GB1433208A - Closures for necked containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1433208 Tamper-proof closures CONTINENTAL CAN CO Inc 9 Oct 1973 [24 Oct 1972] 47022/73 Heading B8T A closure of the kind comprising an inner cap 13 having an end panel 14 and a depending peripheral skirt 15 releasably secured on a container neck 11 to close the mouth thereof, and an outer closure member 20 surrounding the inner cap 13 is characterized in that the skirt 15 is arranged for movement between an unlocked condition, in which the skirt is splayed radially outward from the end panel 14, and a locked condition in which the diameter of the lower end of the skirt is less than that in the unlocked condition, the outer member 20 having an annular wall 21 surrounding the skirt 15 and having support means, e.g. chamber 26 for confining the skirt 15 in the unlocked condition, and retaining means, e.g. wall 28 for retaining the skirt in its locked condition; the outer member 20 is in telescopic relationship with the inner cap 13 and is movable relative thereto between first and second positions in which the retaining means and support means are operative respectively, the wall 21 having closing means, e.g. shoulder 27 which engage the skirt 15 to move it from the unlocked to the locked condition during movement of member 20 from the second to the first position. The inner cap 13 is preferably in the form of a metal press cap having the skirt 15 formed of fingers 17 each having an end curl 18 to engage under a bead 12 on the container neck 11. The end panel 14 of the cap is domed in the locked condition and downward pressure on the panel 14 to reduce or eliminate the dome causes the fingers 17 to splay out to the unlocked condition, the cap being stable in both conditions. The outer member 20 preferably includes a central end panel 30 frangibly connected by webs 31 to the remainder of the member 20, to provide a tamper-indicating device. In operation, the end panel 30 is removed, and downward pressure applied to the end panel 14 of the inner cap, which pressure initially raises the outer member 20 from the cap 13 releasing the retaining means 28, and then continued pressure flattens the panel 14 and causes the skirt 15 to adopt the unlocked condition with the fingers supported in the chamber 26. Reverse movements cause the shoulder 27 to apply a radial pressure component to the fingers 17 so that the locked condition is adopted and maintained by the wall 28.