Dry flowable material dispensing and contents preservation and sterilization apparatus

A pressurizable container has a removable cover. The removable cover has locking elements to maintain the cover sealed to the container when the container is pressurized. The locking device is a piston received in a cylinder, and the cylinder communicates with the interior of the container. When the container is pressurized, the pressure fluid forces the piston and its associated locking bolt into a position such that the bolt passes through a wall of the container and a wall of the removable cover, locking the cover to the container. It is also possible to draw a vacuum on the container when the container is used as a sterilizing device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention generally relates to a container, the interior of which is 
maintained above atmospheric pressure by an inert gas such as nitrogen. 
The container and a container cover have a novel locking mechanism which 
prevents separation of the cover from the container body as long as the 
interior of the container is at a pressure above ambience. 
In a first aspect of the invention, the container is used as a dispenser 
for dry, flowable material such as coffee, spices, nuts and sugar, etc., 
and in a second aspect, the container comprises a sterilization chamber 
for sterilization and sterile storage of surgical instruments and 
accessories.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-4, 10 generally designates a container 
and associated elements for dispensing dry, flowable materials such as 
spices, coffee, sugar and the like. 
The container consists of a base 11 of truncated, conical configuration. 
The container 11 has secured at its lower end a granular material 
discharge chute generally designated 12. The container and its discharge 
chute are supported from a surface by three or more legs, each designated 
14. 
The assembly also includes a cover for the container 11, designated 16. The 
cover has welded thereto a number such as four L-shaped brackets 18, which 
are welded to the cover and are so positioned that a depending portion 20 
of each bracket snugly fits within the top portion of the container 11. 
Referring again to the discharge chute generally designated 12, the chute 
receives a covered, hollow cylinder 22, fitted with a pair of O-rings 24, 
which O-rings pressure-fluid seal the cylinder 22 in the discharged chute 
12. 
At the upper end of the cylinder 22, there are provided a plurality of 
openings 26 which, when the cylinder is in the position illustrated in 
FIG. 1, provide communication between the material maintained in the 
container 11 and the inside of cylinder 12. At the upper end of the 
cylinder 22 is welded a cover 28 having a diameter slightly larger than 
the outside diameter of the cylinder 22. At the lower end of the cylinder 
is a truncated, conical element 30. At the lower end of the truncated 
element 30 is a door 32 hinged and spring-urged into the closed position. 
The cylinder has secured, such as by welding thereto, an operating handle 
36 which passes through a slotted opening 38 in one portion of the wall of 
the discharge chute 12. The slot has a length such that when the operating 
handle 36 is in its uppermost position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the 
openings 26 are in communication with the dry, flowable material generally 
designated 40 within the container 11. Further, the slot 38 extends 
downwardly a distance such that when the protruding peripheral edge 42 of 
the top 28 of the cylinder 22 is in contact with the sloping sidewalls of 
the container 11, the spring-closed door 32 may be grasped to discharge 
the contents of the cylinder 22 into a receiving receptacle not shown. 
The cover 16 is maintained in a closed position by a plurality such as 
three or four latch members generally designated 44, comprising a hinge 
bracket 46 which is pivoted as at 48 to a retainer 50 welded to the outer 
cylindrical surface of the container 11. The upper, horizontal portion 52 
of the bracket 46 is provided with a thumb screw 54 which has a 
screw-threaded shank which engages as at 56 the cover 16. The member 44 
latches the cover 16 to the container 11 and a seal such as O-ring 58 
hermetically seals the cover to the container 11. 
To prevent opening of the container 11 while the container is under 
pressure, novel pressure-actuated locking means are provided as 
illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. These structures also include the means for 
pressurizing the container as to be described hereinafter. The 
pressure-actuated locking mechanism includes a housing 70. The housing 70 
has a transverse step bore 72, and a bolt-receiving opening 74, which 
opening passes through the housing 70, and through each bracket 18. Within 
the step bore is slidably mounted a piston 76, the inner end of which is 
of reduced diameter and comprises the bolt 78 which is slidable through 
the opening 74 in the housing and in the bracket 18. Normally, the piston 
76 is urged rearwardly by helical spring 80, as illustrated in FIG. 4. 
The housing also includes a bore 82 and a cross-bore 84. The cross-bore 84 
communicates with the interior of the container 11 through the opening 86 
in each of the brackets 18. The bore 82, which communicates with bore 84, 
directs pressure fluid within the container 11 to the rear end 88 of the 
piston 76 whereby the pressure forces the piston inwardly of the housing 
70, forcing the bolt 78 into engagement with the opening 74 in each 
bracket 18. As long as there is pressure in the container 11, the bolt 78 
prevents accidental removal of the cover 16 and maintains the seal between 
the cover, the O-ring 58, and the rim 92 of the cylinder 11. The bore 82 
is sealed at its upper end by a plug 94 and the stepped cylinder-bore 72 
is closed by a plug 96, which plug is tapped to receive a conventional 
spring valve such as employed for inflating and deflating automobile 
tires. 
The valve 98 also includes thread means whereby a screw-on cartridge, of 
conventional form, containing pressurized nitrogen may be attached. Where 
desired, a large supply of nitrogen may be connected via a pressure base, 
as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,879. 
In operation of the structures illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, the material 40 to 
be dispensed is placed within the cylinder or container 11, and the cover 
16 is secured to the container 11 employing the thumb-screws and bracket 
54 and 44. When the cover is tightly secured, the cylinder is pressurized 
to the desired pressure. When pressurizing the container 11, the discharge 
cylinder 22 may be in the lower or upper positions as the O-ring seals 24 
prevent leakage of the pressurizing medium from the container. When it is 
desired to discharge a quantity of the dry, flowable material 40, the 
cylinder 22 is moved upwardly by hand-control knob 36 so that the cylinder 
22 may be filled via the openings 26. To discharge the contents, the 
cylinder 22 is moved to its lower position, and the spring-closed door 32 
is manually opened to discharge the contents into a suitable receptacle. 
Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, another form of the pressurized container is 
illustrated and generally designated 100, and which illustrates a 
sterilization container for, e.g., medical instruments and accessories. 
The container 11 comprises a quadrangular, or the like, base 102 and a 
cover 104. The cover and the base are shaped to cooperate with an O-ring 
106 to provide a gas type seal between the cover 104 and the base 102. The 
assembly includes a conventional closure element generally designated 108 
which includes a handle 110, useful for carrying the container. 
At the same end, and at the opposite end, of the container, is mounted a 
valve-filling mechanism and cover-locking mechanism, as shown in FIGS. 3 
and 4, and provided with the same reference characters as those employed 
in FIGS. 3 and 4. The bolt portion 78 of each pressure-actuated locking 
device is received in an opening 112 in an L-shaped bracket 114 welded as 
at 116 to the cover 104. The L-shaped bracket 114 also is provided with an 
opening 118 which communicates with the piston for actuating the bolt 78 
and the interior of the container 100. The lid 104 and the base 120 of the 
container 100 is provided with means for permitting a sterilizing medium 
to enter the container through upper and lower grills 122 and 124. Below 
the grill work 122 and above grill 124, there is mounted a cylindrical 
flange 126 for each grill 122 and 124. The flange supports a filter paper 
128, and between the filter paper and the grill 122 and 124 is a metal 
plate 130 which has cemented to the outer surface an O-ring 132. In 
operation, the items desired to be sterilized are placed in the container, 
and the container is placed in a sterilizing atmosphere or medium which 
passes through the filter paper 128. 
The cover is latched via latch 108 and its counterpart on an opposite wall. 
When it is desired to maintain the contents in a sterile condition, a 
pressurizing medium such as nitrogen enters the container via the valve 99 
(FIGS. 3 and 4). As the pressure builds up, the safety latch 70 on at 
least two sides of the container are actuated by pressure fluid, and the 
metal plates 130 below grill 122 and above grill 124 are urged upwardly 
and downwardly, respectively, to seal the contents against leakage via the 
O-ring 132. When it is desired to use the contents of the container 100, 
the pressure within the container is released via the tire type valve 98, 
thereby permitting the safety bolts on each of the safety latch means to 
be withdrawn by their respective coil or helical springs. Then, employing 
the conventional closure means 108 at each end of the container may be 
actuated to remove the cover 104 from the container 102. 
As a further safety measure, there is provided at least one mechanical 
latch, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The latch includes a plate 60 having a 
quadrangular opening 62 therethrough. The plate 60 is welded, or otherwise 
secured, to a side wall 102 of the container, and a latch member 64 is 
secured to the top of the container 104. When the keeper 64 is projecting 
through the opening 62 of latch plate 60, accidental opening of the 
container is minimized. 
Referring to the modified form of the invention illustrated in FIG. 8, the 
latching mechanism includes a bolt 78' which is forced by the vacuum valve 
mechanism 200 to latch the container lid in a locked position when 
pressure is applied to the mechanism 200. 
The bolt is modified to include a passage 202 leading to a conical valve 
seat 204. The conical valve seat is closed by a conical valve member 206 
forming a part of the valve 200. Vacuum applied opens the conical valve 
seat against the force of spring 208. 
The valve 200 is urged toward the valve seat 204 by a spring 208 which 
abuts at one end against the valve 200 and at the other against a retainer 
ring 210. 
Air pressure is directed to the valve via pressure passage 84' and 82' as 
in the prior form of the invention. 
When it is desired to evacuate the container, a vacuum line is screw 
threaded onto the threads 212 instead of a pressure connection.