US1812673A - Jar closure - Google Patents

Description

Jun so, 1931. M, ALGEO 1,812,673

JAR CLOSURE Filed June 6. 1928 Patented June 30, 1931 smea 4 or WAS N N. rr rsrt eme ASSIGNOR o HAZEL-ATLAS GLASS r ar-wa WEST v a r n A OQE-POBATION F ES VIRGINIA.

Jar QLOSURE Application filed June 6, 1928. Serial No. 283,295.

The present invention relates to closures for jars and the like, and has for its primary object to provide a closure and fastening means therefor which is simple in construction and operation and in which the fastentime as the contents are ing means is designed to be operated so as to provide a two-stage tension for the closure.

In the processing and packing of fruit and vegetables according to the modern methods, it is usual to place the material in glass jars or other containers, apply the cover and its fastening means and then cook or process the material directly in the containers. Obvious ly, such a process requires that means be provided for the escape of steam, gases, etc., especially where a vacuum is desirable. Such means has heretofore usually taken the form of an automatically operating vent or valve mounted in the closure of the receptacle. These prior devices however, are expensive in manufacture, unsightly in appearance, and generally inefiicient in operation. Accordingly an object of this invention resides in the provision of an inexpensive closure fastening means of pleasing design, which is simple in construction, efficient and durable in operation, which will permit the ready escape of steam or other'vapor's created in the processing of the contained material, and which may then be quickly and simply opere o r ly l th ai er until S ch be renewed, r consumption. r V A further object of theinvention is to provide a closure and fastening means foruse in domestic canning where the goods may remain in storage for a considerable period m d inv h it is de r le tha some adjustment be provided for taking care of the weakening of the parts.

Another object of the invention consists in the provision of a closure and fastening means which will permit, without alteration, the use of gaskets of various thickness.

A still further object of the invention resides in provision of a closure and fastening means of the spring tension type which, by reason of its peculiar construction, may be continued in use or re-used'even after a sub,-

stantial loss of tensionin the fastening means 'ceptacle and closure,

Another object of the invention consists in the designing of a jar closure having the foregoing advantageous features and in which the top plane of the completed package is entirely flat thereby providing for the stacking of the containers one upon the other for the purpose of display.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be aparent from the following description taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, and in which t Figure. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of the novel closure and fastening means in use, the fastening means being shown in its initial position; i, e., the sealing position used during processing.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the device as disclosed in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the fastening means moved to its second or final sealing position.

Re r ing to e wing in mo detail the numeral 1 indicates a jar or the like suitable for preserving foods and which is provided with a cover 2 1 Both the receptacle 1 and the cover 2 are here shown as made of glass, but it will be readily apparent that t two-stage fast ning m ans about t e described may be used with any type of rewhether of cylindrical or other shape and whether of glass, metal, or other similar material.

The receptacle 1 is preferably provided adjacent its top with an annular shoulder 3 below which is mounted a wire ring 4: to

which are pivotally attached the resilient clips 5. These clips are provided with an inwardly bowed portion 6 at their upper ends which terminate in an upwardly directed finger 7 by means. of which the clip may be moved to itsseveral eperative positions or be. entirely removed when the receptacle is to beopened.

Seated on 3 is a gasket 8 of any conventional type, on

which is seated the lower annular edge 9 of the closure 2. This closure is provided with two annular ribs 10 and 11 adapted to providea nular ere-e es or beatin sermon l? the upper edge of the shoulder however,

and 13 for the rounded portion 14 of the clip 5.

By an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 it will be apparent that the distance'between the ring 4 and the bearing surface 12 is sub stantially less than the distance between the ring 4 and the bearing surface 13. Therefore, it will be obvious that when the clip 5 has its free end 14 seated upon the bearing surface 13 as indicated in Fig. 3, a much greater tension will be applied to the cover 2 than when this portion 14 is in engagement with the bearing surface 12 as indicated in Fig. 2. It will thus be apparent that the construction provides a two-stage fastening means for the closure; the first stage (Fig. 2) providing one degree of pressure on the closure 2, and the second stage (Fig. 3) ap plying a substantially greater pressure upon the closure.

In the operation of the device the fresh fruit or other food to be packed and preserved is placed in the container or receptacle 1 with a sufiicient amount of water for the purpose of processing. The gasket 8 and closure 2 are then applied to the top of the container and the clips 5 moved to engage the annular bearing surface 12 so as to retain the closure in position with respect to the receptacle. A number of these filled receptacles are then placed in a processing tank where the con tents is thoroughly cooked. During this cooking or processing of the material the pressure of the steam and gases generated within the receptacles is allowed to escape by reason of the fact that the spring clips 5, being in the first sealing stage, will permit the closure 2 to rise slightly from its seat but preventing the closure from being blown entirely off of the receptacle. By thus permitting the automatic escape of the steam or gases generated within the containers during the processing, all liability of blowing out the gaskets 8 is eliminated. Just as soon,

as the pressure within the containers decreases the clips 5 will again draw the closures 2 down into sealing contact with the gaskets 8 and upon the completion of the processing and the cooling of the container, a partial vacuum will be created within the container as will be readily understood. At this stage of the proceedings an operator will then move the clips 5 to their second stage or position of clamping the closure to the receptacle, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby placing an increased amount of pressure upon the closure 2 and the packed containers are thus finally sealed and ready for shipment.

The manner of operation just described has reference more particularly to the commercial preparation and packing of foods, but it is to be understood that the present invention has many advantages in domestic use. For instance, by reason of the provision of the two different bearing surfaces 12 and 13 which cooperate with the clip to provide different degrees of pressure upon the closure 2, it is permissible to use gaskets of varying degrees of thickness without in any way varying the structure or size of the fastening e means. If a relatively thick gasket is to be used then the clips 5 will be placed in engagement with the first bearing surface 12 as shown in Fig. 2, whereas, if a relatively thin gasket is employed then the clips 5 will be e moved readily to the second sealing stage, namely the bearing surface 13, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Furthermore, as is will known by those skilled in the art, spring clips and the like which are commonly employed in fastening closures for containers, usually become considerably weakened after being in use for a considerable period of time, such as often be moved to the second sealing stage, namely 7 the bearing surface 13 (Fig. 3) thereby applying additional pressure to the closure and restoring the seal to its original degree of efficiency.

This same advantage in preserving the usefulness of the closure and fastening means is also of value in permitting the same to be used a number of times rather than a single use as is now the general practice. For example, if a closure is sealed in the first stage as indicated in Fig. 2, and is thereafter opened and the contents used, the receptacle may again be filled and sealed in an efiicient manner by moving the clips 5 to the second sealing stage as indicated in Fig. 3.

While the clips 5 are shown and described as pivoted to the receptacle and the closure is shown as provided with radially spaced bearing surfaces for the free ends of the clip it will be readily apparent that this arrangement maybe reversed,that is,the clips pivotallyconnected to the closure and a portion of the receptacle provided with spaced bearingsurfaces for the free ends of the clips so as to provide a two-stage fastening means.

It is also to be noted that the parts of the closure 2 and fastening means 5 are so designed and proportioned that the upper ends of clips 5 when in operative position will be positioned flush with or slightly below the top surface of the cap. This feature of the design is of importance in that it presents a smoothhorizontal surface at the top of the completed package, and by reason of which the Jars may be neatly stacked in superimposed rows for the purpose of display as in store windows and the like.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent that I have devised a Sim-- ple and inexpensive construction of jar closure and fastening means therefor, which is especially useful in the processing of fruit, vegetables, and other edibles in that it provides for the escape of steam and the like in processing, and for a final seal of the closure by a simple manipulation of the clips. It will also be apparent that the present inexpensive construction of closure and fastening means provides for the use of gaskets of vary ing thickness Without any variation in the size or construction of the clips or covers, and also by reason of the two-stage sealing means the life of the jar and its fastening means is greatly prolonged.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, but the structure as disclosed on the drawings and as described in the specification is intended merely as illustrative of the invention and it is to be understood that the structure as disclosed is susceptible of various minor changes in details of construction, and all such changes or alterations are intended to be included within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Having fully described my invention what I claim is:

1. A receptacle, a closure therefor, means for securing the closure to the receptacle, said means being radially movable to increase in distinct steps the pressure on said closure.

2. A receptacle, a closure therefor, resilient means for securing the closure to the receptacle, said means being radially movable to vary in distinct stages the tension on said closure.

3. A receptacle, a closure therefor, and a radially movable, two-stage, fastening means for said closure.

4. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of spring clips attached to one of said elements, and radially spaced bearing surfaces on the other of said elements, whereby the tension on said closure may be varied.

5. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of spring clips attached to one of said elements, concentrically arranged ribs on the other of said elements and adapted to provide bearing surfaces for the free ends of said clips.

6. A receptacle, a closure therefor, a plurality of spring clipspivotally attached to one of said elements, and a plurality of concentrically arranged ribs on the other element adapted to provide a plurality of bearing surfaces for the free end of each clip.

7. A receptacle, a closure provided with a plurality of concentrically arranged grooves,

said grooves.

' ALBERT M. ALGEO.

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