Closing arrangement for packing containers

Claim 1

A closure apparatus for a plastic container which has an upwardly opening mouth surrounded by an inwardly and downwardly directed lip, comprising: a tubular body of a relatively soft plastic material, adapted to be press-fitted into the mouth of the container, said tubular body having: an outer annular indentation for forming a gas-tight seal with an inner circumferential edge of the lip of the container and for maintaining the tubular body in position in the mouth of the container; an internal thread; a radially outwardly and upwardly extending annular flange on an upper edge of the tubular body; and, a lower, radially inwardly and downwardly extending annular flange located below the internal thread; and a stopper body of a relatively hard plastic material having: a dished lower end; a substantially cylindrical central portion having an external thread for engaging the internal thread of the tubular body; and, a gripping member extending, first, radially outwardly from the cylindrical portion above the external thread, and then downwardly, for facilitating insertion and removal of the stopper body; wherein the cylindrical portion of the stopper body has an outside diameter larger than the inner diameter of the lower flange of the tubular body; whereby a gas-tight seal is formed below the threads when the stopper member is located in the tubular body and wherein the outwardly extending portion of the gripping member is adapted to downwardly compress the upper flange of the tubular member to form a gas-tight seal above the threads when the stopper member is completely screwed into the tubular body.