US1943355A - Key opening container - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 16, 1934. YOUNG 1,943,355

KEY OPENING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 6, 1933 INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented Jan. 16, 1934 KEY OPENING CONTAINER.

John M. Young, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignorto American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 6, 1931i. Serial No. 650,379 6 Claims.. -(Cl. 220-52) The present invention relates to a key opening can wherein a removable cover is provided upon removal of the tearing strip by an opening key and has for its purpose generally to facilitate removal and handling of the cover after it has been detached.

The principal object of the invention -is the provision of a key for a key opening can which is provided with a cover lifting handle secured to 16 the cover of the can to hold the keyein place before using and later to provide a handle to facilitate easy handling of the cover after opening, the key being broken away from the handle and detached from the cover to effect such openmg.

The invention is of particular value also in connection with key opening cans of the reclosure type (to which the can of the drawing belongs), i. e., cans wherein the cover, after removal of the tearing strip, is adapted for tightor fairly tight engagement with the body to provide a closure while the contentsare progressively removed for use. The handle part of the key permits easy opening of the can when the reclosure cover is fitted relatively tightly in place.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a compound key member which is secured to a can part and which is breakable to release a key opening part for opening the can and to leave a part as a handle for a coverof the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing; discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can having a tearing strip and a compound opening key to be used in opening the can;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken through the top part of the can substantially along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail of the opened can showing the cover lifting handle in use;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified form of key and cover; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional detail of the cover and key of Fig. 4, being taken substantially along the line 5-5 in that figure.

For the purpose of more clearly illustrating the present invention there is disclosed in the drawing a preferred form of can comprising a body 11 having a bottom or end member 12 which may be secured in any suitable manner as by a double seam. The opposite end of the can is closed by a cover 13 which is preferably provided with a downwardly extending flange 14 adapted to engage the upper end of the body in a permanent 6 0 connection.

The upper end of the body wall 11 is curled inwardly at 15 and a gasket material 16 is preferably disposed in a groove 1'7 located at the junction of the flange 14 with the central part of the 66 cover 13. This packing orgasket material produces an air-tight joint for the drive fit between the cover and the body.

The cover 13 is formed with an annular wall 18 which fits within and engages the inside of the curl 15 of the body 11, the wall 18 being substantially parallel to the flange 14. The wall 18 merges into a horizontal wall section 19 in which an annular depression or channel 21 is located.

The cover flange 14 is out with an encircling score line 22 (Figs. 1 and 2) substantially parallel to'the lower edge of the flange, a tearing strip 23 being thus set off in the flange. A tongue 24 extends down from the bottom of the flange Q 14 for engagement by the opening key and this tongue has one side edge curving up to and merging into one edge of the tearing strip as at 25 and an opposite side edge joining the edge of the tearing strip in a sharp corner 26.

The key member, designated by the numeral 31,

'is formed from a wire or round rod of suitable cross section bent at one end to provide the usual looped head indicated as 32 and a shank which is flattened at 33 and slotted at 34 for engage- 9 ment with the tongue. The flattened part oi. the key extends beyond the slot 34 and is notched or weakened at 35.

Beyond the notch the key is secured to the can by spot welding or in any other suitable manner i5 and beyond the flattened part of the key the key stock is extended into a cover lifting handle 36 which becomes effective as a handle when the tearing strip 23 has been removed. In Fig. 2 the handle 36 is shown as being spot welded on both 180 sides of the channel 21, this being most desirable for a straight key member.

For opening the can the key proper is removed from the cover by lifting of its head 32 so as to break it at its weakened notch 35. This leaves 10 the handle extension 36 in place, the welds or other attachment not being disturbed. The key is then used to wind off the tearing strip 23 and free the cover 13 from its connection with the can.

In doing this the tongue 24 is threaded through the key slot 34 and on turning of the key the metal in the flange 14 beginning at the sharp corner 26 tears across the tearing strip 23 and thence alongthe score line 22, entirely removing the tearing strip.

The handle 36 now becomes effective and greatly facilitates handling of the cover at this time by making it more easily removed'orfreplaced and should the contents of the container adhere to the underside of the cover, the hand would be protected from such contents. This handle 536 extends across the annular depression21 andis easily grasped between the thumb andforefinger',

as graphically shown in Fig.3. 7

It will thus be observed that structure before separation into its component parts comprises a compound key member having. one part providing an opening key and the second part providing a cover lifting handle. Each part 3 of this compound key unit has its distinct use, both being conveniently retained in place as a unit with the can and neither being operable for the purpose intended until the parts are separated from each other. 1 '1 m5! The cover 13 may be formed with a transverse channel or depression 3'7 (Figs. 4 and 5) for'the reception of a'slightly different form ofcompound key member. In this cover the central surface in which the channel 3'7 is located, is raised above the floor of the channel presenting'domedsections 38 on opposite sides. l

A compound key member 39is located-within the channel, being suitably secured to the channel floor by spot welding or in other'suitable manner. The key member is formed as before from wire or round stock and has the usual bent or looped head and flattened and slotted shank. It may be notched or weakened at 41-.

The key stock is likewise extended into a-cover lifting handle 42 which, unlike the handle- 36. is hooked or curved as shown in Fig. 4-to. provide clearance between it and the floor of the channel 3'7. This clearance is for the thumb and forefinger when handling the cover after .theican has been opened and the cover has been detached.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of' the invention or sacrificing all of its material ad vantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The combination of a container; sco'red'to provide a removable area, and an'integral member having a key part and a handle part and permanently secured at its handle part to the top the entire. ke

Jpart from the rest of the container, said handle part being then utilizable for removal of said ',,t.;3-:*The combination of a container scored to provide an-encirclingtearing strip, and comprisuing afbody part and-a cover part, said parts being inter engageable after. removal of the tearing strip to provide a reclosure, and an integral mem- "ber having a key part and a handle part and permanently secured at its handle part to said cover part; said member being frangible to permit sepiatratioriof the'key part for removalof the tearing strip; the handle I part being thereafter utilizable for the removal-of'the' cover part. '4. 'Ihe combination' of a"container scoredto provide an encircling tearing strip,and comprising a body partand a cover'part, said 'coverfittingwithinsaid' body part after'removal of the t'ear'ling'strip to provide a plug reclosure,-and'an integralmember having a key'part and a handle part and' permanentlysecured at its handle part tosaid coverpart, said member being frangible topermit'separationof the key part for removal of the tearing'strip, the handle part being-there after utilizable for the removal of the cover part. "5;" I'he combination of acontainer 'scoredto provide 'an encircling' tearing strip,-an integral member having a key part and a handle part and prmanently'*s'ecuredat'its handle part to the top 'ofs'aid container, said member being frangible to"permit separation of the key part fromthe handle part for removing said tearing strip,-'a'nd said handle part and said'top of said container beingseparated beyond the point of attachment of said handle part to said top of saidcontainer to facilitate gripping of the handle part for removal of' s aidtop. 6.-A fkey member for opening a'containerand releasing a coverp'art' therefrom, comprising a head and-a stem providing a slotted shank and a handle part, said handle part being adaptedto be securedto [said cover part, the stem being weakenedbetween said shank and said handle part top'ermitbreaking away of the shank'and head from saidhandle part for opening the container, said handle'part remaining as a-handle for lifting and replacing said cover part. V

i JOHN M. YOUNG.

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