[1]United States Patent Office 39237@819 3,237,819 SHAKER OR SIFTER-TYPE DISPENSERS William E. Fillmore, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to Owenslilinoig Glass Compan[y, a corporation of Ohio Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,975 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-548) This invention relates generally to a shaker or siftertype assembly and more particularly to a shaker or siftertype dispenser which is readily attachable to and removable from containers and capable, not only of dispensing powder or pelletized products, but also functionin.- effectively as a clostire cap for the container. An object of my invention is the provision of a novel dispensing assembly comprising a container, a sifter-tYPe fitment, and a closure therefor. A fur-ther object of my innention is the provision of novel means insuring ready, accurate orientation of the assembled elements - ,ifter being !affixed to the container, to the end that it may function effectively both as a dispensing unit and as a container sealing means. Another object of my invention is to provide a dispensinassembly which is simply and readily brought into and,out of operatin.- or dispensing position. An additional object of the present invention is the pro.vision of a container mouth, sifter-type fitment and closure which cooperates to provide a simple and effective dispensing assembly. I @ These and other objects of my invention will become apparent from the readi@n,- of the followin.- detailed description taken in conjunction with +he drawin-,s in which: FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspectine view of the shaker or sifter-type dispensing assembly of my invention; FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, in crosssection, illustratin.- the assembly of the elements of FIGURE 1; . FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a shaker or sifter-type dispenser, partiallv in section, embodying my invention and illustrated in t@e dispensing position; and FIGURE 4 is a plan view, partwly in section, of the disvenser of FIGURE 3 in closed position. in the illustrated embodiment of my invention, reference numeral 10 denotes a bottle or jar formed preferably from high density polyethylene, by conventional means well known to 'hose skilled in the art. The bottle 10 is provided with a cylindrical wall 11 defining a neck, havin.- a circular rim 12 extendin.- about and defining a mouth 13. Exteriorly of th-'@S wall 11, and in close proximity to the rim 12, are a plurality of lugs 14 which are substantially in alignment with the axis of mouth 13. Lu.-s 14 are narrow, vertical and radical projections from the plane of wall 11. In FIGURE 1, only three lugs 14 are visible, there being another lug 14 180' arourd the wall 11 from the lu.- 14 that iscompletely shown. it should be understood that additional lugs 14 may be provided on the wall 11. In close proximity to and below lugs 14, and preferably immediately adjacent thereto, is a-n abutment or annular radial projection 15 which is formed by increasing the outsid-- diameter of wall 11 in a localized annular zone and in such fashion as to provide upwardly of this abutment, an upwardly, inivardly tapering .-Uiding surface 16 and beneath said abutment, a downwardly, inwatdly, taperin- securing surface 17; the function of this abutment will become more apparent hereinafter. On the rim 12 are a plurility -of equally spaced pegs 18. The pegs IS are narrow, vertical and axial projections from the plane of the rim 12 and are in substantial alignment with the axis of the mouth 13. Each projection 14 is positioned below a pe.- 18. The function and nuniber of pegs will become apparent hereinafter. Patented Mar. 1, 1966 2 The sifter fitment or dispenser element 20 may be formed of rubber or other resilient, elastomeric, or plastic material, but pre.L'erably it is formed of polyethylene. It is iiiolded in a single piece and coi-nprises a relatively flat disk 21 of a diameter substantially at least as great as the exterior diameter of the rim 12 arid pref-erably of ,t diameter equal to the exterior diameter of the rim 12, in order that when assembled, this disk may, to some extent, rest i:tt)on the rim 12. The disk 21 is provided 10 witb a multiplicity of perforations 22 extending therethrouah, such perforations being of a diameter dictated by the particular grain size of the condiment or other material to be dispensed. The outer periphery 23 of the fitment 20 is - provided 15 with a plurality of notches 24 which are constructed and arran.-ed to receive the pegs 18. The notches are preferably rectangular in configuration and are positioned on the periphery 23 in radial alignment with and at least eqtial in number to the pegs 18. 20 The notches 24 are arran,@ed in radial ali.-nment with the perforations 22. Preferably there are more perforations than notches. With the notches in alignment with the perforations, the perforations 22 are therefore in radial ali.-nment -with the pegs 18 when the fitment is 25 applied to the container 10, and consequently in radial alignment with projections 14, thereby positively positioning the perforations 22. The closure cap 25 rnay be formed of rubber or resilient elastomeric or plastic rnaterial but preferably it is formed 30 of polyethylene. It is molded in a single piece and comprises a relatively flat circular top panel portion 26 of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the flat disk 21 of the fitment 20 so that when assembled the closure 25 will cover the fitment 20. The top panel portion 26 is provided ivith a multiplicity of perforations 27 which -are equal in number to and alignable with the perforations 22 in the fitment 20. The diam--ter @of these pe@rforations 27 is also dictated by the particular grain size of the condiment or otber product to be dispensed. 40 An annular depending attaching skirt 28 is formed at t'iae outer periphery of the circular top panel portion 26 and is adapted to be telescoped over the fitment 20 and the container mouth 13. The lower or free end 30 of the skirt 28 is provided with an annular internally pro45 jecting rib 31 having a downwardly and inwardly tapered surface 32. The rib 31 is adapted to be forced over abutment 15 when the closure cap 25 and the fitinent 20 are placed over the container mauth 13. This enables closure 25 to be hold in snap fit relationship with the container 50 10 and it is held there by having the downward tapered surfice 32 resting aga-inst the underside of abutment 15 or the downwardly and inwardly tapered surface 17 of the container 10. The interior of skirt 2S of cap 25 is provided with a 55 plurality of intemally @rojecting lugs 33. The lijgs 33 are narrow projections which are substantially aligned with the axis of the clostire 25. They are positioned on the skirt 23 in relation to the perforations 27 in such fashion that rotation iof the closure 25 on the container 10 6( -ill move the lugs 33 around the exterior of the wall 11 of th,- container 10 until they come into contact with an outwardly projecting member 14. At this point, the Dositionin.- of perforations 22 and 27, projections 14 and lu@s 33, pegs 18 and notches 24 brings the perforations 22 65 and 27 irto ali.-nment and di,-zpensing position. The lugs 33 are so positioned in relation to perforations 27 that the alignment of the perforations 22 and 27 is possible only by rotation of the closure 25 in one direction; thus the rotation of the closure in the opposite direc70 tion moves the perforations 22 and 27 out of alignment and thereby closes the container. It can readily be seen from the fore.-oing that this dis-
[2]pensmg as" fy may be readily assembled by conveniional cappin.- equipment. The fitment 20 can be affixed to the container rim 12 by rotation of it until the notches 24 are aligned with the pegs 18. Conventional capping equipment can position the closure 25 over the fitment 20 and container 10. Downward pressure on the closure cap 25 will cause rib 31 to ride ove@r projection 15 and lock into place. After the pegs 18 are engaged in the notches 24, the fitment cannot be rotated and is thus in a stationa-ry position relative to the container 10 and the closure 25. In the illustrated embodiment, the perforations 22' and 27' are positioned on the vertical and the remaining perforations are positioned at 45' increments around a circle. The lugs 33 utilized to lalign the perforations 22 and 27 must therefore be positioned so that their centers are on the radii which are separated from the radii on which the center of any perforation 27 is located by an angle of about 15'. It will be apparent from the foregoing that this dispensing assembly can be easily manufactured and assembled to the container thereby providing a secure closed position against accidental opening, but easily opened to its dispensing position. Various modifications will be, aPparent from the foregoing and may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the following
