US1446158A - Method of opening and refinishing cans - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1923.

' M. G. CLYMER ET AL.

ETHOD oF OPENING AND REFINISHING cANs.

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ORIGINAL FILED JUNE l2, 1918.

Patented Feb. zo, 1923.

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MILTON G'. CLYMER AND ARTHUR E. RITCHEY,VOF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI; SAID RITCHEY ASSIGNOR OF HIS RIGHT TO ANDREW B. REMICK, OF ST. LOUIS; MISSOURI. I

`METHOD OF OPENING AND REFINISHING- v(JA-NS.

Oginalapplication led .Tune 12, 1918, Serial ANo. 239,624. Diirided and lthis application filed February 26, 1919. Serial No. 279,354.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, MILTON G'. CLYMER and ARTHUR E. RITCHEY, both citizens of the United States, and residing at St. Louis, in the Sta/te of Missouri, have invented a certain Iew and useful Improvement in Methods of Opening and Refinishing Cans, of which the following is a specification.5

This invention relates to a method of open- 19 ing and refinishing cans.- .This application -is a division of applicationv Serial Number 239,624, filed June 12, 1918.

Many commodities, such are packed and shipped in cans, and in establishments manufacturing preserves, large numbers of these cans must daily be opened to utilize the contents thereof. Now this not only requires considerable labor, but the open cans, when' opened by the present methods and mechanisms employed, are unfit for further use, and must, therefore, be discarded and sold for junk, even though these cans may be in excellent condition and can readily be utilized. Furthermore, the cans, on account of being shipped, are often bent and dented considerably so as to not only prevent their being effectively opened, but also used again.

One of the objects of this invention, there- 3o fore, is to provide a method of opening and refinishing cans whereby the edge of the can is reiinished and contoured so as to permit its subsequent use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method foropening and refinishing cans whereby the edge will not only be renished and contoured, but also provided with a rim.

Further objects will appear from the detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing which describe and illustrate one embodiment of a method and an apparatus for carying out the method. In the drawing,

Figure 1 1s a vertical section taken through a part of an apparatus or machine whereby this method may be carried out;

Figure 2 is a detail of Figure l, showing the operation of the mechanism in carrying out the method; Figure 3 is adetail of a can end, showing the ordinary top in position;

as canned' fruits, `v

can to forma sealed joint.

Fi ure 4 is a View similar to Figure 3, showlng the head partially cut out of the can;

Figure 5 is a plan "of Figure 4;4

Flgure 6 is a View similar to Figures v3 and 4, but showing the head completely severed, the edge completely refinished and the rim Apositioned thereover; and

Flgure 7 is-.a view similar to Figure 6, but showing the rimA in final attached position .and the cover in' place. Figure 3- shows an ordinary can comprismg a can body O having a head H attached to the can by the usual overhanging seam C.

This can is of a type usually employed for storlng commodities, such as fruits and preserves, the head being firmly attached to the Such a can is ordinarily opened by cutting the head along the edge of the can, but this leaves a rough and uneven edge, which if it is ragged will be wavy so that the can is unfit for further service as a container for storing commodities.l

In accordance with this invention, the head of the can is cut closely to and along the edge of the can body, while the can edge is being supported along but outside of the line of cut; the inwardly projecting lip is, however, pressed against the can body while the outside of the can" is being supported along the line of cut; the can edge is also -contoured externally to shape it; a rim is now positioned on the cut Vedge of the can so as to give a finished appearance.

The mechanism for carrying out this l method may be varied, keeping in mind the essential features. Mechanism for carrying out this method is shown in Figures 1 and 2 and comprisesa' head 26 mounted on a suitable shank. for attachment to suitable operating mechanism, although the shank may form a handle for manual operation.

' The head 4comprises an annular guide 28 which fiares at its lower endnas shown at 29, t'o-,take over the can. Arranged vinside of this head is a cutter 30, which has a serrated cuttiing edge 31, adapted to lout the head .of the can. It will be noted that the cutter is spaced froml the guide, and that the annular recess between the cutter and .thel guide extends beyond and past the ter-- mination of the cutting edge of the cutter,

. as shown at 32, for a purpose hereinafter to be described. y

The head may either by forced on the can head or the can may be forced into the head; Whatever form of relative movement is used, the can will be caused to enter y distance from the outer edge of the can.

During the first part ofthe movement, the

cutter will puncture the can head at numerous points, and cut along the edge until the head is completely severed. Thereafter, further movement will cause the cut can edge and the rim to enter the space 32, between the cutter and the guide, soas to force the rim therein, and press the cut edge against the inside face of the can body, as shown in Figure 2. This action Will concurrently straighten out the bent edge of a can, and contour the rim so as to make the finished edge a perfect circle, with both the outside and the inside edges of the rim refinished. l/Vhen the head 26 and the can are again moved out of cooperative relation the' can head which is now loose in the can, can be taken out and th-e contents can be discharged.

Figures 3 to 7 inclusive illustrate more fully the method employed, of cutting and refinishing the can. In Figures 4 and 5, the head H of the can has been partially cut by the serrated cutting edge 31, as shown at A, and thevcut edge has been partially bent against the inside face of the can body. Figure 6 shovvs the cut edge B completely pressed against the inside face of' the can body 0, and it Will vbe noted that in vievs7 of the fact that this action takes place While the can is engaged on the outside by the guide, and While the can is thus supported, the edge B is pressed uniformly around and against the face of the can body, so. as to form a completely refinished inside edge. Concurrently, the outer edgeI of the can, that is, the folded over part D of the head rim, has been refinished and contoured and made perfectly circular by the engagement of the inside face of the guide therewith.

Accordingly, both the inside and outside. facesof the rim have been refinished, and.

this finish is smooth, on account of the Wiping action of the cu'tter and of the guide.v

readily closed by a cover, a formed rim E,

having a finished inside face F, is placed over the refinished rim of the can, and the outer flange G is folded over the can, or in I distortion for an extended any suitable manner, so as to make a firm attachment thereto. This can be done in any suitable manner. The can is thus provided with a finished rim which can receive a suitable cover 1.

Tt will thus be seen that the inventionl accomplishes its objects. p ployed is simple and effective and produces, from a can Which would ordinarily be -junked, one which can be used again for th storing and shipping of commodities. Tt is to bek noted that not only is the can edge supported along, but outside of the line of cut while the cutting takes place, but this support is maintained during the pressing or refinishing operation by a firm linward pressure, resulting-not only in-a seamed re finishing and burnishing of the edge, but also in conforming or contouring the can edge to a perfect circle, burnishing even the outside seam so that the. rim seam can be closely conformed to the 'can and produce, in effect, a sealed structure.

While one lform of mechanism has been described, it is to be understood that this The method emmethod is not necessarily dependent upon Having thus described the invention, what l is claimed is:

l. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along and inside of its edge While the y edge is being supported against distortion for an extended part therealong but out f side of the line of cut, and refinishing the cut edge.

2. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along its edge, contouring the outside edge to the desired shape, and refinishing the cut edge.

3. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting thevhead of the can along its edge, and pressing the cut edge against the body of the can while the outside of the can is being supported against part along the line of cut.

4;. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along itsedge, and pressing the cut edge against the body of the can While its outside edge is supported against distortion for an extended part therealong.

-5. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the y 6, The method of opening and renishing 1,446,158 i :it

cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along its edge, contouring its outside edge to the desired shape, vand pressing the out edge against the body of the can While its outside edge is being contoured.

7 The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along its edge, and refinishing the outside and inside edges of the can While being supported for an extended part therealong against distortion. v

8. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along its edge, refinishing the cut edge, and placing a rim on the reinished edge.

9. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along itsedge, refinishing the outside and inside edges of the can, and placing a rim on the refinished edges.

10. The'method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along its edge, contouring its outside edge, pressing the cut edge against the body of the can While its outside edge is being contoured, and placing a rim on the reiinished edges.

11. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along and inside of its edge while the entire outer edge of the can body is supported, and refinishing the cut edge.

12. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along and inside of'its edge, and reshaping the cut portion While the entire outer edge of the can body is supported.

13. The method of opening andrefinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along and inside of." its edge- While the entire outer edge of the can body is supported, and pressing the cut portion out- Wardly against the can body. p

14. The method of opening and refinishing cans, comprising, cutting the head of the can along and inside of its edge While the entire outer edge of the canbody is supported, and contouring the can edge in accordance with such support.

`In testimony whereof We afiix our signatures this 24th day of December, 1918.

MILTON G. CLYMER. ARTHUR E. RITCHEY.

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