US3976228A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Liquid storage system
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-12-05
•
Granted: 1976-08-24
•
Expires: 1994-12-05
Abstract
Abstract A storage container is disclosed as well as a liquid storage system. Each container has walls of thin plastic material with the top and one sidewall of each container including a plurality of protuberances and the bottom and other sidewall including a plurality of indentations complementary to the protuberances so that, when like storage containers are brought into adjacent relationship, protuberances in one wall of one container are received in and mate with the indentations in one wall of the other container to facilitate maintaining vertical stacking and/or abutting side-by-side relationship of the system. The protuberances and indentations preferably have complementary slanting walls and each container wall preferably includes three such protuberances or indentations which are of substantial dimensions to also strengthen said walls. Piping is provided to interconnect the containers of the storage system and includes air conduit means opening into the top portion of each container and liquid conduit means opening into the bottom portion of each container, with liquid being withdrawn from the bottom portion of each container.
Inventors
- 👤 Allen Blaine Robbins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 15:15
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65D; B65D21/00; B65D21/02; B65D21/0201; B65D21/0202; B65D88/00; B65D88/02; B65D88/022; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/8593; Y10T137/86187
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A liquid container, comprising: substantially flat first and second walls one of which has a plurality of protuberances therein of predetermined configurations and the other of which has a like plurality of indentations therein with configurations complementary to that of said protuberances so that identical containers placed in abutting relationship have said first and second walls contiguous to one another with said protuberances mating with and being tightly received in said indentations; a plurality of walls joining said first and second walls to form a closed container suitable for storing liquids; and conduit means opening into one of said plurality of walls for supplying liquid to said container and withdrawing liquid therefrom, said conduit means being adapted to connect with conduit means in abutting like containers to thereby interconnect said containers, and said conduit means including a lower conduit means opening into the bottom portion of said container for handling liquids withdrawn therefrom and upper conduit means opening into the top portion of said container to allow ingress of air into said container as liquid is withdrawn therefrom.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A liquid container, comprising: substantially flat first and second walls one of which has a plurality of protuberances therein of predetermined configurations and the other of which has a like plurality of indentations therein with configurations complementary to that of said protuberances so that identical containers placed in abutting relationship have said first and second walls contiguous to one another with said protuberances mating with and being tightly received in said indentations; a plurality of walls joining said first and second walls to form a closed container suitable for storing liquids; and conduit means opening into one of said plurality of walls for supplying liquid to said container and withdrawing liquid therefrom, said conduit means being adapted to connect with conduit means in abutting like containers to thereby interconnect said containers, and said conduit means including a lower conduit means opening into the bottom portion of said container for handling liquids withdrawn therefrom and upper conduit means opening into the top portion of said container to allow ingress of air into said container as liquid is withdrawn therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said first wall has three rectangularly-shaped protuberances therein extending substantially entirely across said wall, and wherein said second wall has three rectangularly-shaped indentations therein extending substantially entirely across said wall.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The container of claim 2 wherein said protuberances and indentations have complementary slanting walls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The container of claim 1 wherein said lower and upper conduit means are adapted for separate interconnection with lower and upper conduit means of abutting containers to facilitate interconnection of the same.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The container of claim 4 wherein said lower conduit means includes an additional lower conduit for withdrawing liquid from one of a plurality of abutting and interconnected containers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
153 words
A liquid storage system, comprising: a plurality of abutting containers each of which has a top and first sidewall with a plurality of protuberances therein of predetermined configurations; a bottom and second sidewall with a like plurality of indentations therein of a configuration complementary to that of said protuberances in said top and first sidewalls so that when said containers are brought into contiguous relationship a wall of one of said containers has protuberances that mate with and are received in indentations in the abutting wall of the other of said containers, and walls one of which has first and second access means into the interior of said second container through the top and bottom portions, respectively; and piping means connected to the access means of each said abutting container, said piping means including air conduit means connected with said first access means and liquid conduit means connected with said second access means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
153 words
A liquid storage system, comprising: a plurality of abutting containers each of which has a top and first sidewall with a plurality of protuberances therein of predetermined configurations; a bottom and second sidewall with a like plurality of indentations therein of a configuration complementary to that of said protuberances in said top and first sidewalls so that when said containers are brought into contiguous relationship a wall of one of said containers has protuberances that mate with and are received in indentations in the abutting wall of the other of said containers, and walls one of which has first and second access means into the interior of said second container through the top and bottom portions, respectively; and piping means connected to the access means of each said abutting container, said piping means including air conduit means connected with said first access means and liquid conduit means connected with said second access means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A liquid storage system of claim 6 wherein said containers are vertically stacked and wherein said piping means connect said containers so that said upper container empties first, the gravity forces acting on said liquid in said containers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US494061A
Cited
US2080602A
Cited
GB963494A
Cited
US3374917A
Cited
DE2115693A1
Cited
DE2125266A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-08-24 | 1980-02-23 | 1980-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-24 | 1984-02-23 | 1984-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-24 | 1988-02-23 | 1988-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |