US2144880A

US2144880A - Closure for containers

Info

Publication number: US2144880A
Application number: US36A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hellman S Jack
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-01-02
Filing date: 1935-01-02
Publication date: 1939-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1956-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1939. 5. J. HELLMAN 2,144,880,

CLOSURE FOR CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 2, 1935 INVENTOR 5&0; J/ellman BY (WM 'ihdATmR/wx Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to closures for containers such as bottles, jars, and the like; and an object of my invention is to provide a novel closure which prevents refilling of the container or the like, without detection of such fact by subsequent users of the container. 7

An object is to provide a novel closure, all or a part of which must be forced into the container when the mouth of the container is opened, and which closure so forced in the container cannot be removed therefrom without destroying the container.

An object is to provide a novel closure fitting which may be utilized in conjunction with many 25 of the conventional types of containers or bottles and their usual closure members.

Another object is to provide a novel closure which is particularly applicable whenever it is desired to avoid possible re-use of a bottle or the 20 like, and the possibility of substitution of inferior or spurious substances, or avoiding of tax payment, and to advise the customer the contents are not genuine and thereby to generally protect the customer from fraud.

Another object is to provide a particularly simple yet effective and novel closure of the character above indicated which is both economical of manufacture and which may be readily applied, and permit of the container to be easily 3:) opened.

Another object is to provide a novel method of closing the openings in containers.

The invention includes the method of closing the openings in containers, as Well as the parts and combinations of parts more particularly hereinafter described in detail and pointed out in the claims.

For the sake of convenience the term container or bottle as used in this specification .55 and claims, are to be understood to mean any container or bottle, jar, vessel, cans, or the like that is provided with an opening which is desired to be sealed by a closure member or stopper so as to prevent the contents thereof from passing through the opening until such time as such contents are desired to be withdrawn.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detail description and the is) appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention in some of the forms I at present deem preferable.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a substantially conventional bottle showing the mouth thereof closed or sealed with my novel closure member.

Fig. 2 is a view analogous to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of my novel closure member insealing position,

Fig. 3 is another sectional View of a further modified form of my novel closure member in sealing position and in which the bottle opening or neck is especially designed to receive the closure member.

Fig. 4 is a view analogous to Fig. 3 showing a still further modified form of my novel closure member in sealing position.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a glass or tumbler or wide mouthed jar or can, such as used for jelly and the like, with the upper portion broken away and in section, and showing a further modified form of my novel closure member in sealing position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View of a conventional bottle of the type adapted to receive a crimped cap and showing my novel closure member associated therewith and in sealing position.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper end of a bottle having a screw threaded exterior adapted to receive a screw cap, and having my novel closure member associated therewith and in sealing position.

Fig. 8 is a partially plan, and partially sectional view, of my novel closuremember, shown in Fig. 5, but detached from the container.

My invention comprises a novel composite stopper A, which may be made in various forms as shown in the drawing, and the invention consists generally in combining with a conventional container, such as a bottle I, that has a mouth or opening a and a shoulder 3 associated with said opening at its neck portion 2, and which shoulder may be formed by the outward flare of the base of the neck portion, or which may be formed by a lip overhanginginto a portion of said opening, of a cross-member or slug B preferably in the form of a disk and which may be composed of a temperature contractible material such as metal, wood, fiber, or other substances which in addition to being temperature contractible is generally non-compressible under normal temperatures and which crossmember is subjected to lower than normal temperatures so as to be temperature contracted to a diameter smaller than the opening a. and is then inserted in the container opening a so that after insertion in the opening a, it will, after being temperature expanded engage such shoulder or overhanging lip to thereby prevent its withdrawal through the opening a.

Preferably the disk is associated with a closure member which acts to seal the opening a to prevent the contents in the container from passing through the opening or mouth a of the container I until desired.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 a fragment of one form of a conventional bottle I is shown, that is provided with a neck portion 2, the base of which flares outwardly in a downward direction from the neck to form a shoulder,

indicated at 3, and continues downwardly to form I the body b of the container or bottle proper. Said neck portion 2 is adapted to be closed or sealed by a stopper 4 that comprises a center member 5, of wood or the like, and a resilient sleeve 6, such as rubber, encircles the wood stopper 4 to provide means to effectively make an air tight joint between the bottle neck 2 and the stopper or closure member 4. To the lower side of the stopper 4, a disk or cross-member B is removably secured by any suitable means, such as by cement I, and said disk B is preferably formed of a temperature contractible normallyrigid material of any suitable metal, wood, fiber, composition, glass or other material which at normal tem eratures is non yieldable or. non-compressible and which will at such normal temperatures withstand attempts at breakage or bending to a greater degree than the container within which it is associated. The stopper 4 in the construction shown in Fig. 1 preferably extends to a point slightly below the shoulder 3 so that when the stopper is fully inserted into the opening a. in the bottle neck 2 the cross-member'B will be positioned below the shoulder 3.

In carrying out the invention disclosed in the construction shown in Fig. 1, the stopper 4 with its sleeve 6 and cross-member B are fixed in assembled relation to each other and then the composite stopper is subjected to a low temperature, such as by refrigeration or carbon-dioxide, either in gas, liquid or solid form, or subjected to the action of liquid air, fo-r a suflicient period of time to'cause the cross-member B to be contracted by such low temperature to such a point that the same may be easily passed through the opening a in the bottle neck 2. The friction of the resilient sleeve will hold'the stopper in place and the cross-member B upon being subjected to normal temperatures will thereupon be temperature expanded after insertion in the container opening a so that the same will expand sufficiently to engage the shoulder 3 upon any attempt at removal of the stopper 4 from the opening a thereby preventing the cross-member B from being withdrawn through such opening a. However upon withdrawal of the stopper 4 from the opening a the cross-member B will, by such withdrawal, be detached from the stopper 4 whereupon it will fall into the bottle, so that any attempt to subsequently refill the bottle and close the same, will indicate to the user that the bottle has been previously opened, because of the presence of the cross-member B within the container I.

In the structure shown in Fig. 2,'the,container structure I is the same as that shown in Fig. 1 and analogous parts are given analogous numbers. However, the stopper II in this construction comprises a stopper member 0 which may be made of cork or other analogous material and the cross-member B has extendingtherefrom an integral short stem I2 that terminates at its free end in a knob I3 which together with a stem I2 is forced into the lower end of the stopper member 0 so that the cross-member B is disengaged therefrom by withdrawal of the stopper member 0 from the opening a, or by action of a cork screw being turned into the stopper member c a sufl'icient distance that the free end of such cork screw will engage and force the cross-member B into the container proper thereby permitting the stopper member to be readily removed from the opening; or in the event the means for removing the stopper member 0 from the bottle opening a does not engage the cross-member B as aforesaid, the stem I2 and knob I3 are easily removed from the member 0 so as to permit easy disengagement of the stopper member 0 and cross-member B. The insertion and securement of the cross-member B within the bottle is the same as hereinabove set forth to wit: the same is temperature contracted before insertion and temperature expanded after insertion.

In the structure shown in Fig. 3 the bottle I is the same as hereinbefore described, except that the opening a formed in the neck 2 is provided with a shoulder 2| against the underside of which the cross-member B after being temperature expanded in the bottle neck 2 engages, so as to prevent its being withdrawn from the bottle opening a but requires its being depressed into the body b of the bottle I. In this construction a stopper member 24 engages the opening a of the container below the shoulder 2| and a stopper member 25 engages the opening a above the shoulder 2| to thereby effectively seal and close the container opening a and prevent the contents of the bottle I from coming into contact with the cross-member B, thereby preventing any contamination of the container contents by its engagement with the cross-member B in the event the cross-member is made of material likely to contaminate the contents in the bottle I. However the cross-member B is preferably made of material which will not effect the contents placed in the container with which it is associated. In this construction the

stopper members

24 and 25 may be made of cork or other similar material and the cross-member B is secured thereto by any suitable means such as by a cement.

In the construction shown in Fig. 4, the parts are similar to those shown in Fig. 3, except that the shoulder 2 I is adjacent the upper end of the bottle neck 2 and the same, as theshoulder 2|, forms an integral shoulder or overhanging lip against which the cross-member B engages. Also in the construction shown in Fig. 4 the stopper member 25 is eliminated and the stopper member 24 is preferably made of such length as to effectively seal the container opening a. The cross-member is, as in all the cases hereinabove mentioned, temperature contracted before insertion and temperature expanded after insertion into the opening a, and to open the container after insertion of the closure member w, both the stopper member 24' and the cross-member or disk B must be forced into the body b of the bottle I. I

In the construction shown in Fig. 6the container is of substantially the same type as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the exterior of the container opening is provided with a bead 4| adapted to receive a conventional crimped cap 42 that serves as a closure member. It is to be understood, however, that such bead 4| is not necessary ,in carrying out my invention with re:

spect to the container shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A stem 43 of any suitable material is preferably secured to the usual cork lining 44 of the cap 42 by any suitable means, such as cement, and projects into the neck 2 of the bottle I a suitable distance so that the disk or cross-member B secured to the inner end of stem 43 will, whenthe cap 4| is in closing position, be positioned below the shoulder 3 formed in the bottle I. The crossmember B may be secured in any suitable manner to the stem 43 and upon removing the cap ,42

the stem 43 will either be ruptured, or rupture its connection with the cap 42 or with the crossmember B, so that the cross-member will drop into the body b of the container or be thereafter forced thereinto. As in the instances hereinbefore referred to the disk ,or cross-member B is first temperature contracted before insertion into opening a in the bottle neck 2 and is then temperature expanded after the cap 42 is secured in place.

In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the bottle or container l' is of a conventional type, being adapted to receive a screw threaded cap 52 that may be formed of Bakelite or other suitable composition and such cap is preferably provided with an integral depending stem 53 that may be screw threaded at its free end and in threaded engagement with the cross-member B. A suitable lining or gasket 54 may be provided within the cap 52, as is customary in this construction, and upon initial opening of the cap 52 after being originally sealed in the manner aforesaid with respect to cross-member B, such cap 52 will be disengaged from the cross-member B which will then fall into the body of the bottle I'.

In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 8 the wide mouthed jar or can, such as a glass or tumbler BI is provided around its opening d with an inturned annular flange, rim, or lip 62 that is adapted to be closed by a composite closure member 63 which comprises a thin preferably metallic disk 64, the periphery of which is surrounded by a rim of yieldable or'compressible material that is preferably channel shaped to receive the edge of the disk 64. The disk 64 is of such normal diameter which when expanded under normal temperatures that its periphery will extend underneath the flange 62, and the rim 65 is preferably of such thickness, between the lower part of the channel and its outer periphery, so that when the disk 64 is expanded under normal temperatures, as aforesaid, an air tight joint will be effected between the side walls e of the container 6! and the disk 64. Although this construction does not provide for an indicator being left in the container body to show that the original closure member has been removed, nevertheless in order to open the container the disk 64 must be bent to effect its removal so as to indicate that the original seal has been opened. This seal or disk 64 may be removed by inserting a sharp pointed instrument through the disk 64 and prying upon the same to contract its periphery to permit its removal from underneath the lip 62.

The cross-member or disk B or B may be called a tell-tale that will indicate to a user that the original seal of the container has been broken, and it may also carry advertisements thereon indicating a value as a premium or the like, which may be redeemable, and thereby cause or necessitate the breakage and destruction of the container to obtain such disk, thereby insuring destruction of the container of the original manufacturer or distributor to obtain such premium slug, and thus tend to insure or prevent using such original container for refilling purposes by unauthorized persons who may desire to do so and pass off such refilled container as a genuine or original package.

In carrying out the invention I may also desire to take a compressible stopper member, such as the member H and first, reduce it in its diametrical area by compression and then subject such member to refrigeration or low temperatures to retain or cause said member to remain in such compressed condition, until the same is placed in the opening in a bottle neck, and then subjecting the same to normal temperatures which will permit expansion of the stopper member and cause a tight fit to be made to effectively seal the opening in the bottle. This will permit the entrance of the stopper member into such opening with the greatest ease.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my novel method of sealing and closing the openings or containers, vessels, jars, bottles and the like consists of first filling the container with its contents and then inserting a stopper into the opening of such container, but which stopper has first been subjected to sub-normal temperatures to contract the same, then inserting such stopper into such opening and subjecting the same to normal temperatures to permit expansion of the stopper into the container opening to seal the same, and permit opening of such seal only by forcing an indicator into the container to depict that the original seal has been broken, and which indicator may only be recovered by breaking the container.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a composite stopper for sealing the openings of containers and which stopper includes a normally non-compressible retainer, disk or cross-member B that is subjected to subnormal temperatures so as to be temperature contracted before the stopper is inserted into an opening of a container I and which retainer B is temperature expanded by normal temperatures after insertion into such opening for insuring retention of such retainer within the container upon removal of the seal of the container opening.

I claim:

1. The combination with a container or the like having an opening and a shoulder associated with said opening; and a sealing means for said opening; of a rigid closure member having a diameter that at, sub-normal temperatures it is smaller than the opening of the container at normal temperatures, but at normal temperatures is larger than the opening of the container at normal temperatures and adapted for engagement with said shoulder.

2. In a means for indicating use of containers; a container member having a constriction at its discharge end; and a closure for said container of such diameter that at sub-normal temperatures said closure is of smaller diameter than said constriction at normal temperatures, and at normal temperatures is of larger diameter. than said constriction at normal temperatures, whereby said closure cannot be removed without mutilation of the container.

3. In a means for indicating use of containers; a container member having a constriction at its discharge end; and a closure for said container of such diameter that at sub-normal temperatures said closure is of smaller diameter than said constriction at normal temperatures, and at normal temperatures is of larger diameter than said constriction at normal temperatures, whereby said closure cannot be removed without mutilation of the container; and a sealing means associated with said closure whereby upon initial removal of said sealing means said closure will be disassociated therefrom.

4. A method of sealing containers comprising; first, subjecting a closure normally larger than the opening of the container to such sub-normal temperatures that its size is sufiiciently reduced to pass into the container when said container is at substantially normal temperatures; and then inserting the closure into the container opening.

5. A method of sealing a container having a constricted opening, comprising, first providing a closure having a normal diameter larger than the constriction inthe container opening; then contracting the closure by a change of temperature until its diameter is less than said constriction; and then retaining the closure in a. predetermined position within the container opening until the closure expands to its normal size.

6. A method of sealing containers comprising; first creating a temperature difierence between a container and a closure member therefor of such a value that the closure member may be inserted in the container opening; and then eliminating said temperature diflerence whereby the closure member becomes larger than the smallest opening in said container.

7. The combination with a container having an outlet; of a composite stopper for said outlet including a retainer and a sealing means for said outlet associated with said retainer, said retainer being temperature contracted before insertion in the container outlet when said outlet is at a substantially normal temperature and being temperature expanded after such insertion.

S. JACK HELLMAN.