JP7488805B2 - Drum connector - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a drum connector that connects drums arranged side by side and upright to prevent them from falling over due to earthquakes or shaking or vibration during transportation.

As a measure to prevent multiple drums arranged on a flat surface from tipping over, a method that has long been used is to fasten the bodies of multiple drums together with a string-like object such as a belt to integrate them as a whole and increase stability.

As an example of a jig for preventing overturning, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 53-148768 discloses a jig with a connecting portion with a generally concave cross section that connects the upper ears (curl portions, seam folds) of adjacent drums.

JP 11-342973 A discloses a clip for connecting can bodies, which is formed on both sides or one side of a base body, and has two fitting grooves that are curved with the curvature of the periphery and have a groove width approximately the thickness of the seam fold that is erected on the periphery of a cylindrical can body, with the convex sides abutting against each other and both ends open.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-148768 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-342973

The above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 53-148768 is intended to achieve the same effect as tying down four drums placed next to each other on a pallet, by utilizing the force exerted by the pallet bending when the pallet is lifted by a forklift, which pushes the connecting parts of the jig apart. However, this is not suitable for preventing multiple drums that are constantly placed on a flat surface from tipping over.

In addition, the clip in JP 11-342973 A fits over the two closest seam folds when the sides of the drum bodies are abutted and aligned, so that the elastic fitting groove fits tightly into the seam folds to connect and hold the two drums together, but it is difficult to expect sufficient stability from the elasticity of the fitting groove alone.

The present invention aims to provide a drum connector that connects drums arranged side by side upright, and securely connects and fixes them so that they do not fall over due to earthquakes or shaking or vibration during transportation.

The drum connector of claim 1 of the present invention comprises upper and lower gripping plates which face each other and clamp and secure the curled portions of adjacent drums in a manner that allows them to be freely brought into contact with and separated from each other, the upper gripping plate having claws on both sides which grip the top surface of each curled portion across adjacent drums, and the lower gripping plate is wedge-shaped in a plan view and has a clamping surface which abuts against the underside of each curled portion of adjacent drums, as well as an arc-shaped surface on its side end surface which abuts against each outer circumferential surface of the drums.

According to the drum connector of claim 1, adjacent drums are pressed and clamped in the vertical direction by the upper and lower gripping plates that face each other and can be moved together freely. In the horizontal direction, the claws on both sides of the upper gripping plate prevent the drums from moving apart, while the arc-shaped surface on the side end face of the lower gripping plate prevents the drums from approaching each other and clamps them together. This has the effect of maintaining the drums standing upright as one unit, without shaking or falling over individually due to shaking or vibration.

According to the drum connector of claim 1, the side gripping plates are wedge-shaped in plan view, so that arcuate surfaces that come into contact with the outer circumferential surfaces of the drums can be easily formed on the side end surfaces. Also, the lower gripping plate can be easily inserted between the outer circumferential surfaces of adjacent drums and positioned at the attachment position of the drum connector.

The drum connector of claim 2 is the invention of claim 1, in which the upper gripping plate is bent in the width direction, and the claws that grip the top surface of the curled part of the drum are formed by providing recesses facing each other from the bent lower end.

According to the drum connector of claim 2, in addition to the same effect as the drum connector of claim 1, the upper gripping plate is bent in the width direction to obtain strength for the upper gripping plate, and the claws that grip the top surface of the curled part of the drum are formed with recesses facing each other from the bent lower end, so that the curled part and top surface of each drum can be reliably pressed by the two claws, and the curled part can be gripped by at least one of the claws.

The drum connector of claim 3 is the same as the drum connector of claim 1 or 2 , in which the upper and lower gripping plates are connected facing each other by a screw-engaged bolt and can be freely connected and disconnected by rotating the bolt.

According to the drum connector of claim 3 , in addition to having the same effect as the drum connector of claim 1 or 2 , the upper gripping plate and the lower gripping plate are connected facing each other by a screw-engaged bolt, so that the plates can be easily attached and detached by changing the direction in which the bolt is rotated.

The drum connector of the present invention connects drums arranged side by side upright, and has the effect of reliably connecting and fixing them so that they do not fall over due to earthquakes or shaking or vibration during transportation.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a drum connector according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which adjacent drums are connected and fixed by the drum connector of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which adjacent drums are connected and fixed by the drum connector of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of four drums connected and fixed together using the drum connector of FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a plan view showing another example of four drums connected and fixed together using the drum connector of FIG. 1 .

The drum connector 1 of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the drum connector 1 is composed of an upper gripping plate 2 and a lower gripping plate 3 that face each other and clamp and fix the curled portions 12 of adjacent drums 11 in a manner that allows them to be freely attached and detached.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper gripping plate 2 has claws 21, 21 on both sides that straddle adjacent drums 11, 11 and grip the upper surface 12A of each curled portion 12, 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper gripping plate 2 is bent in the width direction, and the claws 21 that grip the upper surface 12A of the curled portion 12 of the drum can 11 are formed by providing opposing recesses 22, 22 from the bent lower end.

The longitudinal length of the upper gripping plate 2 is designed so that the recesses 22, 22 of the claws 21, 21 can cover the upper surfaces 12A, 12A of the curled portions 12, 12 across the adjacent drums 11, 11, at a position along the contour line appropriately separated from the contact portion of the curled portions 12, 12 of the adjacent drums 11, 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper surface 31 of the lower gripping plate 3 serves as a clamping surface that abuts against the lower surfaces 12B, 12B of the curled portions 12, 12 of the adjacent drums 11, 11, and has arc-shaped surfaces 32, 32 on both longitudinal end surfaces that abut against the outer peripheral surfaces 13, 13 of the drums 11, 11.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the lower gripping plate 3 is wedge-shaped in plan view, with the side end faces of the wedge shape forming an arc-shaped surface of a circumference that matches the outer circumferential surface 13 of the drum can 11. Therefore, the upper surface 31 of the lower gripping plate 3 abuts against the lower surfaces 12B, 12B of the curled portions 12, 12 of the adjacent drum cans 11, 11, and the arc-shaped surfaces 32, 32, which are the end faces on both sides in the longitudinal direction, abut against the outer circumferential surfaces 13, 13 of the drum cans 11, 11.

The upper gripping plate 2 and the lower gripping plate 3 are connected facing each other by a screwed bolt 4, and can be freely connected and disconnected depending on the direction of rotation of the bolt 4, as described below.

The bolt 4 is screwed from the upper gripping plate 2 to the lower gripping plate 3 via a washer 5 and a spring washer 6, and a supplementary screw-in portion 7 is added to the underside of the lower gripping plate 3.

The screw hole into which the bolt 4 of the upper gripping plate 2 is screwed is formed in the center in the longitudinal direction, and the bolt 4 is screwed into and positioned in the gap between the adjacent drums 11, 11 that are mounted across each other.

On the other hand, the screw holes of the lower gripping plate 3 are provided on the wider side of the wedge shape, facing the upper gripping plate 2, so that the arcuate surfaces 32, 32 on both longitudinal end faces abut against the outer peripheral surfaces 13, 13 of the drums 11, 11.

The upper gripping plate 2 and the lower gripping plate 3 are then connected and faced with each other by the bolts 4, and the upper gripping plate 2 is then placed across the adjacent drums 11, 11 to cover the upper surfaces 12A, 12A of each curled portion 12, 12 with the recesses 22, 22 of the claws 21, 21, and the lower gripping plate 3 is placed in a state where the arcuate surfaces 32, 32 on both longitudinal end faces abut against the outer circumferential surfaces 13, 13 of the drums 11, 11, and the bolts 4 are then tightened.

In this way, one of the recesses 22, 22 of the upper gripping plate 2 comes into contact with the curled portion 12 and becomes a claw 21 to prevent the plate from rotating. As the bolt 4 is tightened, the recesses 22, 22 press the upper surfaces 12A, 12A of the curled portions 12, 12 downward. Also, the claws 21, 21 on both sides that are caught on the curled portions 12, 12 across the adjacent drums 11, 11 grip the adjacent drums and prevent them from separating.

On the other hand, the lower gripping plate 3 has arcuate surfaces 32, 32 on both longitudinal end faces that abut against the outer peripheral surfaces 13, 13 of the drums 11, 11, so that even when the bolt 4 is tightened, the plate does not rotate but rises while still abutting against the outer peripheral surfaces 13, 13 of the drums 11, 11, and the upper surface 31 of the lower gripping plate 3 abuts against the lower surfaces 11B, 11B of the curled portions 12, 12 of the adjacent drums 11, 11, pressing them upward.

Therefore, the recesses 22, 22 of the upper gripping plate 2 and the upper surface 31 of the lower gripping plate 3 clamp and fix the curled portions 12, 12 of adjacent drums 11, 11, restricting their individual movements in the vertical direction.

In addition, the claws 21, 21 on both sides of the upper gripping plate 2 grip the adjacent drums 11, 11 to prevent them from moving apart, while the arcuate surfaces 32, 32 on the side end surfaces of the lower gripping plate 3 abut against the outer periphery of each of the adjacent drums to prevent them from approaching each other, thereby restricting the individual horizontal and lateral movements of the adjacent drums 11, 11.

By attaching the connector 1 of the present invention to adjacent drums 11, 11, the vertical and horizontal movements of each drum are restricted, and the connected drums can only move as an inseparable unit, which is expected to prevent the drums from shaking and tipping over.

Furthermore, if adjacent drums on all four sides are connected with the drum connector 1 of the present invention, many drums will become one unit and will be able to cope with shaking and tipping, providing a significantly greater prevention effect.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, in the case where a total of four drums 11 are arranged in two rows and two columns, a drum connector 1 is attached and fixed between each of the four drums 11, so that the four drums 11 are firmly connected and fixed in the two rows and two columns arrangement.

Also, as shown in FIG. 5, if a total of four drums 11 are arranged in an L-shape, two drum connectors 1 are attached and fixed between each of the four drums 11, so that the four drums 11 are firmly connected and fixed in the L-shape.

The material of the drum connector 1 according to the present invention may be selected from metals, hard resins, etc., that have an appropriate thickness and strength to achieve the desired function, and the arcuate surface 32 may be formed integrally with the hanging surface if the end surface thickness of the lower gripping plate 3 is insufficient.

The upper gripping plate 2 of the drum connector 1 according to the present invention has been described as being bent in the width direction as shown in the drawings, but is not limited to this. The upper gripping plate may be, for example, a rod-shaped body with claws on both sides that straddle adjacent drums and grip the top surface of each curled portion.

The drum connector 1 according to the present invention has been described as a case in which the upper and lower gripping plates are connected facing each other by a screwed bolt and can be freely attached and detached by rotating the bolt, but this is not limited to this. For example, the upper and lower gripping plates may be freely attached and detached by a toggle clamp or the like.

The technical scope of the present invention described above is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment example, but extends broadly to the entire range of the technical ideas truly intended by the present invention, which are made clear from the matters described in this specification and the drawings.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Connector 2 Upper gripping plate 3 Lower gripping plate 4 Bolt 5 Washer 6 Spring washer 7 Refill screw-fitting portion 11 Drum can 12 Curled portion 13 Outer circumferential surface 21 Claw 22 Recess 31 Top surface 32 Arc-shaped surface

Claims (3)

The device is made up of upper and lower gripping plates that face each other and clamp and fix the curled parts of adjacent drums in a freely movable manner.
The upper gripping plate has claws on both sides for straddling adjacent drums and gripping the upper surface of each curled portion.
the lower gripping plate is wedge-shaped in plan view, has a clamping surface that abuts against the underside of each curled portion of the adjacent drum can, and has an arc-shaped surface on its side end surface that abuts against each outer circumferential surface of the drum can;
A drum connector characterized by the above. The drum connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper gripping plate is bent in the width direction, and the claws that grip the top surface of the curled part of the drum are formed by providing opposing recesses from the bent lower end. 3. The drum connector according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower gripping plates are connected to each other by means of a bolt which is screwed into the plate, and can be separated from each other by rotating the bolt.

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