Abstract: An easy open construction for a can end wherein a tear panel principally defined by a rupturable score line in a central panel of a wall is opened by operating a tab having one end adapted to press against the tear panel at a position spaced from the score line and overlying only a small portion of the opening left by the tear panel in its open position. The other end of the tab constitutes a finger gripping portion which is manually liftable to open the tear panel and may be returnable directly to its original position next to the wall. The tab and tear panel remain secured to the wall after the tear panel has been moved to its open position. The central panel is defined by a coined area and a downwardly recessed area located immediately radially inwardly adjacent the coined area. The finger gripping portion elevation relative to the top of the end seaming panel is relocated away from the seam as a result of this downward recessed area.

Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for measuring forces applied to a pull tab during the formation of an opening in a can end having an upper and lower surface with the pull tab hingedly secured to the upper surface and a source line in the can end defining an opening. A sample set of such can ends is batched loaded, by different plant technicians monitoring different can end forming machines, into a feed chute of the testing apparatus. The individual sample sets are separated from each other with special coded can ends. As each can end is fed into the testing apparatus, it is interrogated by a sensing arrangement which determines the presence of a physical characteristic unique to the coded can end signifying the completion of testing of a particular sample set. In this manner, the host computer precisely correlates the test data of each individual can end with relevant production data.