US2921707A - Combination bottle cap and dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 19, 1960 N. H. SLOAN COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP AND DISPENSER Filed April 2, 1956 INVENTOR.

Sloan wwiwm P Pauly.

United States Patent O COMBINATION BOTTLE CAP AND DISPENSER Noah H. Sloan, Chicago, 111. Application April 2, 1956, Serial No. 575,508 I 2 Claims. (Cl. 215-'-37) This invention relates to improvements in bottle covers and particularly to an improved bottle cap forproviding a fluid tight cover for a bottle integral with a measuring means for permitting fluids to be dispensed in accurate amounts from a bottle without requiring a spoon or other measuring and dispensing device.

In ordinary practice,- a bottle containing fluid, such as medicine, is provided with a removable screw type cap covering the pouring aperture of the bottle for retaining fluid within the bottle. When dispensing the fluid, it is necessary to use a spoon or other device to dispense measured quantities of fluid from the bottle. Due to the assorted sizes and shapes of spoons, the amount of fluid dispensed often times is inaccurate, thus leading to under 'or over dosages. measuring. device is not readily available, as when a person is traveling; and when medicine is prescribed to be taken -at regular periodic intervals, a burden is placed on the person to acquire some sort of measuring device. It is the principal object ofthis invention to provide a bottle cap which provides a fluid tight seal for the bottle and at the same time can be used-as -a measuring device for dispensing fluid from the bottle.

it is another object of this invention to provide such a bottle cap having a handle associated therewith which may be used for holding the cap while dispensing fluid In other cases, a spoon or other and which may be retracted and stored on the cap when the cap is used to cover the bottle opening.

It is another object ofthis invention to provide a combined bottle cap and dispensing device provided with an-interior portion for containing fluid which ismarked with 'graduati'ons-to indicate quantity levels of fluid..

It is another objector the invention to provide a combined bottle cap and dispenser which can be manufactured in one piece and has anextending handle which can be folded and locked in storage position.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined bottlecap and-dispenser whichhas an extending handleflezrible enough to 'be folded into a storage position but which has suflicient rigidity for permitting its use as a handle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap and dispenser combination which is provided with a handle hingedly connected to the bottle cap and which can be recessed into the bottle cap in locked position or unfolded and extended and locked in extended position.

The invention can be better understood from the following specification taken with the accompanying drawings in which three embodiments of the invention are illustrated. In the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention being used as a fluid dispenser;

Fig. 1a shows a transverse sectional view of the cap handle as viewed along the line 1a-1a of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 shows a partial sectional view of the embodiment of the invention of Fig. 1, but in storage position on a bottle;

ICC

Fig. 3 shows a partial sectional view of a second embodiment of the invention in its position on a bottle;

Fig. 4 shows a partial sectional top plan view-of the second embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of still a third embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the cap handle is mounted to the cap.

As illustrated in the drawings in Figs. 1 and 2, one embodiment of the invention comprises a cap body 1 provided withinternal threads 2 which engage the exto be held conveniently whilefluid 8 from a'bottle 4 is poured into the cap body, 1. The arm 6 is made flexi-- ble enough that it can be bent-around, as shown in Fig. 2, to a position where the hole 7 near the extremityof the arm can be engaged with a pin 9 in order to keep the arm 6 in a stored position as shown in Fig. 2. Because the arm 6 is flexible, in order to impart greater rigidity to it at a-time when fluid is being poured into the. capbody, the arm may be given a transversely curved shape as shown in Fig. 1a. This gives the arm 6 a rigidity in adirection which would minimize the possibility of band ing under the weight of fluid poured into the cap body.

In order to provide afluid tight connection betweenv the cap body and the bottle top, an inwardly extendingshoulder 10 is provided on the internal-wall of the cap,

body and this shoulder contacts the upper rim 11 of the pouring aperture of the bottle when the cap is screwed tightly in place.

Within the cap body.

A second embodiment of the invention, as shown in :Figs. '3 and 4, comprises acap body 15 provided withinternal threads 16 for engaging thethreads 3 ofabottle 4. In this case, the upperportion of the cap is provided with a channel shapedgroove 17 having a bottom wall '1'8 and twoside walls 19 and 20. Thisgroove 17 extends across the entire width of the cap. Eachof thewalls 19 and 20 are provided withgrooves 21 .and, closer to one end of .the groove 1than.the other are providedtwocylindrical recesses 22. Positioned in the groove 17' is anarm 23 which is provided with laterally extendingpins 24 at its one end which engage thecylindrical recesses 22 inthe-channel wa1ls.. Thesepins 24 engaged with therecesses 22 provide .a pivot or hinge for the arm In order to permit 'the' assembling of thesepins 24"into therecesses 22, them 23 is split for a portion of its length to provide an opening 25 between twoarm portions 26. This split permits thearm portions 26 to be deflected toward each other to enable thepins 24 to be assembled into therecesses 22. In addition, each outer edge of thearm portions 26 is provided with a longitudinallytapered tongue 27 which normally engages thegrooves 21 in the side walls of thechannel 17. Thesetongues 27 engage thegrooves 21 when thearm 23 is in a retracted position as well as when in an extended position as shown byphantom lines 28 in Fig. 4. The taper on thesetongues 27 facilitates their removal from thegrooves 21 when moving the handle from one position to another. The opening 25, as well as permitting assembly of thepins 24 into therecesses 22, also permits deflection of thearm portions 26 to permit thetongues 27 to be alternately removed and reinserted into thegrooves 21 as thearm 23 is alternately moved from its retracted position as shown in bold outline to its extended position as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 4. To enable the arm Patented Jan. 19, 1960..

Depending upon the quantities to be measured'and dispensed,suflicient space 12 is provided 23' to be conveniently removed from its retracted position, itsouter end 29 protrudes a slight distance beyond theperipheral wall 30 of the bottle cap so that it can be conveniently engaged by a finger. or fingernail. As in the case of the first'embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the internal wall of the capis provided with ashoulder 31 which presses against the rim 32 of the pouring opening of the bottle when the capis screwed tightly into place on the bottle. Also,graduation marks 33 can be providedon the inside wall of the cap to permit accurate measurement of fluids poured therein. These index marks can be indicated as fractional portions of the total 7 volume of the cap or as teaspoon or tablespoon indications or any other' conven'ient measuring quantities.

Athird embodiment of the invention is shown in' Figs. and 6, and consists of a'bottlecap body 35 provided with apin 36 protruding vertically from its upper surface adjacent one side of the cap. A flat circular disk'37 is pivoted on thispin 36 and the diameter of the disk is the same as that of the cap body' 35. When in storage position, thedisk 37 iscoincident with the top surfaceof thecap body 35, while when used as a handle for the cap, it is pivoted on Ithe'pin 36 to'a position as shown inphantom lines 38. Even though the disk is shown as having a circular shape corresponding to the shape of the cap, it can be shaped as a. straight arm.

The. pin construction associated, with this embodiment is shown particularly in Fig. 6. It is provided with asplit 39 which divides the pin into twohalves 40. The upper portion of the pin is provided with an outwardly extendingflange 41 which is used to engage theupper surface 42 of thedisk 37 to retain it in position. The upper portion of the pin is provided with a tapered slope' 43 which facilitates assembling of thedisk 37 onto the bottle as well as for a dispensing means in place of a spoon or other measuring device for dispensing accurate amounts of fluid without requiring additional dispensing means. I r

' I claim: I

1. A fluid dispensing cap for use on a bottle comprising a'cup shaped body for covering the bottle opening and there providing a fluid tight seal and adapted to be removed from the bottle and filled with a measure of fluid from the bottle, said body having a channel extending across the top of it comprising a bottom wall connected between two sides walls, a handle pivoted at one end between said side walls and adapted to be tongues engage the grooves, said grooves extending longitudinally beyond both sides of the pivot region of the handle to enable the handle to be locked in'its retracted position when its marginal tongues engage the grooves on one side of the pivot region ,and to be locked in its extended position when its marginal tongues engage the grooves on the opposite side of the pivot'region.

2. A fluid dispensing cap for use on a bottle comprising a cup shaped body for covering the bottle opening and there providing a fluid tight seal and adapted to be removed from the bottle and filled with a measure of fluid from the bottle,,said body having a channel extending across the top of it comprising a bottom wall connected between two side walls, a handle pivoted at one end between said side walls and adapted to be angularly pivoted between a retracted'position substantially recessed within said channel for storage and an extended position extending substantially beyond said channel to adapt the cap as a fluid measuring spoon, said handle beingprovided with marginal tongues for engaging grooves in said walls for thereby locking the handle in a fixed position relative to the body when the tongues engage the grooves,"said grooves extending longitudinally beyond bothsides of the pivot region of the handle to enable the handle to' be locked 'inits retracted position when its marginal tongues engage the grooves on one side of the pivot region and to be locked in its extended position when its marginal tongues engage the grooves on the opposite side of the pivot region, said tongues being wide enough in said pivot region to engage said grooves and taperedaway from saidpivot region to a width too narrow to engage said grooves, said tapering of the tongues facilitatingthe engagement and disengagement of the, tongues with'the grooves when the handle is pivoted between'the retracted and extended positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Images