US2084007A - Container closure - Google Patents

Description

2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Aug. 3, 1935 June 15, 37. M. SCHWARTZ coNTAINER'cLosURE Filed Aug. s, 1935 v 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented VJune 1.5 1937 n STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER CLGSUEE Mofas schwerin, chicago, nl., assignor to Barren Fitting & Seal Corporation of. America, Chi cago, lill., 4a corporation of illinois Application August 3, 1935, Serial No. 34,595

6 mailers.

container closure comprising a. bung having a portion thereof for engagement with a connect-l ing means ln a. hole in a supporting wall of the 10 containerfor sealing the hole'and another portion extending beyond the plane of an out-- enclosing the connecting means, a hood beingv provided for enveloping the extending portion of i5 the bung and the outwardly formed body portion of the container wall. It is preferable that the hood forcibly engage both a peripheral groove on the extending portion and the side walls of the outwardly formed body portion.

The type of plug contemplated herein is similer to that shown in the patent to Henry Schwartz, No. 1,338,042, issued December 22, 3.931, whereby a sealing of the connecting means in a hole in the supporting wall of a container takes place in the threads ci the connecting means, a rubber, iead or other soit, pliable gashet being forced into the threads of the con necting means when the closure or bung is threaded thereon, to eect a fluid-tight seal.

'30 This seal is eecti've so far es concerns the ac- 'taai opening in thesbushing providedfin the container. However, it is desirable also to effect a positive seal between the socket or outwardly :formed body portion ofthe `container wall and 35 the outside weils of the threaded connecting means. Usuaiiy, a gasket is inserted between the socket and the connecting means although the present invention provides a seal on the top of the barrel wall to augment the action of the 40 above-recited gasket so that a positive seal is had. It is also desirable to prevent access to .the bung or plug in order to guard against nan un- I, /authorized opening of the barrel or container without such opening being detected. Applicant 45 contemplates the-provision preferably of a tin plate which is scored for removal but may not be removed unless totally destroyed. The material of the hood formed from the .tin plate, preferably of .015 thickness, is displaced at'two porri 50 tions thereof, one portion of the hood boing-` 55 lng crimped at two portions, is prevented from springing outwardly at intermediate points so that a gasket dispsedbetween the hood and the container wall is maintained in a compressed condition.

The hood preferably is formed of 'a stepped I,

cross section f that is, the hood has a body portion of reduced diameter and a skirt portion of y an enlarged diameter. The body portion of reduced diameter preferably is circular for engagf ing the circular plug, and the skirt portion preferably is initially circular but thereafter formed polygonally for snugly engaging the polygonal contour of the socket, thesocket housing the connecting means. The hood thus prevents a. rotation of the plug without detection by reason of the polygonal contour of the engaging surfaces of the socket of the barrel wall and the skirt of the hood, a relative movement therebetween fracturing or at least distorting the material of Vthe hood.

As a further means for preventing undetectable access to the contents of the barrel, a vportion of the bung extending outside of the socket is provided with a peripheral weakened portion which, upon the application of -a wrench 'or other similar tool to unscrew the bung, will be come fractured or distorted to such an extent as to prevent a rotation of the bung, or, at least, to

tion of the body portion of the 'hood preferably' engages a peripheral groove on the extending portion of the plug. 1n order to contract the (heck ofthe hood to fit in a peripheral groove so that a uniform thickness ofthe hood is maintained throughout and further to prevent fracturing of the material thereof, a surplus of Amato rial may be vprovided in the hood portion which may be displaced into the groove without stretch-- ing the material of the hood and vwithout drawingfany material from. the thickness thereof.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a closure for sealing and preventing undetectable access to an opening in a container of the type' noted above, in which the material of the hood is' crimped at two points toprevent unintermediate point in order to maintain compression on a. gasket ther-eat.

Another object of this invention'is to provide a closre of the type hereinabove described, -in

which afgasket thereof seats* on thebar'rel stock so that the hood havethe further adifantagedetectable removal and to prevent springat an.

of providing a positive seal as well as to prevent undetectable access to the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide Aa closure of the character noted above in which be more particularly pointed out, and for a more complete understanding of the characteristic features of this invention reference may now be had to the following description when taken together with the accompanying drawings,'in which' latter:

Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of a container closure embodying the features of this invention, the closure being shown in an initial position on the connecting means of a container and a forming tool being ready for the application of pressure thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a changed position of the operative and operated parts;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partially in section, of the closure construction as applied to a container;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, partially in section,

of the plug for use in the closure construction;

Fig. 5 is a central vertical sectional view of the hood of the above gures in an initial'state and before assembly thereof in the closure construction;

. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a fragmentary portion of a barrel head with' a closure construction of modified form installed therein;

Fig. 'l is a central vertical sectional view of the form of Fig. 5, showing an initial -position of the plug in the connecting means for the opening of the container wall;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing the plug in a seated position and showing the hood in `an initial position;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. '7 showing th completed closure assembly in a sealed condition;

and

Fig.v 10 is a side elevationalview of a plug on. which an attempt .has been made with a tool to ing means I2 comprising an annular ring having a ilange'at oneend thereof extending outwardly therefrom, the peripheral contour of the flange being polygonal and conforming to the polygonal contour of the socket II. Although it is preferable to provide a polygonally'shaped socket in which to contain the connecting means,it is to be`understood that any non-circular sh'ape may preferably be employed so that the connecting means is prevented from turning in the socket.

The connecting means may be made of an inter` nally threaded casting or formed from a sheet metal stamping.

In the particular construction herein shown, the peripheral edges of the flange I3 extending from the collar I2 are tapered, the tapers converging rearwardly or inwardly from the outer surface thereof toward the interior of the container, and the side walls of the socket II are formed to engage snugly the tapered edges to secure the connecting means in a fixed assembled relation with the barrel head. It is preferable to dispose a gasket between the socket and the flange of the connecting means for the purpose of sealing the space therebetween. y

A plug or bung I4 of substantially cup-shaped form is provided with external threads over the lower portion thereof to threadedly engage the connecting means I2. Interiorly of the cupv shaped bung, a tool-engaging formation I5 is provided, the'formation comprising preferably a bar extending diametrically of the plug and serving to reinforce the construction thereof. The plug I4 is cast or otherwise provided with a peripheral groove I6 adjacent the externally-threaded portions thereof, the groove being of greater depth than the threads and providing a shoulder at each edge thereof to retain a sealing means, such as a rubber or lead gasket or other soft flexible or pliable material, in position.

The sealing device thus shown provides an effective seal for preventing leakage of liquid or semi-liquidfthrough the hole bf the container by reason particularly of the seal being afforded in the material of the threads themselves.

A portion of the plug or bung Il extends above the connecting means and likewise above the plane of the outwardly-extending body portion of the container. This outwardly-extending portion is preferably provided with a peripheral groove I 'I, which groove may be continuous or interrupted, as dsired.

In order to prevent undetectable access and to seal the closure construction, a hood I8 is provided and comprises an inverted, substantially cup-shaped member of stepped cross section; that is, the upper portion thereof is of reduced diameter compared with the enlarged diameter over the lower or skirt portion thereof. The hood portion of reduced diameter is adapted to envelop `the extending portion of the plug I4, and the skirt portion I9 or enlarged portion of the hood is adapted to'envelop the outwardly-formed body portion of the container. The skirt portion is connected to the reduced portion of thehood by the laterally-extending portion 20 which is'lnitially provided witha surplus of material, as at 2l (referring to Fig. l of the drawings) preferably adjacent the vertically-extending wall of the reduced portion of the hood.

A washer 22 is provided interiorly of the hood. adjacent the laterally-extending portion 20, and is preferably of a compressible gasket material of cork or any usual/'type and further is preferably cemented or glued in place therein. The diameter of the hood at the polygonal skirt portion is slightly larger than the diameter of the body portion for i convenience of assembly and for accommodating variations in the barrel stock. Likewise, the diameter of the hood at the reduced top portion is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the plug over .which it lits. O

In order to assemble the hood I8 on the plug and the body portion of the container, a tool may be provided, such for example as that which is v thereof into the groove I1, thus substantially illustrated and described more particularly in my copending application Serial No. 740,142, led August 16, 1934, of which this application is a division and a continuation in part. Fo'r purposes of illustration, this tool is shown as comprising an inverted, substantially cup-shaped member 23 having converging sides when viewed in cross section. A post 24 is journalled in a hole in the closed end of the cup-shaped member for relative longitudinal movement therein.A A split collar 25 is mounted on the upper end of the post 24 and is held against displacement in one direction by the ange 28` and in the other direction by the member 23. The collar 25 is provided with diametrically disposed forked extensions for pivotally supporting hand levers 21, the hand levers being provided with cam surfaces for engaging the upper end of the cup-shaped member 23. A movement of the levers 21 downwardly from a vertical position provides relative movement between the post 24 and the cup-shaped member 23, a compression spring 28 assisting the return of the members to an initial position upon release of pressure from the levers 21.

The lower end of the post 24 is provided with radially-extending forked members providing recesses 29, into which flanges 30 of -the crimping jaws 3| slidably extend. The longitudinallyextending portions of the crimping jaws 3| are' preferably of uniform thickness, the outer and inner walls thereof converging in the same direc# tion and the outer walls engaging the converging gagement of the flanges 30 of the crimping'jaws 3| in the space 29 between the forks of post 24, the converging sides of the'substantially .cupshaped member 23 acting upon the similarly converging sides of the crimping `iaws 3|. The skirtengaging faces, the combined contours of which preferably form a polygon, move the skirt I9 of the hood into snug engagement with the side walls of the socket II.

A second set of crimping jaws 33 are provided interiorly of the jaws 3| and are positioned thereby, the outer walls of the crimping jaws converging in the same direction as the inner walls of the crimping jaws 3|', so that actuation of the crimping jaws 3| laterally will likewise produce a lateral movement of the crimping jaws 33. However, the crimping jaws 33 notonly have a lateral movement radially of the tool but also a longitudinal movement thereof which is provided by means of the tapered engaging surfaces, indicated at 34, of the post and the crimping jaws 33. Thus, a lateral movement of the iaw'members 33 likewise produces'a longitudinal `move'- ment thereof.

The longitudinal movement of theicrimping jaws 33 urges the laterally-extending portion 20 of the hood toward the outer face of the socket I I and compresses the sealing gasket therebetween. At the same time, the lateral movement of the crimping jaws 33 moves the initialv vertically-v extending side walls and the reduced portion using up the surplus material indicated at 2|. `1t will be noted that the pointed wall engaging portion of the crimping jaw 33 engages at a point above the juncture of the Wall with the horizontally extending portion 20 thereof to prevent fracturing of the material of ,the hood and to permit ease of working. -The closure construction resulting. from this operation is 'shown clearly in Fig. 2 of the drawings, these movements being augmented preferably by a movement of the skirt I9, preferably snugly against the converging side walls of the outwardly-extending body portion of the container.

The operating handles 21 provide the relative movement between the cup-shaped member 23 and the post 24 when the hand levers are depressed from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the linklmembers 28 are extended. This extended condition of the links 28 moves the cup-shaped member downwardly relatively to the container and produces a lateral movement of both sets of crimping jaws and also a further longitudinal movement of one set thereof. When the handles are moved in an upward direction, the cup-shaped member 23 is withdrawn and a spring 35 tends to spread the jaws back into the initial position shown in Fig. 1.

The` hood above described prevents any undetectable access to the contents of the container `and is crimped at two portions over the barrel stock and the plug for sealing the barrel open- -as by meansv of v"inserting a screw driver or other sharp pointed instrument at the cross score line vindicated by the numeral 36 in Fig. 5, thescore line intersecting. pairs of diametrically-extending score marks for convenience in removing.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 6 to 10, inclusive,.a modied form of closure construction illustrating the present invention is shown and is associated with a barrel head I0 for a supporting wall of a container which is preferably formed of sheet material. A portion of the material of the barrel head surrounding an aperture cut therein is preferably formed .outwardly into a'socket 38.

erably a connecting means 39 which, in the present instance,

comprises an annular upstanding ring 4B having an outwardly extendingilangeM, the peripheral contour of the ange being polygonal and conlforming generally to the polygonal contour of the socket 38. The socket and peripheral contour of the iiange of the connecting means are prefwardly to engage snugly the tapered edges so as to secure the connecting means in a fixed assembled 'relation with the barrel head. It is preferable, although not actually essential in the particular construction herein contemplated, to dispose a gasket between the socket 38 and the flange 4| for the purpose of sealing the adjacent metallic surfaces thereof.

A plug or bung 42 of substantially cup-shaped form is provided with threads over a portion of the upstanding external walls 43 to threadedly engage the internally formed threads of the connecting means 39. Interiorly of the cup-shaped bung 42, a tool engaging formation 44 is provided, the formation comprising preferably `a bar extending diametrically above and serving to reinforce the construction thereof. standing wall 43 of the bung 42 is provided with a peripheral groove 45 adjacent to andlabove the external threads thereof, the groove being of greater depth than the threads and preferably merging with a shoulder 45 on the underside of an enlarged head portion of the bung. The groove 45 is adapted to retain a sealing means such as a rubber or lead gasket or other soft flexible or pliable material in position to seal the engaging threads of the bung and the connecting means, and also to provide a Aseal at the juncture of the connecting means and the socket.

'I'hesealing means employed in the present embodiment may preferably be formed of an annular rubber member 41 of square lcross section, the latter being more practical from a commercial standpoint, and the member is initially disposed in the groove and assumes a position somewhat as shown in Fig. '1.

As the plug is screwed home into the connecting means, the flexible or pliable material of the sealing means 41 is compressed and is distorted to n ll the entire space between the shoulder 46, the end of the inner peripheral edge of the socket and the top of the threads of the connecting,

means and plug. The sealing means thus provides an effective seal for preventing leakage of liquid or semi-liquid through the hole of the container by sealing the threads of the connecting means and-plug and also by sealing the engaging edges of the connecting means and the socket, so that a single member such as the rubber band 41 has a dual sealing. function.

The enlarged head portion of the plug or bung 42, which extends above the connecting means and likewise above the plane of the outwardly extending socket 38, is preferably provided""with a peripheral groove 48, which groove may be continuous or interruptedA as desired. The

groove is of such a width as to provide a rather sharp edge adjacent the shoulder 46 and likewise adjacent the upper edge of the plug. 'Ihe thickness of the enlarged head portion at the groove, as indicated by the numeral 49, is comparatively narrow to provide a weakened portion which, as will hereinafter be more apparent, upon the application of a wrench or other similar tool to unscrew the bung without resorting to the normal tool-engaging member 44, will become fractured or distorted to such an extent as to prevent rotation of the bung or at least to suchan extent as to prevent undetectable access to the contents lof the barrel.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8, a hood 50 is shown in an initial state before assembly thereof in the closure construction. It will be noted that the hood comprises an inverted substantially cup-shaped member of stepped cross sec- The uption; that is, the upper portion thereof is of a reduced diameter 5I compared with the enlarged diameter over the lower or skirt portion 52 thereof. The hood portionl of the reduced diameter is adapted to envelop the extending enlarged head portion of the plug 42, and the skirt portion 52 of the hood is adapted to envelop the socket porton 38 of the barrel head. The hood portion 5I is of substantial height to provide a surplus of material such that the vertically extending wall thereof may be displaced to engage the groove 48 in the manner which will now be described.

A washer 53 is disposed in the hood to rest against the shoulder provided at the juncture between the reduced and enlarged portions and is preferably of compressible gasket material of cork or other usual type and is preferably cemented or glued in place therein. The hood 50 is assembled in the closure construction in the same manner, previously described with reference to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, by a tool such, for example, as that which is illustrated and described in my copending application above referred to.

The hood 50 prevents undetectable access to the contents of the container, the reduced portion 5| of the hood being crimped into the groove 48 and the skirt 52 being formed over the inwardly converging side walls of the socket. Be-

`ing so crimped and formed, the material of the hood is prevented from springing at intermediate portions so that the compression on the gasket 53, as shown more particularly in Fig. 9, is maintained. The engagement of the hood 50 on both the plug and the barrel portion is preferably so forced that the hood can only Abe removed by destroying the same.

Should, for example, a'wrench be employed at the enlarged head of the plug in an attempt to rotate the plug to inve'rt the same, a substantial pressure must be supplied to the wrench which would result in the distortion of the material of the lip at the undercut or weakened portion 49 adjacent the peripheral groove 48. The material of the plug or bung is preferably what is known as a No. 2 die cast material composed of approximately zinc with aluminum, copper and, magnesium completing the alloy. The resultant material is comparatively soft but relatively tough. Thethin material of the hood could either be cut by the comparatively sharp edge of the lip should the plug be cast or formed `of a comparatively rigid material, or, if

"the pressure is sufficient to grip the enlarged head 4thereof in a spaced relation for receiving a seal wire which latter may pass through an aperture 56 o f theplug. lIt is, of course, not necessary to employ'this sealing means in conjunction with the h ood, but upon reuse of the container, it may be used in lieu of the hood.

While I have herein shown and described but two specific embodiments of the invention as applied to two specic types of container closures, it is to be understood that the details 'of construction maybe varied within wide limits without departing from the spirit of the invention and that the invention is to be limited only within the terms of the appended claims.

I claim;

1. The combination with a container having an outwardly formed' body` portion adjacent a hole in a supporting wall thereof, of a closure. comprising a ybung having a body portion engaging and sealing said hole and a iiange extending radially outwardly from said body portion to provide a shoulder for seating on said outwardly formed body portion of the supporting wall, said flange having'a peripheral groove extending a major portion of the` width of said ange, and a hood having a Adepending portion for forced engagement with said groove and extending therebelow for enveloping said extending portion of said supporting wall whereby an application of pressure thereabove will distort the material of said flange above said groove to prevent undetectable access to the contents'of said container.

2. The combination with a container having an outwardly formed body portion vadjacent a hole lin a supporting wall thereof, of a closure comprising a bung having a body portion engaging l and sealing said hole and a iiange. extendingy 30 radially outwardly from said body portion to` provide a shoulder for seating on said outwardly formed body portion of the supporting wall, said ilange having a peripheral groove and being undercut at the rear of said groove to form a peripheral lip of relatively small cross-section, and a hood having a depending portion for forced engagement with said groove and extending vtherebelow for enveloping said extending portion of said supporting wall whereby an application of pressure thereabove will distort the material of said lip to prevent undetectable access to the contents of said container.

3. The combination with a container having an outwardly formed body portion adjacent a hole in a supporting wall thereof, of a closure comprising a bung having a body portion engaging and sealing said hole-and a flange extending radially outwardly from said -body portion to provide a shoulder for seating on said outwardly formed body portion of the supporting wall, said ange 'having a peripheral groove and being of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the outwardly extending body portion, and a hood of stepped cross-section providing a portion of reduced diameter for forced engagement with-'said groove-and an enlarged skirt portion extending therebelow for enveloping said extending portion of said supporting wall to prevent undetectable access to the contents of said container. A

4. The combination with a container having an outwardly formed body portion having inwardlyconverging edges when viewedin cross-section and being formed adjacent a hole in a supporting wall thereof, of a closure comprising a bung havy ing a body portion engaging and sealing said hole and a ange extending radially outwardly from said body portion to provide a shoulder for seating on said outwardly formed body portion of the supporting wall, said flange having a peripheral groove and being of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the outwardly extending body portion, and a hood of stepped cross-section providing a portion of reduced diameter for forced engagement with said groove and an enlarged skirt portion extending therebelow for enveloping and snugly engaging the inwardly converging edges of said extending portion of said supporting wall to prevent undetectable access to the contents of said container. 5. The combination with a containerhaving a outwardly formed body portion having inwardly -converging edges when viewed in cross-section seating on said outwardly formed body portion f the supporting wall, said iiange, having a peripheral groove and being of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the outwardly extending body portion, a hood of steppedcrosssection providing a portion of reduced diameter for forced engagement with said groove and an enlarged skirt portion extending therebelow for enveloping and engaging the inwardly converging edges-of said extending portion of said supporting wall to prevent undetectable access to the contents of said container, and compressible sealing means between said hood and the top of said outwardly extending portion of the supporting' wall held iu a compressed condition by the engagement of the hood and .said groove and said converging edges.

6. The combination with a container having an outwardly formed body portion adjacent a hole in asupporting wall thereof, of a closure comprising a bung having a body portion engaging and sealing said hole'and a'flange extending radially outwardly from said body portion'to provide a shoulder Afor seating on said outwardly formed body portion of the supporting wall, said flange having a peripheral groove and being of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the outwardly extending body portion, and a hood of stepped cross-section providinga portion of revent undetectable access to the contents of said container.

MORRIS SCHWARTZ. y

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