US1939022A - Can cap - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1933. s O PAULL 1,939,022

CAN CAP Filed June 24, 1930 gmwwfm IIWEIIH 7 Jrf/VIZZ dflswzz (IMA 30 channel are rigidly secured to the cap plate, an

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 r v 1,939,022 NT OFFICE CAN CAP Samuel OQPaull, Wellsburg, W. Va., assignor to Eagle Manufacturing Company, Wellsburg, W. Va., a corporationof West Virginia Application June 24, 1930. Serial No. 463,521 12 Claims. (ol. 220-94 v This invention is directed to an improvement in containers or cans for liquids to be poured therefrom as required for use and to be'conveniently refilled when desired, the invention being more particularly concerned with the provision of a' "cap for the filling opening and for the spout of such containers and cans and the provision of means on the can with which the caps may cooperate, with such means arranged inwardly of the surface of the can to avoid possibility of breakage or'distortion in use.

The can of the present invention is provided with a cap-receivingflange carried by the upper wall of the can and depending inwardly with respect to the can, to thereby avoid any upstanding threadedflange as conventionallyv provided and channel to provide abrupt shoulders, in'which channel and bearing against which shoulders there is arranged the terminals, of a strip, forming above the cap plate a substantially oval handle. The terminals of the strip seated within the with the bearing of these terminals against the shoulders of thechannel there is provided such a rigid connection between the handle and cap as to prevent possibility of their disconnection in a r The invention is illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a view in side elevation showing the can in pouring position and illustrating the use of the improved cap handle for holding the can during the pouring operation.

Figure 2 is a perspective view with the parts of the cap separated. Figure 3 is an enlarged broken transverse section through the complete cap.

Figure 4 is a similar view taken at right angles to that of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a broken sectional view showing the cap in cooperation with the can and illustrating more particularly the sealing function of the cap.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the completed cap. Figure '7 is an enlarged broken view, more or less diagrammatic, taken on the line 7-7 of Fi ure 8.

Figure 8 is a section on the line'88 of Figure 7. i

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a modifiedform of cap.

Figure 10 is a transverse section of the same,

50 the can being indicatedin dotted lines.

cap plate. tions 11 are formed in the edge of the cap plate The improved can, conventionally designed for the reception of oil, gasoline or the like, is indicated at 1, the filling opening 2 being defined by an edge flange 3 which depends from the top of the can and terminates inan inwardly extending lip 4. The flange 3 isthreaded and it is, of course, a separate element from the can being interconnected therewith in any appropriate manner to form a rigid part thereof.

The improved cap is made up primarily of three parts, a threaded flange 5, a cap plate 6 and a handle '7. The threaded flange is of annular section, threaded, of course, to cooperate with the threads of the flange 3 of the can top, the cap flange 5 having at its free lower edge an inwardly extending lip 8 to bear on the lip 4 of the can flange. The upper edge of the cap flange 5.has an outwardly extending margin' 9 providing means for interf ttin'g the cap plate and flange.

The cap plate 6 has a central, raised portion 10 and a marginal edge of appreciable width beyond the raised portion. In securing the cap flange 5 and cap plate'6 together, the marginal edge of the cap plate is turned back in part over the outwardly extending margin 9 of the cap flange 5,

such marginal edge of the cap plate being then pressed onto the lower surfaceof the margin 9 of the cap flange 5. Thus the cap plate at its edge embraces the outwardly extending margin 9 of the cap flange 5'and thus secures the cap plate and cap flange together, while presenting a smooth, unbroken and non-sharp edge for the If desired, and as preferred, indentato interlock the returned bend of the cap plate andthe margin-9 of the cap flange 5 and thereby prevent relative turning of the cap flange and cap plate, thus securing the capplate and flange as a unit. In shipping gasoline and oil, and particularly the former, it is important that the cap be practically sealed in place to prevent evaporation or leakage of the contents. The relation of the cap flange to the edge flange 3 of the body is such that when the projecting flange of the cap as an entirety bears on the top of the can, the lip 8 at the bottom of the cap'flange 5 exerts an appreciable pressure on the lip 4 of the can flange 3. This pressureis suflicient toslightly deflect the'lip 4 and insure a sealing contact between the lips 8 and 4' to prevent any possibility of leakage or evaporation of the contents of the can.

Thus all independent gaskets, which are a con-' stant source of annoyance as well as expense, are

entirely avoided and the can issealed each and every time the cap, is fully seated. Furthermore,

the can may be vented to admit air for the pouring operation by a slight turning of the cap, the indentations 11 serving to assist in the air admission. The inwardly extending edge flange 30f the can naturally serves as a baflle to prevent splashing or accidental outflow of the contents of the can, thus presenting a material advantage over the conventional outstanding cap flange.

The raised portion 10 of the cap plate is formed with a transverse channel 12 extending diametrically of such raised portion, the side walls of the terminals of the handle section abut squarely throughout their lengths against the abrupt shoulders 13 defining such depression. The

thickness of the material forming the handle' section corresponds approximately'to the depth ,oif the depression 12, so thatwhen the handle section is in place the top of the cap throughout that area occupied by the handle section is substantially even or flush. 7 v

The portions of the handle section held within the depression 12 are to be firmly secured to the cap plate, and while this may be effectively carried out'by welding, it is, of course, obvious that other means for securing the handle section in place as a rigid part of the cap plate is I contemplated as within the spirit of the present invention.

With particular reference to Figures 9 and 10, it will be noted that the provision of the improved handle is shown as applied to a more or less conventional cap, wherein the cap indicated at. 15 is pressed or otherwise formed from a single piece of metal presenting an upper wall 16 having a raised portion 16 similar to the preferred form and an edge flange '17, with the lat-. ter threaded to cooperate with the usual upstanding, threaded flange-on the can top, as indicated at 18 in Figure. 10. Thus the, cap in its general form and cooperation with the can is of the conventional type.

For the purposes of the invention, the top of the cap, that is, the upper wall 16, is formed with a diametrically disposed channel 19, the edges of which present abrupt shoulders 20. The handle a 21, identical with the handle of the preferred form, has its terminals 22 seated in the channel 19 bearing squarely against the edges or shoulders 20. Welding or other securing means unites the handle. and cap.- This form of handle v is contemplated as being applied to the cap ordinarilyemployed for closing the'spout 23 of the can. V

The preferred form of cap is designed for cooperation with a threaded flange on the can top which is disposed wholly below the upper surface of such can top. This construction will effectively prevent the cap-receiving flange of the can from being marred, distorted or broken during handling or transportation, which liability is a continuing disadvantage of the types of cans in which the cap-receiving flange extends upward- 1y above the top of the can. Furthermore, by

the provision of the improved and preferred form, of cap, the cap plate extends over the edge of the ,fillingopening, and when the cap is applied, seats more or less snugly against the top of the can proper, thus insuring the avoidance of undue obstruction and presenting a very much better appearance than in the conventional can. Furthermore, with the cap-receiving flange of the can extending inwardly of the can, there is greater facility in filling the can and drip is more liable to flow into the can than where the cap flange extends upwardly from the can top.

The major dimension of the handle section above the cap proper is preferably somewhat greater-than the diameter of the cap, it being appreciated in this connection that neither the length nor height of the handle above the cap is limited in any way by the cap, for the handle presentsno obstruction to any part of the container orcap, and therefore canbe made in any desired size, though in any event it should be of an interior area suflic'ient to conveniently accommodate the hand of the user.

The cap as thus provided constitutes a rigid unity embodying a cap proper and a rigid metallic loopelike handle fixed to the cap,'with the connectionbetween the handle and cap such as to prevent separation under any possible use of the cap; The handle of the cap is used in apply ing and removing the cap, and by the convenient handhold afforded, the application and removal of the cap will be materially facilitated without the use of any particular tool or tools for the purpose, no matter how badly the cap may be jammed. If the cap is jammed beyond the power of the muscular effort of the user to remove it by the grip aiforded by the handle, any convenient lever such as a stick, screw-driver or any like implement, one or the other of which is'always convenient, may be passed through the handle and the cap levered off in an obvious manner.

In connection with containers for gasoline, it will be appreciated'that the cap, when the container isnot in use, is tobetightly screwed in place to prevent evaporation. This necessitates, when desiring to pour from the container, that thelcap be slightly loosened to permit the necessary entrance of air. This requires, of course, the slight turning of the cap, and with the cap heretofore provided this necessitates the use of a tool, such as a wrench, for turning the cap even to the slight extent required. With the improved cap, this slight'turning may be readily and conveniently carried out through the'use of the handle without requiring any tool or experiencing-any difficulty in the operation.

Another and important advantage in connection with the improved cap is the utilization of the handle of the cap as a'means for transportingthe' can from place to place or lifting it for the pouring operation." Ordinarily such cans are provided with a'hinged bail for carrying purposes. With the improved cap, which does not, however, contemplate dispensing with the usual bail, the user after screwing the cap in place, or in loosening the capto admit air during the pouring operation, may thereafter conveniently and simply, without releasing his grip on the cap handle,'utilize such handle as a means for transporting the can from place to place or as a means for insuring a firm grip and control of the container during the pouring'operation. 'Thus the'handle cap is of material advantage in containers for which it is designed, serving not'only in its primary purpose as a means 'for conveniently applying and certainly insuringthe removal of the cap without the necessity'of a particular tool or tools, but also as a means by which the container may be conveniently handled both in transportation and in pouring.

bail-like handle and illustrated as closing the ticularly for cans. containing gasoline, oil= and the like, say of five gallons capacity, for in the use of such containersboth in filling andpour ing, the incident weight-isa material matter to be considered and the cap itself is: frequently required tobe removed or applied under condi-- tions wherea tool, if such is required,is ordinari-- 1y not conveniently accessible; For these purposes, the improved'top is ofmaterial and im-'- portant advantage in connection with such containers. The ease andfacility with which the cap. of this invention maybe applied and removed without the use of any tools, the construction which permits the user to apply the necessary muscular effort for the removal of the cap when necessary, and the facility with which the handle of the cap permits the handling of the container in transportation and pouring, presents desired features of important advantage over priorcaps for this purpose.

The cap proper is, of course, of ordinary and conventional form other than in the provision of the transverse depression, and the metal of the handle may be such as to secure the proper unity with the cap and'the proper rigidity'to afford the advantages in use and operation abovereferred to. H

As previously stated, the user, by operating the cap through the medium of the bail-like handle, may slightly turn the cap to admit air to the interior of the container and at the same time position the bail-like handle substantially trans verse the container and, without releasing the grip on the cap handle, raise the can and place the other handunder the bottom of the can to tilt the can for pouring. 'In this pouring operation, it will be noted that by reason of the rigid relationof the bail-like handle with the cap'and the fact that the cap remains connected with the container, the canis heldrigidly during the pouring operation and liability of misdirecting the liquid, which is at all times incident to a pouring operation when supporting the can by the usual swinging bail, is entirely prevented. The can is rigidly supported and the liquid may be poured therefrom with certainty of direction and flow.

It is, of course, to be understood that, as previously referredto, the cap with the improved filling opening for the container is equally adapted for use in connection with closing the pouring spout. In containers of this character, the pouring spout, as well as the filling opening, is closed by a cap and it is understood that this cap for the spout may, if desired, be provided with an appropriate bail-like handle corresponding in all respects to that described and shown in connection with the cap for the filling opening. It is not deemed necessary to illustrate such a cap for the pouring spout, as such would be a mere duplication, but it is understood that the invention contemplates such use so that both caps may be appropriately supplied with means for conveniently applying and removing the same without the use of any extraneous tools.

I claim:

1. A screw cap for containers having a plain upper wall and an annular threaded flange depending from the edge thereof, a rigidly connected, bail-like handle secured to and extended wholly above the upper wall of the cap, the upper wall of the cap and handle being formed for interlocking against independent turning movement, the interlocking cooperation 'of the .cap and handle extending from substantially the outer edge of the cap for an appreciable distance toward the center of the cap,whereby to interlockthe cap and handle throughout the area of .80

maxirnum' s'train tending'to separation in the turning of the cap. 7

2. A screw cap for containers formed with a diametric depression presenting abrupt shoulders, and a loop handle arranged above and secured to the cap, the material of the handle fitting: in said depression, with the edges of the material bearing squarely against said shoulders.

3. A'screw cap for containers formed with a diametric depression presenting abrupt shoulders, an elongated oval handle section of rigid metal having one major length squarely seated in said depression to interlockthe handle with the cap and dispose the loop portion'of the handle Wholly above the upper surface of the cap, and meansfor permanently securing the handle and cap as a rigid unity.

' 4. A screw cap for containers including an an nular, externally threaded flange having an out turned, upper margin, a cap plate having its marginal edge formed in a return bend to embrace said upper margin of the cap flange, said cap plateoverlying said cap flange and being formed with a diametric depression presenting abrupt marginalshoulders, and a loop handle arranged above and secured tothe cap plate, a portion of said handle being secured in said depression and bearing against the shoulders thereof. g

5. A screw cap for containers including an annular, externally threaded flange having an outturned, upper margin, a cap plate having a central raised portion and a marginal edge, such marginal edge formed in areturn bend to embrace saidupper-margin of the cap flange, said 115 cap'plate overlying said. cap flange, such central raised portion being formed with a diametric depression presenting abrupt, marginal shoulders, and aloophandle arranged above and securedto the cap plate, a portion of said han-. dle being secured in said depression and bearing against the shoulders thereof.

6. A screw cap for containers including an annular, externally threaded flange having an outturned, upper margin, a cap plate having a central raised portion and a marginal edge, such marginal edge formed in a return bend to embrace said upper margin of the cap flange, said cap plate overlying said cap flange, such central raised portion being formed with a diametric depression presenting abrupt, marginal shoulders, and a loop handle arranged above and secured to the cap plate, a portion of said handle being secured in said depression and bearing against the shoulders thereof, the return bend of the cap plate and the upper margin of the cap flange being together formed with upwardly extending indentations to lock the cap flange and cap plate against relative rotation and to provide air admission in an initial opening po- 40 sition of the cap, the central raised portions at each side of the diametric depression presenting abutments reinforcing the shoulder at the edge of the depression and thereby reinforcing the rigidity of the handle mounting on the cap.

7. A container cap including an upper plain wall and a depending threaded annular flange and a bail rigidly secured to said cap, said bail including a portion extending diametrically of and in contact with the upper plain wall of the and wholly free of the upper wall of the cap, the

handle engaging portion being of greater length than the cap engaging portion and exceeding'the diameter of the upper plain wall of the cap, the cap engaging portion of the bail and the cap being relatively formed to ensure aninterlocking of the upper plain wall of the capand of the cap engaging portion of the bail to prevent independent turning of the bail relativeto the cap.

8. The combination with a container having a filling opening, an inwardly directed edge flange coincident with the opening, said flange forming a sealing edge about the opening, the inner end of the flange being formed with a laterally directed deformable lip, of a cap having a depending flange to cooperate with the edge flange of the container in seating the cap, the edge of the cap being designed to cooperate with the sealing edge about the opening, the inner end of the depending flange of the cap being formed to provide a lip to cooperate with the lip on the inner flange of the container, the arrangement of the parts being such that the lips of the container and cap are brought into. contact vimmediately preceding the sealing cooperation of the cap with the sealing edge about the container opening whereby in the complete seating movement of the cap the lip ontheinner flange of the container is deformed under pressure from and in relativev sliding contact with the lip onthe depending flange of the cap to thereby ensure a sealing cooperation between the lips.

9. A screw cap for containers and a bail-like handle rigidly secured thereto, said handle having an upper portion disposed wholly above the plane of the cap and a lower portion interfltting with the cap, said lower portion extending diametrically of the cap, the material of the cap'in the area cooperating with the lowerportion of the handle being formed to provide abutmentsbetween which the lower portion of the handle is received and which prevent-independent turning movement of the handle relative to the cap.

10'. A screw cap for containers and a bail-like handle rigidly secured thereto, said handle having an upper portion disposed wholly above the plane of the cap and a lower portion interfltting with the cap, said lower portion extending diametrically of the cap, the material of the cap in the area cooperating with the lower portion of the handle being formed to provide abutments between which the lower portion of the handle is received and which prevent independent turning movement of the handle relative to the cap, the said abutments providing walls extending throughout the full diameter of the cap.

11. A screw cap for containers and a bail-like handle rigidly secured thereto, said handle having an upper portion disposed wholly above the plane of the cap and a lower portion interfltting with the cap, said lower portion extending diametrically of the cap, the material of the cap in the area cooperating with the lower portion of the handle being formed to provide abutments between which'the lower portion of the handle is received and which prevent independent turning movement of the handle relative to the cap, the said abutments providing walls extending throughout the full diameter of the cap, with the said .walls spaced apart a distance to accurately receive the lower portion of the handle;

12. A screw cap for containers and a bail-like handle rigidly secured thereto, said handle having anupper portion disposed wholly above the plane of the cap and a lower portion interfltting with the cap, said lower portion extending diametrically of the cap, the material of the cap in the area cooperating with the lower portion of the handle being formed to provide abutments between which the lower portion of the handle is received and which prevent independent turning movement of the handlerelative to the cap, the said abutments providing walls extending throughout the full diameter of the cap, with the said walls spaced apart a distance toaccurately receive the lower portion of the handle, the lower portion'of the handle exceedingthe length of said walls and extending in both directio beyond the side edge of the cap. I

" SAMUEL O. PAULL.

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