Can holding device

Claim 1

MEANS FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF CANS OF THE TYPE HAVING AN OUTSTANDING BEAD AT THE JUNCTION OF THE CAN END AND THE CAN BODY AND FOR FORMING A RIGID PACKAGE THEREFROM WHEN THE CANS ARE ARRANGED IN A REGULAR ARRAY WITH BEAD TO BEAD CONTACT BETWEEN ABUTTING CANS, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A FRAME MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED IN THE VOID BETWEEN ABUTTING CANS AND TO REST ADJACENT THE BODY OF EACH SUCH ABUTTING CAN; A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL SPAN MEMBERS SUPPORTED BY SAID FRAME, EACH SUCH SPAN MEMBER ADAPTED TO PASS OVER THE BEAD PORTIONS OF TWO SUCH ABUTTING CANS NEAR THE POINT OF CONTACT THEREBETWEEN; A DOWNWARDLY DEPENDING VERTICAL TAB ON EACH SIDE OF EACH SUCH SPAN MEMBER ADAPTED TO LIE AGAINS THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE CORRESPONDING BEAD AND A PLURALITY OF LOCKING BLADES EXTENDING UPWARDLY AT THE SIDES OF SAID FRAME, EACH SAID LOCKING BLADE ADAPTED TO LIE AGAINST THE BODY OF ONE SUCH ABUTTING CAN AND TO ENGAGE WITH AND COOPERATE WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF THE OUTER EDGE OF THE BEAD OF SUCH CAN, EACH SAID SPAN MEMBER LOCATED AT THE JUNCTION OF TWO SIDES OF SAID FRAME AND EACH SAID LOCKING BLADE BEING CENTERED ON THE CORRESPONDING SIDE OF SAID FRAME INTERMEDIATE SAID JUNCTIONS.