US2816695A - Can spout - Google Patents

Description

M. DAGENAIS CAN sPoU'r Dec. 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Hay 9, 1955 mlvENroRV Nadia! DASH/Al ATTORNEYS Dec. 17,1957 -M. DAGENAIS `2,816,695

CAN sPoU'r 'Filed May 9. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 "www The present invention relates to a can spout and more particularly to a hygienic spout adapted for cans containing liquid foodstuff such as vegetable oil and the like.

Known spouts of the character described have an lopen top and when used for can containing vegetable oils and the like liquid foodstuffs, become covered with said oil which attracts dust and other impurities floating in the atmosphere thereby creating an unhygienic area.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is the provision of a can spout of the character described which is hygienic and which will always maintain the can in clean condition during use of the same.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a can spout which is inexpensive to manufacture, practical in use and will lessen contamination of the contents of the can.

Yet another important object of the present invention is the provision of a can spout which is rotatable relative to the can between an operativepouring position and an inoperative retracted position.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of a spout of the character described in which all the oil in the spout will be returned to the can after pouring.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of a can spout of the character described provided with means for the insertion of a suitable punc- `turing instrument for puncturing the container.

Yet another important object of the present invention is the provision in combination with a can spout of the character described of means to forman air vent for the container, said air vent being kept in hygienic condition.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision in combination with a can which has to be punctured open for use, of a spout for said can which is completely enclosed so as to prevent any foreign particles from coming in direct contact with the liquid foodstuffs in the can at any time after puncture of said can, said spout being provided with means being closable once the can is punctured open to thereby prevent any dust or foreign particles from entering the can through the spout.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of means to resiliently maintain the spout in operative pouring position and of means to close the container completely from the atmosphere when the spout is in inoperative position.

The foregoing and other important objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a container with a first embodiment of the spout in operative pouring position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal partial section of the container with the spout shown in elevation and in pouring position;

rates Patent O "ice Figure 3 is a partial longitudinal section along line 3 3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section along line 4 4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a section similar to that of Figure 4 but showing the spout rotated into inoperative position;

Figure 6 is a partial perspective View of a container provided with a second embodiment of the spout according to the present invention in operative pouring position;

Figure 7 is a partial perspective view of the container with the spout of Figure 6 in non-operative position;

Figure 8 is a section along line 8 8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a section along line 9 9 of Figure 6;

Figure 10 is a section similar to that of Figure 9 showing how the container is punctured; and

Figure 11 is a partial section of the punctured container and of the spout.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout the letter A denotes a container or canister such as used for storing liquids, more particularly liquid foodstus such as olive oil and the like vegetable oils. The top wall 1 of said container is usually completely sealed, as shown in Figure 7, when received by the consumer. The container may be provided with a handle B.

According to the first embodiment of the present invention an annular collar 2 is rigidly secured to the top wall 1 of the container A near one corner thereof, as by soldering, and forms at its top edge an inwardly projecting annular flange 2 which serves to retain the spout 3 in position on the top wall 1 of the container A but allows rotation of said spout 3. The spout 3 consists in an elongated hollow pear-shaped body 4 mounted on an upright tubular member 5 which has an integral bottom wall 6 in sliding contact with the top wall 1 of the container A. The junction between the cylindrical lateral wall 7 and the flat bottom wall 6 of the tubular member 5 forms an outwardly projecting annular rib 8 which engages the annular collarV 2 underneath the flange 2 whereby the spout 3 is rotatively attached to the container A. The body 4 of the spout 3 has a pouring end 9 which is bevelled such that the top end portion will project beyond the lower end portion in order to keep dust and foreign particles from the inner surface of said spout. The top wall 1 of the spout body 4 is curved in longitudinal section as well as in cross-section while the bottom wall 12 is somewhat flat in cross-section and is downwardly inclined from the outer open end 9 towards a circular aperture 13 made in said bottom wall and which opens within the tubular member 5, the upper edge of which is secured to the peripheral edge of said aperture 13.

The bottom wall 6 of the tubular member 5 is provided with a small circular opening 14 which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of the tubular member 5, being substantially tangent tothe lateral wall 7 of said member 5 when seen in plan View as shown in'Figure 5.

The top wall 1 of the body portion 4 of the spout 3 is provided with an upwardly projecting nipple 15 which is normally closed by a screw cap 16. The nipple 15 is lsubstantially aligned with the circular opening 14 in the bottom wall 12 of the tubular member 5. Thus, when the cap 16 is removed, a suitable pointed instrument, such as the tool 17 shown in Figure 10, may be inserted through nipple 15 and opening 14 for puncturing the top wall 1 of the container as shown at 18. Care must be taken to make the perforation 18 when the spout 3 is in operative position as shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive. The spout 3 is resiliently maintained in pouring operative position by means of a downwardly projecting boss 19 made in the bottom wall 12 of the tubular member 5, and which engages a registering depression 20 made in the top wall 1 of the container.

Although the spout 3 is shown as being made of sheet metal, it could also be made of a moulded plastic material. But the collar 2 should in all cases be made of sheet metal in order to be soldered to the top wall 1 of the sheet metal container A. v

Due to the fact that the bottom wall 12 of the body portion 4 of the spout 3 is downwardly inclined from the open end 9 to the circular bottom aperture 13, any drop of liquid remaining in the spout after pouring will How back to the bottom of the tubular member and from there within the container A through opening 14 and perforation 18.

When the spout 3 is rotated into inoperative position the perforation 18 is automatically covered by the bottom wall 6 of the tubular member 5 as clearly shown in Figure 5. Thus the container A is completely closed and contamination of the contents is lessened. Moreover, if the container A is tipped over its contents will not spill.

Also the fact that the container is closed when the spout is in inoperative position will prevent the evaporation of the contents especially when said contents consist in volatile products such as alcohol or ether.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, a short tube or nipple 22 is rigidly secured to the top wall 1 near one corner of the container A, as by soldering, and is provided at its top end with an inwardly projecting flange 23 as shown in Figure 9. The nipple 22 is further provided with an inner annular rib 24 downwardly spaced from the top flange 23. The spout 25 is completely covered and protected and is mounted on the nipple 22 for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to the top wall 1 of the container A between an inoperative stored position as shown in Figure 7 and an operative pouring position as shown in Figures 6 and 9. The spout 25 consists of a pear-shaped body 26 similar to the spout body 4 of the iirst embodiment. Said body has a bevelled open end 27 and a nipple 28 provided with a screw cap 29. The flat bottom wall 30 of the spout body 26 has a circular aperture 31 opening within a collar 32 which extends downwardly from the spout body 26 and engages the nipple 22.

The lower edge of the collar 32 is outwardly and upwardly bent to form a flange 33 engaging underneath the inwardly directed flange 23 at the upper edge of the nipple 22. The ilange 13 is in sliding contact with the portion of the nipple 22 between the flange 23 and the annular if?,

rib 24, the latter serves to maintain the collar 32 in proper rotatable position within the nipple 22.

The axis of the nipple 28 meets the top of the container A inside the nipple 22, thus when the cap 29 is removed,

a suitable pointed instrument or puncturing tool 17 may be inserted through the nipple 28 for puncturing the top wall 1 of the container A, as shown at 18 in Figure 10. After the top wall 1 has been punctured, the screw cap 29 is screwed onto the nipple 28 and left in this position.

Therefore, the cap 29 closes the nipple 28 permanently so that the spout 25 remains entirely covered and no dust or dirt can get in.

From the foregoing it is seen that contrary to containers provided with conventional spouts, a container provided with the spout according to the present invention is protected against contamination of its contents either by atmospheric dust particles or by manual contact.

In order to ensure even flow of the liquid from the container A, the top wall 1 of the latter is provided with an air vent consisting of an auxiliary nipple 35 secured to the top wall 1 at the corner diagonally opposite the location of the spout 3 or 25 and provided with a suitable screw cap 36 threadedly engaging the same. The pointed instrument 17 may be used to puncture the top wall 1 of the container inside the auxiliary nipple 35 for making the air vent aperture 37. Said air vent 37 if protected from contamination by replacing the cap 36 in position on the nipple 35, said cap 36 allowing air to pass between the same and the nipple 35.

While preferred embodiments according to the present invention have been illustrated and described, it is understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A spout for a container for liquids having a nonperforated top wall, said spout adapted to be mounted on said top wall of said container and comprising a collar adapted to be secured to the top wall of said container, a spout body rotatively mounted on said container and retained thereon by means of said collar, said spout body forming an elongated hollow pear-shaped body having a pouring opening at its smaller outer end, a tubular member on which said body is mounted and in communication therewith, said tubular member having an outwardly projecting rib at the lower end thereof in engagement with said collar, the lower end of said tubular member being defined by a bottom wall provided with a small aperture which is eccentrically disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of said tubular member, a nipple mounted on the body of said spout at the top wall thereof and in substantial alignment with the small aperture in the bottom wall of said tubular member, a removable closure for said nipple whereby a pointed instrument may be inserted through said nipple and through said small aperture of said bottom wall of said tubular member to puncture the top wall of said container in register with said small aperture, said closure being thereafter replaced, and retained on said nipple during pouring operation, and means to resiliently maintain said spout in pouring position.

2. A spout as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom wall of the spout body is downwardly inclined from the outer pouring end thereof toward said tubular member.

References Cited in the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 950,372 Deitz Feb. 22, 1910 1,274,867 Ford Aug. 6, 1918 1,301,868 Nowack Apr. 29, 1919 1,475,988 Dieu Dec. 4, 1923 2,031,623 Wardell Feb. 25, 1936

Images