US3563368A

US3563368A - Closure assembly for containers

Info

Publication number: US3563368A
Application number: US797518A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilfred L Mchugh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-02-08
Filing date: 1969-02-07
Publication date: 1971-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-16
Also published as: CA848266A

Abstract

The invention provides a closure assembly which is either a separate part, or an integral part of a container for medicinal or toxic or nontoxic substances. Before any of the contents can be dispensed, two separate and independent functions must be performed. First the closure assembly must be unlocked, and secondly cap and body portions of the assembly must be manipulated to bring dispensing openings into alignment. Such manipulation involves relative movement which is rotational, translational, or combinations thereof.

Description

United StatesPatent lnventor Wilfred L. MCHugh 2501 Carleton St., Calgary, Alberta, Canada Appl. No. 797,518 Filed Feb. 7, 1969 Patented Feb. 16, 1971 Priority Feb. 8, 1968 Canada 11,957

CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR CONTAINERS 11 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs. 11.8. CI 206/42, 20671.5; 215/9; 220/33, 220/35, 220/36; 221/154 222/517 Int. Cl. ..[B65d 83/04, 865d 43/16 Field of Search 206/ 1 .5, 42,

(Telescoping); 215/9; 220/(Safety locker), 30.6,

Primary Examiner- Donald F. Norton Assistant ExaminerSteven E. Lipman Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman ABSTRACT: The invention provides a closure assembly which is either a separate part, or an integral part of a container for medicinal or toxic or nontoxic substances. Before any of .the contents can be dispensed, two separate and independent functions must be performed. First the closure assembly must be unlocked, and secondly cap and body portions of the assembly must be manipulated to bring dispensing openings into alignment. Such manipulation involves relative movement which is rotational, translational, or combinations thereof.

Pate ted Feb. 15,1971 3,563,368

' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 14/04/2211. W/AFAATO; Mum

CLOSURE ASSEMBLY FOR CONTAINERS This invention relates to improvements in closure assemblies of the type which are provided with a dispensing capability. More particularly, the present invention relates to a closure assembly which is adapted to be used with a container of the type which may, for instance, contain pills, powders, medicinal or other toxic or nontoxic substances. The closure assembly being contemplated herein'is of the general type which must be manipulated, i.e., moved from a neutral to another position before a dispensing opening becomes unblocked. Unblocking of such opening then enables the user to dispense a desired quantity of the contents of the container.

Containers which are currently on the marketand which may be used to hold the above-mentioned medicinal, toxic or nontoxic substances, afford only a limited amount of protection by having closures of a snap-on" nature, threaded tops or caps, and the like. In recent years it has become increasingly more important to ensure that medicines or toxic substances, for example, can not be used accidentally either by children or adults. In particular, it is highly desirable to eliminate the factor of human error, as far as this is possible. Human error often manifests itself in improper replacement of caps on medicine bottles, vials,,or the like, or by the unintentional dispensing of incorrect dosages of medicine, for instance.

It is, therefore, a broad subject of this invention to provide a closure assembly in which potential hazards arising from human error are reduced.

It is another object herein to provide a closure assembly which requires a numberof correlative movements before dispensing may occur of contents of the container with which it is associated. In this way the tendency for accidental dispensing of the contents is reduced substantially.

It is yet another object of thisinvention to provide a closure assembly which enables only a predetermined amount of medication, or the like, to be dispensed from the container with which the closure assembly isbeing used. In this way, the possibility o receiving improper or excessive dosages of medication may be reduced.

In accordance with a broad form of the present invention, there is provided a closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein;-a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means in said closure assembly for normally disabling said relative movement, but being actuatable selectively to enable intentional relative movement of the cap and body portions; and means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which the locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby operation of the locking means to enable said relative movement is effected independently from operation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.

In another and more preferred form of the present invention, there is provided a closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and beingoperable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein, and being formed with means thereon for connecting the closure assembly to said container; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portionfor relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means carried by said body portion and being operable for normally disabling said relative movement, said locking means including a head section which extends into said second dispensing opening to effect locking together of the cap and body portions, but which is actuatable for selectively enabling intentional relative movement, and spring means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which said locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby actuation of the locking means to release the same is effected separately from manipulation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the present closure as sembly in its neutral, locked position;

FIG. 2 is also a perspective view but showing the present .closure assembly in a position in which the dispensing openings are unblocked;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation view showing the cap portion of the closure assembly;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view of the body portion of the present closure assembly;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation view of the closure assembly, as taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the closure assembly of FIGS. 1 and 2, with the closure assembly being in its neutral locked position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another embodiment herein;

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevation view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view from below, and showing only the cap portion of the closure assembly of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 is a segmental perspective view showing a cantilevered locking element as used in the closure assembly of FIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 11 is a sectional plan view of still another embodiment of the present closure assembly;

FIG. 12 is an exploded, perspective view, of the closure assembly of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13-15 are elevation views partly in section, to show various means by which the present closure assembly may be connected to, or form part of the container with which it is to be used.

Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. l-6 illustrate one embodiment of a closure assembly 1 which consists of two parts, the cap portion 2 and a body portion 4.

As shown particularly in FIG. 3, the cap portion 2 is made up of a top wall 20 and side walls 22. The side walls 22 are integrally connected to the top wall 20 along the periphery of the latter, to form the cap portion 2- which is somewhat cupshaped in cross section. The top wall 20 is provided with an aperture which serves as a dispensing opening 24 to be described more fully later. The top wall 20 is also formed with a stop lug 26 which extends substantially perpendicularly into the interior of the cupshaped cap portion 2, and whose function will become apparent below. The top wall 20 is further formed with a retaining element in the form of a pintle 28 which also extends interiorly of and projects beyond the cupshaped cap portion 2. The pintle 28 is provided with a slot 30 which extends generally axially thereof enabling the two

sections

28a and 28b so formed, to come together during assembly of the closure assembly 1. The split pintle 28 is form ed at its free end with a retaining flange or shoulder 32 which extends generally transversely and peripherally of the pintle 28. The open end of the cup-shaped cap portion 2 is defined by a rim 34 which is provided with an outwardly facing step portion 36 whose purpose will be described below.

The split pintle 28 on the cap portion 2 enables the latter to be easily coupled or connected to the body portion 4, which latter is constructed as follows, (see FIGS. 4 and 6). The body portion 4 includes a top wall 40, and side walls 42. The sidewalls 42 are integrally connected to the top wall 40 generally along the periphery thereof. Such a construction forms a body portion 4 which is generally cup-shaped, but which is also formed at the bottom thereof with a dispensing cavity 45 and a shoulder portion 43. The shoulder portion 43 is provided with a borehole 56 which is adapted to receive and retain the pintle 28 of the cap portion 2. The top wall 40 of the body portion 4 is formed exteriorly thereof with a recess 46 to receive a head portion 48 of a locking element 49. In addition, the recess 46 is provided with a borehole 52 which is adapted to receive a stem portion 50 of the locking element 49 as well as to house a compression spring 54 which functions to bias the locking element 49 to a position in which the cap portion 2 is locked relative to the body portion 4. In this position the head portion 48 extends into and is received in the dispensing opening 24. The top wall 40 of the body portion 4 is further provided with an outwardly facing recess 47 which cooperates with the stop lug 26 on the cap portion 2 to limit the amount of relative rotational movement of the cap and

body portions

2 and 4. The end of the bore hole 56 which faces outwardly relative to the body portion 4, is provided with a diametrically enlarged section 56 which serves to receive and house a torsion spring 60. This torsion spring 60 functions to bias the cap portion 2 urging it always to a neutral position in which it is locked. The top wall 40 of the body portion 4 is further provided with an aperture forming a dispensing opening 44, a seen in FIG. 6, and which is normally blocked by virtue of the cap section 2 normally being biased to its neutral, locked position wherein the dispensing openings 24 and 44 are nonaligned. Finally, the bore hole 56 is provided at its other end with a shoulder 58 which faces inwardly of the cup-shaped body portion 4, and which serves to retain the flange 32 on the pintle 28 upon assembly together of the cap and

body portions

2 and 4. It is to be noted also, that the outer surface of sidewalls 42 of the body portion 4 is provided with an outwardly facing shoulder 62 on vwhich a peripheral bead 64 is formed. The peripheral bead 64 coacts with the step shoulder 36 on the cap portion 2, to hold the same in slidable engagement with the body portion 4, as clearly indicated in FIG. 5. Other possible forms of engagement between the cap and

body portions

2 and 4 may also be used. It is to be recognized, of course, that such engagement must be able to provide for relative movement between the cap and

body portions

2 and 4. Such relative movement may be rotational as in the embodiments of FIGS. 110, translational relative movement as in the embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12, or combinations thereof. v

The assembly of the present closure assembly 1 may best be seen with reference to FIG. 6. Here it may be seen that the torsion and compression springs 60 and 54, respectively, are first inserted over the pintle 28 and the stem portion 50 of the locking element 49. Next the locking element 49 and compression spring 54 are inserted into the borehole 52 to be retained therein. The

sections

28a and 28b of the pintle 28 are brought together slightly in order that the flange 32 on such pintle 28 may be inserted into and through the borehole 56 of the body portion 4. The distance between the top wall 20 and the cap section 2 and the flange 32 on the pintle 28 is such that, upon being assembled, the flange 32 rests snuggly against the shoulder 58. It should be noted here that placement of the torsion spring 60 over the pintle 28 and insertion of the latter into the borehole 56 must be done in a manner so as to enable one end 61 of the torsion spring to be positioned over the recess 47 and behind the stop lug 26, as viewed in FIG. 4. With such an arrangement, the torsion spring 60 is able continuously to bias the cap portion 2 to its neutral, locked position in which the dispensing openings 24 and 44 are nonaligned. That is the cap portion 2 is biased in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Turning now to FIGS. 7 through inclusive, the numeral 100 indicates another embodiment of the present closure assembly. The closure assembly 100 is constructed basically in the same manner as the closure assembly 1 of FIGS. l6, and comprises a cap portion 102 and a body portion 104. As seen particularly in FIG. 8, the cap portion 102 has a top wall 102 and side walls 122. The sidewalls 122 are integrally connected to the top wall 120 peripherally thereof, and are of a very short height. The top wall 120 is apertured at 124 to provide a dispensing opening to be described more fully below. In addition, the top wall 120 is provided with a stop lug 126 which projects generally perpendicularly inwardly thereof, and with a retaining element in the form of a pintle 128 which also is integrally connected to and projects in the same direction as stop lug 126, substantially perpendicular to the top wall 120. The pintle 128 is provided with a slot 130 which extends generally axially thereof, and only partly therethrough. The slot 130 has a diametrically enlarged inner portion.

As also seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the body portion 104 consists of a top wall and sidewalls 142 which are connected to such top wall integrally and peripherally thereof. If is to be noted that the top wall 140 of the body portion 104 is provided with a dispensing opening 144 (see FIG. 7), and an outwardly facing recess 146 which is adapted to receive the stop lug 126 and thereby facilitate limiting the relative rotational movement of the cap and

body portions

102 and 104. The top wall 140 of the body portion 104 is also formed with a cantilevered locking element 147 (see FIG. 10) which includes a head section 148 biased to lie normally within the dispensing opening 124 of the cap element 102. In this way, the cap portion 102 is locked in a neutral position wherein the dispensing openings 124 and 144 are nonaligned. The body portion 104 is further provided with a torsion spring 150 which is connected integrally to the sidewalls 142, and which contains a retaining bead 152 at the free end thereof. As may be seen from FIGS. 8 and 9, this retaining bead 152 is received by and held within the enlarged inner portion of the slot 130 of the pintle 128, thereby locking together the cap and

body portions

102 and 104.

As may be seen from FIG. 8, assembly of the closure assembly 100 may easily be accomplished by merely inserting the pintle 128 through the aperture 156 in the top wall 140, while simultaneously engaging the retaining bead 152 within the slot 130 of the pintle 128. As this is done, the stop lug 126 will be received within the recess 146, and the head section 148 of the cantilevered locking element 147 will be received within the dispensing opening 124. Although FIG. 8 shows the body portion 104 as being provided with a beaded retaining means 154 at the free edge of the sidewalls 142, threaded or other types of retaining means may be used equally well. A snap-on type of retaining means is preferred, since it provides a convenient deterrent to children or other persons who might otherwise attempt or be able to remove the closure assembly from the container to which it is attached.

In connection with the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1- -6 as well as FIGS. 7-10, it should be noted that various retaining or attachment means may be provided on the body portion of the closure assembly for connecting the same to a container. Such means are illustrated in FIGS. 1315. FIG. 13 particularly, illustrates a form 300 wherein the sidewalls 302 of the body portion 304 are of a sufficient height to constitute the sidewalls of the container proper. In such a construction, it is necessary only to provide some sort of a bottom closure 306, substantially planar, for example, and serving to close off what, in use, would normally be the bottom of the container. The sidewalls 308 are shorter in the FIG. 14 embodiment which is also configured so the bottom of the container may be snapped into place; the FIG. 15 embodiment is similar except that the sidewalls 310 are configured to threadably receive the bottom of the container.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate yet another embodiment of the present invention. Here, a closure assembly 200 is shown as comprising a sleevelike cap portion 202 which is received closely over a body portion 204. In this instance, the body 204 also constitutes the container proper. The cap portion 202 consists of a top wall 220, four sidewalls 222 and an open bottom 223, which when taken together forms a generally cupshaped element. A dispensing opening 224 is provided in one of the sidewalls 222, while an inner retaining collar 226a is formed in the top wall 220 and projects inwardly of the cuplike top portion 202. The inner retaining collar 226a is integrally connected to the top wall 220, and is formed with a retaining element in the form of a split pintle 228, which latter is provided with an axially extending slot 230. The pintle 228 is also formed at the free end thereof with retaining shoulders 229. Finally, a compression spring 231 is provided, being adapted, in use, to surround the pintle 228 for biasing the cap portion 202 202 away from the body portion 204. This causes the dispensing opening 224 to be nonaligned with a corresponding dispensing opening in the body portion 204.

The body portion 204 made up of a top wall 240, four sidewalls 242 and a bottom wall 243. One of the sidewalls 242 is provided with a dispensing opening 244 and, of course, the dispensing

openings

224 and 244 are on

sidewalls

222 and 242 which correspond so that such dispensing openings may. be brought into alignment for dispensing contents from the container. The sidewall 242 which is provided with the dispensing opening 244, is further provided with an aperture to which a lock housing 252 is attached. The lock housing 252 is formed at its inner end with an opening 254, and is adapted to receive a locking element 249. The locking element 249 comprises a head section 248 and a stern section 250 integrally connected thereto. A compression spring 256 is adapted to surround the stem section 250 of the locking element 249, and, in place, both are adapted to be received and retainer within the lock housing 252. This is clearly shown in FIG. 11. The top wall 240 of the body portion 204 is provided with a receiving opening 246, through which pills, powder, or the like may be added to the container-forming body portion 204. The top wall 240 is further provided with an outer retaining collar 226b which is integrally connected to the wall, and which is provided at its free end with an opening 258 defined by shoulders 259. From FIG. 11 it may be seen that in an assembled form, the closure assembly 200, and particularly thetop and

body portions

202 and 204 respectively, are retained or held together by virtue of the engagement of the shoulders 229 or the pintle 228 with the shoulder 259 associated with the opening 258.

It may be seen from the drawings that in order to operate the closure assembly as embodied in FlGS. 1-6 and FIGS. 7- -l0, as well as that of FIGS. 11 and 12 it is necessary first to depress or push in the head section of the respective locking elements, and subsequently to apply a force against the biasing means to move the cap portion relative to the body portion and thereby bring the respective dispensing openings into alignment. It may be seen that before any of the contents of a container may be dispensed from the closure assemble illustrated herein, two independent and separate functions must be performed. In other words, it is first necessary to unlock the cap and body portions of the present closure assembly, and then subsequently to manipulate such cap and body portions to bring the dispensing openings in each into alignment. Such manipulations may involve relative movement which is rotational, translational, or a combination thereof.

It is to be clearly understood that the size and/or shape of the dispensing openings, the closure assemblies per se, the

exact geometrical shape of the container-forming body portion and so on as described above, may be open to the choice of the manufacturer, or it may be determined by the substance which is to be dispensed using the present closure assembly. In this respect, the accompanying drawings are to be considered as being illustrative only. I

The closure assembly described in the foregoing is believed to represent a considerable improvement over known closure assemblies, since the former provides: (1) a number of movements so as to dissuade a child or other person from anything but intentional opening or access to the contents of a container; (2) dispensing openings of a predetermined size which may be used to restrict the amount of medication to be dispensed and thereby prevent or substantially reduce accidental overdoses of medication or other contents of the container; (3) dispensing openings through which medication may be dispensed using only the described procedure; and (4) a closure assembly which is readily adaptable to most existing containers and is always biased to a locked position to disable accidental dispensing of the contents of the container, especially when it is not in use.

lclaim:

l. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portionhaving a first dispensing opening therein; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means in said closure assembly for normally disabling said relative movement, but being actuatable selectively to enable intentional relative movement of the cap and body portions; and means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which the locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby operation of the locking means to enable said relative movement is effected independently from operation to the cap portion to align the dispensing openings; the locking means including a cantilevered element formed integrally with the body portion, said cantilevered element serving to bias the locking means so as to disable said relative movement.

2. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means in said closure assembly for normally disabling said relative movement, but being actuatable selectively to enable intentional relative movement of the cap and body portions; and means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the: dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which the locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby operation of the locking means to enable said relative movement is effected independently from operation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings; the biasing means associated with urging the cap portion to its neutral position being formed integrally with said body portion.

3. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising:

a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein, and being formed with means thereon for connecting the closure assembly to said container;

a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therein for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned;

locking means carried by one of said portions and being operable for normally disabling said relative movement, said locking means including a head section which extends into said dispensing opening on the other of said portions to effect locking together of the cap and body portions, but which is actuatable: for selectively enabling intentional relative movement; and

spring means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which said locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby actuation of the locking means to release the same is effected separately from manipulation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.

4. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising:

a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned;

locking means carried by said body portion and being operable for normally disabling said relative movement,

said locking means including a head section which extends into said second dispensing opening to effect locking together of the cap and body portions, but which is actuatable for selectively enabling intentional relative movement; and

spring means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing opening are nonaligned, and in which said locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby actuation of the locking means to release the same is effected separately from manipulation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.

5. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein the locking means further includes a cantilevered element formed integrally with the body portion, said cantilevered element serving to bias the locking means so as to disable said relative movement.

6. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein separate biasing means are provided for biasing the cap portion to its neutral position, and independently thereof, for biasing the locking means to its operative position for preventing said relative movement.

7. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein the biasing means associated with urging the cap portion to its neutral position is formed integrally with said body portion.

8. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein said relative movement is translational movement axially of the closure assembly.

9. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein the connecting means on said body portion include sidewalls integrally formed therewith and being of such height as to constitute the sidewalls of the container proper, said sidewalls on the body portion also being adapted to be connected to bottom closure means for forming a container.

10. A closure assembly according to claim 4, wherein the body portion is integrally connected to and forms part of a closed container, said body portion being further provided with means for enabling refilling of said closed container.

11. A closure assembly according to claim 5, wherein said relative movement is rotational movement about an axis substantially coaxial of the closure assembly.

Claims

1. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means in said closure assembly for normally disabling said relative movement, but being actuatable selectively to enable intentional relative movement of the cap and body portions; and means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which the locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby operation of the locking means to enable said relative movement is effected independently from operation to the cap portion to align the dispensing openings; the locking means including a cantilevered element formed integrally with the body portion, said cantilevered element serving to bias the locking means so as to disable said relative movement.

2. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movEment therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means in said closure assembly for normally disabling said relative movement, but being actuatable selectively to enable intentional relative movement of the cap and body portions; and means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which the locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby operation of the locking means to enable said relative movement is effected independently from operation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings; the biasing means associated with urging the cap portion to its neutral position being formed integrally with said body portion.

3. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein, and being formed with means thereon for connecting the closure assembly to said container; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therein for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means carried by one of said portions and being operable for normally disabling said relative movement, said locking means including a head section which extends into said dispensing opening on the other of said portions to effect locking together of the cap and body portions, but which is actuatable for selectively enabling intentional relative movement; and spring means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing openings are nonaligned, and in which said locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby actuation of the locking means to release the same is effected separately from manipulation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.

4. A closure assembly adapted to be mounted on a container and being operable selectively to enable access to its contents, comprising: a body portion having a first dispensing opening therein, and being formed with means thereon for connecting the closure assembly to said container; a cap portion having a second dispensing opening therein, and being mounted on the body portion for relative movement therewith for enabling said dispensing openings to be aligned; locking means carried by said body portion and being operable for normally disabling said relative movement, said locking means including a head section which extends into said second dispensing opening to effect locking together of the cap and body portions, but which is actuatable for selectively enabling intentional relative movement; and spring means for biasing the cap portion to a neutral position in which the dispensing opening are nonaligned, and in which said locking means are also biased to prevent said relative movement, whereby actuation of the locking means to release the same is effected separately from manipulation of the cap portion to align the dispensing openings.