US2611499A - Double container - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 23, 1952 DOUBLE CONTAINER Martin E. Mayer, New York, NtY., assigner to Joseph Solomon, NewYork, N. Y.

Application August 25, 1950,'Seral'No. 181,552

9 Claims. 1

This invention relates to receptacle structures and more particularly to jars and similar containers-made of glass, plastic or plastic composition or like transparent mass.

In its broad aspects the invention-deals with a dual or partitioned container for holding substances of` different consistencies and color contrasts; which substances may be dispensed from opposite openings of said container, respectively.

i'Ihe invention is applicable to cylindrical, as well as to other suitably shaped containers, Vwhich may be of convex or bulbous body configuration :and are provided with opposite opening ends,

which are closable by caps, such as screw caps of conventional design.

It is a well known fact that containers of the aforesaid type require a predetermined volume ofair ora so-called head space which extends between the surface of the liquid or other substance filled in and occupying the interior of the container and the inner surface of the screw cap or like closure seated on the rim of the opening ofthe container.

If such container filled with said substance is turned upside down, theaforesaid head space vwill become noticeable at the bottom of the container.

vIf the container is constructed to contain a plurality of substances which are separated from each other by a partition which runs across the middle of the container and forms the bottom, say, of a dual container, then the head space in each opposite container portion will become l visible adjacent said partition, whenever the container is placed to rest on one or the other of the closure or screw cap of the container.

The appearance and demarkation of such "head space in a dual or divided container having several compartments entails, however, disadvantages which offset utility and usefulness of such containers.

The invention does away with these and other objections and proposes means affording the employment of" horizontally divided or partitioned air or head space" required in the respective compartment.

lAefu-rther object of the invention is to provide means rendering 2possible simplification and effectiveness of dual or partitioned containers of the aforesaid type, which permit dispensing of at least two different substances, such as liquids, from within a transparent shell or housing which defines the outersurface of the dual container.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of means conducive to an economical and space saving container structure, which requires 'a reduced quantity of packaging operationsrand material as compared with packaging of regular containers holding like volumes. With the above and other objects ingview, the invention will be hereinafter more fully kdescribed and the combination and arrangement of parts will be shown in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the claimsy which vform part o'f the specification. -1 v Inthe drawing: y

Fig. 1 is a verticalcross sectional view through a vcontainer showing the state of the art.

Fig.2 is a vertical'sectionalview of-a container made in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 shows acontainerpartly in section embodying another form of the invention., l f Y Fig; 4 is a'crosssectional view taken along line lI-''lofFig.3.Y y Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View through `container of a different shape than those seen in Figs. 2 and 3 and embodying the invention in afurtlier modified form. 1 f s y Referring vnow more particularlyto, the drawing and in particular to Fig. l there is shown a container I 0 forming a jar made of glass and lcylindrical in shape. This jar is shown toV have two open endsNII and I2 which are close'dflby screw caps I3 and I4, respectively; A'y partition I5 divides container I0 into compartments I5a and Iiibjrespectively.` Compartment I5a is filled with a substance I6 whereas compartment I5b is filled with a substance I1. Substances Yliand"v I1 are preferably liquids diierent in color and,` if desired, of different consistencies. y

It is well known thatsuch containers must have an air or head space yl'which extends between the Vsurface i9 of the substance I6 and the inner surface 20 of cap I3. The same head space IIiak is produced inthev lower compartment I5b but appears in the latter adjacent partition I5.

It is well understood that head space IIlis not give the impression as if the same was only partly lled with the substance I1, if the container I is arranged in upright position, as seen in Fig. 1. If the container is turned for support on cap I3 head space I8 now appearing uppermost and covered by cap I3 would become apparent adjacent partition ,I5 in a way similar .to` that ofl head space I8a.

In order to increase the sale and commercial possibilities of dual jars or containers of the aforesaid type the invention proposes in contraas seen, for instance, in Fig. 1.

distinction to the construction seen in Fig. '1 toY provide a container made from glass or similar transparent material which is cylindrical in` cross section and provided at its' opposite open ends 3| and 32 with screw threads or similarretaining means 33 and 34 for the engagement lof a` metal or screw cap 35, 36, respectively. In the which has oppositely directed recesses 31a, 31h

for apurpose about Yto bedescribed. As can be seen in Fig. 2 the substance 38a. contained in -upper compartment 38-forms a head space 39 4 for instance, marmalade in 64 and blackberry jelly in 64a.

The head space 68 in the lower compartment 64a is hidden from view through the concentrical grooves 51a, 51h, etc., forming parts of partition 51, which grooves are arranged at levels different from the level of portionsv62, 63 and remote from the latter, it will be readily understood that said head space 68 of lower compartment 64a, will not be exposed to view in a manner Thus, it will be clearthat the partition ends 62, 63 will only divide the container into two equal container halves.

whlchis ordinarily not visible to the eye.of a

f person due .to the fact that cap 35 covers vup and ing to that 'of the head `space 39 is received in recess 31h fand 'is indicated by numeral 39a.. The

container 'compartment 40 containing the substance 40a hasr ahead space' which corresponds in volume to the volume of airf39b contained in recess 31a whereby since the partition 31 is made of transparent material this air space 39h is shifted and transferred to the middle of the container30 r-as compared with Vthe lhead space 18a seen in Fig. 1.

Consequently head space 39h or the volume of air corresponding to vthe-'latter isfsurrounded by the substances 38aland 40a and will not become exposed to view to the purchaser of such :dual container. Thus, it can be readily understood that container 30 may be placed on` either cap 35 or 36 without making visible 1the1head space as it would appear in dual containers of conventional design as exemplied'inFig. 1.

Fig. "3 shows a container 50-galso circular in .shape and made from transparent glass material having'the epen ends `5I and 52 and the screw --threads .53 and 54 for the screw rcaps 55 and 56.

plurality vof concentrical grooves or recesses of different sizes with a center groove .'59 of larger .dimension than the adjacent grooves 6D, 6I

.It is to be noted that straight partition ends or portions 62 and 63 extend in horizontal direction from each end of the grooved transverse vpartition-51. In this particular execution of the invention the volume of head space 65 of upper `compartment-64 ycorresponds to the volume of substance -66 contained -in grooves 51a and 51h.

vIt will be observed that lower compartment 64a having the head space 68 vis filled with a vsubstance 69 which has preferably a different color than that .o'f substance A6I; of compartment `64,

Fig. 5 shows the application of the invention on a bulbous jar 10 having the upper open end 1I vand the lower open end 12 which are again closed by suitable screw caps 15 and 16 which engage the screw threads 13 and 14 of the convexly shaped container wall 10a.

Screw cap 15 contains the liner .15a whereas screw cap 16 is associated with liner 16a to tightly t on the upper rim dening opening 1I and lower` rim defining the opening 1.2, respectively. A partition integral with the wall 10a. of the container 10 extends substantially across the container and has the `straight partition portions 18, 19 and the upwardly extending receding portions 8D forming an annular space BIfbetween which extends the downwardly directed central partition portion 82 providing a recess having a'volume 83. Thus partition 11`is somewhat shaped in the form of a sinusoidal 'wave which is disposed at the middle portion of fthe jar or container 10. It will thus `become apparent that Ythe 'head space corresponds in volume approximately to the volume 83 of substance 84 contained in the upper compartment, whereas annular space V8| communicates with the lower compartment 86a containing-substance 81 and corresponding to the head space present and extending between the inner surface of the cap lining `16a and the surface of the substance'81 when container 10 would lbe placed in upside down position on cap 15.

The volume 83 of substance 84 is about equivalent to the volume 85 of air'present in compartmentv 86,4 whereas air volume .,8I corresponds to the vabove explained head space of compartment 86a. Both volumes v83 and 8| may be equal to each other, if desired.

While partition'portion 60 forms in this particular instance an annulus and central partition portion 82 a cylindrical recess, it is well understood `that the aforesaid partition portions may have any other suitable (round, domeshaped, etc.) congurations or cross-sections, as long as they are adapted to receive and hold the respective air or head space volume of the'upper or lower container compartments of the dual container, substantially in the center part of the latter. Such space should not be recognized or perceived by Lthe purchaser, in order not to disturb lthe aesthetic appearance Vand'featurl: of sales promotion of the container.

It is to be noted that the contents of the upper and lower container or jar compartments may be equal. It is further to be observed that due to the fact that the recess or recesses communicating with one compartment extend in'a direction opposite to that of the recess or recesses communicating with the other of the compartments, the cubical capacity of each compartment is principally not changed `with4 `rewww spect to a container having a straight partition as seen in Fig. 1.

It can thus be seen that there has been provided in accordance with thepresent invention the provision of a partition in a transparent container having opposite discharge ends, which partition extends substantially in the middle and across the interior of said container, with at least one recess provided in said partition at about the center thereof and in communication with a respective discharge end of said container, the volumetric contents of said one recess correspending approximately to the volume of air present above the surface of the respective substance and the adjacent inner face of the closure member when closing the respective discharge end.

It is preferred that the partition is made cf the same transparent mass and is integral with that of the container although in some cases it might be useful to employ a separate partition which is located within the interior of the container and 'xed to the inner wall thereof in any appropriate manner.

Although the invention has been described with reference to certain jspecic embodiments thereof, it is to be distinctly understood that various modifications and adaptations of the arrangements herein disclosed may be made as may readily occur to persons skilled in the art without constituting a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the objects and in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A transparent receptacle for a plurality of substances; comprising a partition extending in substantially horizontal direction across the interior of said receptacle dividing said receptacle into two compartments, said partition including at least two recesses, said recesses being directed in opposed relationship to each other and disposed to extend approximately in the center of said partition, a closable discharge end for each compartment at either end of said recep-` tacle, and a closure having an inner top surface and adapted to be applied to each discharge end, the respective recess communicating with the respective discharge end of either of said compartments being approximately of such dimension as to receive a volume of air substantially equal to and present within the space defined by the surface of the respective substance and said inner top surface of the respective closure of the respective compartment in a predetermined position of said receptacle.

2. A transparent receptacle for a plurality cf substances; comprising a partition extending in substantially horizontal direction across the interior of said receptacle dividing said receptacle into two compartments, said partition having a plurality of concentric recesses of different diameters, said recesses opening into the respective compartments, a closable dischargel end for each compartment at either end of said recep-Y tacle, and a closure for each discharge end, whereby the respective recesses communicating with the respective discharge end of either of v said container, said one recess corresponding said compartments are dimensioned to receive 1 mediate said annular channel.

-le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 748,329 Williamson Dec. 29, 1903 2,204,784 Abrams June 18, 194:0

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,197 France Apr. 16, 1924 displaced air from the respective compartment in a predetermined position of said receptacle.

3. A transparent receptacle for a plurality of substances; comprising a partition extending in substantially horizontal direction across the interior of said receptacle and dividing said receptacle into two compartments, said partition being provided with an annular recess and a pocket, said annular recess being directed in opposed relation to said pocket, said pocket and said annular recess being disposed to extend approximately in the center of said partition, a closable discharge end for each compartment at either end of said receptacle, and closure means for each discharge end, said annular recess communicating with the discharge end of one compartment, said pocket communicating with the discharge end of the other compartment.

4. The combination, in a transparent container"v having opposite discharge ends for a plurality of substances and a closure member for each discharge end, of a partition extending substantially in the middle and across the interior of said container, with at least one recess provided in said partition at about the center thereof and in communication with a respective discharge end of in size approximately to the head space defined by the surface of the respective substance and the inner top surface of the closure member closing the respective discharge end.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said partition is provided with end portions which extend in horizontal direction and substantially at right angles to and for connection with the wall of said container. 6.,The combination according to claim 4, wherein said partition includes horizontally directed outer end portions and is provided with two substantially centrally located recesses which extend in opposite relation to each other above and below said outer end portions of said partition.

'7. The combination according to claimv 6, wherein one of said recesses forms an annular channel, the other recess being arranged inter- 8. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said centrally located recesses are concentrically disposed with respect te each other.

9. The combination according to claim 6, wherein the volumetric capacity of one of said recesses is substantially equal to that of said other recess.

MARTIN E. MAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

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