US3014621A - Attachment for beverage containers - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 26, 1961 F. 'PovlTz ATTACHMENT FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 26, 1957 Fred P0 w'fz INVEN TOR.

9 BY MM Dec. 26, 1961 I F. POVITZ 3,014,621

ATTACHMENT FOR BEVERAGE CONTAINERS Filed April 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fred Pow'fz Fig 5 INVENTOR.

BY 2; 15m

Felted States ice 3,014,621 ATTACHMENT FUR BEVERAGE CQNTAINERS Fred Povitz, Montreal, Quebec, Qanada Filed Apr. 26, 1957, Ser. No. 655,364 3 Claims. (Cl. 222-183) The present invention generally relates to an attachment for a container and more particularly to an attachment for a bevverage can in which is incorporated a spout associated with an opening in the top of a can for facilitating the drinking of the bevverage from the can without actual contact of the lips of the drinker with the can.

An object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a beverage can of the type having a conventional tin can construction with the attachment incrporating means for grippingly engaging the can and providing an upwardly and outwardly inclined spout associated with an opening in the top of the can for facilitating the consumption of the beverage from the can.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an' attachment in accordance with the preceding object in which the attachment is in the form of an annular member engageable with the upper rim of the can and including a downwardly curved handle member having a lower end engageable with the bottom of the can for securing the handle and attachment to the can.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an attachment in accordance with the preceding object in which the handle and the means for engaging the bottom of the can is an integral part of an opener for initially opening the can thus providing a device which may initially be used for opening the can and then attached to the can for providing a handle and for providing a spout from which the contents of the can may be drunk.

Other objects of the present invention reside in its simplicity of construction, ease of assembly in combination with a can and its relatively inexpensive manufacturing cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective vview of a beverage con tainer with the attachment of the present invention mounted thereon;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon a. plane passing along section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the manner in which the annular downwardly facing channel mcmber is disposed on the upper end of the can;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed transverse sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 33 of FIGURE 2 illustrating further structural details of the channel shaped memberand the relieved portion for permitting engagement with the can;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the attachment in folded condition;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the attachment mounted on scan; I

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of another form of the invention mounted on a can which is shown in phantom; and

FIGURE 7 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 illustrating the relationship between the attachment and the can.

Referring now specifically to FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the attachment of the present invention for association with a tin can 12 of the type normally employed for distribution of beverages such as beer or the like. The can 12 is provided with a top 14 and a bottom of similar construction with the top 14 being normally penetrated for permitting the contents of the can to be consumed. The top 14 is normally attached to the container by virtue of a rolled bead or rim 16 which forms an upstanding flange encircling the top 14 and generally forming a continuation of the can 12. The construction of the can 12 is conventional and is described for the purpose of orientating the same in relation to the attachment lid.

The attachment Ill includes an annular member 18 having a substantially inverted U-shaped or channel shaped cross-sectional configuration for engagement over the bead l6. A sealing ring or gasket 26 is provided in the downwardly facing channel shaped annular member it; for sealingengagement with the rim l6.

Formed integrally with and projecting upwardly from the annular member 18 is a pourin or drinking spout 22 which is inclined outwardly and provided with a round ed or curved outer peripheral edge 24 with the spout 22 extending across a substantial portion of the inner surface or inner edge of the annular member 18.

The inner wall of the channel shaped member 18 is designated by numeral 26 and includes a relieved or cutaway area 28 in adjacent relation to an inwardly extending flange or book 30 on the outer wall 32 of the annular member 18 for permitting assembly of the annular ring 18 onto the rim 16 since the top surface of the flange 35B is coincidental with the bottom of the annular member 18.

A curved strap member 3 is hingedly connected to the annular member 18 adjacent the inner edge thereof by a hinge 36 with the hinge 36 being disposed diametrically opposite to the inwardly extending flange 3 3 with the spent 22 being disposed between the area of the hinge as and the flange 3d. The strap member 34 forms a portion of the handle and extends downwardly and outwardly with the inner surface thereof forming a concave curve. Hingedly connected to the bottom end of the strap member 34 is in extension strap 38 connected by virtue of a hinge as to the strap member 34. The extension strap 38 generally is a continuation of the member 34 and also forms handle for an opener construction generally designated by numeral 42 at the lower end of the extension 38 The opener 42 includes a hook member 44 disposed in substantially spaced parallel. relation to an arcuately curved penetrating member 46 having a pointed end 48 wherein the hook shaped member 44 may be engaged under the bead l6 and the penetrating member id projected downwardly through the top 14 for forming a substantially triangular sha Jed opening in a manner which is well known and conventional. Secured to and projecting upwardly from the inner end of the hook member 44 is provided a projection Ell which is adapted to engage the lower rim 16 of the can 12 and friction-ally and resiliently hold the strap members 34 and 39 in the position illustrat d in FIGURE 2 thus forming a handle for the container for facilitating the drinking of the contents of the container.

The device may be removed from the container and assembled in relation to the container in a very easy manner with the device being capable of being folded into a compact condition such as shown in FIGURE 4. The device also provides a utilitarian item which is not only capable of facilitating the drinking of the contents but also facilitates the opening of the containers. 'The attachment may be constructed of corrosion resistantma- I terial such as metal or the like and will greatly enhance Referring now specifically to FIGURE 5, an annular channel shaped flange 52 is provided with a drinking spout 54 and the annular member 52 is telescoped over the rim 16 of the container 12 and resiliently grips the same for mounting the ring or annular member 52 on the container 12. This form of the invention may conveniently be constructed of plastic material such as polyethylene which is capable of resiliently gripping the head 16 and frictionally holding itself on the bead.

FIGURES 6 and 7 illustrate another form of the invention in which a channel shaped annular member 52' is provided with the drinking spout 54' with an elongated strap 56 being integrally formed with the annular member 52 and also being integrally formed with an annular channel shaped member 58 for engaging the bottom rim of the container 12. FIGURE 7 illustrates the gripping relationship between the annular downwardly facing channel shaped member 52 and the head 16 of the container 12 which is formed as part of the top wall 14. This form of the invention may also be constructed of a pliable plastic material such as polyethylene which will grip the rim 16 thereby mounting the attachment to the container.

All forms of the invention provide a drinking spout disposed in alignment and immediately adjacent to the opening in the top of the can thus enabling the contents to be consumed directly from the can without actually bringing the lips into contact with the sides and top of the can. This also provides a convenient handle for manipulating the can and generally simulates a beer mug. Also, the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1-4 provides a conveniently attached opener for facilitating the opening of the can.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An attachment for a liquid containing tin can provided with end beads comprising an annular member of channel shaped cross-sectional configuration adapted to be removably telescoped over the upper bead of the can with the inner lower edge of the member resting on the can and being free of obstruction, a drinking spout of visor-like configuration disposed on said annular member and extending upwardly therefrom, said spout adapted to be disposed in adjacent relation to an opening formed in the top of the can for facilitating the drinking of the contents directly from the can without contact between the can and the lips of the person drinking the contents, and means for retaining the annular member on the bead of the can, said annular member being constructed of pliable and resilient plastic material whereby the channelshaped annular member will frictionally and resiliently grip the bead thereby constituting the means for retaining the annular member on the bead, an elongated strap of pliable plastic material connected with said annular member, a lower channel-shaped annular member of identical construction as the first named annular member for engagement with the bottom bead, said strap being longer than the can whereby the strap will be outwardly bowed for forming a handle for the can for facilitating the handling thereof.

2. A unitary drinking attachment for a container having a peripheral wall, a top and a bottom, a peripheral ead forming the junction between the top and the peripheral wall, and a peripheral bead forming the junction between the bottom and the peripheral wall, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced and aligned annular members channel shaped in cross-section, said members being constructed of pliable plastic material with the open edge of the members facing each other for telescopically engaging the beads on the container and frictionally gripping the same, an elongated strap 0 f pliable plastic material interconnecting the annular members with the strap having a length greater than the distance between the annular members when engaged with a container thereby bowing the strap outwardly and forming a handle longitudinally of the container for manipulating the same, the annular member mounted on the bead at the top of the container having an upwardly and outwardly inclined arcuate projection generally visor-like in configuration and forming a drinking spout, the inner edge of the top annular member adapted to engage the top of the container and the frictional gripping engagement of the annular member and bead preventing leakage of liquid between the bead and the annular member thereby permitting liquid to be drunk from the spout when the spout is aligned with an opening in the top of the container, the center of said projection forming the spout being disposed substantially from the strap thereby disposing the spout in a position accessible to the mouth when the container is manipulated by grasping the strap.

3. An attachment for a liquid containing can provided with end beads comprising an annular member of channel shaped cross-sectional configuration adapted to be removably telescoped over the upper bead of the can with the inner lower edge of the member resting on the can and being free of obstructions, a drinking spout of visorlike configuration disposed on said annular member and extending upwardly therefrom, said spout adapted to be disposed in adjacent relation to an opening formed in the top of the can for facilitating the drinking of the contents directly from the can without contact between the can and the lips of the person drinking the contents, and means for retaining the annular member on the head of the can, an elongated member attached to said annular member and adapted to extend alongside the can, said elongated member being outwardly bowed and forming a handle, and means on the lower end of said elongated member for detachable engagement with the lower end head of the can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,131,631 Lackstrom et al Sept. 27, 1938 2,786,614 Giusto Mar. 26, 1957 2,802,609 Donovan Aug. 13, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 70,730 Denmark Mar. 13, 1950 247,821 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1926

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