Collapsible, portable, open-top container for liquid, preferably

Claim 2

A collapsible, portable, open-top container for liquids, such as water, having a bottom and side walls made of a flexible, high-tensile-strength material, and a ring-shaped float body disposed along the upper edge portion of the side walls, said float body in its entirety being disposed inwardly of the circumference of said bottom, the container being such that when the container is filled, the side walls converge toward the top such that the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the diameter of the bottom is in the range of 1:2 to 1:5, preferably 1:3, and the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the height of the container is in the range of 1:1 to 1:8, preferably 1:1.6, at least two pipe connections are provided in a lower edge portion of said side walls, one projecting outwardly and one projecting inwardly, and said pipe connections having oppositely-operating check valves.

Claim 3

A collapsible, portable, open-top container for liquids, such as water, having a bottom and side walls made of a flexible, high-tensile-strength material, and a ring-shaped float body disposed along the upper edge portion of the side walls, said float body in its entirety being disposed inwardly of the circumference of said bottom, the container being such that when the container is filled, the side walls converge toward the top such that the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the diameter of the bottom is in the range of 1:2 to 1:5, preferably 1:3, and the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the height of the container is in the range of 1:1 to 1:8, preferably 1:1.6, a pipe connection in a lower edge portion of said side walls provided with a check valve to prevent outflow of water, and said check valve consists of a movable flap secured inside the container at the upper edge of the opening for the pipe connection in the container wall, there being attached to said flap a cord which is guided up over the upper edge of the container and down along the outside of the container to a removable closure member for the pipe connection.

Claim 4

A collapsible, portable, open-top container for liquids, such as water, having a bottom and side walls made of a flexible, high-tensile-strength material, and a ring-shaped float body disposed along the upper edge portion of the side walls, said float body in its entirety being disposed inwardly of the circumference of said bottom, the container being such that when the container is filled, the side walls converge toward the top such that the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the diameter of the bottom is in the range of 1:2 to 1:5, preferably 1:3, and the ratio between the diameter of the opening and the height of the container is in the range of 1:1 to 1:8, preferably 1:1.6, a pipe connection in a lower edge portion of said side walls provided with a check valve to prevent outflow of water, and said check valve consists of a movable flap secured inside the container at the upper edge of the opening for the pipe connection in the container wall, there being attached to said flap a cord which is guided up over the upper edge of the container and down along the outside of the container to a removable closure member for the pipe connection.

Claim 5

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side walls are olive green on the outside and white on the inside.

Claim 6

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least the side walls consist of a non-infra-red reflecting material.

Claim 7

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom and opening of the container are circular such that the container in the filled state has the approximate shape of a truncated cone.

Claim 8

A container according to claim 1 or 2, said pipe connection(s) being provided with threads for engagement with corresponding threads on the closure member.

Claim 9

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein on the outside surface of the container, at the upper edge thereof, at least two loops are provided, disposed directly opposite one another, for the attachment of guy ropes.

Claim 10

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the container can be closed by means of a cover consisting of a circular piece of material preferably having the same properties as the container material.

Claim 11

A container according to claim 8, characterized in that the piece of material has a diameter at least about 1.5 times larger than the diameter of the opening and has a plurality of holes around its periphery through which a drawstring is threaded for folding the periphery of the cover around the lower, bottom edge of the float body, and that the container can be encased in the cover, the cover surrounding the folded container when the drawstring is tightened.

Claim 12

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a transition between the bottom and the side walls is formed by a cylindrical section.

Claim 13

A container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said container is adapted for use with a mobile unit for producing hot water and/or steam for various purposes, for example, during relief operations in emergency situations caused by, for example, natural disasters, or for military operations.