Child-resistant closure using a plurality of rotatable closure members

Claim 1

A dispensing closure having a base including a first closure member and a dependent means for attaching said base to a container located around the periphery of said first closure member, said closure also having a second closure member rotatably mounted on said first closure member so as to be capable of being rotated about an axis, said first and said second closure members having openings extending therethrough which are offset from said axis, said second closure member being capable of being rotated so as to bring the opening therein into alignment with the opening in said first closure member in which the improvement comprises: at least one additional closure member rotatably mounted adjacent to said second closure member, each additional closure member also having an opening formed therein which is offset with respect to said axis, each of said closure members having integral interlocking means for securinG said second and said additional closure member together on said first closure member so as to form a stack of said closure members, said interlocking means holding said members against axial movement away from one another, all of said closure members being of a resilient material permitting said interlocking means on said closure members to be popped together, the adjacent surfaces of all of said closure members being parallel surfaces of revolution, one of each of the two adjacent surfaces between adjacent of said closure members carrying an integrally formed sealing means for forming a seal between the two adjacent closure members, said interlocking means holding said second and said additional closure members so that each of said sealing means resiliently engages the adjacent surface of the next adjacent closure member, said interlocking means holding said second and said additional closure members so that each of them can be independently rotated completely around said axis, the exteriors of all of said closure members being exposed to the exterior of said dispensing closure so that said closure members are capable of being manually engaged, said closure members being capable of being independently rotated so that the openings of all of said closure members are in alignment in order for material to be moved through said closure.