US1629747A - Automatic closure - Google Patents

Description

'May V24 1927' N. sTArHl-:S ET AL AUTOMATIC CLOSURE YFiled July 2. 1926 Patented May Z4, l1927i?.

UNirED .STATES i g inzage PMENTg FoFFici-z.

NIcHoLAs as'rA'rHns AND GEORGE 1i. strnmnnsor NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC CLOSURE.

Application filed July 2, 1926.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in lautomatic closures forvcontainers in general and vparticularly for portable liquid containers, and more especially does it relate to. closures for the gasoline tanks .of automotive engines and automobiles. y Y

It is a well-known fact that the closures now used for automobile gasoline tanks are very unsatisfactory for the reason that, being screwed on the pipe-opening, they either work looseand become lostor are stolen. The loss of the gasoline tank closure results in great inconvenience to motorists beca-use it is very difiicult to pick up another one that will .tit the opening of that particular tank.

Therefore, our invention is designed to eliminate the possibility of such closures being lost or stolen and has, among others, the followingV objects in view:

To provide a closure which will beso securelyclamped or bolted adjacent the mouth of the opening which it is intended to cover as to be inseparable therefrom; Y

To provide closure caps for stem openings which will -be hiiigedly connected to the stem;

To provide a closure cap which under all normal conditions, will be held automatically and firmly closed.; v

To provide closure'means for openings Vwhich will be inseparably connected to the container, automatic in operation, efficient. in use, of simple construct-ion, and easy to manufacture at a comparatively low cost.-

Other objects and advantages of our in vention will be made clear and apparent as the description proceeds.

Reference is now had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application, and in which: y

` Fig. 1 is a side view of a `stem opening carrying our improved closure, parts of same being broken away to show some of the con- `'integrally cast with the stem.

Fig. 3 isa vertical sectional view of stein opening on which means for fastening our improved cap are integrally cast.

Fig. 4 is a ring collar adapted to haveV hinged thereunto our closure cap and then to be clamped to a stein opening.'

Serial No. 120,143.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of retaining the packing means on the closure cap.

.Figa 6 is a vertical sectional View through the hinged parts of the Acap and vclamp collar, or through the closure cap and the lugs on the stem, as the case may be. This figure also shows the automatic nieansprovided for keeping the cap in a closed position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of the automatic spring means that may be employed to urge the cap in closed position.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed description of the construction and voperation oftlie device, numeral 1 represents the stem opening projecting from the gasoline tank of an automobile,not shown, but it may be taken to represent any hollow stem open atthe top 2. Encircling'the stem 1 is a split collar 3 the open ends of which are bentY outwardly to form parallel ears 4. These projecting ears 4 have'opposing openings 5 through bot-h of which a threaded bolt is passed and by means of a nut operating on the bolt through the holes on the ears of the collar, the same is drawn tightly and securely around the stein 1.

Diametrically opposite the open ends 6 of the collar 3 and integrally cast with said `collar are upstanding lugs or ears 7. The inside faces of the lugs or ears 7 are perpendicular to the top surface of the collar and on the outside thereof. yThe lugs or ears 7 are provided with opposing holes for the reception of a hinge bolt or rivet 9.

Numeral l() indicates the closure cap which is provided with a depending annular flange- 11, anotch-like outward projection 12 and a pair of downwardly projecting lugs 13. lThe lugs 13 are provided with holes 14 to correspond with the holes 8 onthe lugs 7 of the collar 3. AThe closure capr 10 is further provided on the inside thereof with a packing means 15 which is held in place either by such means as indicated by numeral 16, Fig. l, or by `the method shown at 17, Fig. 5.k

It is important to note here that across the outerl and lower sides of lugs 7, and

across they outer andrupper sides of lugs 13 are webs 18 and 19, respectively. These webs are coi'npleineiitarily curved inside and out, and mated to coact in a manner and for purposes hereinafter described.

Numeral 2O indicates a hair-pin shapedy steel spring, the legs of which have been coiled in the manner shown. This spring is y adapted tobe'placed between the lugs 7 in 'such' af manner as to have the loops 21 register vvith holes 8, the ends22 resting against and, under pressure, conforming with the inside curvature of Web 18, While the top or looped end 23 of the said spring Will rest against, and under pressure, willA conform with the inside curvature of web 19 when the device is assembled andV in use. The position andy action of the springA While the invention is in use is clearly illustrated at Fig. 6.

While the for-m of spring herein illustrated is preferable, it: is obvious that' any other formv of similarly acting spring means may be used Without departure from: the spirit of. our invention.

Now, having described. the structure of the elements of our inventionwe desire to describe the manner of assembling and applying the same:

The spring 2O (or any other springr suit able for the purpose) is placed between the lugs 7 in the manner above described. Then the cap 10 is placed over the collar 3 in sucha manner that the lugs 13 will fit over the lugs 7. (This is possible because the lugs 13l are further apartfroin each other than lugs 7.). Holes 14, by the application of sufficient pressure on cap 10,. Will come in registry with holes 8, then bolt .9 is inserted and may be secured? in place either by bradding the endv of the bolt or lby a threaded? nut co-operating with threads on the end of the bolt. The device then is ready for use andi mayv be'cl'amped around the stem of theopening. for which: it is desired to-serve as aI closure.

When it is desired to lift the cap either for the purpose of pouring out the contents 0r for replenishing the container, the saine is accomplishedV by lift/ing thecap With the hand" against the outward projecting notch 12. When thecap is thus lifted, theaveb 19 slides overthe outer surface of web 18', the spring is tensioned, and' when the cap is released it flaps sluit and is held shut tight bythe spring as' shown at Fig. 6; The packing member 15 forms ay seal between the cap and the lips of the opening, soy that there is no danger of the liquidir contents of the tank leaking out no matter how much it may be splashed.

At Fig. 8 We have shown theI lugs 8 cast integral with the stein. rldhis eliminates-the need of the clamping collar 3 and at' the saine time the clamping means at the lugs 4.

The form of the device illustrated at Fig. 1 is adapted to be used on tanks of automobiles already in use, while the form illustrated' at Fig. 3 can be made and fitted on new tanks Where our invention is desired to be used.

At Fig. 5 We have illustrated a novelr Way of holding; the packing in place'. Thisv consists of forming a constricted. groove oni the underside of the cap and also forming the packing in the form of an endless annulus having on the top side thereof a ribor beadY of a contour corresponding to the contour of the groove. The packing beingA made of rubber, or other pliable material can beV easily compressed into the groove in which it is held by the force exerted against the Walls ofthe groove by the tendency of the compressed: material to expand.

It is thought that'the foregoing specif'ication. clearly sets forth the many advantages of4 our device, andv itv is apparent that We have invented a closure Which is novel, eiiicient and durable. and.. although We have herein described and illustrated the pre'- :t'erredf embodiment of our invention., it is not the lessevident that changes in the details of its construction may bemade Without departing' from the scope of the invention. It is, therefore, to be understood; that We do not intendi to limit our-invention, to the specific details of construction herein shown. and. described, but changes falling Within the scope of the claims may be had in accordance with the spirit and idea. of the invention.A

What ive claim is:

1.. An automatically closing cap for the stem openings of automobile gasoline tanks comprising a closure cap, said closure cap being lined with packing material.; ay split band, the ends` of WhichV are bent to form outwardly projecting parallel ears gy downwardly projecting lugs on the closure' cap and upwardly projecting lugs on the split band; said lugs being perforated and a bolt passing through the portera-tions and pivotally connecting the band with the: closurecap; concave-convex Webs across the lugs on the cap andi band forming a housing, a resilient spring in the housing, said' spring being tensioned against the Websv for the purpose of keeping the closure cap in a downward position.

2. In a` device of the characterdescribed a container having an. opening;` ai closure cap for said opening, a pair of perforated lugs nea-r the opening andy aepair of perforated lugs on the closure cap, eoneayo-convex Webs connecting the top sides-- ofthe respective lugs at their lower and upper portions re-Y spectively, thereby foi-ming housings; the housing formed by the lugs and Web on the closure cap being larger than the similar housing formed by similar means on the container g. the closure cap placed over the opening with its lugs embracing the lugs: on the container and the aforesaid holes coming in alineinent, a. bolt hingedly connecting the closure cap to the container, spring means housedl by the Webs and' tensioned thereagainst,A the inner surface of theV Web on the closure cap lapping over the outer surface of the webv on. the container and. coacting therewith in lapped relation during llO the opening and closing operations of the closure cap.

3. In combination with a receptacle having an opening, a pair of upwardly projectg ing parallel lugs adjacent the opening, op-

posing holes near the upper ends of the lugs, n

a web having an outer convex surface and an inner concave .surface bridging the lower portions of the lugs; a closure cap having downwardly projecting parallel lugs, said lugs having opposing holes near their respective lower ends, a web bridging the upper portion of the lugs, said web having its outer surface eonveXly curved and its inner surface -concavely curved; the lugs on the closure cap being further apart than the lugs on the container; the said closure cap fitting over the opening ot' the container, the lugs on the closure cap enveloping the lugs on the container, the holes on the several lugs being in alineinent, a boltpassing through the holes, and "a resilient spring around the bolt housed by both ot' said webs.

4. In combination with a split band having its ends bent outwardly and perforated thereby adapting the saine to be .securely fastened around the stem opening of an automobile gasoline tank; a closurecap pivotally connected to the band, resilient means employed at the points of connection for closing and keeping closed the cap over the opening, housing for the spring, said housing being partly on the cap and partly on the band, the two parts being in over-lapping relation and coacting when the cap is being opened or closed. j

5. A closure cap .for the openings of au toinobile gasoline tanks comprising a disk adapted to lit over the opening, a. projecting thumb-lagon the periphery of the disk, a skirt depending from the disk, a pair of lugs on the skirt the ends of said lugs being perforated and projecting below the lower edge ot the skirt; in combination with a split band having the ends thereof bent outwardly and perforated, a pair of lugs on the band, the ends of said lugs being perforated vand projecting upwardly and beyond the upper edge of the band, means hingedly connecting the lugs of the cap and band, a

looped hair-pin spring surrounding the connecting ineans, complementary webs on the respective lugs vfor housing the connecting ine-ans and the spring and for the further purpose oli' providing constricting walls for keeping the spring tensioned whereby the cap is kept closed under all normal conditions. v

In testimony whereof we have subscribed our naines hereto.

NICHOLAS A. STATI-IES. GEORGE A. STATHES.

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