U.S. patent number 3,779,412 [Application Number 05/178,718] was granted by the patent office on 1973-12-18 for locking finger sealed cap.
Invention is credited to Joseph M. Kirton.
United States Patent |
3,779,412 |
Kirton |
December 18, 1973 |
LOCKING FINGER SEALED CAP
Abstract
A locking cap for a bottle having a cap with downwardly
extending fingers receivable over a rim formed on a bottle and
including an annular slidable locking ring on the cap which when
aligned with the cap in a first position is movable away from the
flexible fingers so that they may flex outwardly and release the
rim of the bottle and movable to a second position on the cap so as
to substantially enclose the flexible fingers so that they cannot
flex outwardly and the cap is locked to the bottle. A tongue and
groove arrangement is formed between the ring and cap so that the
ring may be moved from the locked to the unlocked position only
when a particular orientation exists between the ring and the
cap.
Inventors: |
Kirton; Joseph M. (Woods Cross,
UT) |
Family
ID: |
22653661 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/178,718 |
Filed: |
September 8, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
215/225; 215/206;
215/221 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D
50/041 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65D
50/00 (20060101); B65D 50/04 (20060101); B65d
055/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;215/9,41,95,45 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hall; George T.
Claims
1. A safety cap for a container formed with an outwardly extending
rim about its neck and formed below the neck of said container
comprising:
a main body portion formed with an opening for receiving said neck
of said container and formed with flexible fingers for passing over
and clasping said rim of said container;
a locking ring mounted on said main body portion and movable
longitudinally of said body portion such that in a first position
said flexible fingers are locked so that they cannot pass over said
rim and in a second position said flexible fingers are unlocked so
that they can pass over said rim, and
said main body portion is formed with an annular groove and said
ring has a projection receivable in said annular groove to lock
said cap to said container when said projection is in said groove,
a longitudinal groove formed in said main body portion so as to
meet said annular groove such that said projection of said ring may
be received therein for a particular angular orientation of said
ring and main body portion to allow said locking ring to move to
said second position and a ledge formed on said main body portion
and engageable by said locking ring in said second position such
that said locking ring is mounted for limited longitudinal movement
relative to said main body portion.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to safety caps for bottles or
other containers and in particular to a simple inexpensive locking
cap.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is very desirable that medicines and other substances such as
poisons be stored in containers which cannot be opened by small
children. Various locking cap arrangements have been known such as
tumbler-type locking caps formed with indicia which must be aligned
with indicia on a container so as to remove the cap from the
container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises an improved inexpensive and simple
locking cap which comprises a main body portion having downwardly
extending flexible fingers which are receivable over a rim formed
on most bottles and other containers. The fingers are formed with a
groove into which the rim of the bottle is receivable and an
annular locking ring is formed about the cap such that when it is
in a first unlocked position the flexible fingers of the cap may
flex outwardly over the rim on the bottle so that the cap may be
placed on the bottle or removed from the bottle. The ring may be
moved to a second locked position such that the ring engages the
flexible fingers of the cap so that the fingers cannot move
outwardly away from the rim on the bottle and the cap is locked to
the bottle. An annular groove is formed in the main body portion of
the cap and a projection on the ring extends into the groove so
that the ring may be rotated relative to the cap. At one position
in the cap a second groove extends at right angles to the first
groove so that the projection on the ring may move into said second
groove allowing the ring to move to the unlocked position. Index
markings may be formed on the cap and the ring so that the angular
position at which the ring may be moved to the unlocked position
may be known if desired.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be
readily apparent from the following description of certain
preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawing, although variations and modifications may be
effected without departing from the scope and spirit of the novel
concepts of the disclosure, and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 illustrates the upper portion of a bottle and the locking
cap of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the locking cap of this invention;
and
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line III--III of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a bottle or container 10 formed with a neck
portion 11 and having a rim 12 formed about the neck. The upper
edge of the bottle neck is designated by numeral 13. The cap of
this invention is designated generally as 16 and includes a main
body portion 17 with a top cover 18. The lower portion of the main
body portion 17 is formed with slits 26 to divide the lower portion
into fingers 23. The fingers 23 are formed with an internal groove
24 for receiving the rim 12 of the bottle therein and locking
portions 25 of the fingers 23 engage the lower surface of the rim
12 when the cap is mounted on the bottle.
A locking ring 28 is slidably mounted on the main body portion 17
and is movable to an unlocked position on the main body portion 17
so as to engage a ledge 30 formed in the top 18 such that its lower
edge 35 moves above the groove 24 thus allowing the flexible
fingers 23 to flex outwardly for placing the cap 16 on or removing
it from the bottle 10.
A groove 27 is formed in the main body portion 17 and the locking
ring 28 has an inwardly extending projection 29 which is receivable
in the groove 27 so as to lock the ring 28 in the locked position
as shown in FIG. 2.
A vertical groove 31 is also formed in the main body portion 17 as
shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and when the ring 28 is moved relative to
the main body portion 17 so that the projection 29 is aligned with
the groove 31 the ring 28 may be moved upwardly relative to FIGS. 1
and 2 so that the ring 28 is in the unlocked position and the cap
may be placed on the bottle 10 or removed from the bottle 10.
A flexible disc-shaped member 19 is mounted within the cap against
the cover 18 as best shown in FIG. 2 and is attached at its center
21 to the cap cover 18 and has bottle engaging portions 22 at its
outer surfaces for engaging the upper lip 13 of the bottle 10. When
the cap 16 is placed over the bottle neck 11 such that the locking
portions 25 engage the rim 12 of the bottle, the upper lip 13 of
the bottle will partially compress the disc 19 thus forming a fluid
seal between the disc 19 and the lip 13.
Indicia 32 is formed on the body portion 17 and a second indicia 33
is formed on the ring 28 such that when indicia 32 and indicia 33
are vertically aligned as shown in FIG. 1 the ring may be moved to
the unlocked position such that its lower edge 35 clears the
fingers 23 thus allowing the flexible fingers to deflect outwardly
for placing the cap on the bottle or for removing the cap from the
bottle.
The cap may be made of a suitable plastic such as polyethylene, for
example.
In operation, to place the cap on the bottle indicias 32 and 33 are
aligned and the ring 27 is moved upwardly against the shoulder 30
thus freeing the lower edge 35 of the ring 28 from the locking
position of the flexible fingers 23. It is to be realized that the
projection 29 travels in the groove 31 of the portion 17 as the
ring 28 is moved to the unlocked position. The cap is then pressed
down over the neck 11 of the bottle until the flexible fingers 23
are forced outwardly by the rim 12 of the bottle and the locking
portions 25 of the fingers 23 engage the lower surface of the rim
12. The upper rim 13 of the bottle engages the sealing disc 19 and
depresses the portion 25 of the disc to form a fluid seal. The
locking ring 28 is then moved so that its lower edge 35 is
substantially flush with the lower edge of the locking fingers 23
with the guide pin or projection 29 moving in groove 31. When the
guide pin or projection 29 is aligned with the annular groove 27 in
the member 17, the locking ring 28 is rotated so that the
projection 29 is not aligned with the groove 31 thus locking the
locking ring 28 in the locked position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in
which the ring prevents the flexible fingers 23 from flexing
outwardly thus locking the cap to the bottle.
The present invention prevents children from removing a cap from a
bottle unless they know the indicia 32 and indicia 33 must be
aligned, thus aligning the locking pin or projection 29 with the
groove 31 such that the locking ring 28 may be moved upwardly
against the shoulder 30 so that the fingers 23 may be released from
the rim 12.
It is seen that this invention provides a new and novel locking cap
for preventing children and others from opening a bottle or
container. Although it has been described with preferred
embodiments it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications
may be made therein which are within the full intent and scope as
defined by the appended claims. I claim:
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