IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED BOXES OR CASES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Firmin Simon Colas, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at
Paris, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION
AND OTHER CLOSED BOXES OR CASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Firmin Simon Colas at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1879.
FIRMIN SIMON COLAS, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED BOXES OR CASES."
This Invention consists in manufacturing provision and other closed boxes or
cases in such manner that while the hermeticity of the box and consequently the
preservation of the contents are ensured, the box can be readily and neatly opened
without the use of a tool; further the cover of the box not being materially injured
as when tools are used for opening it, can be still employed as a cover to protect
the contents of the box from dust or from evaporation or drying.
The Invention is based on the particular arrangeınent of the flange of the cover
folded so as to receive around its circumference a wire which is fitted at the end
with a bar, button, or other like device, by means of which it can be pulled by the
hand so as to tear open the flange. In carrying out the Invention a band of tin-
plate or other suitable material is wound round and soldered to the edge of the
cover; this band at its lower odge is folded inwards and encloses a wire. The
folded part forms a projection around the inside of the cover. If the lower part
of this projection, which is the only part which comes against the box, be soldered,
perfect hermeticity of the cover is ensured without the upper part of the band
being otherwise fixed to the box. The wire extends beyond the end of the band
sufficiently to give a hold to the fingers, and it may be twisted around or fixed to
a small bar or other suitable device; thus by holding the box firmly with the one
hand and pulling the wire with the other the wire will tear open the folded part
of the band, and the cover being then no longer held to the box can be easily lifted
off, only the back or inner portion of the fold will adhere to the box. As the fold
projects inwards, as before explained, the solder is prevented uniting any of the
unfolded part of the band to the box.
In some cases the edge of the cover may itself be folded as before described to
receive the wire instead of a separate band being employed.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Firmin Simon Colas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1880.
FIRMIN SIMON COLAS, of Boulevard Saint Denis, No. 1, at Paris, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PROVISION AND OTHER CLOSED BOXES OR CASES."
This Invention consists in manufacturing provision and other closed boxes or
cases in such manner that while the hermeticity of the box and consequently the
preservation of the contents are ensured, the box can be readily and neatly opened
without the use of a tool; further the cover of the box not being materially
injured as when tools are used for opening, it can be still employed as a cover to
protect the contents of the box from dust or from evaporation or drying.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate my Invention; Figures 1, 2, and 3
represent the arrangement of the principal parts for effecting the closing of the box
or case; Figures 4 and 5 shew the Invention applied to boxes or cases in two
several ways; Figure 6 illustrates the manner of opening the box or case.
The Invention is based on the particular arrangement of the flange of the cover
folded so as to receive around its circumference an iron or steel wire, which is fitted
at the end with a bar, button, or other like device, by means of which it can be
pulled by the hand so as to tear open the flange. Figure 1 shews in natural size,
and Figure 3 on an enlarged scale the mode of making the flange and fitting the
wire therein; Figure 2 represents the wire being pulled out. In carrying out the
Invention a band 6 of tin plate or other suitable material is wound round and
soldered to the edge of the cover c; this band at its lower edge is folded inwards,
as seen in Figure 3, and encloses a wire f. The folded part & forms a projection
around the inside of the cover, the edge d' being separated from the box B to be
closed (see Figure 2). If the lower part of this projection d, which is the only part
which comes against the box B, be soldered to the box, perfect hermeticity of the
cover is ensured without the upper part b¹ of the band being otherwise fixed to
the box except by the part surrounding the wire f opposite d". The wire extends
beyond the end of the band b sufficiently to give a hold to the fingers, and it may
be twisted around or fixed to a small bar g or other suitable device; thus by
holding the box firmly with the one hand (see Figure 6) and pulling the wire by
means of the bar g with the other, the wire will tear open the front d of the
folded part d of the band (see Figure 2), and the cover being then no longer held
to the box can be easily lifted off, only the back or inner portion d of the fold will
adhere to the box. As the fold projects inwards, as before explained, the solder is
provented uniting any of the unfolded part b' or edge d' of the band to the box.
As is seen in Figure 3 the wire fenclosed in the fold is completely protected
from external or internal influence, and cannot be injured by a blow, friction, or
oxidation, it therefore retains indefinitely the necessary strength to effect the
tearing open of the band b.
In Figure 4 the Invention is shown as applied to a box B whose closing is
effected by the cover c, around the edge or flange of which the band b is soldered.
In Figure 5 these parts are shewn in one piece, the edge or flange d of the cover c
itself being folded to receive the wire instead of a separate band being employed.
It will thus be seen that by means of my Invention while perfect hermeticity
is ensured, a ready and simple way of opening the box or case without an instru-
ment is provided, and notwithstanding the slight injury to its flange or edge the
cover can still be employed to close the box or case.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,―
The manufacture of provision and other closed boxes or cases with a wire so

page_text: arranged that the opening of the box or case can be effected by means of the same,
substantially in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Firmin Simon Colas, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of May, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
Witness,
ALBERT CAHEN,
Civil Engineer,
of Boulevard Saint Denis, 1,
at Paris,
FIRMIN COLAS. (L.S.)