Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
The present invention relates to an outlet means for a container.
More particularlyJ the invention relates to such means for containers contain-
ing pesticides or similar hazardous substances.
In fields wherein for varying reasons9 it is important to avoid
spillage from containers or contamination of containers it is necessary to take
special measures to employ emptying and filling procedures which are as closed
as possible. The handling of containers for pesticides is an example.
Pesticides are generally delivered in drums which, when used, are
Connected to sprayers and the like by opening a cover on the drum and inserting
a suction pipe into the drum. Even if the pipe is sealed to the opening of the
drum, considerable spillage cannot be avoided at this type of handling. When the
outlet pi~e is removed from the drum there will be lots of the pesticidal agent
leEt on the pipe, both on the inside and the outside; and, further, the dismount-
ing and later mounting of the cover will bring about risks of spillage. Since
the pesticidal agent in the drum is in a much more concentrated form than the
evcntually-used diluted liquid, even minor spillages can be health-endangering,
and a drum fouled by pesticides is a problem with respect to handling and des-
truction.
A further problem in this connection is that the connecting of the
drum to the distributor means, as has already been indicated, gives rise to
several occasions when the inside and the contents of the drum can be contaminated
with impurities from the environment~
It is generally too expensive to carry out cleaning under conditions
which are acceptable with respect to occupational hygiene, and used drums are
thus, as a rule, collected and destroyed. This, however, also must be done under
controlled conditions. There is a special problem when special coupling means
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are attached to the drums since the concentrated pesticidal
agents are comparatively viscous and can dry and form deposits
which might clog openings or prevent mechanical parts from funct-
ioning as they should.
The main object of the present invention is to pro~
vide a system Eor emptying containers, which system is not im-
paired by the above described disadvantages.
A particular object of the invention is to provide
a system which reduces the risks of spillage and fouling.
A further object is to provide an emptying system
which is closed to such an extent that re-use of used drums is
made possible.
A still further object of the invention is to pro-
vide an emptying system particularly suitable to be used for
containers containing pesticides.
The invention may be generally defined as a con-
tainer Eor pesticide liquids which comprises an upper surface
surrounded by a rim portion, which surface is provided with
liquid outlet and air inlet openings, one of which openings be-
ing provided with an emptying pipe extendiny from the opening to
the bottom of the container. Spillage-proof coupling parts are
arranged on both the liquid outlet and the air inlet openings
the coupling parts being of the type designed to be engaged in
a sealing manner forming a connecting channel through the coupl-
ing parts and including automatic valves which are closed when
the coupling parts are separated from each other and are open
when the coupling parts are engaged. With this arrangement, tAe
coupling parts are disposed in recessed fashion either below the
upper surface of the container or below its surrounding rim.
According to the invention a container is provided
with a coupling part having a valve which is open only when a
pipe is attached to the coupling part in a sealed manner and
this gives several advantages. The risk of spillage of the
container contents is considerably reduced since there is no
opening between the interior of the container and the environ-
ment unless the intended
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connection is in place. There are no longer any requirements for dismounting,
remounting and storage of a cover. rrhe risk of impurities entering the container
is also reduced and this eliminates the requirement for cleaning at re-use. The
risk of mistakes at connecting the container to the intended distributor means
is considerably reduced. If the connecting part is also provided with a coupling
part having a valve, which is open only when the part is attached to the con-
tainer in the intended manner, the risk of spillage from e.g. a conduit is
eliminated and so is the requirement for emptying this when changing the con-
tainer. The risk of fouling the outside of the container with its content is
exceedingly small with this arrangement, which facilitates a safe re-use of the
container. By designing the coupling parts to be spillage-proof another advan-
tage~ besides further reduction of the risk of spillage, is gained, namely that
the risk of faulty functioning of the mechanical parts of the coupling, owing
to presence of container contents in the coupling, is reduced and also that the
risk of impurities entering the drum or the coupling is reduced since spillage-
proof couplings hardly can be connected when impurities in amounks worth men
t:ioning are present. The system is closed both at emptying and at re-filling.
[t is particularly advantageous to design the coupling parts as quick-couplings
as this considerably facilitates the coupling both at emptying and filling. The
above mentioned advantages are particularly important with respect to containers
containing pesticides. Thenoxiouscontent means that even minor spillages
must be avoided. The reduced risk of contamination makes re-use of the contain~
ers possible. This was not possible previously for economic reasons. The
safety of spillage-proof coupling against contamination, according to what has
been said above, is a particular advantage with pesticides since they can dry
and form troublesome deposits.
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The invention is applicable whenever containers are to be coupled
to exterior connections and it is desired that the handling of the contents of
the containers be as closed as possible. The invention is particularly appli-
cable for containers containing noxious substaQces, e.g. different pesticides,
and particularly plant protection chemicals.
To avoid direct contact between the interior of the container and
the environment a coupling is used which consists of a first coupling part, in-
tended to bc attached to an opening in the container in a sealed manner, and a
second coupling part intended to be attached to the external connector means in
a sealed manner. The parts are suitably designed as quick-couplings which
easily can be coupled and separated from each other by a simple hand-grip but
there is nothing to prevent the coupling parts from being designed in another
manner~ for example with threads. Each coupling part should be provided with
a valve so that the inlets to the container and the attached conduit respective-ly can be closed when the coupling parts are separated and be opened when the
parts are coupled to each other. The valves are suitably positioned as close
to the point oE separation of the coupling as possible. The valves are prefer-
ably automatic so that they will be open only when the coupling parts are
coupled and closed when they are not.
The coupling employed should be spillage-proof to minimi~e the amount
of exposed liquid when the coupling is separated~ The requirement for spillage-
proofness means that the parts of the coupling and the valves should be designedin such a manner that essentially no volumes from the connecting canal through
the coupling are exposed betwe~n the valves when the parts of the coupling are
separated from each other. This means that the fitting of the different parts ofthe coupling is a tight one so that any impurities present between the valves in
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the coupling will prevent completion of the desired connection.
If the container is -to be emptied with the coupling on the container
directed upwards, it is suitable to arrange a discharge pipe in the container
which extends from the coupling to the bottom of the container, and this pipe
should be permanently fitted in the container. This arrangement is preferred
since it minimizes the risk of spillage and fouling.
To facilitate the entry of air when emptying the container, and the
release of air when filling it, respectively, an air opening should be arranged.
This air opening should be designed in such a manner that it does not easily
release the container contents or allow impurities to enter. The air opening
is suitably also provided with a valve, and, preferably with an autom~tic valve,
as indicated above, which is open only when the parts of the coupling are en-
g~ged.
According to a presently preferred embodiment, two spillage-proof
couplingS, of the type described, are arranged on the container. ~ne of them
can function as an air opening via a suitably arranged connecting means to this,
while the other coupling can function as an emptying opening in the manner al-
ready described above. This arrangement gives increased possibilities of use,
and permits, for exampleJ pumping of the container contents. If two couplings
are used in this manner, suitably only one of them is provided with an empty-
ing pipe, as above, if both are placedon the same side of the container, since
one coupling hereby always can function as outlet and the other as inlet, for
either air or liquid, independent of the position of the con~ainer.
It is preferred to fit the coupling to a cover or some other detach-
able part of the container. This considerably facilitates change and servicing
of the coupling. At the same time, it makes the invention applicable in a
simple manner for standard containers of different kinds.
It is recommended that the coupling part or parts arranged on the
container be given a safe position by being arranged in recessed relation to
the adjacent parts of the container. Thus, if the coupling is mounted on a
cover, it could be placed in a recessed position relative to the peripheral
edge of the cover. It is particularly suitable to arrange ~he coupling in a
recessed position relative to the upper surface of the container, or at least
relative to an optional edge surrounding this surface, since the container then
can be handled and piled entirely without risk of damaging the coupling.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention:
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a container having two open-
ings provided with couplings according to the invention; and
Figure 2 shows, partly in section and partly in side elevation, a
preferred embodiment of both yarts of a spillage-proof coupling suitable for
use according to the invention.
Figure 1 shows a container 1 provided with two threaded openings 2
and 3. Covers ~ and 5 are screwed into the openings and the covers are provided
wlth first coupllng parts 6 and 7J which connect the interior of the container
with the environment. The coupling part 6 is provided with an emptying pipe 8
which extends from the coupling down to the bottom of the container. It is
evident from the drawing that the coupling parts 6 and 7 are recessed both rela-
tive to the upper periphery of the cover and relative to the upper edge of the
container 9.
Figure 2 shows on a larger scale, the threaded opening 2 of the con-
tainer 1, the cover ~ which is ~crewed in, the coupling part 6 and the empty-
ing pipe 8. Figure 2 further shows the coupling part 6 as comprising a sub-
stantially cylindrical part 10 which defines a channel having a relatively
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narrowed part 11 against which narrowed part a valve body 12 is normally
pressed in sealing engagement by means of a spring 13. If the valve body 12
is pressed down and away from the narrowed part 11 of the channel, there will
be a connection between the interior of the container and the environment.
~ 'igure 2 also shows the second coupling partJdesignated generally
by reference numeral 1~, which is intended to be attached to the first coup-
ling part 6 in a sealed manner whereby to connect the interior of the container
with an external connection conduit 15. The second coupling part comprises a
sleeve 16, intended to be passed over the essentially cylindrical part 10 of
the first coupling part. The second coupling part further comprises a central
part 17 which ]las an end part 18J the size of which is adjusted with respect
to the surface of the valve body 12. The channel space between the central
part 17 and the sleeve 16 is normally sealed by a cylindrical valve body 19
which is pressed against the end part 18 by means of the spring 20. If the
Cylindrical valve body 19 is pressed upwards and away from the end part 18J a
connectiOn between the opening of the second coupllng part and the connection
conduit 15 will be created. When the first and the second coupling parts are
engaged by passing the sleeve 16 over the cylindrical part 10, the end part 18
on the central part 17 will press the valve body 12 on the first coupling part
downwardly to an open position, and the upper part of the essentially cylin-
drical part 10 will at the same time press the cylindrical valve body 19 on the
second coupling part upwardly to an open position. A continuous channel will
thus be formed through the coupling parts from the interior o~ the container
to the external connection conduit.
In the engaged positionJ the coupling parts can be locked to one
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another by means of a quick-coupling mechanism comprising balls 22 which a-re
pressed into the recess which formed a-t the narrowed part 11 of the cylind-
rical part 10 by means of a displacemen-t of the jacket 21.
The coupling disclosed above is spillage-proof since the only part
of the en~ire connecting channel which is exposed when the coupling parts are
separated from each other is the optional space present between the upper
surface of the valve bod~y 12 on the first coupling part and the lower surface
on tlle end part 18 on the second coupling part.
