US3924768A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Container cap having safety lock means
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-08-20
•
Granted: 1975-12-09
•
Expires: 1994-08-20
Abstract
Abstract A safety container-cap, particularly for bottles, wherein a stopper seat is permanently attached to the top of the bottle, and the stopper is flexibly hinged to the top of the stopper seat. In a preferred embodiment a slide channel extends diametrically through the stopper, and a pair of recesses are positioned within the stopper seat on diametrically opposite sides thereof and in alignment with the slide channel to receive a pin member which may be retracted to disengage the slide channel of the stopper or, when the stopper is closed, extends through the slide channel of the stopper and into the two recesses firmly holding the stopper in engagement with the stopper seat, thereby keeping the bottle closed.
Inventors
- 👤 John B Lemons
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:28
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D55/00; B65D55/02; B65D55/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A cap for a container comprising: a stopper seat, sized to fit into the mouth of and to rest on the mouth of a container; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with said slide channels; and at least one pin, equal in number to said slide channels, each slidable in said recesses and one of said slide channels to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A cap for a container comprising: a stopper seat, sized to fit into the mouth of and to rest on the mouth of a container; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with said slide channels; and at least one pin, equal in number to said slide channels, each slidable in said recesses and one of said slide channels to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
96 words
A container cap as recited in claim 1 in which said recesses are formed in said stopper seat adjacent the ends of said slide channels to receive said pins, said recesses penetrating the wall of said stopper at at least one end of each said slide channel to form openings which are sized to allow said pins, respectively, to slide from said adjacent slide channel through said opening, and in which said pins are each sufficiently long to extend the length of said slide channels, respectively, between said recesses at opposite ends of said slide channels.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A container cap as recited in claim 2 in which said pins and said recesses have mutually engaging stops, positioned to prevent full extraction of said pins from said stopper seat while allowing full disengagement between said pins and said slide channels of said stopper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An article of manufacture as recited in claim 3 in which said pins and said recesses each have a second pair of mutually engaging stops to oppose the entry of said pins into said recesses beyond predetermined positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
An article as recited in claim 4 in which each said pin has a grasping tang on one end thereof, adapted to be grasped by the finger nail of a user to withdraw said pin from engagement with its said slide channel of said stopper.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
An article as recited in claim 5 in which said tang and the said stop of said second pair of stops, upon said pin are attached.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 6 in which each said slide channel is substantially rectangular in section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
86 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 7 in which each said pin, except at its ends, is substantially H-shaped in section, the ends of said pin being substantially rectangularly shaped in section, the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shape section on one end of said pin forming said grasping tang, and the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shape section on the other end of said pin forming said first-named stop on said pin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An article as recited in claim 5 in which said stopper is hinged to said stopper seat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article as recited in claim 9 in which said hinge is a flexible hinge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
An article as recited in claim 5 and further comprising a lip seal, positioned on and depending from said stopper seat to seal the top of a container to said stopper seat.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
An article as recited in claim 11 in which said stopper seat further comprises a skirt depending therefrom and sized to engage the exterior of the mouth of a bottle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 12 in which said skirt has a pair of annular grooves formed in and encircling the interior thereof to engage corresponding ridges upon the exterior of the mouth of a bottle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
An article as recited in claim 13 in which said stopper is hinged by a flexible hinge to said stopper seat.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 14 in which each said slide channel is substantially rectangular in section, and in which each said pin, except at its ends, is substantially H-shaped in section, the ends of said pin being substantially rectangularly shaped in section, the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shape section on one end of said pin forming said grasping tang, and the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shape section on the other end of said pin forming said first-named stop on said pin.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 15 in which said stopper has only one slide channel, positioned substantially along the diameter of said stopper.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 16 in which said recesses are formed in one continuous annular groove around the inside surface of said stopper seat.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 15 in which said slide channels are on substantially parallel chords of said stopper.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 15 in which said slide channels are on non-parallel chords of said stopper.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a stopper seat and stopper combination, the improvement comprising: means forming a channel through said stopper seat; a pin, positioned within said channel; and recess means on said stopper seat for engaging said pin to lock said stopper in closed position relative to said seat.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a stopper seat and stopper combination, the improvement comprising: means forming a channel through said stopper seat; a pin, positioned within said channel; and recess means on said stopper seat for engaging said pin to lock said stopper in closed position relative to said seat.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 20 in which said improvement further comprises: said recess means being formed on opposing sides of said stopper seat and aligned with said channel; and said pin extending in length from said recess means on one side of said seat, through said channel, and into said recess means on the other side of said seat.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
78 words
The improvement of claim 21 wherein said pin has a tang thereon which may be grasped to withdraw said pin from said channel, and including openings in said seat to allow such withdrawal; and stops on said seat and said pin to prevent complete withdrawal of said pin from said seat while allowing said pin to be completely withdrawn from said channel, said stops further cooperating to prevent said pin from being pushed in beyond a predetermined position.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
The improvement of claim 22 in which said tang is contoured and positioned to be engaged by a finger nail.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
63 words
In combination: a container having a stopper seat; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with a slide channel; and at least one pin, slidable in said recess and a slide channel to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
63 words
In combination: a container having a stopper seat; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with a slide channel; and at least one pin, slidable in said recess and a slide channel to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
86 words
A combination as recited in claim 24 in which each said is formed in said stopper seat adjacent the end of the slide channel aligned therewith to receive said pin, said recess penetrating the wall of said stopper at at least one end of each said slide channel to form an opening which is sized to allow said pin, respectively, to slide from said adjacent slide channel through said opening, and in which said pin is sufficiently long to extend the length of said slide channel.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination of claim 25 in which said pins and said recesses have mutually engaging stops, positioned to prevent full extraction of said pins from said stopper seat while allowing full disengagement between said pins and said slide channels of said stopper.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
The combination of claim 26 in which said pins and said recesses each have a second pair of mutually engaging stops to oppose the entry of said pins into said recesses beyond predetermined positions.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
43 words
The combination of claim 27 in which each said pin has a grasping tang on one end thereof, adapted to be grasped by the finger nail of a user to withdraw said pin from engagement with its said slide channel of said stopper.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The combination of claim 28 in which said tang and the said stop of said second pair of stops, upon said pin, are attached.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as recited in claim 29 in which each said slide channel is substantially rectangular in section.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
85 words
The combination of claim 30 in which each said pin, except at its end, is substantially H-shaped in section, the ends of said pin being substantially rectangularly shaped in section, the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shape section on one end of said pin forming said grasping tang, and the transition region of said pin between said H-shape section and said rectangular shaped section on the other end of said pin forming saiD first-named stop on said pin.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The combination of claim 28 in which said stopper is hinged to said stopper seat.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
An article as recited in claim 28 in which said hinge is a flexible hinge.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 24 in which said stopper seat has a skirt depending therefrom and sized to engage the exterior of the mouth of a bottle.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 34 in which said skirt has a pair of annular grooves formed in and encircling the interior thereof to engage corresponding ridges upon the exterior of the mouth of a bottle.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
17 words
The combination of claim 24 in which said stopper seat is at the mouth of a bottle.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
69 words
In combination: a container having a stopper seat; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with said slide channels; and at least one pin, each slidable in said recesses and one of said slide channels to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
69 words
In combination: a container having a stopper seat; a stopper, sized to fit into and conform to said stopper seat, including at least one slide channel formed in and directed across said stopper; at least one recess in said stopper seat, aligned with said slide channels; and at least one pin, each slidable in said recesses and one of said slide channels to lock said stopper into said seat.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
The combination of claim 37 in which said pins are equal in number to said recesses.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3181718A
Cited
US3623622A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-08 | 1979-06-09 | 1979-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-08 | 1983-06-09 | 1983-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-08 | 1987-06-09 | 1987-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |