US2547059A - Container - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1951 w TAYLOR ETAL 2,547,059

CONTAINER Filed March 22, 1946 /6 if 26 /Z 36 ff I i/ I U y 45 /i 7 ,ml

INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 3, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,547,059 CONTAINER William E. Taylor, Riverside, Conn., and Hans W. Schmidt, Union, N. J., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New J ersey Application March 22, 1946, Serial No. 656,346

Claim. (01. 2201) by lever action by a can of like or similar construction.

' An object, therefore, of the present invention is the provision of a beverage can having a cap closure wherein the cap is fitted onto a short dispensing nozzle which extends up from a fiat top or shallow end member of the can, the entire can top assembly being designed and proportioned to combine the advantages of a flat top container with those of a nozzle top container, the assembly having a liquid tight cap closure which may be readily removed by insertion of a seam part of a similar can under the cap for prying it oh the nozzle to facilitate opening the can without the use of a separate tool or other instrument.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such a can wherein either of the end seams which unite the can end members to the body may be utilized to pry off the cap to open the can, thereby obviating the necessity of providing special tools for opening the can or providing for expensive, difi'icult-to-produce-formations in or on the can for this purpose.

Another object is the provision of such a can wherein the cap closure is disposed in a position which permits of stacking the cans without interference of the closure with the bottom of the adjacent stacked can. t 4

Still another object is the provision of such a can wherein the top end seam of the can to be opened is utilized as .a fulcrum for the can used as the opener. A further object is the provision of such a can which may be produced automatically on regular can making machinery, at high speed and with economy of materials.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of two containers embodying the instant invention, also in stacking position, parts of the containers being broken way;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view of the top assembly of such a container, also showing the end seam of another container in cap removing position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing how one container may be opened by means of the bottom seam of the other.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate a substantially flat top sheet metal can made of tin plate or other suitable material and comprising a round or tubular body I I (Fig. 1) having'top and bottom end members l2 and I 3 secured thereto. The cover or top end member 12 is formed with a shallow, countersunk panel having a substantially flat panel wall I6.

This panel wall continues outwardly and merges into and is surrounded by an inner upright'fiange I! (see Fig. 2) and a continuing outer flange l3,

which between them set off an inverted U-shaped "channel Hi.

20,. folded with a flange part 21 of the body in a double seam 22 which projects beyond the upper or outer end of the body, as best shown in Fig. 2. A lining compound 23 is preferably interposed in the channel I9 between the outer cover flange l8 and the body flange 2| and this provides an hermetic joint.

Inwardly of the double seam 22 the panel wall [6 is preferably formed with an annular reenforoing bead 26. At the middle of the cover member, the panel wall [6 is bent at an angle and formed into an integral upright annular nozzle or neck 3| which defines and surrounds a round, centrally aligned filling and dispensing opening 32 in the cover member. This nozzle 3] is preferably concentric with the .top end seam 22 and extends upbeyond the plane of the top edge of the end seam 22, as best shownin Fig. 2. The

panel wallv l6 may be substantially horizontal or as shown in Fig. 2, slightly inclined.

The annular side wall of the nozzle 3| at the top merges into an outwardly curled edge 33, which is disposed a slight, predetermined, distanoe above the top of the can and which defines the mouth of the nozzle. This curled edge 33 serves as a seat for a shallow cap closure 35 of the crown cap type which seals the can after it is filled. The cap closure 35 is preferably formed with a substantially flat central wall and a short depending skirt or flange 36 which is crimped under the curlededge 33 of the nozzle to hold the closure in temporary sealing position on the nozzle. A gasket 38 of lining material is preferably disposed between the closure and the curled nozzle edge to provide a hermetic joint therebetween.

When the cap closure 35 is in sealed position on the filled can, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the bottom or lowermost edge of the crimped-on skirt 36 preferably is substantially in the plane or slightly above the plane of the top edge of the can top end seam 22. In this position the distance between this lowermost edge of the cap closure and the upper surface of the panel wall [6 is slightly greater than the vertical height of the end seam 22. This predetermined rela-- tion of the lowermost edge of the cap closure to the other adjacent parts of the top assembly ispurposely brought about to; facilitateremoyal. of the cap closure from itsnozzle by using the existing end seam parts of. an: identically constructed or similar can which may be designated as an opening can so that no special opening. tools are required.

Hence by resting the end seam of the opening can on the top edge of the top end seam 22 and inserting the seam of the. former underthe lowermost edge ofthe cap closure (as. shown in Fig. 2)., the cap: closure. may be readily pried off with. little efiortfl It. will be observed that the opening can isv here used-as a lever which applied against the. seam 22. as a. fulcrum. If. desired, the. same. pryingeifect upon the cap closure 35 may be had. by flulcruming the bod-y sidewall of the opening can on the. top double seam 2 2 and inserting. the top or. bottom seamv of. the opening can under the lowermost edge of the. cap closure 35. (as shownin Fig. 3).. Here again a slight. pressure on the opening can. will readily pry the top closure off the nozzle rim 3%.

In order to. provide for efiicient stacking. of these cans, one on top of or adjacent to the other, the bottom end member t3 preferably, is formed with. an inwardly curved or dome. shapedpanel wall. 4.]. This. panel wall merges into and is. surrounded by inner and. outer bottom cover flanges 42,. i3 respectively, which enclose the. bottom edge of the canbody H in a manner similar to that of the top or cover end, the outer flange 43 being interfolded with a flange on the body to. provide a compound. lined hermetically sealed double seam 45 similar to the top end seam 22,.

Thus when. two cans are. stacked one upon the other asv shown in Fig. 1,; the dome shaped bottom 4'! provides a. clearance space or housing for that part of the nozzle 3| and its cap. closure 35. which extends above the top edge of the. top end seam 22 of the supporting. can. It is the bottom seam 45 (see. Fig. 2) or the inner flange 42. (see Fig. 3') of the opening can which usually is. utilized in pryin on". the cap closure. 35 of a likev can, although the upper seam 22. or its inner flange 11 may also be utilized. for this purpose if desired. The end seams. 2'2 and 15,, when properly dimensioned thus fit the predetermined space between the edge of the cap closure 35 and the panel wall 00 IE to provide a variety of prying. off projections for the removal of the cap closure 35. Either the height or thickness or both of the end seams 22 and may thus be co-related to the predetermined space between the edge of the cap closure 35 and the panel wall IE to function as prying-off means.

It is thought that the. invention and. many of its attendant advantages will-i be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or. sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a: preferred embodiment thereof.

A substantially flat top sheet metal container having a'short filling and pouring nozzle, comprisingra tubular body, top and bottom end members secured to said body in projecting double seams. of. predetermined height, said. top member having a. countersunk paneliwall. extending inwardly from. the adjacent top end seam a. distance sufficient. to provide an. unrestricted space for the projecting seam of another like container when the. latter. is used as a prying, instrument;

a short nozzle projecting upwardly from said.

panel wall and. terminating in a closure seat and acrown. cap closure closely fitting on and secured.

to said closure seat, said cap closure having. a. depending skirt engaging under said. closure seat and with its. free edge turned outwardly, said.

free edge'of; said skirt being. spaced above said panel wall a predetermined distance slightly greater than said seam heightandlying substantially in the plane of the'top. edge of the. can top enct seam to provide entrance-for and a purchase.

contact with. the projecting seam of an opening container of like construction whenthe seam of. the opening container is inserted in the space beneath the bottom edge of said closure skirt, the opening container beingfulcrumed on the top seam of the like container being. opened. and.

functioning. as a prying. lever to. remove the cap.

closure from said nozzle.

WILLIAM. E. TAYLOR. HANS W.. SCHMIDT..

REFERENCES CITED Thefol-lowingv references are of; record. in the file. of: this: patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Aug. 17,1936

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