Old style Pull Tabs

SeabeeRon · Dec 2, 2008

I have been hunting a place where I keep finding these old style "Beaver Tail" pull tabs. As far as I know they are not used any longer. Anyone know when they were banned?? I seem to recall a thread, I think it was on this forum, that had a whole pictorial history of pull tabs. I'll have to try to Google pull tabs!

BrianVickers83 · Dec 2, 2008

if you find the link, please post. i am interested also. :yes:

Bearharold · Dec 2, 2008

Yeah I would like to read it also . If you want to buy somemore I have a whole sack of them after detecting the old fairgrounds and park for the dirt fishing contest , I saved all my pull tabs to see how many I actually dug over the period of the contest . lol HH Harold

z118 · Dec 2, 2008

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverage_can

The first all-aluminum cans were the same as their forebears, which still used the can opener to open them. Mikola Kondakow of Thunder Bay, Ontario invented the pull tab version for bottles in 1956 [Canadian patent 476789]. Then, in 1962, Ermal Cleon Fraze of Dayton, Ohio, invented the similar integral rivet and pull-tab version (also known as rimple or ring pull), which had a ring attached at the rivet for pulling, and which would come off completely to be discarded. He received U.S. Patent No. 3,349,949 for his pull-top can design in 1963 and licensed his invention to Alcoa and Pittsburgh Brewing Company. It was first introduced on Iron City beer cans by the Pittsburgh Brewing Company. The first soft drinks to be sold in all-aluminum cans were R.C. Cola and Diet-Rite Cola, both made by the Royal Crown Cola company, in 1964.

Pull-tabs were a common form of litter. Some users dropped the aluminum tab into the can and occasionally swallowed the sharp-edged tab by accident. Stay tabs (also called colon tabs) were invented by Daniel F. Cudzik of Reynolds Metals in Richmond, Virginia, in 1975 [1] [2], partly to prevent the injuries caused by removable tabs. In this can model described in U.S. Patent No. 3,967,752,[3] the lid contains a scored region and a pull-tab that can be leveraged to open the hole by pushing the scored region into the can. Stay tabs almost completely replaced pull-tabs in many parts of the world by the early 1980s, though pull-tabs are still common in places such as China and the Middle East.

Arizonagreywolf · Dec 2, 2008

Found this on Google: http://http://www.rustycans.com/HISTORY/zips.html

sectshun8 · Dec 2, 2008

I've found a few myself over the past month... don't think too much of them though... 'except that they'd be worth points in the DF Contest.

Carol K · Dec 2, 2008

I don't know where that thread went.

Someone also posted the Patent, here it is again.

Pulltab Container Opener

Patent number: 3338463
Filing date: Mar 30, 1964
Issue date: Aug 1967
Inventor: H. G. HENRICKSON
Assignee: Kaiser Aluminum a Chemical Corporation

SeabeeRon · Dec 2, 2008

Thanks for all the links folks!!

JimH8189 · Dec 2, 2008

That's really interesting, never gave much thought to the construction of a can before

OZ_IL · Dec 2, 2008

That zip-top gives you hope for some mid sixty coinage being around! I found over a dozen in a small are at my uncles cottage, but they never did drop any money D'OH.

As for the ring style, I still dig them up everywhere, I've even got a few in tot lots :no:

Flapjack · Dec 2, 2008

I've been wondering about when they stopped using those old style pull tabs,
because I've been digging alot of them lately.
Thanks for the info,
Flapjack

tony48 · Dec 2, 2008

I think this is what you guys are looking for. It was originally posted on a thread on this forum a while back but I do not recall when or where. I just saved the image on my PC

SeabeeRon · Dec 2, 2008

Thanks Tony, that was the one!! :yes:

Carol K · Dec 2, 2008

I just saved the image on my PC

Wow Tony... you are GOOD! So glad you saved it. :yes:

We also had another HUGE thread discussing whether they were pulltabs, pulltops, poptabs, or poptops. :lol:

That zip-top gives you hope

I see OZ just called it a zip-top!

How come Pepsi's not in that list. I found an old Pepsi can in the woods today. I'll take a picture of it.

kystonewall · Dec 2, 2008

This is neat. I found a old can tonight and tected over the spot again and found the old pull off tab beside it at a old ball field. That is really interesting!

Carol K · Dec 2, 2008

Okay, while I was in the woods cutting some logs, at the bottom of the pile was laying this can. I have spotted these all over the woods, but this one is probably the best shape of any of them.

Our area sits on what's called a "dry" line. I guess this is why they are preserved so well.

So which of those pulltabs fit the top of this can? and how old do you think this can is?

Mister7 · Dec 3, 2008

I remember the beaver tails were around alot in the 1960's and 70's and think the tab style changed sometime in the 80's. Anytime I'm digging beaver tails I always hope there maybe a silver dime mixed in there somewhere.

Brandan · Dec 3, 2008

Looks like that Pepsi can didn't have a removable pull tab, there's even directions on the top of the can to pull the tab up and push it back.

DougF · Dec 3, 2008

These types are the oldest, used from '62 to about '65. Like someone said, when you're finding these, there's a chance for silver.

Zincolndigr · Dec 3, 2008

Maybe very early eighties or late seventies? If you look close, it is not a beavertail, but the newer stay tab type. Neat find!

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