Improvements in Boxes or Cans and in Means for Opening the same.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1898-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Boxes or Cans and in Means for Opening the same.
I, LOUIS CHANDLER WITKOWSKI, of 608, E. Street, N.W, in the City of Washing-
ton, District of Columbia, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in boxes or cans, which are provided with
thin permanent covers, generally termed tagger tops, and which are designed for
keeping the goods packed in the same, hermetically sealed during transportation,
and the invention consists of a novel arrangement of a knife or cutter which 13
provided on the tagger top which is designed to cut out the tagger top, when
desed, without the use of an auxiliary cutter
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig 1, is a perspective view of a can constructed in accordance with my inven-
tion and provided with a permanent tagger top and a removable cover
Fig 2, is a vertical section through the same
Fig 3 15 a top plan view of a cutter designed for use on a circular can
Fig. 4, is an enlarged detail view, showing a means of securing the cutter to the
tagger top with out piercing the same
Fig. 5, is a top plan view of a square box or can with my improved cutter applied
to the same
Fig 6, is an enlarged top plan view of the style of cutter which is employed on
a square box oi can
Fig 7, is a vertical section through the handle portion of the arm cariving the
cutter and showing the means of attaching the cutter to the handle so that the
handle and cutter will be capable of revolving independently of the aim.
Fig 8, is a plan view of a portion of the outer end of the cutter arm when con-
structed for use in cutting out a square can
Fig 9, is a detail plan view of the handle portion similar to the construction
shown in Figs 6 and 7
Fig. 10 is a side clevation of the knife or cutter in detail, similar to the con-
struction shown in Figs 6 and 7
Fig 11, is a perspective view of another modified form of my invention, particu-
laily designed for use on cans not having a removable outer cover.
Fig 12, is a perspective view of a can of the same construction as shown in
Fig 11, but in the act of being opened.
Fig 13, is a vertical longitudinal section through a portion of the can, showing
the same construction as represented in Fig 11
Fig 14, 18 an inverted plan view of the cutter
Fig 15 is a sectional view showing a modified form of pivoting the cutter to
the tagger top, and
Fig 16, is a slightly modified form of the construction shown in Fig 11
A in the diawings represents a box or can, which is provided on its outer surface
near its upper edge with an outwardly extending projection and with a per-

page_text: manent thin top or cover B, sometimes termed a tagger top
The box or can is
also provided with a removable cover C, which closely fits said can and rests with
its lower edge upon the perpheral projection a An aim D is pivoted in the centie
of the tagger top as at d and extends to nearly the periphery of the can
The aim
1s pivoted to the can in any suitable manner, either by a pin passed through the
tagger top and through an eye d¹ in the aim D, said pin being bent over to hold
the said aim in place, or the aim may be pivotally secured to the tagger top by
forming a slight depression in the upper sui face of the tagger tin as din Fig 4
and soldering the pin in position in said socket, said pin being formed with a
head for that purpose
By this construction the tagger top will not be punctured
or pierced in any manner which may be a preferable construction to the one firet
described, as it is very important that the goods in the box or can should be kept
hermetically sealed, though I do not believe that the hist construction would
admit of any an getting into the can for the reason that the solder used in securing
the pin in position would entely seal the aperture made in the tagger top
The arm D, which is the one designed particularly for a round can, 16 made prefei-
ably in the manner shown in Fig 3, in which construction it is stamped out of a
single piece of suitable material with its outer end turned downwardly to form a
cutter and having laterally extending portions ( which latter are adapted to be
tuined up on the lines shown in Fig. 3, for the purpose of forming a handle do
as shown in Figs 1 and 2 When the box or can is not provided with a removable
cover the laterally extending portions duung transportation can be left in
a flattened condition so as not to interfere with packing and when it is desired to
form these portions into a handle they can be readily turned up by the fingers of
the operator as the material would be sufficiently thin to readily admit of this,
but when the box or can is provided with a removable cover as C, the portions d d
can be turned up during the process of manufacture and left in said raised condition
as there will be sufficient space between the top of the tagger tin and the under side
of the removable cover to admit of this While I prefer to construct the arm D
and cutter all in one piece, yet it is obvious that the cutter might be constructed
separately from the arm and suitably secured thereto. in which construction the
cutter might be made of a different material from the arm In Fig. 5 of the draw-
ings, I have shown my invention applied to a square box or can In using the same
on square cans, it 18, of course, necessary that the arm should be capable of adjust-
ment longitudinally and also that the knife should be capable of having a rotary
movement In order to accomplish this, I construct the arm D with a longitudinal
shit through which the pivot pin d is passed The arm D¹ is also provided near
its outer end with a circular aperture as clearly shown in Fig 8. The handle
portion in this construction, is made separate from the aim and is provided
with a narrow longitudinal slot having preferably square corners The knife
or cutter E is constructed preferably as shown in Fig. 10, its shank or attaching
portion being shit downwardly as at e In securing the knife or cutter to the
handle and aim portions the split shank is passed vertically through the said arm
and handle portions from the under side and the split portions turned over as
clearly seen in Figs 6 and 7, by which construction and arrangement the knife
or cutter will be igidly attached to the handle and capable of being turned thereby
and will be free to turn in the aperture in the arm I do not wish to limit my-
self to the exact manner of securing the knife or cutter to the arm and handle
portions, as it is obvious that the construction might be varied without departing
rom the spit of my invention, the same consisting of a revoluble cutter in com
bnation with a longitudinally adjustable pivoted cutter arm adapted to operate on
a square box or can
The advantage of pivoting the knife or cutter duectly to the tagger top cover
providing the knife or cutter on the removable cover is that with my construction
end aangement it is not absolutely necessary to employ a removable cover, which
fact reduces the price of manufacture and in my construction, where a removable
cover is employed, should the same become detached from the can before it was

page_text: opened, the cutting operation would not be interfered with, which would not be
the case if the cutter was provided on the removable cover The tagger top B
may be provided with a pocket b as shown in Figure 2 for the reception of the
knife or cutter, during transportation. This pocket would be stamped in the top
but not through the same and would be deep enough to receive the knife or cutter
and allow the same to be practically flush with the upper surface of the top, so
as not to interfere with packing, one can on top of another, and also avoid any
liability of the cutter being accidentally forced through the tagger top. The
formation of a pocket for the reception of a handle would not be necessary where a
removable pocket as C is employed The tagger top may also be provided with
a slight depression b which extends all around the can and is of less depth than the
pocket b, or the cutter, and which would be useful in guiding the knife in its
cutting out operation.
My invention differs materially from an auxiliary cutter which is not pivoted
on the tagger top but is adapted to be applied to a can having a tagger top and
1otated to cut out the same as in such a construction, great inconvenience and
annoyance is experienced by the purchaser in always having the cutter handy and
also by the manufacturer in attaching or shipping such auxiliary cutters
In Figs 11, 12 and 13 I have shown another modified form of my invention. A
detail view of the cutter employed in such construction 18 shown in Fig 14 In
this construction the arm carrying the cutter is made longitudinally adjustable
tor a pui pose now to be described The arm is constructed of two members ft.
The member is stamped or punched downwardly to form a cutting point fand
beyond the cutting point, it is extended to form an operating handle f. The
inner end of this member f is tuned over to form guides f The member fl
which is pivoted to the center of the tagger top is formed with lateral extensions f³
which engage the guides f on the member f and prevent the separation of the
members and also allows the outer adjustment of the said members
The down-
wardly extending cutting point få prevents the separation of the members in that
duection The member is provided with an aperture fo which is engaged by
& pivot pin on the tagger top. The tagger top is provided with a depression
or groove ff and the cutting point forests in said groove during transportation.
When it is desned to cut out the tagger top, the cutter arm is slightly raised so as
to disengage the cutting point from the groove in the tagger top and the member f
is drawn out until the cutting point is at the outer edge of the tagger top and
the handle portion will project beyond the outer edge of the can, so that it can be
readily grasped between the thumb and forefinger and the cutter revolved to cut
out the tagger top, as clearly seen in Fig 12. It will observed that the cutter in
this construction will rest flat upon the top of the can and no outer cover 18
necessary and that a powerful leverage can be secured for cutting out the tagger
top.
In Figure 15 I have shown the pivot point secured to the tagger top without
penetrating the same or by the use of solder. This is accomplished by forming
the tagger top with a raised portion G enclosing a depression 9. The pivot pin g¹
having a head is dropped into the depression and a suitable tool is used to turn
over the raised portion G on to the head of the pivot pin and thus hold the same
securely in place.
In Fig 16 I have shown a slightly modified form of the construction shown in
Fig. 11 in which a single cutter arm H is employed instead of a two part arm, and
this arm is provided with a longitudinal sloth and a cutting point on its under
side similar to the construction shown in Fig. 11 The use of this construction
will be precisely the same as the construction shown in Fig. 11 and the can will
be provided with a groove or recess to receive the cutting point.
The invention will be found very useful in shipping tobacco, condensed milk,
paint and other articles which it is desired to keep hermetically sealed during
transportation, and before being opened, and to have a shipping box or can provided
with means applied on the tagger top for cutting out the same.

page_text: 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 18.—
1 A box oi can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion pro-
vided with a permanent thun top and a knife or cutter pivoted at the center of the
taggeı top, said knife or cutter being provided with suitable means for operating
the same, substantially as described
2 A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
on its outer surface near its upper edge with an outwardly extending projection
or projections and with a permanent thin top, a knife or cutter pivoted at the center
of the tagger top, said knife or cutter being provided with suitable means for
operating the same, and a removable cover which rests with lower edge on the
projection or projections on the body of the can, substantially as described.
3 A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top and a knife or cutter pivoted at the center of the tagger
top, said knife or cutter being provided with suitable means for operating the
same the arm of the cutter being pivoted to the tagger top by means of a pin which
is secured to the upper surface of the tagger top without puncturing the same, sub-
stauttally as described
4. A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top and a knife or cutter pivoted at the center of the
tagger top, said knife or cutter being provided with suitable means for operating
the same, the arms of the cutter being formed with laterally projecting portions
which are adapted to be turned up to form a handle, substantially as described
5 A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top and a knife or cutter pivoted at the center of the tagger
top, said knife or cutter being provided with suitable means for operating the same,
the aim of the cutter being provided with a longitudinal slot which engages the
pivot pin, whereby the knife can be adjusted longitudinally, substantially as
described
with an
6 A square box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion
provided with EL permanent thin top and a knife or cutter provided
arm having a longitudinal slot which arm is pivoted at the center
of the tagger top by a pin which passes through the longitudinal slot, said knife
being also capable of rotary movement independently of the cutter arm, sub-
stantially as described
7. A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top and a knife or cutter pivoted at the center of the tagger
top, said knife or cutter pivotted at the center of the tagger top, said knife of cuiter
being provided with suitable means for operating the same, and said tagger top
being provided with a pocket or recess in which the knife or cutter is adapted to
rest during transportation, substantially as described.
8 As an improved article of manufacture, a box or can comprising in its con-
struction a suitable body portion provided with a permanent thin top and a pivot
pin provided on the tagger top, substantially as described
9 A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top and a longitudinally adjustable cutter arm provided on
its under side with a downwardly extending cutter, the cutter aim when drawn
out projecting beyond the outer edge of the can to form a handle, substantially as
described
10 A box or can comprising in its construction a suitable body portion provided
with a permanent thin top having a groove or pocket and a longitudinally adjust-
able cutter arm provided on its under side with a downwardly extending cutter
which, during transportation, rests in the groove or pocket, and the cutter arm
when drawn out, projecting, beyond the outer edge of the can to form a handle,
substantially as described

page_text: 11. As an improved article of manufacture, a box or can comprising in its con-
struction a suitable body portion provided with a permanent thin top, and a recess
or pocket provided in the upper horizontal surface of the said top to receive and
hold the point of a cutter during transportation, the construction and location of
the pocket being such that the thin top can be cut out without raising the knife
out of the pocket, by giving it a rotary movement, substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.