Containers are usually formed of a container body having an opening therein in which is fitted a neck member which communicates with the interior of the container, the neck member being provided with an internal or external thread which accommodates a cap or plug whereby the opening in the neck is closed to seal the contents within the container, or a pouring spout for the removal of the contents of a container with reduced spillage . In the case of metal containers the manufacture of the neck member integral with the container wall has proved costly and if the neck member is manufactured as a separate component its sealing in an opening of the container has proved difficult. In consequence it has been proposed to manufacture inserts for containers from plastic materials and in this case the insert is simply force fitted into an opening in the container and the seal between the insert is effected by a radial sealing force exerted by the insert on the edge of the opening in the container which accommodates the insert.

In use there is a tendency for such inserts to move longitudinally in the container opening. This movement is caused by loadings imposed on the container e.g. by rough handling and in some cases such movement breaks the seal between the container opening and the insert thereby causing the container to leak.

The present invention according to one aspect provides an insert for a container which overcomes such problems, from another aspect provides a container which includes such an insert and from a further aspect provides for the joining of two tubular members by said insert.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insert in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the method of fitting the insert in a container;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the insert fitted in the container; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view showing the method of locking the insert in the container.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the insert with an integral pouring spout.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the insert used to connect two tubular members. Referring now to the drawings the insert 1 is manufactured in two parts namely the cap member 2 and the locking member 3. The cap member 2 is formed of a circular disc 4 having an opening 5 therein, a first integral cylindrical sleeve 6 extends inwardly from the periphery of the opening and defines the neck of the insert, the internal wall of the sleeve is threaded as at 7 to accommodate a plug 8. In certain applications the insert may be formed with a rupturable membrane (not shown) secured across the bottom end of the neck. Extending from the disc 4 is a second integral sleeve 9 spaced radially outwardly from the first sleeve 6 and defining with these sleeves a cavity 10. The sleeve 9 is slightly longer than the sleeve 6 and has an inset portion forming a channel 11 which is formed in sleeve 9 by compression of the locking rim 28 which is prevented from rolling inwards when compressed by the locking rim 28 by an extension of the sleeve 9 which is used to form the cavity 16 as shown in Fig 4 and a tongue 12, the purpose of which will be explained hereafter. A flange 13 which is adapted to seat on an outer wall of the container extends downwardly from the disc.

The locking member 3 comprises a ring shaped member having two limbs 14 and 15 defining therebetween a cavity 16 which is in communication with the internal pressure

of the container via at least one hole formed in the bottom edge 17. The limb 15 extends in a plane normal to the plane of the bottom edge 17 of the ring and the wall of the limb 14 is angled as at 18 and 19 from a position 20 to join the bottom edge of the ring member and thereby forming a nosing to facilitate the insertion of an assembled insert in a container, the inner end of the limb 14 is formed with a channel 21 therein.

The respective components, namely the cap member 2 and the locking member 3, are assembled together with the limb 15 secured to sleeve 6 by sonic welding and the tongue 12 seating in the channel 16 as illustrated in Fig. 4. It will be appreciated that the respective components may be secured together by other means e.g. with the aid of adhesives or by forming the mentioned components with interlocking sections as is well understood in the art, which sections snap fit one within the other to form a unitary structure.

When the insert is in the assembled condition, the cavity 10 registers with the cavity 16, the limbs 6 and 15 form inner wall of the insert and the limbs 9 and 14 form the outer wall of the insert.

The container wall 22 has a cylindrical opening 23 therein. The wall is bent upwardly as at 24 inwardly as at 25 thereby defining a seat for the flange 13 of the insert then inwardly and downwardly at an acute angle as at 26 and then downwardly as at 27 thereby defining a locking rim designated generally by the reference 28. The diameter of the sleeve 9 is slightly larger than the opening 23 in the container. The insert is inserted in the opening 23 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, the container and the insert both are flexed to a certain extent whereby the insert is snuggly fitted in the opening, in this position the locking rim 28 forms the channel 11 with a bottom edge of the rim seating on the top edge 29 of the member 3 and the flange 13 on the surface 25.

The construction of the insert and the method of its connection in the opening in a container is such that

any movement between the insert and the container is accommodated by flexure of the drum and/or the insert without effecting the seal between the respective components. The insert may be more appropriately directed to the removal of liquid from a container by the replacement of the threaded portion 7 and the plug 8 with an integrally attached pouring spout 29.

Referring to Fig. 6 the insert may be manufactured in three parts namely an extended cap member 30 and two locking members 3 to facilitate the joining of tubular members. The extended cap member 30 is formed of a circular disc 4 having an opening therein, a first integral cylindrical sleeve to extending equally inwardly and outwardly from the periphery of the opening and defining the neck of the insert.

Extending from the disc 4 both inwardly and outwardly are second integral sleeves 9 spaced radially outwardly from the first sleeve 6 and defining with these sleeves cavities 10. The sleeves 9 are slightly longer than the sleeve 6 and have inset portions forming channels 11 which are formed in sleeves 9 by compression of the locking rims 28 which are prevented from rolling inwards when compressed by the locking rims 28 by an extension of the sleeves 9 which are used to form the cavities 16 and a tongue 12. Flanges 13 which are adapted to seat on an outer surface of the tubular members extend downwardly and upwardly from the disc 4. The locking members 3 assembly procedure and assembled condition being as previously described .