Abstract: A tamper-indicating closure that includes a base wall having a cylindrical skirt for removably engaging a container finish. A tamper band is frangibly connected to the skirt, and a plurality of wings extend inwardly from an inner surface of the tamper band for engagement with a container finish. The wings are resiliently flexibly connected to the inner surface of the band along lines that are disposed at a counterclockwise angle with respect to the axis of the skirt as viewed from inside the skirt.

Abstract: A plastic closure includes a plastic closure shell having a base wall with a central opening and a skirt for securing the closure to a container neck finish. A plastic disk includes angularly spaced fingers extending into the central opening of the shell base wall and external beads on the fingers for engaging an inner periphery of the central opening to retain the disk within the shell. The beads have flat undersurfaces and the inner periphery of the central opening has a ledge with a conical surface engaged by the beads. Any doming that occurs in the disk and/or the closure shell base wall increases the surface contact between the finger beads and the opposing surface of the ledge so that removal of the shell from a container neck finish will simultaneously lift and remove the disk from the neck finish without having the beads snap through the central opening in the shell so that the shell is removed while the disk is retained on the neck finish.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing a mold charge into a mold of a compression molding machine includes a carrier mounted for rotation around a first axis, at least one arm mounted on the carrier for rotation around a second axis at an angle to the first axis, and a mold charge pick-up cup on the arm for receiving a mold charge, transporting the mold charge and placing the mold charge into a mold of the compression molding machine. A cam is carried in stationary position adjacent to the carrier surrounding the first axis, and a cam follower is operatively coupled to the arm in engagement with the cam for rotating the arm and the mold charge pick-up cup around the second axis as the carrier is rotated around the first axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing a mold charge into a mold of a compression molding machine includes a carrier mounted for rotation around a first axis, at least one arm mounted on the carrier for rotation around a second axis at an angle to the first axis, and a mold charge pick-up cup on the arm for receiving a mold charge, transporting the mold charge and placing the mold charge into a mold of the compression molding machine. A cam is carried in stationary position adjacent to the carrier surrounding the first axis, and a cam follower is operatively coupled to the arm in engagement with the cam for rotating the arm and the mold charge pick-up cup around the second axis as the carrier is rotated around the first axis.

Abstract: An apparatus for compression molding sealing liners in premade closure shells includes a shell loader for presenting premade closure shells in sequence, a mold charge placement device for placing charges of liner material into the premade shells, and a vertical wheel molding machine for receiving the closure shells in sequence from the loader and compression molding the mold charges to form sealing liners within the closure shells. The vertical wheel molding machine preferably includes a wheel mounted for rotation around a horizontal axis and a plurality of angularly spaced molds disposed around the wheel. Each of the molds preferably includes a first mold segment and a second mold segment disposed radially outwardly of the first mold segment. One of the first and second mold segments, preferably the second mold segment, includes a nest for receiving a premade closure shell.

Abstract: A dispensing valve includes an annular ring of relatively rigid molded plastic construction and a flexible resilient valve element integrally molded with the ring. The ring and the valve element have at least one mechanical interlock to secure the valve element to the ring as the valve element is molded onto the ring. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the mechanical interlock includes openings in an inner periphery of the ring and pegs on the outer periphery of the valve element that are molded into the openings as the valve element is molded onto the ring.

Abstract: A plastic closure includes a plastic closure shell having a base wall with a central opening and a skirt for securing the closure to a container neck finish. A plastic disk includes angularly spaced fingers extending into the central opening of the shell base wall and external beads on the fingers for engaging an inner periphery of the central opening to retain the disk within the shell. The beads have flat undersurfaces and the inner periphery of the central opening has a ledge with a conical surface engaged by the beads. Any doming that occurs in the disk and/or the closure shell base wall increases the surface contact between the finger beads and the opposing surface of the ledge so that removal of the shell from a container neck finish will simultaneously lift and remove the disk from the neck finish without having the beads snap through the central opening in the shell so that the shell is removed while the disk is retained on the neck finish.

Abstract: An apparatus for placing mold charges into a mold of a compression molding machine includes at least one mold charge pick-up cup for receiving a severed charge of molten plastic, a vacuum source for applying a vacuum to the pick-up cup to retain the mold charge in the cup, and a source of gas (such as air) under pressure for periodically applying gas to the cup to release the mold charge from the cup. In one exemplary embodiment, the vacuum source applies a continuous vacuum to the cup, and the source of gas under pressure periodically applies gas to the cup to overcome the continuous vacuum at the cup. In another exemplary embodiment, vacuum and gas under pressure, are alternately applied to the cup. The vacuum source preferably includes a vacuum generator coupled to the source of gas under pressure for generating the vacuum to be applied to the cup. The vacuum source preferably includes a vacuum pump coupled to the source of gas under pressure for generating the vacuum to be applied to the cup.

Abstract: An apparatus for severing mold charges of molten plastic exiting an orifice along an orifice axis includes a motor system that provides a rotary output around an axis offset from the orifice axis. A blade arm is eccentrically coupled to the rotary output of the motor system for motion in a plane at an angle to the orifice axis, preferably perpendicular to the orifice axis. A knife blade is coupled to the blade arm and disposed to oscillate in a closed path, preferably an elliptical path, that intersects the orifice axis so that the knife blade engages and severs molten plastic exiting the orifice along the orifice axis. A control arm preferably is pivotally coupled to the blade arm and to a point that is fixed with respect to the orifice axis to control motion of the blade arm and the knife blade. The motor system preferably is mounted on a base, and has an output shaft that extends through the base and a hub coupled to the output shaft.

Abstract: A compression molding machine includes a support mounted for rotation around an axis and a plurality of angularly spaced molds disposed around the support. Each of the molds includes a first mold segment and a second mold segment. At least one of the mold segments is movable with respect to the other mold segment between a closed position for compression molding a plastic article, and an open position for removing a molded article from the mold and placing a mold charge into the mold. An apparatus is provided for placing mold charges into the molds in sequence.

Abstract: A package made up of a container (30) with a closure assembly (10) applied thereto. The closure assembly has a molded plastic closure element (12) with a top panel (14) and an annular skirt (16) that depends downwardly from the. top panel and surrounds and engages a finish of the container. The closure assembly (10) also has a barrier disc (20) that underlies the top panel, but is out of engagement with a rim (32) of the container (30) when the closure assembly is applied to the container. The closure element has an integral sealing fin (22) with an inner end (24) as a first portion and an outer end (26) as a second portion, and the outer end, as molded, extends inwardly and downwardly from a distal end of the first portion.

Abstract: A method of making a package that includes the steps of blow molding a hollow plastic container, including blow molding a finish and a moil or dome that extends from the finish, and trimming the moil from the container finish so as to leave a conical flange extending inwardly and upwardly from the finish terminating in a smooth trimmed surface. A closure is provided having a base wall and a peripheral skirt. A liner is secured to the base wall within the skirt, and has a sealing surface spaced from the skirt. The closure is secured to the container finish in such a way that the container flange extending from the finish is deformed radially inwardly and axially downwardly by a peripheral portion of the liner so as to bring the trimmed surface of the container flange into abutment sealing engagement with the sealing surface of the liner.

Abstract: A package made up of a container (30) with a closure assembly (10) applied thereto. The closure assembly has a molded plastic closure element (12) with a top panel (14) and an annular skirt (16) that depends downwardly from the top panel and surrounds and engages a finish of the container. The closure assembly (10) also has a barrier disc (20) that underlies the top panel, but is out of engagement with a rim (32) of the container (30) when the closure assembly is applied to the container. The closure element has an integral sealing fin (22) with an inner end (24) and an outer end (26), which, as molded, extends inwardly and downwardly from a distal end of the inner portion. When the closure assembly is applied to the container, the second portion of the sealing fin is folded back toward the inner portion of the sealing fin and engages the rim and a terminal side portion (34) of the finish of the container to form a top and side seal between the closure assembly (10) and the container (30).

Abstract: A method of making a package that includes the steps of blow molding a hollow plastic container, including blow molding a finish and a moil or dome that extends from the finish, and trimming the moil from the container finish so as to leave a conical flange extending inwardly and upwardly from the finish terminating in a smooth trimmed surface. A closure is provided having a base wall and a peripheral skirt. A liner is secured to the base wall within the skirt, and has a sealing surface spaced from the skirt. The closure is secured to the container finish in such a way that the container flange extending from the finish is deformed radially inwardly and axially downwardly by a peripheral portion of the liner so as to bring the trimmed surface of the container flange into abutment sealing engagement with the sealing surface of the liner.

Abstract: A promotional closure includes a sealed promotion-receiving member in the form of a compartment positioned generally within an outer closure cap, for disposition within an associated container. The sealed configuration of the promotion compartment desirably acts to isolate the promotional element therein from the contents of the container. Use on a container having carbonated contents is particularly facilitated by an arrangement by which a plastic film cover member which seals the compartment is sealed to an annular flange of the compartment to permit predetermined delamination and release of gas pressure from within the interior of the compartment.

Abstract: A removable inner compartment promotional closure includes a plastic closure cap having a circular top wall portion and a depending annular skirt portion depending from the top wall portion. A circular, resilient liner is positioned in the cap, and has a retaining element extending therefrom. A removable compartment member is positioned in the closure cap in engagement with the retaining element. The compartment defines an interior compartment adapted to receive promotional indicia, such as a promotional game piece, therein. The compartment is adapted to release from the cap after the cap is removed from the container. A sealed cover element may be positioned to extend over and close the compartment member, to isolate the compartment from the contents of the container. The promotional closure is used in conjunction with a simulated promotional closure, which configured to be is indistinguishable from the promotional closure cap.

Abstract: A promotional closure for use with an associated container includes a plastic closure cap having an inwardly recessed, circular top wall portion defining a compartment and a depending annular skirt portion depending from the top wall portion. A circumferential lip formed in the closure cap generally at about a periphery of the compartment, defines a circumferential channel-like recess adjacent to the compartment. The closure further includes a removable, circular cover member adapted to cover the compartment by insertion into the circumferential recess. The cover has a pair of circumferentially opposed tab-like, releasable engaging members which are adapted to be received in the circumferential recess to retain the cover in place in the cap over the compartment.

Abstract: This invention provides a pre-tightening mechanism for effecting the initial application of a threaded closure on a threaded bottle neck. The pre-tightening mechanism includes a friction rail for effecting a turning movement of the closure relative to the bottle neck and a spring biased cap hold-down plate which maintains a substantially constant pressure on the closure and maintains the closure panel horizontal during the pre-tightening operation.