US2322527A - Bottle closure - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1943. LEATHERMAN 2,322,527

BOTTLE CLQSURE Filed May 11, 1940 INVENTOR JERRY .LEA HERMAN ATTORN EYS Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,322,527 BOTTLE CLOSURE Jerry M. Leatherman, Akron, Ohio Application May 11, 1940, Serial No. 334,588

4 Claims. (01.21543) This invention relates to bottle closures, and more especially it relates to bottle closures formed with a delivery orifice and pouring spout, and including a cover or lid for said delivery orifice.

The closure is especially adapted for use upon milk bottles, where is replaces the paper cap with which milk bottles usually are provided. The provision of a pouring spout prevents the milk from trickling down the side of the bottle, and the provision of a lid assures that the contents of the bottle will not be contaminated by dirt or insects that otherwise might enter the bottle.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide a bottle closure of the character mentioned whereof the cover or lid will remain open in all positions of the bottle during use, yet which readily. may be retained in closed position; to provide simplicity of construction; to provide a closure that readily may be cleaned; to provide a delivery orifice of such size and shape as to admit air to the bottle during pouring adequate to replace the liquid as the latter is being poured; to provide, for facile attachment of the closure to a bottle; and to embodya closure of the character mentioned in a one-piece structure. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Figure -l is a side elevationof the improved closure, and a bottle to which it is operatively applied, the latter being shown in section and the cover or lidof the closure being in open position;

Figure 2 is a diametric section through the closure and bottle on which it is mounted, the latter being in tilted, pouring position;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the closure with the lid in closed position;

Figure 4 is a section of the lid on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Figure 5 is a transverse section of the closure on the line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, particularly Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, the numeral I0 designates the upper portion of a conventional milk bottle having a mouth rim or bead II provided with a shoulder or seat I2 for the usual paper or cardboard cap (not shown) said seat I2 being encompassed by the usual upstanding peripheral wall I3 that is slightly smaller at its top than at its juncture with the said seat, so as better to retain a cap mounted on the latter. The present invention consists of a closure designed to be substituted for the usual paper bottle cap, when the bottle is in domestic use.

Said closure consists of a one-piece structure of resilient and flexible rubber composition, and comprises a circular base portion I5, the peripheral face I6 of which is of somewhat less height than the Wall I3 of the bottle, said peripheral face tapering slightly toward the bottom face of the closure. The diameter of the peripheral face is such that it has a force fit into the bottle opening where it rests upon the seat I2, its perimeter I6 being slightly deformed by the slightly overhanging wall I3 of the bottle, the arrangement being such that the closure is firmly retained in place on the bottle during use, but readily may be removed therefrom when desired.

The closure body I5 is formed with an opening I8 therein that is centrally disposed and is of substantially greater length than width, one end of said opening being arcuate. Surrounding said opening I8 is an upwardly extending wall I9 that constitutes a pouring spout, said wall being perpendicular to the plane of the base I5at the sides of the opening, as shown in Fig. 5, and being obliquely disposed at the arcuate end of the opening so that. its upper extremity or lip. projects beyond and overhangs the peripheral face I6 of the closure, as is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. Rearwardly of the said overhanging lip, the upper margin of the wall I9 slopes slightly downwardly, and at the opposite extremity of the opening I8 the said wall curves sharply downwardly toits juncture with the body IS. The upper end or free margin of the spout defines a dispensing aperture for the contents of a bottle.

At the rear of the spout I9, that is, the end thereof remote from the overhanging lip, the wall of the spout at the top thereof is integrally formed with a cover or lid that is designated as a whole by the numeral 2I, the wall and lid being connected by a relatively thin web of material 22 that constitutes a hinge for said lid. The marginal contour of said lid is substantially the same as the shape of the spout I9 so that in the closed position of the lid it will overlie the latter with its margin flush with the sides thereof. The free end of the lid, however, is formed with a tab 23 that will project beyond the pouring spout and constitute a finger grip for lifting the lid from closed to open position. One face of the lid 2| is formed centrally with a boss 24 of the same general shape as the dispensing aperture in the spout I9, said boss being designed to enter or telescope with said opening in the closed position of the lid. The opposite lateral marginal faces of the boss 24 are slightly sloped or undercut, and the greatest width of the boss is slightly greater than the width of the spout.

Thus the closing of the lid 21 upon the spout requires that the boss 24 be forced into the dispensing aperture of the spout, with the result that there is a slight deformation of the lateral margins of the boss, or confronting surfaces of the spout, or both, as is clearly shown in Fig. 5. The arrangement is such as to effect a mechanical interlock of the boss and spout that functions firmly to retain the lid in closed position, when desired, without other latching means. The end face of the boss 24 adjacent the hinge 22 is more deeply undercut than the lateral faces of the boss, and the opposite end face of the boss is beveled, both of said end faces being adapted to make face to face contact with complementally sloped surfaces of the dispensing aperture, as shown in Fig. 6.

As previously stated, the improved closure is a one-piece structure of resilient rubber composition. It is vulcanized in a mold in the usual manner, which mold. gives it thenormal shape shown in Fig. 1. Thus it will be apparent that in the closed position of the lid the hinge portion 22 is placed under stress. Once the lid is, opened, the resistance tostress of the hinge 22 will prevent the lid from closing, notwithstanding tilting of the bottle when the content of the latter isbeingpoured therefrom. Furthermore, even though through long use the hinge weakens to such an extent as no longer to be able to hold the lid in open position, said lid still will not close when the bottle is tilted since the boss 24 is too, wide toenter the dispensing aperture of the spout without being forced therein, and the lid will be held open by reason of the rear corners of the boss bearing against the margin of the spout [9 as shown in Fig. 2.

. Because of the elongated shape of the opening I8 of the closure, an adequately large stream of liquid may be poured therethrough without utilizing the entire capacity of the same, thereby leaving ample space in the opening .for air to enter thebottle to replace the liquid removed therefrom, without interfering with the-free flow of the liquid. This feature of'the invention will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2.

The closure,may be-made of white rubber, or it'm'ay be be made in pastel shades if desired. The closure is of simple construction, and is readily washed. to maintain its sanitary condition.

Being made of rubber, it will not absorb moisture or odors. The closure is easily attached to and detached from a bottle, and achieves the other advantages set out in the foregoing statement of objects.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope thereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bottle closure of the character described comprising a body structure of deformable material having an opening formed therein and having an upwardly extending unconfined wall surrounding said opening and constituting a spout, the free marginal portion of the latter defining a dispensing aperture, a lid for covering the dispensing aperture in said spout, hinge means connecting the lid locally to the margin of the spout and normally urging the lid to open position, and a boss on one face of said lid, said boss being receivable in the dispensing aperture of the spout and being of such size and shape with relation to the spout as to have a force fit in the latter sole-, ly at two opposite local regions thereof.

2. A combination as defined in claim 1 wherein the body structure, lid, and hinge is a one-piece structure of resilient rubber composition.

3. A bottle closure of the character described consisting of a one-piece structure of resilient composition comprising a body structure having an opening formed therein and having an upwardly extending unconfined wall surrounding said opening and constituting a spout, the free marginal portion of the latter defining a dispensing aperture that is elongated so as to .have greater length than width, a lid for covering the dispensing aperture in said spout, a'hinge con-.

necting one end of said lid to the spout at one end. of the dispensing aperture thereimsaid hinge normal-1y, urging the lid to open position, and a boss on one face of said lid receivable in the dispensing aperture in the free end of the spout, the

width of the boss between the lateral marginal faces thereof being greater than the width of the dispensing aperture in the spout so that the lid is retained in closed position by local interengagement of boss and spout.

4. A combination as definedin claim 3 in which the lateral marginal faces of the boss are undercut whereby a mechanical interlock of the bossand spout is effected'when the lid is closed.

JERRY M. LEATHERMAN.

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