US2738090A - Dispensing bottle cap - Google Patents

Description

March 13, 1956 M. R. DAVIS DISPENSING BOTTLE CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1952 Q. T m w.

March 13, 1956 M. R. DAVIS DISPENSING BOTTLE CAP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1952 .96 INVENTOR.

United States Patent-O DISPENSING BOTTLE CAP MargaretR. Davis, Arlington, Va.

Application March 13, 1952, SerialNo. 276,296

2 Claims. (Cl. 215-61) My'invention relates to a container, having an inner openable'runway or spout formed in its coveror'wall portion.

I am aware of the fact that the "prior artwtliscloses a number of container tops such as milk bottle caps and salt box covers, which are provided with a spout means.

Some of these are relatively expensive, others cost but little. Many of the higher priced articles are effec'tivein operation, but they have obtained only limited acceptance because of the comparatively high cost of production: but, insofar as I am informed, the cheaper tops .ofathe prior art do not appear to be sufliciently-convenient to use, or effective enough in operation to warrant'general acceptance, either by the purchasing public or by-the trade.

"In view of this situation, I propose, and" it is oneof my purposes to provide, a unique container'top -of "the characterdescribed, which is both inexpensive to produce and convenient and effective in operation;

A further purpose is the provision'of a contaiinerhavingJan openable runway or spout of the character de scribed which is part of the main body portion ofthe receptacle.

.tainertopof the character described which is=moresimple in construction and more convenient and effective in operation than any comparable container top which has heretofore been made, at a low cost.

Another purpose is to provide a container closure or encasing means having a sealed but openable runway through which, when the runway is opened, liquids,

powders and granular materials may bereadilydischarged from the container in a well-directed stream, without the inconvenience of first removing the cap, lid, cover ..or wall portion of the container.

The "other and further purposes "of my invention "will become apparent 'as'my application proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. lis aperspective'view illustrating a bottle cap embodying my invention, which is beingused toseal a bottle; Only the'upper 'portion -of the'bottle is'shown-in this view, "Fig. 2 is :a sectional vi'ewof the same, showing the bottle of Fig. "1 tilted and 'its contents being discharged through an opened runway or spout in'the cap, which "is, "of course, shown'elosed in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is.a sectional view'tak'en along the line '33 "of Fig. 5,

Figs; 4 .and 5 are seetion'staken "respectively along the *iines 4--4-and5--5 in-Fi'g. "1',

Figxo -is a top-plan view of the-capshowing its runway open and in a position adapted-to serve I as a spout,

Figt'fl is a perspective View ofa container embodying another form of my invention. Inthis view the runway is-sirown on a sealed, cut out'tongue, 'andthis tongue may be an integral portion of any 'sidewall of the-container,

Fig; is'a section takenalong the line '8-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a topplan'yiew'of a pasteboard box provided with a cover having its tongue portion sealed with a sticker, v

' Fig. lO'is a section taken along theline 1010 Fig.9,

Fig. 11 is a sectional view showinga box coverwhich makes use ofnon integral ribs ordianges to provide the banks 'ofits runway, and

Fig. 1'2 isaperspective view fragmentarily showing a container which utilizes spaced-apartand preferably par- Another and more specific purpose is the provision of acontainer top having an openable tongue portion tcarrying a runway which is inverted when the tongue is closed and is adapted to serve as a container spout when the tongue portion is opened.

A further and still more specific purpose is to provide a container top furnished with a runway of the characterallel' ribs or flanges to form the banksof its runway;

Broadly, my invention contemplates the provision in 'the casing or cover portion of 'a container of a normally 'c'losed'tongue or "tab portiom-havin'gon' its lower or'inner sidea runway adapted, when 'this tongue portion is opened, toserve as a-spout 'through which-liquids "or 'suitable granularmaterialsma'y be 'poured'fromthe container in -a well-directed. stream.

Referringnow'toFigures"l'tob inclusive, I have shown, for. purposesof illustration only, amilk'bottle cap 20, but it willbeof course understo'od*that'the unique spout or runway of my invention may be readily incorporated in any suitabletpart of a con'tainer.

In fabricating the cap ,20, Imake use of a sheet of cardboard or-stifi' paper "(nottfshown'fi and stamp or cut 'out' oftliis'sheet a circulandi'scil, adaptedtoseal a'milk bottle ,having a cap seat"of'predetermined diameter. fThis-milkbottle cap' rn'ay; of-course, be formed inany manner well known to the art, but it is-preferabl'ypro- 'vided-by stamping and embossing" the disc'2l in a suitable dieapparatus (not shown havin-g suitable maleand female dies, :especialiy engravedand' cut out for the purpose.

The cap 20 is "provided with a strip, tab or tongue portion '22 (hereinafter referredto as the tongue") which may "be partlyjsseparated from the adjacent. portions of the disc by an indented line '24; which defines and 'weakens'the front'edge'26, and the side edges28, 30 of the tongue to such an extent that the tongue may be hingedly opened (see Figs. 2 and 6).

On the lower side of the tongue, as viewed in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, there are provided spaced-apart longitudinally extending depressed portions, or ribs 32, 34, which extend forwardly from the opposite sides 36, 38 of the tongues base or root portion 40 almost to its front edge 26. These ribs, as may be readily understood by referring to Figs. 1 to 6, both stiffen the tongue and serve as the banks of a runway 42. This runway, as may be seen in Fig. 2, makes the tongue an efiective spout through which the milk may be poured through the cap in a stream 43 when the tongue is opened, and the bottle 44 is tilted. By referring to this figure it may be seen that a stream of milk may be conveniently and effectively discharged at such a distance from the top or neck 45, of the bottle that it prevents the milk from dribbling down the side of the bottle.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown, also for purposes of illustration only, a six-sided cardboard sheet container,

or box 46 which embodied another form of my invention. One side 50 of this box is provided with a tongue 54. (The opposite sides of the box, not shown, may consist of open leaves or flaps, also not shown, to be sealed after the box is filled.)

This tongue 54 also has two spaced-apart ribs or flanges 56, 58 which form a runway or spout 60 and may be substantially identical to the tongue 22, except that its front edge 62 and its side edges 64, 66 are first wholly cut out from the side 50 instead of being formed by an indented line only semi-separated. These edge portions are then secured to the side 50 in a preferred watertight manner, by any suitable binding agent 68 (for instance, a wax, parafiin or casein adhesive) which will seal the tongue in its closed position, but yet permit I the tongue to be conveniently opened.

In Figs. 9 and 10, I have illustrated a cylindrical container 70 having a top 72, the upper part 74 of which is provided with a tongue 76. This tongue may be identical to the tongue 54, shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and by referring to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the tongue is cut away from the adjacent portions in the same manner, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

But in this modification, I prefer to hold the tongue in its closed position with a sticker 78 having a marportions 88, 90 which are adapted to provide a runway 92 between these rib portions. This runway is adapted to serve as a spout when the tongue is opened in the same manner as the tongue 22, shown in Fig. 2. The tongue 86 is preferablysecured in its closed position by suitable adhesively coated strips 93 in a manner which may be readily understood by referring to Fig. 11.

In Fig. 12, I have shown a hexagonal box 94 of preferably multi-ply cardboard construction, which embodies a further modification of my invention.

On one side 95 of this box a tongue 96 preferably rectangular in form is cut out of an outer section of any side 97 of the box in such a way that it leaves a recessed portion 98. Immediately inside this recessed portion, I provide a port, or door opening 9 9'which is made slightly smaller in dimension than the tongue, in order that abutments or door jambs 100 may be formed which will prevent the tongue from being pressed through the opening 97 when the tongue is being closed. These jambs also permit the tongue to be sealed to the side of the box in such a manner as to provide a more rugged construction.

To the inner surface of this tongue, I secure two stiff spaced- apart ribs 101, 102 which may be made of any suitable material, such as wood. Alternatively, these may be metal bars or strips (not shown) provided with end portions which pass through the tongue and may be clamped to its outer surface. These ribs serve as stifiening members for the tongue, and to form a runway or spout through which liquid or granular material (not shown) may be poured from the container.

In the side 97 adjacent to the upper edge of the recessed portion formed by the tongue, I also preferably provide a notch 103 which enables the tongue to be more conveniently opened.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a unique runway or spout means which may be formed in cardboard sheet segments, and also in the tops or sides of containers.

It will, of course, be understood, that other modifications than those shown herein for the purpose of illustration, for instance, articles formed from metal or plastic sheets, may be made which will fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A seal for a container having an outlet through which pourable material may be discharged in the form of a stream, said seal consisting of a stamped-out disc adapted for manual insertion and re-insertion in said outlet and having a U-shaped line of weakness defining a tongue integrally connected to said disc and which, when the tongue is lifted to its pouring position, forms a hinge between the end portions of said line and also leaves an apertured portion within said disc, said tongue having on its underside a pair of spaced-apart ribs which extend substantially from said end portions to said free portion in a manner whereby said pair of ribs and said tongue coact in providing a guide for said material on the underside of said tongue.

2. A seal for a container having an outlet through which pourable material may be discharged in the form of a stream, said seal consisting of a stamped-out disc adapted for manual insertion and re-insertion in said outlet and having a U-shaped line of weakness defining a tongue which is integrally connected to said disc and forms, when the tongue is lifted to its pouring positions, a hinge line between the end portions of said U-shaped line, and leaves an apertured portion within said disc, said tongue having on its underside a pair of spaced-apart ribs in converging relationship to each other, extending substantially from said end portions to said free portion in a manner whereby said pair of ribs and said tongue coact .to provide a guide for materials on the underside of said tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,242,604 Schmitt Oct. 9, 1917 1,881,403 Guyer Oct. 4, 1932 1,890,691 Mergentheim Dec. 13, 1932 2,574,720 Trout et al. Nov. 13, 1951 I FOREIGN PATENTS 511,851 Great Britain Aug. 25, 1939

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