Tamper-indicating closure and package

Claim 1

A tamper-indicating closure comprising a one-piece molded closure of plastic having a base wall and peripheral skirt, said skirt having internal means adapted to engage means on a container upon relative rotation of the closure and container, a tamper-indicating band, circumferentially extending and circumferentially spaced relative rigid locking members, generally vertically extending generally radial flexible membranes joining the skirt of the closure, the locking members and the band, each said membrane having an upper end extending from adjacent the free edge of said skirt of said closure and having a radially outer edge connected to said band, each said membrane having a lower end with a radially inner edge connected to a locking member, a pair of membranes being provided for each locking member, said membranes being inclined at an acute angle to a radial plane in a direction circumferentially opposite to the direction of rotation of the closure during application of the closure such that when the closure is applied onto a container, the lower ends of said membranes flex relative to the upper ends adjacent the skirt and the locking members move radially outwardly as they engage an annular bead on the finish of the container causing the locking members to move over the bead and thereafter move radially inwardly into engagement with the underside of the bead, and when the closure is removed from a container, the engagement of the locking members with the underside of the bead causes the membranes to be severed.