US2032207A

US2032207A - Tamperproof closure seal

Info

Publication number: US2032207A
Application number: US757855A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grauer Solomon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-12-17
Filing date: 1934-12-17
Publication date: 1936-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1953-02-25

Description

Feb" 25, 19336.

s. GRAUER TAMPERPROOF CLOSURE SEAL Filed Dec. 17, 1954 INVENTOR.

5 O/om on rau er W M ORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates to seals of the type which is employed. with various closure devices for indicatingihe initial removal of the closure device from its container. The invention has for its main objects to provide a seal which can be used and inexpensive construction. These and various other objects and advantages Will be readily understood from the following description and from the accompanying drawing of preferred embodiments of the invention in which, however, modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the drawing 1 Fig. 1 is a fragmental, front view of a flask to which the invention has been applied;

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line AA in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the tamper-proof seal;

Fig. 5 is a front View of the seal as it will appear after the closure has once been removed from the flask;

Fig. 6 is a front view of a jar to which the seal has been applied;

Fig. 7 is a modified adoption of the seal;

Fig. 8 is a fragmental view of an ordinary, cork-stoppered bottle to which the seal has been applied;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a bottle neck showing a modification of the construction shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 10 is a top view of the seal shown in Fig. 9.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the neck of the flask is shown at I0 and the cap at II. A recess I2 is formed in the neck. In this recess two shoulders I3 and I4 are formed. Two flat surfaces I5 and I6 are also formed in the recess. The seal consists of a semi-circular spring member I'I provided at its end with hooks I8 and I9. The seal is also provided at its center with an upwardly extending arm 2!]. As shown, the seal is inserted in the recess I2 with the hooks engaging over the shoulders I3 and I4 and with the arm 20 extending upwardly. The extreme end 2| of the arm is bent in over the cap II The point at which the seal proper and the arm 20 is connected is weakened, as shown at 22.

To attach the seal in the recess pressure is applied at the points indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. When this pressure is released the hooks I8 and I9 engage behind the shoulders I3 and I 4. Once the seal has been inserted in this manner it is impossible to remove it. As the arm 20 extends upwardly with its extreme end 2| projecting over the top of the cap, it is impossible to remove this cap without bending the arm. When this is attempted the arm will break off due to the weakening of the connection between the arm and the seal. Thus to remove the cap it is necessary to break off the arm, this immediately indicates that the bottle has been opened. When the seal is used on bottles or flasks containing alcoholic liquors, where a revenue stamp is required, the revenue stamp 23 may be placed under the arm and the seal, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 shows the seal after the arm 20 has been broken oif, the small crosshatched part 24 indicates the former connection between the seal and the arm.

Referring now to Fig. 6, in which a jar is shown at 24 and its cover at 25, in this instance a similar seal 26 is employed and the arm 21 projects over the cover as in the case just described. Here again the joint 28 between the seal and the arm has been weakened so that the arm must be broken off before the cover can be removed.

In Fig. 7 a bottle neck is shown at 29 and a cap at 30, while the seal is shown at 3|. In this instance the arm has been dispensed with but a flexible tape 32 is secured to the bottle cap with its loose end under the sea]. In this case, when the cap 30 is removed the tape 32 has to be withdrawn from under the seal and cannot be put back under this seal once withdrawn. Thus the disengagement of the tape from the seal discloses that the bottle has been opened. It is evident that the revenue stamp pasted over the cap might serve in place of the tape 32. In fact any instrumentalities which may be secured to the cap and held under the seal would indicate the opening of the bottle once the cap has been removed.

In Fig. 8 a bottle neck is shown at 33, an ordinary cork-stopper at 34, the seal at 35 and the arm at 36. In this instance the arm 36 has to be broken from the seal before the cork can be extracted.

In Figs. 9 and 10 a slightly modified construction is shown. In this case a recess 31 is formed ing engagement when theclosure device is rein the bottle neck 38 and thisrecess terminates at itseend in two

sockets

39 and 40. The seal il, instead of being provided with curved hooks as shown in Fig; 4, is provided with two inwardly bent prongs' l and 43. These prongs engage in the sockets 39: and 40 and effectively secure the seal in the recess. The seal is provided with an upwardly extending arm 44 as in the previously described case.

In addition to the manner in which the seal is held in the recess, it will be noted that the seal itself is entirely contained within the recess and that the seal is substantially of the same size as the recess so as to practically fill it. Thus it is impossible to insert any implement between the edges of the recess and the seal to pry out the seal. Once the seal has been snapped into the recess it cannot be removed without destroying the bottle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this seal may be used with any container in which a recess can be formed and on which a cap is used and that it efiectively discloses the initial removal of the cap from the'container.

Having described .my invention and its ob jects what I olaim'as' new and wish to protect by of the spring member being substantially the same as the shape of the recess; prongs provided at each end of saidspring member and. adapted to engage in sockets formed in the ends of the recess; and'the spring member adapted to clamp a member secured to the closure device of the container in such'amannerithat this member will be withdrawn from the clamping engagemen't when the closure device is removed from the container.

2. In combination with a container having a closure device and "a recess located transversely a distance below said closure device and extending substantially haifjway around the circumference of the container; a tamper-proof seal of substantially the same size and shape as the said recess and of a lesser thickness than the depth of the recess; prongs provided at each end of said seal and adapted to permanently lock in sockets formed in the ends of the recess; and the seal adapted to clamp a member secured to the closure device of the container in such a' manner that this member will be withdrawn from the clampmoved from the container. i

In combination with a container hav ng a closure cap and a recess located transversely a distance below said closure cap and extending substantially half way around the circumference of the container; a seal of substantially the same size and shape as the said recess and of a lesser thickness than the depth of the recess; theerids comprisof said seal bent inwardly towards each other; sockets formed atthe ends of said recess in which the bent ends of the seal are permanently locked when the seal is inserted in the recess; an upwardly extending arm associated with the said tance below said stopper and extending substantially half way around the circumference of the container; a seal of substantially the same size and shape as the said recess and of a lesser thickness than the depth of the recess; the ends of said seal bent inwardly towards each other; sockets formed at the ends of said recess in which the bent ends of the seal are permanently locked when the sealis inserted in' the recess; an upwardly extending arm associated with the seal and having its free end bent over the stopper to prevent its removal; and the connection between V the. seal and the arm soweakened'that the arm will be broken ofi when bent to enable the stopper to be removed from the container.

5. In combination with a container having a closure device and a recess located transversely a distance below said closure cap and extending substantially half way around the circumference of the container; a seal of substantially the same size an shape as the said recess and of a lesser thickness than thedepth of there-cess; the ends of said seal bent inwardly towards each other; sockets formed at the ends 01 said recess in which the bent ends of the sealare permanently locked when the seal is inserted in therecess; an upwardly extending arm associated with the seal and 7 having its free end bent over the closure device to be broken ofi when bent to enablethe closure device to be removed from the container; and a paper strip secured over the top of the closure device with-one of its ends clamped underthe seal in the recess.

6. A tamper-proof seal for containers compris- '40? prevent its removal; the connection between the; seal and the arm so weakened that the arm will verse recess; an upwardly extending arm associated with said spring member and having its free end bent over to engage with the closure de-' rice of the container to prevent its removal; and the connection between the seal and the arm so weakened that the arm will be broken ofi when bent to enable the closure device to be removable from the container.

SOLOMON GRAUER.