US2144287A

US2144287A - Two-part cap

Info

Publication number: US2144287A
Application number: US710191A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward M Enkur
Original assignee: Crown Cork and Seal Co Inc
Current assignee: Crown Cork and Seal Co Inc
Priority date: 1934-02-07
Filing date: 1934-02-07
Publication date: 1939-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1956-01-17

Description

Jan. 17, 1939 E M ENKUR 2,144,287

TWO-PART CAP i Filed Feb. 7, 1934 Sheets-Sheet l X n lgn,

Jan. 17, 1939. M ENKUR 2,144,287

TWO- PART CAP Filed Feb. 7, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .mmm 3mm Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT 'rwo-r'r oar Application February 7, 1934, Serial No. 710,191

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to caps for containers and, more particularly, to a two-part cap.

Two-part container caps comprise a disc element adapted to fit upon the container mouth and 5 a skirt element adapted to engage retaining means on the container mouth, the disc element being held upon the container mouth by an inwardly extending flange at the upper edge of the skirt element. A substantially flat sealing ring or washer is provided beneath the outer edge of the disc element, this ring being adapted to bear upon the lip of the container mouth.

When a single part cap provided with a sealing ring bearing upon the lip of the container is it used, it is frequently difflcult to remove the cap from the container. This is due to the fact that the sealing ring tends to adhere to both the lip of the container and the underside of the cap top, rendering it dimcult to turn the cap with 2d respect to the sealingring and container. Twopart caps overcome this difficulty because the inwardly extending flange on the metal skirt element of the cap bears upon the outer edge of the metal disc element and this metal to metal at contact permits the skirt element to be readily turned upon the container and removed therefrom. The disc element and the sealing ring may subsequently be lifted from the lip of the container. although, in some instances, it may be 30 necessary to insert a knife between the underside of the sealing ring and the lip of the container to pry the sealing ring and disc element from the container mouth.

Heretofore, two-part caps provided with screw 35 threads or lugs have been provided in two forms. In one form, the disc element and skirt element have been so designed that they were freely separable and would not remain in assembled condition unless secured to a container. In the other 40 form, the disc has been of a slightly larger diameter than the distance between diametrically opposite points on the threads of the skirt portion or of larger diameter than diametrically opposite lugs on the skirt portion.

45 Where the caps have been so formed that the disc element has been entirely free to fall from the skirt element, it has been necessary to supply the separate parts to canners or bottlers and the operator who places the cap upon a container 60 has necessarily had to select the separate elements from the different stacks and assemble them before placing the entire cap upon the container.

The other form, that is, the form in which the 55 disc element has been or larger diameter than element and, in many instances, prevents the container from. being properly sealed. Also, if the consumer wishes to remove the disc element from the skirt element, the disc element must be deformed to accomplish this, ruining the disc element for any further use as a loose cover for the container.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a two-part cap which is so constructed and designed that the parts of the cap will normally be held in assembled condition but will nevertheless be freely separable.

The cap of the present invention includes a disc element having an outside diameter which is very slightly less than or substantially corresponds to the smallest inside diameter of the threads or lugs or other engaging or retaining means on the skirt element of the cap, that is, substantially corresponds to the diameter of the outer wall of the container mouth to which the cap is fitted. Thus, the disc element is of such diameter that it may be readily inserted into the skirt element past the threads or lugs of the latter. The sealing ring of the present cap has an outside diameter which is substantially the same as the largest inside diameter of the skirt element of the cap,

i. e., the diameter of the skirt element measured above the threads or lugs thereon. In other words, the outside diameter of the sealing ring m substantially corresponds to or may slightly exceed the overall diameter of the threaded portion or retaining means on the mouth of the container.

In assembling the cap, the disc element is first inserted in the skirt element and the sealing ring is subsequently inserted, so that the disc element will rest upon the sealing ring. Since the sealing ring is of rubber or other flexible and resilient material, it may be readily inserted in the skirt element past the'lugs or threads of the latter but as it will tend to retain its ring shape, it will not fall past the threads or lugs and out of the skirt element.

Because the parts of the cap will remain in as- 56 Q Figures 1 to 3 positioned upon a container.

sembled condition, they may be supplied to bottlers or canners in such condition and readily applied to containers without the necessity of any assembling operations by an operator at the canning orbottling plant.

Another object of the invention is to provide a two-part cap which is so constructed that the disc element will be self-centering with respect to the skirt element and will also center the sealing ring with respect to the skirt element when the cap is placed upon a container, thereby preventing distortion of the cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap which is so constructed that it will not have any exposed sharp edges.

Still another object of theinventi'on is to provide a two-part cap which will provide a highly efficient seal for a container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cap which is so designed that it will not be distorted when it is tightly held upon a container and which will exert a uniform downward pressure upon the sealing ring.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the underside of a cap .of my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, showing the cap prior to positioning upon a container.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing the cap of Figures 1 and 2 applied to a container. I Y

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the underside of a modified form of cap.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4, showing the cap prior to positioning upon a container.

Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a modified form of the cap shown in Figures 4 and 5 and also illustrating the position of the cap upon a container, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged detailed sectional view showing a slightly modified form of the cap of The capdesignated by the numeral III in Figures 1, 2 and 3 comprises a skirt element or portion II and a disc element or portion I2. The skirt element II includes an inwardly extending flange I3 and a depending tubular portion or skirt I4 including an upper and. preferably knurled portion Ila. The lower end of the skirt is provided with circumferentially spaced and inwardlyprojecting lugs I5. The disc element I2 inresilient material is provided in'the cap, the inner diameter of this ring being such that it will surcludes a depressed substantially cup-shaped central portion I6 and an outwardly extending flange I1. The diameter of the flange I1 is substantially the same as, or slightly less than, the distance,

-measured diametrically, between opposite lugs I5 on the skirt element I I and the disc element may therefore be readily inserted past the lugs I5 and into the skirt element II.

A sealing ring II" of rubber or other flexible,

round the cup-shaped central portion I6 of the disc element I2. The outer diameter of the sealing ring I3 is' substantially the same as the inner diameter of the knurled or wall portion Ila of the skirt element I I. The sealing ring I3 may thus be inserted in the skirt element II beneath the ,flangell of the disc element I2 to the position will be retained in assembled position, since the sealing ring I3 is not so flexible as to fall past the lugs I5 and will thereby support the disc member I2 in the manner shown in Figure 2. If desired, the sealing ring may be adhesively secured to the disc element flange I1.

When the cap is applied to a container 20 as shown in Figure 3, the lugs or threads I5 on the skirt element II will engage beneath the threads or retaining means 2i about the mouth of the container, causing the flange I3 on the skirt element to bear upon the flange I! of the disc element to compress the sealing ring I8 against the lip 22 of the container mouth. It will be observed that the inwardly extending flange I3 on the skirt element II is downwardly inclined as at 23 from its outer and upper edge. From this point inwardly, the flange I3 is bowed as indicated by the numeral 24. An annular shoulder or ridge 25 is thereby provided on the underside of the skirt element flange between the inner end of the inclined portion .23 and the bowed portion 24 and, when the cap is applied to a container, this ridge or shoulder bears ,upon the flange I1 of the disc element I2.

It will be observed that an obtuse angle is formed by the disposition of the downwardly inclined portion 23 with respect to the outer part of the bowed portion 24. The movement of the skirt element II to tightly engage the container will therefore cause the flange I3 to bend or flex at the shoulder 25 or immediately outwardly thereof so that the inner edge 26 of the flange will not be lifted and distorted. The obtusely angled point of bending described above is obviously more resilient and therefore less subject to distortion than is a corresponding flange having a plain or flat surface or provided with the usual type of semi-circular groove such as is illustrated in Figure 5, for example. The distortion avoided by the present arrangement occurs in most two-part caps and, as it detracts from the appearance of the container, is frequently avoided by not screwing the skirt element tightly upon the container. Naturally, when the cap is not firmly held upon the container, the seal may be inefllcient. Also, since a point of easy flexure is provided and distortion of the flange I3 prevented, there will be no possibility of the annular shoulder 25 being raised out of contact with the flange I! at any point and uniform downward pressure will be exerted upon the flange I1 throughout the circumference of the shoulder 25.

The extreme inner end 26 of the bowed portion of the skirt element flange extends slightly downwardly and into the cup-shaped central portion I6 of the disc element to contact with the side walls of the cup-shaped portion and center the disc element.-

Referring to Figure 3, it will be observed that the outer diameter of the flange I I on the disc element is substantially the same as the outside diameter of the. wall of the container mouth and that the outside diameter of the sealing ring I3 is substantially the'same as or slightly exceeds the overall diameter of the container mouth, 1. e., the diameter including the threads 2| on the container mouth.

container mouth. The skirt element may readily be rotated, even though it has been tightly screwed upon the container, because of the metal to metal contact between the skirt element and the disc element. When the lugs l5 have been moved clear or the container threads 2|, the skirt element may be lifted and will come into contact with the underside of the outer edge of the sealing ring I8 so that the sealing ring and the disc element supported thereby may be readily lifted from the mouth of the container without the necessity of using any utensil for this purpose.

It will be seen that the-lower edge of the central depressed portion ii of the disc element I2 is rounded and that the side wall of the depressed portion is inwardly inclined, all to assist in centering the disc element with respect to the container mouth.

The cap illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 comprises a skirt element 30 and a disc element 3|, the skirt element including an inwardly extending flange 32 and a depending skirt or tubular portion 33. The upper part 33a of the tubular portion is preferably unthreaded and, if desired, may be knurled. The lower part of the skirt portion may be provided with threads 35 and the lower end of the skirt 33 may be beaded as shown in Figure 5.

The disc element 3| is substantially dishshaped, including a shallow central depressed portion 36 and an inclined side wall. A flange 31 extends outwardly from the inclined side wall of the central depressed portion. A sealing ring 33 having an inner diameter of such dimension as to surround the depressed central portion 36 of the disc element 3| is provided in the assembled cap, the outer diameter of the sealing ring being substantially the same as the-inner diameter of the unthreaded upper part 33a of the skirt 33. The diameter of the disc element 3| is very slightly less than the smallest inside diameter of the skirt 33, which is the diameter between opposite points on thethreads 35. As

shown in Figure 5, the disc element 3! may thus be readily inserted in the skirt element 30 and the flexible sealing ring 38 may then be moved past the threads 35 and will rest upon the latter to support the disc element in the cap. The outer diameter of the sealing ring 38 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the unthreaded portion 33a of the skirt element.

The outer diameter of the flange 3i of the disc element and the outer diameter of the sealing ring 38 may be described as substantiallymorresponding, respectively, with the overall diameter of the container mouth andthe outside diameter of the wall of the container mouth, although the sealing ring may slightly exceed the overall diameter of the mouth.

The mode of application of the form of cap disclosed in Figures 4 and 5 will be obvious from the mode of application set forth above in connection with the cap of Figures 1 to. 3. The flange 32 of the skirt element is provided with a downwardly projecting circumferential shoulder 32a which contacts with-the flange 31 of the threads 43 and the extreme lower edge of the skirt is provided with a bead. An inwardly extending flange-44 is provided at the upper edge of the skirt element, this flange bearing upon an outwardly extending flange 45 about disc element 4|. The central portion 43 of the disc element is substantially bowl-shaped, thereby providing an annular groove 41 beneath the flange 45. A sealing ring 48 is positioned in the annular groove 41, these two elements thereby being held together and facilitating the positioning of the cap upon a container at the canning or bottling plant. The outer diameter of the sealing ring substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the unthreaded portion 42a of the skirt element while the outer diameter of the flange 45 of the disc element substantially corresponds to the smallest diameter of the tubular portion or skirt 42 of the skirt element, that is, the distance measured between diametrically opposite points on the threads 43.

As shown in Figure 6, the inner diameter of the sealing ring 45 is somewhat less than the diameter of the inner wall of the mouth of the container 20a. to which the cap is applied and the outer diameter of the disc element substantially corresponds to or slightly exceeds the diameter of the outer wall of the mouth of the container. Because of the relatively small inner diameter of the sealing ring 48, the application of the cap to a container will so compress the sealing ring as to form a tight seal between the inner diameter of the ring and the surface of the annular groove 41 in the disc element, and also between the outer periphery of the sealing ring and the inner wall of theskirt element. The usual seal will of course be provided by the close contact of the undersurface of the sealing ring with the lip of the container mouth.

A further advantage of the arrangement described above is that the close contact of the outer surface of thesealing ringwith the inner wall of the skirt element will prevent the skirt element from being dislodged from proper sealing position by accidental blows. Nevertheless, the skirt element may be rotated to remove it from the container by the application thereto of normal turning force. This latter advantage is inherent in all of the forms of the invention disclosed in the present application.

The inwardly extending flange 44 of the skirt r element is provided with an annular groove spaced inwardly from its outer edge, the provision of this groove forming a downwardly facing annular ridge or shoulder 49 which bears upon the upper surface of the flange 45 of the disc element. From the shoulder or ridge 49 inwardly. the flange 44 is spaced from the flange 45 and terminates in a beaded edge 50. The provision of the beaded edge 50 eliminates sharp exposed edges on the cap and also centers the disc element 4| with respect to the skirt element. It will be obvious that the sealing ring 45 is also centered with respect to both of the above mentioned elements of the cap.

The form of invention illustrated in Figure 7 is substantially similar to that shown in'Figures l to 3, except that in Figure 7 the skirt element 52 includes an inwardly extending flange 53 which is provided with an inner beaded edge 54 which, when the cap is positioned upon a container, contacts with the disc element 55 by bearing upon the side wall of the central depressed portion 56 of the latter element. As is the case in the Figure 3 form of the invention, the flange 53 of the skirt element is downwardly and inwardly inclined at its outer portion, as indicated at 51, and the inner end of the inclined portion 51 is upturned or oflset to form an obtuse angle, the inner portion 58 of the flange being substantially bowed so as to be spaced above the lowest point of the inclined portion 51. A downwardly facing annular ridge or shoulder 59 is thus provided at the apexof the obtuse angle, which shoulder contacts with the upper surface of the flange 60 of the disc element Just as does the shoulder 25 shown in Figure 3. By this construction, the flange 53 will flex at the shoulder 59, or immediately outwardly thereof when the skirt element is tightly applied to a.container. The inner edge of the flange 53 of the skirt element will therefore not be raised nor distorted. The advantages of this arrangement have been fully discussed in connection with the description of the shoulder 25 shown in Figure 3.

It will be understood that in all of the forms of the invention, the sealing ringmay, if desired, be adhesively secured to the outwardly extending flange of the disc element.

The invention is capable of being embodied otherwise than as specifically shown and described herein, and accordingly I do not limit myself except as in the following claim.

I claim:

The combination with a cap element including a skirt element provided with means to engage retaining means upon a container mouth, 01 an inwardly extending flange, the flange being downwardly inclined from its outer portion to a point intermediate its width to there provide an annular shoulder to bear downwardly at a point opposite a container mouth, the flange being substantially bowed inwardly of the annular shoulder.

EDWARD ENKUR.