CYLINDRE EN PLASTIQUE FILE

ALL PLASTIC BLOW MOLDED DRUM

Abrégé anglais

ALL PLASTIC BLOW MOLDED DRUM

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An all plastic blow molded drum includes a tubular out-
wardly bilged body having an integral upper and bottom closed
end each provided with outwardly extending ribs arranged and
dimensioned to permit stacking of one drum on top of another
similar drum. The upper rib is interrupted with a sealable
drain opening disposed in one of the interruptions and a vent
opening disposed in the other of such interruptions. A radial
circumferentially extending rib on the drum body is located
near the upper end and bottom end with each rib provided with a
laterally extending flange extending in the direction of the
neighboring end, thereby defining a recess for accommodating
surfaces of a drum moving device such as hook or parrot heat
lifting device. The radial ribs with lateral flange serve as
rolling hoops and extend outwardly in a radial direction an
amount substantially the same as that of the bilge of the
tubular body side wall whereby the central portions of neigh-
boring drums can touch one another in transport without the
upper and lower flanges hooking over or with each other.

Revendications

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A blow molded all plastic drum comprising: a
tubular body having an upper end and a bottom end, an integral
closure being at the upper end and an integral closure being
at the bottom end, two ribs provided on the tubular body each
having laterally extending flanges cooperating in defining a
lifting and rolling hoop and a recess for reception of surfaces
of a drum moving device, the body rib and associated flange
being formed integrally with one another, the tubular body, ribs,
flanges and top and bottom closure being integral with one
another, with one of the ribs being near the upper end and the
other of said ribs being near the bottom end with the flange on
the upper rib extending towards the upper end and the flange on
the lower rib extending towards the bottom end, the intermediate
portions of the tubular body being bilged outwardly to a radial
extent approximating the radial projections of outer surfaces
of the flange of both ribs so that the intermediate portions
of the tubular body of adjacent similar drums are adapted to
engage one another in transport without the ribs of the adjacent
drums hooking with one another.
2. The drum in accordance with claim 5, wherein a
sealable drain opening and a sealable vent opening are provided
in the upper closure.
3. The drum in accordance with claim 2, wherein an
upstanding rib extends upwardly from the upper closure and is
provided with a pair of interruptions with the drain opening
being disposed in one of the interruptions and the vent opening
being disposed in the other of such interruptions.
4. The drum in accordance with claim 3, wherein a
downwardly extending continuous rib is provided on the bottom
closure along the periphery thereof and is disposed radially



outwardly relative to the interrupted upstanding rib of the
upper closure to permit reception of such interrupted upwardly
extending rib when one of said drums is stacked on top of
another of said drum.
5. The drum in accordance with claim 1, wherein at
least the upper rib being provided with drain holes to permit
drainage of any liquid flowing downwardly from the upper
closure.

Description

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The present invention relates to plastic drums and
in particular to blow molded all plastic drums.
In the past and at present, a number of all plastic
drums of 55 gallon and smaller capacity for industrial
applications have been offered and utilized commercially.
There have been many objections to the round cylindrical variety
of all plastic drums, in that they do not drain completely,
they cannot be moved with "parrot beak" liEting devices commonly
used in handling steel drums, they cannot be lifted with chains ;~
and they do not handle conveniently with regular hand trucks -
commonly used by the tremendous number of individuals and -
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concerns, small and large machine shops, warehouses, etc. Many
of these hand trucks usually have some variety of hook that `~
engages with the edge o~ a recess steel drum top construction
Eor purposes o~ pulling the drum towards the operator, thereby
positioning ik on the hand truck for easy maneuverability.
The present invention provides an all plastic blow
molded drum for industrial applications having transversely
extending structure along its side walls for use with chain,
hook and parrot beak lifting devices.
The present invention also provides a drum of the
foregoing type in which the side walls possess a slight bilge
shape extending outwardly and to an extent corresponding to
that of the lateral projections which also serve as rolling
' hoops or rings so that the central portions of adjacent drums
-, will touch together in

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transport without the upper and lower projections hooking
together.
The present invention still further provides a drum
of the foregoing type having longitudinally extending ribs to
both the bottom and top closures which are so dimensioned that
one drum may be stacked upon one another as a result of the
interengaging relationship between the bottom rib of a drum and
the upper rib of the next lowest drum. The upper rib is
interrupted to facilitate drainage of any liquid or spillage on
or at the drum top, with the interruptions conveniently receiv-
ing the drainage opening on the one hand and vent opening on
the other.
According to the present invention there is provided a
blow molded all plastic drum comprising: a tubular body having
an upper end and a bottom end, an integral closure being at the
upper end and an integral closure being at the bottom end, two
ribs provided on the tubular body each having laterally extend-
ing flanges cooperating in defining a liftiny and rolling hoop
and a recess for reception of surfaces of a drum moving device,
29 the body rib and associated flange being formed integrally with
one another, the tubular body, ribs, flanges and top and bottom
closure being integral with one another, with one of the ribs
being near the upper end and the other of said ribs being near
the bottom end with the flange on the upper rib extending to- -
wards the upper end and the flange on the lower rib extending
towards the bottom end, the intermediate portions of the tub-
ular body being bilged outwardly to a radial extent approximat-
ing the radial projections of outer surfaces of the flange of
both ribs so that the intermediate portions of the tubular body
of adjacent similar drums are adapted to engage one another in
transport without the ribs of the adjacent drums hooking with
one another.

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The drum may be conveniently manufactured by the ;
process described in applicant's copending application No. ~ :
307,776 filed on even date herewith.
The present invention will be further illustrated
by way of the accompanying drawings in which: .
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of an all ~
plastic blow molded drum incorporating the teachings according ~ .
to one embodiment of the present invention; : :
Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof; ~ :
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view along the ~ ~ -
: line 3-3 of Figure 2 showing the drum and its relationship
with a neighboring drum during storage or shipment;
Figure ~ is a ~ragmentary elevational view, partly in
section showing the manner in which a chain lifting device
couples with the drum o~ this invention;




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Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a
radial rib associated with a "parrot beak" hook shown in
phantom; and
Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a drum of i
the invention stacked on another of such drums.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings, a drum 10 having a body 12 of tubular
configuration is provided with an integrally formed bottom
closure end 14 an upper closed end ?6. In accordance with
the present invention, the tubular body 12 and bottom closed
end l4 and upper closed end 16 are integrally ormed by means
of a blow molding operation. In order to facilitate the
manipulation and handling of the drum, radially extending
ribs 18a and 18b are formed integrally with the tubular body
12. Each rib 18a and 18b extendscircumferentially around
the periphery of the tubular body 14 and includes laterally
extending flanges 20a and 20b, respectively.
The ribs 18a and 18b with their respective flanges 20a
and 20b define a recesses 22a and 22b which advantageously
receive and accommodate surfaces of either a chain hook,
parrot beak hook or lifting device conventionally employed
for moving drums.
As explained previously, the tubular body 12 of the drum 1
is bilged out~ardly to an extent that the major diameter
thereof substantially corresponds to that of the laterally
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108~436 ~ ;


extending flanges 20a and 20b. In this fashion when drums 10 ~ ~
are arranged side-by-side the associated flanges 20a and 20b ~-
do not latch or hook with one another during shipping or
storage.
S The lower end 14 of the drums are provided with an integral
peripherally extending rib 24 which is structured and arranged
to receive the interrupted integrally extending rib 26 at the
upper end 16 of another drum 10. The interrupted rib 26 is
arranged in two sections 28 and 30 and each upper end 16 is
provided with a pouring or filling spout 32 arranged or dis- .
posed wi~hin on~ of the inter~uptions and a venting spout
34 arranged within the other of the interruptions~
Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages
are most effectively obtained. In this connection~circum-
ferentially extending radial ribs are integrally molded into
the tubular body of the drum to facilitate coupling therewith
of chain lifting devices, parrot beak liting devices, hooks
on conventional metal drum-carrying hand trucks and the like.
The ~rum top iSsuitably constructed to permit drainage of liquid
therefrom to prevent any liquid accumulation thereon and if
. necessary, the radial ribs may be provided with one or more
small drain holes if water collection or chemical collection :
tends to be a problem. As stated the slight bilge shape of
the tubular body permits the central portions of adjacent drums:
to engag~ i ransport without the upper and lower radial ribs



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hooking or latching with one another. ~; :
Although a single somewhat preferred embodiment of the
invention has 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.
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