US2220893A - Closure device for container opening - Google Patents

Description

1 Nov. 12, 19 40.

H. w. DODSON 2,220,893 CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CONTAINER OPENING 7 Filed Feb. 8. 19:9

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE Howard W. Dodson. Philadelphia, Pa.. minor to United Steel Barrel Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporations! Pennsylvania Application February 8, 1939, Serial No. 255,201

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to closure devices for the openings of metallic containers, such as drums, barrels, cans, tanks, or the like, and particularly for the openings through which 5 such containers, drums, barrels, tanks, etc., may

be filled and emptied.

The present invention relates more particularly to openings and closure devices therefor which are to be repeatedly opened or closed, or in which the closure device is to be secured by screw threads or similar means.

In sheet metal containers, such as steel drums, barrels, tanks, sheet-metal cans, many means have been devised in the past for outlining the opening through the thin sheet-metal with a grommet-like thread-bearing member sometimes referred to as a flange or as a bushing, as shown for instance in the following patents: Nos. 473,495; 643,743; 689,896; 817,100; 1,486,374;

435; 1,901,196; 1,915,300; 1,982,144; 1,982,145; and 2,021,960. As the cost of production is frequently a vital :factor bearing upon the practicability of the device, particularly where the container. such as the sheet-metal drum; barrel, tank, or the like is likely to be used only once for the transportation or storage of the original contents, it is important to provide not only effective closure means, but also one which can be produced at low cost and which can be made produced at low cost and which can be made uniform by manufacturing operations not subject to failure.

Thus, as such closures for containers must be made in large quantities, it is important that the construction shall be one which will be dependable in mass production.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a so-called flange end closure for 0 sheet-metal containers, such as drums, barrels, tanks, etc., which will be bothdependable and will bear a low production cost, and in which the possibilities of failure either in the manufacture or in use of the device will be minimized.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear more fully from the following detailed description, the present invention contemplates a screw-threaded flange for the openings of sheet-metal containers, such as steel drums, barrels, etc., separate and distinct from the body metal of the container, and indeed of a metal different from the body metal and which is formed in a molten state directly upon the body metal of the container and surrounding its opening.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates casting a flange, in situ, directly to the opening in the body metal which is to serve as the filling or emptying opening of the container, and so interlocking the cast flange with the peripheral zone of the body metal as to forma firmunion therebetween.

The present invention further consists of other novel features, principles and details of construction all of which will appear more fully from the following detailed description.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawing forms thereof which are at present preferred, since the same have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized, and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary perspective cross-sectional view of the drum head and flange enclosure, representing one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 represents a cross-sectional view of a drum headand flange enclosure representing a somewhat modified form of the present invention.

Figure 3 represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified form of construction similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 represents a sectional view of a drum head and flange enclosure of still another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 represents a fragmentary perspective cross-sectional view of the drum head and flange illustrated in Figure 4, showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 represents a fragmentary cross secview of the inturned peripheral portion of the body metal in the embodiment shown in Figure 8, to show the notching thereof.

Figure represents a fragmentary cross-se- 5 tional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 11 represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 12 represents a fragmentary cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

The present invention contemplates forming a hole in the sheet metal of the head or body of the container. In the particular illustration shown the body sheet-metal or body metal is indicated as being that of the head or generally fiat end of the sheet-metal container, such as the drum, barrel, tank, can, etc., although it is to be understood that the present invention is equally applicable to openings in. the more or less cylindrical sides of such containers.

The opening indicated generally by the numeral 2i is first preferably prepared so as to present some interruptions in the continuity of the metal in the zone of the periphery of the opening 2i. Thus, for instance, the zone around the periphery of the opening may be perforated with a series of more or less staggered openings 22, or by more or less similar indentations or corrugations pressed into the body metal 20 in the peripheral zone 23 thereof. The width of such peripheral zone may be varied. Thus, it may be considerably narrower than that shown in Figure 1, as for instance, that shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9.

I then apply to the opening 2i in the body metal 20 a mold having a concavity or metalreceiving space of the cross-section and size of any of the flange, as for instance, those indicated in Figures 1 to 8, inclusive.

A relatively low melting-point alloy, consisting principally of zinc with variable amounts of aluminum, copper and magnesium and, optional- 1y, with some per centages of tin and antimony, is then poured or forced into the mold under pressure in a molten stage and at a sufllcient tem perature, so that it will flow freely and fill the mold completely and so that the screw threads 24 of. the flange, designated generally by the numeral 25 will be sharply and clearly defined and so that the metal will enter the interlocking interruptions, as for instance the holes 22 in the peripheral zone 23 of the body metal 20,

The construction of the molds and the manner of their application to the openings 2| in the body metal 20 is not here shown because this specification is intended to be addressed solely to the resultant product and the method of. making the 0 same (and not to the apparatus for making the same and not to the apparatus for the practice of the method). I

A low-melting point alloy composition for the flanges 25 may be represented by a composition of 90. to 95% zinc and about 2 to 5% aluminum,

1 to 4% copper and about .01 to .05% of magnesium. These proportions may be varied according to the degree of hardness and other qualities desired.

.The peripheral zone 23 of the body metal 20 or some part thereof is also preferably turned or pressed at an angle to the main part of the body metal in the manner indicated in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, so that an annular web designated gen- 7 erally by the numeral 26 is formed at an angle to the main part of the body metal 23 and extending more or less parallel to the imaginary cylinder which would be defined by the pitch line of the screw thread before. Thus, instead of merely having the body metal terminate in a plane opening as in Figure 10, the innermost portion of the peripheral zone of the body metal around the hole or opening 2i is either turned inwardly or outwardly. In the forms of construction shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and i 9, this peripheral portion is turned inwardly,

while in the form of construction shown in Figure 5, the web 26 is turned outwardly. It is to be understood that each of the various forms of webs shown in the several views such as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and that shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and that shown in Figures 8 and 9, can be turned outwardly instead of inwardly, as shown in these respective flgures;the difference being that the die-cast metal of the flange 25 will extend to engage such web.

In the forms of construction indicated in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 11, the web 26 is more or less crimped or corrugated with successive space portions 21 bent outwardly or inwardly and out of line with the rest of the web 26 in the manner shown in Figure 5 and indicated by the dotted lines in Figures 4, 6 and 11, so that the metal of the flange 25 which is cast in situ will follow these interruptions in the otherwise smooth periphery of the web so as to form an interlock therewith which will tend to prevent relative rotation between flange 25 and body 20.

Alternative to this crimping, holes 22 may be provided in the web 25, in the general manner indicated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and '7, through which the die-cast metal of the flange 25 extends.

As a further alternative, the web 26 may be notched as at 28 by cutting out small portions preferably at the same time the opening in the body metal is punched.

The flange 25 may be provided with a gasketseating surface, as for instance, the surface 29 against which the sealing gasket 30 may be pressed by the screw plug 3| in the manner indicated in Figure 2.

The gasket-seating surface may be recessed or lowered as at 32 in Figure 1 for reducing the distance to which the plug and final seal must project beyond the outer surface of the body metal 20.

Alternative to the seating of the gasket 30 upon the flange, the flange may be formed below the adjoining or contiguous outer surface 33 of the body metal as indicated in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, so that the gasket 30 may be pressed directly against the body metal, as shown particularly in Figures 4 and 5. By so providing a gasket seat on the body metal, the fluid-tight seal will not be affected by any possible cracking or fracture of the die-cast flange 25. Thus, for instance, in the forms of construction shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, the flange may become fractured anywhere throughout its periphery and may be broken completely through at one or more points without affecting the seal of the gasket 30 because the seal is made directly against a continuous and uninterrupted body metal surface 33. Thus, a fracture or breakage of the annular die-cast flange 25 at one or more points of its circumference will not release the plug 3i because the successive sections of the flange produced by such fracture will still be maintained by the web 26 as well as by the plug 3i. Thus,in addition to the interlocking between the die-cast metal of the flange 25 and the web 28, the plug 3| also tends to pull the flange 25 into tight contact with the body metal rather than to separate it therefrom.

If desired, as for instance, in the forms of construction shown in Figures 1, '2 and 3, as well as in the other form of construction, a nonmetallic or part-metallic sealing gasket 34 may be placed against the body metal and pressed against it and embedded partly in the die-cast metal so as further to insure a continuous fluidtight or gas-tight sealing between body metal and die-cast flange-metal. This gasket 34 may be of a fibrous material suitably impregnated and compressed. If desired, also, a narrow ring of fluid or plastic sealing compounds may be substituted in place of or added to augment the sealing gasket 34 and permitted to set or harden sufficiently prior to the application of the molten metal of the flange 25 so that the sealing compound will remain in place during the application of the molten metal and will seal againstboth the body metal as well as the die-cast metal.

Before the application of the molten metal to form the flange 25, the body metal (at least in the zone of the application of the flange metal) is preferably-cleaned of all scale. In this manner a substantial adhesion or union or metal-to-. metal bonding may be obtained between the molten flange metal and the body metal. This union or bonding may be further augmented or increased by initially turning or, cadmium or zinc-coating or plating the body metal in the zone where the flange is to be applied thereto. By increasing the union or the metal-to metal bonding between body metal and flange metal. the web interruptions indicated bythe apertures 22 and notches 21 and 28 may be reduced in number or extent or may be omitted.

I may, however, combine both' the metal-tometal bonding features hereinabove described with the web interruptions indicated by the apertures 22 or the notches 21 or 20. Such metalto metal bonding also tends to effect a fluid-tight or gas-tight seal between body metal and flange metal.

' After the plug 3| or the plug 25 is applied to the flange 25 and tightened in place, itmay be desirable to apply some tamper-proof or tamperindicating lock or sealing means, and as a further modification of the present invention, I contemplate casting a perforated lug I integrally with the flange 25, as for instance, shown in Figure 2 and provide a hole 31 through one comer of the plug, through which a sealing wire may be extended which is then threaded through the hole 20 in the lug l. A lead or other metallic seal may then be applied to the wire so as to prevent the unscrewingof the plug ll without detection. 1

By forming the flange-28 with an outer inclined or horizontal shoulder 38 or 40 (Figure 2 and Figure 3) .a crimped sheet metal sealing cap 4| may also be superimposed upon the plug, with its peripheral edge portion 42 crimped under the shoulder 20 or 40 by any suitable crimping tube, so as completely to prevent access to the plug Ii or 8| during transportation or storage. If

the flange II is provided with 9. lug 3| as indicatedin Figures 1 and 2., then the periphery of.

the cap 4| is cut out as at 4| sumciently to clear the I: 34-.

In crimped cap 4|. the crimped flange thereof is so opened up as to make its application impossible without detection.

If desired, a second gasket seat 45 may be provided for receiving a second gasket 46 between the flange 25 and the cap 4| in the manner indicated generally in Figure 1.

If it is desired to apply a sealing cap similar to the sealing cap 4| shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, to the form of construction in. which the main gasket seating surface 33 is on the body metal as shown in Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11, then the body metal may be pressed to form an annular inclined or undercut shoulder, either of the intemal form 41 as in Figures 4 and- 5, or of the external form 48 in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 11. The cap 4| of the general form shown in Figure 2 is then applied in the manner shown in Figure 6 with its crimped periphery 42 crimped directly against the under-cut shoulder 48 on the body metal. With the internal form of shoulder 41 the cap 4i is of the outwardly expanding type shown in Figure 4 with the peripheral portion 42 thereof spread outwardly either by initial tension or by spreading pressure applied vertically from above to an initially flared peripheral edge 42.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is hereby claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sheet-metal container having a relatively small opening formed in a wall'thereof, a metallic thread-carrying bushing of a lower melting point metal pressure-cast, in situ, outlining said opening and enveloping a peripheral zone of the sheet-metal side wall of said container adjacent said opening.

2. In a sheet-metal container having a relatively small opening formed in a wallthereof,

a metallic thread-carrying bushing of a lower immediately surrounding said opening and disposed. 'at least in part, in a plane different from that of the wall in which the opening is formed, so as to stiffen the peripheral zone of said open ing, an annular metallic thread-carrying bushing of a lower melting point metal. pressure-cast, in situ, outlining said opening and enveloping a peripheral zone of the sheet un'etal directly adjacent the periphery of said opening and confined to .the aforesaid stiifening acne, and keying recesses in the enveloped portion of said sheet-steel. v

HOWARD W. DOD SON.

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