US10396A - Improvement in sealing preserve-cans - Google Patents

Description

NICHOLSON & SPRATT.

ing.

Hermetic Seal Patented Jan. 3, 1854.

N. PFAERS. Fholu-Lnhcgraphar. Washillgioll. n. a"

UNrTEn STATES.

PATENT Grains;

HENRY C. NICHOLSON AND JAMES SPRATT, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEALING PRESERVE-CANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent'No. 10,396, dated January I, 1854/ T0 at whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that we, HENRY G. NIoHoLsoN and J .iivrns SPRATT, both of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Method of Hermetically Sealing Preserve-Cans; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 represent different forms of disks, 82c.

WVe will premise with the remark that the extensive and increasing business of putting up provisions in sealed cans or vessels from which the air has been exhausted has given birth to many ingenious devices for closing or sealing the vessel without admitting any return of air thereto. The comparative complexity of structure and nicety of manipulation involved in these contrivances would seem to indicate that the very simple and entirely efficient plan here proposed has .not been thought of. applying to the aperture a a small disk, I), of gum-elastic or other pliant and air-tight substance,which ,bein g temporarily held down at one part, acts, on the application of an airpump, 0, or other exhauster, as a valve, and permits the extraction of air, but prevents its return to the vessel. The disk is helddown to its place by a wire, h, stretched across the lower end ,of the pump or exhaust-tube. On the removal of the pump the disk remains adhering to the edges of the aperture by the force of atmospheric pressure, and the can may then be handled with impunity,and may even remain some time without the final process of soldering. We then take a disk,e,of tin, somewhat hollowed on one side to allow room beneath it for the gum-elastic, and placing it upon the top of the can, so as to cover both the aperture and the disk of gum-e1astic: We solder the edges of said disk in the coinmon way, and the operation is completed. Thus is avoided all arrangements for soldering in vacuum and the attendant expenses and difficultiesof manipulation and loss of'time.

This invention has more particular reference to the sealing of fresh or uncooked provisions-a more delicate and valuable art' than where the evolution of steam is dependaround the outside of the joint.

Our method consists, simply, in

ed upon for the expulsion of the atmospheric contents.

f is a gasket of gum-elastic, to make atight joint between the foot of the pump and the top of the can. Where the exhaust is effected by vacuum-chamber, the muzzle of the flexible tube through which the exhaust is made may have a wire stop, as described, for the pump.

coming indurated, makes without further care or-trouble afast and permanent joint between the valve and the can, and if adroitly performed, and with proper material, no further sealing is necessary; but for further security a coating of the'same cement may be laid The disk of tin g,which closes the aperture through which the provisions are inserted, may of itself be made to serve the purposes of a valve and.

stopper, and thus, by superseding altogether the exhaust-aperture, once soldering or sealing may serve for all. To effect this object we provide a ring or annular gasket, 2', of gumela-stic, which being prepared, as well as the disk, by the quantity, a child having a supply of cement at hand can prepare several hundred in the course of a day by sticking the rings to the under sides of the disks just inside their margin. The foot of the pump being formed large enough to inclose this disk, it can evidently be made to serve all the purposes'claimed above for the smaller valve. This feature is shown in Fig. 2. This valve 1) may be made applicable to the sealing of steamed valve will close tightly over the aperture, and.

may then be sealed or soldered at leisure. In order to facilitate and insure the soldering or sealing, a groove,'k, may be sunk around the margin of the larger opening, and the disk having recurved edges, they will occupy the I trough thus formed. This will not only make a more neat joint, but will receive the solder better than where the disk lies flat on the top, presenting the rough exposed edge of the iron, which will not readily take the solder, and this is the cause of leakage of many preservecans. Within the recurved edge the disk may be depressed, so as to form a cup or cavity for the reception of aseal,which, covering over the india-rubber disk,and being protected by the more elevated sides of the disk, will perma nently and securely close the smaller aperture. This feature is shown at Fig. 3.

g This invention may be advantageouslyapplied to the preservation of human remains, and all other cases where it is desirable to arrest decomposition.

We claim herein as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent The application to the aperture of a preserving-vessel of a disk, strip, or pellet of gunrelastic or other pliant and air-tight subtents, and afterward that of a stopper, and

this we claim whether applied or not in connection, as described, with cement on the under surface of the disk for the self-sealing thereof.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands before two subscribing witnesses.

H. o. NICHOLSON. JAMES SPRATT.

Witnesses:

Gno; H. KNIGHT. J. I-I. GETZENDANNER.

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