US1716851A - Self-sealing rotatable vacuum cap - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1929. c. HAMMER SELF SEALING ROTATABLE VACUUM CAP Flled July 27, 1925 Fggi Patented June 11, 1929. l

UNITED srarss Artur OFFICE.

CHARLES HAMMER, onnontrsoounr BOULEVARD, nnw roan, assronon 'ro' AIVLERL can METAL car conranY, on nnoonrlvn, new roan, oonronarron or new YDRK.

SELF-SEALING- BIOTATABLE VACUUM CAP,

Application filed July 2?, 925. Serial No. 4am.

This invention relates to caps or closures, the object of the invention being to provide an improved sclfsealing and locking rotatable vacuum cap particularly adapted for use for the hermetic sealing of containers, such as glass containers, and so constructed that the gasket may be quickly released from the container without mutilation or injury there of when it is desired to unseal the same.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved rotatable cap, which when used with a suitable scaling member is so constructed that it permits the use of an instrument to release the sealing member from the mouth edge of the corn tainer without the destruction or mutilation of such sealing member and without the distortion, stretching or cracking of the metal of the cap skirt.

Another object of the invention is tl ie provision of an improved rotary cap having container holding means adapted to carry a flat ring gasket, whereby the cap may be effectively used for the vacuum sealing of a container and which cap is so constructed as to properly ccnter and position the gasket without the special placing or handling thereof. i

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of this improved cap with its flat ring gasket in position; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a partof the cap with the gasket in dotted position; Fig. 3 illustrates the cap partly in section positioned on a container; and Fig. elillustrates the gasket partly broken away.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

This improved cap in the preferred form thereof shown comprises a top 2 having a depending flange or skirt 8 having suitable corrugations 4. The lower edge of the cap is strengthened, by curling, beading or rolling it'to form a curled edge 5 provided in the form shown with a series of inwardly extending lugs or projections 6 formed from such curled edge, although other nieansfor holding the cap on to the container may be used in place of the lugs shown.

The top of the cap is depressed as at 7 to form an inwardly extending panel 8 having an upwardly and outwardly inclined or flaring side wall 9, forming an annular relatively wide recess 10. Located in this annular recess is a flat ring gasket 12 of rubber or suitable composition, the depth of the recess substantially corresponding with the thickness of'the ring, so that the ring properly fits within the recess and is centered therein by the inclined wall of the panel and is protected by the skirt. That is to the inclination of the panel wall properly positions thering and maintains it in its proper sealing, position. The logs of the cap prevent the dropping out of the ring in any ordinary handling of the cap. Thus in the manipulation of the cap, when it is turned upside down the ring not only falls back into its recess, but the inclined walls of the panel shift and. center the ring into its proper sealing position, so that it is mere ly necessary to drop the ring into the cap, and without any special placement or handling thereof the ring will be shiftedand centered into its proper sealing place, thus forming a self-sealing cap adapted for use as a vacuum cap.

.Furthermore, the inclined wall 9 forms a space to accommodate the inner edge of the gasket during a slight spreading thereof when under pressure.

In the vacuum sealing of containers great difficulty is experienced, not only in the proper positioning of the gasket when a ring gasket is used, since it tends to shift: out of place especially during the rotation of the cap and so interferes with: the proper hermetic sealing of the contents, but great difficulty in" the release of the gasket is also experienced, such release being frequently obtained only by the mutilation or partial destruction of the cap, ing memben I To insure proper and quick release of the gasket or sealing member, and thereby permit the quick release of the cap, I have provided the cap with means which will facili gasket or other sealtate the releasing thereof from thecontainer. This means consists of one or more openings or slots 13 located in the skirt of the cap.

In the present instance tour of such slots are shown and these slots are substantially in line with the under or lower wall lower sealing face oi? the ring gasket, whereby upon the insertion of a pointed instrument or knife blade into any one of the slots-oi the cap skirt the vacuum is broken and the release of the gasket readily obtained wit out mutilation of the gash Vhile these i may be located at various points around the skirt, they are shown located in line with the holding lugs whereby the Tacunm may be broken at the points where the cap has its greatest holding etfieiency on the container. It will be observed that the opening is located at the top of the corrugations, and when a plurality of such openings are used, they are preferably located. in alinement with the lugs. By reason of this construction, the major part of the skirt is below the opening, in consequence of which the skirt, together with the vertial corrugations, prevents the distortion of the skirt metal and the consequent spreading apart of the opening when the cap is rotated onto the container. By reason also of the fact that the locking lugs are formed in a strengthening or reinforcing head or curled edge, this head also materially assists the skirt and corrugations in preventing the distortion of the metal around the opening and the consequent spreading of the opening which would be very disadvantageous in the use of the cap, since such distortion or spreading of the opening would crack or break the metal between the ends of the opening and the top of the cap when the cap is drawn down onto the container by reason of the engagement of the lugs with the inclined threads of the container, thus materially interfering with the vacuum sealing of the container and also break the metal at the ends of the opening at the under-side thereof unless the cap is so constructed as to prevent this.

it is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it 'is not intended to limit the in ention beyond the terms of the claim or the reqinre nents of he rior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although with out attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

A re-usable, self-locking, rotatable, screwtype cap provided with a depending skirt having a reinforcing curled or beaded lower edge provided with preformed containersecuring means comprising locking lugs ijorn'i-ed from the curled lower edge, and a vacuuni-sealing member carried by the cap near its top and protected by the skirt, said skirt having an opening therein near its top for the insertion of an instrument to break the seal, with the major part of the of the skirt below the opening and provided below said opening with. reinforcing vertical corrugations, the major partof the metal bciow the opening, the curled lower edge and the vertical corrugations being so related relatively to the opening as to prevent distortion or stretching apart ot said opening and the cracking or braking of the metal 01 the shirt at the ends of and under said opening, whereby the cap may be rotated and drawn down under consider: able strain onto the container without causing said opening to weaken the skirt oi the cap or interfere with the vacuum-sealing thereof. 1

Signed at 1822 Park Row Building, New York city, New York, this 23rd day of July, 1925.

CHARLES niiinnnnj

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