US2437882A

US2437882A - Bottle closure

Info

Publication number: US2437882A
Application number: US614097A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leo M Mallick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-09-04
Filing date: 1945-09-04
Publication date: 1948-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 1965-03-16

Description

1.. M. MALLICK 2,437,882

BOTTLE CLOSURE Filed Sept. 4, 19 .5

Patented Mar. 16, 1948 NT OFFICE 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bottle closure, and

more particularly to a bottle closure which permits pouring of the contents of the bottle automatically upon the tilting of the bottle to pouring position.

Various types of closures are in use which are employed to replace the ordinary seal or closure of the bottle and. which permit pouring of the contents as desired While at the same time providing a partial closure to prevent the escape of volatile material in the bottle. The chief diniculty with such closures is that they do not provide satisfactory air vents and the bottle has to be shaken repeatedly during the pouring operation, often causing a spilling of the liquid. Further, the temporary seals are not efiicient in preventing the escape of volatile material, and their structure makes them serve as dust collectors and unsanitary structures,

An object of the present invention is to provide a closure which will at all times, when the bottle is in upright condition, provide a complete seal against the escape of volatile material, while at the same time, when the bottle is tilted to pouring position, will permit the steady and full flow of liquid without requiring the shaking of the bottle. A further object is to provide a closure having a full vent for the inflow of air when the bottle is turned to pouring position, and means for automatically sealing the drain passage against the escape Of volatile material when the bottle is returned to upright position. Yet another object is to provide a closure in which a ball valve is employed, together with means for maintaining the ball effectively out of engagement with the valve seat during the pouring position and while moving the bottle at angles approximating a pouring position where the ball otherwise would flow back and interrupt the flow. Yet another object is to provide a structure in which a recess in the casing is provided for the ball valve while at the same time providing a dust eliminator dome and deflect-or means for protecting the dome from liquid. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aside view in elevation of a closure 2 embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Fig, 1 and shown applied to the neck of a bottle, the bottle being in upright position; and Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the bottle tilted to pouring position.

In the illustration given, I0 designates a, casing member formed of aluminum or any other suitable material and provided with a drain passage l l extending therethrough. The lower portion of the casin Ill provides a tubular member l2 receiving a sealing sleeve l3 of cork or any other suitable material, the sleeve being efiective'in providing an airtight seal with the bottle neck M. The upper part of the casing I0 provides a valve seat l5 adapted to receive a ball 16 of stainless steel or other suitable metal to provide an airtight seal therewith. A hollow crown member I! provides with the upper enlargement of easing 10 a valve chamber I8 in which the ball l6 may move to sealing and unsealing position, The crown II has a flange which makes a sliding flt with a matin flange of casing 10. Any suitable means for securing the two members together may be employed. I have found that a press fit is very satisfactory, employing suitable pressure, say, for example, 600 pounds. It will be understood that any suitable means for securing the members together may be employed. The crown I1 is preferably recessed interlorly at l9 to provide a place for the ball IE to rest while at the same time furnishing on the exterior of the structure a dome 2B which has pitched sides preventing the collection of dust thereon. In order to prevent the flow of liquid onto the dome and thus provide a means for contaminating it, I provide deflector 2| at the lower part of the dome which tends to divert liquid outwardly.

In order to provide at all times a full flow from the bottle with a suflicient vent for the inflow of air, while at the same time enabling the bottle to be turned at any position during the pouring operation, I provide the member II with pouring and vent apertures 22 which extend all the way around the structure, Thus, a vent 22 on the lower side of the structure, when tilted to pouring position, serves as a conduit for the outflow of liquid, while the vent diametrically opposed thereto is completely open to the atmosphere, and it together withthe adjacent openings permit the 3 full inflow of air into the bottle along the upper side of the drain passage I I.

In addition to the recess IQ of the member I1, I prefer to form a groove 23 which forms a shoulder 24 between it and the valve seat l5 and thus, when the ball i6 is moved to the pouring position illustrated in Fig. 3, the ball is locked against fluctuating movements and is held firmly until there is a positive return of the bottle to upright position. I

In the operation of the device, the closure is inserted Within a bottle neck, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, after the removal of the original cap of the bottle. As long as the'bottle remains in upright position, the ball 16 provides a firm seal for the valve seat l5 and volatile material does not escape from the bottle. The seal is particularly effective when used with bottles containing liquor or alcohol and serves to prevent the escape of the alcohol.

When the bottle is tilted to pouring position, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the ball [6 movesinto'the recess :9 and rests within the groove 23 which securely holds it against any irregular movements during the pouring operation. Normally, in the pouring of liquidswhere a ball-is-employed, the ball tends-to rockback-and-forth and to interrupt the flow of liquid. In the'present structure, the groove 23 providesapositive .control against such irregular 'movement and maintains the ball in fixed position until there'is a. complete tilting of the bottle well toward upright position. In the pouring operatiomthe defiector flange it breaks thefiow away fromthe dome 2i] and keeps the dome dry and-thereforeeffective as an eliminator of dust 'or-othermaterial which would otherwise settlethereon.

In the pouring operation; it is-not necessary to turn the bottle so as to bring aparticular-pouring spout into position above the glassbecause the openings 22 are spaced all theway "around the crown member I! and permit pouring-from any angle. At the same time, the openings '2 Z are effective to serve either as 'ventsor' as 'pouring conduits, depending upon the position of the crown H; the lowermost openings 22 serveas pouring passages, while the uppermost openings 22 serve as vents and allowat all times a full flow of air into the bottle. It is unnecessary therefore to shake the bottle in anypouring operation because the flow is fullandeven and there is no diiilculty about theinfiow of air.

When the bottle is again raised to upright position, the ball l6 leaves the groove -2-3"and resumes its position inseat idwhereescapeof fumes or volatile matter is thereafter prevented. In the structure shown, the openings 22*are each big enough to embrace a substantialportion of the ball l6 and to hold it firmly imposition during the tilting operation. Thus, the openings- 22 serve three functions: They provide an-outlet aperture for-the liquid, they provide inlet passages for the air, and they provide means =for holding the ball against rocking movement'and against movement back'into the seat of the valve during angular tilting movements. If-desired, the annular groove 23 may be entirelydispensed with, and the openings 22 relied upon to hold the ball [6 against rolling movement'about the valve chamber during the pouring operation or tilting operations. With the structure shown, the annular groove 23 maintains the ball in the most advanced position during the pouring-operation, while the openings 22-serve effectivelyto retain the ball when it is in asli'ghtly'tilted'pos'ition approaching the pouring position or approaching the upright position of the bottle.

Some of the subject matter which is disclosed in this application is claimed in applicants copending application, Serial No. 638,031, filed December 29, 1945.

While in the foregoing specification I have set forth certain details of structure as illustrative of one embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that such details may be varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A bottle closure comprising a casing having a longitudinal drain passage therethrough, said casing having an end portion adapted to be received within the neck of a bottle and the other end portion providing a valve seat in said passage' and a chamber enclosing said seat, and a .ballin said seat heavier than the liquid in the bottle and adapted to seal the passage when the ":bottle is in an upright position, said casing being provided above said valve seat with a continuous series of closely-spaced openings extending around the casing, said chamber extending beyond said openings-and providing a recess adapt- 'ed to receive said ball when the bottle is tipped "topouring position without closing any of said openings, said openings being located I between said recess and said seat and being largeenough to arrest return movement of said ball-toward said seat when said bottle isHtiltedslightlypast drain-back position by: releasing said ball' for return to its seatwhen a'sharp'er'angle iof tilt in the; drain-back position has been reached.

I 2. A bottle closure comprising a casinghaving a lon'g-itudinal drain passage therethrough," said casinghaving an end portion adaptedto be'received-Within the neck of a bottle and the other sage, said casing also providing a valve chamber end portion providing a valve seat-in said'pasenclosing said seat, anda ball insaidseat heavier than the liquid in the bottle and adapted to'seal said passage when the bottle is in an upright position, said casing being provided with a continuous series of closely spaced openings about said chamber and also with a'groove about :said

- openingssaid openings being located between said groove and said'seatand providing a means for arresting the return of said ball tosaid seat even afterthe bottle has "been'tilted to drain-- backposition and until a predetermined angle of :an end portion adapted to be :sealed within-a bottlelneck, a longitudinal body portion having a drain 1 passage therethrough terminating in "a valve 'seatand an enclosure'providing'a chamber about'sa'id seat, and :a' balliinfsaid seat heavier .thanithe 1iquid:in the bottle and adapted .to' seal said passage when the bottle is in upright :p'osittion,said.casing being provided with a continuous series of icloselytspaced :openings encircling said chamber andiproviding' outlets therefrom, each of said openings'being'large enough'to receive-said ball and .to.hold thesame firmly when'the'b'ottle is being tipped fromipouring to drain-backposition and to prevent the return ofathe ball' to its seatuntil the bottle is tilted sharply toward upright position, said chamber being extended beyond said opening to provide a recess toreceive said :ball and to.- free said openings for pouring REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Newton Apr. 8, 1862 Number Number Number Name Date Bergman Aug. 7, 1894 Librowicz June 11, 1895 Strauss Jan. 20, 1903 Wagner Jan. 5, 1904 Bailey Oct. 11, 1904 Perotti Apr. 25, 1905 Colvin Aug. 2, 1910 Stephany Oct. 24, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 28, 1907