US2058214A - Container closure - Google Patents

Description

.mvENToR ATTORNEY Oct. 20, 1936. B CQHN CONTAINER oLosURE Filed July 5, 1933 Patented Oct. 20, i936' UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE nand Gutmann Co.,

poration of New York Application .my a, 193s. sum No. man

s calm. (cl. ais- 43) The invention relates to container closures, and more particularly to a closure of the re-seal type in which the skirt is provided with screw threads or other means adapted to co-operate with complementary means upon the neck of a bottle or container to facilitate the attachment and removal of the closure and cause the necessary compression of a sealing disk or gasket to form an effective seal about the top of the container neck.

Prior to my invention, it has been av common practice to produce such closures or caps having a drawn metal shell, the skirt of which had formed therein the screw threads or other attaching means. In such closures or caps the l5 lower edge of the skirt was rolled outwardly to form a stiieuing bead and also give a finish to the bottom of the skirt and avoid the presence of a sharp edge.

It has also been the practice to provide such a closure or cap with a drawn metal outer shell conforming to, inclosing and secured to the usual cap structure.

In the co-pending application of Jesse Gutmann, Serial No. 595,001, there is disclosed a closure or cap having a non-metallic tubular member made of bakelite or other material inclosed by a drawn metal shell, the sealing disk or gasket being positioned between one end of the tubular element and the top of the metal shell. 30 This construction of cap is highly effective particularly in the packaging of materials which might be deleteriously affected in the event of contact with a shell having a metal skirt.

This construction of 'closure or cap is more ex- 35 pensive to produce than the ordinary `re-seal closure or cap and has a field of use limited to the packaging of special materials. The rigidity of the tubular element in this type of closure has the advantage that there is no likelihood. of such 4o a deformation of the attaching members as will interfere with a proper application of the closure or cap to a container by machines used for this Purpose.

With the above conditions in mind, I have provided a container closure or 'cap having a bi-part all metal shell, the inner tubular element of which is provided with means by which the closure or cap may be attached to a container neck and the outer element of which presents a. smooth ex- 60 terior surface throughout so as to permit it to be decorated in a manner to give an attractive nnish to the closureor cap or have applied thereto matter indicating the origin of the contents of a container. v

tubular elementissoiormedasto I5 Theinner assure -an accurate centering thereof in'relation to the outer element or shell proper and a stiifen-` ing not only of the tubular element, itself, but of the outer shell.

The outer shell prevents elongation or other s deformation of the inner tubular element and serves as a protection for the edges thereof. Furthermore, the stiffening means 'at the end of the tubular element adjacent the top of the outer shell forms an effective seat for a sealing disk or l0 gasket, between which seat and the top of the shell during the assembling operation, the gasket may be compressed to avoid likelihood of the seepage of the fluid contents of a container between the top of the metal shell and the reinforc- 16 ing flange of the tubular element, into the space between the two elements.

In a closure or cap embodying the invention, it is possible to use thin gauge metal ln the tubular element which may be of hardermetal stock 20 than the outer shell, if desired. because of the facility with which thinner stock can be worked.

The 'construction and arrangement of the two parts of the shell are such that during,v the as-y sembling operation, suillcient friction will be developed between the stiffening flanges of the tubular element and the skirt of the outer shell to ensure a desired permanency in the relation of these parts to permit the turning of the closure or cap as a whole, by the capping machine, thetop reinforcement of the tubular element prevents ing distortion of the skirted shell during the applying operation by the machine.

The invention consists primarily in Aa container closure embodying therein an inner tubular metallic element open at both ends. and having adjacent each end thereof an outwardly directed reinforcing flange and attaching means interme-f diate said flanges, an outer element, having a top closing one end ofthe tubular element, and a skirt spaced from said attaching means with its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or disk adjacent the topof the outer element; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointedv out in the claims hereto appended.

.Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a container closure embodying the invention partly in section, the neck of a bottle being shown in relation thereto, in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the innertubular 55 element prior to its assembly in the completed closure or cap:

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the outer element prior to its assembly in the completed cap;

FlgAisaviewofamodifledformoftheinvention in which the top of the outer element is normally domed; and

4I"ig.i5isafragmentary portionofthesealing gasket and supplemental top shown in llg. 4 with a portion of the stem of an applicator connected therewith.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the inner tubular element il is provided with screw threads i i intermediate the ends thereof. At the top of the element is formed an outwardly directed flange I2, the edge of which is curved downward slightly t flllitlt the ntting of the inner element in the outer element during the assembly of the closure or cap. At the opposite end `of the bottom of this tubular inner element is an outwardly directed ilange It having a downwardly presented curved portion adjacent its outer edge to facilitate the forming of the lower edge of the skirt of the outer element about this edge and further to form a shoulder Il against which the edge of the skirt may be formed so as to bring said formed edge outside of the inner plane of the tubular element and also conceal the rough edge of the skirt. I

'I'he inner tubular element whether it be made of sheet metal formed about a mandrel, or of a tube, may be made of fairly thin gauge metal. When made of sheet metal, no seamin'g of the abutting edges is required, since the mounting of the inner element in the skirted outer element will bring these edges into abutting relation to each other and hold them in this relation..

40 'I'he outer cap element consists of a drawn metal shell having a top II extending across the open top of the tubular element Il and a skirt It, the inner form of which engages the edges of the stiening flanges l2 and I3, the portion I1 of the lower edge of this skirt being formed below the lower flange Il and conformed to the curved portion thereof as described.

The maximum diameter of the inner element III is such as to cause the flanges I2 and il to have a close sliding t within the skirt Il of the outer element, and during the assembling operation, the skirt will be drawn inwardly of the closure or cap sufficiently to develop the desired frictional contact or bite between the skirt the edges of said flanges.

Preferably, the outer element has a smooth exterior finish throughout, any decoration `or other matter being lithographed on the metal sheets of which this element is: made, in a manner well known in the production of container closures.

In the completed product, the inner and outer elements of the shell form a composite shell, the parts ofk which are so firmly and rigidly connected, notwithstanding that they are produced one entirely independently of the other, as to permit the turning of the composite,v shell as a unit. If desired, the lower flange Il and the portion Il of the skirt may be bonded together by an adhesive. This, however, is not essential.

The outwardly directed top flange l2 may be utilized as a seat for a sealing disk or gasket il which may be of natural or composition cork or any other of the various materials commonly used in vre-seal closures. This disk or gasket is positioned between the said ange I 2 and the top Il of the outer shell and the portion adjacent the edge thereof is preferably firmly compressed vbetween said flange and said top, in a manner sition thus developing a continuing top pressure upon the gasket throughout the area of its contact with the top of the neck of a container. l.

In the embodiment of the invention shownh Fig. 4, the outer element is formed with an upwardly dished top as indicated at is, there being positioned between this top and the cushion disk i8, a supplemental metal disk top 20 functioning in the same manner, as the top i5 in the ,form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, in developing continuing stresses after the application of the' closure to a container. In other respects, the

construction shown in said figure is the same as in Fig. l, and the same reference numerals are applied to the corresponding parts. A

When using a "domed top for the shell, as shown in Pig. 4, space is afforded above the supplemental top 2l for the accommodation of the upset end 2|` of an applicator rod 22 as shown in Fig. 5.. A

At 23, I have shown, in dotted lines, a'fragmentary portion of the neck of a container provided with means consisting of screw threads 24 adapted to be engaged by the screwthreads I i of the inner tubular element l0.

While I have shown and referred to the use of screw threads as the means for attaching the closure to a container, it will be understood that any other well known form of attaching means may be used so long as the formation thereof is such as to draw the closure downwardly and cause the desired .compression of the sealing disk o r gasket I8 with the turning of the closure.

By the construction of composite shell herein irrespective of variance of the thickness of different sealing disks or gaskets so as to avoid possibility of the failure to form a proper seal about the neck of a container by reason of the engagement of the lower edge of the skirt with the bead 25 about the neck of a bottle.

Furthermore, any possibility of such deformation of the inner tubular element as will interfere with the accurate fitting to the attaching means 2l, is impossible since the outside of the tubular element I0 is protected by the skirt il from contact with mechanisms of the cap applylng machine and this tubular element is firmly held between the formedportion I4 of the skirt Il and the gasket Il.

In the event o i', irregularities of the attac ment means 24, the co-operating attachment means Il upon the tubular element will conform thereto, particularly-as intermediate the anges l2 and I3 said tubular element may flex outwardly slightly by reason of the-space between same and the skirt l5. Such ilexure will never be material, but it is desirable to give a certain degree of flexibility to the tubular element, so

that it will readily accommodate itself to the cooperating attaching means.

When attaching the closure to a container, vertical stresses are applied to the outer shell by the downward movement of the inner element through the formed lower edge thereof, the compressive stresses applied to the sealing disk or gasket being developed as a result of this downward movement. The skirt I4 being perfectly smooth, there is no possibility of elongation of the tubular element even though it be made of fairly thin gauge metal stock. By making the inner element and the outer element of two separate parts. it is possible to form each of these parts with great accuracy by means of special tools, and yet secure a rigid composite structure. It is possible to assemble the sealing disk or gasket within the shell in the manner described although this is not essential to the invention.

It will be noted that the ange I2 notwithstanding the spacing of .the wall of the inner element and the wall o f the outer element willresist any crushing stresses by the head of the applying machine upon the shell by reason of the location of this flange.

Thevcushion disk I8, if it be mounted in the shell in the manner herein described, will assist in firmly securing the two elements of the' .bipart shell in relation to each other.

It is not my intention to limit the invention' to the precise details of construction and combination of parts, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A container closure embodying therein an inner tubular metallic element open at both ends and having adjacent each end thereof, an outwardly directed reinforcing ange and attaching means intermediate said flanges, an outer element, having a top closing one end of the tubular element, and a skirt spaced from said attaching means with its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or disk adjacent the top of the outer element.

2. A container closure embodying therein an attaching means with its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or disk positioned between one of the end flanges of said inner tubular element and the top of the outer element.

3. A container closure embodying therein an inner tubular metallic element open at both ends, an integral outwardly directed top flange, an -outwardly directed bottom flange and attaching means intermediate said anges, said bottom flange having a downwardly curved portion forming a shoulder outside of the ,innerl face of said inner element, an outer element having a top closing one end of the tubular element, and a skirt spaced from said attaching means with its lower edge formed about the curved portion of said flange and against said shoulder, and a packing gasket or disk adjacent the top of the outer element.

4. A container closure embodying therein an inner tubular metallic element open at both ends and having adjacent each end thereof an outwardly directed reinforcing flange, and attaching means intermediate said flanges, an outer element having a top closing one end of the tubular element, and a skirt engaging the edge of both of said flanges and having its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or disk adjacent the top of the outer element.

' 5. A container closure embodying therein an inner tubular element formed of sheet metal open at both ends and having adjacent each end thereof, an outwardly directed reinforcing flange and attaching means intermediate said flanges, an outer element, having a top closing one end of the tubular element, and a skirt spaced from said attaching means with' its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or disk adjacent the top of the outer-element.

6. A container closure embodying therein 'an inner tubular element formed of sheet metal open at both ends and having adjacent each end thereof, an outwardly directed reinforcing flange and attaching means intermediate said flanges, an outer element, having a top closing one end of the tubular element, and a skirt spacedl from said attaching means with its lower edge formed about the opposite end of said tubular element, and a packing gasket or .disk positioned between one of the end flanges of said inner tubular element and the top of the outer element.

BENNO COHN.

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