US2801125A

US2801125A - Container

Info

Publication number: US2801125A
Application number: US540112A
Authority: US
Inventors: James A Page; Thomas B Nix
Original assignee: DELTA TANK Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: DELTA TANK Manufacturing Co Inc; DELTA TANK MANUFACTURING COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1955-10-12
Filing date: 1955-10-12
Publication date: 1957-07-30
Anticipated expiration: 1974-07-30

Description

July 30, 1957 J. A. PAGE Erm.

CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 12, 1955 I- u .|J| L\ HUHIUHHHHHH im ml H, L M INH Tiss |l INI J x \Q\ b WWMJMW wm um Jaw.

NIM um..

July 30, 1957 J. A. PAGE ET AL CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Shee't 2 Filed OCT.. l2, 1955 fije INVENTORS ATTORNEYS I Mm? July 30, 1957 J. A. PAGE ET AL 2,801,125

CONTAINER Filed oct. 12, 1955 s sheets-sheet s ATTORNEYl United states Patento CONTAINER James A. Page and Thomas B. Nix, Baton Rouge, La., assignors to Delta Tank Manufacturing Company, Inc., Baton Rouge, La., a corporation of Louisiana Application October 12, 1955, Serial No. 540,112

18 Claims. (Cl. 294-69) This invention relates to a container and more particularly relates to a large metal container for shipping and handling drilling mud, Portland cement, and similar'dryv pulverulent materials. i

In oil eld operations it is necessary to ship and handle large volumes of drilling mud quickly, economically, and without contamination of the mud with water or other materials. The containers used for this purpose must be sturdy, as light as possible, and susceptible of easy handlng and storage. emptied in a short period of time and there should be no tendency for the mud to stick within the container upon emptying.

According to this invention there is provided a light weight, rugged mud container which may be easily and quickly filled and emptied and sealed in a water tight condition. The container is so constructed that it may be readily and quickly stacked upon other similar containers by conventional container handling equipment without the necessity for accurately aligning `the/upper and lower containers. Quick opening upper and lower access openings are provided and each is'so constructed as to substantially eliminate water seepage into the container. A lsingle lever actuated lock is provided for the emptying door and Vprovision 4is made for latching the lock in a locking position. The bottom door is of an extremely rugged construction and contains bracing members which cooperate with the door lock. A drip lip is provided around the'lower door to prevent water or other uid seeping up into the'contaiuer.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved container for shipping and handling dry pulverulent materials in general and drilling mud in particular.

lt is another object of the invention to provide au improved metal container having quick opening upper and lower access openings with provisionsvfor substantially eliminating water seepage into the container.

It isanother Vobject of the invention to provide improved'metal containers which may be easily stacked with-v out the necessity of containers. p

-It is another object of the invention to provide an improved metal container for dry pulverulent materials which is so constructed as to prevent caking and packing of the pulverulent material and to promote rapid emptying.

lt is another object of the invention to provide an improved metal container for handling dry pulverulent ruaterials havinga self-latching lock on the bottom access opening.

lt is Vanother object of thev invention to provide an improved metal container for handling dry pulverulent materials having a quick opening lower access openinghaving a light weight sturdy closure door.

accurately vertically aligning the The containers must be easily lled andy proved metal container for handling dry pulverulent materials having an upper access opening which may be opened without the use of tools and which has a latch which continuously resiliently urges a closure member for said access opening into closing position.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and appended drawings wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a container constructed according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the container shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the container shown in Figure l;

Figure 4 isa vertical section ofthe upper closure of the container taken along the line 4 4 of VFigure 3;

Figure 5 is a detail vertical cross section taken along the 1ine`5-5 of Figure 3 showing the construction .of the upper closure of the container;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross section of details of the upper closure of the container taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 3; i

AFigure 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 2 showing details of the lower closure;

Figure 8 is a vertical section ofthe lower closure taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7; and

Figure9 isa vertical elevation showing details of the latch construction on the lower closure.

Referring to Figures l, 2 and 3 there is seen a container which consists of a rectangular'upper portion 6 and a wedge shaped lower portion 8. The upper portion 6 is comprised of side walls 10 and 12 which are joined to

end walls

14 and 16. The

end walls

14 and 16 extend straight down to form parallel walls of the lower portion 8, while the side walls 10 and 12 are bent inwardly approximately 30 degrees to form sloping

walls

18 and 20 defining the wedge shaped lower portion 8.

The upperends of the side and end walls are provided with inwardly directed

auges

24, 26, 28 and 30 which are diagonally cut at the edges and welded together along

seams

32, 34, 36 and 38. A square lid deck 40 having curvate depending flanges 42 is lwelded to -the wall anges 2430 to seal the container top. A pair of

lifting lugs

44 and 46 pass through apertures in the

flanges

28 and 30 and are welded to the inside ofv

end walls

14 and 16, to the

wall anges

28 and 30 to the flanges 42 of the lid deck 40.

Referring to Figure 4, the lid deck is provided with a centrally located aperture deined by a vertically upstanding flange member 52 which may either be formed as an integralk part of the lid deck or as a separate member welded to the lid deck as shown at 54. The opening formed by the upstanding flange 52 is closed by means of a lid 56 having a depending angeSS and a square end 60 and semi-circular end 62. A heavy pipe 64 is welded Iat 66 and 68 within the square end of the lid 56, as is best seen in Figure 5, and matching` apertures are provided in the depending flange 58 adjacent the ends of the pipe 64. A pair of L-

shaped brackets

70 and 72 are mounted on the lid deck 40 adjacent these apertures and the lid is hinged to the deck by means of a bar 74 which passes through the

brackets

70 and 72 and the pipe 64. A pair of

cotter pins

76 and 78 secure the bar 74 in position. A gasket 80 is mounted within the lid 56 and sealed against the upstanding ange 52.

v The lid 56 is locked by means of a latch 82 shown in detail in Figure 6. A bifurcated bracket 84 is Welded to the lid deck 40 adjacent the semi-circular end of the lid 56 and a bar 86 is pivotally carried by the bifurcated bracket 84. The bar 86 has an upstanding arm 88 secured thereto between the arms of the bifurcated bracket 84 and this arm passes through a slot 90 in a slotted bar 92 which is welded to the lid 56. The top end of the coil spring 98 in position.' VThe lower end of'the coil "spring 98 bears against a butterfly shaped handle 100 and forces the handle and lid 56 Vinto .a sealed closed position,

. The top *lid` 56 is unlatched by manually liftingtle` butterny handleVv 1G0 until the Varm 88 canfbepivloted to. the right beyondthe end of the slotted .barf92.-v No special tools arenec'essary' forl the imlatc'hing' operation which may. beV performedf' quite rapidly.Y VLatchin'g may.

also be performed .manually and the .spring 98 not only retains the'zhandle 10|)l din a1 lat'ching Vpositicui but also urges' the' :lid 56 into `lsealing`'erigagn'mnt with. the ange 5,2. Y 'i Y Referring to Figure 7 walls 18 andr20are bent nearthebottom,thereoftoforrn verticabwall sections I 102 and"A 10"4"^AY pair ofY acute angle membersv- 106and 10.84 are; welded' to thelvertical members `'102.11m 104. a; 1110 112 1121. and `116 :te .feria extensions. of the sloping "'rnember'sjllfandl 20 l.and-to denne anelongated dischargey op4 i J members 102 and 104e`xte" tions `118and. 120 of the acu Y l 108 and a gaslret122 ofsome'suitable.materiahfsuchas b l t ehorizontalpor- Vfoam rubberisfmounted within the'` diainbier'thusforme'd., A bottom Ydoor 124 having. depending.,flanges.Y .126 f isV mounted with' vhe lower mo"jedgesifthelverticalwalls 102 Yand i'tltlaga'insrt the gas a hinge 'memberl which.y mates .With hinge. member 136 weldedto 'the verticahmember ,1.104.. hinge'fpin;

13s joins the hinge.members V1214- ,and .is'siop'rdvde la h inged'mounting rfor the bottom door 124..

Itjwill befnoted that the' upper surface of the bottom door; 24 m'eet'sr' the gasketl 122 within'a recessedrarea` if will b' geen that sipping asomanV the handle 162 when the latter is in the downward posii tion shown in Figure 9. When it is, desired to unlatch the hooks the handle 162 is rotated upwardly until it clears the stop 164 whereupon the latching bar 156 may be shifted to the left untilrit clears the support lug 142.

utilized to rotate the pipe 150. so as to movethe hooksV 146 to an unlatched position.

'I'he hooked ends 148 of the hooks 146 engage a pair Y of bars 166 fwhich are carried withinchannel shaped members 168 as shown in Figure 8. The channel shaped members 168 consists of a pair of

side walls

170 and 172 which are joined by a web`17f4. The

sides

170 and 172 extend through a slot in the ange 127 Von the door 124 and are provided withwider sections 176:whichpv abut ngled ymembers 106and y A l other end vof the

ban

16,6 extends past theflange127 on. thebottom door 124-between thewalls 170. and '.172 and .assiststhe walls inV providing Vabracing.l member: for the:

above tlieplower edges of the vertical membersf102-and 1 104'; tfhas beenwfoundV that where'the gasket isjcontained onta horizontal surface'open to theelements water is heldr'on the surfaplcenbyv surface tension in considerable quantitles with a. tendency to seepy intov the container. Smce the material in the container normally has a very high ainity'for water thisltendency is augmented and largel quantities of. waternare frequently drawn into'the container sol as to render thepulverulent material therein too'- wet to empty satisfactorily. upon reaching its ,destinationzThe structurey Vshown in Figure7 provides Va i drip 11pV ln'the form of thel lowerl edges of the vertical l members vf102 w'and1104 21nd, ."since the: annular clearance around therdoor and below therg'asket is in aver/tical p0;

orto remain there, if byY chance it does enter. 'The gasket is'located inaprotected corner which tends yto prevent mechanical damageu'and maybe cemented into position instead lof requiring' Y 'nnechaiiicalv fastening.

x`Tlielatch for the bottomQdoor is shownin Figures 7V and-9 and vconsists of Va hooks bar 140 earried by a pair of supportllugsj142. mountedradjac'ent oppositel ends oflthe vertical member102'. vSinceFigufr'e 9 shows v(only one K.

half of thelocking arrangement 4only one'y Vsupportlug.142 is shown. The other half 'of the locking system `-is identi-` cal tojthat vshown in Figure 9 eXceptthatltheY-safety latch is komittredj The hook ba'r140 is secured in position by means Yof apair'of cotter pins 1t44 and carries abearing. pipe' ,150 'uponvwhichare mounted a pair of hooks1146 f having hookfshaped lowerends'148. Avhandle 152 is welded y,tothe pipe. `5approi`imately midway between the hooks 146'a'nd provides aY single means for operating .g

both ht'J'oksfasl a uniL.

The `pipe 1504s provide@ with a guide lug .1s`41w1`1ich. slidably carries oneend of a latch bar 156-.- Theother bar'f15`6intermediate its ends anda st0pmember164- is `Qnfilgnlnted*[on'the vertical'memberY102Y where it engages. T16

against the underside ofA the, door;124; and.a.lso.. against theback flange126 The exterior end ofthe bar4 166.y

has a rounded undersurface 178 whichco-operateswith the .hook 148and aroundedupper surface.;180.f The door. The web member174v inthechannel shaped member 168 stops short of the outerend Aof the. channel shaped -memberat 182,` to clear thehookedportion .148 .ofthe I hook, 146,V The'side llplateslm. and.172 serveas side.

stops for the hook to prevent its slipping oifftheedge of the bar 166 when the loaded container isdropped on one ccnjner.v Since the containeris relatively flexible and, is

ysubjectedito very severe handlingthis featurehas been found desirable to prevent inadvertent unlocking-with a resultinggspillage of thecontainer. contents.v

p Referring to `Figlres l and 2 itiwill be seenthat the 1 `container body is provided with angle .iron support mem-il bers 184,186 and 188. at the. fourcorners thereof andi.

these l are weldedto the body just above -the slopingpor-A

vertical walls

102 and 104 of Ythelower portion vof the container body. The lowermost edges 196.. and 198 of A the

braces

192 and 194 are below the lowermostA portion of the. bottom door 124 so that;ifthe container is setiL upon Va support whichjisnarrowerthan the spacing be-V tween the horizontal angle `irons 190 and. :191.the .door

is prot ected from damage. The edges 196 andf198 form convenient engaging surfaces fortheforksoffa conven "tional rfork lift to permit easy handling ofthe container'.V

without dama ge tol its lower door.

The transverse vspacing between the horizontalangles 19,0 an'd 191 isY such that oneptcontainer may be. stackedabove the other withpthe .roundedanges 42;.of thelid t jdeck 40 guiding the legs into position. In order;to.stack r the containers a fork lift'truck is driven against thecontainer body'with thel tines of the forkenga-ging the lower edges 196 and 198 of plates 192 and 194.; The container is then lifted to a suicient heights and is deposited uponV *the top of asimilar `container with the rounded edges 42 of the lid `deck 40 lguiding the horizontal bars 190 .and

191 into position. l A seat for the stacking legsis .thus provided at'moderate cost without objectionable projecf. tions `and does not interfere withthe tines of the forklift truck during stacking. It is a simple matter for a single operator to position one container upon another. since it is not necessary to exactly locate the upper containerinv vertical Aalignment with the lower. Due to the Weight of a loaded container, Vusually around'several tons, it is not feasible to stack the containers whenthey are loaded, y.

and since empty containers are returned on the same type barges that deliver the filled containers, there is no necessity to stack the containers in transit. It is, however, important to be able to stack the empty containers to conserve yard space. Since the containers only have to stacked in an empty condition it has been found unnecessary to prevent slippage except from side to side and the same lid deck which accomplishes this function also guides the uppercontainer into position as a means of speeding and stacking operation.

The particular shape of the lower portion of the container body, viz. the two vertical side walls and two sloping sides inclined at an angle of no more than approximately 60 with respect to one another, forms an important feature of the invention. It has been found that where the bottom of a container is conical or pyramidal in shape a wedging action occurs which causes arching of the material so that it is very ditlcult to empty the container contents. The action is often so pronounced that the material directly above the discharge opening falls out making a hole through the material from bottom to top but leaving compacted material all around forming vertical walls. The problem is elfectively solved through the use of the two straight sides in conjunction with the sloping sides. With this construction as the bottom door opens the portion of the material above the opening falls out and there are thereafter two separated and unsupported portions of the material above the sloping sides which continue to fall free. It has been found that in order to obtain this action the angle between the sloping walls 18- and 20 should not exceed approximately 60.

-lIvt will be -apparent from the foregoing that containers constructed vaccording to this invention are sturdy, rela- -tively light in weight and capable of quick filling and emptying by means of quick opening closures. The containers are capable of ready stacking and may be handled by a single operator with a conventional fork lift truck. The container is shaped -to prevent sticking and packing of its contents and is provided with an emptying door which is mounted to prevent seepage into the containers.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A container for pulverulent materials comprising a container body having a top, a iirst pair of parallel walls joined to said top, a second pair of parallel walls joined to said top and to said iirst walls and having inwardly sloping lower portions joined to said iirst walls, an access opening and closure in said top, an access opening and closure at the bottom of said body, the sealing surface of the closure for said lower access opening being recessed above the lowermost portions of the structure defining said opening, a plurality of legs joined to the corners of said body above said sloping portions and extending down beyond said sloping portions and said lower closure, and a raised central deck joined to said top by curved wall sections to dene a border around said deck for receiving the legs of another similar container.

2. A container for pulverulent materials comprising a pair of parallel side walls, a pair of parallel end walls connected to said side walls, each of said walls having an inwardly directed flange at the upper end thereofg a substantially rectangular inverted dished top comprlsing a at portion having a curved flange depending therefrom, the edge of said curved ange being attached. to said flanges on said walls, an opening in said at portlon and a. lid therefor hinged to said dat portion, lnwardly sloping wall portions at the lower ends of said side walls portions of said walls, and parallel legs extending downwardly from the junction of said sloping wall portions and said parallel side walls, said legs extending beyond said closure door and being spaced to seat on the iiange of a similar container in contact with its curved ange.

3. A container as set out in claim 2 wherein the angle between said sloping wall portions is no greater than approximately 60 degrees.

4. A container as set out in claim 2 wherein the lower ends of said legs are joined by parallel members spaced to lie on the ange of a similar container in contact with its curved ange.

5. A container as set out in claim 2 including braces extending between said sloping walls and said legs.

6. A container as set out in claim 5 wherein the lower surfaces of said braces are above the lower ends of said legs and below the lower surface of said door.

7. A Ycontainer comprising a body having a rectangular upper portion and a lower portion V-shaped at opposite sides thereof, an access opening and closure in the top of said upper portion, an access opening and closure in the bottom of said lower section, the sealing surface of the closure for said lower access opening being recessed above the lowermost portions of the structure 'dening said opening, a plurality of legs joined to said rectangular upper portion and extending below said lower portion, and braces extending between each of said legs and said V-shaped lportionthe lowermost surfaces of said braces being above the lower ends of said legs and below said lower access opening.

8. In a container comprising a body having a rectangular upper portion and a generally wedge-shaped lower portion symmetrical with the central vertical axis of said container and defining an elongated opening in the bottom thereof extending substantially completely across said container, said opening having a greater length than width, and an access opening and closure in the top of said upper portion; a door hinged to one of the long sides of the structure defining said elongated opening and closing said opening, the upper surface of said door being recessed above the lowermost portion of the structure dening said opening, shaft means pivotally mounted on said container adjacent the structure defining the other long side of said elongated opening, a plurality of spaced hooks mounted on said shaft means and engageable with said door for clamping said door in a closed position, handle means attached to said shaft means for moving said hooks in unison, and latch means associated with said shaft means and slidable parallel to said shaft means to engage a member ixed to said container for locking said hooks in a door clamping position, said shaft means and hook means underlying said rectangular upper portion of said container.

9. A container as set out in claim 8 wherein said shaft means comprises a tube mounted on a rod fixed to said container.

l0. A container as set out in claim 9 wherein said latch means comprises a latching bar carried by said tube for sliding movement through an aperture in one of said hooks into engagement with said member fixed to said container.

1l. A container as set out in claim l() lwherein said wedge shaped lower portion of said container has an abutment thereon below said latching bar and extending past a vertical center line through said latching bar, and a handle extending from said latching bar, said .latching bar being rotatable, said handle engaging and being h eld by said abutment when said latching bar is in a latchlng position and said handle extends downwardly.

l2. A container as set out in claim 9 wherein said rod 7 1 is carriedbysupport lugs on'said container, said latching meansfcomprisin'g ag'uide ele'rei onn saidV tube and a.

and ioe of` said hooks Vfor" engage'nieiit withVA an"apertre inonev of said' support lugs.'

' underside of said door, and plate members attacherdto the Ysidesfof saidbaanddepending therefrom, said hooks passing betviveen said kplate "members'when said door is clamped closedby' Said hooks. Y v Y, p

` 16/- A coiitainerfrpulverulentnaterials'comprising 'acontairierbody' having a top, a rst 'pair` of substantially parallelwallsjo'ined to'said "top, a yseeond pairof substau'tillyW paralleltwalls 'joined'to said top and to 'said 'st Walls Iard `having Vinwardly sloping lowerv portions joined'to said first walls, an'aecess openirgand closure nfsaid'topfanaec'ess opening-and closureat thebott'orn Y ofsaid 'body,the sealing surface of Vthe closure for said lowenaccess' "opening being Yrecessed above the lowermoetV portionsfof 'the structure delnng said opening, a pliralityiof leg's joined rto the cornersof said body above said Aslopingfporti'ons and extecli'ngdowiiy beyond said4 sloping .portions and 'said lower clos'lre,`a pair of parallel Cms bars J'Qim'lg. th? 19W@ ende 0f sadlegs, andarais'ed; cerial decs joined@ Said top, by depending anges ,tog dnelletweeniSadfagges anqlsaidwau surfaces, for reeeifingv and positioning the'ross bars offa similarcoufVr tal-mii? 5,1,

.5 f=-f-`-i Vl7. A',container as setout in .claim 16 including ,bracesextending between jeaclrJ of saidlegs arid-y said yWalls sub'.- 1 stantially perpendicularvv tosaid l cross bars; the;loivve'rmost surfaces of said` braces bein'gabove the, lower ends ofV sid legs and below said lower aceessopening; t Y

18. A container as'setout/in'claim l7'wherein said braces comprise plates attached to said le'gs adeto'fsaid" Iinwardly sloping portions of said Walls(4 1 1,109,828 Goff l l sepas; 19141, 1,226,597 Re Y May 15,1917, 1,847,516 j Knepper" 1 Mar. 1, .1932 1,995,939 ostenmk Mar. 26, 19,35 2,036,170, Fildese; Maf; 31,' 1936V 2,063,650 woodrfff r r r D'ejc. 8,1936 2,076,608;`V Vifi/oceanie 1\pr.13,19375j 2,126,'949' YDitcheid 1 Aug, 16, 19,38 2,209,115; Fitzgerald' July 23,1940 25063481 Woodruff' Dee, 22,1942

Y 2,324,356" BrownI 111 T 1 July 13, 1943v 2,333,879;v "ocennor Y Nov. 9, 1943 2,336,566' 1 P11nitzl k 1 r Dee.11,1%3;V 2,556,3'5'41 wiliiamson etal. June 12,1951 2,580,877 Barnard 1 f 1 12111.11952 2,663,268' p