US1865764A - Container stopper - Google Patents

Description

y 1932- J. A. KEENAN CONTAINER STOPPER Filed Sept. 26. 1930 Bill/6722507 Jfl. K'e em Patented July 5, 1932 PATENT OFFICE JOHN A. KEENAN, OF MADISON,

WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL LABORATORIES,

' INC OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CONTAINER STOPPER Application filed September 26, 1930. Serial No. 484,488.

This invention relates to caps for bottles or similar containers.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction whereby a screw-threaded cap of this kind, or a cap otherwise formed to enclose the neck of a bottle or similar container, is provided with an automatic vent or release valve in the form of an elastic diaphragm having a puncture at its middle, and having its outer edges formed to bear upon the neck of the bottle or other container, under the pressure of a cap, and to thus provide a tight joint, thereby preventing escape of gas from the bottle or container everywhere except through said puncture.

. To these and other useful ends the invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing in which- Fig. 1 is a top view or plan of a bottle cap embodying the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but showing a diaphragm outwardly bulged to automatically vent any accumulated gas pressure in the bottle or other container.-

\ As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a cap having side walls 1 and a top Wall 2 the inner surface of the side walls, which are preferably cylindrical, being provided with screw threads 3 to engage the screw threads 4 on the neck of the bottle 5 or other container. The cap can be of bakelite or metal or other material.

An elastic diaphragm 6, of dished form, is placed on the top of the bottle neck, as shown, within the cap, and may be fastened to the cap, or may be left loose so that a new diaphragm can be supplied when necessary to take the place of one that has been worn out. This diaphragm preferably has a puncture 7 at its middle. When the cap is screwed down in place, the edge portions of the diaphragm are compressed, as shown, upon the top of the bottle neck, by the overlying top wall of the cap, thus providing a tight joint which will prevent the escape of accumulated gas pressure except through the said puncture. When pressure accumulates in the bottle or other container, the diaphragm will bulge outwardly through the opening 8 at the top of the cap, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. l

, Preferably, the top portion of the cap is polygonal, having flat edges 9 as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, with notches 10 at the corners between said flat or straight edges. This gives the hand a better grip on the cap, and should occasion require, a wrench could be applied to the cap to screw it in place, or to remove it from the bottle neck.

With a cap of this kind, a leak-proof closure is provided for a'bottle or other container, for as soon as any accumulated pressure has been sufliciently vented or discharged through the puncture 7, this puncture will then automatically close, and seal the bottle.

It will be understood, of course, that the diaphragm 6 may be of rubber, or other elastic material, and that the opening 8 is preferably of suflicient area to permit the middle portion of the diaphragm to bulge outwardly in a manner to open the puncture 7 and thereby vent the accumulated gas pressure to the atmosphere.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A cap for bottles or similar containers, said cap havin a top wall provided with an opening, and having side walls internally formed to engage holding means on the neck of the bottle or other container, together with a flat elastic diaphragm having its marginal portions clamped upon the upper edge of the neck of the bottle or other container by the downward pressure of the top wall of the cap, with the diaphragm lying flat against the underside of said cap, sealing the bottle against escape of fluid pressure between the cap and bottle, the middle ortion of the diaphragm being provided I with a normally closed puncture to automatically vent any accumulated pressure in the bottle or other container through said opening in the top of the cap, said opening being formed to cause said diaphragm to balloon outward through said opening to open said puncture to relieve internal fluid pressure.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, said cap being of hard and unyielding material, and said holding means comprising screw threads, direction will compress the edge portions of said fiat diaphragm two thicknesses less than the middle portion of the diaphragm, forming a leak-proof closure for the bottle or other container, while rotation of the cap in the opposite direction will remove the cap from the container neck.

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said opening in the top of the cap being round and central and of sufficient size to cause the diaphragm to bulge therein under pressure in the container, thereby to open said puncture and vent the accumulated gas pressure to the atmosphere.

Specification signed this 23rd day of September, 1930.

JOHN A. KEENAN.

whereby rotation of the cap in one

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