US2031800A - Preserving jar - Google Patents

Description

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W. A. THIELE Feb. 25, 1936.

PRESERVING JAR Filed Jan. 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb 25, 1936.. W, A THELE iwsmm PRESERVING JAR Filed Jan. 5, 1933 Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to jars or similar containers intended to be used in the preservation of fruit or other products by the well-known methods.

In the use of the methods, difliculty has been experienced in the complete exclusion of air from the contents of the container after it has been filled and closed. It has been determined that such complete exclusion may be accomplished by storing the container in an inverted or upside down position, thus causing the vacuum spaceto occupy the closed bottom portion instead of being adjacent the closure where the vacuum tends to directly draw air past the sealing ring and into contact with the contents, thereby causing the contents to spoil, It is an object of the present invention to provide a jar or receptacle which may be stood upon its top in an inverted position, and further to so construct such a receptacle that it cannot be conveniently stood upon its bottom when the receptacle is closed.

Another object of the invention is to provide convenient means for supporting the receptacle when open in upright position to allow it to be filled.

Other objects are to provide an eflicient closure for such a receptacle and means for securing the said closure upon the receptacle by the application of steady. spring pressure thereto.

h preferred b di n of the nvention is ust ed in the a mpany n drawin in which:-

Figure 1 is a side view of the receptacle in position for filling.

Figure 2 is a side view of the closed receptacle illustrating the formation for preventing it standing in an upright position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a side view of the receptacle in its inverted position for storage.

7 Figure 5 is a similar view in section.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view.

The reference numeral I indicates the body of the container having an open mouth 8, at one end surrounded by an upstanding portion 9 extending from a shouldered portion I0, all of this being well-known in jars heretofore used for canning and other purposes. It should be noted that the inner walls of the mouth 8 are straight within the shouldered portion Ill so that there is no cavity in which the contents may lodge.

The bottom ll of the receptacle is outwardly rounded in such manner that when set thereon the receptacle will not remain upright but will fall upon its side, as indicated in Figure 2.

At points on the lower portions of the sides of the receptacle, but above the bottom thereof are located outstanding lugs I2, preferably formed integrally with the side walls of the body. These lugs i2 are located at a distance from the bottom sufiicient to keep them from interfering with the receptacles overturning when set upon the rounded bottom I I, yet at a point where the diameter of the bottom is no greater than the outside diameter of the upstanding portion 9.

In order to permit the receptacle to :be conveniently filled, and also to be securely closed and stored in inverted position, a combined closure and supporting member is provided. This member comprises a cupped cap I3 having side walls I 4 and a top portion IS, the interior of which is recessed as at l6, and being of a size to snugly fit about the walls '9 surrounding the mouth of the receptacle, and thus close the receptacle. The outer edges of the side walls M may be roundedoff as at Ma to permit the introduction of a suitable instrument for loosening the top when the receptacle is to be opened. On the outside of the top portion l5 of the cup are formed outstanding supporting pins or feet I! which are preferably integral with the member 13 and upon which such member may be stood in the manner of a stool, the top portionl5 being spaced at a distance from the supporting surface when the cap is so supported.

The cap I3 is provided with a central exteriorly thickened portion I8 having a central socket l9 and a.- channel 20 extending from the socket through the wall thereof, in a direction towards a point between two of the pins H.

In order that the cap member l3 may be removably but securely fastened in position as a closure, a lever 2| is pivoted to members carried by a ring 22 surrounding the receptacle below the shouldered portion l9. Pivoted to this lever in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 2 15a yoke 23 adapted to be swung from the position shown in Figure 1 at the side of the receptacle to that shown in Figure 2 over the cap, and intended to be tightened thereupon by the lever 2| in a wellknown manner. In order to provide a more efficient clamping action which will keep the cap under a constant pressure over a long period of time, the yoke, at its central portion is looped to form an inwardly extending spring coil 24, which acts as a bearing element and also places a steady tension upon the yoke 23 when it is drawn down by the lever 2|. The spring coil 24 may be swung into the socket l9 through the channel 20 and when tightened, bears upon the top of the 5 cap within the socket. The coil as before stated, places the yoke under constant tension, which places a steady pressure upon the cap through the contact of the coil 24. It is to be noted that the arms of the yoke 23 are of such a length that when tightened the yoke will not at any point project above the ends of the supporting pins H.

Reference to Figure 1 will show the manner of combining the receptacle and the supporting and closure member for filling the jar. The member I3 is placed upon a table top or similar surface and the receptacle set upon it. The rounded bottom ll of the container sits within the cupped portion I6 of the member [3 and the lugs l2 engage the edges of the wall l4 holding the body 1 steady in an upright position. When the container has been filled it is lifted from the member I3 which is then reversed and placed in position as a closure and clamped in place by means of the yoke 23 and lever 2|.

Reference to Figures 4 and 5 will show the manner in which the receptacle is intended to be stored. The pins IT extend beyond the yoke and form a steady support for the container in inverted position, in which position the contents are forced by gravity to the portion of the body adjacent the mouth thereof, while the vacuum space is located in a position adjacent what is ordinarily the bottom. In this position the contents assist in acting as a seal at the joint between the body and the closure. When the receptacle is filled with hot contents and inverted and. stood upon these pins, the space between the top portion l5 and the supporting surface permits air to circulate beneath the receptacle, thus providing for uniform cooling by radiation on all sides, instead of causing cooling of the bottom to take place by transmission of heat to the sides, as in the case of the usual type of jar resting upon a flat bottom wall.

Reference to Figure 2 will show that if it is attempted to place the receptacle upon the bottom H, it will fall over upon one side. If, in falling, one of the lugs should strike the supporting surface as shown in this figure, it will not support the container in the position there illustrated, since at the time of such contact the point of gravity will have passed a vertical line extending above the lug I2 in contact with the table. Furthermore in the event of such contact, the falling container shows a tendency to be defiected from a straight line and to continue its fall to one side of the contacting lug.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing that the receptacle having been filled and closed, the only convenient and secure way of storing it is in an inverted position, resting upon the pins IT, with the advantageous results before described. Another advantage of the combination of the receptacle and the closure and supporting member is the ease with which the round bottom may be rendered inoperative to allow the filling of the receptacle.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a receptacle having a bottom that is incapable of supporting the receptacle in upright position, of a cover-securing, lever-operated yoke mounted on the receptacle in upright position, and a combined support and closure member having means on one side for closing the receptacle when in use as a closure and for receiving and engaging the lower portion of the receptacle when in use as a support, and

having legs on the other side to support the member and receptacle, the said legs projecting ax ially a distance from said closure at least as'great as said yoke to permit the yoke to pass over them. i

' 2. The combination with a receptacle having a top opening, of a rounded bottom that makes the receptacle normally incapable of standing thereon in an upright position, said receptacle having outstanding lugs on its lower portion adjacent the bottom that allow the receptacle to roll on its rounded bottom, and a detachable cupshaped closure for the open end of the receptacle and that detachably receives the rounded bottom thereof and operates as a support to hold the receptacle in upright position when removed from the open end thereof and that has a rim on which the lugs rest to prevent the overturning of the receptacle.

'3. The combination with a receptacle having an open top and a bottom that is incapable in itself of supporting the receptacle in upright position, of a closure and. supporting member having means on one side thereof adapted to close the open top of the receptacle when positioned on the top thereof and said means being capable of engagement with the lower portion of the receptacle to support it in upright position when not acting to close the said receptacle.

4. The combination with a combined closure and support for a receptacle, the said closure and support having a recess and a single rim surrounding the recess, of a receptacle having an open end surrounded by a wall of pro-per size to be received in the recess and engaged by the rim of the combined closure and support, and a rounded bottom also of a size to be received in the recess and engaged by the said rim.

5. The combination with a receptacle having a top opening, a bottom and outstanding shouldered

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