US2763402A - Adapter - Google Patents

Description

Septw 18, 1956 1. G. LwlNcss-roNE ADAPTER 2 Sheecs--Sheel 1 Filed June l0, 1952 s o r///////////////, 35 r 512203475 3 3 4444 3 3 w 9 3 s mm i INVENTOR.

JAY G. LIVINGSTONE BY ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1956 J. G. L lvxNGsToNE ADAPTER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June lO, 1952 INVENTR. JAY GLIVINGSTONE FIG. 3

FIG. 4

ATTORNEY United States Patent C ADAPTER .lay Gould Livingstone, Akron, Ohio Application June 10, 1952, Serial No. 292,646

19 Claims. (Cl. 222-109) This invention relates to a spout adapter or the like to be used on a bottle or other container with a tubular opening. The invention includes means for holding the adapter on the bottle and several such means are disclosed. Although the specification and claims refer more particularly to the use of the adapters on bottles, they may be used equally well on metal containers, for ex ample those with threaded openings closed by threaded caps, etc. The invention includes a method of assembling a bottle, cap and adapter. The preferred form of adapter which is illustrated includes a run-back channel for returning to the bottle or other container any liquid which drips or runs down from the spout after pouring.

The adapter is formed of flexible resilient plastic. It may be made of polyethylene, etc. Stiffer plastics such as polystyrene, etc. may be used, and with such stiffer plastics a gasket may be used adjacent the bottle whereas with polyethylene no gasket is necessary. Polyethylene is preferred. The bottle or other container is rigid and may be made of glass, porcelain, metal, plastic, etc. A preferred form of adapter is designed to produce an annular air pocket around the top edge of the bottle between inner and outer sealing means on the adapter which contact the bottle in radially spaced annular areas. Means for forming such an air pocket is disclosed in the drawings and will be discussed in what follows.

The adapter may be held on the bottle by a relatively rigid cap. This cap may be made of glass, porcelain, plastic, metal, etc. This cap is preferably provided with internal threads which are screwed onto external threads at the mouth of the bottle. Several such caps are shown in the drawings and will be described in what follows. The cap may be open at the top, with the top of the adapter protruding through it. Such caps are often re ferred to herein as open caps. Other caps which enclose the top of the adapter are often referred to herein as closure caps.

A preferred adapter is provided with a tongue which rests on the top of the bottle and is squeezed by the cap which holds the adapter on the bottle. Different forms of such a cap are shown in the drawings and will be discussed in what follows. An open cap may be provided with external threads which fits over the adapter and holds it to the bottle and onto which is screwed a closure cap which encloses the top of the adapter.

In one preferred form of the invention a relatively rigid closure cap is provided which encloses the top of the adapter and screws onto external threads on the bottle. The adapter and cap are so designed that when the adapter is inserted in the cap it is retained in the cap even when the cap is positioned to be screwed down onto a bottle. In assembling the adapter and cap on a filled bottle, the adapter is first put in the cap, and then the cap is screwed onto the bottle. Thus the three are conveniently assembled in a single operation. The adapter employed in this way is preferably provided with snap-on means so that it will fasten itself onto the bottle as the cap is screwed onto the bottle. Thereafter,

"ice

when the cap is unscrewed the adapter remains fastened to the bottle and is not removed with the cap. This type of adapter is illustrated in the drawings and will be more particularly described in what follows.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a section through a bottle or the like provided with an externally threaded neck, and shows an adapter held thereon by a relatively rigid open cap with external threads onto which a closure cap is threaded;

Fig. 2 is a cross section through a bottle showing a snap-on adapter inside a relatively rigid cap which is threaded onto a bottle or the like;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the assembly shown in Fig. 2, illustrating the adapter held in the cap as the cap is about to be screwed onto the bottle or the like;

Fig. 4 is a section through a bottle having an adapter held thereon by a relatively rigid open cap, and shows a closure cap threaded onto the adapter; and

Fig. 5 is a detail of a modified form of the adapter shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the drawings Fig. l shows a rigid bottle 1 made of glass, earthenware, plastic or the like. The adapter 2 is of flexible plastic ysuch as polyethylene, etc. This adapter is provided with the annular flange 3 which is held to the bottle by the relatively rigid open cap 4 of plastic or the like. The rigid closure cap 5 is threaded onto the cap 4.

There is an opening through the adapter through which liquid may be poured. The adapter is provided with the pouring lip 8. Any liquid dripping from the pouring lip or running down the outside of the adapter after pouring, is caught in the channel 9. This channel en circles the opening through the adapter and drains from the front to the rear where liquid running back through the channel is returned to the bottle through the opening 11 between the wall portion 12 and the bottom cylindrical portion 13 of the adapter from which the baffle 14 projects. The baffle limits the amount of liquid that can be poured through the adapter so that none will run out through the opening 11, and performs such other functions as providing a smooth flow of liquid from the adapter, etc. The wall 17 rises from the floor of the channel and retains within the channel any liquid being returned to the bottle.

The wall 17 has a further function; The closurecap 5 is threaded onto the open cap or holddown ring 4` at 20. `The apron 21 which contains internal threads is` of greater diameter than the dome 23. Radially inward` from the apron 21 and preferably at the bottom of the dome is the lip 24, the outer surface 25 of which tapers inwardly. As the closure cap 5 is screwed onto the open cap 4, the upper edge of the flexible wall 17 of the adapter is squeezed between the wall 30 of the open cap 4 and the lip 24 on` the closure cap 5. The surface 25 is sloped so that the top of the wall 17 is squeezed as` the cap 5 is turned down on the threads 20 on the open cap. In this way a liquid-tight seallis formed over the adapter which prevents leakage of any liquid from the `run-back channel or the bottle in the event the bottle is turned over. It will be noted that the bottom surface 31 of the `closure cap 5 does` not seat against the shoulder 32 on the `cap 4 because this would limit the amount that the cap Scould be tightened against the wall 17. As shown, the cap 5 is tightened until an adequate seal is formed with the wall 17.

The externally threaded wall 30 of the cap 4 is of smaller diameter .than the apron, 35 which is. screwed onto the bottle. This necessitates the shoulder 32 which extends outwardly above the flange 3 of the adapter and presses it against the end of the bottle. It will be noted that the lower surface 38 of the cap 4 does not seal against the flange 39 of the bottle, but itis possible to screw the cap 4 onto the bottle any desired distance to lfjornli a tight seal between the flange and the end of the Ott e.

The cap 4 is provided with a lip 40 at the base of the wall 30. This lip presses against the flange 3 at about the center of the end of the bottle and assists in making a tight seal between the flange 3 and the end of the bottle. It -is noted that in the preferred form illustrated in Fig. l, the top surface of the flange is not at but` the outer edge 42 is higher than the surface located immediately inwardly from it. This tends to apply pressure to the downwardly projecting portion or tongue 43 at the outer edge of the lower surface of the ilange. This portion 43 is provided with the downwardly and outwardly slanting surface 44 which makes contact with the outer rim of the end of the bottle. As the cap 4 is screwed on the bottle and the flange 3 is pressed against its end, this tapering tongue 43 is squeezed between the edge of the bottle and the inner surface of the cap, and makes a tight seal.

A tight seal is likewise formed at the inner rim of the end of ythe bottle by the downwardly projecting annular tongue 50. The inner wall of the tongue is substantially perpendicular when no pressure is applied to it. The outer surface of the bottom tapers downwardly and inwardly. The tongue is relatively thin at the neck 51 where it joins the adapter. This relatively thin portion between the adapter and the portion which contacts the inner rim of the end of the bottle permits the tongue to llex inwardly, as shown, when pressure is applied to it. Such exing occurs without distortion of the adapter because the thin neck accommodates itself to the pressure applied.

Thus the adapter forms two independent seals with the end of the bottle by means of the tongues 43 and 50, and there is an air pocket 52 between these. One of these seals is at the outer rim of the end of the bottle and the other is at the inner rim. As the adapter is pressed onto the end of the bottle, the air in this pocket is compressed. The volume of the pocket is ordinarily so Vmuch less than the space in the top of the bottle, that the air in the pocket 52 is under greater pressure than any air or gas in the bottle. This tends to prevent any leakage between the tongue 50 and the end of the bottle. Thus, the seal at the end of the bottle is triply tight, being secured by the tongues 43 and 50, and in addition, by the air pocket 52 which contains air under pressure.

In the manufacture of the adapter, the tongue 50 serves another purpose. This tongue and the bead 55 assist the bottom core of the mold in pulling the adapter out of the mold cavity.

The adapter shown in each of the drawings is a flexible adapter and forms an annular air pocket at the end of the bottle to which it is aixed, and also forms a seal on each side of the air pocket. In each construction the air in the pocket will be compressed. As illustrated, the seals need not be at the inner and outer edges of the end of the bottle, but one or both may be intermediate the edges. Likewise, as shown, such an air pocket may be formed on bottles having ends of different contours.

The exible adapter 60 of Fig. 2 may be made of polyethylene, etc. '[he relatively rigid closure cap 61 may be of any hard plastic, metal, etc. The adapter and cap and rigid bottle 62 are all designed with a view to assembling the adapter and cap on the bottle in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. The bottle is provided with external threads 63 onto which the internal threads in the cap 61 are screwed. The portion of the neck of the bottle from which the threads 63 project s of larger external diameter than the portion above it which includes the groove 64 and the protruding portion 65 above the groove. These are designed to receive the snap-on tongue 67 which projects downwardly from the adapter and hold it and the adapter on the bottle. v

The adapter is of the general run-back type illustrated in Fig. l, although the proportions of the various parts are not the same as in Fig. 1.

The upper end of the flexible wall 69 which surrounds the run-back channel lits into the groove 70 in the rigid cap. The surface 71 of this groove tapers downwardly and inwardly so that as the cap is tightened onto the bottle, the top of the ilexible wall is squeezed in the groove, and a tight seal is formed. It will be noted that the bottom edge 72 of the cap does not contact the shoulder 73 on the bottle, but the extent to which the cap is threaded onto the bottle depends upon the resistance of the top of the wall 69 to the pinch of the groove 70.

Spaced inwardly from the tongue 67 is the annular tongue or rib 75 which is relatively pointed and forms a tight seal with the end of the bottle as the cap and adapter are seated on it.

Located radially inwardly from the rib 75 is the tongue 76. This tongue is of the same general design as the tongue 50 of Fig. l except that its dimensions are smaller. The lower surface tapers downwardly inwardly and the tongue is attached to the adapter by a relatively thin neck. This permits the tongue 76 to flex inwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, when pressure is applied. The inner wall of the tongue 76 is vertical when out of contact with the bottle.

The cap and adapter shown in Fig. 2 are so designed that when the adapter is put in the cap and the cap is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 over the bottle, the adapter will remain in the cap. One way of accomplishing this is for the wall 80 of the cap to taper inwardly ever so slightly and for the outer surface 81 of the adapter to taper at about the same angle or a slightly greater angle. Then when the cap isV inverted, and the adapter in inverted position is placed in the cap the adapter will slide downwardly in the cap until it reaches a position at which it is firmly held by the cap and the two can thereafter be held in the position shown in Fig. 3 without danger of the adapter falling out of the cap.

Below the wall 80 the cap widens at 93. This gives suicient room between the wall and the projection 65 on the mouth of the bottle for the tongue 67 to slide over the projection into the groove 64.

l now describe how the adapter and cap are assembled on the bottle after it has been filled, The adapter is placed in the cap, preferably by inverting both :and simply dropping the inverted adapter in the inverted cap. Alternatively, the adapter may be forced into the cap. The adapter is held by the cap so that when the two are thereafter turned upright (as shown in Fig. 3) the adapter will remain in the cap. There are several ways of holding the adapter in the cap, as by providing a bead on the inner wall of the cap or the outer wall of the adapter and a complementary groove on the other surface, or by wedging the adapter in the cap, or by having a portion of the adapter pinched by a suitable arrangement in the caps, etc. Whatever means is used for holding the adapter in the cap, after the bottle has been lled the two are held over the bottle, as shown in Fig. 3. Then the cap is pressed -down onto the bottle and screwed onto it, and this causes the tongue 67 of the adapter to widen over the projection 65 on the bottle and tosnap into the groove 64. The adapter is thus snapped onto the bottle and will be held on the bottle even when the ultimate consumer unscrews the cap from the bottle to pour the contents from the bottle.

When the cap is lowered onto the bottle with the adapter held in the cap, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the internal threads on the cap engage the external threads 63 'on the bottle before the tongue 67 touches the outer end of the bottle. Then as the cap is screwed onto the bottle the tongue 67 is drawn into contact with the bottle and is widened over the projection 65, and eventually is snapped into the groove 64 before the cap is screwed the final distance onto the bottle. The tongue 67 holds the adapter rmly on the end of the bottle and after it has been firmly seated in the groove 64 it resists turning with the cap. When the tongue 67 lits in the groove 64 it compresses tongue 76 sufficiently to hold it tight to the end of the bottle thereby preventing leakage between the bottle and the adapter when cap 61 is removed from the bottle. When the cap is unscrewed by the ultimate consumer the adapter does not turn and is not lifted from the end of the bottle.

The bottle with the snap-on holding arrangement (groove 64 and projection 65) of less diameter than the threaded neck of the bottle is novel and is claimed herein as my invention.

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 the closure cap 84 is of flexible material and may be polyethylene. The adapter S5 is likewise flexible and may be made of polyethylene or the like. The open cap 86 is relatively rigid as is also the bottle 87 which may be made of glass, earthenware, plastic or the like. The cap 86 is screwed onto the bottle when the adapter is positioned on the bottle and is not removed until the adapter is removed. This open cap applies pressure to the flexible flange 88 of the adapter so that there is no leakage from the bottle. The flexible cap 84 makes a tight seal with the :adapter so that there is no leakage between it and the adapter.

The outer edge of the flexible flange 88 projects upwardly at 89 and downwardly at 90. The pressure of the shoulder 9ll of the cap 86 against the upper rim 89 of the adapter is transmitted to the lower rim 90 and insures close contact between this rim and the outer rim of the top surface of the bottle.

The adapter itself is of the general run-back type illustrated in the preceding drawings. The tongue 92 is similar in construction to the tongue 76 of Figs. 2 and 3. It forms a tight seal with the inner rim of the top of the bottle. In order to unite the tongue 92 to the adapter by the thin neck 93 it is necessary that the tongue 92 be spaced from the lateral iiange 88 of the adapter. The inner rim 93 at the bottom of the lateral iiange 88 is pointed downwardly and when the adapter is drawn against the bottle by the cap 86 this inner rim forms a tight seal with the top of the bottle. The air pocket 94 between the tongue 92 and the point 9S contains air which is compressed as the adapter is drawn to the bottle. This tends to prevent leakage of any liquid outward around the tongue 92.

The closure cap 34 is of flexible material and ordinarily will be of much the same composition as the adapter. As the cap is threaded onto the bottle, the top of the wall 95 around the run-back channel is pinched in the groove 96. The outer surface 97 of the tongue which projects downwardly from the `bottom edge of the dome of the cap 84 slants downwardly inwardly so that the tighter the cap is screwed onto the adapter the tighter the wall 95 is pinched. There is thus no leakage of any liquid between the :adapter and the cap S4. The top of the opening 96 is very slightly narrower than the top of the wall 95 so that the latter is never brought into Contact with the former because this insures a seal between the wall 95 and both the wall of the cap 4and the tongue 97.

Figure 5 shows a modification of the adapter shown in Figs. 2 `and 3. The tongue 100 which ts into the groove 64 of the bottle is of relatively uniform thickness instead of being bulbous. This facilitates its removal from the mold in which it is formed. The bulbous tongue 67 of the adapter of Figs. 2 and 3 must be squeezed through the narrow annular opening which forms the thin neck by which the bulbous part of the tongue is attached to the adapter. By forming the tongue of substantially uniform thickness, such resistance during removal from the mold is avoided. The adapter of Fig. 5 makes contact with the bottle at its rims. There is no intermediate point of contact as by the rib 75 of the adapter illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

in the arrangements illustrated in Figs. l and 4, the

open cap is threaded on to the bottle and the closure cap is threaded on to the open ring (Fig. 1) and the adapter (Fig. 4). Both threads may turn in the same direction; i. e., they may both be right hand threads or left hand threads. Then when one attempts to screw off the cap, the whole assembly may be screwed oi of the bottle. If, however, the threads are different, one being left hand and the other right hand, this is impossible.

The molds in which the adapters are formed are advantageously designed so that the parting lines do not coincide with any sealing surfaces of the adapters. All sealing surfaces are therefore smooth and. formed exactly to predetermined dimensions.

Tongues 50, 76, 92 and 97 are shown as being more or less `bulbous. When large, it may be difficult to remove a tongue of this shape from the mold. The tongues may be shaped as desired to perform the intended functlon.

Although various moditications are shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention is not limited thereto as will be evident to the man skilled in the art. The invention is described more particularly in connection with use of the adapter on bottles, although the adapters shown may be used on tin containers, etc. Although particularly designed for use with an adapter provided with a runback channel, other adapters are included in the appended claims.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my applications Serial Nos. 130,432 filed December 1, 1949, which is Patent 2,601,039, and 172,167 led July 5, 1950, which is Patent 2,601,040.

What I claim is:

l. In combination with the neck of a container and fastened thereon, an adapter of exible resilient plastic material with an opening therethrough and the base of which forms continuous seals around the end of the neck in two locations spaced radially from one another with an air pocket between them adjacent the end of the neck, and a closure cap which seals the opening.

2. In combination with the neck of a. container and fastened thereon, a spout adapter of ilexible resilient plastic material with an opening therethrough and the base of which forms continuous seals around the end of the neck at its inner and outer rims with an air pocket between the seals adjacent the end of the neck, and a closure cap which seals the opening.

3. In combination with a rigid neck of a container, a flexible resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough and a flange against the end of the neck, and a rigid cap fastened to the bottle and provided with a surface which covers the outer portion of the flange and presses it to the end of the neck.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which there is an annular air pocket around the bottle between the flange and the end of the bottle, with the flange sealed to the end of the bottle continuously on each side of the air pocket.

5. In combination with a rigid neck of a container, a flexible resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough and a bottom portion thereof snapped over the end of the neck and held thereon, and a rigid cap which encloses the adapter and seals the opening and is fastened onto a portion of the neck which is larger in outside diameter than the portion onto which the adapter is snapped, and is below it.

6. The combination of claim 5 in which a portion of the adapter overlies the -end of the neck and the cap presses the adapter against the end of the neck.

7. In combination with a rigid neck of a container, a flexible resilient plastic spout adapter with an opening therethrough and having a wall surrounding the opening, and a closure cap which encloses the spout and seals the opening, the top of the wall being squeezed in a groove in the underside of the tcap.

8. The combination of claim 7 in which one wall of 7 the groove slants downwardly in contact with the top of the wall of the adapter.

9. In combination, a bottle and ilexible resilient plastic adapter, the bottle having external threads on the neck spaced from the end thereof, a portion of smaller outside diameter between the threads and said end, and a groove surrounding the neck between the threads and said portion of smaller diameter, and the adapter having a bead on its inner surface engaged in the groove.

10. The method of assembling a rigid bottle, a rigid closure cap adapted to be fastened to the bottle, and a flexible resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough which adapter when inside the cap is adapted to be fastened by pressure to the bottle, which method comprises putting the adapter in the cap, and then fastening the cap to the bottle and thereby exerting pressure on the adapter against the top of the bottle and thereby fastening the adapter to the bottle.

11. In combination a rigid neck of a rigid container, a flexible resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough and fastened to the neck, and a rigid closure cap independently fastened to the neck over the adapter and sealing the opening, the outer surface of a wall of the adapter being in contact with the inner surface of a wall of the cap so that were the container not there the adapter would be supported by the cap.

12. In combination, a flexible spout adapter with an opening therethrough and held to the end of a rigid bottle or the like by a rigid open cap through which the spout of the adapter protrudes, the cap having an externally threaded wall rising around the opening, and a rigid closure cap which encloses the top of the spout and seals the opening and is threaded onto said threads on the Wall; the adapter being provided around its spout with a cylindrical wall of uniform height which is substantially the Y same height as said externally threaded wall, upper portions of said Walls being in contact with one another, an annular projection protruding downwardly from the closure cap inwardly of said adapter wall having its outer surface slanting inwardly downwardly in contact with the top of th'e adapter wall and pressing it against the top of the externally threaded wall of the cap.

13. In combination a rigid bottle or the like, a flexible resilient plastic spout adapter with an opening therethrough and a lateral ilange touching the end of the bottle in two radially spaced annular locations, and a rigid cap attached to the neck, there being an annular lip projecting downwardly from the under surface of the cap which applies pressure to the top of the flange intermediate said annular locations.

14. A container with a flexible resilient plastic adapter fastened at an opening therein, the adapter having a passage therethrough adapted to serve as a pouring outlet, and a cap which is fastened to the container and the inner surface of which throughout a continuous area around opening makes sealing contact with the adapter.

15. A container with an adapter fastened at an opening therein, the adapter having a passage therethrough adapted to serve as a pouring outlet, a spout at the upper end of the passage, a channel in the adapter around the 8 passage which includes a higher portion under the spout and a lower portion at the opposite side of the adapter with an opening from said lower portion into the passage so that liquid collecting in the channel from the pouring spout will drain to the opening and thence to the passage, the outer edge of the channel being defined by an annular wall of uniform height which encircles the passage, and a cap which encloses the top of the adapter and is fastened to the container and the inner surface of which makes sealing contact with the top of the wall.

16. A container with a flexible resilient plastic adapter fastened at the opening therein, the adapter having a passage therethrough adapted to serve as a pouring outlet, a sprout at the upper end of the passage, a channel outside of the passage which includes a higher portion under the spout and a lower portion at the opposite side of the adapter with a drain for supplying liquid from said lower portion to the interior of the container, the outer edge of the channel being defined by an annular wall which extends to a uniform height above the opening in the container, and a cap which encloses the top of the adapter and is fastened to the container and the inner surface of which makes sealing contact with the top of the Wall.

17. In combination with a rigid neck of a container, a flexible resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough and a lian-ge against the end of the neck, and a rigid cap `fastened to the neck, a continuous and generally annular portion of the cap being in pressure contact with the flange and pressing it into sealing Contact with the end of the neck.

18. In combination with the neck of a rigid container and fastened thereon, `an adapter of exible resilient plastic material with an opening therethrough and the base of which is formed with two continuous projections which make continuous seals with the end of the neck in two locations spaced radially from one another with an air pocket between them adjacent the end of the neck.

19. In combination with the rigid neck of a container a llexibl'e resilient plastic adapter with an opening therethrough and a flange against the end of the container, and a rigid cap fastened to the neck and the under surrface of which covers the outer portion of the flange and presses it to the end of the neck, the ilange thickening at its perimeter so that the edge of the -ilange extends both above and below the portion of the flange adjacent it, and such thickened edge constituting the outer portion of the iange which is compressed between said under surface of the cap and the end of the neck.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 512,438 Hallowell Jan. 9, 1894 1,768,098 Aulbach June 24, 1930 1,892,788 Schwartz Ian. 3, 1933 2,222,594 Metcalf Nov. 26, 1940 2,249,832 Hubschman July 22, 1941 2,573,378 Zurlinden Oct. 30, 1951 2,630,944 Wheaton Mar. 10, 1953

Images