US2618413A

US2618413A - Dispensing spout and closure with adjustable sifter

Info

Publication number: US2618413A
Application number: US119413A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brooks Philip
Original assignee: International Salt Co
Current assignee: Akzo Nobel Salt Inc
Priority date: 1949-10-04
Filing date: 1949-10-04
Publication date: 1952-11-18
Anticipated expiration: 1969-11-18

Description

P 5 P. BROOKS $61 3 DISPENSING SPOUT AND CLOSURE WITH ADJUSTABLE SIFTER Filed "Oct. 4, 1949 INVENTOR Pfi/Y/p Brae/r5 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 18, 1-952 7 DISPENSING sfrojtrr ANocnosURE' WITH ADJUSTABLE SIFTER Philip Brooks; Darien, Conmassignor to International Salt Company, Scranton,- Pa:

Application octotert, 1949, Serial N0." iron-13* Tl'ii'S invention relates to container dispenser" means,- andparticularly to animproved spout device for containers of granular materials such as s aiflsug arand the like; whereby the contai n'er' contents may} heselectively pour-edor sprinkled in improved manner therefrom.-

Or'ie attire obie'ct's'of the invention'is-toprovid'e' an improved closure dispensing s out of the character referred to whereby the conta-in'er" contents be either poured-or sprinkled throng-h said spout improved manner,

Another object or invention is to provide an improved spoutdevice of the character described whichis: adapted to selective operation for either pouring or sifting or spraying the c'on-- tai-he'r' contents tiierethrougir in improved man-- ner'.

Still another'obiect'of theinvention is to*pro vid'e a spout device of the character described which is constructed -to-provide an im roved typeof sprinkling action, 7

Sti l-i another object or the-invention ist c provide a combination closure and pouring-sifting spout device-of the character described which is adapted tote manually adjusted between fully closed and p'ouring and spraying and sprinkling positions with utmost ease and facility.

Stiihanother object of'theinvention is to pro vide a-de'vi'ce' of the character described which is adapted tobe manufactured inexpensively, and which is sinipl'eand rugged in construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawingz' Fig. 1 is a; perspectiveview'of a container fitted with a closure spo ut device of the present inve'n-- ti'on;

Fig. 2- is a fragmentary perspective thereof, on an enlarged scale; showing the spout device adjusted to sprinkling condition; and

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary section, taken on a larger scale; taken along line III-III of Fig; 2.

The invention is illustrated by way of example inconjunction with a container designated it which is-illust-rated to boot thepresently popular paperboard cylindrical type container, such as in which household or table salt is packaged. However, it is to he understood. that the container per'se may be of any other'shape', style, or construction, such as a rectangular shape; but in any event will be formed to include a wail portion I2 which is apertured' as indicated at I4 to permit dispensing of the container contents there through; v

The: spout-means of" the invention comprises a 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-189) two-part device consisting of a combination c10 sure and spout element It which is constructed of sheet metal, plastic, paperboard or any other material, to com rise a bottom plate portion 8" and a pair of segmentally shaped'siue wall p" ti'o'ns' -i9i9; the bottom plate portion i 8 being" formed at its inner end with a hinge eye 211' and at its outer end with afinger: tab 21 'fih'e" eye ortion 233 is arranged to receive ahing'e' pirr 2'2, which is positioned upon the container by a 9 suitable means, sucha's by a stapling procedure as indicated at- 2 4 Thus, the Spout ihembi i is ivoteliy'niounted upon the water er so to be rotatable thereon Between disp if 0'16 d position and pouring position; the side wens iQ-J-Q- of the spout member being fo'rriredwith laterally turned ear portions 2 6: (Fig. 2 for Iiinitingf outwardpivo ti'ng movement of the spout member to the pouring position thereof;

The second element of the spout device of the invention comprises a novel screen member 3U] which is in the form of a smoothly curved meta-i strip perforated atintervals as indicated at 32 and formed with a finger t'ah port-ion s3 and a side wall portion 34 which in turn includes a bottorii flange s5 terminating in arr ey'est' which pivotall'y' engages upon the hinge pin 22. The screen plate 30 is curved to align with thfouter marginal contours of the spout sid'e' walls fil -f9 which are concentriowith the'hi nge pin 2 Arse, the perforated plate member 30' terminates at its" inner' end iri-an-up-turned flange ortion i8 t F'ig- 2) Whichis adapted to function as astop deviceto' preventoutwardswinging of" the screen meniber36 beyond the positiori-theroi-show irrFig 2% Thus, it Will lee-appreciated that the rflerribefs' l6 and 3'0 are s'electivelypivotableupori the hing pin 22, by simple? manual manipulations or the finger tab portions 2 I -33 thereof; and that whenever both members are pushed toward nosed positions the container dispeii'si ngaperture is thereby closed off} Then, for exarnpie upon pulling upon the iinger't'a'b 2 l the pouring spout; member It may be thereby swung: outwardly So" as to provide atrough in open communication with the dispensing aperture I' l of the: container through which the salt or other contents of'tii'" container may be poured in the forth of a Solid stream: Or, if it is desired to sprinkle the'coriu tents of the containen the finger tab- 33 is also pulled upon so asto draw the screen member 30- outwardl'y' into position whereby the finger" tab portions 2 l*3 3" snuglylap'; whereupon the: saitor other contents of the'cont'ainerwill flow throughthe' container aperture I4 and thence" through r e 3 the spout member I6 and thence out of the perforations 32 of the screen member 39.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the container contents may be sprinkled in an improved guided manner, directly from the outwardly extending screen plate 30, which is kept fully loaded during such sprinkling operations by reason of the free path for the commodity to be dispensed through the open spout to the rear face of the screen plate. Also, it will be appreciated that whenever the screen plate is pivoted to its retracted position it avoids interference with the normal spout pouring operation; and that when the spout member is pushed to closed position it automatically displaces the screen member to inoperative position and seals the'container.

Still another form of dispensing operation is available in accord with the invention, by simply positioning the finger tab members 2|33 to be slightly apart; thereby providing an open lips effect between which the salt or other commodity may issue in the form of a substantially flat spray. Thus, shaking of the container in a laterally oscillating manner will result in still another form of commodity spreading action as illustrated for example at 4B in Fig. 2; and it will of course be understood that the members l6--30 may be snugly fitted upon the hinge pin and in the container wall aperture so that they are frictionally resistant to movement, whereby they will remain in any adjusted position. Or, any other suitable detent means or the like may be employed if preferred to cause the members to remain in their adjusted closed or open or partially open positions.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the dispenser of the invention provides for optional dispensing of material in the form of a full pouring or a sifted sprinkling or a flat spray; and although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be understood that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: I

1. A combination closure and commodity dispensing device adapted to be mounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container for selective dispensing of granular commodity therefrom, said dispensing device comprising in combination a hinge pin fixed to the container wall adjacent the apertured portion thereof, a spout devicecomprising a trough shaped member having a bottom wall and a pair of opposite side walls extending therefrom, said bottom wall having an eye portion formed at one end for pivotal engagement with said hinge pin and formed at its other end with an extending finger tab, said side wall portions being segmental shaped and formed with outwardly directed flange portions adjacent their inner ends for abutting contact with the interior of said container wall whereby said spout device is pivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to said container wall within the limits of movement permitted by said stop devices, and a screen device slip-fitted within said spout device and comprising a perforate top wall portion aligned with the open top portion of said spout device and a side wall portion extending alongside one of the side wall portions of said spout member and terminating in an eye engaging said hinge pin whereby said screen device is pivotable within said spout device between positions providing covering and uncovering of the open top .portion of said spout 4 device, said screen device being formed with an outstanding flange at the inner end thereof for abutting engagement against the inner surface of said container wall, whereby said spout and screen devices are selectively pivotable upon said hinge pin device between extended and retracted positions relative to the container.

2. A combination closure and commodity dispensing device adapted to be mounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container for controlling dispensing of discrete material therefrom, said dispensing device comprising in combination a hinge pin adapted to be fixed to the container wall adjacent the apertured portion thereof, a spout device comprising a sheet member bent to U-shaped sectional form and having a bottom wall and a pair of segmental shaped opposite side walls extending therefrom, said bottom wall having an eye portion formed at one end for pivotal engagement with said hinge pin, one of said side wall portions being formed with an outwardly directed flange for abutting contact with the interior of said container wall whereby said spout device is pivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to said container wall within the limits of movement permitted by said stop device for pouring type dispensing, and a screen device slip-fitted within said spout device and comprising a perforate top wall portion aligned with the outer marginal portions of said spout device side walls and a side wall portion extending alongside one of the side wall portions of said spout member and terminating in an eye portion engaging said hinge pin whereby said screen device is pivotable within said spout device between positions providing covering and uncovering of the discharge opening portion of said spout device to provide for sprinkling of the material from the end of said spout when desired, whereby said spout and screen device are selectively pivotable upon said hinge pin device between extended and retracted positions relative to the container.

3. A dispensing closure device for mounting upon a container aperture for selective dispensing of powdered or granular material therefrom, said device comprising a spout member of trough shaped form having a bottom wall and opposite side walls extending therefrom, said bottom wall having means formed at one end thereof for pivotal engagement with the container at an edge of the apertured portion thereof and formed at its other end with an extending finger tab, stop means for limiting pivoting movement of said spout member when mounted upon the container whereby said spout member is pivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to said container within the limits of movement per mitted by said stop means, and a screen member slidable between said side walls along the outer marginal portions thereof to span the space therebetween and bridge the dispensing outlet of said spout member, whereby said screen member is movable within said spout member between positions providing alternately for free passage and screening of material passing through said spout member.

4. A dispensing closure device adapted to be mounted upon an apertured portion of a container for controlling dispensing of pourable material therefrom, said device comprising a spout member of generally U-shaped form having a pair of opposite side walls, means pivotally mounting said spout member upon said container so as to be pivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to said container, and a screen member of generally arcuate form in lengthwise extent inverted relative to said spout member and slidable within said spout member between positions providing either free passage or screening of material pouring through said spout member, whereby said spout and screen members are selectively movable between extended and retracted positions relative to the container.

5. A combination container closure and commodity dispensing device adapted to be mounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container for controlling dispensing of material therefrom, said dispensing device comprising a troughshaped spout member having opposed side Walls and formed at one end for engagement with said container, said spout member being formed with stop means whereby said spout member is movable between extended and retracted positions relative to said container wall within the limits of movement permitted by said stop means, and

PHILIP BROOKS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,537,408 Cogswell May 12, 1925 1,599,536 Ladd Sept. 14, 1926 1,922,174 Pidgeon Aug. 15, 1933