US3355049A

US3355049A - Barrel

Info

Publication number: US3355049A
Application number: US457317A
Authority: US
Inventors: Terence M Nolan; Jr David J Trevarrow
Original assignee: Kelsey Hayes Co
Current assignee: Kelsey Hayes Co
Priority date: 1965-05-20
Filing date: 1965-05-20
Publication date: 1967-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-11-28

Description

BARREL T. M. NOLAN ETAL Filed May 20, 1965 Nov. 28, 1967 Wm a T l a United States Patent C) 3,355,049 BARREL Terence M. Nolan, Philadelphia, and David J. Trevarrow,

Jr., Maple Glen, Pa., assignors to Kelsey-Hayes Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed May 20, 1965, Ser. No. 457,317 2 Claims. (Cl. 220-5) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application disc-loses an improved barrel construction comprised of a thin wall sheet metal container having resilient elastomer shock supports at its opposite ends. These shock supports extend radially beyond the outer shell of the container and beyond the container end walls to preclude damage to the container under rough handling conditions.

This invention relates to a container and more particular-1y to a barrel formed as a composite structure.

It is desirable to form a container from as thin a material as practical to reduce the cost of the container and to minimize its weight. Thin wall containers are normally formed with flanges or chines at their ends to reinforce the structure and to provide a support for the container.

A barrel is a typical example of a container construction wherein chines or flanges are formed at the ends to provide a supporting portion and to reinforce the ends of the container. Since heads of a barrel are generally not flat, it is impossible to support the barrel directly upon their heads.

The provision of reinforcing and supporting chines at the ends of containers, particularly barrels, has several disadvantages. If the container is re-used frequently, the chines will become bent due to careless handling and the entire barrel becomes useless unless it can be repaired. In addition, the formation of the chines at the ends of the barrel adds to the barrel cost since additional forming operations are required. If the barrel is formed from a corrosion resistant material, as is necessary in the transportation of certain fluids, the chines normally are formed from the same material, even though the corosion resisting properties are not required at the chines. If different metals are used, expensive welding techniques are required to weld the chine to the corrosion resistant shell.

In certain types of barrels supporting flanges are sup ported at the ends of the barrel and flange-like rings are formed in the sides of the barrel so that it may be rolled. The supporting flanges and rolling flanges normally are formed integrally with the shell of the barrel and hence cause the internal surface of the barrel to be other than a smooth surface free of discontinuities. The alteration of the internal shape of the barrel has several undesirable results.

Since a barrel is a pressure vessel, it should be formed in such a way as to eliminate stress concentrations. The supporting and rolling flanges, however, create such stress concentrations. The irregular internal shape also makes the container more diflicult to clean if it is to be re-used. For some applications the container is provided with an internal coating, and it is difficult to obtain a uniform coating on the irregular surface. The shape of the supporting flanges normally is such that it is difficult to stack the barrels other than directly upon each other in either a vertical or horizontal position.

It is, therefore, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved container construction.

3.35am Patented Nov. 28, 1967 It is a further object of this invention to provide a container with supporting and rolling flanges that has a continuous inner surface.

As has been noted, containers are subjected to severe handling when being loaded or unloaded. It is not uncommon for a container to be thrown onto the ground from the bed of a truck. Although the container may be thrown onto a pad, it has a tendency to bounce, particularly if it is formed from metal. The high resilience of metals causes the containers to bounce and aggravates the damage to the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container having shock absorbing chines for supporting the container.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a barrel having replaceable shock supports.

It is an even further object of this invention to provide a barrel having resilient end supports.

A container embodying this invention comprises a sidewall and at least one end wall aifixed to the sidewall. The container is formed of substantially thin wall construction and has no reinforcing chines at the juncture between the side and end Walls. A resilient shock support is affixed to one of the walls and extends past the end wall to support the container.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds particularly when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a barrel embodying this invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a view taken generally in the direction of the line 22 of FIGURE 1 showing portions in section and other portions in plan view.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a composite barrel embodying this invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11. The barrel 11 comprises a shell 12, a pair of resilient annular end shock supports 13 and 14, and a pair of resilient roll rings 15.

The shell 12 is formed of a thin wall construction and may be formed of a corrosion resisting material such as stainless steel or from a plastic, but is preferably in sheet form. Other suitable materials also may be employed depending upon the particular application. .The shell 12 comprises a generally cylindrical center band 16 to which is secured an elliptical head 17 having a flange 18 that is welded around its periphery to one end of the center band 16, as by a weld 19. The opposite end of the center band 16 is closed by a head 21 having a flange 22 that is welded around its periphery to the other end of the center band 16, as by a weld 23. A bung plate 24 is provided at any suitable location in the center band 16. A tap plug 25 is formed in the head 21 which may be considered the upper head or end of the barrel 11. It will be noted that the shell 12 is not provided with any reinforcing flanges or supporting chines adjacent the juncture between the heads 17 and 21 and the center band 16. The internal surface of the shell is free of discontinuities due to the use of the elliptical heads and cylindrical center bands and thus no stress concentration areas are present. In addition, the smooth uninterrupted internal surface of the shell 12 permits it to be cleaned readily the area adjacent the weld between the head flange and the center band 16. The portion 26 extends to a point adjacent to the weld 19 and extends circumferentially around the flange 18. A depending skirt portion 27 extends from the head 17 and forms an annular supporting surface 28 that is spaced from a lateral plane including the outermost extremity of the head 17 so that when the barrel 11 is stored in a vertical position, it will be supported upon the surface 28 without any contact of the head 17 with the floor on which the barrel is stored. An outer periphery 29 of the shock support is also spaced radially outwardly from the flange 18. The surface 29 provides some lateral support for the end of the barrel 11 if it is being rolled on its edge or if it is desired to tip it over on its side.

The roll rings 15 have an outer periphery 31 of a generally cylindrical shape that extends past the surface 29 of the shock supports 13 and 14. When the barrel 11 is in a horizontal position, it may be rolled along the cylindrical surface 31 of the roll rings 15. The roll rings 15 may be formed from an elastomer material such as rubber and have a cylindrical inner surface 32 that contacts the shell 16 around its periphery.

The roll rings 15 and shock supports 13 and 14 may be secured, by bonding, to the shell 12 or may be vulcanized to it. It is preferable to vulcanize at least the shock supports 13 and 14 to the shell. Since they are of an elastomer material, they will not readily become damaged. If they should become damaged, however, they can readily be replaced without necessity of replacement of the entire barrel. The shock supports 13 and 14 are connected to the shell 12 over a relatively large surface. Any impact forces that are transmitted through the shock supports 13 and 14 to the shell 12 by dropping of the barrel 11 will thus be reduced to unit loadings which may be readily absorbed by the shell 12 without permanent deformation of it. The shock supports 13 and 14 and roll rings 15 additionally protect the entire periphery of the shell 12 including the bung plate 24 so that damage will not occur regardless of how the barrel 11 may be dropped.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock supports 13 and 14 are formed from an 80 durometer rubber and the roll rings 15 are formed from a 60 durometer rubber. If the barrel 11 is unloaded from a truck by dropping it onto the ground, the elastomer shock supports 13 and 14 will absorb the impact loading and prevent excessive bouncing of the barrel 11 in addition to protecting the shell 12 from damage, in the manner previously described. The supporting surface 28 also covers a sufiicient area to permit convenient stacking of the barrels.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiments of the invention disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change Without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A barrel comprising a generally cylindrical center band, first and second generally elliptical heads affixed to each end of said center band around its circumference, said center band and said heads being formed of a generally thin sheet metal construction devoid of reinforcing chines at the juncture of said heads with said center band, and a pair of elastomer shock supports, each of said elastomer shock supports being comprised of a generally cylindrical skirt portion aflixed at one of its ends to a respective one of said heads adjacent the juncture of said one head with said center band, each of said skirt portions terminating at its other end in a generally circular supporting surface spaced from the respective head, the outer periphery of each of said skirt portions being spaced radially beyond the circumference of said center band, each of said elastomer shock supports being substantially more resilient than said heads and said center band.

2. A barrel as set forth in claim 1 further including resilient roll bands extending around the periphery of the center band at spaced longitudinal positions and extending radially therefrom to define a resilient rolling surface for said barrel, said roll rings being formed from a material that is substantially more resilient than the material of the heads and said center band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,565 7/1938 Goll 220-9 2,983,403 5/1961 Mauser 220-63 2,997,197 8/ 1961 Picker 220-72 X 3,158,296 11/1964 Cornelius 222-3865 3,294,271 12/1966 Armbruster 2205 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Ex miner.

GEORGE E. LOWRANCE, Examiner.

Claims

1. A BARREL COMPRISING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL CENTER BAND, FIRST AND SECOND GENERALLY ELLIPTICAL HEADS AFFIXED TO EACH END TO SAID CENTER BAND AROUND ITS CIRCUMFERENCE, SAID CENTER BAND AND SAID HEADS BEING FORMED OF A GENERALLY THIN SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION DEVOID OF REINFORCING CHINES AT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID HEADS WITH SAID CENTER BAND, AND A PAIR OF ELASTOMER SHOCK SUPPORTS, EACH OF SAID ELASTOMER SHOCK SUPPORTS BEING COMPRISED OF A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL SKIRT PORTION AFFIXED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS TO A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID HEADS ADJACENT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID