GB2370069A

GB2370069A - Clamp ring assembly with overlaid ends

Info

Publication number: GB2370069A
Application number: GB0030356A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Swinglehurst
Original assignee: DRUM CLOSURES Ltd
Current assignee: DRUM CLOSURES Ltd
Priority date: 2000-12-13
Filing date: 2000-12-13
Publication date: 2002-06-19
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-13
Also published as: GB0030356D0; GB2370069B

Abstract

A clamp ring assembly comprising a split ring (1) having first and second ends, (18,22) and an over-centre closure device (2) interconnecting the opposite ends of the split ring, the over-centre closure device cooperating with the opposite ends of the rings at respective first and second engagement points (16,6). The over-centre device comprises a lever element (4) which is directly cooperable with the second engagement point (6) and which is operable to draw the first engagement point (16) towards the second engagement point to close the clamp ring. In order to improve the integrity of the assembly in use, projection means (20) is provided which projects beyond the first engagement point and the projection means is overlaid by abutment means (19) associated with the other end of the split ring and/or the second engagement point. It is particularly convenient if the projection means is formed by the first end of the split ring and if the other end of the split ring is dimensioned to overlie the projecting end of the split ring when the over-centre device is in its closed position. Conveniently said other end is swaged to fit over said projecting first end of the split ring.

Description

Title : Clamp ring assembly

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a clamp ring assembly of the type comprising a split clamp ring with over-centre closure device.

One application for a clamp ring assembly is for securing the lid on a drum, keg, barrel or other container.

A known clamp ring assembly, which can be of any profile, has a front anchor bracket secured adjacent one end of a split ring and a rear anchor bracket secured at a short distance from the other end of the split ring. An over-centre device comprising a first lever is pivotably attached to the rear anchor bracket and a link element is pivotably connected at one end to the front anchor bracket and its other end is pivotably connected to the lever intermediate its ends. Pivoting of the lever in a closing direction towards the ring on which it is mounted causes the circumference of the ring to be reduced thereby tightening the ring on the circumference of the drum or container to which it is applied.

The end of the ring to which the front anchor bracket is fixed is swaged so that it will fit over the other end of the ring which projects beyond the rear anchor bracket. The natural action on moving the lever in the closing direction is for the swaged end to move outwardly over the other end of the ring hence the reason for this configuration. However, in the closed position there is nothing to restrain said one end of the ring from moving outwardly.

This is disadvantageous in the event that either the ring or barrel is subject to an impact.

The present invention aims to provide a solution to this problem.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a clamp ring assembly comprising a split ring having first and second ends, and an over-centre closure device to interconnect the opposite ends of the split ring, the overcentre closure device cooperating with the opposite ends of the ring at respective first and second engagement points and having a lever element which is directly cooperable with the second engagement point and which is operable to draw the first engagement point towards the second engagement point to close the clamp ring and characterised by projection means at the first end which projects beyond the first engagement point and wherein the projection means is overlaid by abutment means associated with the other end of the split ring and/or the second engagement point.

The projection means may be an extension of the first engagement point, but preferably it is formed by a part of the split ring that extends beyond the first engagement point to said first end. It is particularly convenient if the other end of the split ring is dimensioned to overlie the projecting end of the split ring when the over-centre device is in its closed position. Conveniently said other end is swaged to fit over said projecting end. Thus in the preferred embodiment the opposite ends of the split ring overlap one another. As an alternative an abutment element may project from the second engagement point to overlap the projection means or the projecting end of the split ring as the case may be. The over-centre device may be permanently secured to one or both of the engagement points. In a preferred embodiment the overcentre closure device is permanently connected to the opposite ends of the split ring in which case the first and second engagement points comprise front and rear anchor brackets.

By providing a configuration in which a projecting end of the split ring is drawn under a cooperating part of the other end of the split ring on closing of the closure device, opposite ends of the clamp ring are prevented from moving radially apart and this gives rise to a closure which is better able to withstand impact damage and also performs better when pressurised.

The present invention will now be described further by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side view of one embodiment of a clamp ring assembly in a partially open position, and Figure 2 is a fragmentary side view of the clamp ring assembly of Figure 1 in its closed position drawn to an enlarged scale.

A clamp ring assembly according to the invention comprises a split ring, part of which is shown at 1, and which in the illustrated embodiment has a generally U-shaped cross section, but may be of any other profile. The illustration shows the opposite end regions of the split ring. The over-centre closure device is shown generally at 2, and comprises a lever 4 pivotably mounted at 6 to a rear anchor bracket 8. In the illustrated embodiment the rear anchor bracket is attached to one end of the split ring by means not shown, but most usually by welding. A link element 10 is pivotably connected at one end with lever 4 by way of a pivot connecting at 12. The other end of the link is connected to a front anchor bracket 14 by way of pivot connection 16 and the rear anchor bracket is secured to the split ring by any convenient means, but usually by welding. It will be noted that the front anchor bracket 14 is secured to the split ring at a distance spaced from the adjacent end 18 of the split ring so as to define a projecting ring part 20, i. e. the part of the split ring which extends beyond the pivot connection 16 to the end of the split ring 18. The opposite end of the split ring is swaged outwardly from a position as identified by arrow 21 to its end 22 so that it can overlie the projecting end 20 which will be apparent from Figure 1.

In Figure 1 the clamp ring is shown with the closure device in a partially open position and it will be seen that the swaged end 19 of the split ring overlies the projecting end 20. It will also been noted that the swaged end 19 has a portion 23 which projects beyond the rear anchor bracket 8.

This is not essential in all designs.

Figure 2 shows the clamp ring assembly in its closed position where it will be seen that the projecting end 20 extends towards the extent of the swaged portion 19 of the opposite end of the split ring and that as a consequence the two ends of the split ring are prevented from moving apart radially.

The rear anchor bracket 8 is extended to define a loop 24 upstanding from the split ring and the lever has an aperture 26 in web 28 which aligns with the loop 24 when the lever is in its closed position. A security tag or locking device may be fitted through the aligned openings to prevent the lever from being moved to the open position until the security tag or locking means is removed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A clamp ring assembly comprising a split ring having first and second ends, and an over-centre closure device to interconnect the opposite ends of the split ring, the over-centre closure device cooperating with the opposite ends of the ring at respective first and second engagement points and having a lever element which is directly cooperable with the second engagement point and which is operable to draw the first engagement point towards the second engagement point to close the clamp ring and characterised by projection means at the first end which projects beyond the first engagement point and wherein the projection means is overlaid by abutment means associated with the other end of the split ring and/or the second engagement point.
2. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the projection means is formed by a part of the split ring which extends beyond said first engagement point to said first end.
3. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 2 in which the other end of the split ring is dimensioned to overlie the projecting end of the split ring when the over-centre device is in its closed position.
4. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 3 in which said other end is swaged to fit over said projecting end.
5. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the projection means is formed by an extension of the first engagement point.
6. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 5 in which an abutment element projects from the second engagement point to overlie said projection means.
7. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in anyone of claims 1 to 4 in which the other end of the split ring projects beyond the second engagement point.
8. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in which the over-centre device is permanently secured to one or both of the engagement points.
9. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 8 in which the over-centre closure device is permanently connected to the opposite ends of the split ring and the first and second engagement points comprise front and rear anchor brackets.
10. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in claim 9 in which the other end of the split ring projects beyond the rear anchor bracket.
11. A clamp ring assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the split ring has any desired profile.
12. A clamp ring assembly constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.