Closure And Container

Abstract

A container has locking lugs on its open upper end and a closure has slots registrable with the locking lugs, the closure being rotatable relative to the container to move the slots into and out of such registration for releasably locking the closure relative to the container, the closure and container having nestable stacking rings whereby, when the closure is disposed at the upper end of the container additional containers may be stacked thereon in seriatim and, whereby, when the closure is removed from the top of the container and placed on the ground or other supporting surface it may serve as a base or pedestal for supporting the container.

Description

A primary object of the invention is to provide a container and a closure therefor with locking means whereby the two may be releasably engaged.

Another object is to provide means for stacking multiple containers.

Still another object is to provide a closure which can function to close the open end of a container and which also can serve as a base or pedestal for the container.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a container and closure of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the container and closure before assembly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container and closure after assembly but before locking;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container and closure after locking;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the container and closure stacking feature; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container bottom wall.

The substantially cylindrical container is generally indicated by 10 and is open at its upper end and closed at its lower end by a bottom wall 12.

An annular stacking ring 14 depends from bottom wall 12, the stacking ring being of smaller diameter than that of bottom wall 12 so as to be disposed inwardly of the container side walls 16, which preferably taper outwardly from bottom to top.

Spaced, parallel vertically-extending ribs 18 are provided on side walls 16 for facilitating the stacking of one container within another.

A plurality of L-shaped locking lugs 20 is provided at spaced intervals around the open upper end of the container, the locking lugs each comprising a web portion 22 which is fixed to and extends upwardly from the container and a locking bar 24 which extends horizontally outwardly from the upper end of the web portion and is disposed in spaced parallelism to the upper end of the container.

A bail 26 is hinged to bosses 28 on the upper end of container side walls 16 in known manner.

An annular closure 30 is adapted for releasable engagement with the upper end of the container for closing same and for facilitating the stacking of containers, one on top of another, as will appear.

Closure 30 includes a flat body portion 32 having a central stacking ring 34 extending upwardly therefrom, the stacking ring being bridged by a cross bar 36 which functions as a handle for manipulating the closure.

A locking rim 38, concentric with stacking ring 34, extends upwardly from the periphery of body portion 32 and has a depending flange 40, the inner face of which is adapted to embrace the side walls 16 of container 10 when the closure is placed on the container with the lower surface of the rim 38 engaging the upper edge of the container side walls.

A plurality of slots 42 is provided at spaced intervals in locking rim 38 of closure 30. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the slots are spaced to register with locking lugs 20 on container 10 and are of suitable dimensions as to permit the passage of the locking lugs therethrough when the closure is placed on the container.

As seen in FIG. 4, rotation of the closure in a clockwise direction moves slots 42 out of registration with locking lugs 30, whereby rim 38 of the closure underlies locking bars 24 and one end of the slots engages web portions 22 of the locking lugs. Reverse rotation of the closure moves the slots back into registration with the locking lugs whereupon the closure may be removed from the container.

As seen in FIG. 5, stacking ring 14 on bottom wall 12 of the container fits snugly around stacking ring 34 of the closure whereby containers may be easily and securely stacked, one on top of the other.

Alternatively, the closure may be utilized to prevent the container from tipping, in which case the closure is removed from the top of the container and the rings 14 and 34 releasably engaged whereby the closure becomes a base or pedestal to provide sturdy support for the container.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In combination, an open topped container and a closure therefor, locking lugs on the container registrable with locking slots in the closure and selectively movable out of such registration for locking the closure relative to the container, a stacking ring depending from the bottom wall of the container and a mating stacking ring extending upwardly from the closure, whereby a plurality of containers may be stacked one upon the other when the closure is in place on the open end of the container, the locking lugs on the container comprising a web portion fixed to and extending upwardly from the upper end of the container and a locking bar extending outwardly from the upper end of the web portion in spaced parallelism to the upper end of the container, a handle on the closure for facilitating its movement, and stacking ribs on the exterior side walls of the container, wherein the closure upon removal from the upper end of the container and placement on the ground or other supporting surface may function as a base or pedestal for the container, with the stacking ring of the container being engaged with the stacking ring of the closure.