US2339255A - Fluid-tight closure means - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 18, 1944. H. w. DODSON FLUID- TIGHT CLOSURE MEANS Filed Sept. 18, 1940 2 Sheets -Sheet l INVENTOR. j iowdrz? H-DOJS'OIL 4:7TORNEY.

Jan. 18, 1944. H. w. DODSON FLUID TIGHT CLOSURE MEANS Filed Sept. 18; 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HbwOJZYDZ DOJJOH w 7 92 5 m 2 zwwl 1 W 6 z 3 4 l MZHH gm. 4 9 R v 5. H\ M m mm I 3% 1 4 5 J ma 1 3w 0 1 Patented Jan. 18, 1944 FLUID-TIGHT CLOSURE MEANS Howard W. Dodson, Aidan, Pa., assignor by mesne assignments, to United Steel Barrel Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application September 18, 1940, Serial No. 357,205

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful closure means for the openings of metallic containers, such as steel drums, barrels, tanks or the like.

For th purpose of illustrating the invention, there isshown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, since the samehave 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 arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate lik parts.

Figure 1 represents an enlarged fragmentary sectional perspective view showing the inwardlyextending flanged body metal portion of one embodiment of the present invention, shown prior to the casting of a bushing therearound.

Figure 2 represents a view showing the inwardly-extending flanged body metal portion enveloped by the bushing which has been cast in situ therearound.

Figure 3 represents an enlarged view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the assembled closure means, with the closure-plug portion thereof being wire-sealed for tamper-indicating purposes.

Figure 4 represents a view similar to that shown in Figure 3, but showing the closure-plug provided with alternative tamper-indicating means,

comprising a relatively rotatable thin sheet-metal seal cap secured to the plug.

Figure 5 represents, on a much reduced scale, a. perspective view looking down at the top end of a cylindrical container having closure means constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 6 represents a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on line 5--6 of Figure 5.

In the embodiments of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. th numeral l0 represents the wall of a sheet metal container in the vicinity of an opening I I, through which opening the container may be filled or emptied. This opening I I may be formed on any desired portion of the container, as for example on an end Wall of the container, or on a flat or cylindrical side wall thereof, or the like.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, the body metal of the container wall In in the vicinity of the opening H is flanged inwardly relative to the container to provide an inwardlyextending integral generally cylindrical flange portion l2 bordering the opening. A series of anti-rotational, preferably well-defined, projections l3 integral with the flange l2 may be provided at suitable intervals along the innermost edge of said flange for the purpose of providing keying or gripping surfaces which will prevent rotation or loosening of die-cast bushing H, which is subsequently cast in situ around the body metal flange [2. These keying projections i3 may be transversely bent into a plane inter secting the axis of the opening, as for example radially inwardly as illustrated in Figure 1, thereby further to prevent axial movement of the subsequently cast-ln-situ bushing [4 relative to.

the body metal flange l2.

Flange portion I2 and its associated anti-rotational projections l3 may be formed in any suitable manner, as for example by being drawn or bent into their desired ultimate shape by multi-step die-means or the like.

The cast bushing I4 which is to envelop the body metal elements I! and I3 may then be diecast in situ of molten metal difiering from the body metal of the container, and preferably having a lower melting point than said body metal.

This may be done in any suitable manner, as for example by employing a sectional mold having a metal-receiving concavity corresponding to the desired shape and size of the bushing M. This sectional mold may be applied to the body metal bordering the opening II, with the elements I2 and I3 projecting into the metal-receiving space of the mold. The molten metal, at a temperature sumciently high to insure proper fluidity, may then be poured or forced or injected into said space under high pressure, enveloping the elements I! and I3 and filling all the unoccupied space in said mold. The molten metal is then caused or permitted to harden, and the sectional mold withdrawn, whereupon the cast bushing I4 is left outlining the container opening; said bushing being in continuous intimate contact with the body metal flange l2 and projections l3, and securely fixed against movement relative thereto.

A suitable low melting point metal composition from which the bushing l4 may be cast, may comprise an alloy including approximately to of zinc, about 5% of aluminum, about 1 to 4% of copper, and about 0.1 to .05% of magnesium. The foregoing proportions, and also the constituent elements of the composition, may

be varied or changed in accordance with the different degrees-of hardness or other qualities desired.

Prior to the application of the mold to the body metal bordering the container opening, the body metal, at least in the zones thereof which the molten metal will subsequently come in contact with, is preferably cleaned of any scale or dirt that may be present, so as to improve the character of the union or bond between the'die-cast metal and the body metal. If desired, the union or bond may be further improved by preliminarily coating or plating the container body metal, at least in the zones to which the molten metal is subsequently to be applied, with cadmium or zinc. In any event, the molten metal upon hardening will be continuously bonded to the enveloped metal.

The upper or exposed end of the cast bushing l may bear a generally flat, annular end-surface l8, which is contiguous to and meets the exposed outer surface of the body metal at the meeting or junction zone II. If desired, this cast'metal surface l8 may extend in direct continuation of and indeed in the same plane as the adjacent exposed or outer surface of the wall body metal.

The bushing II is preferably cast with a sharply-deflned internal screw-thread l5 therein, for holding a threaded closure plug. If desired, however, the bushing may have its internal screwthread l5 cut therein after the bushing has been cast.

A screw-threaded metal closure plug or bung l8 may then be screw-threadedly engaged with the bushing H, to close the opening outlined by said bushing. This closure plug l8 may be formed in any suitable manner, as for example by being cast or pressed into shape. The external thread IQ of this closure plug may either be cast into the plug, or it may be cut into the wall thereof after the plug has been formed.

The closure plug I8 is preferably provided with a laterally extending annular flange 20, whose lower surface 2| is in juxtaposition to the bushing end-surface l8 and also overhangs or overlaps the junction zone I! where the end-surface of the cast metal of the bushing meets the outer surface of the body metal of the container. ,An annular sealing gasket or washer 22, which may be formed of natural or synthetic rubber or of any other suitable gasket material, covers this junction zone l1, and is pressed down tightly thereagainst by the flange-surface 2| when the closure plug I8 is screwed tightly into the bushing ll. Thus, as illustratedin Figures 3 and 4, the closure plug l8, when screwed into the bushing I 4, compresses the sealing gasket or washer 22 forcing it tightly against the junction zone H, with the gasket.material being tightly pressed against both the cast metal surface [6 radially inwardly of the junction zone I! and against the adjoining outer surface of the body metal radially outwardly of the junction l1.

By virtue of the foregoing construction, the washer or gasket 22 performs the dual function of sealing against escape of contained liquidor fluid between the engaged plug it and bushing l4, and also of sealing against escape of liquid or v through the closure means, and provides an excellent and yet inexpensive fluid-tight seal.

The effectiveness of the fluid-tight seal realizable with the closure means of the present in- 5 ventlon'is attributable in large measure to the continuous close bond between bushing metal and container metal (derived by casting the bushing in situ), coupled with the placement of gasket 22 over the Junction zone I! so that the same gasket seals against possible leakage not only between closure plug and bushing, but also between the bushing and the body metal embedded therein.

The closure plug l8 may be recessed as at 22 and inside this recess 23 may be disposed a diametrically-extending web of metal 24, preferably integral with the plug metal, to provide seizure means whereby the closure plug I8 may be forcibly tightened or loosened. Thus, the end 01' any suitable tool or implement, as for example a wrench or a pair of pliers, may be operatively inserted into the plug recess 22 and engaged with the diametrically-extending metal web 24, and then turned in the desired direction thereby to loosen or tighten the closure plug as the case may be. The provision of the recess 23 enables the seizure-means 24 to be disposed inside the body of the plug, thereby reducing the extent to which the plug must project beyond the container wall I 0.

It is to be expressly understood that, if desired, other types of bungs or closure plugs may be employed in lieu of the illustrated plug i8.

If desired, tamper-indicating means may be 85 associated with the closure plug to detect unauthorized opening of the container closure means. In Figure 3, the closure plug I8 is shown wire-sealed, with the sealing wire 25 being looped through a hole 26 in the closure plug and an aperture 21 in a lug 28 welded to the container wall I 0. The end portions of the sealing wire 25 are permanently gripped by a lead or other metallic seal 29, thereby making it impossible to rotate the closure plug l8 without breaking the sealing-wire 25.

In the particular embodiment illustrated in in Figure 4, the closure plug l8 in lieu of being wire-sealed is instead provided with a thin sheetmetal seal cap 30 which may be manually applied thereto. This seal cap 30 may comprise a flat disc end portion adapted to cover the outermost end of the closure plug l8, and a downtumed peripheral side flange-portion 3| whose lowermost margin 32 may be turned inwardly and crimped around the lower edge of a prongbearing strip of metal 33 placed against the inner surface of the cap side-wall 3|, thereby permanently to retain said strip 33 in position. This inner strip of metal 38 bears a series of inwardlyextending downwardly-inclined spring prongs 24 struck therefrom, the upper ends of which are adapted obstructedly to engage the radially outermost marginal portion of the gasket-compressing plug shoulder 2 I.

The seal cap 30 may be manually snapped onto the closure plug l8, and once it has been applied thereto it cannot be removed therefrom without destroying or visibly damaging the cap. Thus, once the upper ends of the spring prongs 34 have moved past and cleared the lower corner of the plug-flange 20, they spring radially inwardly into obstructing relation to the shoulder 2|, and thereafter effectively resist all efforts to remove the seal cap without detection.

The seal cap 30 may be peripherally weakened or scored along the corner 35, as shown, to facilitate destruction of the cap when it is desired to obtain access to the closure plug l3.

Any attempt to unscrew the closureplug [8 Without r m vin the seal cap 30 will be futile, because the cap 30 is loosely rotatable on the closure plug l8 and will merely rotate freely thereon. Furthermore, if substantial pressure should be applied to the thin sheet-metalcap 30, it will necessarily become visibly deformed, thus indicating that it has been tampered with.

In Figures and 6, the closure means illustrated in Figure 4 is shown centrally disposed on a transversely-extending end-awl of a cylindrical container. The major plane of this endwall 36 is preferably disposed a relatively substantial distance inwardly of the uppermost transverse edge 4| of the container. The endwall 36 may be peripherally joined to the container cylindrical side-wall 31 in any suitable manner, as for example by being peripherally welded thereto, or by having its marginal portion lapped over the marginal portion of the side-wall and then crimped therewith downwardly and outwardly to form the beaded seam 38.

A portion of end-wall 36 in the vicinity of the container opening, preferably of limited area, may be pressed outwardly as at 39 to protrude beyond the major plane of end-wall 36, so that the inwardly-extending bushing ll at the opening will not extend inwardly beyond the major plane of end-wall 36, all as illustrated in Figure 6. By virtue of this construction, the container may be inverted and substantially all of its liquid contents drained through the container opening (shown occupied by the closure plug, in Figure 6), with the drainage-obstructing effect of bushing l4 being confined to the small body of'liquid in the relatively limited trough-like space 40.

By having the major plane of end-wall 36 disposed a relatively substantial distance inwardly of the container rim ll, the closure plug l8 will not protrude beyond said rim when engaged in the bushing, notwithstanding the presence of the protuberant zone 33, thus making it possible for the container to be handled and even inverted without damaging the closure means.

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, an annular inwardly extending flanged portion at said opening integral with the wall body metal.

a plurality of peripherally spaced projections formed at the inner end of said annular flanged portion and extending generally perpendicularly 6 thereto, a thread-bearing bushing of a. lower melting point metal, pressure-cast in situ, enveloping said flanged portion and said projections and outlining said opening, said bushing having an end surface contiguous to andin substantially 10 direct continuation of the adjacent outer surface of the wall body metal, an annular sealing gasket overlapping the junction zone of said surfaces. and a screw-threaded closure plug engaged with said bushing and pressing said gasket tightly against said junction zone.

2. In a sheet metal container having a relatively small opening formed in a wall thereof, an annular inwardly extending flanged portion at said opening integral with the wall body metal,

said flanged portion having keying means associated therewith, said keying means extending generally transversely of said annular flanged portion, a die-cast bushing. cast in situ, enveloping said flanged portion and said keying means and outlining said opening, an annular sealing gasket overlapping the junction between body metal and cast metal, and a closure element firm ly engaged with said bushing and pressing said gasket tightly against said'junction.

3. In a sheet metal container having a relatively small opening formed in a wall thereof, an annular inwardly extending flanged Portion at said opening integral with the wall body metal, said annular flanged portion having a plurality of projections formed integrally therewith and generally angularly related thereto, a threadbearing bushing of a lower melting point metal,

said opening integral with the wall body metal.

a projection formed .at the lower end of said annular flanged portion and extending generally radially therefrom, a thread-bearing bushing of a lower melting point metal, pressure-cast in situ,

enveloping said flanged portion and outlining said opening, an annular sealing gasket in contact with the outer surface of said body metal along an annular zone encircling said opening, and a screw-threaded closure plug engaged with said bushing and pressing said sealing gasket tightly against said outer surface of the body metal.

HOWARD W. DODSON.

ing, an annular sealing gasket overlapping the-

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