US2079775A - Nonrefillable closure - Google Patents

Description

May ll, 1937. R. s. slMONS NONREFILLABLE cLosURE Filed Aug. 21. 1936 Y jizz/en for 15, a ymond Jimena' M Jj` u A ff/ E VQM Patented May 11, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT rOFFICEv 16 Claims.

This invention relates to closures for bottles and other containers, and particularly to such devices for use where it is desired to render a bottle or` other container nonrellable.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved closurefor bottles and other containers; to provide an improved valve actuating meansfor nonrefillable closures; to provide such a means that will obviate vacuum manipulation for either extracting liquid through the closure or refilling the container through the same; to provide such a means that may be readily incorporated in many existing meritorious closure devices; and to provide a nonrellable closure in which a control valve is permanently locked in its closed position upon any attempted vacuum manipulation.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the closure applied to a bottle neck.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing the valve in a closed and locked position as a result of vacuum manipulation.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view as taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the construction and arrangement of the closure bafile plug.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 1 showing the arrangement of the valve in detail.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the valve illustrating the manner in which it is locked in an expanded closing position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail of the threads shown in Fig. 5.

Numerous ingenious nonrellable closure constructions have been heretofore devised. However, in substantially all of these devices it is possible to pass a liquid through the device in either direction when vacuum means are employed, either for the liquid extraction or fill ing operation.

The present invention is intended to overcome this difficulty and defect by means of an arrangement and valve operating principle that may readily be incorporated in substantially any practical closure construction. Thus, for the purpose of illustration, the invention is herein shown as embodied in a closure construction patterned after the disclosure of Patent No. 2,048,- 699, issued July 28, 1936 to Gilbert Jackson, since that closure construction is possessed of the advantages of simplicity, ease and practicability of manufacture, and hence, low cost.

In the form shown in the drawing, the closure comprises a cylindrical, hollow body I, formed to t into a bottle neck 2, and having an outwardly projecting radial flange 3 at its upper end formed I to fit in an annular channel 4 on the inner margin of the bottle neck top opening. The cylindrical body I is formed with three annular chambers of increasing diameter upwardly from the lower end of the body, the lowermost chamber 5 communicating with the interior of the bottle through the bottom end of the body I, by means of a passage 6. The second or intermediate chamber I is an enlarged continuation ofthe chamber 5 and the uppermost chamber 8 is an enlarged continuation of the chamber 'I extending to the top o-f the body I.

A valve, comprising an externally and axially fluted, hollow cylindrical body 9 as its upper portion and a-cup-shaped valve member Il) as its lower portion, is disposed within the lowermost chamber 5 of the body I, the valve body 9 having an upwardly tapered conical top II and loe--` ing proportioned so that the crestsl of the fluted side wall will slidably engage with the side wall of the chamber 5.

The cup-shaped valveimember I is formed with a split resilient side wall arranged to telescopingly interfit with the open lower end of the hollow body 9, and is also provided with a downwardly tapered conical end portion I2 which projects from the bottom of the body 9 and is arranged to seat on a conically tapered valve seat I3 formed at the inner margin of the passageway 6. lIn the telescoping assembly of the valve member `IU with the valve body 9 an enclosed internal pocket or cavity I4 is formed within the valve and within this cavity, which serves as an air chamber, is housed an expansive air bag or sac I which is so designed that upon a reduction of the surrounding atmospheric pressure inside the closure body I, the bag or sac I5 Awill expand and Ypush the cup-shaped valve mem,

ber Ioutwardly from the valve body 9.

l Normally the cup-shaped valve member I0 will beheld in a withdrawn position in the valve body 9, as shown in Fig. 1, through friction of the segments of its resilient side wall upon the inner lwall surface of the valve member 9. However,

` upon expansion of the air bag or sac I5, through reduction of the surrounding atmospheric pressure, the valve portion IU will assume a projected position as shown in Fig. 2, which has the mechanical eiect of lengthening the valve axially with respect to the closure body I.

In order to provide means to lock the cupshaped valve member Ill4 in its outwardly projected position relative to the valve body Si, in the form shown the lower portion of the internal side wall of the body 9 is threaded or otherwise grooved, as shown in Fig. 5, and the side wall of the cup-shaped member I0 is axially split in several places about its periphery so that the side wall of the valve member II) will comprise a plurality of resilient ngers I6, which, due to their resiliency will tend to spread outwardly against the inner side wall of the body 9. Also, as shown in Fig. 5, the upper ends of the fingers I6 are formed as outwardly projecting pawls or detents Il which extend into and engage the grooves on the inner side wall of the valve body 9. Thus, upon outward movement of the valve member I0 relative to the valve body 9, under the iniiuence of the expanding air bag I5, the resilient lingers I6 and pawls Il will prevent the valve member I0 being returned to its telescoped position relative to the body member 9.

As shown in Fig. 5, the threads or grooves preferably progress helically inwardly from the open end of the valve body 9, and the crests of the thread teeth thus formed are preferably shaped so as to provide square shoulders against which the pawls I'I may engage. Also the lower sides of the said threads are tapered downwardly away from the tips of the pawls I'I at a greater angle relative to the horizontal than the upper sides of the threads taper toward the pawls Il. With this arrangement, as the tips of the pawls Il engage the lower side walls of the threads there is a camming action which tends to seat the valve member I U tightly against the valve seat I3 under a constant resilient pressure, even though the atmospheric pressure surrounding the air sac I5 has been returned to normal and the air sac has contracted to its normal size.

As shown in Fig. l, the intermediate chamber l of the closure body I, houses a relatively heavy ball, I8, which when the bottle neck is in an upright position rests on the conical top II of the Valve body 9. A baille plate or upper contact member I9 is seated in the uppermost chamber 8 and its lower surface is provided with a central cavity 2li into which the ball I8 may drop when the bottle neck is in an inverted position.

As shown in Fig. 1, the ball I8 is of such size that when the bottle neck is in, an upright position the ball I8 will engage both the inner or lower surface of the baille plate I9 at the margin of the cavity 20 and the conical surface II of the valve body 9, so that the valve cannot unseat and open until the 'bottle neck has been substantially inverted.

The baiile plate I9 is provided with a passage ZI at one side communicating with the interior of the intermediate chamber 'I and extending to the top surface of the balile plate; and on the top surface is a baffle wall 22 whichV projects upwardly and, in conjunction with the Wall of the chamber 8, provides a curved passage leading from the opening 2| to the central portion of the plate I9.

The plate I9 is held in place in the upper chamber 8 by means of a plug or cap 23 which lits into the upper end of the chamber 8 and bears upon the upper edge of the baffle wall 22. The plug 23 is provided with a central opening 2t and has an outwardly projecting flange 25 which rests upon the flange 3 of the closure body I, the flange 25 being preferably of the same external diameter as the flange 3.

As shown in Fig. 1 the marginal channel 4 at the upper end of the bottle neck is preferably of such depth as to completely receive both of the ilanges 3 and 25.

In the arrangement shown, the plug 23 is locked to the closure body I by means of a resilient outwardly expansible split ring 26 which is seated in a peripheral groove or channel 2l on the plug 23 and engages in an oppositely disposed. channel or groove formed on the inner wall of the closure body I when the plug 23 is inserted in the open upper end of the body l.

In operation the closure is applied to the bottle or container neck after the bottle or container has been filled and the closure is cemented or otherwise secured in the bottle neck in any suitable manner. The top opening 2Q of the closure is then plugged and sealed by any suitable or convenient means. When it is desired to remove the contents of the bottle or container the plug. or seal closing the opening 2t is removed and theI bottle contents can be poured out by simply inverting the bottle.

When in such inverted position the relatively heavy ball I8 will drop into the cavity 2e of the contact or baiile plate I and the valve will shift axially in the closure body and unseat to permit the passage of the bottle contents, the bottle contents flowing through the passageway 6 and over the luted Walls of the valve body Q through the intermediate chamber l and the passage 2| to the upper central position of the baille plate I9 where it may be readily discharged through top opening 24.

When the bottle is returned to its upright position, the weight of the ball I3 against the conical top lI will cause the valve to seat itself and close the inner passageway 6, thus preventing any refilling of the bottle when the same is in upright position. Should relling of the bottle be attempted when the bottle is in an inverted position by forcing liquid under pressure through the closure means, the hollow, air-filled valve will float on top of the entering liquid column and close the passageway 6 before any liquid can pass through the same.

Upon any attempt of vacuum manipulation, that is, extracting the contents from the bottle when in its inverted position by applying vacuum to the end of the bottle neck or closure, the reduction of the normal atmospheric pressure within the closure chambers will result in expansion i outward movement of the `valve member II). y

Such expansion, or outward movement of the -valve member I0 will cause the upper conical portion II of the valve to engage the ball E3 and the conical end I2 of the valve member Ill will engage the conical seat I3 at the margin of passageway 5, thus automatically closing the passageway and preventing any further passage of iuid therethrough.

Because of the locking engagement of the valve member fingers I6 with the threaded or grooved inner surface of the walls of the valve body 9, the valve will be permanently held in its eX- panded position, thus serving as an indication of the fact that illegal tampering with the bottle closure has been attempted. The bottle will thus be rendered unt for any further use and the practical result will be its ultimate destruction.

Due to the fact that it is imperative that bottle closures be of a type and construction wherein there will be no metal that could possibly come aovegvvs into contactr with the bottle `contents,practical closure devices must beV "mode" of-mon-met'allic materials. V"I'he ihereinl V'described ``device y-was chosen to illustrate a specic'embodiment of this invention `because itlwasbelieved-fthat itis of such form. and constructionf'that it can `bereadily and cheaply-made from; any' of several wellknown and suitable materials inthe class of plastics, s uch as bakelite and the like.A The heavy Aball -18 may befgiven--suflicient weight by providing a metalliccore and covering the same `rwith non-metallic material, -however,the metal used must be non-magnetic toprevent any magnetic `manipulation of the ball inforder to defeat its purpose. I

The Vmain-advantages of this invention are found inthe simplicity of the ypneumatic vprin- "ciple upon-which'it is based and in the ease and practicability of the application `of that principle to numerous existing` closure construcl VLtions, to render themtamper-proof and absolutely nonrellable. 'Afurtherladvantage is found in the -factthat in `many closure constructions and arrangements itis vonly necessary to add one element to those already'involved; and

in any case the use or-embodiment of this inbeen devised to prevent the relling of a conftainerpand` particularly a' bottle, after the container orbottlehas oncebeen emptied, the problem, has -not been `heretofore completely solved.

lMany of these-devices are practical in construction and operation insofar as ordinary manipulation is concerned; however, any personwho can profitably replace'theoriginal contents of a containerwith some other or` inferior product Cil will Vnot be stoppedby amere matter of inconvenience or'they time andpat-ience'necessary to accomplish his purpose. A common method of circumventing" the 'usual nonrellable devices is by the use of vacuum and none of the mechanisms or valve arrangements heretofore employed has been able to prevent the inseepage of liquid into a container when the container has been first exhausted of air. The present invention cures this difiiculty not only by preventing the attempted use of vacuum, but also by enlisting such Vacuum as an aid to block the liquid passage and lock the container.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough for fluid, and valve means arranged to close said passageway, of means providing an air pocket within said body member and arranged to actuate said valve means so as to close said passageway in response to expansion of air in said air pocket, and means to lock said valve means in closed position upon expansion of air in said air pocket.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough for iiuid, and valve means arranged to close said passageway, of means providing an enclosed air pocket within said body member subject to surrounding atmospheric l pressure variationslsaid last named meansbeing arranged l to` cause closure. of said passageway fbysaid valve meansuponexpansion .of air in said "fair pocket, andjrrneans to l'oclr said valve means in closedposition:uponrexpansion of air inysad air pocket.` I

3. `In al device lofthe yclass described, the combination with a body. member having a` passage- Awayltherethroughsforiuid; and valve means arrangeditoxcloseLsaidpassageway, of means providingV an air pocket-'within said body member and arranged to permanently: lock said valve means in a .position .closing said passageway upon expansion of. air insaidy air. pocket.

4. In a device of the class described, the cornbination l with, albody. member having a passagewayvtherethrough\for.:iiuid; and valve means. arranged Ito close-saidpassageway, of.. means providingxan. enclosed expansive air pocket within said body member.Y `subject ,to surrounding atmosphericlpressurenvariations, and means `operable .upon expansion v ofzsaidair pocket to permanently..zlockwfsaidy valvemeans in a position closing:saidlpassageway. 1

l 5. `Ina-device ofthe class described, the combination with` a body member having a passage- -Iway therethrough, lof.v means providing an air chamber'fwithin .said .body member `and having an open end, other` means telescopingly Vtting the open. end of I saidnair. chamber `means and shiftable outwardly therefrom, ,.upon expansion of airfinsaid air chamber, means. arranged to close said passageway upon shifting of .said:other means, and-detent means to lock said other. means in its shiftedposition'.'

' 6. `In a `device 'of the class described, the com- -binationwith la` body-member having a passageway therethrough, ofmeans providing an air chamber within said body member having an open end, othermeanstelescopingly fitted into said -open `end of 4saidair Achamber and shiftable outwardly-upon expansion of air in said air chamber,vv means arranged to 1 closeA said `passageway upon outward shifting of said other means, and a detent arranged to prevent re-opening of said passageway.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough for fluid, of a hollow air-filled expansive member disposed in said passageway and arranged to expand upon reduction of the atmospheric air pressure in said passageway and close said passageway against passage of iiuid therethrough, and detent means operable upon expansion of said expansive member to lock and permanently close said passageway.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough for iiuid, of a shiftable hollow air-lled expansive valve member disposed in said passageway and arranged to open and close the same, and means to limit the opening movement of said valve member, said valve member being arranged to expand upon expansion of the air therein and close said passageway.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passage- Way therethrough for fluid and an inlet opening having a valve seat, of a hollow air-filled expansive valve member disposed in said passageway and axially shiftable therein to open and close said inlet opening, and means to limit the opening movement of said valve member, said valve member being arranged to expand axially Iupon reduction of the `atnfiospher'c pressure in `.said passageway and close. said Ainlet opening.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member `having apassageway therethrough for fluid and an-,inlet opening having a Valve seat, of a hollow air-filled expansive valve memberdisposed in 4said passageway and axially shiftable therein to open and close said inlet opening, means to limit the opening movement of said valve member, said Valve member being arranged to expand axially upon reduction of the atmospheric pressure in said passageway and close said inlet opening, and means to lock said valve member in its expanded position.

11. A container closure having a passageway therethrough, means 'to provide an air pocket in said closure, means arrangedto be actuated by expansion of air in said air pocket to close said passageway, and a detent to.1ock said last named means in passageway closing position.

12. A container closure having a passageway therethrough for liquid, an air pocket within said closure, shiftablemeans arranged to be actuated by expansion of air in said air pocket, means arranged to. close said passageway upon actuation of said shiftable means by said air expansion, and .detent means tolock said lastnamed means in closed position.

13. A container closure having a passageway therethrough for liquid, an air pocket within said closure, shiftable means arranged to close off one end of saidair` pocket and to be actuated by expansion of air in said air pocket, means arranged to close said passageway upon actuation of said shiftable meansv byA said air expansion, and a detent coacting with said lastnamed means to prevent re-opening of said passageway.

14. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough, of means providing an expansible air chamber within said body member,

said means comprising associated members arranged to shift relative to each other upon expansion of airin said air chamber, one of said members causing closure of said passageway upon such shifting, a shoulder on one of said members, and a detent on the other'of said members for engaging said shoulder upon relative shifting of said members to lock `said members in shifted position. c v 4 15. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough, `ci? means providing an expansible air chamber withinv said body member, said means comprising associated members arranged to shift relative to each other upon expansion of air in said air chamber, one of said members causing closure of said passageway upon such shifting, a shoulder on one of said members, a laterally resilient detent on the other of said members for engaging said shoulder upon relative shifting of said members to lock said members in shifted position, and means operable upon shifting of said members to constantly urge continuation offsuch shifting independently of said aii` expansion.:

16. In a device of the class described, the combination with a body member having a passageway therethrough for fluid and lan inlet opening havingV a valve seat, of a hollow air-filled expansive valve member-disposed in said passageway and axially shiftable therein to open and l close said inlet opening, said valve member com-

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