US2096428A - Closure and receptacle - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19, 1937. E. E. HOGG ET AL 2,096,428

CLOSURE AND RECEPTACLE Filed March 23, 1935 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CLOSURE AND RECEPTACLE tion of Pennsylvania Application March 23, 1935, Serial No. 12,642

4 Claims.

This invention relates to an external closure for receptacles and it relates particularly to a definite relationship between the closure and the neck finish of the receptacle.

A great amount of attention has been devoted in the past, and is still being devoted, to the problem of making seals or closures for receptacles of various sizes, shapes and materials of a tamperproof nature, i. e., that cannot be removed without either visible alteration or destruction of the closure. It is an object of our invention to provide this desired tamperproof characteristic by means of combinations of receptacle finish and closures, so that an attempt to remove a closure will leave visible alterations and also so that removal will destroy the closure. It is an additional object of our invention to create this desirable characteristic in a combination utilizing well known forms of closures that hitherto have lacked this quality. The importance of this accomplishment is unquestionable in the light of contemporaneous marketing tendencies. The period of retailing from bulk is now one that belongs largely to the past. In the constant search for attractive containers, bottles have, of course, received attention, but it has been a drawback in the advancement of some uses of them that seals of tamperproof character have added disproportionately to the cost of packaging. It is a further purpose of the present invention to overcome this objection and to make available a tamperproof combination at a cost no greater than that of ordinary known closures.

The accomplishment of these objects gives the invention particular advantage in the marketing of liquids, in Which line of commerce there has been in the past great chance for dilution and alteration of contents. In this field the invention permits the retention of the sales advantage found in the display ofiere'd by glass receptacles and at the same time provides the consumer with an assurance that the producers true product is being purchased. A striking example of a product where this advantage is of primary importance is found in the retail marketing of lubricating oils.

Additional objects and advantages of our invention will appear in the detailed description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, disclosing the invention with a closure employing a tear-off tab included in the combination;

Fig. 2 is an elevation, partly. in section, disclosing the invention with a shallow beaded closure shell included in the combination;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partly in section, disclosingthe invention with an ordinary crimped skirt closure included in the combination; and

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, disclosing the invention with a crimped skirt closure and over-all liner included in the combination. 5

In Figs. 1 through 4, by which our invention is illustrated, like parts bear the same reference numbers. A neck finish that is for practical purposes common to all of the figures includes a bottle neck I having an annular bead 2 immediately adjoining the mouth of the bottle. The under side of the bead 2 inclines inwardly and downwardly to a narrow annular neck portion which forms the base of the groove 3. The groove 3 is defined on its lower side by the upper surface 15 of a second annular bead or ledge 4. This surface of bead 4 preferably extends perpendicularly to the base of the groove 3, although this surface may be inclined slightly upwardly from the base to the periphery thereof. Furthermore, the bead 4 extends a substantial distance beyond the periphery of bead 2 in order to completely accommodate the skirts of various known types of closures.

Referring now to Fig. 1, there is shown an ordinary form of closure employing a tear-off tab 5 which preferably has weakened portions on the top surface and in the skirt to facilitate tearing and removal of the closure shell.- A shallow skirt 6 is turned under the head 2 by any suitable method, as by rolling, and is compressed into the narrow groove 3. This means of retaining the closure guarantees a suitable seal between the compressible insert 1 and the top sealing surface of the bottle immediately adjacent to the mouth. The same deformation of the skirt forces the bottom edge thereof against the top surface of the ledge 4, with the result that an attempt to effectuate removal of theclosure from the bottom is made extremely difficult, since the ledge 40 4 does not readily accommodate a tool capable of loosening the skirt. In case an attempt is made to remove the closure in this fashion the thin skirt will be permanently mutilated, and should the closure be so removed it will be so torn and disfigured that it will not be replaceable.

In Fig. 2 the neck finish described above is shown with a simple closure comprising a onepiece shell having a shallow skirt 6 and compressible sealing insert l.v The bead 2 in this modification presents a cylindrical portion from the horizontal plane of the mouth to that of the groove 3 with which the skirt 6 is held in close contact by the lower skirt portion which is turned under the bead 2 and into the groove 3. In this modification the closure has no means integral therewith for removal from the bottle neck. The means and method for effecting removal will be discussed below, since it is common to Fig. 2 and the following Figs. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3 a form of closure of known type, commonly called a crown, is shown as a. part of our combination. In this type of closure the thin shallow skirt 6 has a fluted or crimped bottom edge and the corrugations thereof, when forced under the retaining bead, as shown in Fig. 3, form a perfect seal between the compressible sealing insert 1 and the top sealing surface of the bottle. Ordinarily a. closure of this type is removed by force exerted against the crimped bottom edge by well known forms of bottle openers for which the top surface of the closure serves as a fulcrum. According to our invention the bead or ledge 4 is so proportioned and so located that the crimped edge of the closure is held against the bead and as a result a tool cannot be inserted between the bead and closure to remove the latter.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a closure having a shell of the same type as shown in Fig. 3. This embodiment, however, differs from Fig. 3 in that it discloses an over-all liner or sealing insert 1 that separates the skirt 6 of the closure shell from the bead 2 and groove 3 of the neck finish. This interpositioning of the insert results in a thickness of insert and shell approximating the width of the bead or ledge 4. As is shown in Fig. 4, the crimped bottom edge and the insert of the closure are forced into close contact with the ledge 4. In this modification of the invention it is apparent that the relationship of ledge and closure makes the removal of the closure by insertion of a tool even more diificult than in the previous forms. Furthermore, as in the previous forms, because of the manner in which the lower skirt portion is held between the closely placed beads, any attempt to remove the closure will be readily discernible, and should the closure be removed it will not be reuseable.

The advantages of our invention must nowreadily appear and the opportuneness of our contribution to the closure art is striking in that it satisfies the strong present demand for inexpensive closures to be applied to reuseable containers. With the exception of the formillustrated in Fig. 1, it is necessary to remove and thereby destroy the closure by an auxiliary means and, furthermore, it is apparent from the very essence of our invention, the relationship of skirt and head, that removal must be accomplished from the top surface of the closure. The structure of the tool used for this purpose forms no part of this invention, since it is clear that a tool sharp enough to puncture the closure and of satisfactory shape and strength to permit the closure' to be pried off will be satisfactory. This use of an opener before the customer to not only break the producers seal upon the receptacle but also to destroy the closure has a forceful sales advantage that cannot be overlooked.

It is, of course, appreciated that our invention is in no way limited to the specific embodiments by which we have herein illustrated it. Therefore, with the intent to include all forms coming within the spirit and true scope of our invention, we claim:

1; A tamper-proof combination of bottle flnish and closure comprising a bottle neck having an annular peripheral bead adjoining the mouth, an annular ledge beneath the bead, a narrow annularv groove separating said bead and ledge, and an external closure, said closure having a deformable skirt portion disposed under said bead and extending into said groove with the bottom thereof forced tightly against said ledge, said ledge extending beyond the skirt portion in contact therewith to prevent bottom removal of said closures.

2. A tamper-proof combination of bottle finish and closure comprising a bottle neck having an annular peripheral bead adjoining the mouth, an annular ledge beneath the bead, a narrow annular groove separating said head and ledge, and an external closure, said closure having a shallow deformable skirt continuously disposed under said bead and extending into said groove with the bottom thereof forced tightly against said ledge,-

said ledge extending beyond the skirt portion in contact therewith to prevent bottom removal of said closure.

3. A tamper-proof combination of bottle finish and closure comprising a bottle neck having an annular peripheral bead adjoining the mouth, an annular ledge beneath the bead, a narrow annular groove separating said bead and ledge, and an external closure having a skirt portion bearing crimped detents, said skirt portion having the detents disposed under said bead with the skirt edge forced tightly against said ledge, said ledge extending beyond the skirt edge in contact therewith to prevent bottom removal of said closure.

4. In a sealed container having a mouth bead and an external metal closure retained by a skirt portion constricted below said bead, a continuous annular ledge extending outwardly from the container and having the bottom of said constricted skirt portion bearing tightly against the upper surface thereof to produce a tamperproof container.

EMERSON E. HOGG. ELI FRANK ANDERSEN.

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