US2693978A

US2693978A - Closure member for containers

Info

Publication number: US2693978A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bakker Willen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-05-11
Filing date: 1951-06-29
Publication date: 1954-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 1971-11-09

Description

Nov. 9, 1954 w. BAKKER CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS Filed June 29, 1951 FIG.5 FIG.6

FIG.4

FIG .8

FIG.3

. INVENTOR 43.} ATTORNEY;

United States Patent 2,693,978 CLOSURE MEMBER FOR CONTAINERS. Willem at lers imli tm N h r a ds Appiication June 29, 1951, Serial N0. 234,182 Claims priority, application Netherlands May 11, 1951 2 Claims. (Ch 292.-25 6.6)

The invention relates to a closure member for containers, comprising a cover having an overhanging. wall arranged on the inner or outerside around the neck of the container and a rolling ring of resilient material provided between the cover wall, and the neck of the container, said ring maintaining the cover against the top edge of the container when the latter is in its locked position.

When using similar closure members which present generally an elastic joint ring or joint sheet provided between the top edge of the container neck and cover it was hitherto of common use to apply a rolling ring with a smooth surface. This does not only Present the draw% back that the rolling ring may slip when closing the container, thus reducing the closing force applied on the cover or even entirely preventing the occurring of said force, but also that special measures'haye to be taken in order to prevent that on closing the 'cover no excess pressure and on opening the cover no under-pressure occurs in thecontainer or the space, between the cover wall and the container wall above "the 'rolling ring, respectively.

The above specified disadvantages are met by the closure member according to the invention by that the rolling ring presents on at least two parts of its periphery which are spaced relative to one another ribs and grooves arranged in such a manner as to form teeth which so cooperate with corresponding grooves and ribs provided on the walls of the cover and the container neck facing the rolling ring that on opening and closing the cover said teeth of the rolling ring will engage said grooves on the walls. Due to the fact that the teeth of the rolling ring will engage the ribs of the cover wall and the container wall as is the case with a gear wheel, any slipping of the rolling ring relative to said walls of the cover and the container neck is impossible. In addition, the rolling ring according to the invention need not be clamped between two faces, as is the case with smooth rolling rings, to make it possible that such smooth rolling rings turn about their own axes, but some play may exist between the rolling rings and said faces, since the teeth will assure the rolling action. A further advantage of this construction resides in the fact that no exactly determined dimensions for the rolling ring need be considered, while the space above the rolling ring constantly communicates with the atmosphere past said ring.

According to the invention the teeth in use with said closure member and with the rolling ring applied to it, respectively, may be so constructed that the cross section of the rolling ring is of starlike shape on any part of the ring Where teeth are present. Said teeth may also have a pyramidical shape.

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings showing by way of example a closure member according to the invention and some rolling rings, and in which:

The Figures 1-6 represent in side-view and in cross section, respectively, four embodiments of part of a rolling ring according to the invention.

Figure 7 shows part of a closure member according to the invention.

The Figures 8-10 are a lateral view and a cross sectional view, respectively, of three embodiments of part of a rolling ring in use on the closure member as shown in Figure 7.

Referring now to the figures, the rolling ring 1 presents a plurality of thickened portions arranged in spaced relation to each other on the periphery of the ring. The figures only illustrate the portions 2 and 3. Each of said thickened portions is provided on its periphery. with toothlike ribs extending circumferentially ofthe rolling ring, so that said thickened portions present in cross section along the line lVlV of Figure -l the shape illustrated in Figure 4.

The rolling ring 4 as shown in Figure 2 is in the same manner as. the rolling ring 1 shown in Figure'l provided with thickened portions 5, 6, but said thickened portions have at their periphery pyramidical teeth 9.

The rolling ring 7 as shown in the Figures 3 and 4 presents on the whole of its surface teeth 3 extending circumferentially, the rolling ring 8 as illustrated in the Figures 5 and 6 having pyramidical teeth 9 on the whole of its surface.

Figure 6 represents in cross section along the line VI-;1V'-l the rolling rings 4 and 8 shown in the Figures 2 an 5.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of part of a container neck 10, said container being provided with a cover 11 which is also only partly represented; In this figure the cover 11 is in a position in which the container is not yet quite closed. The neck 10 presents on its outer face ribs 12 and grooves 13serving as teeth.

The cover 11 has anoverhanging wall 14 engaging the neck '10 of the container. Said overhanging wall presents on its interior face ribs 15 and grooveslfi which also serve as teeth.

Between the inner wall 14 of the cover and the neck wall 10 of the container there is provided a rolling ring 17: of elastic material which is so fitted with grooves and ribs that it presents in cross section the shape of a star with four points. The dimensions of the rolling ring 17, of its points, as well as of the ribs and grooves in the inner wall of the cover and in the neck wall of the container are so determined that the rolling ring cooperates like a gear wheel with the above mentioned grooves and ribs. Due to this construction the air which is present between the points of the star will be in a position to escape from the space above the rolling ring when said ring makes a revolution about its own axis, i. e. when the cover is pushed downwardly, whereas on opening the cover air may penetrate into the space above the rolling ring 17.

The rolling ring is of molded elastic and the molded elastic rolling ring is rolled by the rolling force of the cover 11 moving relative to the neck of the container. When the ring is rolled slightly more than one half of one full revolution but less than a full revolution, the ring is elastically stressed and the stress set up therein acts to urge the ring to self-complete the revolution and return to its original state. Considering the locking nature of the ring in the closing action of the cover, it will be understood that when the cover is closed tight and movement thereof relative to the neck has ceased, the ring will be in a rolled state of slightly more than one half of a full revolution and will be under 'elastic stress to complete the full revolution. Such stress will urge the Patented ring to complete the full revolution and the ring will respond to such urgement by acting on the cover to hold it tightly in a closed position. In this respect, it will be noted, from a consideration of Fig. 7, that the rolling ring is rolled in an anti-clockwise direction as the flange of the cover moves downwardly relative to the neck of the container to assume a closed position. The ring is rolled in an anti-clockwise direction and walks downwardly on the neck and upwardly on the flange. When the closure wall of the cover bears tightly on the joint ring 18 and compresses it, the rolling ring will then be in a rolled position where it has just executed slightly more than one half ofone revolution, that is, the last revolution in a series. Therefore, the elastic stress set up therein will urge it to complete the revolution and return to its natural state and the ring will act, under such stress, on the flange of the cover to hold the cover down tightly on the joint ring 18.

The Figures 8 and 9 illustrate two embodiments of rolling rings adapted for use at the container with cover according to Figure 7.

The rolling ring 19 as shown in Figure 8 has in spaced 3 relation portions of starlike cross section presenting four points 20. The rolling ring 21 as shown in Figure 9 has on the whole of its surface a starlike cross section with four points 22.

It is evident that instead of a starlike cross section with four points such a cross section with any given number of points may be applied. Thus, for example, the rolling ring 23 presents eight points 24..

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown by way of example in the accompanying drawing and referred to above, but that these embodiments are subject to modification in various ways Without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, for example, the grooves in the walls of the cover and the container neck may be provided in local ribs or riblike portions of the cover and/or the container neck. This construction will assure that the space above the rolling ring continuously communicates with the atmosphere, since the air can always flow past the ribs into and out of the space above the rolling ring. The joint ring 18 may just as well be substituted by an elastic joint sheet provided in the cover. It is evident that for closing the cover the rolling ring must always make at least more than one half of a full revolution or more than an odd number of half revolutions but less than an even number of half revolutions. In other words, the ring will end up in a stressed state wherein it has executed slightly greater than one half of one revolution and is left in such elastically stressed state to act on the cover and hold the cover under elastic force in its closed position.

I claim:

1. In combination, a container having a neck formed with exterior alternating circumferentially extending vertically spaced ribs and grooves, a cover having a depending wall extending around the neck in spaced radial relation thereto and having alternating circumferentially extending ribs and grooves, and a molded elastic rolling ring interposed between the wall and the neck of the container and having circumferentially spaced thickened portions, said thickened portions being formed with angularly spaced radial teeth and said teeth defining grooves therebetween, the teeth of the rolling ring cooperating with the ribs and grooves on the neck and wall of the cover so that on opening and closing the cover the teeth of the rolling ring will engage in the grooves and mesh with the ribs.

2. In combination, a container having a neck formed with vertically spaced exterior circumferentially extending ribs, said ribs defining circumferential grooves therebetween, a cover for said container having a depending peripheral flange circumposed on the neck in spaced radial relation thereto and having interior alternating circumferentially extending ribs and grooves, and a molded elastic rolling closing ring interposed between the flange and the neck and having circumferentially angularly spaced radially projecting teeth meshing with the ribs on the flange and neck to hold the cover under elastic force in a closed position on the neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 138,502 King May 6, 1873 769,866 Jones Sept. 13, 1905 1,502,673 Hole July 29, 1924 2,247,609 De Vilbiss July 1, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 101,734 Australia July 30, 1937 173,852 Germany Sept. 13, 1905 482,443 France Dec. 28, 1916 597,765 France Sept. 7, 1925