US1976720A - Receptacle closure - Google Patents

Description

Get. 16, 1%34. ENGEl-s 1,976,720

RECEPTACLE CLOSURE Filed April 5, 1932 Patented Oct. 16, 1934 UNITED, STATES RECEPTACLE CLOSURE William H. Engels, Rahway, N. J., assignor to Merck & (30., Inc., Rahway, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application April 6, 1932, Serial No. 603,566

1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in receptacle closures.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic gravity closure for receptacles especially adapted for containing chemicals and medicinal substances, such as powdered materials, to prevent unnecessary exposure of the contents to atmospheric moisture, contamination with dirt or dust, or evaporation of volatile ingredients.

A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle closure of the foregoing character wherein a valve plate is removably and pivotally supported on an inwardly directed flange carried by the receptacle adjacent to its upper end, with the pivot point at one side of the vertical axis of the receptacle to provide an overbalanced gravitationally closing valve plate that is ofiset at its pivot point to occupy two parallel planes with the valve plate at opposite sides of the pivot point respectively engageable with the under and upper sides of the receptacle flange when the valve plate is in closed position.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the receptacle equipped with the improved closure of this invention and illustrating the usual outer flanged cover;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the receptacle with the outer flanged cover removed and illustrating the valve closure plate beneath the flanged cover;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the receptacle with the valve plate removed and illustrating the inwardly directed flange on the receptacle having diametrically opposite notches for the removable reception of the valve plate;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the valve plate removed from the receptacle;

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1, showing the olfset shoulder intermediate the ends of the valve plate with opposite ends of the valve plate in spaced parallel planes respectively engageable with the under and upper sides of the receptacle flange; and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view, similar to Figure 5, showing the flanged cover removed and the valve plate partially moved to open position,

full open position of the valve plate being illustrated by dotted lines.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, the reference numeral Fig. 1 designates a can or receptacle of any preferred shape or outline designed for automatic gravitationally acting closure when in normal upright position while a removable flanged cover 11 is frictionally retained upon the upper end of the receptacle 10 when the package is out of use.

The object of this invention being to prevent or minimize the entrance of moisture and dust into the receptacle and to retard the escape of volatile ingredients therefrom, the receptacle at its upper end and in proximity of the flanged closure 11 carries a flanged structure that includes an inwardly directed horizontal flange 12 with which a valve plate is associated. The valve plate 13 comprises end sections 14 and 15 connected by an ofiset angle shoulder 16 to present the end sections 14 and 15 of the valve plate in parallel planes, the end section 15 of the valve plate being of less width and less length than the end section 14 to provide an overbalanced gravitationally closing valve when the latter is operative- 1y engaged with the flange 12 upon the receptacle 10, within the notches 17. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the opposite sides of the flange 12 are notched as at 1'7 at one side of the vertical axis of the receptacle 10 for the passage of the end section 15 of the valve plate, the side edges of the end section 14 being engaged with the flange 12 outwardly of the notches 17 to limit passage of the valve plate through the notched flange, movement of the valve plate also being greater than the distance between the edges of opposite sides of the flange 12 and of a length from the shoulder 16 to the free edge thereof, greater than the length from the notches 1'7 to the adjacent end of the flange 12. The end section 14 of the valve plate is greater than the distance between the edges of opposite sides of the flange 12 and is also of a length that when the valve plate assumes the horizontal position illustrated in Figure 5, the end section 14 flatly rests upon the upper face of the flange 12, while the end section 15 flatly engages the under face of the flange 12, the depth of the shoulder 16 being substantiallyequal to the thickness of the flange 12 so that the end sections 14 and 15 of the valve plate flatly engage respectively opposite sides of the flange 12.

In the practical employment of the receptacle, the flanged cover 11 is removed and the receptacle is opened by exerting digital pressure upon the short end of the valve (15) or by tilting the receptacle when the valve plate 13 gravitationally opens to permit discharge of the contents of the receptacle; and when the receptacle is returned to the normal vertical position, the valve plate 13 gravitationally closes, due to the overbalanced mounting thereof to provide a closure for the receptacle even when the flanged outer cover remains removed, thus protecting the contents of the receptacle from the entrance of moisture or other foreign matter, and from evaporation of volatile constituents of the contents.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes in form or detailed adaptation of the parts may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:--

A self-closing container and discharge receptacle with an outer removable cover, having in combination therewith a container body provided with an inwardly directed flange adjacent its upper end provided with diametrically opposite notches laterally of the vertical axis of the receptacle; and a valve plate, pivotally supported in the flange notches, and offset into parallel planes at the notches, whereby one end of the valve plate flatly engages the upper side of the flange at one end, and the other end of the valve plate flatly engages the under side of the flange at the other end in the position of closure; the relative dimensions being such that the transverse space of the notches is substantially the same as the thickness of the material comprising the valve plate and adapted to hold the valve plate in rigid position except as to free movement of the valve plate from the position of closure to the perpendicular open position, and the degree and form of the offset in the valve plate being such as to limit the range of movement of the valve 'plate beyond perpendicular position with respect to the top plane of the container by resting the upper angle of the offset upon the upper face of the body flange and contacting the lower angle of the offset against the inner side of the notches and body flange. WILLIAM H. ENGELS.

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