GB1580074A

GB1580074A - Spout device

Info

Publication number: GB1580074A
Application number: GB29047/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1976-07-12
Filing date: 1977-07-11
Publication date: 1980-11-26
Also published as: NL7611221A; BE847675A; FR2358335B1; CH618391A5; DE2631229A1; FR2358335A1

Abstract

The closure device which can be inserted with its lower part (1) in a container opening has an extensible removal nozzle (12) which is guided liquid-tightly in the lower part. The removal nozzle can be closed by a screw cap (20) which with a further internal thread (21) can be additionally screwed onto the lower part after it has been screwed onto the removal nozzle and the latter has been pushed in. The threaded ring (22) of the screw cap receiving the threaded projection (17) of the removal nozzle is constructed on its outer and lower regions as a sealing element fitted to the lower part of the closure device so that the screw cap achieves a reliable seal both of the removal nozzle and, if appropriate, also of the overall closure device and, at the same time, forms a clean handle of the removal nozzle which is not reached by the contents when said removal nozzle is pushed in and out. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) A SPOUT DEVICE (71) I, HEINRICH STOLZ, of German nationality of Waldstrasse 5, 5908 Neunkirchen-Altenseelbach, West Germany, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a spout device suitable for mounting in a wall of a container.

Such devices may be used in relatively large cans, canisters or casks which contain liquids such as for example lubricating oil. A known device comprises a mounting member adapted to be a force fit in an opening in the wall of the container, an elongate pouring tube slidably mounted in the mounting member and a closure cap.

The present invention seeks to provide such a spout device which can be produced relatively cheaply and which is readily sealed when the device is not in use.

According to the present invention a spout device suitable for mounting in an opening in a wall of a container comprises a mounting member adapted to be a force fit in said opening and having at one end a frusto-conical shaped mouth and an externally threaded portion, an elongate pouring tube mounted in said member and slidable axially with respect thereto, the end of said tube which corresponds to said end of the mounting member having an externally threaded portion, and a closure cap having an outer rim with a first internally threaded portion thereon and an annular ring inwardly of the first internally threaded portion, said ring having a frusto-conical outer surface and a second internally threaded portion, the arrangement being such that the mouth of the mounting member receives the ring on the closure cap with a sealing action when the closure cap is screwed onto both the mounting member and the pouring tube.

It is possible with a spout device of this invention to seal off the tube and also, after this has been pushed in, completely to seal off the spout device itself, conical surfaces which are produced easily and accurately throughout by axially displaceable rams of the mould, forming the safe and complete seal by a pairing of surfaces.

It is proved successful to close off the conical mouth in the inward direction by a packing ring engaging around the stem of the tube and to close off the threaded end of said tube relatively to the stem by an annular rib which bears as a stop on the packing ring when the tube is pushed in.

Any concurrent rotation of the tube when screwing on the screw cap in the inwardly pushed position thereof is reliably avoided if those surfaces of the packing ring and of the annular rib which are facing one another are provided with teeth which are directed substantially radially. The sealing action caused by the conical surfaces of the wall and of the mouth is further assured by the fact that the mouth and/or the wall are formed with encircling packing strips. The concurrent rotation of the tube when screwing the cap on to the threaded extension of the base part is facilitated if that upper end of the stem of the tube which adjoins the annular rib is made of reduced cross-section relatively to the stem over a length corresponding at least to the thickness of the packing ring.The separate gripping of the threaded portions and the handling of the spout are facilitated when, with the tube completely pushed in, the end surfaces of the threaded extensions are disposed substantially in one plane, and by making the internal thread of the screw cap which is provided on the ring longer, measured from the end wall of the cap, than the internal thread extending around the rim. A high elasticity and a better packing and stripping action of the packing ring is produced if the latter is provided on a cylindrical extension of the conical mouth.

A safe support of the tube in the outwardly moved position is obtained by the internal wall of the union being provided from one end and as far as the packing ring with internal splines which extend in axial parallel relation and by the tube comprising a thickened end which is provided with at least two groups of teeth facing one another and adapted to the internal splines. An unauthorised tapping of a container provided with the spout device is made difficult and at least made obvious if the flange of the mounting member is provided with at least two groups of locking teeth, the tips of which lie within a truncated cone, and by the cap being provided with a sealing strip comprising locking teeth adapted thereto.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a longitudinal sectional view of a spout device according to the present invention.

A spout device suitable for mounting in an opening in a wall of a container comprises three parts, an annular mounting member 1, an elongate pouring tube 12 and a closure cap 20.

The mounting member 1 has a flange 3, provided with at least two facing groups of locking teeth 2, and which merges into an annular union 4, formed with packing lips 5 and also a thicker holding lip 6. The union 4 has internal splines 7 extending therethrough, only a single tooth thereof being represented in the figure, so that the figure may be easily understood. Outwardly of the flange towards the end is an externally threaded extension 8, which is provided with a frusto-conical shaped mouth 9, the latter being provided with internal encircling packing strips 10. Following the base of the mouth 9 through a cylindrical intermediate section is a packing ring 11, which surrounds and bears against the periphery of elongate tube 12.One end 14 of the stem 13 of tube 12 is made tapered and is separated from an externally threaded extension 17 by an annular rib 16 formed with teeth 15 on its underside. The opposite end 18 of the tube has a greater wall thickness than the remainder of the tube and is provided with teeth 19 so adapted to the internal splines 7 that the teeth are able to mesh effectively with the latter.

Arranged within an internal thread 21 formed on the inside of the annular wall of the cap 20, there is a ring 22. of which the external wall surface is frusto-conical and which has an internal thread 23. The ring 22 with its internal thread 23 extends for a greater distance from the end wall of the screw cap than does the wall with its internal thread 21.

A sealing strip 26 formed with locking teeth 25 is marked off from the annular wall of the screw cap by a groove 24 so that the sealing strip 26 can be pulled off the annular wall by means of a tab 27.

The production of the spout device consisting of only three parts is relatively simple: both the essential wall surfaces of the member 1 and of the tube 12 can be produced by retractable jaws of a tool; this is assisted by the fact that the locking teeth 2 and teeth 19 are only arranged in groups and perhaps descending in the return direction of two outer jaws. The same preferably also applies in respect of the teeth 15. The internal surfaces, on the other hand, are produced by solid rams which can be retracted axially, so that the surfaces which are thereby produced, but more especially that wall surface of the ring 22 which provides the sealing action with the frustoconical mouth 9, are produced in one piece and thus are not interrupted by seams caused by the tool.The internal splines 7 and the internal threads 21 and 23 can be produced by rotation by the axially retractable rams and without shoulders or interruptions, seams or other defects.

To assemble the spout, the tube 12 with the threaded end portion 17 is first of all forced through the packing ring 11 of the device 1. In use, the union 4 of the member 1 is forced into the opening, for example, of a synthetic plastics canister, until the holding lip 6, initially forced back, is opened oust internally of the container and firmly anchors the mounting member 1. The packing lips 5 balance out any unevenness in the edge of the opening in the container and seal off the closure cap therefrom. The closure cap 20 is screwed onto the threaded portions 8 and 17 and is anchored by the locking teeth 2 and 25.

In order to open the spout. it is necessary first of all to remove the sealing strip 26 by means of the tab 27, since the locking teeth 2 and 25 are of such a sawtooth-like form that they only allow a clockwise rotation of the cap, i.e. a tightening thereof. After removal of the sealing strip 26, the cap can be unscrewed from the threaded portion 8 of the mounting member 1 by an anticlockwise turning movement. The packing strip 11 encircles the reduced end 14 of the stem 13 without or scrarcely contacting it and is unable to apply any braking action thereto, so that the tube 12 is initially turned with the cap 20 and thus remains with its threaded portion 17 in engagement with the internal thread 23. After releasing the cap from the threaded portion 8, it is now possible, by pulling on the cap. for the tube 12 to be pulled in a forward direction from the mounting member 1, until its teeth groups 19 engage in the internal splines 7 of the union 4 and the leading surface of the thickened end abuts against the packing ring 1. At the time during which the tube is withdrawn, the packing ring 11 bears with some force on the stem 13 and acts, possibly assisted by a separate packing lip, as a wiper, so that the stem 13 of the tube appears relatively dry and free from any contents of the container. The tooth groups 19 having entered into the internal splines 7, secure the tube against turning movement.

To complete the'opening, the cap is now unscrewed still further. The groups of teeth 19 hold the tube fast against rotation, so that now the internal thread 23 can be easily unscrewed from the threaded portion 17.

If only the tube is to be closed, for example, temporarily, then it is possible in this position for the cap 20 to be screwed with its internal thread 23 onto the threaded portion 17. If however the spout is to be completely closed, then first of all the internal thread 23 is screwed onto the threaded portion 17. After having been completely tightened, the tube 12 is forced inwardly by means of the cap 20 until the internal thread 21 of the cap is disposed adjacent the threaded portion 8 and the conical external surface of the ring 22 is already in engagement with the conical mouth 9. By further rotation of the cap, the latter is now screwed, with rotation of the tube, onto the threaded portion 8, until the conical surfaces of the ring 22 and of the mouth 9 bear tightly against each other with a sealing action.The sealing effect is increased and in practice is completely assured by the weak, encircling sealing strips, which in this operation are slightly deformed. Consequently, with the spout retracted, it is essentially sealed off in a safe manner by a reliable pair of packings which can be easily provided.

The setting back of the packing ring 11 by the cylindrical intermediate element prevents the annular rib 16 being tightened against the packing ring during the tightening operation: the axial pretension which is caused by the pairings of threads 8/21 does in effect act exclusively on the packing surfaces 10/22. The space which is formed above the packing ring is possibly able to take up any dirt which is deposited on the stem 13: when the tube is pushed in, the packing ring 11 also acts as a wiper and holds back any possibly adhering dirt.

The reduced end 14 has a length which at least corresponds to the thickness of the packing ring 11, but preferably at least part of the length of the threaded portion 9.

The spout constructed in accordance with the invention can be very easily manipulated; what is advantageous in this connection is that it is only the cap 20 which has to be gripped, which cap can be very easily kept clean, so that there is practically no possibility of the hands of the person using the spout being soiled in any way. Even with improper operation, it is possible at any time for the cap once again to be brought into the working position.If it should happen perhaps that the tube 12 has been forced in, by strong pressure by some object, by incorrect operation or the like, before the internal thread 23 has engaged with the threaded union 17 or before the cap 20 has in fact been screwed on, then it is possible, assisted by the length of the internal thread 23, for this latter to be screwed at any time onto the starting turns of the threaded portion 17, without the internal thread 21 having to engage the thread 8.Since the pouring tube could now also be easily turned because the reduced upper end 14 is now in the packing ring, a specific provision has been devised: the annular rib 16 has a toothing 15, as does that flank of the packing ring 11 which is facing it: if it should happen, as is usual in connection with a screwing operation, that the cap 20 is forced slightly axially in relation to the threaded portion 17, the teeth mesh with one another and prevent any turning of the tube 12 until the internal thread 23 has appropriately engaged the threaded portion 17.

The spout device constructed in accordance with the invention has proved to be capable of easy manufacture and inexpensive as regards tooling. The critical packing or sealing surfaces can be easily produced throughout by using axially removable rams and without seams or the like, so that the critical sealing function is guaranteed. The assembly is also found to be capable of being easily carried into effect, and also the handling thereof does not present any difficulties, while on the other hand, even with production tolerances, the spout is capable of being opened or closed at will without any danger of soiling.

The constructional example shows a spout, of which the mounting member is provided for being introduced into openings of tubular form, for example, of canisters produced from synthetic plastics. In a manner which is known per se, it is also possible to provide here wedge-shaped beads, such as those which are known for introduction into withdrawal openings, which are arranged in sheet-metal covers of canisters, cases, casks or the like.

It has been found to be important that, in the manufacture, the parts of the spout are sometimes made of synthetic plastics material. In this connection, the possibility is provided of being able also to operate with rams which can be extracted axially with certain undercuts. For example, the internal threads, more especially when they are made as a rounded thread, as is the case with the internal thread 23, can be formed by a core which preferably can be extracted again from the still warm material without any destruction of the form already produced. On the other hand, the axially inserted cores of a tool can also be screwed out of internal threads. It has proved successful in this connection for the two internal threads 21 and 23 of the cap 20 to be made with the same pitch.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A spout device suitable for mounting in an opening in a wall of a container, said device comprising a mounting member adapted to be a force fit in said opening and having at one end a frusto-conical shaped mouth and an externally threaded portion, an elongate pouring tube mounted in said member and slidable axially with respect thereto, the end of said tube which corresponds to said end of the mounting member having an externally threaded portion, and a closure cap having an outer rim with a first internally threaded portion thereon and an annular ring inwardly of the first internally threaded portion, said ring having a frusto-conical outer surface and a second internally threaded portion, the arrangement being such that the mouth of the mounting member receives the ring on the closure cap with a sealing action when the closure cap is screwed onto both the mounting member and the pouring tube.

2. A spout device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the frusto-conical mouth is closed inwardly by a packing ring which engages around the periphery of the pouring tube and inwardly of the threaded end of the tube there is an annular rib engageable with the packing ring to limit the movement of the tube.

3. A spout device as claimed in claim 2, wherein those end faces of the packing ring and of the annular rib which face one another are provided with teeth which are directed substantially radially.

4. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the frusto-conical mouth and/or the frusto-conical surface of the annular ring are formed with encircling packing strips.

5. A spout device as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein the end of the tube adjoining the annular rib is of reduced cross-section at least over a length corresponding to the thickness of the packing ring.

6. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein when the pouring tube is completely pushed in. the end faces of the threaded portions of the tube and the supporting member are disposed substantially in one plane, and that the second internally threaded portion of the closure cap is longer than the first internally threaded portion.

7. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the packing ring is provided on a cylindrical extension of the frusto-conical mouth.

8. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inside wall of the annular mounting member is provided from the packing ring to the end away from the mouth with internal splines which extend in an axially parallel direction, and that the tube has a thickened end portion, which is provided with teeth which mesh with the internal splines.

9. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a flange on the mounting member is formed with at least two groups of locking teeth, the tops or crowns of which lie within a truncated cone, and that the closure cap is provided with a sealing strip which comprises locking teeth which are also conically arranged and are adapted to the said truncated cone.

10. A spout device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first and second internal threads of the closure cap are made with identical pitches.

11. A spout device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. threads, more especially when they are made as a rounded thread, as is the case with the internal thread 23, can be formed by a core which preferably can be extracted again from the still warm material without any destruction of the form already produced. On the other hand, the axially inserted cores of a tool can also be screwed out of internal threads. It has proved successful in this connection for the two internal threads 21 and 23 of the cap 20 to be made with the same pitch. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A spout device suitable for mounting in an opening in a wall of a container, said device comprising a mounting member adapted to be a force fit in said opening and having at one end a frusto-conical shaped mouth and an externally threaded portion, an elongate pouring tube mounted in said member and slidable axially with respect thereto, the end of said tube which corresponds to said end of the mounting member having an externally threaded portion, and a closure cap having an outer rim with a first internally threaded portion thereon and an annular ring inwardly of the first internally threaded portion, said ring having a frusto-conical outer surface and a second internally threaded portion, the arrangement being such that the mouth of the mounting member receives the ring on the closure cap with a sealing action when the closure cap is screwed onto both the mounting member and the pouring tube.