US1761428A - Closure - Google Patents

Description

C. R. CRARY June 3, 1930.

CLOSURE Filed Feb. 16, 1928 wvemto'o C'ecZ'Z R. Cra

Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED. STATES PATENT; oFFIcs CECIL n. canny, or nn'rnorr, mronrem CLOSURE Application filed February 16, 1928. Serial No. 254,844.

ing the construction of the several parts 1nvolved and by reducing the number of such parts to a minimum.

The invention provides for simplifying the method of manufacture and cheapening the cost of production by introducing a construction wherein the closure is hingedly attached to the container and wherein the parts of the hinge not only serve to hingedly attach the closure to the container but also co-act with the closure to subject the same to a sealing pressure upon the container. 9

Another novel feature of construction of this invention which contributes materially to the reduction in cost of manufacture, is the provision of a member carried directly by the closure and having integral projections, one of which constituting a bafile for the usual -vent opening in the closure and another performing the dual function of hingedly connecting the closure to the container and cooperating with the latter to subject the closure to a sealing pressure upon the container.

Further objects and advantages of the inv vention reside in the novel details of construction, all of which will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanyin% drawing wherein: igure 1 is a perspective view of a container having my improved closure attached thereto;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the closure; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the closure in closed position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showin a slightly modified form of construction; igure 5 is a sectional elevation of the construction shown in Figure 4, showing the closure in open position,

While it will be a parent as this descrip tion proceeds that t e present invention is capable of numerous and diversified uses, nevertheless, for the pur ose, of illustration I have herein illustrate this invention as used in connection with a fuel tank for motor a driven vehicles. In this connection I have illustrated fragmentarily a fuel tank 10 having the usual filler tube 11 projecting upwardly from the tank 10. The filler tube 11 is provided with an inwardly extending annular ange 12 forming a seat for the closure mem ber 13 and terminating in a depending flange 14. The closure member 13 comprises a cap member 14 having a bowed top portion 15, provided with a vent 16 and a peripherally extending outwardly rolled bead l7 terminating in an annular ange 18 arranged, in the closed position of the closure member, to surround the filler tube 10. Positioned within the cap member 14' isa ring 19 having the peripheral portions thereof secured within the bead 17. As shown, the ring 19 is formed witha segmental offset portion 20 following the eneral contour of the bowed portion 15 of t e cap and projecting beyond the vent 16. The arran ement being to revent the liquid containe in the fuel tank rom escaping out of the vent without effecting the passage of air therethrough. The ring 19 is further provided with the diametrically opposite projections 21 and 22 arranged to extend through suitable slots 23-and 24 respectively formed in the flanges 12 and 14 upon the filler tube 10. The ring 19 together with the segmental portion 20 and projections 21 and 22 is stamped from a single sheet of metal. The projection 21 extends inwardly and downwardly from the ring 19 and is substantially U-shaped having the outwardly extending leg 25 thereof normally engaging the lower edge portion 26 of the flange 14:. The projection 22 on the other hand is also provided with an outwardly opening U-shaped portion 27, the lower leg- 28 thereof normally engag- 9 ing the lower edge 29 of the flange 14 and terminating in a depending portion 30 having a lateral'T-shaped portion 31 engageable with the flanges 12 and 14 to accomplish the hinge connection between the closure and container and to normally retain the former upon the latter when the closure is in the position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing.

In order to sub ect the the gasket 32 carried by the closure member to a sealing pressure upon the flange 12 of the filler tube the diametrically opposite edges 26 and 29 of the depending flange 14 are inclined in a direction from the slot 24 to the slot 23. The arrangement being that when the closure is in the position illustrated in Figure 3 wherein the U-shaped portions of the projections 21 and 22 are disposed within the slots 23 and 24 respectively and the legs 25 and 28 of the U-shaped portions are in alignment with the inclined edges 26 and 29 respectively of the flange 14, the closure may be rotated in a clockwise direction to engage the said legs 25 and 28 withthe inclined edges 26 and 29, and owing to the inclination of these edges as heretofore pointed out, the gasket 32 will be compressed between the ring 19 of the 010- sure and the flange 12 of the ring. Rotation of the closure member in the opposite direction and accidental disengagement of the closure with the container is prevented by means of the extension 33 formed on the flange 14. As shown, this extension is spaced below the slot 24 and projects across the same adjacent the edge 29 of the flange 14 and is spaced a sufficient distance below this edge to permit the necessary manipulation of the closure to detach the latter from the container. In other words, the dimension of the space between the upper edge of the extension 33 and'the lower edge 29 of the flange 14 is substantially equal to the width of the lateral projections 34 and 35 of the T-shaped member 31 so that when it is desired to detach the closure member 13 from the container a slight twisting effort is applied to the closure permitting the projection 35 of the T-shaped portion to pass through the space aforesaid.

Assuming now that the closure is in sealing engagement with the filler neck 11 and it is desired to gain access to the container, the closure member is merely rotated in a counterclockwise direction until the base of the U-shaped portion 27 engages the edge 37 of the flange 14. The closure member is then swung back as shown in Figure l, the U- shaped portion 27 together with the depending portion 22 passing upwardly through the slot 24 and the projections 34 and 35 of the T-shaped member engaging the inner surfaces of the flanges 12 and 14 adjacent the slot 24. Thus from the foregoing it will be apparent that a dual function may be attributed to the projection 22 as the latterin addition to hingedly connecting the closure to the container, cooperates with the projection 21 to subject the closure to sealing pressureupon the container.

The modified form of the invention illustrated in figures 4 and 5 is substantially the same in construction and operation as the above described form. The only material difference between the two illustrated forms is that in the latter construction the extension 36 upon the flange 14 extends into close proximity to the lower edge 29 of flange 14. In other words, the space 37 between the lower edge 29 of the flange 14 and the upper edge of the extension is normally substan tially less than the width of the lateral projections 34 and 35 of the T-shaped portion 31. The extension 36, however, is sufliciently resilient to permit a forced passage of the projections 34 and 35. With this latter construction when it is desired to detach the 010- sure from the container, the extension 36 is merely flexed downwardly by forcing the T-shaped portion through the space 37. \Vith such an arrangement accidental disengagement of the closure with the container is prevented.

The herein described arrangement renders possible the production of a commercially satisfactory closure member that is simple and economical in construction and one that is efficient in operation owing to the novel quick detachable hinge connection between the closure and container.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In combination, a container, a closure for the container having a vent therein, a ring having the peripheral portions thereof secured to the closure and having a pair of oppositely disposed projections extending downwardly from the inner edge thereof adapted to cooperate with the container upon rotation of the closure in one direction to subject the latter to a sealing pressure upon the former, and an extension upon the inner edge of the said ring disposed between the projections-aforesaid and adapted to extend beyond the said vent in spaced relation thereto, the said extension constituting a battle for preventing fluid in the container from escaping through the said vent.

2.In combination, a container, a closure for said container, a ring having the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of said closure, and a projection extending downwardly from the inner edge of said ring adapted to cooperate with the container in one rotativc position of the closure to subject the latter to a sealing pressure upon the former and in another rotative position of the closure to establish a hinge connection between the closure and container.

3. In combination, a container, a closure for said container. a. ring having the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of said closure, and a projection formed integral with and extending downwardly from the inner edge of the ring, the said projection adapted to detachably engage the said container and cooperate-thcrewith in one rotative position of the closure tosubjoct the latter to 1 a sealing pressure upon the container and in another rotative position of the closure to establish a detachable hinge connection between the closure and container.

4. In combination, a container, a closure p the said air vent and another normally estabcooperate with the container in one rotative position of the closure to subject the latter to a sealing pressure uponthe former and in another rotative position of the closure to establish a hinge function between the closure and container. v

5. In combination, a container, a closure for said container, a ring having the peripheral portions thereof secured to the top of said closure, and a projection formed integral with and extending downwardly from the inner edge of the ring, the said projection having a portion intermediate the ends there-' of adapted to cooperate with the container in one rotative position of the closure to subject the latter to a sealing pressure upon the con tainer and having another portion adapted to cooperate with the container in another rotative position of the closure to effect a hinge connection between the closure and container;

6. In combination, a container, a closure for said container having an air vent therein, and a member carried by the said closure having a plurality of integral projections, one of said projections constituting a bafilefor said air vent and another of said projections normally establishing a connection between the closure and container. j

7. In combination, a container, a closure for saidcontainer having an air vent therein and a ring secured at the periphery thereof to said closure, said ring having a series of projections formed integral with the inner edge thereof, one of which constituting a baflie for lishing a connection between the closure and container. v

8. In combination, a container, a closure for said container havinga cap portion provided with a vent, a ring having the peripheral portions thereof secured to the cap portion and having a segmental portion extending inwardly beyond the vent aforesaid and following but spaced from the top portion of the cap to prevent liquid in the container from escaping through the vent without affecting the passage of air therethrough.

9. In combination, a container,v and a closure therefor, of a separable connection between said parts including a hinge element movable in the arc of a circle within said container but removable at will therefrom, and

means associated with said container c0n-' stituting aguard for said hinge element to prevent accidental removal thereof when functioning as a hinge but permitting the removal of said hinge element as aforesaid when the said element is moved in the arc of a circle as described.

10. In combination, a container having a seat for a closure, a depending flange carried by said seat and having a slot, and a part bridging said slot fixed at one end to said flange and spaced relative thereto at'its opposite end, a closure for said container normally on said seat, and a separable connection .between said closure and container including a hinge part rigid with the closure but receivable in the slot and movable between said part and flange aforesaid.

11. In combination, a container having an inwardly extending annular'flange constituting a seat for a closure member, and provided at the inner edge of said flange with a depending flange, the lower edge of said depending flange being provided at substantially diametrically opposite points thereof with in- "clined edges, said annular and depending flanges being provided with slots at substantially diametrically opposite points between the inclined edges aforesaid, a closure on said seat having a top provided with an air vent, and a connection between said closure and container including a rin secured in the closure, projections upon said closure at diametrically opposite sides thereof engageable with said inclined. edges to hold the closure on the seat and receivable in the slots to permit the closure to be unseated, one of said projections having a lateral extension engageable with said seat and establishing a hinge connection with said container, and an arm on said depending flange serving as a guard for the last mentioned projection when said hinge connection is established to prevent accidental disengagement thereof from the container. 4

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CECIL R. CRARY.

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