US2102440A

US2102440A - Container

Info

Publication number: US2102440A
Application number: US32389A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sebell Harry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-07-20
Filing date: 1935-07-20
Publication date: 1937-12-14
Anticipated expiration: 1954-12-14

Description

Dec. 14, 1937. H, S ELL 2,102,440

CONTAINER 1 Filed July 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F1 1. m2. l0 l7 lnvenTor.

Harry SebeH WM M&W

ATT s H. SEBELL Dec. 1+2, 1937 CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 20, 1935 Harry sebell I I b mmdw Patented Dec. 14, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Harry Sebell, Boston, Mass., assignor of one-half to Arthur B. Parker, Lexington, Mass.

Application July 20,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to containers having a body portion, which may be of glass or other vitreous material, and a closure member of sheet metal for closing the open top of the container.

. One of the objects of the invention is to provide a closure for the container which is so constructed that when the closure is first applied to the body portion it will seal the open top thereof and when the container has been opened the closure member or a portion thereof remains permanently hinged to the body portion, thereby making a hinged cover by which the open top of the body portion can be closed again.

While the invention is applicable to containers of different construction and of different material, yet it has special advantages in connection with containers in which the body portion is made of glass or some other vitreous material having a bead at its top and the closure is provided with a skirt portion which encircles and is sealed tightly to said bead.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings some selected embodiments thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings;

Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate various steps in the formation of a closure embodying one-form oi the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the upper portion of a container having my improved closure applied thereto.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing the closure after it has been torn along the line of weakness thereby providing the hinged replaceable cover.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view through the upper part of a container having a closure embodying my invention but of difierent construction from that shown in Figs. 1 to 7, said section being taken on substantially the line 8-8, Fig. 10.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the closure member after it has been torn along the line of weakness to form a hinged cover, said body being taken on substantially the line '99, Fi 10.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the upper part of a container having a closure of the construction shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view showing a different embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 12 is another fragmentary view showing still another embodiment oi the invention.

1935, Serial No. 32,389 (01. 215-46) Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view on the line l3-l3, Fig. 11.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 13 but showing a difierent embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 15 is a horizontal sectional view along the line of weakness in a container having the construction shown in Fig. 14.

Referring first to Figs. 6 and '7, the reference numeral I indicates the body-portion of a container and 2 the closure member therefor. The body I may be of any suitable material and for purposes of illustration I have indicated it as of glass or some other vitreous material, said body portion being provided with an opening 3 in its upper end and having a bead I at its top.

The closure member 2 is made of sheet metal and it may be sealed to the body member in any usual way. As herein shown the closure member is formed with a skirt portion 5 which en circles the bead 4 and the bottom edge 6 of which is crimped underneath the bead. The closure is also formed with the depending flange portion l which fits within the opening 3 of the container -body, said flange portion 1 being connected to the skirt portion 5 by an annular portion 8 which overlies the top' edge of the bead 4.

If an. hermetic seal is desired then a suitable gasket or packing material 9 may be'employed between the top edge of the head 4 and the overlying portion 8 of the closure.

, When the closure is made it is provided with a line of weakness indicated at I 0 which nearly, but not quite, encircles the top of the body. This line of weakness may be formed by scoring the sheet metal so as to weaken it at the score line as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 or the line of weakness may be employed by thinning the sheet metal of the closure along the prescribed line in any suitable or approved way. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 this score line or line of weakness I0 is formed at the junction of the annular portion 8 with the depending flange I.

I have stated above that this line of weakness nearly, but not quite, encircles the open top of the body. The score line is shown as extending from the point ll around to the point l2, the points i I and I2 being slightly spaced from each other so as to leave a non-weakened portion l3 between the ends of the line of weakness.

In making the closure 9. suitable circular blank is first deformed as shown in Fig. 1 to present the flat circular central portion H, the depending cylindrical portion IS. the upwardly curved annular portion l8 and the flat radially extending peripheral flange portion l1. During the deforming of the blank to produce the shape shown in Fig. 1 the score line or other line of weakness Il may be formed at the junction of the upturned portion I 6 and the peripheral flange l1. The closure is then further deformed by pressing the upturned portion it against the depending circular portion to form the depending flange I of the closure. The next step is further deforming of the closure to produce the annular to flt within the opening 8 in the top of the container body and the closure as formed in Fig. 5 is applied and sealed to the body I by assembling it with the body and then folding the flange l1 to form the skirt portion 5 which encircles the bead 4 of the body and subsequently crimping the edge 8 of the skirt underneath the bead 4, it being understood that the packing or sealing element 9 will be applied either to the closure or to the top edge of the body portion 8 before the skirt is crimped to the body..

In order to open the container having this closure a suitable implement, such as a screw driver or even a coin or its equivalent, niay be inserted in the space 28 between the flange l8 and the annular portion 8 at a point removed a proper distance from either end of the line of weakness, and by applying a sufllcient prying force upwardly against the flange I! by means of such implement or coin the closure will be torn along the line of weakness at the point where such force is applied. When the tearing has been started then by applying further force to the flange Is at diflerent points the tearing operation may be containued throughout the entire length of the line of weakness, which operation will separate the portion of the closure within the line of weakness from the skirt portion which remains attached or crimped to the bead of the body. The under face of the rib or flange l8 constitutes a downwardly facing shoulder against which the prying force is exerted to tear the closure along the line of weakness.

Since the line of weakness is not continuous the portion of the closure within the line of weakness remains permanently attached to the skirt portion 5 at the non-weakened part 18 and this part II functions as a hinge for connecting the central part of the closure permanently to the container.

Since the line of weakness encircles or is situated outside of the-opening I in the top the opening which is made in the closure by tearing it along the line 01' weakness is at least as large as the opening 8 in the top of the container body, and hence when the container is opened the full opening I in the body portion is available for discharging the contents." In the type of closure shown in Figs. 1 to 7, which is provided with, the depending circular flange I that flts within the opening 8 of the container body, the portion 2i which is situated within the line of weakness constitutes a replaceable cover of the plug type, since when the container has been opened as shown in Fig. '1 the portion 2| of the closure can be swung downwardly into closing position with the flange 1 again fitting within the open end 8 of the body. The construction shown in Figs. 1 to '1 provides a sealed container which can be readily opened as above described and which, when opened. is provided with a hinged cover by which the open top of the container can be again closed, the opening provided -by carrying the closure along the line of weakness being the full opening of the top of the container. i

In Figs. 8 to 10 I have shown a closure member embodying my invention which is constructed so that the metal of the closure is protected against coming into contact with the contents of' the container.

The container body shown in Figs. 8' to 10 is indicated at I and is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to '7, it having the bead 4' at its upper end. The closure member is formed with the skirt portion 22 which encircles the bead 4 and the lower edge 23 of which is crimped underneath the head. The closure is also shown as having an annular groove 24 to receive the sealing compound 28, this construction providing the closure with a sort of sunken panel 28.

The skirt portion 28 is formed'with two ribs 2-1, 28 which are spaced apart slightly and a line of weakness 2! is formed in the zone 38 between the

ribs

21, 28, said line of weakness extending nearly, but not entirely, around the skirt thereby leaving the portion 3| free from the line of weakness.

' The reference numeral 82 indicates a non-metallic lining for the closure which covers all of the under face of the closure situated within the annular packing or sealing material 25. The peripheral edge of this lining 82 is shown as extend! ing into the groove 24 and as being covered by the packing material 25.

In order to open a container a suitable implement 88 is inserted between the

ribs

21, 28 at some point sufllciently removed from the ends 84, 85 of the line of weakness and the tool is manipulated to pry the

ribs

21, 28 apart, this operation resulting in tearing the closure along the line of weakness. When the closure has been torn along the entire length of the line of weakness the central portion of the closure, comprising the sunken panel portion 28, the grooved portion 24 and the upper part of the skirt portion having the rib 21, constitutes a removable and replaceable cover for the container which, however, is permanently secured thereto through the medium of the non-weakened portion 8|. Moreover, with this construction the opening which is provided through the closure when it is torn along the line of weakness is at least as large as the opening 2 in the top of the container body so that when the container is opened the full opening of the container body is available for the discharge oi the contents of the container. In this embodiment of the invention the under face of the. rib 21 constitutes the downwardly facing shoulder against which the prying force is exerted to tear the closure along the line oi weakness.

If the material contained in the container is oi such a nature that it will be discharged piecemeal, that is, if small portions of the entire contents are to be removed at diflerent times, the container body may be closed by the replaceable cover between the times when portion of the contents of the container are being removed or discharged.

In the construction shown in Figs. 8 v to 10 the opening of the container uncovers the top edge I can be poured out of the container without flowing over any portion of the metal closure which remains attached to the container body after the container is opened.

The line of weakness 29 may be made in any appropriate way. One way would be by scoring a separated by narrow portions 38. With this construction, or with the perforated construction, the

'. closure will be weaker along the line of perfosuch as shown in Figs. 8 to 11 because the pressituated above the line of weakness.

rations than at other points so that if this line of perforations is formed between the

ribs

21, 28 and a suitable implement is used to pry the ribs apart the closure will be torn along the line of perforations, thereby providing the replaceable cover as shown in Fig. 9, it being understood that in order to produce a cover which is permanently connected to the container it will be necessary to so form the perforations or openings as to leave a non-perforated portion 40 equivalent to the non-weakened portion 3| in Fig. 10.

The use of a line of weakness formed by perforations or slots is practicable in a construction ence of the perforations does not interfere with the hermetic sealing of the container since the perforations are on the outside of the ring of sealing compound.

In Figs. 14 and 15 I have shown an embodiment of the invention. in which the line of weakness is in the form of a slit extending nearly around the skirt portion of the closure between the

ribs

21, 28. In the construction shown in Fig. 14 the closure has the

ribs

21, 28 as shown in Fig. 8 and the line of weakness, which is shown at 4!, is in the form of a slit that extends around the skirt portion 22 in the zone 30. This slit extends from a point 42 around to a point 43 except for a narrow bridge portion 44. The part of the neck 45 between the

points

42, 43 constitutes the non-weakened portion of the closure which forms the .hinge after the container has been opened.

In this embodiment the skirt 22 of the closure is provided with a lining 46 of tinfoil or similar easily tearable metal, said lining being anchored to the interior of the skirt above and below the line of weakness, preferably by being folded into the

ribs

21, 28. In opening a container having this construction a suitable implement is placed between the

ribs

21, 28 adjacent the bridge portion 44, and by applying a prying pressure to the implement tending to pry the

ribs

21, 28 apart the bridge portion 44 will be ruptured. By continuing this prying operation the tinfoil or lining member 46 will be'torn along the line of weakness so that the cover portion of the closure may be swung upwardly in the open position as indicated in Fig. 9. This lining 46 of tinfoil or its equivalent may be used with the type of closure shown in Figs. 8 to 13 if desired.

I have shown herein the neck 4 of the container as being provided with a locking rib 41 This rib 41 cooperates with an annular groove 48 (Fig. 9) with which the upper part of the skirt 22 is provided, such groove being herein formed at the fold where the rib 21 is made. When the closure is torn along the line of weakness the hinged cover portion 49 which is thereby formed is provided with a short depending flange 50 (Fig. 9), such flange being the portion of the skirt 22 which is above the line of weakness. a

When the container is closed again, after it has once been opened, the short flange 5|] snaps over the locking rib 41, the latter snapping into the groove 48, the short flange thereby locking the cover closed. The rib 41 and groove 48 thus constitute a friction lock for holding the cover closed after the closure has been torn along the line of weakness.

I claim:

1. A container presenting an open-top body having a bead at its upper edge and a closure of sheet metal having a skirt portion crimped to said bead, said closure having a line of weakness which nearly, but not quite, encircles the open top of the body. said closure also being formed with a downwardly facing shoulder above the line of weakness whereby a prying force applied against said shoulder will tear the closure along said line of weakness, the portion of the closure within the line of weakness then constituting a cover which is permanently connected to the skirt portion by the untorn part between the ends of the line of weakness.

2. A container presenting an open-top body having a head at its upper edge and a closure of sheet metal having a skirt portion crimped to said bead, said closure having a line of weakness which nearly, but not quite, encircles the open top of the body and also being formed with an annular rib above the line of weakness whereby a prying force applied to said rib will tear the closure along the line of weakness, the portion of the closure within the line of weakness constituting a replaceable cover having a diameter at least as great as the opening in the top of the body portion.

3. A container presenting an open-top body portion provided with a bead at its upper edge' and a closure of sheet metal having a skirt portion encircling and crimped to said bead, said skirt portion being formed with two annular ribs and the zone between said ribs being provided with a line of weakness whereby when the ribs are pried apart the closure is torn along the line of weakness.

4. A container presenting an open-top body portion provided with a bead at its upper edge and a closure of sheet metal having a skirt por-' tion encircling and crimped to said bead, said skirt portion being formed with two annular ribs and the zone between said ribs being provided with a line of weakness which extends nearly, but

not entirely around the skirt whereby when the ribs are pried apart the closure is torn along the whereby when the ribs are pried apart the closure is torn along the line of weakness, the part of the skirt above the line of weakness being formed with an interior groove and the container havingan exterior bead which is received in said groove when the container is closed.

6. A container presenting a body portion having an open top and a closure of sheet metal having a skirt portion encircling the top or the body and secured thereto, said skirt portion being formed with two annular ribs and the zone between said ribs being provided with the line of weakness which extends nearly, but not entirely, around the skirt whereby when the ribs are pried apart the closure is torn along the line of weakness, the portion of the closure within the line of weakness constituting a cover which is hinged to the anchored part of the skirt by the unweakof easily tearable material which is anchored ened part of said zone, the part of the skirt portion above the line 01' weakness having an interior groove and the container having an exterior closure of sheet metal having a skirt portion encircling and crimped to said bead, said skirt portion being formed with two annular ribs and the zone between said ribs being provided with a. line of weakness whereby when the ribs are pried apart the closure is torn along the line of weakness and said skirt portion having a lining thereto above and below the line of weakness.

HARRY SEBELL.