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Aug. 25, 1936.
‘ F. N. JONES ET AL
2,052,475
MUL'I‘IUNIT CONTAINER
Filed March 2'7, 1933
4 Sheets-Sheet 1
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I
Aug. 25, 1936.
2,052,475
F. N. JONES ET AL
MULTIUNIT CONTAINER
Filed March 27, 19553
4 Sheets-Sheet 2
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Aug. 25,
F_ N_ JONES ET AL
MULTIUNIT CONTAINER
' Filed Maréh 27, 1933
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Patented Aug. 25, 1936
2,052,475
UNITED STATES ‘
PATENT
OFFICE
2,052,475
MULTIUNIT CONTAINER
Frank N. Jones, Chicago, and Edward E. Hodgkin,
Quincy, Ill
Application March 27, 1933, Serial Nd. 663,010
2 Claims.
This invention relates to a multi-unit con
tainer and more particularly to a composite unit
in which a plurality oi~ separable unit containers
are secured.
An object of the invention is to provide a com
posite package or container in which are release- -
ably con?ned, preferably in air-tight relation,
a number of smaller and separable units. A
further object is to provide an easily-handled
10 and sturdy composite container in which a plu
rality of unit containers are secured together,
each unitserving as a closure for another unit.
Another object is to provide a non-re?llable
container or multi-unit container in which means
15
are provided for removing a portion of vthe wall
of the container to provide a pour opening.
Other speci?c objects and advantages will ap~
pear as the speci?cation proceeds.
The invention is fully illustrated in the fol
lowing speci?cation and shown in the accom
panying drawings, in which——
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of
multi-unit container embodying our invention;
Fig. 2, a sectional view, the section being taken
25' as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a broken
vertical sectional View, the section being taken
as indicated at line 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a broken
detail sectional view, the section being taken as
indicated at line 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a plan of
30 a modi?ed form of container embodying our in
vention; Fig. 6, a broken enlarged sectional view,
the section being taken as indicated at line 6
of- Fig. 5; Fig. '7, a plan view of another modi
?ed form of container‘embodying our invention;
35 Fig. 8, a broken sectional View, the section being
taken as indicated at line 8 of Fig. '7; Fig. 9, a
perspective View of another modi?ed form of
container embodying our invention; Fig. 10, a
perspective view of a key which may be employed
40 in forming a pour opening in the container shown
in Fig. 9; Fig. 11, a broken sectional View, the
section being taken as indicated at line H of
Fig. 9; Fig. 12, a side View of a modi?ed form
of container embodying my invention; Fig. 13,
45 an end view of a series of containers, such as
shown in Fig. 12, connected together; Fig. 14, a
broken sectional view, the section being taken
as indicated at line ll of Fig. 12; Fig. 15, a‘
broken sectional view of mechanism for punc
50.. turing the cap of the container; Fig. 16, a broken
plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 15,
and Fig. 17, a section view, the section being
taken as indicated at line H of Fig. 13.
In the form of container illustrated in Figs.
1 to 4, inclusive, A designates a number of super
(01. 220-20)
posed unit containers; and B, a lid for the top
of the container. Each of the containers A has
the top edge of its walls crimped or bent over
to form a roll it]. Below the roll ID‘, the walls
are provided on their inner sides with a recess
5
ll. Each of the containers A is provided at its
bottom with an inwardly turned recess l2 adapt
ed to receive the roll In of the unit therebelow.
The recess III also receives the bulge l3 on the
bottom portion of the unit A above. Above the 10
recess or groove l2 islformed a bead l4 which
serves as a stop to prevent the can or container
above from being pressed too far into the con
tainer below. -The interlocking wall portions
M, H, l2, l3 and I4 provide an air-tight seal 15
and also lock the container parts together into
a rigid sturdy composite unit. Substantial pres
sure may be required in uniting the several units
as described, and preferably, a machine is em
ployed for this purpose. In the construction 20
shown, each unit provides a top or closure for
the unit below.
In order to separate the units, after they have
been pressed together in air-tight relation, we
provide at one end an indentation 15 in the 25
bead portion M of each container, as shown more
clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. At the same time, the
crimped or rolled top edge In of the wall of the
container below serves as a fulcrum upon which
a sharp pointed instrument l6 may be placed 30
in order to engage the recess, l5 and raise the
container.
With, the construction illustrated,
there are no protruding handles, etc.; yet, the
?rmly united units may be readily separated by
means of indentations l5 and the fulcrum I 0 35
therebelow when an instrument I6 is employed.
The cap or top closure B may be of any suitable
construction. In the illustration given, the clo
sure is recessed and provided with spring side
walls I‘! curved so as to engage the roll I!) of 40
the side wall. Preferably, the lid B is recessed
at l8, as shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3,
to enable the lid to be pry'ed off.
In the form of container'illustrated in Figs.,5
and 6, a. somewhat triangular common head or 45
top I!) is employed. Head I9 is pressed at spaced
intervals to draw the metal down into cylindrical
caps or tops 20. Preferably, the drawn caps 20
are provided with waved side walls 2| having the
curvature shown in Fig. 6, the lower portion of the 50
cap providing a bulge or head 22, and the upper
portion of the cap providing an outwardly turned
bead 23. A number of unit containers A’ are se
cured to the caps 20 in the following manner.
The units A are provided at their tops with a 55
2
2,052,475
and His particularly useful for manufacturers
who place advertising in permanent form on the
groove or recess 24 adapted to receive the roll or
bead 22 of cap 20. The top edge of container A’
is crimped or turned to form roll 25. Each of
the units A’ is formed under pressure against cap
containers, and who do not wish to have such con
tainers ?lled with an inferior product. Such
multiple-unit containers are useful for storing
lubricant and other products, enabling the pur
20 so that the recesses 24 receive the bead 22 of
a cap, thus forming a rigid and air-tight connec
tion. In this position, the roll 25 of the con
chaser to open one unit at a time as its content is
‘ tainer rests against the head 23 of cap 20.
needed.
While the multiple unit in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive
The common head I9 is preferably provided
10 at its sides with a downwardly turned ?ange 26.
The ?ange may be provided with a perforation
has no separate top for each container, and while 10
the container in Figs. 9 and 11 shows an indi
21, as shown more clearly in Fig. 6, adjacent each
vidual top for each unit, it will be understood
of the caps 20 so that a sharp pointed instrument
28 may be extended therethrough to force the roll
15 25 of the container out of engagement with bead
formed with or without a separate or individual
that each type of multiple unit container may be
top for each unit.
22 of cap 20.
It is also obvious that many
other details of construction may be modified or
The central space 29 of head I9 may be em
interchanged among the forms of containers
shown.
With the forms of containers illustrated, not
only is a conveniently handled multi-unit con 20
tainer provided, but also separable air-tight com
ployed for giving directions, advertisements, etc.
If desired, the head l9 may have secured there
to a number of vertical posts or standards 30
which are substantially the height of the con
tainer units/A’ and which, if a number of the
units are removed on one side of the head, will
serve to support the head in the position illus
25 trated in Figs. 5 and 6.
In the form of container illustrated in Figs. 7
and 8, a common head 3| is shown which is circu
partments are afforded in which coffee and other
foods or materials may be kept, each compart
ment being opened as desired with the remaining
units left. undisturbed. For example, in the unit 25
illustrated in Fig. 1, the lid B may be removed
and the coffee, for example, contained therein
poured out. When coffee is made again the next
day, the topmost unit A may be pried off to permit
the fresh coffee in the compartment below to be 30
, lar and which is provided with a number of caps
32 drawn or pressed outwardly, as shown more
30 clearly in Fig. 8. The cap 32 is preferably thread
ed at 33 and adapted to receive the threaded end used. Each compartment may be of such a size
34 of the unit container A’.
- as to contain a supply of coffee or the like for one
In the illustration given, the central portion meal or one day; and, if desired, the units may be
of the head 3| is raised at 35; also, the head is shaped, as illustrated in Fig. 1, to permit easy
35 provided with a laterally depending ?ange 36. In
pouring of the contents. The invention enables 35
the operation of the form of container shown in a large number of units to be sold and handled as
Figs. '7 and 8, the unit, after being ?lled, is screwed one unit, while at the same time preserving the
within the threaded cap 32 to form a substantially contents of each unit container in air-tight con
air-tight seal. The units may be removed one dition. With the illustration given, solder is not
required and a separation of the units is accom 40
40 at a time by simply unscrewing them from the
45
50
55
60
caps 32.
plished without cutting through the walls of the
The form of container shown in Figs. 9 and 11,
is very similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, in
clusive, and a detailed description thereof is
therefore not needed. The only difference is that
a separate cover 31 is provided for each of the
units A3 and rests just below the bottom wall of
the unit above. Each of the units has a bead
|4, depression I2, and bulge or bead |3. The top
of each side wall is provided with a rather wide
shallow recess 38 adapted to receive the depend
ing end ?ange 39 of the wall 31, as well as the
bead l3 of the unit thereabove. The depending
?ange 39 is preferably curved to fit snugly around
the curved portion 40 of the side wall and to pro
vide a tight closure for the container.
Instead of providing the container units A3 with
a depression 15, as shown in the form illustrated
in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, we prefer to extend the
front wall of each unit A3 to provide a tab por
tion 4|. Also, we prefer to weaken the front wall
of each unit A3 along the line indicated by the
containers or through a wall of bonding material.
It will be understood, however, that with some
numeral 42 so that an opening of this shape may
be ‘formed when tab 4| is engaged by key 43, and
65 the portion of the front wall within line 42 re-‘
moved. The shape of the opening 44, thus
formed, is shown in the top unit A3 illustrated in
Pg. 9. The lower portion of the opening 45 is
preferably somewhat V-shaped to aid in the pour
ing of the liquid from the container. ‘
After the top 43 has been engaged by the slot
in key 43 and the wall portion within line 42 re
moved, the can is for practical purposes, non
re?llable.
The form of multiple unit illustrated in Figs. 9
phases of applicants’ invention, a bonding ma
45
terial may be employed if desired.
In the form of container illustrated in Figs.
12-17 inclusive, we prefer to form the container
substantially in the shape illustrated, although
other shapes maybe employed. Each container
41 is provided on one side with a pressed-out 50
?ange portion 48 and on the other side with a
recessed portion 49, the recess 49 being adapted to
frictionally engage and receive the pressed-out
portion 48 of an adjacent vcontainer. With this
construction, a series of containers may be pressed 55
together and frictionally held as one composite
container, as illustrated more clearly in Fig. 13.
After the container or containers have been
?lled, we permanently secure to the neck 50 of
each container a top or cap 5|. The cap 5| pref 00
erably has side ?anges which are spun around the
rolled top 52 of neck 50 so as to make the cap a
permanent part of the container. A container of
this construction can be opened by puncturing the
cap 5| or some other part of the container. When
the walls or permanent cap have been punctured,
the container is rendered non-re?llable.
7
Any suitable means may be employed for punc
turing the cap. In the illustration given in Figs.
15 and 16, an instrument having a depressed body 70
portion 53 bridges the top of the breather pipe 54
of a crank case. The instrument carries in its
central saddle portion a burr or star-shaped cut
ter 55, provided with a sharp point adapted to
pierce the cap 5|. The instrument 53 is provided 76
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with a handle 56 which may be conveniently
grasped by the operator.
In the operation of the tool 53, the handle 56
is grasped by the operator and the saddle‘ portion
53 placed in the position illustrated in Fig. 15.
The cap of the container 41 is then pressed against
the pointed cutter 55 and either the tool or the
container'twisted to enlarge the opening in the
cap. The oil or other material in the container
10 then ?ows freely into the breather pipe and thence
into the crank case.
It will be understood that the containers may
be made of metal, alloys, paper, composition prod
ucts and any other suitable material.
15 ' The foregoing detailed description has been
given for cleamess of understanding only, and
no unnecessary limitations should be understood
therefrom, but the appended claims should be
construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the
20 prior art.
We claim:
'
1. A multi-unit container comprising a plu
rality of superposed unit containers, each of said
containers having its top edge portion turned to
3
form a bead and having its bottom portion pro
vided with a groove encircling the unit, said unit
containers when pressed together in superposed
relation providing an air-tight connection, the
bottom groove of each unit being engaged by the
bead-edge of the unit therebelow, and a depres
sion in the side wall of the container slightly
above each groove and adjacent the bead of the
unit therebelow whereby an instrument bearing
upon said head as a fulcrum and having its point 10
engaging said depression may be employed to
readily separate the container units.
2. A multi-unit container comprising a p1u—
rality of superposed unit containers, each con
tainer having its top portion turned to form a
bead and having its bottom portion provided with
a groove, said containers being pressed together
to bring said bead edges within said grooves to
interlock said containers, each of said containers
being provided, with a depression slightly above
the groove thereof and aligned with the top of the
bead of the container therebelow.
FRANK N. JONES.
EDWARD E. HODGKIN.
15