US3768848A

US3768848A - Container assembly and improved clamping ring therefor

Info

Publication number: US3768848A
Application number: US00151801A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Santoni
Original assignee: Grief Bros Corp
Current assignee: Grief Bros Corp
Priority date: 1971-06-10
Filing date: 1971-06-10
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30
Also published as: CA947240A

Abstract

An improved split clamping ring releasably locks a cover to an open end of a drum or container. The clamping ring includes a locking assembly having a locking lever and linkage connected between the adjacent ends of the split ring and to the lever whereby the lever may be pivoted towards and away from the ring to, respectively, close and open the ring. A latch connected to the split ring is also pivotally mounted towards and away from the ring to retain the lever in locked position and permit its release, respectively. A hinge strap secured to one end of the split ring serves to pivotally connect the base of the lever to this ring end and is provided with outwardly projecting flanges which are adapted to engage with internal adjacent surfaces of the lever to prevent unintentional or undesirable lateral movement of the lever when in a locked position thereby assuring the proper location and relationship of the clamping ring relative to the associated surfaces of the cover and drum.

Description

United States Patent 1 Santoni Oct. 30, 1973 [75] Inventor: Cesar Santoni, Hamilton, Ontario,

Canada [73] Assignee: Grief Bros. Corporation, Delaware,

Ohio

[22] Filed: June 10, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 151,801

Primary ExaminerRichard E. Moore Attorneyl(ane, Dalsimer, Kane, Sullivan and Kurucz [57] ABSTRACT An improved split clamping ring releasably locks a cover to an open end of a drum or container. The clamping ring includes a locking assembly having a locking lever and linkage connected between the adjacent ends of the split ring and to the lever whereby the lever may be pivoted towards and away from the ring to, respectively, close and open the ring. A latch connected to the split ring is also pivotally mounted towards and away from the ring to retain the lever in locked position and permit its release, respectively. A hinge strap secured to one end of the split ring serves to pivotally connect the base of the lever to this ring end and is provided with outwardly projecting flanges which are adapted to engage with internal adjacent surfaces of the lever to prevent unintentional or undesirable lateral movement of the lever when in a locked position thereby assuring the proper location and relationship of the clamping ring relative to the associated surfaces of the cover and drum.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F/GZ N Rm w O E T N N R E 0 m n IM A 6 Patented Oct. 30, 1973 Patented Oct. 30, 1973 3,768,848

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CESflA 54/YTO/Y/ ATTORNEYS CONTAINER ASSEMBLY AND IMPROVED CLAMPING RING THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The clamping ring of this invention constitutes an improvement over the types commercially available and marketed and particularly the versions of clamping ring disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,339,962, granted Sept. 5, 1967 and No. 3,439,949, granted April 22, I969. The clamping rings disclosed in these patents generally include horizontal, lever-operated closing members, which are swung in a plane parallel to that of the top drum rim or clamping ring on a fiber drum or steel drum. In actual use, however, there is concern from time to time when finally closing the lever against the ring as to whether it may pull downwardly or upwardly from its correct or desired location during handling, shipping or storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention solves the foregoing problem and alleviates the concern by providing in the clamping ring upturned edges guides or flanges which form part of the hinge strap ordinarily disposed inside of the lever when in a closed or locked position. In this manner it is assured that untrained individuals would properly close the clamping ring by bringing the lever into its proper locked relationship because the lever is guided through its intended path of travel and the intended alignment of this lever with the latch is thereby facilitated.

Other objects and disadvantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating somewhat preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded fragmentary front elevational view of a drum, cover and clamping ring incorporating the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the drum, cover and clamping ring in assembled position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view of the locking mechanism of the clamping ring;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the assembled drum, closure and clamping ring;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4 with certain parts broken away and removed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the clamping ring with latch and locking lever in an open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the form of the invention illustrated in FIG. I, the improved clamping ring 10 serves to releasably close the metal cover 12 across the top opening of the metal drum or container 14. A typical metal drum 14 will include a metal bottom closure 16 permanently sealed and secured to the lower peripheral edge of the tubular body 18. The tubular body 18 is open at its upper end and includes a chime portion defined by an outwardly turned substantially tubular bead 20 which serves to support the peripheral portion of cover 12. The cover 12 is generally made of sheet metal and may assume any one of many conventional designs in which a central disc-shaped portion 22 extends into one or more circular reinforcing ribs 24 having an upwardly depending cylindrical apron 26 adapted to nest with or engage the inner wall of the upper end of the tubular body 18. A concave-convex peripheral flange 28 extends from the upper part of the skirt 26 and is adapted to rest upon the tubular head 20 of the chime of the container 14. Obviously, other bead and chime constructions are contemplated by this invention including both outward and inward tubular bead.

The drum or container and cover assembly heretofore described are representative of many forms of construction well known to the art and trade and the drum as well as cover may be formed of sheet steel or aluminum, convolutely or spirally wound laminated layers of kraft board, fiber or the like, reinforced plastics or combinations of fiber and metal or fiber or metal having coatings or linings therein.

Referring now to the improved clamping ring 10, a split ring 30 made of suitable resilient metal such as steel is provided with a locking mechanism connected between

ends

32 and 34 whereby the ring may be expanded to permit its assembly around the dover 12 and drum 14 or contracted to tightly engage the assembled cover and container in holding the cover in place over the top of the drum 14 in a manner well known in the art. The locking mechanism 10 to which the present invention applies, may assume many different forms and configurations as, for example, that shown in the above identified patents as well as those known to the trade. In the exemplary locking mechanism illustrated in the drawings, a locking lever 36 is pivoted or hinged at its base end 38 to a hinge strap 40 by means of pin 42. This hinge strap 40 is suitably connected and secured to end 32 of the split ring 30. The locking lever 36 is also pivotally connected at an intermediate point to link 44 which is pivotally connected to hinge strap 46 connected to the other ring end 34. Thus, when the lever 36 is pivoted outwardly relative to the split ring 30, the ring is expanded to permit its assembly about the combined cover 12 and drum l4; and when the lever is pivoted inwardly and eventually into engagement with the split ring 30, the ring is contracted to exert a compressive then holding force about the assembled cover and drum.

In order to assure the proper relationship of the lever 36 and the split ring 30 as the lever is being pivoted to its locking position, the hinge strap 40 is provided with outwardly extending or upturned edge guides or

flanges

48 and 50. These guides advantageously nest or are disposed between the usual spaced

flanges

52 and 54, resepctively. When this relationship occurs, the locking lever 36 is in its proper closed position and any upwardly or downwardly directed force or pressure on the locking lever will cause its flanges to engage with these guides.

A latch 56 may be shiftable', either upwardly or downwardly, as suggested in the above identified patents, to lock the free end of the lever 36. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated herein, the latch 56 is pivotally mounted on the split ring 30 between and upwardly extending unlocked position to a horizontal locking position. Toward this end, the latch 56 is formed with locking finger 58 which will engage with the outer or free end of the lever 36 to retain the latter in a locked position. The lever 36 also includes a cut out portion 60 and an accommodating slot 62 which is positioned to receive finger 58 when the latch 56 is in a horizontal or closed position. Flange 64 which is adapted to engage with surfaces of the split ring 30, assures that the lever will not pivot beyond this horizontal position whether the lever 36 is in its closed or open position The latch 56 further maintains lever 36 in a locked position through the disposition of finger 66 of the lever within the pocket 68 defined by outwardly projecting surfaces of the latch 56. In order to maintain the latch 56 in its horizontal position at which the lever 36 is locked, an outwardly projecting dimple or bead 70 is adapted to be received in and engage with an accommodating recess 72 formed on the inner face of the free end of the lever 36 to cause a tight frictional engagement between these surfaces. The free end of the finger 58 may be formed with an opening or hole 74 for receiving the wire of conventional sealing means 76 which operates to reveal premature opening of the clamping ring 10.

Thus, it will be evident that when the cover 12 is initially applied to the open end of the drum 14, the clamping ring is assembled around the cover flange 28 and the chime bead of the drum 14 while the locking lever 36 is in its outwardly extending open position. Thereafter, the lever 36 is pivoted inwardly toward the split ring to contract the locking ring causing the inwardly extending ring flanges to engage with the associated surfaces of the cover flange '28 and chime bead 20 until a tight locking relationship is attained. Thereafter, the latch 56 is pivoted downwardly until the latch finger 66 extends through the slot 62 and the lever finger 66 extends into the latch pocket 68 which position is releasably maintained by the interengagement of the latch dimple 70 and its accommodating recess 72. The proper relationship of the locking lever 36 is maintained relative to the split ring 30 and is also assured when the lever is shifted from its open to locked position through the cooperation and interengagement of the hinge strap guides or

flanges

48 and 50 and associated surfaces or

flanges

52 and 54, respectively, of the lever 36.

Thus, the aforenoted objects and advantages are most effectively attained. Although a somewhat preferred embodiment of the invention have been disclosed and described in detail herein, it should be understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved clamping ring for use in releasably holding a cover in assembled relationship with a drum comprising:

a split ring having two ends positioned substantially adjacent to one another; a locking lever pivotally connected adjacent one of its ends with one of the ends of the split ring;

linkage means for pivotally connecting the other end of the split ring with an intermediate portion of the locking lever;

the pivotal connections being so constructed and arranged so that the locking lever is shiftable from an open position away from the split ring at which the split ring is in an expanded position to a locking position adjacent surfaces of the split ring at which the split ring is in a contracted position;

a hinge strap bent back upon itself to form a pivot bearing connected to said one end of the split ring and the locking lever hingedly connected at the bearing;

a latch pivotally connected with the split ring and adapted to be shifted from an unlatched position away from the split ring to a latched position in interengagement with the lever when the lever is in its locked position; and

guide means comprised of projecting and interengaging surfaces which cooperate in guiding the lever from its open to locking position and in maintaining the lever in such locking position, the guide means comprising spaced flanges on the locking lever and flanges on the hinge strap spaced apart less than the lever flanges so that the strap flanges are interposed and nested between and in proximity with the lever flanges when the lever is in its locking position, whereby any upwardly or downwardly directed force and pressure on the lever will cause its flanges to engage with the flanges of the strap.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pivotal connections are disposed at right angles to the plane of the split ring so that the locking lever is shiftable in essentially the samevplane as the split ring; and the pivotal connection of the latch is disposed at right angles to the split ring so that the latch is shiftable in a plane normal to the plane of the split ring and is adapted to be shifted to a position essentially in the plane of the split ring when latching the lever in its locking position.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein the latch has a depending locking finger which engages with surfaces of the locking lever to retain the locking lever in its locking position and is adapted to be shifted away from the plane of the split ring to disengage from the locking lever thereby enabling the locking lever to be pivoted to its open position.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the locking lever has a depending finger and the latch an accommodating pocket for receiving and engaging with the lever finger in cooperating to retain the lever in its locked position.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the latch finger and associated parts of the locking lever include projecting and accomodating recessed surfaces for cooperating in maintaining the lever in its locked position.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the clamping ring forms part of a drum assembly which comprises:

a drum having a tubular body, a bottom closure sealing the bottom end of the tubular body, and a chime formed at the top open end of the tubular body;

a cover removably applied to the top open end of the tubular body and having a peripheral flange in overlapping relationship with the chime; and

the split ring of the clamping ring having inwardly extending spaced flanges engaging with the cover flange and surfaces of the chime to close the cover on the drum when the lever is shifted to its locking position to contract the split ring, and the clamping ring is adapted to be removed from and reapplied to the cover and chime when the lever is shifted to its open position at which the split ring is expanded.

Claims

1. An improved clamping ring for use in releasably holding a cover in assembled relationship with a drum comprising: a split ring having two ends positioned substantially adjacent to one another; a locking lever pivotally connected adjacent one of its ends with one of the ends of the split ring; linkage means for pivotally connecting the other end of the split ring with an intermediate portion of the locking lever; the pivotal connections being so constructed and arranged so that the locking lever is shiftable from an open position away from the split ring at which the split ring is in an expanded position to a locking position adjacent surfaces of the split ring at which the split ring is in a contracted position; a hinge strap bent back upon itself to form a pivot bearing connected to said one end of the split ring and the locking lever hingedly connected at the bearing; a latch pivotally connected with the split ring and adapted to be shifted from an unlatched position away from the split ring to a latched position in interengagement with the lever when the lever is in its locked position; and guide means comprised of projecting and interengaging surfaces which cooperate in guiding the lever from its open to locking position and in maintaining the lever in such locking position, the guide means comprising spaced flanges on the locking lever and flanges on the hinge strap spaced apart less than the lever flanges so that the strap flanges are interposed and nested between and in proximity with the lever flanges when the lever is in its locking position, whereby any upwardly or downwardly directed force and pressure on the lever will cause its flanges to engage with the flanges of the strap.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said pivotal connections are disposed at right angles to the plane of the split ring so that the locking lever is shiftable in essentially the same plane as the split ring; and the pivotal connection of the latch is disposed at right angles to the split ring so that the latch is shiftable in a plane normal to the plane of the split ring and is adapted to be shifted to a position essentially in the plane of the split ring when latching the lever in its locking position.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein the latch finger and associated parts of the locking lever include projecting and accommodating recessed surfaces for cooperating in maintaining the lever in its locked position.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein the clamping ring forms part of a drum assembly which comprises: a drum having a tubular body, a bottom closure sealing the bottom end of the tubular body, and a chime formed at the top open end of the tubular body; a cover removably applied to the top open end of the tubular body and having a peripheral flange in overlapping relationship with the chime; and the split ring of the clamping ring having inwardly extending spaced flanges engaging with the cover flange and surfaces of the chime to close the cover on the drum when the lever is shifted to its locking position to contract the split ring, and the clamping ring is adapted to be removed from and reapplied to the cover and chime when the lever is shifted to its open position at which the split ring is expanded.