Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SAFETY DRUM WITH LID ASSEMBLY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to drums, and more particularly
to a drum
with a lid and a rotary latch.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Drums with lids have been used for many years. A typical drum with a
lid has
operated in two states, attached to the rim of the drum or fully removed from
the drum. The lids
are therefore often lost or not readily at hand when the user wishes to close
the drum.
Accordingly, utilizing drums with such lids can be a time-consuming activity
for a user. The lid
can not be opened and securely closed quickly.
[0003] Another limitation of previous drum covers is their failure to comply
with particular
federal regulations involving emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Specifically,
drums used in the U.S. aerospace industry are required to comply with 60 Fed.
Reg. 45956,
which sets limits for VOCs from chemical solvents and waste produced in
aerospace facilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The drum assembly can comprise a drum and a lid assembly removably
mounted
thereto. The drum can include a generally cylindrical sidewall and a rim
defining an opening
accessible to an internal storage area. The lid assembly can include a band
encircling the
sidewall of the drum to mount the lid assembly to the drum, a cover pivotally
mounted to the
band via a hinge. The lid is movable between a first position wherein the lid
covers the opening
of the drum and a second position wherein the cover is pivoted away from the
opening to allow
access to the internal storage area of the drum. The lid assembly can include
a latch mechanism
to secure the cover relative to the band. The latch mechanism can include a
retention bar
mounted to the band and a rotary latch attached to the cover. The rotary latch
is configured to
receive the retention bar when the cover is closed to thereby secure the cover
closed over the
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opening of the drum. The rotary latch can include a trigger that is moveable
between a locked
position in which the latch is locked and a released position in which the
latch is unlocked.
[0005] In another embodiment, a lid assembly for a drum can include a band
configured to
wrap around an external surface of a sidewall of a drum proximate an opening
of the drum
through which an internal storage area is accessible. A cover is provided that
can be pivotally
attached to the band via a hinge. The lid is movable between a first position
wherein the lid
covers the opening of the drum and a second position wherein the cover is
pivoted away from the
opening to allow access to the internal storage area of the drum. The lid
assembly can include a
latch mechanism to secure the cover relative to the band. The latch mechanism
can include a
retention bar mounted to the band and a rotary latch attached to the cover.
The rotary latch is
configured to receive the retention bar when the cover is closed to thereby
secure the cover
closed over the opening of the drum. The rotary latch can include a trigger
that is moveable
between a locked position in which the latch is locked and a released position
in which the latch
is unlocked.
[0006] In yet another embodiment, the cover can have a gasket disposed around
a perimeter
of an inner surface of the cover. The gasket can be configured to compressibly
engage the rim of
the drum to form a seal therebetween to thereby substantially prevent vapor
release from the
drum. A pressure relief valve can be provided in the cover to allow pressure
buildup in the drum
to be released once the pressure reaches a predetermined level at a
predetermined temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of a drum assembly
according
to the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 4 is front elevational view of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
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[0014] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 4.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the drum assembly of FIG.
1, illustrating
a lid assembly mounted to a drum thereof with a cover thereof being in an
intermediate open
position.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the drum of FIG. 1,
with the cover in
a fully open position.
[0017] FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevation view of the drum of FIG. 1,
with the cover in
the fully open position shown in FIG. 10.
[0018] FIG. 12 is a fragmentary view as in FIG. 10 with the cover in an
intermediate position
between the fully open position and a closed position.
[0019] FIG. 13 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the drum assembly of
FIG. 1 with
the cover in the intermediate position shown in FIG. 12.
[0020] FIG. 14 is a fragmentary view as in FIG. 10 with the cover in the
closed position and
a latch in a locked position.
[0021] FIG. 15 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the drum assembly of
FIG. 1 with
the cover and the latch in the positions shown in FIG. 14.
[0022] FIG. 16 is a fragmentary view as in FIG. 10 with the cover in the
closed position and
the latch in a released position.
[0023] FIG. 17 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the drum assembly of
FIG. 1 with
the cover and the latch in the positions shown in FIG. 16.
[0024] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 18-18 of FIG. 13.
[0025] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 19-19 of FIG. 15.
[0026] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 20-20 of FIG. 17.
[0027] FIG. 21 is an enlarged, detail view taken from FIG. 18.
[0028] FIG. 22 is an enlarged, detail view taken from FIG. 19.
[0029] FIG. 23 is an enlarged, detail view taken from FIG. 20.
[0030] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a pressure release
valve suitable
for use with the present invention.
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[0031] FIG. 25 is a view, in section, of the pressure relief valve of FIG. 23
mounted in the
cover of the drum assembly of FIG. 1.
[0032] FIG. 26 is a rear elevational view of a lid assembly of the drum
assembly of FIG. 1.
[0033] FIG. 27 is a top plan view of the lid assembly of FIG. 26 with a lid
and an upper piece
of a hinge removed for illustrative purposes.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Referring to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a drum assembly 100 according to
the present
invention can include a drum 102 and a lid assembly 120 removably mounted to
the drum 102 to
selectively cover the drum. In some embodiments, the lid assembly can be
locked in a closed
position. In some embodiments, the lid assembly 120 can substantially prevent
vapor from
releasing from the drum 102 when the lid assembly 120 is in the closed
position.
[0035] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the drum 102 can be generally cylindrical.
The drum 102
can include a sidewall 103, the sidewall having a rim 104 which defines an
opening 106 (see
FIG. 9 also) through which an interior storage area 107 (FIG. 8) is
accessible, and a bottom 108.
Referring to FIG. 3, the rim 104 of the drum 102 can project from an external
surface of the
sidewall 103 of the drum 102 to create an annular upper rib 110. The drum 102
can include an
annular lower rib 112 disposed below the rim 104 with a channel 114 defined
between the upper
rib 110 and the lower rib 112 on the outside surface of the drum sidewall 103.
The drum 102 can
be made of steel. The drum can be any suitable size. In some embodiments, the
drum can be a
30-gallon capacity drum or a 55-gallon capacity drum, for example. A 55-gallon
drum
commercially available from Justrite Manufacturing Co. LLC of DesPlaines,
Illinois as model
number 26054 is particularly suitable for use with the present invention.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, the lid assembly 120 can include a band 122 to
removably mount
the lid assembly 120 to the drum 102 and a cover 126 to selectively close the
drum 102. The
cover 126 can be pivotally mounted to the band 122 via a hinge 124. A rotary
latch mechanism
128 can be provided to retain the cover 126 in a closed position such that the
cover 126 is
constrained from moving relative to the band 122.
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[0037] Referring to FIG. 3, the band 122 can encircle the outside surface 103
of the drum
102. The band 122 can be disposed within the channel 114 between the upper and
lower ribs
I 10, 112 of the sidewall 103. The band 122 can include a handle piece 156
mounted thereto.
The handle 156 is a generally U-shaped piece that can be configured to allow a
user to
conveniently grip the handle 156 to facilitate transport of the drum. In
addition, the handle 156
can be used as a stop to limit the pivotal movement of the cover 126. The
handle 156 defines the
fully open position of the cover 126, as shown in FIG. 10, and can be angled
upward as it
extends from the perimeter of the band 122 for that purpose. The handle piece
156 can be
mounted to the hinge 124.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 2, the band 122 can be a split ring band that
includes a gap 184
defined by a pair of tabs 186, 188. The tabs 186, 188 of the split ring band
122 are joined across
the gap 184 by a nut 190 and a screw 192. The nut 190 and the screw 192, which
can be
threadedly engaged by operation of a screwdriver and a wrench, for example,
are configured to
adjust the size of the gap 184, and thereby the circumference of the band 122.
A washer can also
be interposed between the nut 190 and the tab 188 to enhance the connection
between the tabs
186, 188. Accordingly, the band 122 can be tightened around the drum 102 in
order to secure
the lid assembly 120 to the drum 102. Likewise, the band 122 can be loosened
to remove the lid
assembly 120 from the drum 102. The removable nature of the lid assembly 120
permits a user
to attach the lid assembly 120 to different drums and account for variations
in drum size. The lid
assembly 120 can also be used with different drums having a wide variety of
rims.
[0039] Referring to FIG. 8, the cover 126 can include an outer surface 130 and
an inner
surface 132 (FIG. 8). The cover 126 can be sized to substantially correspond
with the opening
106 of the drum 102. The cover 126 is pivotally movable between a first
position, as shown in
FIG. 8, wherein the cover 126 is in a closed position such that it covers the
opening 106 of the
drum 102 and a second position, as shown in FIG. 10, wherein the cover 126 is
in a fully-opened
position such that the opening 106 of the drum 102 is accessible for ready
disposal of items in
the drum 102.
[0040] Referring to FIG. 8, the cover 126 can include an annular gasket 180
disposed on the
lower surface 132 of the cover 126 proximate an outer edge 182 of the cover
126. When the
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cover is in the closed position, the gasket 180 can be aligned with the rim
104 of the drum 102
such that the gasket 180 is disposed between the cover 126 and the rim 104.
The gasket 180 can
create a seal between the drum 102 and the cover 126 when the cover 126 is
closed and the latch
mechanism 128 is locked.
[0041] The gasket 180 can be made from any suitable material, such as a
material that is
compressible relative to the rim of the drum. In some embodiments the gasket
can be made from
rubber while the lid assembly 120 and the drum 102 can be steel. In yet other
embodiments, the
gasket can be L-200 charcoal Minicel, die cut with slm-360 pressure-sensitive
adhesive having
mylar on one side. The gasket can be secured to the cover via the pressure-
sensitive adhesive,
for example. Accordingly, the gasket 180 can be deformed between the cover 126
and drum 102
to create a particularly effective seal. Because the cover 126 is secured to
the drum 102 by a
press fit via the gasket 180, the cover 126 can securely close on any rim that
the gasket 180 can
be pressed against to create a seal. Accordingly, the lid assembly 120 is
extremely versatile.
[0042] When the drum assembly 102 is used in an aerospace facility to contain
chemical
solvents and waste products, a seal created between the lid assembly 102 and
the drum 102 by
the gasket 180 can allow the drum assembly to meet the requirements set by 60
Fed. Reg. 45956
in regards to VOCs emissions. The gasket 180 can form a seal between the cover
126 and the
drum 102 that substantially prevents vapor from being released from the
interior storage area of
the drum 102.
[0043] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 24, the drum assembly 100 can include a
pressure relief
valve 240 configured to open when the pressure inside the closed drum assembly
100 reaches a
predetermined pressure and to close when the pressure inside the closed drum
assembly 100 falls
below the predetermined pressure. Referring to FIG. 25, the pressure relief
valve 240 is disposed
within an opening 242 in the cover 126 that extends from the outer surface 130
to the inner
surface 132 thereof. When the pressure inside the closed drum assembly 100
reaches the
predetermined pressure, between 3 and 5 psi, for example, a valve channe1244
in the valve 240
will be forced open such that the pressurized gases inside the drum can be
released through the
channe1244 to reduce the pressure inside the drum assembly 100. When the
pressure falls below
the predetermined pressure, the valve channel 244 can close.
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[0044] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, the hinge 124 includes an upper portion 150
and a lower
piece 152 which are pivotally mounted to each other via a hinge pin 154 and a
cotter pin 158.
The upper portion 150 is mounted to the cover 126 while the lower piece 152 is
mounted to the
band 122. Referring to FIG. 6, both the upper portion 150 and the lower piece
152 include
hollow knuckles 160, 162 which alternatingly align with each other to define a
hinge pin channel
168 in which the hin'ge pin 154 is disposed. The upper portion 150 and the
lower piece 152 of
the hinge 124 can pivot with respect to each other along a longitudinal axis
164 defined by the
hinge pin 154. Referring to FIG. 5, the hinge pin 154 includes a first distal
end 170 that is bent
at a right angle and a second distal end 172 with a through hole that receives
the cotter pin 158.
The bent portion 174 of the first distal end 170 and the cotter pin 158 are
located on opposite
sides of the hinge pin channel 168 such that the hinge pin 154 is retained
within the hinge pin
channel 168.
[0045] Once the cotter pin 158 is removed from the hinge pin 154, the hinge
pin 154 can be
pulled out of the hinge pin channel 168 by pulling the first distal end 170
away from the hinge
plates such that the second distal end 172 travels through the channel 168.
Once the hinge pin
154 is removed, the upper portion 150 and the lower piece 152 of the hinge 124
can disengage.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 1, the rotary latch mechanism 128 can include a
rotary latch 140
and a retention bar 142 for latching the drum 102 closed. The rotary latch 140
can be mounted to
the cover 126 via a latch mounting 202. The retention bar 142 can be mounted
to a flange
extending from the band 122. In some embodiments, the rotary latch mechanism
128 can be, for
example, a rotary latch commercially available from Southco , Inc. of
Concordville,
Pennsylvania, and marketed as the R4 Mini Rotary Latch.
[0047] Referring to FIG. 9, the rotary latch 140 can be disposed at the front
194 of the cover
126 opposite the hinge 124. The retention bar 142 can be mounted to a flange
197 extending
from the band 122 at the front 196 of the drum assembly 100. The retention bar
140 can be
aligned with an axis 198 of movement of the rotary latch 140, as shown in FIG.
11. The rotary
latch 140 is configured to receive the retention bar 142 when the cover 126 is
closed to thereby
secure the cover 126 closed over the opening 106, as shown in FIG. 15. The
latch 140 can
include a trigger 200 that is moveable between a locked position, as shown in
FIG. 14, in which
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the latch 140 is locked and a released position in which the latch 140 is
unlocked, as shown in
FIG. 16. When the trigger 200 is in the locked position, the cover 126 is
prevented from opening
by the engagement between the rotary latch 140 and the retention bar 142, as
shown in FIG. 19.
[0048] Referring to FIG. 9, the latch mounting 202 can include a top wall 204,
a first
sidewall 206, and a second sidewall 208. The top wall 204 of the latch
mounting 202 can be
attached the outer surface 130 of the cover 126 and extend past the edge 182
of the cover 126.
The first and second sidewalls 206, 208 can be in spaced relationship to each
other and depend
from the top wall 204 such that they extend below the cover 126. The walls
202, 204, 206 of the
latch mounting 202 form a protective housing within which the rotary latch 140
is disposed. The
latch mounting 202 protects the latch 140 from impact by foreign objects that
could damage the
latch or unintentionally unlock the latch 140. The rotary latch 140 can be
mounted to the inside
surface 212 of first sidewall 206 such that the latch 140 is disposed below
the cover 126 and
exterior to the outer edge 182 of the cover 126. Referring to FIG. 8, the
configuration of the
latch mounting 202 can help facilitate the proper positioning of the rotary
latch 140 to retentively
receive the retention bar 142 when the cover 126 is closed.
[0049] Referring to FIG. 21, the cover 126 is in an intermediate position
between the closed
position and the fully open position. The latch 140 is located generally above
the retention bar
142 and the trigger 200 is in the open position. The rotary latch 140 includes
the rotatable
trigger 200, a pivotally movable cam 220, and a spring 222 that are disposed
within a housing
224. The spring 222 can be operably arranged with the trigger 200 and the cam
220 to bias them
toward a ready position, as shown in FIG. 21. The housing 224 can be mounted
to the inside
surface 212 of first sidewall 206 of the latch mounting 202 via first and
second bolts 226, 228, as
shown in FIG. 9. Referring back to FIG. 21, when the cover 126 and the latch
140 are open, the
cam 220 is in the ready position in which a slot 230 of the cam 220 is open to
the area below the
latch 140 such that the slot 230 can accept the retention bar 42 therein once
the cover is closed.
[0050] Referring to FIG. 22, the cover 126 is in the closed position. The
retention bar 142 is
disposed within the slot 230 of the cam 220. The cam 220 has rotated up into
the housing 224 of
the latch 140 from its ready position to a locked position. The retention bar
142 is thereby
trapped inside the rotary latch 140. When the cam 220 is rotated to its locked
position, the spring
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222 is activated, which in turn urges the trigger into its locked position.
When the trigger 200
and the cam 220 are in their locked positions, a respective cam surface 235,
237 of the trigger
200 and the cam 220 are in abutting engagement with each other such that the
cam 220 is
prevented from rotating from its locked position toward the ready position.
The retention bar
142 is thereby retained within the rotary latch 140 to prevent the cover 126
from moving from
the closed position. The cover 126 is now locked closed over the drum opening
106. When the
rotary latch 140 is locked, the gasket 180 can be compressed between the cover
126 and the rim
104 of the drum 102 to form a seal therebetween. The cover 126 cannot be
opened until the
trigger 200 is moved to the released position.
[0051] Referring to FIG. 23, the cover 126 is in the closed position, and the
trigger 200 is in
the released position. When the trigger 200 is moved to the released position,
the trigger 200
disengages from the cam 220. The cover 126 can be moved from the closed
position toward the
fully open position by applying sufficient lifting force to move the cover
126. Once the cover
moves a sufficient amount, the cam will begin to rotate toward its ready
position with the spring
222 urging the cam thereto such that the rotary latch can move relative to the
retention bar 142
and return to the position shown in FIG. 21. The cover 126 can closed and
opened repeatedly in
this fashion.
[0052] All references, including publications, patent applications, and
patents, cited herein
are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference
were individually
and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth
in its entirety herein.
[0053] The use of the terrns "a" and "an" and "the" and similar referents in
the context of
describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims)
are to be construed to
cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or
clearly contradicted
by context. The terms "comprising," "having," "including," and "containing"
are to be
construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning "including, but not limited to,")
unless otherwise
noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a
shorthand method
of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range,
unless otherwise
indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the
specification as if it were
individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in
any suitable order
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unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by
context. The use of any
and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., "such as") provided herein, is
intended merely to
better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of
the invention unless
otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as
indicating any non-
claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
[0054] Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including
the best
mode known to the inventors for carrying out the invention. Variations of
those preferred
embodiments can become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon
reading the
foregoing description. The inventors expect skilled artisans to employ such
variations as
appropriate, and the inventors intend for the invention to be practiced
otherwise than as
specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all
modifications and
equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as
permitted by applicable
law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible
variations
thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or
otherwise clearly
contradicted by context.
