Safety overcap for aerosol containers

Claim 1

A safety overcap for an aerosol container comprising a generally hollow cylindrical interior locking control member securely fixed to said container over a depressible valve stem projecting from said container, an outer shell overlying said control member and rotatably mounted and secured on said container, and an actuator means, said actuator means comprising an outer actuator tab connected to and disposed in rotational cooperation with said outer shell by an integral flexible hinge and an inner actuator button mounted on said valve stem having an elongated hollow communicating with said valve stem and exterior of said container, said tab adapted for cooperation with said button to enable depression of said valve stem, said outer shell having an opening through which contents in said container are distributed from said actuator button, said elongated hollow being aligned with said opening when said actuator means is in position to depress said valve stem and being out of alignment with said opening when said actuator means is not in position to depress said valve stem, said control member providing a stepped arrangement at its top end, said stepped arrangement defining upper and lower planar edges substantially perpendicular to the axis of said control member, said upper and lower planar edges integrally interconnected by smooth curved, inclined riser edges, said outer actuator tab maintained in coordinated relationship with said actuator button by said edges whereby said valve stem can be depressed by said actuator means when said tab is positioned adjacent said lower planar edge and cannot be deprEssed when said tab is positioned adjacent said upper planar edge.