US2027437A - Preserving can - Google Patents

Description

H. KARL PRES-ERVING GAN Jan. 14, 1936.

Filed July 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l llntll.

INVENTOR. AQ* ARL 5%@ a@ ATTORNEY H. KARL PRESERVING CAN Jan. 14, 1936.

2 SheetslSheet 2 Filed July 25, 1932 L. R R Y mawfm m/A v T N H T l A R www E /f Patented Jan. 14, 1936 PRESERVING CAN Heinrich Karl, Jersey City, N. J.

Application July 23, 1932, Serial No. 624,219

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in receptacles and has particular reference to metallic cans which are hermetically sealed and used to contain and preserve foodstuffs or the like.

Heretofore, it has been customary to attach the lid of a can to the body thereof by a simple joint which is soldered or otherwise sealed, and to open the can to dispense its contents by penetrating the lid with the blade of a suitable opener uti- :lized to cut the lid. The insertion of the blade through thelid and into the interior of the can, and subsequent cutting operation, has been known to cause small particles of metal to. fall into the contents of said can with the consequent danger to the health of consumers of said contents.

In my copending application led March 6, 1931, Serial Number 520,614, there is described a construction of can designed to overcome the above difficulty by the provision of a novel form of joint between the can body and lid which provides an annular space extending exteriorly about the said body and adapted to be penetrated by the blade of an opener. As a consequence of the formation of this space, said blade will not extend into the interior of the can body and hence no particles of metal will fall into the contents of the can. The joint referred to is made by bending the end of the can body to form an annular groove into which is inserted and sealed a ilange on the lid of the can, said flange combining with the can body to provide the space into which the opening tool is inserted. However', it has been found with this construction that, owing to the formation of the` joint which connects the can body and lid and the location of the annular space extending about said joirit, the required amount of pressure necessary to eectively seal the flange of the lid in the groove formed at the end of the can body cannot be applied to the parts without deforming the portion of the flange of the lid which constitutes a wall of said space, and consequently destroying the latter for the aforesaid purpose.

In accordance with the present invention it is proposed to avoid the above-mentioned objectionable feature by assembling the upper end of the can body and the lid therefor in such manner that adequate pressure in opposite directions may be exerted upon the joint between said elements by means of chucks or the like to eiectively seal said joint without `altering the contour of the space which is disposed exteriorly of the can body and into which an opener is adapted to be inserted when cutting the lid.

Another feature of the invention is to provide (c1. 22o-s6) an improved joint between the can body and lid therefor in which the former, adjacent one end, is folded upon itself to constitute a constricted open end, the periphery of which is formed by the fold in the material so that a finished edge is presented instead of the raw edge of the material at the extremity of the body.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions some of which, for the purposes of illustration, are shown in the accompanying, drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view partly in section of a can constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View showing the joint between the can body and lid therefor, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating slightly different forms of the lid andbottom of the can.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of another form of can in which the body and lid are of the same diameter.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section of the joint for the can body and lid illustrated in Figure 4, and showing the manner in which a tool such as a pair of pliers may be utilized to remove the lid.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing another form of bottom for the can.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing still another form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view through the joint tor the body and lid illustrated in Figure 7, and

Figures 9 and 10 are fragmentary sectional views of two other different forms of joints. v

The material used in the construction of the various forms of the can may be of any desired kind such as customarily employed in receptacles of this character, and that of the can body il is rolled to cylindrical form according to the usual methods although it is to be understood that the invention is not to be considered as restricted to this particular shape of body. In Figure 1 the bottom I2 of the can is shown as being of concavo-convex formation with the periphery thereof iianged to interlock with the lower end of the body ii to constitute a joint i3 of the usual construction. The bottom Il shown in Figure 3 is likewise joined to the can body and inwardly of render it diicult to force the blade of a can opener though the same and thus minimize the possibility of a person cutting the bottom of the can to open it instead of removing the lid.

In Figure 2 the upper end of the body I I is bent inwardly and upwardly and then folded upon itself to form superposed layers of material I6 which constitute a groove the purpose of which will appear in the course of the description. By so bending and folding the material of the body II a constricted open end for said body is provided the periphery of which is formed by the fold in the material to provide a finished edge I1 for said open end as distinguished from the raw edge of the extremity of the can body which would form said opening if the material were not folded upon itself. When assembling the body II and the lid I8 therefor, the groove made by the superposed layers I6 has first introduced into the same a packing or binder I9 of any desired nature which will act to hermetically seal the can when the lid is in place. The lid I8 is curved somewhat like the bottom I2 and adjacent its outer edge is stamped to provide an annular channel 20 the walls of which are angularly disposed, this channel acting as a guide when utilizing a can opener to cut the lid. The peripheral portion of the lid I8 exterior of the channel 20 is bent to provide a flange 2I having an angularly disposed inturned portion 22 which is adapted to be inserted into the groove formed by the layers I6, the placing of said portion 22 in the groove being subsequent to the insertion of the packing I9 therein. When the lid has been so placed the depending portion of the fiange 2| thereof combines with the adjacent section of the portion 22 and with the outer inclined wall of the channel 20 to form an annular space 23 which extends circumferentially around and exteriorly of the open end of the can body formed by the fold I1 so that when the blade of an opener is made to penetrate the lid at the bottom of the channel 20 it will enter said space. In this manner any small particles of metal which may be broken from the lid in the cutting operation will fall into said space instead of entering the body of the can as occurs when the ordinary type of can is opened. By the formation of the superposed layers I6 and the insertion of the portion 22 of the flange 2| into the groove formed by said layers it will be obvious that at least one thickness of material will be interposed between the bottom of the channel where the blade of the opener enters and the wall of the can body. This additional thicknessor layer of the material will avoid the possibility of the blade of the opener penetrating through the wall of the can body in the event that excessive pressure should be applied to said blade when forcing it through the lid I8. l

In the form of the invention being described the lid is sealed in place on the can body before the foodstuffs or other materials are placed in the latter and after this has been done the bottom of the can is sealed in the usual manner. When securing the lid in place the formation of the adjacent end of the body and the lid is such that an inner chuck may be inserted into the interior of the body and engaged with the adjacent layer I6 of the folded material of the body and an outer chuck engaged with the lid including the inner wall of the channel 20. Then pressure upon the chucks in opposite directions and against the parts of the can which they engage will compress the layers I6 and tightly bind the same against the portion 22 so that the packing in the groove formed by said layers will tightly seal the lid in place.

If desired, before the lid I8 is mounted in position, a quantity of any suitable adhesive 2l may be placed in the annular space 23 so that any particles of the matter broken away from the lid by the cutting operation will fall into said adhesive and be held thereby against any possibility of escaping from said space.

In Figure 3 the top portion of the lid 25 interiorly of the channel 20 is shaped to conform to the bottom I 4 of the can. Otherwise the construction of the lid and the formation of the body II at the adjacent end is substantially the same as described in connection with Figure 2, with the exception that the adhesive 24v is not shown within the space 23.

In order to properly guide the person opening the can, suitable indicia may be inscribed on the bottom and top thereof such as the Words "Open other end on the bottom, and Cut in channel" on the top.

In the two modifications thus far described the outer peripheral edge of the lid I8 formed by lthe depending portion of the flange 2| is Aof greater diameter than the cylindrical wall of the body I0. In Figures 4 and 5 the lid 26 is made the same diameter as the body II with the result that the space 23 extending exteriorly about the open end of the body will overlie the lowermost portion of the under layer I6. Otherwise the construction is practically the same as previously-described. At the point where the flange 2I is turned inwardly and upwardly to provide the portion 22, the material is rounded somewhat, instead of provided with rather a sharp angle as shown in Figures 2 and 3, so that said rounded portion will form, in combination with the similarly rounded adjacent portion of the wall I1, a small groove 21 into which one of the jaws 0f an implement, such as a pair of pliers, may be inserted, the other jaw engaging the bottom of the channel 20. By compressing the handles of the implement 28 and utilizing the last-named .g

jaw as a fulcrum another means is afforded for removing the lid by withdrawing or pulling the portion r22 from the groove formed by the superposed layers I6.

Itis obvious that the arrangements of the free space as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9, in which it is situated partly outside the vertical plane of the can body wall, will give to a pair of pincers or pliers, or to a so-called Anchor can opener,

more chance to grip and permit more securely the quicker withdrawal of the lid from the folds I6 and 3l respectively, than would be possible with the construction as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 7, in which the outer wall of the free space is ush with or even inward from the vertical plane of the can body wall II.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 'I and 8 the cylindrical wall II of the can body is again turned inwardly and folded upon itself at 29 to form the rounded peripheral edge of the open end of the said body to be closed by the lid 30. In this instance the superposed layers 3| of the fold in the material are somewhat longer than those previously described and are provided at a point more remote from the extremity of the end of the body than are the layers I6. As a consequence an extension 32 of the body which actually forms the upper extremity thereof is left after the fold has been made and this extension is disposed vertically and substantially parallel to the wall (Il. The lid 3d, which rests upon the rounded edge 2Q of the body opening is provided with the annularchannel 333 having, in this instance, a flat bottorn From this channel the material of the lid is folded upon itself as indicated at 35 to form the depending flange :it having the inwardly and upwardly turned. portion @l which is insertable into the groove formed by the layers 3i and snugly engaged by the latter. In the fold 35 there is disposed a packing dit which receives the upper extremity of the extension t2 and by utilizing suitable instruments, such as chucks disposed against the inner and outer` Walls of the fold 35, it will be apparent that pressure exerted upon said chucks toward each other will securely seal the extension 32 in said fold.

The bottom of the channel iid combines with the upper layer Stand with the extension 32 to form the space 39 which extends around the open end of the can body and in such relation thereto that when the blade of a can opener is made to penetrate the bottom of the channel d'l and is subsequently operated to cut around the lid, said blade will enter the space 39 and be prevented from puncturing the wall il of the can body by the double thickness of material formed by the upper layer 3E and portion 3l of the flange 3e.

In Figure 9 the lid d@ again has a major portion of its top surfacecurved or convoluted, as in the other modifications previously described,

so as to render it diflicult for the user of the can to penetrate said top portion at a point Within the connes of the constricted opening of the body. With the exception of the difference in the form of curve of the top portion of the lid itil and the slight difference in the length of the fold formed in the wall ll to provide the layers di, the construction shown in Figure 9 is substantially the same as -that described in connection with Figure 8, and therefore similar refer ence characters have been applied to both forms.

ln the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure l the wall ll is again folded upon itself as indicated at fill and the portion of said wall extending from the uppermost fold is rst rounded; as indicated at i2 t0 reinforce this section of the wall. The extension i3 constituting the upper end of the wall projects upwardly from the rounded portion it and is then bent downwardly and outwardly upon itself to provide the depending flange dd. The lid l5 of the can body is once more provided with the guide channel it for receiving the can opener and the outer peripheral portion of said lid is then bent to pro' vide a flange ll? which first extids downwardly and then upwardly into the groove formed by the extension and ange Ml. Suitable packing it is introduced between the inner wall of the channel d6, the extension il@ and the ilanges Ml and el, and by compressing these parts between two chucks engageable with said inner wall of the channel and the outer portion of the ilange lli the elements are brought securely into engagement and the can sealed at this point. Again as in the previous forms of the invention, a space il@ extending exteriorly of the open end of the body ll is formed by the uppermost fold fl i, the extension it of the body and the bottoni of the channel dit, -said space being penetrated by the blade of the can opener when it is forced through the bottom of said channel prior to the cutting operation; and again as in the previous instances, at least one additional thickness of the material is interposed between the wall of the can body and the bottom of said channel so as to aiford 10 protection against puncturing said wall by the can opener. In addition to the channel liti, in to which an opener may be inserted, there is also formed, by the extension d3, the depending flange lll and the rounded part another 15 channel for receiving the opener so that the can may be opened from the side instead of the top.

In the forms of the invention shown in ligures '7 to 10 inclusive the arrangement is such that the body of the can may be lled with its con- E tents before the lid is sealed in position inasmuch as it is not necessary to compress together the superposed layers ill and ll.

What is claimed is:

l. In a preserving can, consisting of three formed pieces, namely the can body, the bottom and the lid, the can body united with the lid by means of a fold and the latter made hermetioal through a binder .and through compression, the can body adjacent one end thereof inclined inwardly and upwardly and forming thereby .conjointly with a part of the lid a free space and said free space locally separated from the space of the can that holds the contents thereof and said free space being of such depth and without hindering objects as to allow a cutting tool to penetrate deep enough for permitting the severing of the outer walls of said free space and a guide channel on top of the can for guiding the cutting tool, and a material in said free space ed having the quality to cause metal particles or lings dislodged at the opening of the can with a cutting tool to stick to it.

2. In a preserving can consisting of three formed pieces of the same material namely, the diican body, the bottom and the lid, the can body united with the lid by means of a fold and the latter made hermetic through packing and through compression, the lid so shaped that a free space is obtained but locally separated from 501 the contents of the can, one Wall of the part of the lid that lirnits said free space reaching inside of the vertical plane of the outer can body wall and inclined upwardly and inwardly, forniing thereby the lower wall of said free space, and said free space being annularand free trom obstructing objects and of such depth and position as to permit a cutting tool to penetrate deep enough for severing the lid along said free space and thus preventing the falling of metal particles @il into the contents of the can or the mixing ci the latter with said metal particles at the removal of the lid and a guide channel on top of the can for guiding the cutting tool along said free spaceo HEINRCH

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