H-c Industries, Inc.

Sheldon L Wilde

Thomas J McCandless

Robert M Saunders

Ralph H Whitney

John R Schetzsle

William N Peller

Hugh V Morton

Kenneth E Dale

Daniel G Denman

A tamper-indicating plastic closure is shown which is configured for mechanical interference with the annular locking ring of an associated container. The closure includes a top wall portion and depending skirt portion, with a circular pilfer band at least partially detachably connected to the skirt portion by a plurality of circumferentially spaced fracturable bridges. Notably, the pilfer band includes an internal, annular interference lip which is skewed or arranged at an angle relative to the vertical axis of the closure. By this construction, the interference lip engages the container locking ring during closure application so as to deform the closure to a non-circular configuration, thus minimizing stressing of the fracturable bridges. During closure removal, the angular configuration of the interference lip creates localized stressing of the fracturable bridges, thus providing serial fracture of the bridges.

Tamper-indicating plastic closure

A plastic closure for use on a container having an externally threaded neck is disclosed wherein the skirt portion of the closure cap includes an internal structural thread formation. The structural thread formation comprises a helical thread ramp portion which is configured for load-bearing engagement with the thread of the associated container, and further includes means for reinforcing the thread ramp portion, in the form of a plurality of spaced-apart reinforcing gussets. The provision of the structural thread formation desirably facilitates high-speed molding of the closure, and desirably acts to reduce the quantity of plastic material required for molding the closure.

Plastic closure with structural thread formation

A composite closure for a container is disclosed which includes an outer plastic cap and an inner plastic sealing liner. Formation and retention of the sealing liner within the cap is promoted by the provision of an annular liner-retaining lip which extends inwardly from a skirt portion of a cap in closely spaced relation to its top wall portion, and thus defines an annular recess therewith, Liner retention is further enhanced by the provision of a plurality of circumferentially spaced first liner-engaging projections which are arranged in adjacent pairs within the annular recess of the cap in converging relation with each other. Liner retention is further enhanced by the preferred provision of a plurality of second circumferentially spaced liner-engaging projections extending integrally from the top wall portion of the cap in operative association with the converging adjacent pairs of the first projections.

Composite closure

A novel plastic closure is disclosed having a self-engaging locking pilfer band arrangement for engagement with a locking ring on the neck of the container to which the closure is applied. The pilfer band includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced, inwardly extending relatively thin flexible wings or fingers which move to an out-of-the-way position during application of the closure to the container. When the closure is in place on the container, the wings are disposed such that they engage the surface of the locking ring on the container neck when the closure is moved for removal from the container. During removal, each wing engages the locking ring so that resistance to removal of the closure is created in the pilfer band, whereby areas of reduced strength fracture clearly indicating partial or complete removal of the closure from the container.

Plastic closure with mechanical pilfer band

A novel closure-making process and apparatus are disclosed for formation of plastic closures. The closures include a plastic closure cap which is compression molded to provide a closure having the requisite strength. The process includes steps for formation of a sealing liner within the closure cap if desired, with formation of a novel liner-retaining arrangement provided for secure retention of the liner within the cap. The process also includes steps for formation of a tamper-indicating pilfer band integrally with the plastic cap of the closure for formation of closures requiring a suitable tamper-indicating device.

Process for making a closure

A composite closure for a bottle or like container is disclosed which includes a compression molded plastic cap and a plastic sealing liner retained within the cap. Effective retention of the sealing liner in position within the plastic cap is provided by an inwardly extending annular lip disposed between an internal thread formation of the plastic cap and its top wall portion, and a ring of projections extending integrally from the inner surface of the top wall portion of the cap. The sealing liner includes an annular bead portion adjacent to and in engagement with the annular lip and ring of projections so that the liner is effectively retained in position within the plastic cap.

A composite closure having a plastic cap with a specially configured arrangement for retention of a plastic liner. In one embodiment, integral pedestals are provided each have an overhang, such as a mushroom-shaped head, to provide a mechanical interlock with the liner. In other embodiments, pedestals are provided each having a fusible heat concentration zone that is fused to the liner as the liner is compression molded and heated in the cap. In one embodiment, the fusible pedestals are each cylindrical. In another embodiment, the fusible pedestals are each in the shape of a pyramid.

A process for making a composite closure having a plastic cap with specially configured pedestals that are interconnected to a plastic liner. In one embodiment, the pedestals are each formed with an overhang, such as a mushroom-shaped overhang, to provide a mechanical interlock with the liner. In other embodiments, the pedestals are each formed with a fusible heat concentration zone that is fused to the liner as the liner is compression molded and heated in the cap. In one embodiment, each of the fusible pedestals are formed with a cylindrical configuration. In another embodiment, each of the fusible pedestals are formed in the shape of a pyramid.

Process and apparatus for molding liners in container closures

A crown cleaning apparatus is provided for removing impurities from the interior and exterior surfaces of crowns. The apparatus is mounted at the terminal of a crown feed track and cleans the crowns by a high velocity spray of fluid. Several gas jets dry the crowns before the crowns exit the apparatus.

Closure cleaning machine

A plunger for forming thermoplastic material disposed in a closure shell into a closure insert with a cushion pad or bead by sealing the material between the crown and working surface of the plunger and flexing a portion of the working surface to form the material into the desired shape. The plunger includes a punch, elastomeric material and a sealing means. In one embodiment, the plunger comprises a reciprocal punch having a lower end surrounded by cylindrically-shaped elastomeric material, and sealing means that is disposed about the outer wall of the elastomeric material and has a lower ledge contacting the bottom surface of the elastomeric material. A spring means maintains the elastomeric material in sealing engagement with the punch and sealing means, and maintains the punch, elastomeric material, and sealing means in mechanical engagement. The outer diameter of the lower portion of the plunger is less than the inner diameter of the sealing means to provide a gap therebetween, which facilitates in the alignment of the closure shell beneath the plunger, and enables the sealing means to move relative to the plunger to accommodate any skewness between the plunger and the closure shell.

Growing community of inventors

Crawfordsville, IN, United States of America

Sheldon L Wilde