US502537A - Self-closing can - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W.-A. SEXTON. SELF CLOSING CAN.

Patented A.

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rrnn STATES WVILLIAM A. SEXTON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SELF-CLOSING CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 502,537, dated August 1, 1893.

Application filed March 20, 1 8 93.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. SExToN, of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Closing Cans, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to cans for containing gasoline and other fluids, which cans it is desirable should be self-closing and maintained in perfectly closed position when not being filled or having its contents poured therefrom.

- It is the object of the invention to provide such improvements in self-closing cans as will insure the entrance of the stopple with certainty into the mouth and neck of the can, effectively close the same, and prevent its dislodgment in case the can is accidentally or otherwise overturned or tipped to one side.

To these ends the invention consists of a can provided with a flaring mouth above the neck, a weight having a flexible connection with the stopple pendent in the can, and an interior guide for said flexible connection and weight, the length of the chain being such that it will prevent the weight from coming in contact with the side of the can even when the latter is tilted on its side all as I will now proeeed to describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings and to the letters marked thereon forming a part of this specification, the same letters designating the same parts or features as the case may be, wherever they occur.

Of the drawings-Figure 1 represents a vertical central sectional view of my improved self-closing can, part of the body portion being shown as broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the upper portion of the can showing the position the parts will assume when the can is overturned or tipped out of plumb.

In the drawings a designates the body of the can which may be of any suitable form and size, and be composed of tin or other suitable material.

I) designates the neck of the can which is cylindrical in form, and from the upper end thereof arises a flaring mouth 0.

d designates the stopple, the lower end or point e of which is of conical form, and the upper or body portion has nearly parallel Serial No. 466,797. (No model.)

sides, the latter being just sufficiently inclined to insure the wedging of the body of the stopple in the neck I).

f designates a weight which is connected with the lower point of the stopple by a chain 9, or it may be any other suitable flexible contrivance.

his a guide for the flexible connection g, which guide is arranged vertically below the stopple e to guide the chain or flexible connection in its movements, and to provide means over which the chain or flexible connection may bend, as at 't', Fig. 2, when the can is tipped out of vertical position, and so hold the stopple e in the neck 1) against accidental displacement by the force of the contents of the can thereagainst. This is an important feature of the invention.

' As indicated in the drawings the length of the chain and the Weight is less than the distance from the bottom of the stopple, through the guide It, to the nearest side of the can, so that when the latter is tilted to the position shown in Fig. 2, the weight will not come in contact with the side of the can and will therefore still exerta closing force upon the stopple.

Besides the function above mentioned of holding the stopple in the can when it is tipped to one side, the guide serves to keep the chain g in place at all times, so that when the stopple is withdrawn as it may be by the user engaging the ringj with a finger of his hand and drawing it up and afterward releasing it, it will be drawn down with certainty into the neck, which would not be the case if the can were tipped slightly to one side and theweight rested against the side of the can to overcome its gravity.

By providing the can with the flaring mouth 0 and making the lower end of the stopple conical in form, the said stopple when withdrawn and released will be guided with certainty to place in the neck.

The guide h is herein shown as formed on the lower end or point of a conical piece k which is supported by arms Z attached to the sides or top of the can. Any other form of guide for the chain g may however be provided without departure from the nature or spirit of the invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made or all of the modes of its use, it is declared that what is claimed is- 1. A self-closing can provided with a flaring mouth, a stopple for closing the can, a weight, a flexible connection between the same and the stopple, and a guide in the interior of the can for guiding the said flexible connection and weight, the length of the said flexible connection and weight being less than the distance from the stopple, through the guide, to the nearest side of the can as set forth.

2'. A self-closin g can provided with a mouth, a cylindrical neck below the mouth a stopple having a conical point and slightly inclined sides, a weight, a flexible connection between the weight and stopple, a guide in the interior of the can for guiding the said flexible connection and weight, the length of the said flexible connection and weight bciu g less than the distance from the stopple, through the guide, to the nearest side of the can as set forth.

3. Aself-closing can provided with a flaring mouth, a cylindrical neck below the mouth, a stopple having a conical point and slightly inclined sides, and a weight connected with the said stopple and pendent in the can, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 13th day of March, A. D. 1893.

WILLIAM A. SEXTON. lVitnesses:

ARTHUR W. GROSSLEY, A. D. HARRISON.

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