FR2730710A1 - Sealing of container containing dangerous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

The rigid container which is formed by four walls fixed to a floor and a removable roof (5) is sealed by an angle iron fixed at the upper end of the walls. A horizontal portion passing beyond the roof has, at its free end, an inverted U groove (6) which receives an elastomer sealing joint (13) which is supported on the angle iron horizontal leg (4). The groove external leg (8) is shorter than the internal leg (9). The sealing joint is clamped against the horizontal leg by a square bracket (21), fixed to the roof, having a groove (26) inclined upwards towards the container. An arm (23) has at its upper end a spindle (31) which is housed in the bracket groove. A lever (24) is pivoted on the fastening point (22) and towards the bottom of the arm. A sleeve (34) extending from the lever enables engaging the arm spindle in the groove and activates the assembly downwards.

Description

DEVICE FOR ENSURING THE SEALED CLOSURE OF A
CONTAINER
Technical area
The invention relates to containers used for maritime, rail or road transport. It applies more precisely to containers for the transport of hazardous materials, in particular slightly contaminated waste or equipment. It relates more particularly to the sealing and closing device of such containers.

Prior art
The use of containers is more and more widespread for the transport of hazardous materials. The sealing requirements are related and meet strict standards.

In known manner, the containers comprise a floor, four vertical walls, a removable roof and one or more doors, the sealing of which with the rest of the container is ensured by a seal placed directly at the top of the walls and which is compressed by the installation. roof or closing doors.

This solution does not allow effective containment of contaminated materials and does not meet the standards for the transportation of slightly contaminated materials.

The object of the invention is to overcome all these different drawbacks.

Statement of the invention
The invention aims to give the containers a good seal, in particular with respect to slightly contaminated products.

It relates to a device for ensuring the watertight closure of a rigid container intended to receive hazardous materials, formed by a floor, four walls fixed to the floor and a removable roof, characterized in that said device consists of: - a bracket fixed to the upper end of the walls, - a horizontal portion projecting from the roof, having at its free end an inverted U-shaped groove intended to receive a seal which bears on the horizontal tab of the 'square, - a member intended to hold the seal against the horizontal tab of the bracket.

In other words, the upper periphery of the walls has a perpendicular rib placed on the outside and a few centimeters from the top of the walls, so as to form a flat belt on which the seal rests. The seal is inserted into a metal groove formed under the underside and around the roof.

In other words, the area of application of the seal is offset downward compared to conventional systems, so that the obstacle formed by the top of the wall creates a baffle which prevents possible leakage of contaminated materials as well as intrusion of external particles.

In a practical embodiment, the external branch of the U-shaped groove is shorter than the internal branch, which reveals the joint and makes it possible to ensure the presence and the plating of the joint.

In a practical form which facilitates manufacture, the outer branch of the groove is formed by the extension of the sheet metal forming the roof, this extension being folded down, while the inner branch of the groove consists of a sheet metal attached by welding.

To solve the problem of maintaining the seal in the groove, the branches of said groove are inclined slightly inward in order to tighten the seal.

To facilitate the installation of the joint, the ends of the branches are chamfered inwards.

Advantageously in practice, the seal is made of compressible elastomeric material, for example cellular silicone.

In one embodiment, the holding and tightening member comprises: - a hook secured to the roof, having an inclined groove, directed upwards and towards the container, - an attachment point secured to the wall, - an arm having at its upper end a horizontal axis intended to be housed in the groove of the hook, - a lever articulated at one end on the attachment point and in the middle position at the bottom of the arm, - a handle extending the lever, to allow the axis of the arm to be engaged in the groove and to actuate the assembly downwards.

Brief description of the drawings
The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the embodiment which follows, with the support of the appended figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the seal area.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the holding member in the open position.

Figure 3 is a side view of the holding member in the locked position.

Way of realizing the invention
In known manner, a container is formed of a floor, four vertical walls and a removable roof. The invention relates in particular to the contact zone between the roof and the vertical walls, shown in FIG. 1.

Each wall (1) has at its upper end a bracket (2), welded to the outer face of the wall. This bracket (2) is placed so that one (3) of its sides is parallel to the wall and oriented upwards. The other side (4) is perpendicular to the wall (1) and constitutes a sort of shelf placed slightly below the top of the wall (1). This shelf covers the entire turn of the container.

The roof (5) is generally planar and is arranged horizontally.

Its surface exceeds the rectangle formed by the walls. In this overhang area (14), the end (8) is folded down to form a right angle with the main surface of the roof. A sheet metal strip (9) is welded under the roof, in the overhanging portion (14), in order to form a groove (6) with the folded portion (8). This groove (6), present over the entire periphery of the roof is intended to receive the seal.
This groove (6) can also be formed with a profile having an inverted U shape, welded to the roof by its central part and therefore having its two branches (8, 9) downwards.

The seal (13) of elastomeric material is inserted into the groove and projects beyond the branches of the groove (8, 9). Thus, when the roof is placed on the container, the groove (6) comes opposite the shelf (4) and the seal (13) rests on said shelf.

Advantageously, the branch (8) of the groove located towards the outside, is shorter than the other (9) so that it is simple to check visually that the seal (13) is present and suitably compressed. This check is particularly necessary during the transport of hazardous materials.

To facilitate the establishment of the seal (13), the branches (8,9) of the groove (6) have chamfers (15,16). Furthermore, the two branches (8, 9) are slightly inclined towards one another to ensure good retention of the seal (13) inside the groove (6).

Thus, the position of the different parts of the joint area means that the interior space of the container is separated from the outside by two successive right angles, forming a baffle. In this way, this chicane constitutes an obstacle to the leakage of contaminated materials as well as to the penetration of external elements.

Another characteristic of the invention relates to the means of fixing the roof (5) while maintaining the compression of the joint (13). For this purpose, holding members (20) are regularly arranged around the top of the walls (1).

This holding member (20) consists of: - a part (21), forming a hook and integral with the roof, - an attachment point (22) fixed to the wall (1), - a lever (24) and an arm (23), hinged together and relative to the point of attachment (22).

The part (21) or hook, has a generally parallelepiped shape. The opposite face of the wall is fixed to the outer branch (8) of the groove (6). The upper face has a groove (26) the bottom of which is parallel to the edge of the wall and the opening axis of which is inclined upwards and on the side of the wall.

The fixed point of the holding member is constituted by the attachment point (22) consisting of two plates which are screwed on an attached base (35), welded to the wall (1). This part is located in the vertical alignment of the hook (21).

This fixed point allows the articulation of a lever (24), one end (28) of which receives a horizontal axis (29) and the middle part of which is also articulated relative to the arm (23) by means of the axis (30 ). The lever (24) ends in a handle (34) constituting the gripping end of the lever (24).

This arm (23) has at one end an axis (31) parallel to the top of the wall which is intended to be engaged in the groove (26) of the hook (21).

This axis (31) is placed between two parallel flat rods (32,33) forming the main part of the arm (23) and located in two vertical planes.

These two rods (32,33) come together at the bottom to meet at the level of the hinge pin (30)
When closing, when the roof is properly positioned, the retaining members (20) are actuated. Their manipulation follows the following steps: - firstly, the arm (23) is manipulated so as to engage the axis (31) in the groove (26) of the hook (21); - Then, the lever (24) is pivoted down around the attachment point (22) and thus the arm (23) is pulled down; in this way, the axis (31) is attracted to the bottom of the groove (26) of the hook (21); - Then, when the axis (31) is at the bottom of the groove (26), the movement of the arm (23) causes the pull of the hook (21) downwards and therefore compression of the seal (13); this compression is maximum in the position where the axis (31) is aligned with the lever (24); - Finally, when the arm (23) has exceeded the maximum compression position, the seal (13) is slightly decompressed and the arm (23) is in a stable equilibrium position;
The same is done with all the other holding members (20) for the complete blocking of the roof.

 It emerges from the above description that the closure device according to the invention has advantages, in particular in the transport of dangerous materials.

Indeed, the interior volume of the container is isolated from the outside not only by the seal but also by metal baffles, which therefore create an obstacle to leakage and the penetration of external materials, which is particularly useful in transport contaminated material.

In addition, the architecture allows fast and efficient closing, as well as simple verification of the correct positioning of the seal.

Claims (6)

1 / Device for sealing a rigid container intended to receive hazardous materials, consisting of a floor, four walls (1) fixed to the floor and a removable roof (5), characterized in that said device consists of: - a bracket (2) fixed to the upper end of the walls (1), - a horizontal portion (14) projecting from the roof, having at its free end a groove (6) in inverted U intended to receive a seal (13) which bears on the horizontal tab (4) of the bracket (2), - a member (20) intended to hold the seal (13) against the horizontal tab ( 4) of the square (2). 2 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer leg (8) of the U-shaped groove is shorter than the inner leg (9). 3 / Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the seal (13) is made of compressible elastomeric material. 4 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the branches (8,9) of the groove (6) are slightly inclined towards one another. 5 / Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ends of the branches (8,9) are chamfered inward. 6 / Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the member (20) for holding and tightening comprises: - a hook (21) integral with the roof, having a groove (26) inclined, directed towards the top and towards the container, - an attachment point (22) integral with the wall (1), - an arm (23) having at its upper end, a horizontal axis (31) intended to be housed in the groove (26) of the hook (21), - a lever (24) articulated at one end on the attachment point (22) and in the middle position at the bottom of the arm (23), - a handle (34) extending the lever (24), to allow the axis (31) of the arm (23) to be engaged in the groove (26) and actuate the assembly downwards.