Pouring closure for liquids

Claim 2

A closure having body means for securement to means defining a pouring opening through which the contents of a receptacle may be dispensed, said opening being adapted to be opened and closed by means of said closure to permit flow and to terminate flow respectively; said body means including a circular top, said closure being in one piece and comprising resilient but generally shape-retaining plastics composition, a recess in said top, said recess having a floor constituted as a readily puncturable membrane, a flexible bail of substantially semi-circular configuration integrally formed with the body means and connected by at least one end thereto, the other end of the bail carrying a sharp puncturing member so positioned that when the bail is flexed to position the point of the sharp member confronting the membrane, the member may be thrust through the membrane to present a pouring opening when the member is withdrawn; said member having an annular shoulder adapted to shear tags left around the periphery of the punched opening, the closure being further characterized by detent means to retain the bail in inoperative position thereof pending manipulation of the member.

Claim 3

A closure having body means for securement to means defining a pouring opening through which the contents of a receptacle may be dispensed, said opening being adapted to be opened and closed by means of said closure to permit flow and to terminate flow respectively; said body means including a circular top, said closure being in one piece and comprising resilient but generally shape-retaining plastics composition, a recess in said top, said recess having a floor constituted as a readily puncturable membrane, a flexible bail of substantially semi-circular configuration integrally formed with the body means and connected by at least one end thereto, the other end of the bail carrying a sharp puncturing member so positioned that when the bail is flexed to position the point of the sharp member confronting the membrane, the member may be thrust through the membrane to present a pouring opening when the member is withdrawn; said member having an annular shoulder adapted to shear tags left around the periphery of the punched opening, the closure being provided with detent means to retain the bail in predetermined inoperative position pending manipulation of the member, the recess having a lateral wall surrounding the membrane adapted to be engaged by the point of the member to guide the member toward and during puncturing movement, the lateral wall of the recess being substantially perpendicular to the floor thereof, the wall and floor meeting in a corner, the point of the member in the inoperative position resting with its point in the corner, whereby initial use of the member will cause rotation thereof about its point and will direct the member into a position essentially normal to the membrane.

Claim 4

A closure having body means for securement to means defining a pouring opening through which the contents of a receptacle may be dispensed, said opening being adapted to be opened and closed by means of said closure to permit flow and to terminate flow respectively; said body means including a circular top, said closure being in one piece and comprising resilient but generally shape-retaining plastics composition, a recess in said top, said recess having a floor constituted as a readily puncturable membrane, a flexible bail of substantially semi-circular configuration integrally formed with the body means and connected by at least one end thereto, the other end of the bail carrying a sharp puncturing member so positioned that when the bail is flexed to position the point of the sharp member confronting the membrane, the member may be thrust through the membrane to present a pouring opening when the member is withdrawn; said member having an annular shoulder adapted to shear tags left around the periphery of the punched opening, the closure being provided with detent means to retain the bail in predetermined inoperative position pending manipulation of the member, the recess having a lateral wall surrounding the membrane adapted to be engaged by the point of the member to guide the member toward and during puncturing movement, the lateral wall of the recess being substantially perpendicular to the floor thereof, the wall and floor meeting in a corner, the point of the member in the inoperative position resting with its point in the corner, whereby initial use of the member will cause rotation thereof about its point and will direct the member into a position essentially normal to the membrane.

Claim 5

The combination in accordance with claim 2 wherein the member has a shank portion having a diameter providing a sliding fit within the lateral wall of the recess, the diameter of the member adjacent its point being less than the diameter of the shank portion to define an annular shoulder, the face of the shoulder being at right angles to the axis of the member to shear any tags remaining after operation of the member to pierce the membrane.

Claim 6

A one-piece dispensing closure of material which is resilient but generally shape-retaining including means to attach the same to a receptacle for fluent material, said closure comprising a cup-shaped body comprising a skirt and a top wall, a flexible bail of substantially U-shape configuration, the free end of the legs thereof merging with the body, means defining a recess in said top, said recess having a floor comprising a puncturable membrane, a puncturing member comprising a shank joined to the bight of the "U" and a conical piercing end extending from the shank and coaxially therewith and detent means on the body to receive said puncturing member in an inoperative position thereof.

Claim 7

A one-piece dispensing closure of material which is resilient but generally shape-retaining including means to attach the same to a receptacle for fluent material, said closure comprising a cup-shaped body comprising a skirt and a top wall, a flexible bail of substantially U-shape configuration, the free end of the legs thereof merging with the body, means defining a recess in said top, said recess having a floor comprising a puncturable membrane, a puncturing member comprising a shank joined to the bight of the "U" and a conical piercing end extending from the shank and coaxially therewith and detent means on the body to receive said puncturing member in an inoperative position thereof.