US2882000A - Collapsible tube capping and suspending device - Google Patents

Description

April ,19 L. M. JOHNSON 2,882,000

COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAPPING AND SUSPENDING DEVICE Filed Aug. 22?, 1957 FigZ Fi Leona M. Johns on INVENIOR.

BY M M COLLAPSIBLE TUBE CAPPING AND SUSPEND- ING DEVICE Leona M. Johnson, Lancaster, Calif.

Application August 23, 1957, Serial No. 679,868

Claims. (Cl. 248-108) The present invention relates to an improved capping device for the neck portion of a conventional-type collapsible tube such as is used as a container for tooth paste, shaving cream and the like and has reference, more particularly, to a novelly constructed device which functions not only as a cap, but, in addition, as a hanger for the tube when it is not in use.

More specifically, the concept has to do with a hanger bracket or, alternatively, a suspension fixture, which may be bracketed on a stationary support surface at some readily accessible place. A complemental capping and suspending device is rotatably mounted on the fixture. This device is provided with a socket into which the neck of the collapsible tube is telescopically fitted and, in this manner, closed by the bottom of the socket. There is a packing element in the bottom of the socket to effect a satisfactory closure.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the capping and suspending device, novel clamping means is provided on said device. The clamping means is unique in that it embodies a pair of cooperating jaws, one of which may be said to be relatively stationary to grip one side of the neck, and the other relatively movable to grip the other side of the neck. These jaws cooperate with the normally open mouth portion of the socket. Means is embodied in the capping device to cooperate with the jaws so that when the device is moved to assume what may be said to be its normal position, the jaws grip the neck and the tube is suspended. When the device is manually shifted or moved to another position, the jaws automatically part and the mouth of the socket is then freely open so that the neck may be withdrawn and the tube detached for use. By restoring the neck in the socket and then shifting the device back to its normal position, the jaws automatically close and again grip the neck.

Briefly summarized, the over-all construction comprises a fixture for attachment to a wall or the like, said fixture having a vertical plate portion provided with a stationary horizontal outstanding pin cylindrical in crosssection, a surface of said pin being provided between its ends with a recess defining a pocket and one wall of said pocket functioning as a stop shoulder and the surface of the pin adjacent to said pocket constituting a cam, a generally circular block having a fiat side opposed in parallelism to said plate portion, having an eccentric bearing removably journalled for rotation on said pin, and also having a radial socket opening through a peripheral portion approximately diametrically opposite to said bearing, said socket being provided to telescopically receive the usual screw-threaded neck of a collapsible tube whereby to thus provide a closing cap for said neck, the peripheral portion ofsaid block having groove means,

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an arcuately bowed leaf spring seated in a given portion of said groove means fastened to said block and having one end terminating and overlying a portion of the open mouth of the socket and serving as a stationary jaw, the other end of said spring being free and terminating over and beyond the pocketed portion of said pin, that portion of the block opposite the spring being recessed, a longitudinally bowed spring metal band situated on the recessed portion of said block and pivoted in a lever-like 0 manner intermediate the respective ends of the hand, one

end of said band being adjacent the mouth portion of said socket and serving as a movable neck gripping jaw and cooperating with said first-named jaw.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the device as constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and showing how it is mounted and used.

Fig. 2 is a view with parts in elevation taken on the plane of the vertical line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing how the device is rotated counterclockwise to open the jaws and to provide for insertion or removal of the tube neck.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 44 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the attaching bracket or fixture 8 embodies an attaching flange 10 secured by fasteners 12 to the wall or other surface 14. The aforementioned vertical plate portion or flange 16 is at right angles to the horizontal reinforcing flange 18. As seen in Fig. 4, there is a horizontal or right angularly disposed cylindrical pin or stud 20 and this has one end abutting the plate and fixed thereto by the fastener 22. This pin is for joumalling, mounting and also provides a cam. In the surface, there is a recess or pocket 24 provided, and one wall of this serves as a stop shoulder 26. The

edge portion adjacent the pocket at 28 constitutes a cam.

The capping and suspension device as an entity is denoted by the numeral 26. As already mentioned, this is preferably in the form of a substantially circular block which may be of some non-corrodible material or commercial plastics. The block 28 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3 has a radial socket 30 with its mouth portion opening through a peripheral surface and with the bottom of the socket provided with a compressibly resilient insert or pad 32 to effect a satisfactory closure for the neck 34 of the collapsible tube36. The diametrically opposite portion of the block is recessed and provided with an eccentric bore providing a bearing 38 which makes it possible to rotatably and removably mount the block on the cam-pin 20.

The peripherally grooved portion on one side of the block serves to accommodatingly receive a longitudinally bowed or arcuate spring 40, said spring having a slot 42 intermediate its ends to accommodate the threaded end 44 and adjacent thumb nut 46 on a bolt 48 passing through a bore 50 at the center of the block. The headed end 52 of the bolt bridges the recessed portion 54 of the block where it is hingedly connected with the apertured counterbored portion 56 of an arcuate spring metal band 58, one end of the band extending adjacent to the mouth of the socket and providing a movable jaw 60.

The other end of the band has a tangential bend forming a trip finger 61 and this cooperates with the pocket 24, the stop shoulder 26 and the cam surface 28. This finger is tensioned by a laterally directed free end portion 62 at one end of the longitudinally bowed spring 40. The other end portion of the spring is secured by a fastener 64 and the adjacent terminal end 66 projects over the socket and provides a stationary jaw. The portion 66 of the band has a lever-like action permitting the jaws to open and close to either grip the neck 34, as seen in Fig. 2, for purposes of suspending the tube. or releasing the neck for purposes of withdrawing and detaching the tube as seen in Fig. 3.

As will be evident from the drawing, the rotatable capping block '28 can be rotated or switched from the normal closing and suspended position seen in Fig. 2 to the tube-releasing or uncapping position seen in Fig. 3.

When, however, the device is in the position illustrated in' Fig. 3, it will be evident that the terminal of the trip finger 61 now engages the shoulder 26 and further rotation of the device in a counterclockwise direction is prevented. However, if the device is rotated in a clockwise direction, it may be rotated through a complete circle if desired. Normally, however, the two positions seen in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively, are those which are ordinarily taken into account in considering the operation of the device. The device is ready for use in the assembled relationship seen in the drawings. Therefore, all that is necessary to do is to find a suitable place for the bracket 8 and to fasten it on the wall or other surface 14. The device is then ready to function. Assuming that the neck is to be placed in the capping socket 36), this is done when the device is in the position seen in Fig. 3, at which time the two jaws 66 and 60 are adequately spaced apart to uncover the mouth and socket. With the neck in the socket, the tube and device may be swung from the position seen in Fig. 3 to an approximately 90 turn to the position seen in Fig. 2, and when this happens the jaw 60 shifts or moves toward the stationary jaw 66 and then both jaws grip the neck, and consequently the device is not only capped, but is suspended.

'By adjusting the nut and bolt means, that is, by tightening the nut 46 on the threaded end 44, the headed end 52 exerts a pull on the intermediate lever-like band 58, and thus the jaw action may be regulated to accommodate necks of smaller cross-section. The inherent spring metal of which the band 58 is formed permits it to function properly, that is, in conjunction with the cooperating arcuate leaf spring 40 whose free end 62 has constant wiping and pressure or tension contact with the trip finger 61. Obviously, when the finger rests on the cam surface 28, as seen in Fig. 2, the lever-like band 58 is rocked on its pivot 52 and 56 and the movable jaw moves .to its clamping position.

It is also possible by turning the device in a direction which is counterclockwise to bodily slip it off of the pin for purposes of cleaning the parts, if necessary, par ticularly the socket for replacing the pad or packing element 32.

Although it is within the sphere of probability that the inherent spring properties of the metal band, particularly the jaw-forming portion 66, may be relied upon to permit said band to function substantially by itself, it is believed desirable and, in some instances, necessary to aid the spring action, and this is done by employing a coil spring 57. The spring encircles the headed end of the bolt 48 and bears at one end against the counterbored seat 56 and at its opposite end against the surface of the block at one end of the bore or passage 50. This spring is normally under compression and is helpful in holding the clamping band 58 in its so-called open position. In addition, the spring aids in the adjustment of the bolt 44 by way of the adjusting nut 46 in a seemingly obvious manner.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A collapsible tube capping and suspending device comprising a fixture for attachment to a wall or the like, said fixture having a vertical plate portion provided with a stationary horizontal outstanding pin cylindrical in cross-section, a surface of said pin being provided between its ends with a recess defining a pocket and one wall of said pocket functioning at a stop shoulder and the surface of the pin adjacent to said pocket constituting a cam, a generally circular block having a flat side opposed in parallelism to said plate portion, having an eecentric bearing removably journalled for rotation on said pin, and also having a radial socket opening through a peripheral portion approximately diametrically opposite to said bearing, said socket being provided to telescopically receive the usual screw-threaded neck of a collapsible tube whereby to thus provide a closing cap for said neck, the peripheral portion of said block having groove means, an arcuately bowed leaf spring seated in a given portion of said groove means, fastened to said block and having one end terminating and overlying a portion of the open mouth of the socket and serving as a stationary jaw, the other end of said spring being free and terminating over and beyond the pocketed portion of said pin, that portion of the block opposite the spring being recessed, a longitudinally bowed spring metal band situated on the recessed portion of said block and pivoted in a lever-like manner intermediate the respective ends of the band, one end of said band being adjacent the mouth portion of said socket and serving as a movable neck gripping jaw and cooperating with said first-named jaw.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein the other end portion of said band is bent laterally and at an approximate tangent to form a finger, said finger cooperating with said pocket and cam, the free end of said spring overlying and having a laterally bent tip in constant spring-tensioned and wiping contact with a cooperating surface of said finger, and the pivot means for said band comprising a bolt passing centrally through said block with the headed end of the bolt pivotally connected with the band and the threaded nut-equipped end passing through a slot provided therefor at a median portion of said spring.

3. A collapsible tube suspending and capping device comprising a closing cap having a radial socket for removable reception of the neck of said tube, a relatively stationary jaw operatively mounted on said cap and located on one side of the mouth of the socket to grip a portion of said neck, a companion relatively movable jaw located on a diametrically opposite side of said socket and releasably engageable with the cooperating side of said neck, trippable means embodied in said cap and operable to clamp the movable jaw or release it at will, said movable jaw being formed on one end of a clamping band, said clamping band being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cap in a manner to swing the jaw toward and away from the stationary jaw, and said trippable means embodying a cam, said cam being stationary, said cap being rotatably supported and mounted on said cam, and that end of the band which is adjacent to said cam being formed into a trip finger having constant engagement with said cam.

4. The structure defined in claim 3, and a leaf spring operatively mounted on said cap and having an end portion under stress and having constant wiping contact with said trip finger and functioning to maintain the latter in cooperative relationship with said cam.

5. The structure defined in claim 3, and a leaf spring operatively mounted on said cap and having an end portion under stress and having constant wiping contact with said trip finger and functioning to maintain the latter in cooperative relationship with said cam, said cam comprising a pin joumalled in bearing means provided therefor in said cap, said bearing means being eccentric, the surface of said pin having a pocket, one wall of said pocket providing a stop shoulder and the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fitchett Dec. 22, 1914 Carruthers Dec. 22, 1925

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