Abstract: A multiple-piece cap assembly which is child-resistant, yet which, because of radial contact between the caps, can be more easily opened by persons such as the elderly, arthritic, disabled and infirm adults. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, removal of the cap assembly requires two simultaneous motions such as, for example, turning the cap and pushing downward to engage lug and ramp projections on the caps. In this embodiment of the present invention, the two caps engage each other by a ramp and lug configuration in order to fasten and remove the cap assembly, wherein the lugs and ramps engage one another substantially by “line” contact and/or “surface-to-surface” contact. The cap of the present invention thus requires less force in at least one direction of the concurrent motions in order to remove the cap assembly, thus making the cap assembly child-resistant, yet senior-friendly.

Abstract: An improved child-resistant plastic safety closure for containers has a depending skirt on it for attaching the closure to the top of a container. The top of the closure has an opening through it, which extends over a major portion of the total area of the top. A lid with upper and lower surfaces is hinged at one edge of the opening in the top for closing the opening. Tongue-and-groove inter-engagement members between the lid member and the top, around at least part of the periphery of the opening, hold the lid closed in the opening. Diametrically-opposed, spaced-apart first and second fulcrum extensions are located on opposite sides of the opening a predetermined distance from the hinged edge of the lid member; and these fulcrum extensions are located below the lower surface of the lid member when it is closed in the opening.

Abstract: A cap-lining machine is disclosed for producing cap liner inserts of the type used to provide a tamper evident seal on the tops of bottles and other containers. To facilitate removal of this seal, it is desirable to have a tab attached to one edge of the seal which can be grasped to pull the seal off the top of the bottle. The liner insert, with an attached tab, is formed in one step by a mating punch and die, each having first and second portions corresponding to the primary portion of the cap insert and the tab, respectively. The structure of the punch and die is such that the tab first is formed and then is folded beneath the main portion of the cap insert in a single operation. The punch includes a reciprocating tamper inside the main portion for pushing the cap insert, with the folded under tab, into a cap located beneath the punch.

Abstract: A cap lining machine constructed with a minimal number of mechanical parts includes a spring-biased shuttle feed for moving the caps into the punching and insert position. A cam pulls the shuttle back against the bias of the spring; so that upon release by the cam, the shuttle pushes the caps to the insert position. If a cap becomes jammed, the spring-biased shuttle simply is held back against the spring bias to prevent breaking of caps or parts of the machine. A tamper also is concentrically mounted within a hollow punch and is controlled by a rocker arm assembly to press punched inserts out of the lower end of the punch and seat them into the caps. The tamper may be cleaned by removing it completely from the top of the punch.

Abstract: A cap-lining machine is constructed with a minimal number of mechanical parts and is provided with a modular and quickly replaceable liner punch and insert station, which readily may be changed to accommodate caps of different diameters with a minimum amount of down time. In addition, sensing switches are employed with an electronic control system in lieu of conventional mechanical connections to prevent the machine from moving on to the next step in its operation unless all previous steps of operation have been completed in proper sequence. Operation interruption is accomplished in a jam-proof manner.

Abstract: A pouring fitment and closure assembly comprising a central tubular body having at its interior most extremity an enlarged circular disk-like plate with a sharpened edge, the central tubular portion then opening up into a rib-formed plurality of ports to an interior plenum terminated at the outside end by an annular inwarldy protruding sharpened projection interior to the plenum forming a first sharp dripless and sealing edge. The central tubular body flairs outward in a skirt to join a flat annular radial sealing ring at its top which in turn terminates in a larger circular edge to form an acute angle, the second dripless edge.