US1281472A - Can-top. - Google Patents

Description

J. E. WOOTEN.

CAN TOP APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26.1916

1,981,472. v Patented Oct. 15, 1918.

6 m f/ F230? m1 TD gwve'ntoz JEWoatcn- JOHN E. WOOTEN, or LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

CAN-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0ct.15, 1918.

Application filed June 26, 1916. Serial No. 106,023.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WOOTEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lit tle Rock, in the county of Pulaski, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Can-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the class of can tops, and has particular reference to a combined cutoff and measuring spout for can cutoff and measuring top for cans which is sufficiently practical to permit it to be economically constructed as a part of commercial containers for baking powders, spices, coffee, salt and similar household staples. To this end I have conceived a top provided with a discharge spout with which is associated a cutoff member which may be readily swung into or out of cutofi position. I have further associated with the spout and cutofi device, a measuring instrument which may be applied to the spout to receive therefrom the material in the container, the cutofi being used to regulate the flow of the material from the container to the measuring instrument.

In commercial use, the measuring instrument may be applied in various sizes, so as, according to the contents of the can a measuring device of suitable size may be furnished at the time of sale.

With the above object in view, and other, involving the details of construction which will hereinafter appear, my invention will now be fully set forth and described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the top,

Fig. 2 is a bottom view,

Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of a measuring attachment which accompanies the top.

Referring more particularly to said drawings, 1 represents the can top which may be of removable or other type, the construction in this case being contemplated as a fixed top having its peripheral edge crimped 2 and being countersunk into the can body said can body. At a suitbelow the edge of The object of my invention is to provide a able point, which would most advantageously be to one side of the top, a flange 3 is upturned from the body of the metal, said upturned flange providing a discharge spout surrounding the opening 1. Preferably, the flange 3 does not project above the marginal edge of the can body 2, so that in shipment, the spout may not become damaged. A cap 5 is provided for closing the spout 3, when the can is not in active use. Mounted on the lower side of the top 1 is a cutoff 6 which is adapted to cover the opening 4:, so that a measuring device 11 (Fig. 4) may be used with the top. Said cutofi consists ofa metallic plate which is slidable over the lower face of the top 1, and is provided with a bearing section 7 which is centrally apertured to receive two or more prongs 8. Said prongs 8 are stamped downwardly from the body of the top 1, and are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the aperture formed in the bearing section 7. After the bearing section 7 has been seated over the prongs 8, the latter are bent outwardly to overlie the section 7, and thereby hold the plate 6 in rotatable relation to the top 1. Whenthe bearing section 7 is thus positioned, the plate 6 may be swung across the opening 4 to cut the latter off from the interior of the receptacle. In order to provide a means for actuating the plate 6, a tongue 9 is stamped from the body of the plate 6 and bent upwardly to project through an arcuate slot 10 which is formed in the top 1, in suitable position, the arcuate slot 10 being concentric to the bearing of the plate 6, so that when the tongue 9 is moved from the slot, the plate 6 will be rotated around its hearing. The tongue 9, after being passed through the slot 10, is bent to overlie the top 1, so as to aid in supporting the plate 6, and also to be disposed wholly within the countersunk top.

Associated with the can top is a measuring receptacle 11, which consists of a tubular structure adapted to fit over the flange 3 when the cap 5 is removed. Said receptacle 7 closed at one end, so as to 11 is preferably and according to the parcontainer is put,

,the receptacle 11 can be filled to structed to hold a teaspoonful. While, if the can is to contain coflee, the measuring receptacle 11 may be formed of sufficient size to measure tablespoonfuls. In cases Where the capacity of the measuring receptacle is not too great, it may combine at once the functions of cover for the opening 4: and the measuring instrument.

While the operation of my improved device is obvious from the foregoing description, it should be noted that I have provided a combined cutofi and measuring device for small containers, such as baking power boxes, coffee canisters, and similar receptalces Which may be economically manufactured as a part of the can to accompany the latter When the goods are sold. Thus, by removing the .cap 5,- and substituting the receptacle 11, the container can be inverted, the cutoff 6 having first been turned below the opening 4, and thus held until the container has been placed in inverted position, measure a predetermined quantity for use, after Which vthe cutoif member can be restored over the opening 4 and the measuring device 11 removed.

It is further to be noted that the top can be applied to containers Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by Washington, D. 0.

of other materials provided With an arcuate slot extending.

laterally from a line connecting the pivotal axis of the cut-off plate and the center of I the receptacle top opening, said slot havin as its center the oil plate, and a tongue struck laterally from the intermediate portion of the cut-oil plate to extend through the slot, and then extended in substantial parallelism to the cut- 0E plate to overlie the receptacle top portion at the side pivotal axis of the cut-ofi.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature, in the presence oftWo Witnesses.

. JOHN E. WOOTEN. Witnesses:

L. M. CAMERON, C. H. BECKER.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

pivotal axis of the cut of the slot remote, from the l

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