US2652177A

US2652177A - Container closure having spring biased slidable dispensing valve

Info

Publication number: US2652177A
Application number: US160263A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Lagemann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-05-05
Filing date: 1950-05-05
Publication date: 1953-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1970-09-15

Description

p 15, 1953 R. J. LAGEMANN 2,652,177

CONTAINER CLOSURE HAVING SPRI BIASED SLIDABLE DISPENSING VA Filed May 5, 1950 INVENTOR. Faber? James Zayemann 'M/ W @W Patented Sept. 15, 1953 STATE-S PATENT OFFICE G()lI'I-AIIWIER *GLOSURE HAVING SPRING BIAS-ED .SLIDA-BLE DISPENSING VALVE Robert JJLagemann, Brooklyn, N. Y.

ApplicationMay-5, 1950,:S'erial No. 1603563 -1 Claim. .1

This invention has broad reference to 'a cap adapted to be used in connection with tubular containers, and especially for such containers 'as are used in the dispensing of toothpaste andyor shaving :cream.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, eflicient, durable, and economi'callymanu- .Iactured cap which .canbe readily screwed on to the end of a container, and is so constructed with a manipulaldle valve arrangement as to permit the material to be readily dispensed, and which eflicientlyprevents-leakage of the material when the device is not in use, and in which the parts, when :not in use, are latched in an inoperative position.

A further object is to provide a simple and efficient device which may :be made of metal, molded plastic, or other material, and which is composed of a minimum number of simple .cooperative elements, eiiectively operative and capableof being produced and assembled at a very low cost.

Further and more specific objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the detailed specification hereinafter set forth, especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which .illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms, the device comprises a cap of metal or molded material having a closed top and a threaded bore extending up from the bottom thereof. A valve passage is disposed transversely Within the cap body, and is connected with said threaded bore by a suitable passage. Within the valve passage is a slidable plug valve backed by a spring and having a stem projecting through an opening of the wall in the cap body. This valve stem is, in any suitable manner, pivotally connected to a manipulable operating lever which is L-shaped, having a base portion connected to the stem and an integral arm extending at right angles to the base, and adapted to be engaged by the finger of the operator. In the latched position of the parts, the base of the lever lies along the wall of the cap and the arm thereof lies along and against the top of the cap. In the operative position of the lever, the base thereof lies along the wall of the cap with the arm thereof extending outwardly from said wall and adapted to be depressed to move the valve to open the passage for material from the tube through the cap.

shown in the drawings, of which,

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-section through the cap with the parts in their closed and latched positions;

2 is a similar view showing the operating lever in its operative position ready to be engaged by the finger of the operator;

Fig. -3 is a similar view showing the parts in position when the lever has been depressed to permit discharge'of material; and,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device with the partsin latched position.

Referring now merely to the specific preferred form shown in the drawing, it will be seen that the invention includes a cap body portion I0 which may be made of any suitable material such as metal, or may be molded from plastic material. 'I his body portion is closed at the "top, but has a 'central threaded bore H extending upwardly thereinto from the 'bottom wall thereof. Also, :iormed within the body portion is a valve passage 12 disposed near the top of the body portion 10 and extending at right angles to the bore H This valve passage, as shown, opens into the wall of tire 'cap in the :figures, and :a connecting passage it connects the more M with the valve passage '1 2 near the open end thereof.

Slidable within the valve passage I2 is a plug valve I 4, back of which is disposed a compression spring l5 which tends normally to hold the plug valve in its left hand position in the passage I 2 with its front face I6 flush with a wall of the cap as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in this position cutting ofi the discharge of any material from the tube through the passage It. When' the valve is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 3, it at least partly uncovers the passage 13 to permit discharge of material from the tube through the bore II, the passage I3 and out of the open end of the valve passage l2.

In order to manipulate the valve, it is provided with a stem 51 which extends rearwardly through an opening IS in the wall of the cap. In order to operate the valve, this stem is connected to an operating lever having a base portion l9, and an arm portion 2|] integrally connected thereto and forming an L-shaped lever. Preferably, the free end of the base portion I9 is in the form of a yoke having spaced arms 2| and 22 apertured to receive a pin 23 passing through the apertures therein, and through a suitable aperture in the end of the stem IT.

This pin 23 passes through the yoke arms of the base portion l9 near their outer ends. It will be seen from a consideration of the drawings that this operating L-shaped lever may be disposed as shown in Fig. 1 with its base [9 lying along the Wall of the cap, and with its arm disposed along the top of the cap, and that in this position, the valve is closed and the parts are in a latched inoperative position. To move the parts into operative position, it is merely necessary to swing the lever from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 in which position the base member is again disposed flatly along the side wall of the cap, but in this position the arm portion 20 thereof extends outwardly at right angles to the wall of the cap of the base portion, in which position it may be manipulated by the finger of the operator to be depressed or moved to the position shown in Fig. 3 which will cause the right hand motion of the stern I1 and the valve l4 to uncover the above mentioned passage against the resistance of the spring I5, and per mits the discharge of material as above described.

It will thus be seen that having provided the cap with suitably formed passages, the operating parts comprise four simple elements, namely; the valve and stem, the spring, the operating lever, and the connecting pin. The cap may be molded preferably of plastic or metal, and the other parts may be economically produced by mass produc tion methods, and their assembling can be achieved with equal economy. The device therefore is extremely simple, composed of a minimum number of cooperating parts which can be latched in inoperative position, or movable to the operative position by the mere flip of the finger.

While the invention has been described in detail and shown with respect to the accompanying drawing, it is not to be limited to such details, since many changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence, it is desired to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In material dispenser for substitution in place of the cap of a collapsible container, a body having a portion presenting a recess with wall formations for coacting with inter-engaging formations on the container to hold the body on the container, the body having a valve passage terminating at the surface of the body and formed with a material passage connecting the recess and the valve passage at positions well within the confines of the body, a valve member movably disposed within the valve passage and constructed to simultaneously close the material passage and the valve passage when the valve member is at one end of its path of movement with its end projected at least to the plane of said surface of the body at the discharge end of the valve passage, the valve member having a valve stem movable therewith, a coiled spring disposed around the valve stem between the valve member and a part of said body and. normally biasing the valve member toward the aforesaid end of its path of movement, and a valve operating handle substantially pivotally connected to the valve stem and arranged and constructed to fit wholly snugly against the body of a non-projecting inoperative position when the handle is swung in one direction about its pivotal connection with the valve stem and to be held tightly against the body in projecting operative condition when the handle is swung in the reverse direction, the spring being in re-acting relation to the body to hold the handle in either its non-projecting inoperative condition or its projecting operative position.

ROBERT J. LAGEMANN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 483,690 Jones Oct. 4, 1892 832,499 Nystrom et al Oct. 2, 1906 872,536 Nystrom Dec. 3, 1907 1,356,837 Stegmaier Oct. 26, 1920 1,837,552 Kelly Dec. 22, 1931 1,848,172 Hengesbach Mar. 8, 1932 2,046,474 Maggenti July 7, 1936 2,135,178 Glauber Nov. 1, 1938 2,263,731 Hynek Nov. 25, 1941 2,327,285 Opitz Aug. 17, 1943