An Improved Method of Securing Handles.to Cans;. Drums, and similar Receptacles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM LEYBOURne Bailey, Engineer, of 17,
Praya Central, Hong Kong, China, and PATRICK MURRAY, Engineer, of
"East Point," Hong Kong, China.]
An Improved Method of Securing Handles.to Cans;. Drums, and
similar Receptacles.
I, CONRAD FIELD MENDHAM, of 4, East India Avenue, London, EC., Con-
sulting Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved method of securing handles to cans,
drums or like receptacles for containing oil or other liquids or substances.
Handles for receptacles of this kind are usually made of wire bent to a suitable
shape and are pivotally connected to the receptacle in such a manner that they
can be turned down close to the top thereof to facilitate the packing or storing
of the receptacles, or can be turned into an upright position when it is desired
to carry the receptacle by means of the handle.
Heretofore these handles have been secured to the top of the receptacle by
means of a metal plate arched or raised along the middle; so that, when this
arched or raised portion is placed over the lower part of the handle, the portions
of the said plate on either side of the arched or raised portion thereof will lie
Hatly against the top of the receptacle, to which they are then secured by means
of solder. This old method of securing the handles is not only a crude and
clumsy one, but it involves the use of an unnecessarily large amount of solder,
that is to say, of more solder than is really necessary to cuable the handle to-
sustain the weight of the receptacle when full. It is also apt to cause a wasteful
application of the solder, and consequently the cost of the solder becomes an
important item in the securing of handles to thousands of receptacles by this
old method.
Now the object of the present invention is to facilitate and expedite the
operation of securing the handles to the receptacles, whilst effecting a consider-
able economy in the use of the solder, and at the same time improving the
appearance of the finished receptacle.
According to the improved method, the top of the can, drum or other receptacle
is made with raised portions so located relatively to each other as to form between
them a groove or channel of sufficient width to receive a tube or ferrule which
is fitted on or formed about the lower part of the handle so that the said handle
can turn freely in it. When this tube or ferrule is placed in or partly in the
said groove or channel between the raised portions of the top of the receptacle,
it can be firmly secured to the latter by means of two very small pieces or
quantities of solder one at each side of the said tube or ferrule.
If desired the said tube or ferrule, after being fitted on or formed about the
lower part of the handle, is soldered to the ordinary flat top of the can, drum
or other receptacle. Or, instead of making the top with raised portions, it is

page_text: made with a groove or depression in which the said tube or ferrule can be
placed and soldered. But it is more advantageous to make the top of the recep-
tacle with raised portions as above described, which can be effected by stamping
or in any other convenient manner.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how the said invention may bo
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side view of a handle and ferrule ready to be secured to a can,
drum or similar receptacle.
Figure 2 is a plan of part of the top of the can, drum or similar receptacle,
prepared for the attachment of the handle thereto, and
Figure 3 is a transverse section, drawn to an enlarged scale, showing a
handle secured to the can, drum or the like by the improved method herein
described.
a is the top of any suitable can, drum or other receptacle; b is the wire handle.
c is a metal tube or ferrule which is formed by bending a piece of tin or sheet-
metal around the lower part of the handle 6 so that its longitudinal edges meet
or nearly meet, or, if desired, so that the said edges overlap each other more
or less. The top a of the receptacle is made with ridges or raised portions d, e,
for example by stamping up the metal as shown, and in the channel formed
between these ridges or raised portions, the said tube or ferrule is placed with
its adjacent or overlapping edges lowermost. Solder is then applied at f, g,
Figure 3, so as to firmly unite the said tube or ferrule to the said ridges or
raised portions d, e.
It is evident that the raised portions (d, e of the top a, can, if desired; bo
made of less width, or shallower than those shown, or the top a may be made
without such raised portions, or with a groove or depression to receive the said
tube or ferrule; but it is preferable to make it with raised portions somewhat
like those shown in Figure 3.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said'
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The herein described method of securing a handle to a can, drum or the
like, consisting in first fitting on or forming about the lower part of the handle
a tube or ferrule in which the handle is free to turn and then soldering the said
tube or ferrule to the surface to which the handle is to be secured.
2. The herein described method of securing a handle to a can, drum or the
like, consisting in first fitting on or forming about the lower part of the handle
a tube or ferrule in which the handle is free to turn and then placing the said
tube or ferrule in a groove or channel in the surface to which the handle is to
be secured and soldering it thereto.
3. The improved method of securing a handle to a can, drum or the like,..
consisting in forming two parallel ridges or raised portions on the surface to
which the handle is to be secured, fitting on or forming about the lower part of
the said handle a tube or ferrule in which the handle is free to turn, and then
placing the said tube or ferrule in the groove or channel between the said ridges .4
or raised portions and soldering it to the latter respectively, substantially as
hereinbefore described!
4. The combination, with a wire handle and a metallic surface, such as the
top of a cau, drum or the like, of a tube or ferrule mounted on the lower part of
the said handle and soldered to the said surface, substantially as described
5. The combination of a wire handle, a metallic surface, such as the top of a
can, drum or the like, having a groove or channel, and a tube or ferrule, mounted
ou the lower part of the said handle, placed in the said groove or channel and
soldered to the said surface, substantially as described.
.5
6. The combination of a wire handle, a metallic surface, such as the top of 5
a can, drum or the like, having parallel ridges or raised portions, and a tubo :

page_text: or ferrule mounted on the lower part of the said handle, fitted in the groove
or channel between the said ridges or raised portions, and soldered to the latter
respectively, substantially as described.
7. As an article of manufacturé, a wire handle having a tube or ferrule
mounted on the lower part thereof so that the handle is free to turn therein,
which tube or ferrule is adapted to be soldered to a metallic surface to which the
said liandle is to be secured, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of July 1899.
CONRAD FIELD MENDHAM.