US3371809A - Closure with safety lock - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1968 J. B. POMPA 3,371,809

CLOSURE WITH SAFETY LOCK Filed June 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 Joseph B. Pampb I INVENTOR.

March 5, 1968 J. B. POMPA 3,371,809

CLOSURE WITH SAFETY LOCK Filed June 30, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Joseph B. Pompa INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofilice 3,371,809 Patented Mar. 5, 1968 3,371,809 CLOSURE WITH SAFETY LOCK Joseph B. Pompa, 79 Furlong Road, Rochester, N.Y. 14623 Filed June 30, 1967, Ser. No. 650,359 11 Claims. (Cl. 215-9) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A closure cap for a container of the type including an externally threaded neck, the cap member including an internally threaded generally cylindrical body' portion closed at one end and removably threadedly engaged on the neck and including a radially shiftable abutment locking screw which is projectable into the thread path and is positionably behind the point at which at least one inner convolution of the threads on the neck terminates so as to provide an abutment for preventing the threaded closure cap from being unscrewed from the associated container neck as opposed to relying upon frictional engagement of a setscrew with a threaded portion of the neck of the container, the outer end of the abutment screw including a configuration which will render it difiicult for a chlid to unscrew the abutment screw.

The closure cap of the instant invention has been designed primarily to provide a means whereby containers, in which substances potentially dangerous to young children, may be closed in a manner rendering it diflicult for young children to open the containers.

It has been determined that an alarming number of young children under years of age are poisoned each year merely because dangerous drugs, materials and poisons found around the household are left in containers which may be opened by young children and the containers are stored in areas or locations which are readily accessible to young children.

Records indicate that a child eats a potential poison 600,000 times a year, that about 40,000 of these children are hospitalized and that about 600 die. Of course, of the majority of children that do not die as a result of accidental poisoning, many are permanently injured in various degrees. I

The screw-type closure cap is probably the most common closure for containers in which dangerous drugs, materials and poisons are marketed. Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a screw-type closure cap which will provide a means whereby the closure cap may be locked in a closed position on an associated container in a manner such that an adult may readily remove the cap but which will prevent substantially all young children from removing the closure cap.

The closure cap of the instant invention utilizes a basic principle involving a radial abutment screw carried by the cap and which may be displaced radially inwardly so as to prevent the closure cap from being removed from an associated externally threaded neck portion of a container. However, most screws of this type comprise setscrews and would merely frictionally engage the member upon which the associated cap is screwed and therefore such a setscrew must be tightly turned inwardly to cause sufficient frictional engagement with the associated container to prevent the cap from being unscrewed. Providing a setscrew of this type is not desirable inasmuch as some persons authorized to open a container on which a cap is disposed including such a setscrew might not be able to readily outwardly displace the setscrew so as to enable the closure cap to be removed.

It is accordingly a further object of this invention to provide a closure cap including an abutment screw which is operable to prevent the cap from being unscrewed from an associated container by establishing an abutment against rotational movement of the cap as opposed to a setscrew which must rely on frictional engagement alone.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a closure cap in accordance with the preceding objects and which is adaptable for use on containers constructed of various materials including relatively non-deformable glass as well as somewhat deformable plastic material.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a closure cap with a safety lock feature which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a glass container such as an aspirin bottle with the safety lock closure of the instant invention operatively associated therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the safety lock closure;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the upper portion of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating the abutment screw of the safety lock closure slightly radially outwardly displaced and the safety lock closure partially unscrewed from engagement of the aspirin bottle;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 3 and as seen from the right side of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to the upper portion of FIGURE 1 but illustrating a modified form of safety lock closure;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 7 but illustrating a second modified form of safety lock closure;

FIGURE 9 is yet another fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 7 illustrating a third modified form of safety lock closure;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a fourth modified form of safety lock closure; and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 10 but illustrating the abutment screw of the safety lock closure illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11 in a radially outwardly displaced unlocked position.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a container such as an aspirin bottle which includes an externally threaded neck portion including double external threads 14. The safety lock closure cap is referred to in general by the reference numeral 16 and includes a generally cylindrical body portion 18 closed on its outer end by means of a top wall 20 and including double internal threads 22 which are threadedly engageable with the threads 14.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 3-5 of the drawings it may be seen that the body portion 18 includes a threaded radial bore 24 in which a threaded abutment screw 26 is threadedly engaged. When the abutment screw 26 is outwardly displaced from the inner locking position illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings to the unlocked position illustrated in FIGURE 4 of the drawings the safety lock closure cap 16 may be unthreaded from the neck portion 12 in the conventional manner. However, after the closure cap 16 has been fully threaded onto the neck portion 12 and is positioned as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and of the drawings it will be noted that the radial bore 24 is slightly spaced from the inner end 28 of one of the threads 14. Thus, the abutment screw 26, which is operable to turn reasonably freely in the bore 24, may be engaged with a thumb or finger tip on the serrated outer end surface 30 thereof so as to turn the abutment screw 26 inwardly to the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 3 in which position the inner end of the abutment screw 26 is disposed behind and engageable with the inner end 28 of one of the threads 14 whenever the closure cap 16 is turned even slightly in a counterclockwise direction from the position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. Accordingly, the inner end of the abutment screw 26 comprises an abutment operable to positively prevent, and not merely frictionally resist, unscrewing of the closure cap 16.

The utilization of the inner end of the abutment screw 26 as an abutment as opposed to a means to tightly frictionally engage the neck portion 12 enables the closure cap 16 to be utilized on neck portions constructed of glass which might easily break if the abutment screw 26 was used as a conventional setscrew and had to be excessively tightened. Further, by utilizing the closure cap 16 on a container such as the aspirin bottle which is constructed of somewhat deformable plastic material, after the abutment screw 26 has been shifted to the locked position illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings the person locking the closure cap 16 on the container 15 could then slightly angularly displace the closure cap 16 in a counterclockwise direction as far as he could to tightly wedge the abutment screw 26 on the inner end 28 of the thread 22. In this manner, the abutment screw 26 could not be readily loosened by even an adult familiar with the operation of the closure cap 16 until such time as the closure cap 16 has again been rotated slightly in a clockwise di rection to a fully closed position in which the abutment screw 26 would be moved from tight frictional engagement with the inner end 28 of the thread 22 thereby enabling the abutment screw 26 to be readily turned outwardly in the manner hereinabove set forth.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 6 and 7 of the drawings there may be seen a first modified form of closure cap generally designated by the reference numeral 16' and which is substantially identical to the closure cap 16 except that it includes an outwardly projecting boss portion 34 through which the outer end of an elongated radial bore 24 corresponding to the radial bore 24 opens and the outer end of the abutment screw 26' corersponding to the abutment screw 26 is provided with a screwdriver kerf 36.

In FIGURE 8 of the drawings there is illustrated a second modified form of closure cap which is generally designated by the reference numeral 16". The closure cap 16" is identical to the closure cap 16 except that the radial outermost end of the abutment screw 26" thereof includes a diametrically enlarged head 38.

In FIGURE 9 of the drawings there is illustrated another modified form of closure cap generally referred to by the reference numeral and which utilizes an outwardly projecting boss portion 42 similar to the boss portion 34 but including a counterbore 44 at the outer end of the bore 46. In this manner, an abutment screw 48 similar to the abutment screw 26 and also including a diametrically enlarged head 50 may have its head 50 recessed completely in the boss 42.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 10 and 11 there may be seen a final modified form of closure cap generally referred to by reference numeral 52 including a radial bore 54 corresponding to the bore 24. The radial bore 54 includes a counterbore 56 on its inner end in which a deformable head 58 carried by the abut-ment screw 60 of the closure cap 52 is receivable when the abutment screw 66 is disposed in the unlocked position illustrated in FIGURE 11 of the drawings. However, the deformable head 50 is also positionable inwardly of the inner end of one of the associated threads 62 to prevent the closure cap 52 from being rotated toward an open position. The deformable head 58 may be used to advantage when the associated container is constructed of a frangible material such as glass and it also serves to provide a means whereby the abutment screw 60 may not be completely withdrawn from the associated radial bore 64 and accidentally lost. Of course, a deformable head such as head 58 may be utilized on any of the abutment screws hereinabove described if the associated cap is provided with an inner counter bore similar to counterbore 56.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a container including an externally threaded neck including a thread convolution terrninated at its inner end outwardly of the inner end of the neck, a cap member including an internally threaded hollow body portion removably threadedly engaged on said neck, said body portion including abutment means shiftable generally radially of said body into and out Of position aligned with an inwardly of the inner end of said convolution in position to abut said inner end and prevent said cap member from being unscrewed relative to said neck.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the inner end of said convolution terminates abruptly.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be frictionally engaged by a single finger of a persons hand for rotating said abutment screw outwardly of said bore.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the inner end of said convolution terminates abruptly.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore, said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be engaged by a tool for applying torsional forces on said screw.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said end face includes a transverse kerf formed therein.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore, said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be frictionally engaged by a single finger of a persons hand for rotating said abutment screw outwardly of said bore, the outer end portion of said screw projecting slightly outwardly of said cap member and including a diametrically enlarged terminal end head upon which said end face is disposed.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore, said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be frictionally engaged by a single finger of a persons hand for rotating said abutment screw outwardly of said bore, the outer end of said bore including a counterbore, the outer end portion of said screw including a diametrically enlarged head disposed in said counterbore and upon which said end face is disposed.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore, said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be engaged by a tool for applying torsional forces on said screw, the outer end of said bore being defined in a radially outwardly projecting portion of said cap member.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said body portion includes a generally radial threaded bore, said abutment means comprising an abutment screw threadedly engaged in said bore and including an outer end face adapted to be engaged by a tool for applying torsional forces on said screw, the inner end of said bore including a counterbore, the inner end of said screw including a diametrically enlarged head held captive in said counterbore.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said head is constructed of resilient deformable material.

References Cited JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,371,809 March 5, 1968 Joseph B. Pompa It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4 line 38 "a Sho read and -;t H

Signed and sealed this 19th day of August 1969.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

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