Flexible containers

Claim 1

A FLEXIBLE VESSEL COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE ENVELOPE AND A RIGID END PIECE, SAID ENVELOPE COMPRISING A STRENGTH GIVING LAYER, AN OUTER PROOFING LAYER AND AN INNER PROOFING LAYER, A RETAINING RING MOUNTED ON SAID END PIECE, SAID STRENGTH GIVING LAYER BEING ATTACHED TO SAID RETAINING RING BY BEING TURNED OVER THE RETAINING RING AND STITCHED TO ITSELF, SAID END PIECE HAVING AN ANNULAR SHOULDER AGAINST WHICH THE RETAINING RING BEARS WHEN THE ENVELOPE IS TAUT, AT LEAST ONE CLAMPING RING AROUND SAID END PIECE LOCATED TO CLAMP THE ENVELOPE TO SAID END PIECE, SAID CLAMPING RING OVERLYING A CHANNEL PROVIDED IN THE END PIECE WHEREBY TO FORCE THE ENVELOPE INTO THE CHANNEL, AND A RESILIENT PERIPHERAL FARING ATTACHED TO THE END PIECE TO UNDERLIE PART OF THE ENVELOPE, SAID ENVELOPE HAVING A LONGITUDINAL SEAM, A FIRST SEALING STRAP DISPOSED ALONG SAID SEAM ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID ENVELOPE, SAID FIRST SEALING STRAP DISPOSED UNDER SAID CLAMPING RING AND STOPPING SHORT OF SAID RETAINING RING, AND A SECOND SEALING STRAP MOUNTED ALONG SAID SEAM ON THE OUTSIDE OF SAID ENVELOPE, SAID SECOND SEALING STRAP DISPOSED OVER SAID CLAMPING RING AND CONTINUING AROUND AND UNDER SAID RETAINING RING.