US3027043A - Closure device - Google Patents

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F9 if u 27 2'3 6 J. M. NEsTlc CLOSURE DEVICE March 27, 1962 Filed May 22, 1959 Arron/vex;

March 27, 1962 J. M. NESTIC CLOSURE DEVICE ArroRNEYS ufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ghio Filed May 22, 1959, Ser. No. 815,196 7 Claims. (Cl. 22040) This invention relates to closure devices for fluid containers such as the pressure-type radiators of certain engine cooling systems, and relates more particularly to closure devices of the kind having a safe-removal type of closure cap by which a preliminary venting of the pressure of the container or radiator is achieved to prevent personal injury'due to a too-sudden release of heated vapor or steam.

Closure caps of the safe-removal type have been proposed heretofore and it has also been recognized that the safe-removal characteristic can be achieved by producing a safety stop position or interruption in the unlocking or disengaging movement of the cap. When this is done a too-sudden removal of the cap from its associated filler neck is usually prevented but, if the operator actuates the cap in a manner to either accidentally or deliberately avoid or violate the safety stop position, the cap may be blown off the neck by the sudden release of the confined pressure and serious personal injury may result.

As one of its objects, the present invention accordingly provides a novel closure device and cap of the safe-removal type having means for preventing the cap from being blown off its associated filler neck when the safety stop'position is either accidentally or deliberately avoided or violated during the unlocking or disengaging movement of the cap.

Another object is to provide a novel closure device and cap of the safe-removal type having safety means for producing a plurality or succession of safety stop positions or interruptions in the unlocking or disengaging movement of the cap, and wherein the feature of such a safety means is obtained without material increase in the complexity of the cap or in the manufacturing operations for producing the same.

A further object is to provide a safe removal closure cap of the kind adapted for detachable connection with a filler neck or the like and wherein the interruption-producing and blow-oif preventing means comprise elements on the cap body and filler neck adapted for direct mutual co-operating engagement in a sequential relation during the unlocking rotation, the elements of the cap preferably being lug elements and the elements of the filler neck preferably being stop elements associated with locking cams or the like.

Still another object is to provide such a safe-removal closure cap wherein the cap body has an annular flange and the lug elements comprise attaching lugs and safety lugs located on such flange with the safety lugs offset from the attaching lugs in directions along and around the rotation axis of the cap body.

Additionally this invention provides a novel form of such a safe-removal cap wherein the stop elements are surmountably engageable by the attaching lugs and the safety lugs in succession and are carried by laterally projecting portions of the filler neck, and wherein the safety lugs are hook-shaped and extend beneath such projecting portions.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent in the following detailed description and in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which,

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a closure device embodying this invention and showing the cap in its fully locked and pressure-sealing position on its associated filler neck;

3,922,943 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 FIG. 2 is an axial section taken through the device on section line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axial section similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing the cap in a pressure-relieving condition and rotative position corresponding with a first safety stop position or interruption in the unlocking rotation;

FIG. 4 is another such axial section but showing the cap in the rotative position corresponding with the second safety stop position or interruption in the unlocking rotation, and with the cap restrained against blow-off;

FIG. 5 is a larger-scale side elevation showing the cap completely unlocked and partially removed from the filler neck;

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation showing the cooperation of one of the safety lugs of the cap with one of the safety stops of the neck and corresponding with the cap rotative position shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a transverse axial section taken through the cap body in detached relation and further illustrating the attaching and safety lugs;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the filler neck;

FIG. 9 is an axial section taken through the filler neck on section line 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an elevational development view of the looking members of the filler neck and of the cam portions carried thereby.

As representing a preferred embodiment of this invention, FIGS. 1 to 5 inclusive show a closure device 10 comprising a tubular member or filler neck 11 and a closure cap 12 adapted for detachable mounting on such filler neck. The closure device 10 can be used on any of various tanks or containers adapted to hold fluid under pressure and is here shown as being of a construction intended for use on the radiator of a pressure-type cooling system for an internal combustion engine. 7

The filler neck 11 is of a conventional form comprising a substantially cylindrical member having-laterally or transversely extending external and internal annular flanges 13 and 14 providing axially spaced outer and inner annual seats 15 and 16. The filler neck 11 is adapted to be mounted on the associated radiator or tank with the axial passage 17 thereof communicating with such radiator or tank through the central opening 18 of the internal flange 14. At a point between the annular seats 15 and 16, the side wall of the filler neck is preferably provided with a vent and overflow nipple 19 to which a drain pipe 20 is suitably connected.

In addition to providing the filler neck 11 with the annular seat 15, the flange 13 also forms a connecting means with which the cap 12 co-operates for releasably connecting the latter with the neck. As shown in FIG. 5 and in the development View of FIG. 10, the flange 13 of the filler neck 11 is provided with circumferentially spaced depending arcuate locking members 22 and with access openings 23 between the adjacent ends of these locking members. The locking members 22 each carry locking elements comprising an inclined locking cam 24 and an adjacent substantially straight portion 25 at the bottom of an associated horizontal dwell or pressure release notch means.

The locking members 22 also comprise limit stops 26 located at the high ends of the locking cams 24 and rotation-arresting safety stops 27 located at the low ends of the cams, that is, between the access openings 23 and the adjacent ends of the dwell portions 25. The manner in which portions of the cap 12 cooperate with the access openings 23 and with the various portions of the locking members 22 will be explained hereinafter.

The cap 12 comprises, in general, a cap body 29 and an inner transverse member or diaphragm means associated therewith and here shown as comprising a single resiliently flexible disk-like diaphragm 30. The cap 12 also comprises an inner closure means 31 connected with the cap body 29 by an axial stem 32, and a spring means interposed between the diaphragm 30 and the inner closure means and here shown as being a helical spring 33 coaxially surrounding the stem 32.

The cap body 29 preferably comprises a cup-shaped "member having a transverse top wall 35' and a depending marginal flange or skirt 36. The flange 36 and the transverse top Wall 35 are here shown as having laterally extending portions forming lever elements 37 on the cap body for assisting an operator in manually grasping the same. The cap 12 also comprises attaching or looking lugs 38 which are here shown as comprising inturned portions of the marginal flange 36 of the'cap body and which lugs are axially movable through the access openings 23 of the filler neck 11 for co-operation with the various portions of the locking members 22 in a manner which will appear hereinafter. The-locking lugs 38 are somewhat shorter in circumferential length than the 'access'openings 23 so as to be axially movable therethrough with a small clearance between the'ends of the locking lugsand the edges of the limit stops and safety stops 26 and 27 which are presented toward the access openings.

In accordance with this invention, the cap 12 also comprises hook-shaped safety holding means 39 for co-operation with the locking members 22 for preventing the cap from being blown off the'neck 11, as will be further explained hereinafter. "The holding means 39 preferably comprises safety lugs 39* carried by the cap body 29 and actuatable by the samemovements of the cap body 'as those which actuate the attaching or locking lugs 38.

The safety lugs 39* are formed by in-turned 'ends of depending arm portions 39 of the flange 36. As shown in FIGS. and '7, the arm portions'39 are integral projections of the flange 36 and are formed on the latter adjacent the attaching lugs 38 "so that the safety lugs 39 will be offset from the attaching lugs in directions extending both around'and along the rotation axis of the cap body 29. As is readily apparent from FIG.'6, the

circumferential spacing ofthe safety lugs 39 from the attaching lugs 38 is greater than the circumferential width of the safety stops 27, 'and the-axial spacing of the safety lugs from the attaching lugs is as great or greater than the axial width of the safety stops.

The stem 32 provides a centering and connecting means for the diaphragm 30 and for the inner closure means 31 and is mounted on the cap'body 29 substantially cen- 'trally thereof. The stem 32has its outer end secured to the' transverse wall 35 as bybeing riveted thereto. At the lower end thereof, the stem 32'is provided with a head 40.

The inner closure means 31 comprises a cup-shaped hollow member or cage "41 having a transverse top wall 42 through which the stem 32 extends and which top wall is engageable with the head 40 for preventing separation of such inner closure means from the cap body 29. The inner closure means 31 alsocomprises a transverse bottom plate 43 extending across the chamber 44'of the cup shaped member 41 and mounted on the latter by flange or tab means 45 deflected inwardly into an overlying relation tothe flared annular lip 46 of such cupshaped member. The member 41 has one or more openings 47 in the upper portion thereof through which the chamber 44 is in communication with the neck passage '17 at all times.

The transverse bottom plate 43 is provided with a depending hollow stem means or rivet 48 defining a vent passage 49 extending axially throughthis bottom plate and through a gasket 50 lying against the lower face of such bottom plate. The gasket 50 is retained against the bottom plate 43 by the rivet 48 and has sealing engagement with the inner annular seat 16 of the filler neck when theclosure cap 'is applied thereto. The connection provided for the bottom plate 43 by the means 45 permits the member 41 to rotate relative to the bottom plate, suchvthat the gasket 50 can remain stationary against the seat 16 and be relatively free of any scufling action.

The inner closure means 31 is axially slidable on the stem 32 of the cap body 29 and is provided with an annular shoulder or spring seat 53 which is engaged by the lower end of the spring 33. The spring 33 is effective on the inner closure means 31 to press the latter against the inner seat 16 of the vfiller neck when the cap 12 is applied thereto and also presses the central portion of the diaphragm 39 against the central portion of the cap body 29.

The central portion of the cap body 29 is preferably inwardly offset so as to form a tapered axial boss 55 thereon. The diaphragm 30 preferably also has an axially offset central portion 56 defining a shallow recess which is held in seating engagement with the tapered boss 55 by the spring 33 for centering, or assisting in centering, the diaphragm in the cap body.

The annular portion of the diaphragm 30, which lies outwardly of the tapered wall portion 56, is preferably of a wavy or corrugated transverse shape as shown in the drawings. The peripheral portion of the diaphragm lying outwardly of such corrugated annular portion is a substantially fiat portion 58 for seating engagement against the outer annular seat 15 of the neck.

The inner closure means 31 is also provided with a check valve 60 comprising a valve member 61 and a supporting stem 62 extending through the vent passage 49. The stem 62 is provided with a head 63 which is located in the chamber 44 and is engageable with the upper end of the rivet 48 for maintaining the valve member 61 in a suspended relation adjacent the'gasket 50. The valve member 61 is preferably in the form ofa dished sheet metal member having an annular rim 64 for sealing engagement with the gasket 50 when this valve member is lifted and pressed against the latter, as shown in FIG. 2, by pressure in the radiator or tank to which the closure device 10 has been attached.

From the construction of the closure device 10 as above described, it will be seen that the cap 12 can be applied to the filler neck 11 by inserting the inner closure means 31 into the passage 17 of the neck and by successively moving the safety lugs 39 and the attaching lugs 38 through the access openings 23. During'this procedure the safety lugs 39 are passed through the access openings 23 first and are followed by the attaching lugs 38. The length of the arm portions 39 is such that the safety lugs 39 will arrive at a position below the safety stops 27 before the attaching lugs 38 come into engagement with the upper end of the neck 11. This relationship permits an initial clockwise rotation of the cap body 29 to move the safety lugs 39 beneath the safety stops 27, after which the attaching lugs 38 can be moved into co-operation with the locking members 22 by further clockwise rotation of the cap body.

The further clockwise rotation of the cap body 29 and the accompanying movement of the attaching lugs 38 into engagement with and along the locking earns 24, causes the cap 12 to assume a locked position on the neck 11 in which the diaphragm 30 is pressed against the outer annular seat 15 and the gasket 50 of the inner closure means 31 is pressed against the inner annular seat 16, as shown in FIG. 2. The fully-locked final rotative position of the cap 12 is with the attaching lugs 38 engaged against the limit stops 26 and with the safety lugs 39 lying beyond the limit stops, as shown in FIG. 1.

When pressure builds up in the radiator the check valve member 61 is lifted and pressed against the gasket 50 as shown in FIG. 2 to close the vent passage 49 and to maintain the radiator in a sealed condition. Whenever the radiator pressure becomes excessive, it lifts the inner closure member 31 in opposition to the spring 33 thereby causing the seal between the gasket 50 and the inner seat a 16 to be broken and the pressure vented to atmosphere through the pipe 24). When thepressure in the radiator subsides, such as upon cooling of the radiator, the check valve member 61 drops to a suspended open position similar to that shown in FIG. 4, thereby venting the radiator to atmosphere to prevent the occurrence of a vacuum therein.

' When the cap 12 is rotated in an unlocking or releasing counterclockwise. direction relative to the filler neck 11,

the attaching lugs 38 are moved in a downhill direction along the cams 24 and when they arrive at the pressure releasing or dwell portions 25, the pressure of the diaphragm against the outer seat 15 is relieved and the sealing engagement of the gasket 50 against the inner seat 16 is likewise relieved. At this time, the cap 12 occupies a position relative to the filler neck corresponding with that illustrated in FIG. 3, in which the pressure of the radiator is being properly and safely relieved and vented to atmosphere either through the open outer end of the neck or through the overflow and drain pipe 20 connected with the nipple 19.

When the unlocking rotation of the cap 12 is carried out in the normal and proper manner, the attaching lugs 33 will always come into engagement with the safety stops 27 when they arrive at a position opposite the dwell portions so that the unlocking movement will be interrupted and the pressure of the radiator safely vented, as explained above. If, however, the cap body is forcibly depressed and so maintained during the unlocking rotation to cause the attaching lugs 38 to avoid or violate the protective function of the safety stops 27, the safety lugs 39 will still lie beneath the locking members 22 and the tendency of the pressure of the radiator to blow the cap off the filler neck will be counteracted by the resulting hooked engagement of the safety lugs with the locking members (see FIGS. 4 and 6).

Even though the cap 12 is forcibly held in a depressed position durin g theiunlocking rotation thereof with the intention of causing the attaching. lugs 38 to avoid the safety stops 27, the unlocking rotation will necessarily be interrupted by the attaching lugs coming into engagement with the limit stops 26 as these lugs reach a position of alignment with the access opening 23. This as sured interruption in the unlocking rotation of the cap 12 locates the safety stops 27 beneath the dwell portions 25 to prevent blow-off, as explained just above.

During the unlocking rotation by which the attaching lugs 38 are caused to move past the safety stops 27, either by an interrupted proper unlocking rotation or by a forcibly depressed improper unlocking rotation as described just above, the cap will be axially liftable relative to the neck 11, either manually or by the action of the confined radiator pressure, to the position shown in FIG. 6. This always results in a second assured interruption in the cap removal by the safety lugs 39 coming into the hooked engagement with the dwell portions 25 at points thereof immediately adjacent the safety stops 27, as is also illustrated in FIG. 6. It will be noted also from FIG. 6 that, in addition to preventing a direct axial lift-off or blow-off movement of the cap upon the locking lugs 38 reaching the access opening 23, the safety lugs 39 again interrupt the unlocking rotation by their engagement with the safety stops 27 after the locking lugs have moved outwardly through the access openings.

To complete the removal of the cap 12 from its FIG. 6 position relative to the neck 11, it is necessary to again depress the cap to cause the safety lugs 39 to clear the safety stops 27. The space existing at this time between the locking lugs 38 and the flange of the neck 11 will permit this clearing movement, after which, the safety lugs 39 can be freely retracted through the access openings as the cap is lifted off the neck. The above-explained interruptions provide a delay interval in the removal of the cap during which the venting of the pressure of the radiator can safely take place.

From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be readily understood that this invention provides novel safety means ina closure device of the kind having a safe-removal closure cap and by which the cap is restrained from being blown off the tiller neck when the function of the safety stops usually provided in such a device is either accidentally or deliberately avoided or violated. The safety means provided by this inventionsupplements' and cooperates with the usual safety stops so that successive safety stop positions or interruptions are produced in the unlocking rotation of the cap for an assured proper and safe venting of the confined pressure. Additionally it will be recognized that the safety means provided by this invention is obtainable in a closure device of the type here under consideration with very little increase in the complexity or cost of the device.

Although the closure device of this invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A closure for use on a pressure radiator filler neck or the like having a passage, and connecting means comprising circumferentially extending axially sloping locking cam means and rotation-arresting safety stop means adjacent the unlocking end portions of said cam means; comprising a cap adapted to be applied to said neck and being rotatable thereon in locking and unlocking directions; said cap having transverse wall means engageable with the neck to close the same; attaching means carried by the cap comprising locking lug means co-operable with said cam means for attaching and locking the cap on said neck in response to locking rotation of said cap; said locking lug means being normally engageable with said stop means during unlocking rotationof the cap to produce afir st interruption in said unlocking. rotation and establish a safety-stop position of the cap; and holding means carried by the cap and engageable with said connecting means to prevent axial lift-off or blow-off disengagement of the cap from the neck when said locking lug means is moved past said stop means in avoidance of said first interruption; said holding means comprising safety lug means located on the trailing side of the trailing end portions of said locking lug means with respect to the unlocking rotational movement of the latter; said safety lu g means lying in a plane spaced from the plane of said locking lug means in an inward axial direction along the neck passage.

2. A closure as defined in claim 1 wherein said safety lug means is spaced circumferentially from said trailing end portions of said locking lug means a greater distance than the circumferential width of said safety stop means; said safety lug means being engageable with said stop means to produce an assured interruption in the unlocking rotation of said cap.

3. A closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the axial spacing of said safety lug means from said locking lug means is at least as great as the axial width of said stop means.

4. A closure as defined in claim 1 wherein the axial spacing of said safety lug means from said locking lug means is greater than the axial width of said stop means and said axial spacing is of a dimensional value to permit limited axial pressure-relieving separating movement of said transverse wall means away from said neck.

5. A closure device as defined in claim 1 wherein said connecting means of the filler neck has notch means therein between said locking cam means and said stop means; and wherein said locking lug means is engageable in said notch means upon arrival at said stop means for pressurerelieving separation of said transverse wall means from said neck during said first interruption; said safety lug means being hook-shaped and engageable beneath said connecting means for temporarily limiting axial lift-off or blow-01f movement of saidcap in the direction of said pressure-relieving separation.

ing portions including circumferentially extending and circumferen'tiallyspaced axially sloping locking cams and rotation-arresting-safety stops adjacent the unlocking ends of said earns; a cap on said neck in detachable co-operation therewith comprising a cap bo'dyrotatablerelative to the neck in locking and unlocking directions, and transverse means for sealing co-operation with said seat means for closing the neck passage; circumferentially spaced locking lugs on said body and co-operable with said cams during the locking and unlocking rotation of the body; said locking lugs being normally engageable with said stops during unlocking rotation of said body for interrupting said unlocking rotation; and safety lugs on said body adjacent said locking lugs but spaced axially and circumferentially from the latter; the axial spacing of said safety lugs from said locking lugs being in an inward direction along the neck passage, and the circumferential spacing being on the trailing-side of said locking lugs with respect to the unlocking rotation'of said body; said safety "lugs extending'beneath said connecting portions and being engageable 'with said stops for further interrupting said unlocking rotation-of said body; the axial spacingof said safety lugs from said locking lugs being a distance sufficient to' permit pressure relieving separation between said sealingmeansand said-seat means upon the further rotation-interrupting engagementof saidsafety lugs with said stops.

7'. In"a-'elosure-device 'of the character described; a

filler neck 'or the like having a fluid 'passage'and annular seat means, and also havinglaterally projecting connecting portions including'circumferentially extending and ,circ'umferentially spaced axially sloping locking cams and rotation-arresting safety stops adjacent the unlocking ends *of said cams; said connecting portions having notch means therein between the unlocking ends of said. cams and the :associated stops; a cap on said neck in detachable cooperation therewith comprising a cap body rotatable relative to the neck in locking and unlocking directions, and

transverse means for sealing co-operation with said seat means for closing the neck passage; circumferentially spaced locking lugs on said body and co-operable with said cams during the locking and unlocking rotation of 'the body; said locking lugs being normally engageable with said stops during unlocking rotation of said body for interrupting said unlocking rotation, and said locking lugs being also normally engageable in said notch means for a limited pressure-relieving axial separation of said transverse means from said seat means; and safety lugs on said body adjacent said locking lugs but spaced axially and circumferentially from the latter; the axial spacing of said safety lugs from said locking lugs being in an inward direction along the neck passage, and the circumferential spacing being on the trailing side of said locking lugs with respect to the unlocking rotation of said body; said safety lugs extending beneath said connecting portions and being engageable with said stops for further interrupting said unlocking rotation of said body; said safety lugs being also engageable in said notch means for temporarily limiting lift-off or blow-off axial movement of the cap relative to said neck; the axial spacing of said safety lugs from said locking lugs being a sufiicient distance to permit movement of said locking lugs beneath and past said stops in response to further unlocking rotation of said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,887,700 Stevens Nov. 15, 1932 2,623,657 Vries 'Dec. 30, 1952 2,627,997 Wittenberg Feb. 10, 1953 2,679,946 'Friend June 1, 1954

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