US2026012A - Automatic closure for outlets of dispensing containers - Google Patents

Description

. 31, 1935. ANDERSON 2,026,012 AUTOMATIC CLOSURE'FOR OUTLETS OF DISPENSING CONTAINERS Original Filed March 27, 1953 6; B. Jnde r80 1;

INVENTOR.

X) f r.

TORNEY.

Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED ST r a s AUTOMATIC CLOSURE FOR OUTLETS OF DISPENSING CONTAINERS Original application March 662,933. Divided and this 22, 1934, Serial No. 740,994

2 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible containers or other containers for dispensing fluid or semifiuid material, and specifically, to automatic closures for outlets of dispensing receptacles, and is a division of my pending application No. 662,933, filed March 27, 1933 (matured into Patent No. 1,973,459, issued Sept. 11, 1934) with a modification added.

One object of this invention is to provide an improved and exceedingly practical outlet closure which automatically opens under pressure of the material being dispensed, and which automatically closes when the pressure is discontinued or interrupted.

Another object is to provide the outlet end with a dispensing orifice whose margin is substantially as thin as a knife-edge, so there is a mere line or minimum surface in contact with the closure, thereby avoiding the cementing of the closure to the outlet end and the consequent resistance to the egress of the material in case such material is of a glutinous character; also thereby avoiding the formation of hard crusts or scales of the material at the outside of the dispensing orifice; hence, avoiding the waste and inconvenience caused by such cementing, and by such hardened parts of the material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind that is applicable to the outlet ends of containers, either within the necks, or outside the necks, whether the necks are screw-threaded or not, and preferably united with an originally separate head or cap secured to the dispensing neck by screw-threads or by other appropriate means.

Another object is to provide a device of this kind that consists of a very few parts which are very simple and easily formed, assembled and applied and which are made of materials that are not detrimentally affected by materials that are or may be placed in the containers for being dispensed therefrom.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of one form of the invention applied on a fragment of a receptacle which may here be considered as a collapsible dispensing tube, the closure being in its normal closed position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the closure depressed to its dispensing or open position, and a portion of the material being dispensed therefrom.

27, 1933, Serial No. application August Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a holder or closure seat such as are used in this form of the invention, Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l, but disclosing a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, inwhich, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

The receptacle or dispensing tube 5 may have the cap or dispensing head 6 secured thereon by screw-threads or by other appropriate means, and may be provided with a tongue or spreader l, and above the securing means, this cap is provided with a hollow, preferably cylindrical, space 5 in which is held the seat or support 9 (Fig. 3) whose cylindrical outer surface may fit tightly against the wall of the cavity or space 8. The member 9 includes a bridge H, and centrally located thereon is a cup l2 that constitutes part of an air-chamber which is an important feature of this invention.

The valve or closure preferably consists of a hard conical part l3 and a soft resilient part It, the latter being preferably of rubber or the like and having a deeply concaved under side formed with a circular margin that fits against the bottom and wall of the cup I! so as to combine with the latter in forming the air-pocket or airchamber above mentioned, shown at It. The dispensing orifice of the cap is shown at US, and the conical valve element normally projects therethrough, and is there heldby the resiliency of the element It. At I! it is seen that the margin of the dispensing orifice is so thin, sharp and acute that the word knife-edge applies thereto, especially in view of the fact that the cap is of relatively hard material which is die-cast into the shape shown; so the parts I l and I3 are normally in edge-to-surface contact, and consequently the material to be dispensed will not cause adhesion to prevent the closure from being operated, even if such material is glutenous or viscous.

Inasmuch as the principles and operation of both these forms of the invention are the same, they will now be explained as follows:

In operating the device to dispense a liquid, as mucilage, for instance, the device may be inverted and lowered onto the paper or thing onto which the mucilage is to be spread, and as the protruding apex of the closure is pressed inward by its contact with such paper or thing, the orifice i5 is thereby opened so a portion of the mucilage will flow out and canbe spread by the tongue 1; but if the material is too viscous or plastic to flow, a pressure must be applied, as by squeezing the collapsible tube; such pressure, being exerted in all directions, hence downward on the closure Iii-i4, compresses the resilient lower part thereof, thereby also compressing air in the air-pocket l6, while yielding to permit material to pass thereby through the dispensing orifice l5. When pressure is released, the resilient part l4 and the air compressed thereby (in the pocket I6) force the part l3 to its normal closing position; and the closing is more quickly and completely efiected byv the knife-edge margin of the orifice cutting through the material at the orifice.

In the modified form, the cap 6a is formed with an annular abutment 811 immediately over the internal threads that receive the neck oi the receptacle or tube 5; and within this cap is fitted the closure support So, whose margin eliminates the part I!) and fits between the abutment 8a and the neck of the receptacle or tube 5, the latter holding it securely in place. The cup in is inverted, and thereon is seated a resilient rubber (or the like) concavo-convex member lea whose concave under side combines with the part iEa to form the air-pocket 15a. The closure I3a may be die-cast from any suitable relatively hard material, and has a hollow cylindrical part I317 that encloses the member lct and the upper part of the inverted cup I2a, having a close but easily-sliding fit up and down on the latter. In this form of the invention, there is also an annular air-pocket between the parts |3a and Ma which contributes to the resilience of the closure l3a-l4a. The parts 5 and to, combine to constitute a unitary container, although here shown separable, and the same is true of the parts 5 and 6.

While describing these forms of the invention specifically, I have no intention to limit my patent protection to these specific details, for the invention, though simple, is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dispensing device, the combination of a container having a non-collapsible hollow end formed with a dispensing orifice, a closure-support in said non-collapsible hollow end, and a substantially conical closure having a resilient concave base seated on and combined with the closure-support to form a substantially air-tight pocket in which air and a part of the closure can be compressed, said closure being normally held by its resiliency against the margin of said dispensing orifice for closing the latter and being properly formed and arranged to be depressed away from said orifice by pressure of fluid or semi-fluid thereon within said hollow non-collapsible end of the container, whereby the re-' siliency of the closure and of air in said pocket forces the closure to the position for closing said dispensing orifice when pressure of the fluid or semi-fluid is relieved.

2. In a dispensing device, the combination of a container having a hollow end formed with a dispensing orifice, a closure-support in said hollow end, and a closure having a resilient part formed with a concavity and seated on said closure support in proper relation to combine with the latter in forming an air-pocket which is substantially air-tight, whereby the resiliency of the closure and of air in said air-pocket presses the closure to the position for closing said dispensing orifice, said dispensing orifice having a margin which is substantially as thin and acute as a knife-edge which is normally in line-to-surface contact with said closure, so that a minimum of adhesion is obtained between the closure and margin of the dispensing orifice when adhesive or viscous materials are held in the receptacle.

GUY B. ANDERSON.

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