US2032883A

US2032883A - Collapsible tube closure

Info

Publication number: US2032883A
Application number: US644361A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bert E Mills
Original assignee: MELVIN E JEPSON
Current assignee: MELVIN E JEPSON
Priority date: 1932-11-25
Filing date: 1932-11-25
Publication date: 1936-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1953-03-03

Description

B. E. MILLS COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CLOSURE March 3, 1936.

' Filed Nov. 25, 1932 A j: INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 3, 1936 PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE Bert E. Mills, Seattle,

TUBE CLOSURE 1 Wash, assignor of forty per cent to Melvin E. Jepson, Reno, Nev.

Application November 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,361

Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible tube closures and its general object is to provide an automatic or self-closing cap that is opened by the contents of the tube when pressure is applied thereto to eject the contents therefrom and when the pressure is relieved the cap will close, with the result the cap not only overcomes the objectionable features of a removable cap now in general use, but the contents of the tube are retained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible tube cap that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, attractive in appearance, easy to assemble and extremely efficient in operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination I panying drawing and specifically pointed out in' the appended claims. I

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1 illustrates one form of my invention applied to a collapsible tube with the valve in closed position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing th valve in open position.

lljgure 3 is a front view of a cap applied to a tu Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 44 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve parts.

Figure 6 is a view illustrating a modified form of the invention with parts in section and in elevation,

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates a collapsible tube of the type now in general use, and which includes the usual threaded neck. In one form of my invention. the cap, which is in the form of a discharge nozzle, and is indicated by the reference numeral I, is provided with internal screw threads to be threadedly secured to the neck of the tube A as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, and it will be noted that the cap is provided with a squared bore and has arranged adjacent its threaded end an annular collar 2 that is serrated to provide a finger gripping surface for applying and removing the cap with respect to the neck, as will be apparent.

The upper end of the cap is substantially flattened as at 3, and this flattened portion extends downwardly but terminates adjacent to the collar 2 as best shown in Figure 3. Disposed through the cap and arranged transversely of the flattened portion 3 is a slot 4 that communicates with the bore of the cap, and this slot acts as an outlet for the contents of the tube.

Disposed within the cap is an upturned projection 5 which acts in the capacity of a bearing for pivotally or rockably receiving the rounded lower end of a valve 6 which is in the form of a block and has a recess arranged at its inner end to accommodate the inner end of a substantially S-shaped leaf spring 1 that has its outer end engageable with the valve adjacent its outer end to anchor the valve in its bearing and to urge the valve in closed position as shown in -Figure 1. The opposite end portion of the leaf spring I engages the inner surface of the cap.

The valve is of a width to be disposed across the slot 4 and has its outer end siidably mounted therein. When the valve has its outer end engageable with the lower end of the slot 4, the cap is closed, but when pressure is applied to the contents of the tube, the contents will engage the under side of the valve 6 and cause the same to open against the tension of the leaf spring 1 as shown in Figure 2. The valve is provided on its upper surface with a rounded portion 8 and this portion merges into a flat portion formed with the upper surface of the valve at its outer end to provide a shoulder or seat for the outer end of the leaf spring I.

The cap as shown in Figure 6 is indicated by the reference numeral 9 and is in fact, a discharge nozzle, as it is formed integral with a collapsible tube B, therefore the serrated collar is eliminated, but otherwise the cap and valve structure is similar in construction to the structure shown in the other figures of the drawing.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:--

l. A collapsible tube closure comprising a cap having a substantially flattened portion on the outer surface thereof and adapted to be detach- Cir ably secured with respect to a tube, said cap having a square bore and a slot arranged in the substantially flattened portion for communication with the bore, a valve mounted for pivotal movement in the bore and having its outer end arranged in the slot for sliding movement and to close the latter, said valve being recessed and provided with a. shoulder, and a leaf spring arranged in the recess and shoulder and being engageable with the wall of the bore for urging the valve to closed position.

2. A collapsible tube closure comprising a nozzle having a slot therein to provide an outlet, a valve for closing the outlet and having a rounded lower end and a shoulder at its upper end, a projection formed on and rising from the inner wall of the nozzle and providing a bearing for rockably receiving the rounded lower end of the valve, a spring engageable with the inner wall of the nozzle and the shoulder of the valve respectively to anchor the latter in its bearing and to normally hold the same in closed position.

3. A collapsible tube closure comprising a nozzle having a slot therein to provide an outlet, a valve for closing the outlet and having a rounded lower end and a shoulder at its upper end, a projection formed on and rising from the inner wall of the nozzle and providing a bearing for rockably receiving the rounded lower end of the valve, a substantially s-shaped leaf spring engageable with the inner wall of the nozzle and the valve respectively to anchor the latter in its bearing, and said spring having its upper end received in the shoulder of the valve to normally hold the latter in closed position.

4. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dispensing neck, a swingable closure member having its inward end rockably mounted on the interior wall of the dispensing neck, spring means mounted within the neck between and in engagement with the swingable closure member and th'e wall of the neck normally urging said closure member toward closed position across the neck.

5. In a collapsible dispensing tube having a dispensing neck, a plate rockably'mounted on one side of the interior of the neck and swingable across the neck to close the neck, spring means mounted on and between the said one side of the interior of the neck and the plate and normally urging the plate toward closed position.

BERT E. MILLS.