US2177782A

US2177782A - Container and spout

Info

Publication number: US2177782A
Application number: US252192A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcquinn Carl
Original assignee: WILLIAMS SEALING CORP
Current assignee: WILLIAMS SEALING Corp
Priority date: 1939-01-21
Filing date: 1939-01-21
Publication date: 1939-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1939. c. MC UINN 2,177,782

CONTAINER AND SPOUT Filed Jan. 21, 1959 Patented Oct. 31, 1939 are accomplished by the same structure.

o iTEo stares eATsNT crit cs CONTAINER AND sroor Carl McQuinn, Decatur, Ill., assigncr to Williams 1 Sealing Corporation, Decatur, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application January 21,

12 Claims.

This invention relates to metallic containers of the type having pouring spouts and seals associated therewith.

The invention provides new combinations of structural features in the container and the spout to facilitate and simplify the assembly of the parts during man'ufactureand to facilitate the operations of filling and sealing the container.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide novel structural details, built into the container and the spout, to make certain that the spout is properly positioned on the container before it is soldered in place, so that the pouring lip isin a desired, predetermined relation to an edge or corner of the top end of the container.

It is a further object of theinvention to provide, in a pouring spout, an abutment shoulder or shoulders, adapted to limit the insertion of a rupturable inner seal or plug for the spout, so that it becomes impossible for the inner seal or plug to be forced through the spout, all the way into the container.

One of the principal advantages of the invention is that both of the Ioregoing main objects Thus, ,the novel structural features of the pouring spout and container perform a dual function, in that they provide means for positioning the spout on the container and means for limiting the insertion of the inner seal or plug.

In the accompanying drawing, a specific embodiment of the invention is disclosed, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a container and spout. Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view, taken on a plane at right angles to that of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged bottom view of the spout, removed from the container, and

Figure 5 is a plan view of the container, prior to the application of the spout thereto. A conventional can is shown in the drawing, comprising .a side wall ['0 and an upper end member ll seamed at E2 to the side wall by a con- .ventional double lock seam. The. end member ll is provided with an'aperture l3 adjacent one side, end or corner thereof. illustrated, the aperture I3 is adjacent one narrow side. of the oblong can top, but it will be understood that the aperture may be formed adjacent any edgeportion of the can over which the contents are to be poured. The aperture l3 (Fig. 5) is generally circular in plan with the exceptionthat ithas two straight sides l4, I5 whicharacords. of the! circle. Theaperture is oi'the spout is generally similar to the spout dis- In the embodiment 1939, Serial No. 252,192

defined by an upstanding marginal flange IS. The material of the top may be downwardly grooved as at H, entirely around the upstanding flange, for purposes hereinafter described. It is important that the groove I! shall correspond in 5 contour with the aperture and the upstanding flange. The straight portions l4, l5 are preferably parallel with the plane of pouring, i. a, they are directed toward the adjacent edge of the container, although, as pointed out below, they maybe positioned in any other predetermined relation with respect thereto.

The spout 20 comprises a cylindrical neck 2|, having an outwardly projecting, circumferential rib 22 formed therein, a laterally projecting pouring lip 23, and a downturned marginal flange 24 which, at the rear end, may be curled inwardly and upwardly, as at 25, for the purposes described in my prior Patent No. 2,126,651. The upper end closed in my copending application Serial No. 0

The lower end of the cylindrical neck is provided with inwardly struck, flat side portions 26, 2?, which, at their upper ends, merge through outwardly

inclined shoulders

28, 29, into the cylindrical neck 2| at their outer ends. The

flat portions

26, 27 are parallel with a vertical plane passing through the center of the pouring lip 23, in the preferred embodiment, although they may be in any other desired predetermined relation with respect thereto.

The lower end 30 of the neck closely embraces the upstanding flange 16 on the container and is disposed in the groove H. The

flat portions

26, 21 register or mate with the straight portions l4, it of the upstanding flange l6. Thus, the spout it, after being positioned on the can top, cannot accidentally be rotated with respect thereto and the pouring lip 23 will always be disposed in the desired relation with respect to the adjacent edge of the container. This feature is of major importance in the assembly of the cams and spouts, for .the following reasons:

In the manufacture of cans of the present type, the can bodies with the upper ends I I seamed thereon are moved in a line on a conveyor, past a position where an operator places the spouts upon the end members, around the apertures. The cans are carried along and another operator places a small section of wire solder adjacent the line of junction between the neck of the spout and the cover. The containers are then moved past a plurality. of gas flames and the. solder is melted. It spreads or runs rapidly all) around in the groove I! by capillary attraction and the spout is thereby secured in place. The solder is represented in Figures 2 and 3 at 35. Obviously, if the operator does not position the spouts in exactly the right relation with respect to the edge of the can, an unsightly, slip-shod job results. Moreover, unless he has some specific guiding means, it is a slow and difi'lcult job to place the spout in exactly the correct angular position. By means of the mating fiat sides provided on the container and on the neck of the spout, this assembling operation is greatly facilitated.

Further, when the cans are moving along on the conveyor, they are necessarily subjected to a considerable degree of vibration. With conventional structures, it is likely that the spouts will be displaced slightly, even if they are initially positioned in proper manner on the containers. By means of the present construction, such accidental displacement is prevented.

The spout of the present invention is adapted to be sealed by an inner seal of the rupturable, friction type or by means of any other plug type closure. The seal comprises a drawn cup 36 of thin, stiil metal such as aluminum. The bottom 37 is provided with a weakened score line 38 which extends substantially throughout a circle, leaving only a short, arcuate connecting portion 39 unscored. The seal is forced into the throat of the spout under great pressure, so that the side walls as tightly engage the inner face of the cylindrical neck to prevent leakage of the receptacle contents.

When it is desired to obtain access to the container, the central portion 35 is punched down, rupturing the seal along the score line 38. It should be noted that the diameter of the central disc 45 is less than the distance between the flat sides 26, ill of the neck of the spout, so that the downward bending movement of the disc is not interfered with.

The

shoulders

28, 29 cooperate with the seal 36, by limiting the insertion of the same in the neck of the spout. They serve as abutment means to prevent the inadvertent forcing of the drawn cup or other plug type closure all the Way into the container. This feature is of considerable advantage, particularly where the seals or plugs are applied by hand instead of by automatic machinery. As stated above, considerable pressure is required to force the seal into proper, sealing relation to the spout. If this force is applied by hand, it is difficult, if not impossible, to push the seal exactly the right distance into the neck, and it often happens that the seal is forced in too far. When that occurs, the can must be discarded because it is impossible to remove the seal from the interior of the can, once it has been forced thereinto.

Even when automatic machinery is employed for applying the seals, it is desirable to have this safeguard, to prevent the seal being inadvertently forced into the interior of the container. With such machines gripping jaws embrace the neck and underlie or otherwise engage the outwardly projecting rib 22, to prevent the capping pressure being applied to the end member it. The seal applying plungers are usually spring-operated to force the seals to predetermined position, but the

shoulders

28, 29 function to restrain excessive inward forcing of the seals.

As stated above, the

flat portions

26, 21 may be disposed in any desired relation to the pouring lip 23, so long as the straight sides on the container l4, l5 are disposed in corresponding relation to the side or corner of the container which is to be the front side or corner during the pouring operation. For instance, the flat sides of the neck and the straight sides of the aperture might be displaced 90 from the position shown in the drawings. Also, the pouring lip in many cases, instead of being directed toward a side of the top of the container, is pointed toward a corner thereof.

If desired, a closure in addition to the inner seal 36, may be used with the present spout. Preferably, a closure of the type shown in my patent referred to above is employed.

It must be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction disclosed herein, except as required by the accompanying claims. The invention includes all modifications coming within the scope of the claims and their equivalents.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout adapted to receive an inner sealing plug, said spout comprising a neck including a cylindrical portion and a lower end portion having diametrically opposed flat sides, said fiat sides merging at their upper ends with the cylindrical portion through shoulders projecting into the neck opening and decreasing its cross-sectional area at the lower end thereof.

2. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout adapted to receive an inner sealing plug, said spout comprising a neck including a cylindrical portion and a lower end portion having diametrically opposed flat sides, said fiat sides merging at their upper ends with the cylindrical portion through shoulders projecting into the neck opening and decreasing its cross-sectional area at the lower end thereof, said shoulders serving as abutment means to limit the inserting movement of the inner sealing plug in the neck.

3. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout and an inner seal inserted in the spout, said spout comprising a laterally projecting pouring lip and a neck including a substantially cylindrical wall terminating at its lower end in a flat side wall portion, said fiat side wall merging at its upper end with the cylindrical wall through a shouldered portion, said shouldered portion being positioned to limit the degree of insertion of the seal in the neck.

4. A sheet metal container having a pouring sprout and an inner seal inserted in the sprout, said spout comprising a laterally projecting pouring lip and a neck having a cylindrical wall portion and a plain, flat wall portion at its lower end, the latter portion joining the cylindrical wall portion through an outwardly directed shouldered portion, said flat wall portion serving as means to position the spout accurately on the upper end of the container, and said shouldered portion serving as means to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

5. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout and an inner seal inserted in the spout, said spout having a laterally projecting pouring lip and a cylindrical neck merging at its lower end into two flat side wall portions disposed on parallel planes, said fiat sides merging with the cylindrical portion through outwardly disposed shoulders serving as means to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

6. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and an inner seal inserted in the spout, the upper end of the container having a spout opening defined by a generally circular margin, but having diametrically opposed parallel straight sides which are cords of the circle, said spout comprising a circular cylindrical neck terminating at itslower end in diametrically opposed, parallel, fiat sides registering with the straight sides of the aperture, said flat sides merging with the cylindrical surface 01 the neck through shouldered portions positioned to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

7. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and an inner seal inserted in the spout, the upper end of the container having a spout opening defined by an upstanding, marginal spout-end positioning wall, the aperture and said wall being generally circular in plan, but having diametrically opposed, parallel straight sides which are cords of the circle, said spout comprising a circular cylindrical neck terminating at its lower end in diametrically opposed, parallel, flat sides mating with the straight sides of said wall, said flat sides merging with the cylindrical surface of the neck through shouldered portions positioned to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

8. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and an inner seal inserted in the spout, the upper end of the container having a spout opening defined by a marginal spout end positioning groove, the aperture and said groove being generally circular in plan, but having diametrically opposed parallel straight sides which are cords of the circle, said spout comprising a circular cylindrical neck terminating at its lower end in diametrically opposed, parallel flat sides mating with the straight sides of said groove, said flat sides merging with the cylindrical surface of the neck through shouldered portions positioned to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

9. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and an inner seal inserted in the spout, the upper end of the container having a spout opening defined by a marginal spoutend receiving groove and by an upstanding flange, the aperture and said groove and flange being generally circular in plan, but having diametrically opposed, parallel straight sides which are cords of the "circle, said spout comprising a circular cylindrical neck terminating at its lower end in diametrically opposed, parallel, flat sides mating with the straight sides of said groove and flange, said flat sides merging with the cylindrical surface of the neck through shouldered portions positioned to limit the insertion of the inner seal in the neck.

if). A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and an inner seal in the spout, said spout comprising a laterally projecting pouring lip and a cylindrical neck having at its lower end, diametrically opposed fiat sides disposed in vertical planes parallel to a vertical plane bisecting the pouring lip, said container having an aperture in said end, the margin of said aperture including straight portions with which said flat sides are adapted to register, to locate the pouring lip in predetermined angular relation with respect to the end of the container.

11. A pouring spout adapted to be secured to a container and to receive an inner seal, said spout comprising a laterally projecting pouring lip and a neck adapted to be secured to the end of the container, said neck having an outwardly projecting, circumferential rib adapted for cooperation with the jaws of a filling and closing machine, said neck at its lower end having portions struck inwardly to provide abutment means to limit the degree of insertion of the inner seal and to make the lower end of the neck non-circular, to facilitate positioning the same in predetermined relation to the upper end of the container during manufacture thereof.

12. A sheet metal container having a pouring spout in its upper end and a rupturable inner seal inserted in the spout, said spout comprising a cylindrical neck terminating at its lower end in spaced, inwardly pressed flat sides merging with the cylindrical wall through oppositely disposed shoulders positioned to serve as abutments to limit the insertion of the seal in the spout, said seal having a substantially circular score line defining a rupturable disc, the diameter of said disc being less than the space between said fiat sides, whereby the rupturable disc may be punched downwardly without hindrance by said shoulders and said flat sides.

' CARL McQUINN.