An Improved Can and Opening Device therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 22nd Apr,
1899
An Improved Can and Opening Device therefor.
I, CILARLES MANNERS, of Mansfield, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement ;-
This invention relates to hermetically sealed cans or tina in which are packed
tobacco, cigarettes, alimentary or other goods, and it has for its objects to so
construct the said can that it may be opened, by means of a suitable device,
without damaging the contents of the said can or tin when the opener is thrust
through the thin tagger or other metal top by which the end is closed.
In order that the invention may be readily understood drawings are appended
in which:-
Fig. 1, is a front view of the opening device.
Fig. 2, is a side view thereof.
Fig. 3, is a view showing the opening device in operation
Fig. 4, is an alternative form of end for the can or tin.
Fig. 5, is a sectional view showing the opening device packed between the
outer or loose cover and the end of the can.
Figs. 6 and 7, are views illustrating further modifications of the invention.
Referring to Fig. 3, a is the body of a can or tin which may be round, oval,
or square, in form and which is closed at one end in any well known manner,
whilst at the other it is provided with a thin metal end which in the figure
referred to consists of a plain portion 6 provided with a peripheral flange stepped
as shown at c and d, and which is secured by soldering the external downwardly
extending portion e to the mouth of the can, the said portion preferably coming
inside as indicated in Fig. 5. As it is sometimes found that the heat required for
the operation of sealing will heat the end of the can to such a degree that the
same coming in contact with the top of the contents thereof will damage it, I
therefore, form upon the sides of the can near the top a number of indentations f
as indicated in Figs. 3 and 5, designed to prevent the end being pushed too far
into the mouth by coming into contact with the edge of the portion e aforesaid,
thus regulating the position of the end with regard to the contents of the can.
The opening of the can is effected by means of the device shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 5 which is formed of sheet tin or other thin metal, and consists of a plain piece
or body g of suitable width bent at h as shown in Fig. 2, and provided with a
triangular piece i, the apex of which is pushed through the part c of the thin
metal top, the device being held in a horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3.
By this means the cutting may be effected without damaging the contents of the
can, the insertion of the part i through the metal being limited by the shoulder h
coming into contact with and bearing against the part d during the cutting
operation, which is effected by grasping the body of the can in one hand and
either twisting it whilst holding the cutting device as shown in Fig. 3, or the
cutting device may be drawn round the can, or, the end may be removed by
pushing the point of the device through the side until stopped by the shoulder

page_text: thereon, withdrawing it, slighting turning the can, and repeating the operation;
the point of the second insertion being situated at a distance from the first,
approximately equal to one half the width of the cutting device. By continuing
this all round, the end will be removed.
Instead of the form of end shown in Figs. 3 and 5, I may form the end as
shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 7, in the first of which the end is formed as shown with
a single step or shoulder through which the point of the device is pushed, the
shoulder thereon coming into contact with the mouth of the can. In Fig. 6, the
top is formed with a bead k upon the edge and a semicircular channel 1, the
object being to prevent the point of the cutting device from slipping when it is i
being pushed through the side and injuring the hand of the operator In Fig. 7,
the side of the end is formed with a V shaped channel m the purpose thereof
being the same as in the preceding case. It is obvious that I may combine
either of the last described forms with those shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
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:
1. The improved can for alimentary or other goods, substantially as described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a can for the aforesaid purposes a means whereby the ends of the same
may be prevented, during the operation of sealing, from coming into contact with
and damaging the contents, substantially as herein described and illustrated by
the accompanying drawings.
3. In a can for alimentary or other goods, the construction and arrangement
of the thin tagger or other sheet metal top in a manner as to permit of the same
being pierced and cut without injury to the contents, from the cutting device,
substantially as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. A cutting device for use with cans of the class herein specified, constructed
and operated substantially as herein described and shown by the appended
drawings.
11
1
835
1000