US3187965A - Spout for milk container - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1965 BOURGET 3,137,955

SPOUT FOR MILK CONTAINER Filed Ma 12. 1964 INVENTOR DAVID L. BOURGET ATTORN EYS United States a Patent 3,187,965 SPOUT FOR MILK CONTAINER David L. Bonrget, 1614 Main St., Brockton, Mass. Filed May 12, 1964, Ser. No. 366,738 1 Claim. (Cl. 222518) (This invention relates to a spout or faucet for use on a milk container or other vessel for dispensing liquid. Milk can now be purchased in ten-quart containers consisting of a corrugated board carton lined with a Waterproof bag of a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene. For dispensing the contents of the bag, a hole is provided therein in which is secured a collar of a suitable plastic material. In the collar is fitted a spout or faucet. According to the present invention a one-use spout is provided which can be discarded with the bag and carton when the bag has been emptied. The spout is inexpensively made of three parts which are quickly and easily assembled, the parts being of molded plast c material,

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereo and to the drawing, of which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a plastic bag provided with a dispensing spout embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is .a sectional view of the spout, on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and on a larger scale; and

FIGURE 3 is aperspective view of one of the three parts of the spout.

'As illustrated on the drawing, the spout consists of three parts, namely, a body member 10 preferably molded in one piece of a suitable synthetic resin such as polyethylene, a plunger 12 of a resilient resin such as an acetal resin known as Delrin, and a washer .14 mounted on the inner end portion of the plunger 12 and made of a soft resilient material such as rubber, urethane, polyethlene or an equivalent.

washer 14. To make the washer more effective as a closure element, it is grooved as at 42 to form a circular peripheral lip 44 which surrounds the orifice 32 and flexibly adjusts to any slight irregularities of the surface against which it is pressed.

At the outer end of the plunger is a finger button which is preferably integral with the stem of the plunger. In order to bias the plunger out-ward so as to press the lip 44 against the inner surface 30 of the body member 11?, spring means are employed. As shown, two dog- leg elements 52, 54 may be molded integrally with the plunger'and finger button to press against the outer surface of the body member. For economy and simplicity, the plunger, finger button and spring elements are molded as a single unit as shown in FIGURE 3. The preferred material for this member is an acetal resin known as Delrin which is tough and resilient so that the springs 52, 54 act effectively. To protect the spring elements 52, 54 and the finger button 50, the body member 10 is molded with a cup-like extension 60 which surrounds the springs and finger button.

To assemble thespout, the stem of a plunger 12 is thrust through the bore 38 and orifice 32, and a washer 14 is sprung over the end of the plunger into the neck 40.

The spout is then ready to be mounted. in the collar 24 7 inner surface with a discharge orifice to be exposed to The spout is designed to be mounted on a liquid container such as a plastic bag 20 having an opening through which liquid may be introduced to fill the bag and discharged to empty the bag. Secured in this opening is a collar 22 of molded plastic material such as polyethylene. When the container has been filled with a liquid such as milk, a spout is inserted in the collar 22 to close'the opening, and the container is then ready for controlled dispensing of the liquid contents. For this purpose the body member includes a cylindrical flange 24 "to fit snugly within the collar 22, the flange having a circumferential rib 26 fitting into acomplemental groove in the collar 22 to prevent the spout from accidentally coming out of the collar.

The body member 10 has an inner surface 30 with an orifice 32 from which a discharge duct 34 leads to an outlet 36 in the outer surface of the body member. The body member 10 also has a bore 38 which is aligned with the orifice 32 and in which the plunger 12 is slidably fitted, the outlet 36 being offset from the bore 38. The plunger extends through the orifice 32 and beyond the inner surface 30' of the body member, there being ample clearance between the walls of the duct 34 and the plunger 12 to permit the passage of liquid through the duct. The

the interior of the container and an outer surface to be outside of the container,'said body member having a discharge duct therethrough from said orifice and a bore aligned with said orifice, said duct being arranged to open out at said outer surface at a point offset from said bore, a plunger slidably fitted in said bore and extending through said orifice, a finger button on the outer end of said plunger, a washer on the inner portion of said plunger, said washer having on one face thereof a peripheral flexible lip arranged to bear on said inner surface surrounding said discharge orifice whereby to close said discharge duct, and two dog-leg spring elements integral with said finger-button pressing against said body member and biasing said plunger outward to press the lip of said washer against said inner surface to close said duct.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 549,678 11/95 Miller. 2,696,934 12/54 Ashton 222-518 X 2,764,324 9/56 Landreth 222518 X 2,984,393 5/61 Magnenat 222518 X 3,097,677 7/63 Mitchell 222l07 X 3,108,732 10/63 Curie et al 222+107 X 3,144,179 6/64 Gildone 222518 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiner.

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