Tamperproof seal

Application filed November 25, 1930. Serial No. 498,000.

This invention relates to closures for hot- ranged so as to extend crosswise or partialties and jars and the like, more particularly ly crosswise of the band, and to that end, so-called “tamper-proof” closures, by which may conveniently take the form of vertical I mean closures tne removal or attempted removal of which produces a visible effect indicating, when the closure, if removed, is replaced, that the container has been opened or that an attempt has been made to open it. One object of the invention is to provide a tamper-proof closure in which the act of removal will produce the effect referred to with greater certainty than in prior devices of similar kind. Another object is to provide a tamper-proof closure in which the effect evidencing the removal amounts to virtual destruction of a sealing part, leaving the closure proper uninjured and capable of replacement.

Further objects are to provide a tamperproof closure having a sealing part more easily removable than the seals of a similar kind hitherto available, and to provide such a closure in which the structural features facilitating legitimate removal of the seal serve also to greatly enhance the visible effect produced by unauthorized tampering with the seal.

With these objects in view and such others as will hereinafter appear or are incidental thereto, the closure of the present invention comprises a cap having a depending skirt to embrace the sides of the container around the opening of the latter, and a sealing band engaging the lower edge of the cap and part of the container surface, and weakened at one or more places about its circumference, so that on removal or attempted removal of the cap, the band will break and thereby give a permanent indication that the closure has been tampered with. In order to facilitate replacement of the cap after legitimate removal and to insure a satisfactory closure of the container whenever desired, ™the latter may be provided with screw gaging the lower portion of the flange 16, threads on its surface about the opening,, whereby the band is rendered secure against ^Mand the skirt of the cap be of threaded form slipping or accidental vertical displacement, to engage the threads on the container. The As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the sealing band weakened portions of the band, which is is provided with a pair of vertically disposed preferably made of an easily rupturable ma- slits 21 extending partially across the band terial such as thin aluminum, may be ar·: but leaving intact portions of the latter im- ¹⁰⁹ slits, sets of perforations, or the like, which . will then serve to facilitate breaking the ⁸⁸band or deforming it when the cap is unscrewed or otherwise tampered with.

One embodiment of the present invention, and a modification thereof, are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which : ⁶⁰

Fig. 1 is a side view of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, but with the cap and sealing band shown in vertical section. ⁸⁸

Fig. 3 is a side view of the construction shown in Fig. 1, with the closure cap partially removed.

Fig. 4 is a side view of a modified form of the invention. ⁷⁰

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the closure cap 11 is positioned oyer the opening of a container 12, and has a depending skirt with threads 13 engaging corresponding threads 14 on the outer surface of tne container. In ⁷⁸order to effect a liquid—or air—tight closure, the cap is provided interiorly with means 15 of cork, rubber, compo gum, pulp board or other similar material normally used for sealing the opening in the container to which the cap is applied. The outer surface of the container is also provided with a circumferential flange or rib 16, disposed, below the threads 14, and over which the annular sealing band 17 is positioned.

The sealing band is made of thin, soft metal, such as aluminum, and has at its upper edge an inwardly extending shoulder 18 projecting over the lower edge of the cap 11 and engaging an encircling bead or projection 19 with which the cap is provided. The band 17 has also, near its lower edge, another inwardly extending shoulder 20, en80

1,808,248 mediately adjacent the edges thereof. By reason of these slits, the sealing band, already adapted to be torn or broken easily because of the soft metal of which it is 6 fashioned, is locally weakened to a substantially greater extent at those points. This weakening does not impair the utility of the band as a seal, the slits 21 being of such length as to leave intermediate portions of 10 the band integrally connected at one or more, points, as for instance at the upper and lower edgeu thereof as shown in Fig. 1. In this way, the normal condition of the sealed closure, wherein the cap 11 is screwed down 16 over the container opening and the sealing band 17 compressed to lock the cap in position, may be maintained against such accidental jars, shocks, or slight blows as may arise in packing, shipping, storing, or other 20 ordinary handling of the filled container.

On the other hand, if an unauthorized person attempts to remove, or does remove the cap 11 by unscrewing it, the band 17 will immediately break near one or more of its 25 locally-weakened points, and will be bent or deformed outwardly as the cap is unscrewed, thereby giving a positive indication that the closure has been tampered with.

Fig. 3 shows a closure of the type illus30 trated in Fig. 1 after the cap 11 has been partially unscrewed during the act of removing it. It will be seen that unscrewing the cap has in the example shown in Fig. 3, resulted in breaking the sealing band 17 at 38 the point 22, between a slit 21 and the upper edge of the band, and has deformed the band by bending it outwardly throughout a substantial part of its circumference. In this manner, an immediate and unmistakable in40 dication is given that the closure has been tampered with, and by reason of the rupture and bending of the band, restoration of the latter is rendered practically impossible; its mutilated condition serves as a permanent, 48 ineffaceable evidence of tampering.

On the other hand, when it is desired to open the closure for legitimate purposes, the sealing band may be easily removed by inserting the point of a knife or other suitable 50 instrument under an edge of the band and gently prying it out, whereupon it will break at or near its weakened portions; or the closure may be opened merely by unscrewing the cap with sufficient force to break the 55 band automatically, as in the manner illustrated by Fig. 3. In this way the closure of the present invention is not only highly tamper-proof, as has been explained, but by virtue of its novel structure, may be re80 moved by an authorized person with the utmost ease.

In the example shown in Fig. 3, unscrewing the closure cap has broken the sealing band at the upper edge of the latter, by rea^w eon of outward pressure exerted by the edge of the cap and its bead when forcibly twisted out from under the overlapping portion of the band. It may frequently happen, because of the size or arrangement of the weakening slits, or because of non-uniform- 70 ity in the material of the band, or for some other reason, that removal of the cap will completely sever the band, or will break it only at its lower edge and pull it off upwardly at the same time. In either of these 75 cases, as in the situation illustrated, removal of the cap deforms and mutilates the band in a manner tantamount to destruction so far as subsequent use is concerned.

In Fig. 4, a modified form of the in ven- 80 tion is shown. Here the sealing band is weakened with perforations, arranged in vertically disposed rows 23. An attempt to unscrew the closure cap will serve to break the band at points intermediate the adjacent 85 perforations in one or more of the rows, so that mutilation and consequent evidence of tampering results. At the same time, authorized removal of the closure is facilitated, in the manner explained above. 80

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction herein illustrated and described but may be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit. 05