IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF CANS AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES FOR HOLDING PRESERVED PROVISIONS AND OTHER LIKE GOODS, WHEREBY UNIFORMITY OF SIZE IN THE OUTSIDE MEASUREMENT OF THE CAN OR SIMILAR RECEPTACLE IS ENSURED
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jacob Sumner Gates, of Nos 9 and 11, Fenchurch
Avenue, in the City of London, Merchant, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF CANS AND
OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES FOR HOLDING PRESERVED PROVISIONS AND OTHER
LIKE GOODS, WHEREBY UNIFORMITY OF SIZE IN THE OUTSIDE MEASUREMENT
OF THE CAN OR SIMILAR RECEPTACLE IS ENSURED." A communication from
abroad by Messrs. H. K. and F. B. Thurber and Co., of New York, in the
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jacob Sumber Gates at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1882.
JACOB SUMNER GATES of Nos. 9 and 11 Fenchurch Avenue in the City of
London, Merchant. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE MANU-
FACTURE OF CANS AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES FOR HOLDING PRESERVED
PROVISIONS AND OTHER LIKE GOODS WHEREBY UNIFORMITY OF SIZE IN THE
OUTSIDE MEASUREMENT OF THE CAN OR SIMILAR RECEPTACLE IS ENSURED. [A
communication from abroad by Messrs. H. K. and F. B. Thurber and Co., of New
York, in the United States of America.]
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus connected with the
manufacture of cans and other similar receptacles for holding preserved provisions
and other like goods whereby uniformity of size in the outside measurement of
the can or similar receptacle is ensured and consists in fitting to the table or bench
of the apparatus on which cans and similar receptacles for preserved provisions
and like articles are manufactured a bracket having at each end a suitably shaped
jaw or gripper for embracing each end of the cylindrical block upon which the
body portion of the can is held while being soldered.
The bracket is provided with a joint capable of being actuated by incans of a

page_text: strap and treadle or by other suitable means so as to open and close the two
ends of the gauging appliance to enable fresh body portions to be inserted and
removed.
The gauging appliance ensures uniformity of size in outside or end measure-
ment which is an absolute necessity for perfect soldering according to the present
methods.
The advantages of this invention are that the appliance ensures a perfectly
true fit and consequently dispenses with the necessity of skilled labour.
The machine is simple in construction and not liable to get out of order and in
caso of accidents the different parts are interchangeable and a broken portion can
be replaced without any difficulty.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jacob Sumner Gates in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th August 1882.
JACOB SUMNER GATES of 9 and 11 Fenchurch Avenue in the City of London
Merchant. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE
OF CANS AND OTHER SIMILAR RECEPTACLES FOR HOLDING PRESERVED PROVISIONS
AND OTHER LIKE GOODS WHEREBY UNIFORMITY OF SIZE IN THE OUTSIDE
MEASUREMENT OF THE CAN OR SIMILAR RECEPTACLE IS INSURED. (A communica-
tion from abroad by Messrs H. K. and F. B. Thurber and Co. of New York in
the United States of America.)
My invention has for its object to provide a device for gaging can-bodies on the
outside to a uniformn size preparatory to soldering the side seam the said
gaging device being arranged and combined with a cylindrical block and clamping
knife similar to that heretofore commonly used. By this invention I seek to
accomplish the object by clamping the unsoldered can-body at each end, and thus
to hold it while the side seam is being soldered a thing which has heretofore
been found impracticable by reason of the accumulation of rosin and dust in the
unyielding groove of wedge or V shape in section, wherein the end of the can-body
is clamped. As will hereinafter appear I employ no such groove.
The improvement will first be described and its operation explained and the
invention will then be designated in the claims. In the drawings hereto annexed,
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus. Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section
of the same on the line indicated in Figure + Figure 3 is an outside or rear view
of the moveable gaging clamp. Figure 4 is an outside view of the stationary end
of the apparatus Figure 5 is a front or face view of the spring which presses the
end of the can-body on the inner side Figure 6 is a front or face view of one
half of the two-part clamp Figure 7 is a view of the other half of the two-part
clamp Figure 8 shows the stationary head in section and the end of the
cylindrical block in perspective the two parts being in such a position as to
indicate how they are put together.
The letter A designates the frame of the stationary part of the apparatus and
to which a horizontal flange A¹ is permanently fixed its purpose being to rest
upon a table to which it may be secured by a bolt A². A brace or stay, a,
strengthens the connection of the frame and flange.
The gaging-clamp, as a whole, consists of a circular head, B, having a flange c,
to gage a can body on the outside. The particular shape of this flange is
immaterial but to facilitate the entrance within it of the end of the can body
the edge of the inner side of the flange may be rounded as at c
At that part of
the head adjoining the inner side of the flange is a flat surface d which is at a
right angle with respect to the axis of the clamp. This flat surface serves,
in connection with a spring to be hereinafter described an important purpose
and said flat surface may extend wholly across the front or face of the
clamp, or may constitute an annular flat surface as in the present example
As shown in the Drawings the flat surface may be formed by placing the
head in a lathe, and with a cutting tool turning out a large groove the
deepest part of which forms the flat surface and also the inner side of the
flange leaving the central part, c, of the face. While the effect of this is the
formation of an annular groove on the face it is only the flange cand the flat
surface & which serve a useful purpose. In the present instance the central
part of the face serves as a place for the attachment of the springs ƒ but
the bevelled cylindrical surface g adjoining the flat surface & serves no useful
purpose.

page_text: The springs f consist of radial projections on the edge of a steel disk F and are
formed by cutting notches h and bending the projections at an angle with respect
to the face of the disk as seen in Figures 1 and 2.
The central flat part of the disk is secured to the centre part c of the face of
the gaging clamp by screws 1 (see Figure 2) entered through holes 1 (shown in
Figure 5). It will be soon the ends of the springs are in proximity to the flat
surface d and the outer side of each of the springs is normally in contact with the
inner side of the flange c. When the end of the unsoldered can-body is placed into
the proper position for gaging is is surrounded outside by the flange and the
springs press the inner sides of the can-body outward against the flange, thereby
gaging it. Any variation in thickness of the sheet metal of which the body is
made will not affect the outside measurement of the can but will affect only the
inside measurement as the springs which press on the inner walls of the can will
yield more or less to accomodate the greater or lesser thickness of the tin. The
yielding of the springs when the can body is forced into position to be gaged and
the resumption of their normal position against the inner side of the flange when
the soldered can-body is withdrawn occasions a movement of the end of the
springs in a direction cross-wise of the flat surface d. An important end is thereby
accomplished to wit tho rosin employed as a flux and the dust present in a
shop and which would otherwise accumulate on or about the gaging flange are
prevented from clogging by the movement of the springs The rosin and dust
being thereby loosened may pass through the notches between the springs and
thence by repassing any of the notches may readily escape.
The foregoing construction differs materially from other gaging devices because
there is no liability in this as there is in all others of the gage being clogged by
the edge of the can-body end pushing the rosin or dust, back into a groove.
The foregoing description of one head to clamp one end of a can body serves also
for the other end to clamp the other end of the body the two heads together
serving to clamp and to hold the can body endwise.
A gaging device for a given sized can either a one two or three pound can-
should be adapted to be adjusted to suit the slightly varying sizes of can body's
used by different can makers. This is effected by making each clamping head in
two parts that is dividing the circular head on a diametrical line. Figures 2
6 and 7 give a clear understanding of this feature. One half B¹ of the two part
clamp is integral with the metal which constitutes the outside of the circular
head B. A surface i is thus formed whose shape is semicircular (see Fig 6) and
whose plane is parallel with the front or face of the clamp. Upon this semicircular-
shaped surface the other half B2 of the clamp is secured by means of two set-
screws 1 each of which are passed through a separate slot in the semicircular
part of the head and thence into holes ¹ in the half clamp B. The length of
these slots is in a direction towards the diametrical line whereby the part B' of
the clamp may be moved towards or from its co-part B' and thus the size of the
clamp is adjusted.
In the case of that clamp which is attached to the stationary end of the
apparatus it is necessary that the heads of the set screws 1 should turn freely in
holes 2 through the frame which must be large enough to admit the screw head
and permit it to be adjusted in the slot.
To enable the two part clamping-head to be adjusted with great nicety or
accuracy, a flange J is cast integral with the head and projects forward from the
rim thereof below each slot and a set screw j passes through the flange in a
radial direction with respect to the circular head. The end of the set screw j
bears against the outer rim of the moveable part B³ of the clamp. It will be
understood that when the set screws 1 are loosened these radially bearing set
screws are capable of moving the part B. to the very least extent imaginable
thereby providing for extremo nicety of adjustment.
The two clamping heads and the spring on each are alike in all essential respects.
In both the flange c is cut away on the top as shown at c² at which point the side

page_text: seam of the can-body will come when the latter is entered ondwise between tho
two clamping heads to the position designed. The object of cutting away the
flange at c is to permit the soldering iron to move over the entire length of the
side seam of the can-body.
A cylindrical block L whose diametrical dimensions approximates that of the
can to be soldered is secured by one end to the stationary gaging clamp in any
suitable manner and thus it is held between two gaging clamps. In the present
instance the end L of this block is provided with a projecting lug n (shown in
vertical section in Figure 2 and also shown in Fig 8) This lug has straight
vertical sides and enters a straight verticle depression formed in the face of the
stationary circular head and a central part of the spring disk is also cut away to
admit the entry of the lug n. A bolt p passes through the end of the block the
circular head, and the upright part of frame A and by incans of the nut p¹ secures
these parts firmly together. The block L is a complete cylinder at one end but
commencing at the top at the other end is cut away diagonally across to the
opposite side and near the opposite end forming a curve (denoted by the letter g.)
The object of cutting away the block diagonally is that by diminishing its size at
one end it is easy to insert the rolled can body. The horizontal top of the block
serves to support the can body along the side seam and permits the operator when
soldering the side seam to press down on the can body with the soldering iron.
The cylindrical shape of the block at one end serves as a form around which the
rolled can body can be placed and also as a guide when the can body is pushed
end wise it directs its end within the flange c.
What is commonly called a "knife" (denoted by the letter N) is secured to a
lever, P, pivoted to an upright standard P', having a slot q' through which the
bolt p passes. By this means it will be seen the knife may be adjusted in any
direction to bear on or clamp the side seam of the can body after the gaging of the
ends has been effected.
In Figure 1 the lever P is shown broken for want of room, and at the extremity
of the lever a wire or rod r is attached and connects with a treadle on or near the
floor (not shown) The depression of the treadle will raise the knife.
The moveable gaging clamp is carried by an arm S which is pivoted at t below
the cylindrical block to the frame A. A spiral spring U has one of its ends
attached to the pivotted arm to keep the moveable gaging clamp in position to
press end wise on the can body. The ends of the springs are tapered and the
tapered parts receive a cone shaped head u one of which is attached to a bolt 3
secured to the pivoted arm and the other to a shank 4 pivoted to the stationary
frame. This manner of securing the spring is of practical importance as
thereby the ends of the spring are injured by being stretched out. The special
advantage which results from this manner of moving the gaging clamp-that is by
swinging it on an arm which is pivoted at one side of its axis is that but little
movement is necessary to afford the requisite space for entering or withdrawing &
can-body this from the fact that the gaging clamp moves in an arc of a circle and
not axially away from its co-acting gage. A wire or rod V is secured to the
pivoted arin and to the treadle before referred to, so that upon depressing the
treadle the knife is not only raised but the movable gaging clamp is withdrawn
from its normal position and assumes that denoted by broken lines in Fig 1 in
which position a can body may be placed on the cylindrical block to be gaged or
one which has been gaged and soldered may be removed therefrom.
A segment shaped block w, is attached to the lower part of the face of the
movable gaging clamp aud rests against the flat part of the spring disk as
indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5. This segment shaped block enters the
end of the rolled can-body, and by drawing down on said end directs it into
the gaging flange.
Having described my Invention claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent
1 In a can-body gaging device a gaging clamp consisting of a head provided
with a flange to surround the end of the can-body on the outside and a spring

page_text: attached to the head to press the inner side of the can body outward against the
flange as set forth.
2 In a can-gaging-body device the combination of a head having a flange to
surround the can body on the outside, the springs which normally are in contact
with the inner side of the flange as set forth.
3 In a can-gaging-body device the combination of a head having a flange to
surround the can body on the outside and provided with a flat surface adjoining
but at an angle to the inner side of the flange and springs in proximity to the flat
surface to press on the inner wall of the can-body as set forth.
4 In a can body gaging device, the combination of a stationary gaging clamp
for one end of the can body, and a gaging clamp for the other end of the can body,
pivoted at one side of its axis, whereby it may swing or move an arc or a circle as
set forth.
5 In a can body gaging device a gaging clamp for the end of the can body
composed of two separable parts adjoining each other on a diametrical line and
adapted substantially as described to be moved towards or from each other as set
forth.
6 In an apparatus for soldering the side seam of can bodies a block to support
the can body along the side seam and which forms a complete cylinder at one
end but is cut away diagonally across from one side and end to the opposite side
and near the opposite end as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Jacob Sumner Gates have hereunto set my
hand and seal this fifteenth day of August 1882.