US2454674A - Receptacle and closure thereof - Google Patents

Description

v Nov.'23, 1948. w, H. SCHRADER I I 2,454,674

RECEPTAGLE AND CLOSURE THEREOF Filed March 7, 1946 FIG. 8

INVENTOR.

' tram n. I

Patented Nov. 23, 1948 OFFICE RECEPTACLE AND CLOSURE THEREOF Wendall H. Schrader, Des Plaines, 111.

Application March 7, 1946, Serial No. 652,638

This invention relates to improvements in bottle closures, and is more particularly directed to a sanitary closure for bottles and the like, which is applied and secured to the bottle without the use of separate securing means.

With many such closures it has been the general practice to use two or more units, a preformed cap and a separate binding or sealing element such as a band or a ring of fixed diameter, the latter being placed around the preformed cap and then distorted or contracted by suitable means to force portions of the ring against the cap, and the latter against the neck of the bottle, thus leaving the cap with a number of radial pro- J'ections or folds along the sealing surface.

The use of skirted hoods is also known where an intermediate portion of the skirt is compressed into a groove formed in the side of the bottle neck, whereby the capsule is secured to the bottle without additional means.

The use of closure caps of thin, pliable material, such as metal foil, which are molded with a depending crimped flange about the mouth of the container, the sealing contact is poor and therefore these closures are objectionable in that they permit leakage. Discontinucus or interrupted cap engaging provisions are also common with said pliable material to obliterate the engaging detents in the depending cap skirt or flange, by means of a relative rotation of the cap upon the container, after which rotation the cap may be lifted from the container mouth.

The use of substantially rigid metal closures have been used with containers having a mouth bead, where the closure is retained thereon by having a portion of its skirt constricted below the bead and into a groove, the bottom of said groove forming a continuous annular ledge extending outwardly fro-m the container, whereby the bottom of said constricted skirt portion bears tightly against the upper surface of said ledge to produce a tamperproof container. These closures are objectionable in that they are difiicult to remove from the container and are damaged during said removal from the bottle.

This invention has for its chief object the production of a bottle and closure cap therefor of novel construction, which will protect the mouth and pouring lip of the bottle against contamination, but which is easily applied and removed, in which the applied cap is tamperproof and is in uninterrupted sealing contact about the outer periphery of the mouth of the bottle, but which may be loosened for removal by a partial turn of the cap relative to the bottle, without deforming 4 Claims. (Cl. 215-38) 2 the cap so as to prevent its subsequent re-use for temporarily sealing the bottle. Another object is to provide a uniform bead, with a groove adjacent and below the same having variable height and depth with an inclined shoulder, and a wash ring or grip ring in the form of a second and enlarged bead adjacent said groove, the top thereof forming a ledge, while the entire ring is forming protection for the closure cap and cap holding parts, as well as affording means for holding or handling the bottle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a closure for bottles, said closure having a depending skirt with Z fo ds, and which can be partially preformed and folded in position about the container top by any of the usual methods of forming closure caps over bottle mouths, i. e., by the application of lateral pressure to the cap and container for crimping portions of the depending cap skirt with Z folds into position within the groove in the outer periphery of the bottle neck adjacent the bottle head A still further object of this invention is to provide an article of manufacture comprising a preformed closure of suitable material, such as paper, with a depending skirt having plaits or Z folds extending longitudinally thereof, each plait comprising a corrugation or loop flattened so that substantially one half of said plait lies on each side of the longitudinal median line of the corrugation from which it is formed, said skirt being capable of being compressed within a groove in a bottle neck whereby said plaits are locked in place forming means whereby t e complete closure may be coupled to the bottle without additional means.

In carrying out this invention, the bottle is formed with substantially right angled projection upon the bottle neck at a sufficient distance below the underside of the bottle bead adjacent the mouth of said bott e, so that when the closure cap is in place with its skirt and Z folds locked between said projection and said bead, the lower edge of said skirt will contact the upper horizontal surface of said proiection, the projection as provided has a shoulder which is not parallel with respect to the top surfaceiof the bottle but is inclined circumferentiallv whereby said closure may be removed by rotation of the same.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of t e related elements of the structure. to various details of construction and to combination of parts, elements .per se, and to economies of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification and drawings of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary side view of the neck portion of a form of bottle with a closure positioned above the same ready for application thereto.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view with a portion in sectionzi of the bottle shown in Figure-1 with the closure applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on line III-III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view takerrzorrlirre IV -IV;

of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a. side view of the neck p ortion-of the bottle with a modified type of closurebeingshown in section and a longer skirt than that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view 'in perspectiveof the closure and locking d;

Figure? representsa detail perspective" of a section offa; folded? skirt embodying'a 2' fold.

' Eigure 31313; view similar to Figure 7 where theeZzfold: is creased forminga' means of locking thesame in' position.-

Referring 'to'the drawings intdetail, the novel bottle of my. invention may be used with orwithout'a'disc cap' suchas shown in Figure 2 designated by numeral IE1. In a preferred form' of the invention,'I .employabottle closure i2 having an imperforated: central portion l3 and" depending sideor skirt portion I4 with a marginal edge i;

The portion lt'ispreierably flat or uniplanar so as to extend overthe top of a bottle it and on which suitable advertising matter may'be printed if desired". The depending skirt portion I4 is usually provided'withthree ormore' Z folds ll,

said closure formed by suitable dies to provide thenecessary creases or'scored portions as shownin Figure 1 by creases i8, I9; 20, and-.21. arrangement provides a' sealing closure: which can be contracted below'the maximum diameter of: the beadingof bottle mouth 22 and remain" in'sealed' or'locking'p-osition in agroove' 23 adjacent andbelow saidmouth 22;

The'bottle lt'is' preferably formed with a'grip ringffl' upon the bottle neck at'a' sufiicient'dis tance below the underside of the'bottlebead; the top surface 25'thereof beingformed' at an angle to thebottle b'ead and forming a uniformly'in clined lodge in the groove 23, said groove having a vertical cylindricalportionZEand top' portion 2? formed at a right angle to the bottle neck;

The ledge 25 is usually formed at an angle to the axis of' the bottle butuniformly inclined with" relationtto' the top' surface of'said'bottle as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5'. The'vertical'wall 26 ofsaid groove-23 is formed eccentric with relation toithe" throat28'andmouth ofthe bottle IG-as shown in Figure 3, thus'forming groove 23with a deep narrow portion 29'on one'side an'd'shallow wide portion 30'on the opposite side-thereof.-

In Figure 5 the closure 42is provided with a long skirt portion with a marginal edge portion 45, .and'when applied to bottle lfi'the skirt iil and edge portion Mare caused to bear tightly against the upper surface of the grip ring 24; thereby creasing saidfolds H circumferentially twice withinthe groove 23 thereby preventing ,the expansion of said folds I! and .the withdrawal of said skirt and foldsfrom said groove.

In Figure 7 the usualztypefold is.shown;and.

iii

unless glued or otherwise secured, said fold can be easily pulled apart; and because of this reason, whenever closures are formed with Z folds they need other means such as rings, etc. to secure the closure in sealing engagement upon a bottle. In carrying out this invention, the bottle is formed with a groove 23 with substantially right angled projections upon the bottle neck so that when the closure I2 is placed over thebottlermouth'and the skirt l4 pressed into the groove, threeor morez folds are formed with the lower edge of said skirt contacting the top surface 25 of said projection 24'. Since the length of" the skirt'is arranged to be the same as the distance from the top surface of the grip ring by following the contour of the outer surface of the bead. and-groove, the deformation of the skirt forces the bottom edge thereof against the top surface of the ledge 25. Since the skirt is provided with three or more Z folds or plaits, saidrfoldsxare creased circumferentiallyand can notibe'removedwithout showing. that it has been tamperedwithand mutilated. The locking of a' Z IOIdTbYI CIBaSlDgit'at right angles to the normal fold lines thereof is clearly shown in Figure 8; The plaiti cannot be unfolded. until the plait is firstifiattened and then unfolded. Since the skirt length is such that it' is' forced tightly against.

theitopledgeof the grip ring in the groove, the plait is prevented from unfolding since the skirt can: not straighten out once it is pressed within. th'egroovewith said plaitsor folds.

The bottle. is preferably provided with an in-- clined'ledge. and an' eccentric wall about the bottle throat so asit-o accommodate a closure with uniform: length skirt, and further providing meanstoremovethe closure by relative rotation.

of the closureupon' the'container, forcing out the SKlI'IJFZDOT-UOII' embedded with the groove, after which rotation the closurelmay be lifted'from thei'containerimouth.

My invention; therefore, provides a closure for containers; whic'h: can be easily and quicklyremoved and which when applied to a bottle of my design is-retained in position against accidental removal; and whichforms an uninterrupted continuoussealingcontact, as well as protects the mouth of the container against contamination. As point'edout, the unique way of locking the folds within a groove and the unicue way of forming the folds in the depending skirt portion of the closure, aswell as forming a sealing contact; allsof'whicli will permit the easyremoval of the closurefrom the bottle when the cap is rotated' relativet'o the bottle mouth, as well as its subsequent re-use.

Although I'havesh'own and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware of the many possible modificationsthereof. My inventionis, therefore, not to be restricted except-insofar as necessitated by theprior art and thespiritofthe applied claims.

Ilclaim:

1. The combinationwith a container having a. mouth and. a. neck provided. with an. annular groove.ofvariableheight and depth on its outer circumference,..having an upper and lower surface ,,thelowersurface formedlatan angle to. said neck-portioinisaidnlower surface of saidlgroove. forming, an. upper. surface. for. a shoulder, the. upper surfaceof said groovebeing substantiallyzin. thel-sameuplane .as the mouth and .tophsurfacel of! the .container..while.saidshoulder is of. aninclined contour'.relative-"to,v said-.mouth,. anda closure in.-

eluding a top and a depending skirt of uniform length with a peripheral edge, said skirt having folds extending longitudinally thereof, a portion of said skirt with the folds being compressed within said groove, with its peripheral edge in contact with said inclined surface of the shoulder, thereby creasing said folds circumferentially and-preventing the expansion of said fold and the withdrawal of said skirt and folds from said groove.

2. In combination, a container having an annular wall defining a filling and discharging opening, an annular external bead on said wall adjacent said opening, an annular external shoulder on said wall below said bead having an upper surface, said shoulder of inclined contour relative to said bead, said bead and shoulder being spaced apart vertically to provide an annular recess therebetween of quadrilateral crosssection, and of variable height and depth, and a fibrous closure including a flat closed end and a depending skirt of uniform length, said skirt having a peripheral lower edge, said skirt having smoothly flattened, tapering Z folds extending longitudinally thereof, said folds having maximum width at and being disposed in abutting relationship around the peripheral lower edge of the skirt and terminating in the intersection of the closed end and the skirt, each plait con sisting of three thicknesses of fibrous material and being connected to each adjacent plait by a single thickness of material, a portion of said skirt being compressed within the corners therein and against the Walls of said recess for creasing and locking said folds, the lower edge of said skirt solely bearing tightly against the upper inclined surface of said shoulder to produce a tamperproof container.

3. The combination with a bottle having a throat, a mouth and a neck, said neck being provided with an annular uninterrupted groove of quadrilateral cross-section on its outer circumrerence, said groove having an inner vertical wall arranged eccentric with relation to the throat and mouth of said bottle, said groove having an upper and lower horizontal surface, the lower horizontal surface forming a shoulder with a top surface, said shoulder being inclined with relation to the top surface of said bottle, thus combined providing a deep narrow groove with corners on one side of the bottle and a shallow wide groove with corners on the opposite side of said bottle, and a closure comprising a cap of flexible material with a fiat closed end and 9. depending skirt of uniform length having plaits, said closure being placed over the mouth and neck of said bottle with the lower portion of said skirt compressed within said groove, the peripheral edge of the skirt portion bearing tightly against the top surface of the inclined shoulder of said groove to secure the cap in place on the bottle.

4. The combination with a bottle having a throat, a mouth and a neck, said neck being provided with an annular uninterrupted groove on its outer circumference, said groove having an inner vertical wall arranged eccentric with relation to the throat and mouth of said bottle, said groove having an upper surface and a lower horizontal surface, said lower surface forming a shoulder with an upper surface, said shoulder being uniformly inclined with relation to the top surface of said bottle, thus combined providing a deep narrow groove with sharp corners on one side of the bottle and a shallow wide groove with sharp corners on the opposite side of said bottle, and a closure comprising a cap of flexible material with a flat closed end and a depending skirt of a uniform length having plaits said closure being placed over the mouth and neck of said bottle with the lower portion of said skirt compressed within said groove, the peripheral portion of the skirt bearing tightly again-st the upper surface of the inclined shoulder of said groove to secure the cap in place on the bottle, but said skirt arranged to be forced out of the groove upon relative rotation of said bottle and cap.

WENDALL H. SCHRADER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,043,620 Marian Nov. 5, 1912 1,743,280 Manson Jan. 14, 1930 2,096,428 Hogg et a1 Oct. 19, 1937 2,131,438 Jensen Sept. 27, 1938 2,193,227 Deletzke Mar. 12, 1940 2,244,625 King June 3, 1941 2,355,493 Wilcox et al Aug. 8, 1944

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