US2681558A - Closure device - Google Patents

Description

H. TYSKA CLOSURE DEVICE Filed Dec. 14, 1950 m M N R m l r A Y. E mm m g m 7/ w mw Patented June 22, 954

CLOSURE DEVICE HenryTyska; VailsGate, N..Y. Applicationneceniber14, 195.0,,Soria1 No. 200,740

r presentinvention relates to an improved closure-device and it" relates more particularly-ta an improved closure device of; the self retaining type 'which is advantageously applicable to the orifices of automobile gasoline tanks, radiators or anyother containerorifices towhich access is regularly required.

The devices now' generally employed in the automotive field for-the closing of the gasoline tank or= radiatororiiices are ofthe bayonet type wherein-the-closure is; provided with one or more radial projections-orlugs'and the orifice neck is provided; with corresponding bayonet grooves each-consisting of a longitudinal groove or slit joined toa slopingperipheral groove or slitand terminating-at the orifice. In order to apply this closure to arr-orifice, itis necessary to bring the lugs int-o registry with the orifice ends of the corresponding bayonet grooves, depress the closure and then twist it to complete the operation of' closing the orifice; It is apparent that this closing operation is at its best awkward and time consuming; Furthermore; failure to complete all the required'steps' often results in a lost closure and-since the useof these closures is regular such losses are common. There have been many attempts to overcome the aforesaid drawbacks of the bayonet type closure device but these attempts haveresulted in devices which are either too com plex and expensive or have failed to overcome thesedrawbacks and hence have. not, been commercialiyadopted;

An'object-ofthe presentiinvention is to provide animproved closure deviceof the snap-on selfretaining-type which may be easily locked in a.

snap-on self-retaining device in. connection withv anorificeneck adapter for converting the bayonet or othertype of orifice neck for. use with theimproved closure device.

The above and other objects of the present in-1 vention will become apparent from alreading of the, following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig; Us a top plan view of the improved closure device incombination with an auxiliary orifice tubeas-appliedto a container orifice;

Fig. 2 is-a front elevational view partially in 2 Claims. (Cl. 70'1-67) Fig: 3" is a sectional view along line 3-4 or truding through said apertures, and resilient, means formed of astripof spring material and" shaped to nest within. said body member and to press against said detents to urge the same radially outwardly. This closure device. is..ap,-- plicablev to a corresponding orifice neck or spout ofa suitable sizeadaptedto receive the closure device, having its edge portion upwardly and out? wardly flanged so as to urge theclosure detents.

inwardly as the closure device isappliedandhaving a peripheral groove of concave cross section relative to theinner face ofthe wall and adapted to permit theoutward movement of the. detents and hencethe sealing of; the orifice andtheree tention of the. closure device. The orifice :orneck may be a separate component providedwith means for attaching to the usual bayonet type, of orifice neck thus permitting the adaptationof; the usualorifice for use with the improved closure device. An arrangement is provided to permit: the, locking of the closure device and its removal: from the orifice only with the corresponding-key;

Reference is now made to the drawings and more particularly; to Figs. 1-6 thereof, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the: pres ent. invention, wherein. l0 designates the orifice neck: or spout :to. which the improved closure device is-to. be applied and whichcommunicates with; an automobile radiator, gasoline tank orother container requiring periodic access. The upper end of the neck I0 is of the common construction affording a pair of oppositely disposed bayonet slots and consists of aninwardly pro. jecting circular flange ll provided withdepende ingportions I2, the bottomedges. l3 of. which. slope upwardly in a counter-clockwise direction. as viewed in Fig. 3 to out out. lug receivingpoh tions. l4. Furthermore, the lower portions oi the edges l3 terminate in stop members l6 which are integral extensions of the depending portions l2.

An auxiliary or supplementary orifice tube I1 is provided which is constructed to accept the improved closure device and which may be easily coupled to the orifice neck 10. The orifice tube l1 includes an upper section 24 connected to a tubular coupling member l8 of smaller cross section having a diameter slightly less than that of the inner edge of the flange I2. Moreover, a pair of oppositely disposed lugs l5 which project radially outwardly are integrally formed in the coupling member l8. Further, the upper edge of the coupling member I8 is connected by means of a substantially fiat shoulder 19 to th'e'wall 20 of the upper portion 24. The wall is of substantially S-shaped cross section as viewed on the right side of Fig. 5 to provide an arcuate.

cular aperture is formed in the cap member 4|.

A locking mechanism 43 is disposed within the body member 34 and includes a collar or sleeve member 44 which is supported from the cap member 4| and communicates with the circular aperture formed in the cap member. A rotatable cylinder 45 is positioned in the sleeve 44 and is provided with any well known type of tumbler groove 2| in the inner face of the wall 2! a reentrant portion 22 and an outwardly sloping upper portion 23. The auxiliary orifice tube l'i'may be formed of sheet steel or any other suitable insure a substantially noiseless and fluid tight seal. A self-tapping screw is passed through the shoulder l9, the gasket 26 and the flange i! in order to securely lock the auxiliary orifice tube in position.

A closure device 30 of the present improved construction is slidably hinged to the auxiliary orifice tube l8 by means of a pair of spaced slotted elements 32 which depend from the closure device 30. The slots in the elements 32 are engaged by a pin 33 which is secured to the auxiliary orifice tube thus permitting the raising of the closure device 39 and its swinging away from the orifice, thus permitting free access thereto.

The closure device 39 includes a cup shaped body member 34 having a cylindrical wall 36 the upper edge of which is provided with anoutwardly projecting peripheral flange 31. rality of angular spaced circular apertures 33 are formed in the cylindrical wall 36 at substantially the same level. Associated with each of the apertures 38 is a spherical or ball detent of slightly larger diameter than the aperture diameter, the spherical detents being disposed in the body member 34 and normally protruding through the apertures 38. Resilient means 39 formed of a strip of spring material, preferably spring steel or the like, is nested in the body member 34. The resilient means 39 are provided with recessed portions 48 which abut the inner faces of the detents 35 and are sprung to urge the spherical detents radially outwardly until they normally rest in the circular apertures 35. Since, in the present embodiment, three detents are illustrated, the resilient means assumes the shape of a triangle 7 having rounded corners which abut the inner face of the cylindrical wall 38 and sides which abut the detents 35. However, it is obvious that any other number of detents 35 may be employed and the resilient means assume a correspondingly different shape. Furthermore, while the detents 35 have been illustrated as spherical or ball shaped, they may be of any other suitable shape.

A plumechanism and a key way 46. accessible through the aperture in the cap member 4|. Depending axially from the lower end of the cylinder is the shaft 4! on which is mounted a locking cam 48 rotatable with the cylinder 45 and secured in position by a horseshoe locking element 49. The cam 48 is substantially fiat and is providedwith angularly spaced recessed portions 5|] and intervening raised portions 5| each corresponding in number to the number of detents. The recessed portions 50 are so spaced and shaped that when 30 the cam 48 is rotated so that the recessed portions confront the detents 35 they are permitted to move radially inwardly. Thus when the closure device is inserted or removed from the axiliary closure tube the detents are moved inwardly as they pass along the flange 23 and the reentrant portion 22 and the portions 45 of the resilient means are caused to flex inwardly. When the device 30 is in closed position, the detents 35 are urged outwardly by the resilient means 39 and are forced against the underface of the reentrant portion 22 urging the closure device 30 downwardly and thereby retaining it in. closed position. However, when the cam 48 is rotated to bring the raised portions 5| thereof in confronting relationship with the detents 35, the

movement of the detents is greatly restricted and they are substantially locked in their outermost position. Thus, when the closure device 30' is inserted in the auxiliary orifice tube I! and the detents are looked, as aforesaid, the closure de-" vice 30 cannot be removed from the orifice tube since the reentrant portion 22 abuts the upper faces of the locked detents 35 and prevents the upward movement of the closure device 30. It should be noted that an annular gasket 54 of any suitable material is supported in the closure device in contact with the underface of the flange 31 in order to effect an acceptable liquid tight, closure of the orifice and minimize rattle. 1

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is obvious that numerous changes and omissions may be made without departing from the, spirit thereof. For example, while the closure device has been described and illustrated as hinged to the auxiliary orifice tube ll, it is apparent that these may be separate and unat tached.

I claim as my invention:

1. A closure device of the character described comprising a hollow body member having a cylindrical wall, said wall having a plurality of angularly spaced apertures formed therein, a

. plurality of detents movably disposed within said body member and normally protrudjmg;

through said corresponding apertures, resilient means formed of a strip of spring material disposed within said body member and abutting the inner faces of said detents to urge said detents radially outwardly relative to said cylindrical walland a cam member mounted within said body member and rotatable about the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical wall and at the level of said detents said cam member having a raised portion which may be brought into close confronting relationship with at least one of said detents to lock said detent in its substantially outermost position.

2. A closure device of the character described comprising a cup shaped body member having a cylindrical wall, said wall having a plurality of angularly spaced circular apertures formed therein, a circular cap member coaxially secured to the open end of said body portion and having its periphery extending radially beyond said cylindrical wall, a plurality of spherical detents of greater diameter than said apertures disposed within said body member and normally protruding through said corresponding apertures, resilient means formed of a strip of spring material nesting in said body member and provided with radially recessed portions abutting the inner surfaces of said detents to urge said detents radially outwardly relative to said cylindrical wall, said cap having a circular aperture formed therein coaxial with said cap, a sleeve member depending from said cap and c0- axial with said cap aperture, a cylindrical member rotatably mounted in said sleeve and having a key receiving slot and a cam member secured to the lower end of said cylindrical member and rotatable therewith said cam member having a plurality of angularly spaced raised portions which may be brought into close confronting relationship with the corresponding detents to lock said detents in their substantially outermost positions.

References Cited in the file of this pate t UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,786,332 Bradshaw Dec. 23, 1930 1,826,023 Roberts Oct. 6, 1931 2,304,364 Marshall Dec. 8, 1942 2,411,058 Rockwell Nov. 12, 1946 2,581,537 Maisch Jan. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 332,790 Great Britain July 31, 1930 533,653 Germany Sept. 17, 1931

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