US2826338A - Receptacle - Google Patents

Description

'March 11,1958 J. D. DAVIS 2,826,338

RECEPTACLE Filed March '25, 19 54 United States Patent RECEPTACLE John D. Davis, Chicago, 111., assignor to Simoniz Company, a corporation of Delaware Application March 25, 1954, Serial No. 418,505

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-129) This invention relates to a receptacle and more particularly to a receptacle or container having a plurality of separate fluid-tight compartments.

It is sometimes desirable to have available or to package for sale two or more different materials as a single unit. This has heretofore been done by packaging each material in a separate receptacle or container and then securing the receptacles together, as by putting them in a carton or by clipping individual containers together. In many instances, such a packaging arrangement is undesirable because of buyer resistance to a double unit package chance of separation, handling problems or the like.

An example of a situation where simultaneous sale of two materials is desirable is found with certain liquid automobile polishes where the prior use of a cleaner is highly desirable. Inasmuch as there are many combined cleaners and polishes which do not require the use of a separate cleaner, a substantial portion of the buying public does not realize that with some liquid polishes a prior cleaning operation is necessary. As a result, such polishes are sometimes used Without proper cleaning, giving an inferior job and leaving the customer dissatisfied. readily apparent that it is desirable to package both the polish and the cleaner together in such a situation, in order to insure their sale together. It is, however, preferable to do this by means of a single outer container both to emphasize the impression that only a single purchase is being made, and to simplify packing and handling problems.

, I have devised and disclose and claim herein a novel receptacle in which two or more fluid materials may be packaged.

It is p 11A feature of' the invention is the provision of a rea cep tacle comprising'a housing and means Within the housing dividing the interior thereof into a plurality of fluidtight portions, there being a plurality of openings in the housing communicating with the portions. Another feature is the provision of a receptacle comprising a fluidtight outer casing, means within the casing dividing the interior thereof into a pair of independent fluid-tight chambers, and pouring means communicating with each ofthe chambers.

A further feature is that a partition or divider is provided within an outer container, dividing the interior into two liquid-tight chambers.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a receptacle comprising an outer container and an inner container within the outer container and forming a fluid-tight chamber therein, there being openings in the outer container communicating with the interior of both of said containers. Yet a further feature is the provision of an outer liquid-tight container of sheet metal having a top portion with openings therethrough and an inner container of sheet metal within said outer container and defining a liquid-tight chamber therein, the inner container having a top portion with an opening therein, both top portions being secured together with the opening in the inner container in register with one of the openings in the outer container.

v "ice Yet another feature is the provision of a receptacle which may for example be of plastic, comprising a first seg ment including a side wall and a portion of each of opposite end walls and a center web and a second segment complementary to the first and including another side wall and portions of each of the opposite end walls and center web, the second segment sealingly engaging the first to form a fluid-tight multicompartment container.

Still another feature is the method of assembling a multicompartment receptacle comprising forming the side wall and bottom of an outer container, securing an inner container to an end member of the outer container, as the top thereof, and assembling such end member to the side walls.

Further features and advantages will readily be ap-' parent from the following specification and from the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a receptacle embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse section of a modification of the invention;

Figure 5 is a transverse section of another modification of the invention; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of Figure 3.

As pointed out above, it is desirable that the complete package or receptacle have the appearance of a single unit. As may be seen in Figure 1, the receptacle 10 has such an appearance. The receptacle 10 is preferably of a sheet metal material such as steel and has a side wall portion 11, a top 12 and a bottom 13. The top and bottom may be secured to the side portion 11 in any suitable mannor as by crimping, to provide a fluid-tight seal.

As will appear more fully later, means are provided within the outer housing or container to divide it into a pair of independent fluid-tight chambers. The only external indication that the receptacle 10 is different from a conventional can is the provision of two pouring spouts 14 and 15 in the top portion 12 thereof. Pouring spouts 14 and 15 are threaded and are provided with threaded closure members or caps 14a and 15a. Preferably, the pouring spouts 14 and 15 are of different diameters as shownin the drawings in order to facilitateidentification of the di'f ferent compartments within the receptacle. Furthermore, the spouts are preferably of the same height to facilitate stacking of the receptacles, as on a retailers shelf.

Referring now to Figure 2, it is seen that side wall 11 of the receptacle is sealingly engaged by top 12 and bottom 13 by means of crimps 12a and 13a, respectively. The interior of the receptacle is divided into two separate fluid- tight chambers 16 and 17 by a central sheet metal panel 18 which is sealed to the side wall 11, top 12 and bottom 13 as by solder joints 19. Openings 12b and 12c in the top portion 12 communicate-with chambers 16 and 17 respectively and are provided with pouring spouts 14 and 15. Preferably, for use in packaging liquid automobile cleaner and polish, the chambers 16 and 17 are of unequal size, inasmuch as a larger quantity of cleaner is necessary than of polish. Thus, in the receptacle of Figure 2, the smaller chamber 16 contains polish, while the larger chamber 17 contains cleaner.

Obtaining a suitable fiuid-tight seal between the central panel 18 and the side walls, top and bottom of the re ceptacle illustrated in Figure 2 presents some difficulties in manufacture with automatic machinery as presently known. In Figure 3, a form of the invention preferred for manufacture by automatic machinery is illustrated; and

like portions ofthc receptacle will be given reference numerals 'higher'than previously used.

The receptacle includes an outer container having side walls 21 and a top 22 and bottom 23 sealingly engaged therewith by crimped flanges 22a and 230, respectively. An inner container 26 is provided, which likewise includes side wall .27 top portion 28 and bottom portion 29 with the top and bottom crimped to the side wall at 23a and 29a respectively, to provide a fiuid-tight seal. Top 22 of the outer container is again provided with a pair of openings 22b and 22c therein providing access to the interior of the container. Similarly, top member 28 of the innercontainer $26 is provided with an opening 23b. .is inner container is secured to top portion 22 of the outer container, as by soldering at 30, so that openings 22b and 21% are in register, allowing communication with the interior of the inner container (Figure 6). Pouring spouts 24 and areprovided as in Figure 2.

The receptacle of Figure 3 is preferably assembled in the following manner. First, its separate units are prepared, one comprising the formed side wall 21 and bottom portion 23 of the outer container and the other comprising top portion 22 with inner container 26, including spout 24, suitably secured thereto. The top portion 22, with inner container 26 secured thereto is then properly positioned on side wall 21 and crimp 22a formed in a suitable manner to complete the assembly.

Figure 4 shows a modification of the invention in which a resilient, deformable web 40 is inserted into the container defined'by side wall 41, dividing it into two separate chambers 42 and 43. Web 40 is preferably of rubber or a suitable synthetic plastic material with suflicient resiliency to form a liquid-tight seal with the side wall, top and bottom of the outer container. Web 40 has an appreciable thickness as of the order of one-fourth of an inch and maybe inserted into the receptacle after the side wall 41 and either the top or bottom are assembled. Then the remaining element (bottom or top, respectively) may be added.

A further modification is shown in Figure 5 where the receptacle is formed of a molded, heat sealed, plastic material. In this embodiment of the invention, the receptacle comprises a first segment 50 including a side wall 51, a portion of end walls 52 and 53 and a portion of a center web 54. A second complementary segment 50:: includes a second side wall 51a and portions of end walls 52a and 53a and web 54a. After the segments 50 and 50a are molded individually, they may be sealed together along central plane 55 to provide a unitary fluid-tight multicompartment container. It will be understood that the top (not shown) would have neck portions defining separate pouring openings analogous to those of the metal containers shown in the earlier described figures.

Although my invention has been specifically described as used for packaging automobile cleaner and polish, many other uses are readily apparent. The following are illustrative of the variety of products which might advantageously be packaged together: vinegar and oil; nail polish and remover; shampoo and cream rinse; home permanent wave solution and neutralizer; bleach and bluing; two or more lubricating oils; soup and coffee for Army field rations.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claim.

I claim:

A receptacle of the character described, comprising: an outer liquid-tight container of sheet metal having a sheet metal top portion with a pair of openings therein, there being a downturned flange about one of said openings; an inner container of sheet metal within .said outer container and defining a liquid-tight chamber therein, said inner container having a sheet metal top portion with an opening therein, there being an upturned flange about said opening; a spout secured to the outside of said upturned flange and projecting out through said one of the openings in the top portion of said outer container and having the downturned flange secured to the outside thereof, the top portions of both containers being held securely together; and a spout secured to the other of said pair of openings and communicating only with the interior of said outer container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 59,833 Gilmore Nov. 20, 1866 975,939 Edwards Nov. 15, 1910 1,238,195 Ritz Aug. 28, 1917 1,310,516 Xardell July 22, 19.19 2,111,954 Urbany Mar. 22, 1938 2,316,116 Thompson et al. Apr. 6, 1943 2,321,998 Crouch et al June 15, 1943 2,469,856 Robertson May 10, 1949 2,504,677 Fraser et al. Apr. 18, 1950 2,628,673 Ericson Feb. 17, 1953 2,661,870 Huenergardt Dec. 8, .1953

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