US1997291A - Container - Google Patents

Description

Q April 9, 1935. H. E. BARROLL CONTAINER Filed Aug. 31,

7 17211612137 Hem" EBarmL Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER a corporation of Ohio Application August 31,

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to containers and more particularly to the type which is required to be sealed, and while the container of my invention is capable of a wide variety of uses, it is particularly advantageous-in containers for heavy liquids such as lacquers, paints, stains, varnishes and the like.

Containers of this character are customarily made from commercial tin plate, the top being provided with a cut-out opening sufficiently large to permit stirring and mixing of the contents before using and the insertion of a wide paint;

brush, but such opening was quite unsuited for the pouring of the contents from the container and was otherwise objectionable. For instance, the raw edge of the metal surrounding the opening had been turned inwardly into the container where it is exposed to the contents of the container. Contact with this raw edge of the metal by many products shipped in such containers results, through electrolysis or corrosion, in objectionable deterioration of the container contents, either through decomposition thereof or through discoloration.

One of the purposes of my present invention is to provide a container which will obviate this deterioration of the container contents by precluding contact between this raw or free edge, of the metal and the container contents both during shipment and during pouring. This object is accomplished by disposing the raw free edge of the metal surrounding the pouring opening entirely outside the container and also out of the path of flow of the contents as they are poured from the container.

Recent developments in the paint and lacquer industries have made it possible for the customer to produce definite shades of colors by following instructions furnished by the manufacturer in the mixing of the colors from difierent containers. .This practice necessitates accurate mixing of the basic colors which involves the pouring of exact predetermined amounts from the-various containers. The containers heretofore used in which the free edge of the metal surrounding the pouring opening was turned inwardly into the container, as previously mentioned herein, were not suitably constructed for accurate pouring. Consequently, the container contents, as they issued through the opening, flowed over the surrounding portion of the container top and over the edge of the body, causing the contents not only to flow in a wide uncontrollable stream, but also resulting in a smearing of the contents over the container top and to a greater or less extent 1933, Serial No. 687,560

over the side wall of the container. This results not only in a waste of container contents but such of the contents as dry or partially dry on the top of the container and in the. sealing groove around the opening are detrimental to the subsequently used contents, and interfere with 5 resealing of the container.

Another purpose of my present invention is to provide a container from which the contents I may be accurately poured in a narrow readily 1o controllable stream and which, because of its construction, will cause the stream to be delivered beyond the container body and top so that it will neither flow nor drip over or upon the top or the side walls of the body and from which the last drop may be wiped off; I

A further purpose of my invention is to provide a container and a closure therefor which will infalliblyand efiectively seal the container not only against leakage of the contents, but also against the admission of air intothe container both during shipment and between intermittent uses of the container, and to keep free from dust and dirt all portions of the container which will come in contact with the contents in use when 2 mixing, pouring or when using a brush. With this end in view, my invention contemplates not only a friction seal between the container top and its closure, but also in addition a compressible or resilient seal between the mouth of the container and the closure, which serves as a supplemental or secondary seal in addition to the main friction seal. K

Still another object of my invention is to provide a sealed container which may be readily opened by the consumer without damage to either 'the container or the closure, thereby enabling repeated resealing with the same closure between intermittent partial uses of the container contents.

Other objects and many of the inherent advantages of my invention should be readily appreciated as the same is better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing in which a preferred, although not an essential, embodiment of my invention is illustrated.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a container constructed in accordance with my inventiom.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, certain portions being broken away to more clearly illustrate underlying portions,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional t view illustrating more clearly the preferred structural details, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modification.

Referring to the drawing more specifically, reference character 5 indicates generally the body of a container comprising the preferably cylindrical side walls 6 united by a lock or a lap or a lock and lap seam, as preferred, the bottom 1 being double seamed or otherwise secured to the body as indicated at 8.

The top indicated generally by reference character 9 is also seamed as at H to the body and this top which preferably, although not necessarily, is made of a single piece of tin plate or other suitable metal is shaped to provide a radially disposed marginal portion [2 extending inwardly from the body walls a distance determined by the size of the container, from the inner edge of which marginal portion the top extends outwardly at an inclination toward the central axis of the container, as indicated at I3. This inclined portion is surrounded by a cylindrical portion M which terminates in a flared portion l5 forming the mouth of the top. This flared portion I5 is designed to form a pouring ring which concentrates the stream regardless of the direction in which the container is tilted. The free edge of the metal surrounding the mouth is turned downwardly and then inwardly beneath'the mouth as indicated at I6 so as to preclude any possibility of contact between this edge and the container contents both during shipment and when the contents are poured from the container, and to present a smooth narrow surface for effecting a supplemental seal in the manner later explained.

It will be observed that the shape of the top is such as'to be conducive to easy, accurate pouring of the contents from the container. The inclined portion l3 facilitates a smooth fiow of the contents outwardly from the body and the flared portion with the smooth edge rounded mouth insures a smooth and easy discharge. Furthermore, the proportions are such that the mouth is sufiiciently remote from the edge of the container to insure, when the container-is tilted, a dischargeof the contents over the edge so that the discharging liquid contacts neither the top nor the side walls of the container, but is discharged clear of both and at no time by either fiow or drip contacts the container walls or top.

The closure for the container is preferably stamped up from a single piece of tin plate or the like and comprises a disc-shaped bottom I1 surrounded by a cylindrical portion I! which is preferably very'slightly tapered inwardly from top to bottom to facilitate its entrance into the neck or cylindrical portion Id of the top and is proportioned to snugly fit within this neck so as to form a frictional seal which prevents both air and liquid leakage.

The upper end of the cylindrical portion of the closure is turned outwardly to form a radially extending portion l8 overlying the mouth of the container and at the perimeter of this portion the metal is bent downwardly to form a skirt l9 spaced from the cylindrical portion I1 sufficiently to accommodate the flared mouth of the container and surrounding the mouth and fiared portion to protect the same against injury and prevent collection of dirt upon the pouring skirt [5.

The free edge of the closure is turned upwardly and inwardly to form a circumferential bead which not only conceals the raw edge of the metal but also reinforces and strengthens the closure, and furthermore provides a substantial surface against which a tool or implement, such as a screw driver for instance, may be pressed in forcing the closure off to unseal the container.

For many products to be shipped in such containers, the frictional seal afforded by forcing the closure into the neck of the top is suflicient but for shipment of certain penetrating liquids or highly volatile liquids a supplemental seal is sometimes desirable. Also such a seal is usually a necessity when the containers are sealed in vacuum and in other cases when, in addition to the liquid seal provided between the closure and the surrounding neck, an air seal is necessary.

For the purpose of meeting such conditions my invention contemplates a secondary or supplemental seal in the form of a sealing ring 2-2 of suitable resilient and somewhat compressible substance, such as rubber composition, which is interposed in the closure in position to be clamped between and partially compressed by the opposed surfaces of the container mouth and the overlying radially disposed portion 18 of the closure. It will be observed that the turned edge of the mouth presents an upper surface of suificient width to prevent cutting or otherwise injuring the sealing ring, but at the same time sufficiently narrow to produce an effective seal. The top opening I4 and the portion I! of the closure may be threaded instead of smooth if preferred, and the skirt IQ of the closure may be knurled, thus giving only a single seal on the top l6 of the pouring ring.

In the modification of Fig. 4, the supplemental seal is effected by direct engagement of the mouth edge with the radial portion of the closure. To aid in the sealing the radial portion of the closure may be beaded as indicated at 23 to provide an internal groove for the reception of and frictional engagement with the rolled mouth edge of the container.

In the use of my improved container the top and bottom may be double seamed to the body and the container may be filled through the opening, whereupon the closure member is forced under the proper pressure downwardly into the neck to effectually seal the container. If preferred, however, the top and closure may be assembled in sealed relation and the assembly may be double seamed on to the body after the container has been filled. To open the container it is only necessary to insert a suitable implement .such as a screw driver beneath the bottom of the skirt I9 and pry upwardly with the edge of the body as a fulcrum. By the application of upward pressure in this manner against the closure at several points" successively around the container, the closure is readily loosened and removed. When a desired portion of the contents has been poured out or otherwise used the container may be effectually rescaled by simply reinserting the closure in the neck and pressing it in with the requisite force.

It will be observed that the opening in the container top is sufiiciently large to permit the stirring or mixing of the contents with a paddle or stirrer, and to accommodate a paint brush when the contents are applied directly from the container. The shape of the mouth not only facilitates pouring without dripping but also causes the liquid left in contact with the mouth by pouring or by a brush to drain back into the container when it is set upright so that none of the con- Ill) tents contact the outside of the container. Furthermore, the container is free from grooves or sealing channels which ordinarily become filled with the liquid which dries therein and interferes with rescaling, and frequently contaminate the contents with hardened particles.

In general practice in filling such containers a space above the contents and between the contents and sections l2 and I3 of the top and section ll of the closure is allowed for air or a partial vacuum for the expansion or contraction of the contents of the container. To prevent this space being too great the section ll of the closure is designed to close the lower portion of the neck Hi. When the closure is removed the neck l4 and the pouring ring l5 then become an added advantage in preventing the contents from being forced out of the container and over the edge of the opening I6 when the contents are even violently stirredbyany means of mixing.

It is believed that my invention and its advantageous characteristics will be appreciated without further description, and it should be manifest that the structural details illustrated and described are capable of considerable modification and variation without departing from the essence of my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A container comprising a body, a sheet metal top having a central opening defined by a cylindrical throat, the metal above the throat being flared outwardly for a substantial distance to provide at its outer end a pouring mouth spaced away from said throat, and a closure including a cylindrical body adapted to circumferentially fit within said throat and form therewith a friction seal for the liquid within the container, a radially disposed flange surrounding the outer end of said closure body and adapted to overlie said mouth, a skirt depending from the perimeter of said flange and surrounding said throat, the free edge of said skirt being reinforced and sealing material interposed between the upper edge of said mouth and said overlying flange to provide a hermetic seal at said mouth separate and remote from said friction seal at the throat said flared portion constituting the pouring mouth being spaced from said cylindrical body of the'closure, the friction seal between the cylindrical body of the closure and the throat of said top acting to maintain said hermetic seal.

2. A container comprising a body, a sheet metal top having a central opening defined by a cylindrical throat, the metal 'above the throat being flared outwardly for a substantial distance to provide at its outer end a pouring mouth spaced away from said throat, and a closure shaped to provide a side wall for snugly fitting and forming a friction seal for the liquid contents of the container, for said throat, provided at its outer end with a circumferential flange extending over said mouth and terminating in a depending skirt, and sealing material between said mouth and flange providing a hermetic seal remote from said friction seal said flared mouth being spaced from the side wall of the closure, the friction seal between the side wall of the closure and the throat of the top acting to maintain said hermetic seal.

3. A container comprising a body, a sheet metal top formed to provide a radially disposed mar ginal portion, an inwardly inclined portion at the inner edge of the marginal portion, a cylindrical throat surmounting the inclined portion, and an outwardly flared portion surmounting the throat to form a pouring mouth, the said metal top being joined to the body by a seam shaped to project axially of the container beyond the plane of the said marginal portion to form an upstanding tool fulcrum, and a closure shaped to provide a wall to frictionally fit within the said throat portion,

a radially disposed flange to overlie said outwardly flared mouth, and a skirt depending from the outer edge of said flange to encircle said flared mouth portion and a part of said throat in spaced relation to both of the same, the free edge of said skirt being reinforced and terminating adjacent the said seam, when the closure is in place, so as to be radially engaged by a tool fulcrumed on the seam toeflect removal of the closure.

HENRY E. BARROLL.

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