensure the tearing of
the metal along the outer edges of the said grooves or depressions.
In some instances I make the can so that the strip to be torn out extends around
it and in such case I form a projecting tongue or extension of the said strip to
enable it to be seized by the usual slit key, and I prefer to form short slits or
small notches in the metal on each side of the strip to facilitate starting the tear.
In other instances I make the can so that the strip to be torn out extends around
the top or the bottom of the can, and in this case I provide a tongue or extension
of the strip which is bent over at one side of the can, the said tongue and the
plate or disc forming the top or bottoni of the can being cut or stamped from a
single piece of metal, as described in the Specification of former Letters Patent
granted to me and dated 4th March 1893, No. 4699.
My said invention is applicable to cans of cylindrical, oblong or other shape.
Dated this 31st day of October 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metal Cans and like
Receptacles to Facilitate the Opening of the same.
I, JOHN FEAVER, of Long Walk, Bermondsey Square, in the County of Surrey,
Iron and Tin Ware Manufacturer, 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 make metal caus and like receptacles in an
improved manner for the purpose of facilitating the opening of the same.
My said invention relates more particularly to metal cans designed to be opened
by the tearing of a strip of the metal out of the periphery or from the top or
bottom of the can by means of an instrument or key upon which the said strip is
wound in the operation of tearing it out.
Cans of this kind are usually made with weakening beads or lines formed by
compression or stretching of the metal, or with incisions along the two edges of
the strip of metal to be torn out, or with a single weakening bead or line or a
single incision along one edge of such strip, the other edge thereof being secured
by soldering to the body or top of the can, as the case may be. Such weakening
or incising of the metal of the can is undesirable, especially when it causes abrasion
or stretching of the metal or of the tin surface or coating, because of the liability
to exposure and consequent rusting of the iron plate along the weakened parts
where the coating of tin has been injured or removed.
It has also been heretofore proposed to attain this end by depressing the whole

page_text: of the strip of metal to be torn out, so as to produce at both edges of the said
strip abrupt changes in the form of the surface of the can along the lines where
it is desired the metal should be torn. I have found in practice, however, that the
change of form of the surface brought about by simply depressing the whole of
the strip to be torn out, is not sufficient to ensure the desired result, as it does not
properly confine the tearing to the lines along which such change of form is
produced.
Now my present invention is designed to accomplish the desired result without
weakening the can or compressing or stretching the metal and without injury to
the coating of tin or removal of the same from the iron plate, and in such a
manner as to effectually ensure the tearing of the metal along the desired line or
lines in the opening of the can.
For this purpose I forin along each edge of the strip of metal to be torn out,
or along one edge thereof when the other edge is soldered to the body or top of
the can, a groove or depression which in transverse section has substantially the
form of a V having its apex flattened and having one of its sides which is in the
line along which the metal is to be torn nearly perpendicular to the surface of
the can.
I make such grooves or depressions by rolling or pressing the metal
between rollers or dies so made that they will form the said grooves or depressions
without compressing, stretching or abrading the metal and without injury to the
tin coating. To attain this end, I use rollers or dies one of which has a projection
or projections and the other of which has corresponding recesses or grooves, but
which are so formed that, when the metal is rolled or pressed between them, it will
not be pressed or squeezed between the ridges of the said projections and the
bottom of the said recesses or grooves.
By my said invention, moreover, I provide for very efficiently guiding the key
in the operation of tearing out the strip, in such a manner as to prevent tearing of
the metal at an angle to the said strip on either side of the same, as hereinafter
described.
In the drawing accompanying my Provisional Application, I have shown, drawn
to a greatly enlarged scale, a section through a portion of a pair of rollers or dies
such as I employ. It will be seen that the space between the rollers at the
bottom a of the grooves in the roller or die b is greater than that at any other
part, so that the metal cannot be squeezed between the bottom of the said grooves
and the ridge of the projections c on the roller or die d. It is by using rollers or
dies constructed in this manner that I accomplish the desired result without
compressing, hardening or weakening the metal.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown different forms of cans made
according to my present invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of a cylindrical can, with a circumferential
strip partially torn therefrom by means of a suitable instrument or key.
Figure 2 is a side elevation at a right angle to Figure 1, drawn to an enlarged
scale.
Figure 3 is a transverse section. through the removable strip, drawn to a still
further enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation showing a can with a removable circumferential
strip which is soldered to an internal flanged top-piece.
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a conical can having a removable circum-
ferential strip which is soldered to an internal flanged top-piece.
Figure 6 is a plan or top view, and
Figure 7 a vertical central section illustrating another modification of my
invention.
said
e is the body of the can; f is the strip to be removed; g, g are the grooves or
depressions along the edges of the said strip; h is the instrument or key for opening
the can.
The grooves or depressions g are made by means of rollers or dies formed as
above described with reference to the drawing accompanying my Provisional

page_text: Application, the result being that the outer side of each of the said grooves or
depressions is nearly perpendicular to the surface of the can as shown more clearly
at o' in Figure 3, and these grooves or depressions are made without weakening
the metal and without injury to the coating of tin. Moreover in opening the can
by means of the key h, the strip f, when torn out and wound on the key, has ridges
or projections j formed along its edges, which roll along in the grooves or depressions
formed in the can, as indicated more clearly in Figure 2, and thus very efficiently
guide the key so as to ensure the tearing of the metal along the outer edges g' of
the said grooves or depressions g, and prevent tearing of the body of the cin except
along such edges, as the ridges on the torn-out part of the strip press against the
bottom of the grooves and ensure an uniform tearing stress in the direction required,
and thus assist the tearing. When the strip fis torn out, it leaves the can open
and without any inwardly-projecting part or other obstruction to the removal of its
contents.
I sometimes make the can so that the strip to be torn out extends around it, at
a short distance from one end, as shown in Figure 1, and in such case I form the
usual projecting tongue or extension on the said strip to enable it to be seized by
the usual slit key, and I prefer to form short slits or small notches in the metal on
each side of the strip to facilitate starting the tear.
The can shown in Figure 4 is formed with a single circumferential groove or
depression g at a short distance from the upper edge thereof, and the lid or top k
of the can is made with a flange k' and fits into the body of the can so that it rests
upon the internal projection formed by the said depression. The solder can then
easily be sweated in on the top so as to fill the space between the said flange
and the strip f. When the said strip is removed by means of the key, the metal
will be torn along the lower edge of the groove or depression g, and the said strip
will at the same time be separated from the said soldered flange. The body of the
can will thus be opened in such a manner that it will present no obstruction to the
removal of its contents. In this case, as the strip is torn out and wound upon
the key, it has a ridge or projection; formed on its lower edge, which runs in the
groove or depression 9 and guides the key in the operation of tearing off the
strip f
In Figure 5 I have shown a conical can in which a single groove or depression
is formed in the wall of the can near the top thereof, and the top piece is made
with a flange that bears against the interior projection formed by the said
depression 9 and is soldered into the body e as above described with reference to
Figure 4.
My improvements are also applicable to cans, sardine-tins and packing-case lids,
such, for example, as are described in the Specification of former Letters Patent
granted to me and dated 4th March 1893, No. 4,699, in which the strip to be torn
out extends around the top or the bottom of the can. For example, in applying
my improvements to a can, box or case in which a tongue or extension of the strip
to be removed is beut over at one side of the can, I cut or stamp the plate or disc
forming the top or bottom of the can or the like and also the said tongue from a
single piece of metal, and, instead of compressing or otherwise weakening the metal
along the edge of the strip to be removed, or stretching the metal to form an
indented or raised bead as described in my said former specification, I form along
the inner edge of the strip to be removed a groove or depression of the kind
herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, using stamping dies
with a ridge and groove of the required shape, instead of roller-dies. I thus
ensure that, as the said strip is being torn off the top or bottom of the can and
wound upon the key, a ridge or projection will be formed upon it as above described
which will run along in the said groove or depression and guide the key in the
operation of tearing off the said strip.
In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown my improvements applied to a can in which a
piece is adapted to be wholly or partially removed from the top of the can. I forn
in the top of this cau, by means of stamping dies, two grooves or depressions

page_text: having the peculiar formation above described, one on each side of the strip f to be
torn out, and I cut the metal around three sides of the part f¹ to form the tongue,
and at the same time form two slits in the said tongue and raise or press outward
the metal between the said slits to form an eye or loop into which the key / can
be inserted as shown. I then close the slits or openings thus made in the top of
the can by the application of solder. Or, if desired, I raise the tongue f¹ so that-
it can be taken hold of by a key such as is shown in Figure 1, and I close the hole
thus formed by means of a piece of tin soldered to the top of the can. Or I cut a.
slit in the top of the can across the strip f, and insert therein and solder to the-
underside of the said strip a separate piece of tin to serve as the tongue.
The top of the can is either soldered or double-seamed to secure it to the body
of the can.
My invention is applicable to cans or cases of cylindrical, conical, oblong or other
shape.
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 :-
The manufacture of metal cans or the like of the kind or class hereinbefore.
referred to, having at one side or at each side of the strip to be removed, a groove.
or depression of the peculiar formation above described, made without weakening
the metal and without injury to the coating of tin and in such a manner that a ridge
will be formed on one or both edges of the torn strip to run in the corresponding.
groove or depression to guide the key and perfect the tearing operation, substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 15th day of Anvil 1807
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.