US3021976A - Container - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1962 I G. T. TRACY 3,021,976

- CONTAINER Filed Sept. 24, 1959 INV EN TOR.

GE ALD It TRACY BY f United States Patent 3,021,976 CONTAINER Gerald T. Tracy, Chicago, Ill., assignor to National Can Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,155 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-66) This invention relates in general to containers and, more particularly, to improvements in containers of the so-called tin can type.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a can in which one of the end closures thereof is so constructed that a portion thereof may be severed by a conventional can opener and said portion removed to leave a straight edge at the container opening, whereby the straight edge can be used for such purposes as wiping an applicator brush or for leveling a spoon or measuring cup.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a container in which one of the end closures has a reclosable plastic plug through which the container may be filled or through which ingredients may be added to the container subsequent to filling thereof. To accomplish this, the end closure has a hole that is closed by a plastic collar that is secured to the end closure over the hole and makes an air-tight seal with the metal of the closure adjacent the hole and the collar, in turn, having a reclosable plug that forms a hermetic seal across the collar.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a container in which the closure plug is transparent so that the-contents of the can may be viewed once the latter is closed. This is of importance in many commercial instances. For instance, in the paint industry, the same labels may be used on different colors of canned paints, the color being discernable through the transparent closure. For this purpose the plug may be of the reclosable type or may be of a type which is permanently secured to the end closure across the hole therein.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a can constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a portion of the top closure removed; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 and showing a modified form of the present invention.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the drawings.

Referring now in more detail by reference characters to the drawing which illustrates preferred embodiments of the present invention, A designates a can comprising a body 1 formed by a flat rectangular sheet of metal, such as tin plate, which is shaped into an enveloping cylindrical side wall 2 with the overlapping margins of the sheet secured together in any desired manner as, for instance, by being solder-sealed together. At its lower end the can body 1 has a bottom sheet metal closure disk 3 which is secured at its outer periphery to the side wall 2 through a conventional annular double seam 4. Similarly secured to the upper end of the can body 1 is a top sheet metal closure disk 5 which is joined throughout its entire periphery to the peripheral metal of the wall 2 by a double seam 6, similar to the seam 4- previously described. Formed in the disk 5 is a frangible score line 7 which extends chordwise thereacross and terminates at its opposite ends adjacent the seam 6.

Somewhat centrally thereof the disk 5 is bent axially inwardly a short distance and a portion of the metal thereof removed to provide an opening, the metal at the periphery of the opening being turned radially outwardly as an annular curl 8 and forms the wall of a hole 9 in the disk 5. Mounted on the disk 5 and extending across the hole 9 is a transparent plastic collar 10 which is undercut adjacent to its periphery by an annular groove 11 which opens outwardly at the lower side of the collar 10. The collar 10 is preferably fabricated of a commercially available polyvinyl chloride sold as Firestone Plastic Grade TS536-3 by Firestone Plastics Co., Pottstown, Penna, a division of Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. The collar 10 is press-fitted on to the disk 5 so that the annular curl 8 snaps into the groove 11. The raw metal edge 12 of the curl 8 bites into the softer plastic at the radially outermost portion of the groove 11 to hold the collar 10 snugly and irremovably in place and also to cover completely the raw metal edge. Furthermore, the snug fit of the curl 8 in groove 11 forms an air-tight seal between the collar 10 and disk 5. Adjacent to the groove 11 the collar 10 is integrally formed with an annular depending reinforcing rib 13.

Integrally formed on the collar 10 and extending radially outwardly therefrom is a hinge-forming strip 14 which is joined to and provides a hinge for a plastic plug 15 having a central projection 16 and a pull tab 17 directly opposite the hinge-forming strip 14. The plug 15 over lies the collar 10. The central projection 16 has a conical groove 18 which receives an inner generally conical flange 19 that forms the side wall of 'a hole 20. The hole 20 is closed by the central projection 16. On its axially inner end the central projection 16 is formed with a radially outwardly extending annular locking lip 21 which overlies the bottom edge 22 of the flange 19 .and retains the plug 15 in place across the hole 20.

The disk 5 and collar 10 with the associated plug 15 may be assembled prior to sealing the disk 5 on to the top of the side wall 2. The cans may be filled with the desired contents before the disk 5 is seamed to the can body, or after, in which event the hole 20 may be used as a filling hole. It is sometimes preferable to fill the can before seaming the cover disk 5 in place, for then the plug 15 may be factory closed. If it is desired later to add ingredients to the can the pull tab 18 may be lifted upwardly to uncover the hole 20, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2. Thereafter, the plug 15 can be snapped closed to the position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 to reseal the can. The locking lip 21 not only holds the plug 16 in closed position but, due to its resiliency, assists in maintaining a fluid-tight seal across the hole 20. Furthermore, the flange 19 is somewhat resilient and presses against the central portion 16 at the groove 18 to further insure a hermetic seal.

A can of the foregoing type is particularly useful wherein it is desired to fill a number of cans with white paint to which pigments of different colors are to be later added. Thus, the cans of white paint are sold in conjunction with pigments of various colors, any one or more of which may be added to the paint at about the time of purchase thereof by the user by simply withdrawing the plug 15 and adding the pigments. The metal-toplastic seal between the collar 10 and disk 5 remains permanent while the plastic-to-plastic seal across the hole 20 between the plug 15 and collar 10 is always effected when the plug is closed. Moreover, since the plug and collar are transparent the color of the paint is quickly and easily ascertainable, and it is not necessary to provide different labels for the different colors of paint.

It is also possible to make the plug 15 and collar 10 as two separate and disconnected parts. In such case, the collar may be of a plastic, metal, or rubber-like material which is not transparent while the plug may be fabricated of transparent plastic, for instance, of the composition previously described. This arrangement will still permit the observing of the product in the can through the transparent plug when the latter is in place on the collar.

When it is desired to open the can A, the disk 5 is cut or fractured as by a conventional can opener along the fracture path 22' illustrated in broken lines, FIG. 1 from a to b, these points being at the opposite ends of the frangible score line 7. After this has been done the fractured portion 23 of the disk 5 is bent upwardly along the score line 7 causing the disk 5 to break at said score line 7, whereupon the fractured portion 23 can be discarded. The straight edge e left at the remaining portion of the disk 5 can be used for various purposes depending upon the contents of the can. For example, if paint, paste, or other coatings are in the container, the straight edge can be used for Wiping a brush to permit excess liquid to flow back onto the container. Similarly, if powdered ingredients are within the can, the straight edge can be used for levelling a measuring spoon or measuring cup.

A modified form of closure plug for the disk 5 is shown in FIG. 4. This plug may be of thesame composition as the collar 10 previously described. It has a central web 31 forming a permanent closure for the hole 9'. The plug 10 is placed over the disk 5 so that the curl 8 snaps intothe groove 11 to permanently seal the plug 10' in place on the disk, either before or after the disk has been seamed to the can body. Since the plug 10' is transparent it will be apparent that the product therein may be easily identified, and, in particular, the color thereof if paint is the product within the can.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction herein shown, the same being merely illustrative'of the principles of the invention. What is conto form a curl having a raw edge, .a collar of flexible plastic material having a groove for receiving the curl with the raw edge biting into the collar to lock the collar onto the disk, said collar having an annular axially extending flange inwardly of said groove, said flange forming a neck-opening in the collar, and a plastic replaceable plug mounted on said collar, said plug having a central projection which fits into and closes and seals the neck opening when the plug is in closed position, said plug having an annular groove for snugly receiving the flange when the projection is within the neck opening, a locking lip at one end of the projection for engagement with an end of the flange for retaining the plug in closed position, at least one of said plug and collar being transparent to permit observation of the interior of the container from the outside thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,415,543 Gannon May 9, 1922' 2,061,145 Duffy Nov.,l7, 1936 2,606,586 Hill Aug. 12, 1952 2,670,871 Spiess Mar. 2, 1954 2,723,778 Rabak Nov. 15, 1955 2,741,396 Lobl Apr. 10, 1956 2,765,094 Ryan Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 649,559 Great Britain Jan. 31, 1951 1,047,110 Germany Dec. 18, 1958

Images