US2931542A - Pop-up spout for non-refillable bottles - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1960 M. G. BARUH POP-UP SPOUT FOR NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLES Filed May 13, 1957 BARUH I M TOR. v MORTCW ATTORNEYS ll'llI I I I! I POP-UP SPOUT FOR NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLES Morton G. Baruh, San Jose, Calif.

Application May 13, 1957, Serial No. 658,792

Claims. (Cl. 222-500) The present invention relates to bottles, and pertains more particularly to a pour spout which will make nonrefillable a bottle in which it is mounted.

It is common practice in some homes, and in most bars, to provide liquor bottles with a pouring spout of substantially less diameter than the mouth of the bottle. Such pour spouts facilitate filling small glasses or jiggers commonly used as measuring units for the liquor.

It is further desirable to provide means on a liquor bottle to prevent the user from refilling the bottle. While it is against the law in the United States to refill an empty liquor bottle, still it is a diflicult law to enforce, and its violation tends to adversely affect the sale of the more expensive brands of liquor.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a bottle closure having a non-refillable, pop-up pour spout which will permit the entire liquor contents to be poured from the bottle.

.T he invention also provides a bottle with an improved, non-refillable pour spout capable of being capped with a conventional bottle cap.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved,.non-refillable, pop-up pour spout for bottles.

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, showing the neck portion of a bottle having a non-refillable, pop-up, pour spout embodying the present invention inserted therein, the bottle being shown capped with a conventional, screw type cap.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the screw cap removed, and the pour-spout in extended, operative condition.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the bottle in inverted, pouring condition.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 2. v

Fig.5 is a fragmentary sectional view through one side of the mouth of a bottle having a modified form of plug retaining flange and groove construction.

Briefly, the device A, illustrating the invention, comprises a pop-up, non-refillable spout member 10, comprising a tubular upper portion 11, and a larger diameter lower portion 12, the upper portion 11 having a vent passage 13 therethrough. The spout member is fitted for'axial slidable movement in anaxial opening 14 in a cork-like bottle closure plug 15.

The larger diameter lower spout portion 12 is of a size and shape to fit closely into a cavity 17 (Fig. 2) provided therefor in the lower or inner end of the closure plug 15, so as to lie flush with the bottom of the closure plug when the spout is extended as in'Figs. 2 and 3.

A coil spring 18 normally biases the spout portion 10 upwardly to its extended, operative condition of Fig. 2, but permits the spout to be pushed down to its retracted condition shown in Fig. 1, which permits the application of an ordinary screw type bottle cap B.

A valve ball 19, mounted in a valve chamber 20 in the larger diameter lower spout portion 12, rests on and seals a valve opening 21 in the lower end of the chamber 20 when the bottle is upright. This prevents refilling of the bottle, and at the same time seals the bottle between uses to prevent the evaporation of its contents.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a bottle neck C, of otherwise conventional form, is provided with an inner annular locking groove 22 a short distance below the mouth 23 of the bottle.

The bottle closure plug 15 is of a size to fit closely within the neck of the bottle, as shown in Figs. 1-3, and is provided with a radially projecting annular locking flange 24 of a size and shape to fit closely into the groove 22. The closure plug 15 preferably is made of slightly compressible, and preferably somewhat elastic material, such as one of the many well known plastics, so that the flange 14 may be compressed sufiiciently to permit the closure plug 15 to be inserted into the bottle neck C as shown.

The axial hole '14 through the closure plug 15 has an annular'flange 25 extending inwardly around its lower end to provide support for the coil compression spring 18, and also to serve as a guide for the upper tubular spout portion 11.

The spring 18 is held in compression between the flange 25 and a radially extending annular flange 27 provided on the upper spout portion 11. The flange 27 is so located on the spout portion 11, that when the pour spout 10 is in its extended condition shown in Fig. 2, the top of the flange 27 will be substantially flush with the top of the closure plug 15.

The pour spout 10 comprises the tubular upper portion 11 fitted into a hole of corresponding shape provided therefor in the upper end of the larger diameter lower spout portion 12. An annular stop flange 28 on the tubular upper portion 11 fits into a correspondingly shaped rabbeted recess in the upper end of the larger diameter lower portion 12 to limit insertion of the tubular upper portion 11 when assembling these two parts. The two parts 11 and 12 preferably are secured together in a usual manner by heat fusion or suitable plastic adhesive, not shown. The upper tubular portion 11 has a pouring passage 29 as well as the vent passage 13, both extending entirely therethrough.

The valve ball 19 is of suitable material, such as metal, and preferably is substantially heavier than water. The ball 19 is of a size to close and seal the valve opening 21 when resting therein as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the annular, heart-shaped valve chamber 20 has its upper annular lobe 30 of a size to receive the ball 19 therein when the bottle is inverted to pouring position as shown in Fig. 3.

As mentioned previously herein, the lower pour-spout portion 12 is of a size and shape to fit closely into, and

. to substantially fill, the cavity 17 in the bottom of the closure plug 15, so as to lie substantially flush with the inner end of the closure plug, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when the pour spout 10 is in its popped-up or extended condition shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The portion of the pour spout above the spring retaining flange 27 is of a length to permit the pour spout 10 to be forced axially downwardly flush with the top of the plug 15 upon compression of the spring 18 to its position shown in Fig. 1. This permits the application of the conventional, screw-type closure cap B to the bottle neck C. The screw cap B is provided with a conventional sealing disc 31 of suitable material, such as cork or plastic.

The invention provides an automatic pop-up type, nonrefillable pour spout for bottles used to contain liquids, and one which permits the capping of the bottle with a Patented Apr. 5, 1960 ages 1 ,542

conventional bottle cappriorto the time the bottle is to be" opened for use. The non-refillable feature of the invention prevents refilling of a bottle to which the device A is applied without destruction of the closu're plug, "and also seals the bottle against evaporation of its contents between uses. I While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodirnent of the present invention, it will be understood however, that various changes and modifications may be made in the details thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is defined in the following claims.

I claim: v Q l. Anon-refillable, po -up, dispensing device for hottles comprising a closure plug of a size to fit snugly into a bottle neck of predetermined internal diamter, said closure plug having a h'oleof substantially smaller diameter than the plug axially therethrough and having a cavity in its inner end of larger diameter than the axial hole and openly communicating with the axial hole through the plug, a firstspring' supporting flange extending into the axial plug opening, a pour spout comprising an upper tubular portion extending with a'slidable fit through the axial hole in the plug, a second spring engaging flange on said tubular portion fitted for axial movement in the axial plug opening, a larger diameter lower portion on said tubular portion fitting closely into the cavity in the closure plug and flush with the lower end of said plug with the pour spout in extended condition, a valve chamber formed in the large diameter lower portion, said valve chamber having a valve opening "in its lower end, -a valve ball mounted'in said valve chamber, and of a size to fit onto and to seal said valve opening when a bottle in which the pour spout is mounted is in upright condition, said valve chamber being of a size and shape to free the valve ball for lateral movement to a position out of alignment with the valve opening and the bore of the tubular upper portion when the bottle is tilted laterally to pouring condition, and spring means mounted in compression between the first and second flanges and biasing the pour spout axially toextended, pouring condition with the larger diameter'lower pour spout portion in flush, interfitted relation in the plug cavity, the tubular portion being of a length for movement'downwardly against the action of said spring means to a condition substantially flush with the mouth of a bottle on which the pour spout is mounted for capping the bottle.

'2. A non-refillable, pop-up dispensing device for hottles comprising a closure plug adapted to fit into the neck of abottle, said plug having an axial hole therethrough and having also a cavity of larger diameter than said hole and in the inner end thereof and openly communicating with the axial hole, a tubular pour spout mounted for axial slidable movement in the hole in the plug, a valve chamber on the lower end of the pour spout and of a size and shape to fit closely into the plug cavity and flush with the lower end of the plug when the pour spout is extended, spring means acting between the pour spout and the plug and normally urging the pour spout to extended, pouring position and the valve cham her to flush seated condition in the plug cavity, an opening in the lower end of the valve chamber for admitting liquid from the bottle through the valve chamber into the tubular pour spout, and valve'means seate'd"in"th valve opening to seal it in an upright condition of the plug and a bottle in which it is mounted, said valve means gravitating laterally clar of the tubular pouring spout and the valve opening when the bottle is tilted laterally from an upright condition to pour liquid from the bottle, said pour spout being of a'length for movement downwardly against the bias of the spring means to acondition substantially fiush with the mouth of a bottle in which the po'ur spout is mounted for capping the bottle.

3. An arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the valve means is a ball, and the valve chamber has 'a' hole in its upper end of a size to receive the valve ball therein, and the lower end of the tubular pour spout is fitted into and is secured in the hole in the upper end of the valve chamber.

4. An arrangement according to claim 2 for a bottle having a groove in the neck thereof wherein the plug is provided with a flange having across sectional configuration corresponding to that of the groove in the bottle neck and positioned to fit into and fill said groove when the plug is inserted into the bottle neck to lock the plug therein.

5. Anon-refillable, pop-up dispensing device'for bottles comprising a closureplug adapted to fit into the neck of a bottle, said plug having an axial hole therethrough of substantially smaller diameter than the plug, and having also a cavity in the inner end thereof of larger diameter than the hole and openly communicating with the axial hole, a tubular pour spout mounted for axial slidable movement in the hole in the plug, a valve chamber on the lower end of the pour spout and of a size and shape conforming to that of the cavity, thereby tofit closely into the plug cavity and flush with the lower end of the plug when the pour spout is extended, the pour spout being axially movable inthe plug from extended pouring position wherein the valve chamber'is in flush seated condition in the plug cavity, to retracted condition'wherein the outer end of the pour spout-is substantially flush with the outer end of the plug for capping the bottle, the valve chamber having an opening in the lower end thereof for admitting liquid from the bottle through the valve chamber into the tubular pour spout, and valve means seated in the valve opening to seal it in an upright condition of the plug and a bottle in which it is mounted, said valve means gravitating laterally clear of the tubular pouring spout and the valve opening when the bottle is tilted laterally from an upright condition to pour liquid from the bottle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 527,726 Scheider et al. Oct. 16, 1894 788,118 Perotti Apr. 25, 1905 2,019,251 Cooke Oct. 29, 1935 2,141,871 Koukal Dec. 27, 1938 2,419,769 Frank Apr. 29, 1947 2,585,381 Gronemeyer et al. Feb. 12, 1952 2,643,799 Countryman June 30, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 426,037 Great Britain Mar. 26, 1935 777,142 France Nov. 17, 1934

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