EP0518844A1 - Tightening strap for metal barrel and barrel provided with the strap - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a tightening strap (1) for metal barrels (6, 19), and also barrels (6, 19) equipped with this tightening strap (1). The tightening strap (1) according to the invention has the shape of a split ring exhibiting a C-shaped section and comprises a median part (2) and two lateral bands (3, 3a). The two ends (7, 8) of the strap (1) overlap. Their median parts (2) are extended by tongues (11). Each tongue (11) is welded to one of the bossings (13, 13a) equipping the other end of the strap (1), so as to dissuade unauthorised or unprepared third parties from opening the barrel by lifting off the tightening strap (1). Opening this strap (1) nevertheless remains easy for a workshop equipped with suitable tooling. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a clamp for a metal barrel.

The invention also relates to drums equipped with this clamp.

Among the metal drums currently on the market, a distinction is generally made between bung drums, made up of a ferrule closed on both sides by a generally crimped wall, and drums with full opening, in which one of the walls is removable and is held on the shell by detachable connecting means such as, in particular, the clamps.

Due to their robustness, the metal bung barrels are mostly reused regularly. There is a real industry of reconditioning of these barrels. Depending on the nature of the products they were used to transport, they are generally required to carry out a drastic cleaning, for which it is necessary to have access to their interior volume. If this is not a problem for "full opening" drums, it is necessary, in the case of bung drums, to cut them, even if it means reassembling them by an adequate technique.

In the context of reconditioning, there is also a problem that weighs heavily on the budget and on the environment: when certain drums were used to transport toxic materials or giving toxic derivatives or dangerous for the environment, it is necessary to eliminate the slightest trace of it and to collect separately the remainders remaining in the barrels, before putting them back into circulation. Such treatment is expensive and there is no satisfactory alternative to date. After having been reconditioned a certain number of times, a barrel may have modified dimensions and a reduction in its mechanical performance, the metal having been, in particular in the case of folded crimping-deserting and unfolded several times.

The use of a drum with a removable wall facilitating cleaning is generally not allowed, the requirements in terms of solidity not being as high for a "fully open" drum and especially because the user must not be able to activate the opening mechanism.

US Patent No. 3,603,476 describes a barrel in which the edge of the cover and the edge of the reinforced ferrule are assembled with the interposition of a seal by a clamping collar devoid of a closure device, which is welded in place and cut out or unsoldered when the barrel must be reconditioned.

Such a barrel is not without drawbacks.

Indeed, the joint undergoes significant local heating during welding-desoldering, the welding input is important, there is finally a significant risk of cutting into the metal more deeply than desired and thus weakening the solidity or the tightness of the assembly.

The patent US-1 859 639 describes a hooped wooden container provided with its lid and with a fixing device for this lid. This container is intended for the transport of foodstuffs such as butter. The fixing device, the purpose of which is to ensure a sufficient seal so that the butter transported does not impregnate the odor of other foodstuffs, is formed of a ring with C section. The ends of this ring overlap and one of them has a folding tab that can be unfolded to separate the lid from the bucket.

GB-743339 describes a detachable closure ring for fixing a lid on a container. The ends of this ring overlap so that they can be locked in a predetermined closed position. The disadvantage of such a device is that it allows practically no adjustment of the tension of the collar.

The application AU-A-79179/75 relates to a clamp in the form of a split ring. One end of this ring is extended by a tab. This tab is welded to the other end of the ring. When closing, the lower edge of the ring is folded inwards so that it engages under a volute which goes around the shell. The opening is made by separating the ends of the ring, by tearing off the tab.

The object of the invention is to prevent unauthorized persons from having easy access to the internal volume of a barrel.

Another object is a device for closing the lid, which is nevertheless easy to open and close in the context of barrel reconditioning operations.

Another goal is to produce drums that are easier to clean and recondition.

Another object is to obtain a barrel with removable lid which satisfies the criteria of barrels with crimped lid.

The subject of the invention is a clamp for a metal barrel, this metal barrel comprising a ferrule closed on one side by a bottom, on the other by a cover, this cover comprising a peripheral groove opening downwards, the edge of the ferrule, wound outwards in a volute, being engaged in the groove of the cover; this clamp has the shape of a split ring having a C-shaped section, the ring being made up of a middle part and two lateral bands, the opening of this C being turned towards the center of the ring; the two lateral bands of the ring hold, by tightening one against the other, the throat of the cover and the volute of the ferrule;
the length of this collar is equal to the perimeter of the cover increased by a zone for covering the ends of this collar; in this overlap zone, the two ends overlap, the end coming from above, called the female end, being of wider section that of the other end, said male end, so that the sections of the two ends are contiguous in said area of overlap; the middle part of the male end of the collar is extended by a tongue.

The median strip of the female end comprises, before the overlap zone, a transverse slot, so that, when the two male and female ends overlap, the tab of the male end protrudes through said transverse slot; the median strip of the female end is provided with at least two bosses which project towards the outside of the clamp, the tongue of the male end being able to be welded to the top of the last boss that it can reach after fitting and tightening the collar.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the two or more bosses located on the female end are placed on the overlap zone, the tongue extending the male end can be folded back from the transverse slot to the last of these bosses that 'it can reach and to which it is welded.

According to another advantageous form, the two or more bosses located on the female end are placed before the overlap zone and the transverse slot, the tongue extending from said slot to the last of these bosses which it can reach. , to which it is welded.

The middle band of the female end of the collar is preferably also extended by a tongue, the middle band of the male end of the collar comprising, in this case next to the overlap zone, two or more bosses, the tongue extending the female end being welded to the top of the last of these bosses that it can reach.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the section in C respectively comprises a flat ring capable of pressing on the cover of the barrel, a middle part cylindrical maintaining the edge of the groove and a frusto-conical strip capable of engaging under the volute forming the end of the ferrule; preferably the lower strip extends to the ferrule, its end being engaged in a concavity around the ferrule, the diameter of the extreme edge of this end however being greater than the diameter of the bottom of the concavity. In this way, the collar retains limited mobility relative to the shell and its tightening can be adjusted as required.

According to another embodiment, the clamp has a semicircular section.

The invention also relates to a metal barrel comprising a clamp as described above.

This barrel preferably has an interior pocket made of flexible plastic material, said pocket covering the internal face of the shell and the bottom, so as to prevent them from contacting the contents of the barrel, the edge of this pocket being inserted between the edge of the ferrule and the cover.

According to another preferred embodiment, this barrel has an interior pocket closed in flexible plastic material, said pocket being able to prevent any contact between the internal walls of the barrel and its contents, said pocket being hermetically connected to at least one bung .

• La Fig. 1 est une vue en perspective avec arrachement du dispositif de fermeture du collier de serrage suivant l'invention, avant fermeture;
• La Fig. 2 est une vue en élévation du même collier de serrage après fermeture;
• La Fig. 3 est une vue en élévation d'une autre forme de fermeture de ce collier;
• La Fig. 4 est une vue schématique en coupe d'une forme de fût particulière équipé du collier suivant l'invention;
• La Fig. 5 est une vue schématique en coupe d'une autre forme de réalisation d'un fût équipé du collier suivant l'invention.
• La Fig. 6 est une vue agrandie d'un détail de la Fig. 4.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of various embodiments, reference being made to the drawings, in which

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view with cutaway of the clamping device closing device according to the invention, before closing;
• Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same clamp after closing;
• Fig. 3 is an elevational view of another form of closure of this necklace;
• Fig. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a particular barrel shape fitted with the collar according to the invention;
• Fig. 5 is a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of a barrel equipped with the collar according to the invention.
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 4.

Fig. 1 shows the ends of the clamp 1 before closing. This collar 1 has a section in C, the opening of which faces the center of the collar. This section consists of three metal strips: a central part 2, substantially cylindrical, and two strips 3.3a bearing, as will be seen below in FIGS. 4 and 5, respectively on the cover 4 and on the end of the shell 5 of a barrel 6.

The total length of the clamp 1 is slightly greater than the perimeter of the cover 4, so that when the collar 1 is adjusted on a barrel 6, its two ends 7, 8 overlap in an overlap zone 9. One of the ends said female end 8 has a widening of section 10 so as to properly cover the other end called male end 7, their faces 2, 3, 3a being practically contiguous.

The middle part 2 of each end 7, 8 is extended by a tongue 11. The female end 8 has, before the overlap zone 9, (ie, opposite the tongue 11) a transverse slot 12.

In this way, as best seen in FIG. 2, when the two ends 7,8 are superimposed in the overlap zone 9, the tongue 11 of the male end is inserted into the transverse slot 12 and comes out towards the rear of the female end 8.

Each end 7, 8 has, on the middle part 2, before the overlap zone 9, two bosses 13 and 13a. The ends 7,8 being engaged as shown in Fig. 2, the tongues 11 extend above these bosses 13. It is then easy to close the collar, to weld said tongues 11 on the last of the bosses that each can reach, that is 13a. A solid collar 1 is thus obtained, practically not exceeding the size of the barrel. This collar 1 has no apparent opening means for the user, but it can nevertheless be opened or installed very easily in a workshop with the necessary tools. This collar 1 cannot be tightened by pulling, as is the case with clamps with lever or bolt closure: it is necessary to have recourse, for example, to clamping cylinders.

From a mechanical point of view, the overlap zone and the contiguous profiles of the male 7 and female 8 ends ensure good continuity of the rigidity of the collar.

Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of the closure of the collar 1. The bosses 13, 13a of the female end 8 are here arranged on the overlap zone 9 itself. In this case, the tongue 11 of the male end 7 is folded back on itself to be welded to the last boss that it can reach 13a. This assembly offers increased security and even allows, in an embodiment not shown, to do without the tongue 11 which extends the female end 8. It can be noted that the optimal number of bosses 13 can vary and that is generally between 2 and 4. The tongue 11 is slightly separated from the middle part 2 of the clamping collar 1 by its passage over the first boss 13. There thus remains between the tongue 11 and the collar a sufficient gap to insert a tool or the part of a suitable tool for cutting the tongue 11.

You can also cut the tongue using a grinder for example without cutting into the collar itself.

In addition to the advantages mentioned above, the necklace clamping is reusable, which has a favorable effect on the cost price of the barrel as a whole. The presence of more than two bosses effectively allows the collar to be reused several times. Indeed, the tongue 11 is, after each use, divided between the boss 13a to which it is welded and the previous boss 13. It is thus progressively shortened, until its length no longer allows it to exceed the first boss 13.

Fig. 4 shows an interesting extension of the clamp according to the invention, namely a simplified cleaning barrel.

This barrel 6 has a ferrule 5 terminated by a volute 14, facing outwards, the other end of this ferrule 5 is crimped to a bottom 15. The volute 14 is inserted into a groove 16 facing downwards going around cover 4; the cover 4 with plug 17 being secured to the ferrule 5 by a clamp 1 according to the invention, the bands 3 of which compress one against the other the groove 16 and the volute 14. A seal is placed in the bottom of the groove 16, as can be seen in more detail in FIG. 6.

The internal faces of the shell 5 and of the bottom 15 are protected from contact with the contents of the barrel 6 by a pocket 18 of flexible plastic material fixed by its edge along the assembly surface between the shell 5 and the cover 4, and therefore held in place by the clamp 1.

Such a barrel appears to the user as a perfectly normal bung barrel. Once empty, it however has a considerable advantage since it is sufficient at this time to open the clamp 1, remove the cover 4 and carefully remove the flexible bag 18 to have a barrel with blank internal walls. from any contact with the transported product. The repackaging of such a barrel is considerably reduced and the residuals of unwanted products are easily collected for recovery or controlled disposal.

Fig. 6 also shows an advantageous embodiment detail in which the movements of the collar 1 are limited in vertical amplitude. The edge of the lower lateral strip (3a) is in fact slightly engaged in a groove 22, the sides of which form a stop in the event of the collar moving vertically. The stresses exerted on the joint are thus limited, and it is also ensured that the edge of the pocket 18 is firmly held.

The use of the clamp 1 is therefore particularly appropriate here; inadvertent opening of the collar 1 by an unauthorized or non-specialized third party, or even non-respectful of the environment - possible with a collar according to the prior art - is here very improbable.

With this clamp, any false maneuver is normally excluded, and the only part of the barrel which must still undergo a complete reconditioning at the end of the use cycle is the cover, hence a substantial gain for the reconditioning workshop. .

Fig. 5 shows another possible application of the concept of the invention. In the barrel 19 shown here, all of the internal faces are protected from contact with the product transported by means of a completely closed pocket 20 inserted inside the barrel 19. This pocket 20 communicates with the outside by two bungs 21 attached to the cover 4.

This pocket 20 is introduced all the more easily as the internal volume remains accessible thanks to the detachable cover 4, as allows the clamp 1 according to the invention.

Once the cover 4 is sealed in place by closing the clamp 1, the design of the clamp 1 prohibits the untrained or unauthorized user any untimely opening as well as any direct access to the flexible pocket 20, this which could be very dangerous depending on the product transported.

It is obvious that the clamp 1 described here in the context of particular applications, can also be used as a "safety" collar for conventional drums with total opening for example, and that it can just as well seal the bottom of a barrel rather than the lid so to facilitate access to the interior volume.

Finally, the section of the collar 1 can be adapted to different profiles of covers and assembly. It can be, in particular, trapezoidal or even semi-circular.

Claims (10)

1.- Clamp for metal drum, this metal drum having a ferrule closed on one side by a bottom, on the other by a cover, this cover having a peripheral groove opening down, the edge of the ferrule, wound in a volute towards the outside, being engaged in the groove of the cover, this clamping collar having the shape of a split ring forming a C section, this ring consisting of a middle part and two side bands , the opening of this C being turned towards the center of the ring, the two lateral bands pressing one against the other the peripheral groove and the volute of the ferrule, characterized in that: - The length of the collar (1) is equal to the perimeter of the cover (4) increased by the length of a covering zone (9) of the ends of this collar; - In this overlap zone (9), the two ends (7,8) of the collar (1) are superimposed, the end coming from above, called the female end (8), being of wider section than that of the other end, called male end (7), so that the sections of the two ends are contiguous in said overlap zone (9); - The middle part (2) of the male end (7) of the collar (1) is extended by a tongue (11); - the middle part (2) of the female end (8) comprises, before the overlap zone (9), a transverse slot (12), so that, when the two male (7) and female (8) ends overlap, the tongue (11) of the male end (7) is able to come out through said transverse slot (12); - the middle part (2) of the female end (8) is provided with two bosses (13,13a) or more which project on this middle part (2), the tongue (11) of the male end (7 ) being able to be welded to the top of the last boss (13a) that it can reach. 2. A clamp according to claim 1 characterized in that the two or more bosses (13, 13a) located on the female end (8) are placed on the overlap zone (9), the tongue (11) extending this male end (7) being able to be folded back from the transverse slot (12) to the last of these bosses which it can reach (13a), to which it is welded. 3. A clamp according to claim 1 characterized in that the two or more bosses (13, 13a) located on the female end (8) are placed before the overlap zone (9) and the transverse slot (12) , the tongue (11) extending from said slot (12) to the last of these bosses that it can reach (13a), to which it is welded. 4. A clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the central part (2) of the female end (8) of the collar (1) is also extended by a tongue (11), the central part (2) of the male end (7) of the collar (1) comprising, before the covering zone (9), two or more bosses (13, 13a), the tongue (11) extending the female end (8) being welded to the top of the last of these bosses (13a) that it can reach. 5. A clamp according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the collar (1) is formed by a flat ring (3) capable of pressing on the cover (4) of the barrel (6.19), a cylindrical middle part (2) able to maintain the edge of the groove (16) and a frusto-conical band (3a) able to be engaged under the volute (14) forming the end of the ferrule (5 ). 6. A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that its section is semi-circular. 7. A clamp according to any one of claims characterized in that the strip (3a) engaged under the volute (14) of the ferrule (5) extends to said ferrule (5), its end being engaged in a concavity going around this ferrule (5), the diameter of the bottom of this concavity (22) being less than the inside diameter of the strip (3a). 8.- Metal barrel characterized in that it comprises a clamp (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. 9.- metal barrel according to claim 8 characterized in that it comprises an inner pocket (18) of flexible plastic material, said pocket (18) covering the internal face of the ferrule (5) and the bottom (15), so as to avoid them contact with the contents of the barrel (6), the edge of this pocket (18) being inserted between the edge of the ferrule (5) and the cover (4). 10.- metal barrel according to claim 8 characterized in that it comprises a closed inner pocket (20) of flexible plastic material, said pocket (20) being able to prevent any contact between the internal walls of the barrel (19) and its content, said pocket (20) being hermetically connected to at least one drain (21).

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