US2062796A

US2062796A - Seal cap

Info

Publication number: US2062796A
Application number: US749736A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard S Rheem
Original assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1934-10-24
Filing date: 1934-10-24
Publication date: 1936-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 1953-12-01

Description

Dec. 1; 1936. s, RHEEM 2,062,796 6 SEAL' GAP 7 Filed Oct. 24, 1954 I N VEN TOR. Ric/lard 5. ,e/ieem 9 74 EL W. 7 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 1, 1936 SEAL CAP Richard s. Rhecm, Oakland, Calif., assignor to Rheem Manufacturing Company, Richmond, Calif., a corporation of California Application October 24, 1934, Serial No. 249,736

6 Claims.

The invention relates to the type of cap designed for use in closing or guarding an inlet or outlet opening in a receptacle whereby access to such opening by an unauthorized person is prevented or at least if such access has been obtained or attempted, indication thereof will be readily apparent. v

An object of the invention is to provide a cap of the character described, which may be applied to the receptacle with extreme readiness without requiring the use of a tool of any kind.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connection means between the cap and re'ceptacle, which will insure the firm and secure retention of the cap in operative position on the receptacle, yet will permit the removal of the cap with comparative readiness when requiredbut under no circumstances without entailing a visible mutilation of the cap.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means of the charactendescribed, in which the removal of the cap from the receptacle either surreptitiously or otherwise, will not serve to damage the connection portion associated with the receptacle or interfere with the replacement of new caps.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a means of the character described which lends itself with little or no modification, for use with a receptacle opening with or without a fitting for a threaded bung plug or the like.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will beset forth in the following description of the preferredform of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description,

portions of the cap and receptacle, showing the cap removed.

Figure 3 is a view similar to. Figure-2, but showing the cap operatively applied.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the parts as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the cap and connection used with a receptacle opening provided with a hung plug fitting.

Figure 6 is a sectional view similarto Figure 5 but showing a somewhat modified form of the receptacle connection.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the cap 2 is arranged for use in connection with a receptacle wall 3 having an opening 4, access to which is to be guarded by the cap. The opening may or may not be 10 arranged for closure by a means separate of or in association with the cap. In Figures 1 to 4, the opening is shown without the provision of any auxiliary closure means, while in Figure 5 a bung fitting 6 is provided in the opening and arranged for engagement by a threaded bung plug I.

For permitting the cap to be attached to the receptacle .wall in operative position over the opening, there is designed to be provided on the outer side of the wall so as to surround the opening, an annular flange 8 having a central opening 9 in registration with 'the receptacle opening 4. The flange may be formed as an integral part of the receptacle wall or as here shown, as a separate member having a portion l2 welded or otherwise secured to the wall around the opening. Extending outwardly from portion l2 and axially of the opening 4, is a neck orcollar l3 of the flange, having formed in its outer periphery an annular groove 1 4. Within this groove "is engaged a resilient split ring I6 and so arranged that normally the outer portion thereof will protrude from the groove and the split ends will be spaced apart. The side faces "and I8 of the ring are preferably afforded an easy sliding lit with the

opposing sides

19 and 20 of the groove so as to permit when necessary the ready expansion and contraction of the ring in the groove withoutunduelooseness.

The cap 2 is formed with a circumferential side wall 22 having along the free edge thereof an inturned rim or bead 23. During the application of the cap to the flange the bead forces,- the ring to contract and when advanced there beyond becomes locked in back of the ring on the subsequent expansion thereof. The bead, as will be noted, is curved or otherwise formed in transverse section so that in advancing the head over the flange the ring will be easily forced inwardly. At the same time, it will be seen that the free edge of the bead lies sufliciently outwardly to cause said edge to engage inwardly of the outer edge of the ring when the bead is back of the ring.- Preferably the exposed side of the flange portion 12 isrecessed to provide a seat 24 for the bead and to more effectively prevent the insertion of any tool under the bead when the cap is operatively disposed. It will be noted that the engagement of the bead'in the seat serves to hold the cap against transverse looseness on the receptacle, and in order that the cap will be firmly held against appreciable axial looseness, the head is designed to rest in the seat with a definite but relatively small clearance with the ring. Also the bead is so positioned with respect to the end wall 26 of the cap that the latter will be caused to substantially engage the adjacent end of the flange when the bead engages the back of the ring.

It is important to note that when the cap is in operative position on the flange, a relatively wide annular space prevails between the side wall of the cap and the outer periphery ofthe ring. By reason of this, any substantial effort to effect a contraction of the ring by pressing the sides of the cap inwardly will result in a decided deformation of the cap and therefore the tampering with the cap, be the, attempt successful or unsuccessful, will be readily noticeable on subsequent inspection of the cap. In this connection it may be stated that the cap is desirably formed of relatively thin shet metal having very little resilience and easily deformable. It will thus be clear that the means of my invention insures a perfect locking of the cap to the receptacle completely around the opening and that at no point may the cap be appreciably tampered with, without such tampering being readily evident.

Like in the arrangement illustrated in Figure 5, a form of the invention in which the cap 2 supplements an independent closure for the receptacle opening, is shown in Figure 6. However, in the latter arrangement the supplemental closure means is formed as a structural unit with flange member to which the cap is arranged to be secured. As shown in the drawing, the flange member 3| for the cap is formed integrally with the bushing 32 which is threaded for the reception of the closure plug-34. This form of the invention has the advantage or requiring for both closure devices but one means of the connection to the receptacle wall, .the unit being held in place by annular

opposing portions

36 and 31 pressed against and confining therebetween the receptacle wall surrounding the opening.

' I claim:

1. A closure guard for an opening in a receptacle wall, comprising an annular flange extending around said opening and outwardly from said wall, a resilient contractible split ring carried by and surrounding said flange and held thereon against axially outward displacement, a cap arranged to flt over said flange provided with side walls-designed to lie spacedfrom said ring when the cap is fltted over the flange, and means on the cap arranged to compress said ring when the cap is applied to the flange and to become locked behind said ring when the cap is operatively positioned on the flange.

2. A closure guard for an opening in a receptacle wall, comprising a flange extending around said opening and having an annular seat, a resilient split'ring mounted in said seat to permit contraction and expansion thereof and held in said seat against removal axially of the flange,

a cap having a side wall arranged to enclose said flange and ring, and means extending from said cap wall operative during the application of the cap to the flange for successively compressing and releasing said ring whereby said means will be trapped behind said ring and the cap will be locked to the flange. v

v 3. A closure for an opening in a receptacle wall, comprising a flange extending around said opening and having an annular groove in the outer periphery thereof, a normally expanded resilient split ring mounted in said groove to afford contraction thereof in the groove and having a portion extending. from said groove in normal position, a cap arranged to enclose said flange with side walls spaced outwardly from said ring, and means comprising an annular inward extension of the side walls of said cap arranged in the application of the cap to said flange to successively compress and release said ring whereby the latter will be trapped behind the ring.

4. A closure guard for an opening in a receptacle wall, a flange extending around said opening and having an annular seat, a normally expanded resilient split ring held in said seat against axial removal and arranged to contract therein,

said ring having its outer portion extending from said groove, a cap arranged to completely enclose said flange and having side walls spaced from said ring when normally positioned, and

means on said cap comprising an annular bead extending inwardly from the edge of said side walls, the inner diameter of said head being less than the outer diameter of said ring whereby on the application of the cap to the flange the head will successively compress said ring and engage in the back thereof. v

5. A closure guard for an opening in a receptacle wall comprising, a flange extending around said opening and providing an annular seat on the periphery thereof, a resilient split ring radially slidable and held in said seat against axial removal therefrom, said ring having its outer portion normally protruding from said groove, a

cap having an end wall arranged to extend .across said opening and having side walls arranged to enclose the sides of said flange in transversely spaced relation to said ring, an annular portion extending inwardly from said side walls having its inner portion 'of smaller diameter than the outer diameter of said ring whereby on the application 'of said cap to said flange said cap portion will successively compress said ring and enter therebehind to thereby lock said cap against removal from the flange, and means defining an annular collar for covering the lower outer portion of the cap when said ring engaging portion of the cap is engaged behind the ring.

6. A closure for an opening in a receptacle wall, a unit provided with an internally threaded bushing portion in said opening and an outer portion surrounding said opening on one side of said wall, said portions cooperating to confine the receptacle wall therebetween, a threaded closure plug for said bushing portion, said outer portion having on its periphery an annular seat, resilient split ring in said groove normally having its outer portion projecting from said seat, a cap having an end wall arranged to enclose the outer end and sides of said outer portion and with unit.

RICHARD S. RHEEM.