Pull-off bottle cap facts for kids
The pull-off bottle cap is a special kind of bottle cap that you can open easily without needing any tools. It has a small ring that you pull to break the seal and remove the cap from the bottle. The cap has tiny lines, called scores, that help it split open cleanly when you pull the ring. Drink companies often use these caps to make their products stand out from others.
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How These Caps Were Invented
The idea for easy-to-open bottle caps started a long time ago.
The ALKA Cap
In the 1930s, a cap called ALKA was introduced. It was one of the first caps you could pull off. The ALKA cap had a seal made from natural cork. It became very popular in countries like Sweden and Mediterranean areas because it was so simple to open. ALKA caps were made of aluminum and had a tab or two tabs that you pulled to take off the cap. Unlike newer caps, the ALKA cap didn't have any scores or lines to help it split. These caps were actually made right on the bottling line as bottles were filled.
The MaxiCap
Later, in 1974, a company from Sweden called AB Wicanders Korkfabriker patented a new cap called the MaxiCap. Production of the MaxiCap started in 1979 in Finland. The MaxiCap was also made of aluminum, but it had special scores and a tab to pull. It was much easier to use than the old ALKA caps. A big improvement was that MaxiCaps were made in a factory before they got to the bottling plant. This meant that drink companies could fill and cap bottles much faster.
The RingCrown Cap
Soon after the MaxiCap, the RingCrown closure was invented in the early 1980s. It was first called MaxiCrown. The RingCrown cap was even easier to use than the caps before it. Instead of just a tab, it had a full ring that was attached to the cap, making it super simple to pull and open.
Images for kids
Gallery
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RingCrown closure on a beer bottle.
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RipCap closure on a wine bottle.
See also
In Spanish: Tapa con anilla para niños
