510 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES PISH COMMISSION. 
tliau is actually iiecessaiy to solder on the cap, saving a large quantity of material 
over the old method of using bar solder and avoiding smearing the top of the can. 
In 1S79 Charles 0. Lane, of New Westminster, British Columbia, introduced an 
improvement in cans, conforming to the natural shape of the fish, to avoid cutting it 
into small pieces. The can is in two jiarts, approximating respectively the shape of 
the two halves of the fish divided transversely to its length, and is so fitted that it 
may be adjusted longitudinally to the length of the fish, one half being somewhat 
smaller than the other at the open end, so that it will fit into the other. The patentee 
thus describes his invention; the claim relates esj)ecially to the method of constructing 
the pieces forming the can, so as to avoid waste and reduce the amount of soldering 
to a minimum : 
The can is made in two parts, one part being somewhat smaller than the other at the open end, 
so that it will lit into the other. Each of these parts is made in two pieces, the pieces being stamped 
out of sheet metal and soldered at the joints or meeting longitudinal edges. These halves of the ends 
have each stamped in them a recess or flattened portion, which admit of a certain expansion during the 
boiling xwocess, and of contraction when the air is blown off and the can and contents are finally 
cooled. This flattened portion or recess formed in these pieces makes a flat place on the outside and 
facilitates packing of the cans or storing on the shelves of the de<alers in good order. When lying on 
either side the can rests on these flat parts, and they may be placed one above another without sliding 
about on .account of the irreguLarity of their general shape. 
Each can is formed of four pieces, two of which are stamped out to be approximately of the form 
of the head and shoulders of a fish, while the other two are shaped to fit the tail half of the fish. 
These are got out in quantities, and the two halves of each p.art are united, and the longitudinal seam 
is soldered by the aid of the mechanical bath, which is easily accomplished when the can is empty. 
This enables me to do the largest portion of the work of can-making, including the long side seam or 
joint, mechanically, with but little hard labor, and during the idle season and before the li.sh commence 
running. When the two halves are thus made ready to receive the fish it will be seen that the sur- 
rounding transverse joint is all that is left to be done, and this renders the labor to be iierformed in 
the actual canning so slight that the fish may be put up in this manner to compete with any other 
form of canning. 
After the separate ends are made in the manner described the fish is placed in the open end of 
one in the projicr position, and the other half is i)laced over the other end of the fish. The two open 
ends thus come together, the smaller slipping inside the larger. At this central joint I place a V- 
shaped piece or strip of a soldering metal, which fits between the two parts to form the transverse 
joint in the final soldering, both by filling it up and by partially melting. 
As the fish vary somewhat in size, it will be seen that the parts must be telescoped or pushed 
together until they fit the fish snugly before the transverse or central joint is soldered. This will 
insure a perfect fit to every fish, and will prevent it from sliding about in the can. 
By m.akiug the can in this mamier small sheets of tin may be used with very little waste in cut- 
ting, and at the same time cans can be made which will correspond to the size and shape of the fish. 
It will be manifest that either of the halves may be sealed up independently of the other by simply 
fitting a flat head or cover to the large, open end and soldering it in place after the can is filled.* 
Among tlie devices contrived during the last fifteen years to facilitate the 
canning process, machines for filling the cans are numerous. But these have not been 
so generally adopted in the canning of fish as in jireserving vegetable products, the 
fish in hand-filled cans presenting a neater appearance than those filled by machinery. 
However, on account of the great saving of labor, they are used in a number of 
salmon canneries of the Pacific coast. 
One of the first of these, invented! in 1880 by A. H. Moore, of Ellensburg, Oreg., 
is so arranged that the fish, after being cut up in suitably sized pieces, is placed in a 
* Letters Piitent No. 221325, November 4, 1879. t Letters Patent No. 227283, May 4, 1880. 
