US5301853A — Open top plastic drum with plastic cover

Claim 1

Independent Claim 288 words

A plastic drum and cover assembly comprising: a plastic cylindrical body having a cylindrical body portion with a body portion radius and a closed bottom, a neck forming an open top and coupling means for coupling said neck to said body portion, said coupling means including cylindrical wall, an upwardly and outwardly extending conical wall connecting said cylinder wall to said neck, a first annular hinge defined by the junction of the cylinder wall and the upwardly and outwardly extending conical wall, a downwardly and outwardly extending conical wall connecting said cylindrical wall to said body portion, a second annular hinge defined by the juncture of the cylindrical wall and the downwardly and outwardly extending conical wall, said cylindrical wall and hinging members having radii smaller than said body portion radius; said annular hinges completely extending about the cylindrical body side wall providing substantially uniform degree of flexing at any point thereon upon impact; a plastic cover for closing said open top and being radially recessed from said body side wall, covering securing means for securing said plastic cover to said body to form a seal; said cover including a central disk and the cover securing means being disposed peripherally about said central disk for coupling said cover to said body, said cover including cover hinging means for flexing said cover in the presence of said impact to permit the cover and neck to cooperate with one another in maintaining the seal on the top, said cover hinging means being located contemporaneously with respect to said first and second annular hinges; and the hinges cooperating to isolated said neck from said body when said cover is secured by said securing means and said body is subjected to impact.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 288 words

A plastic drum and cover assembly comprising: a plastic cylindrical body having a cylindrical body portion with a body portion radius and a closed bottom, a neck forming an open top and coupling means for coupling said neck to said body portion, said coupling means including cylindrical wall, an upwardly and outwardly extending conical wall connecting said cylinder wall to said neck, a first annular hinge defined by the junction of the cylinder wall and the upwardly and outwardly extending conical wall, a downwardly and outwardly extending conical wall connecting said cylindrical wall to said body portion, a second annular hinge defined by the juncture of the cylindrical wall and the downwardly and outwardly extending conical wall, said cylindrical wall and hinging members having radii smaller than said body portion radius; said annular hinges completely extending about the cylindrical body side wall providing substantially uniform degree of flexing at any point thereon upon impact; a plastic cover for closing said open top and being radially recessed from said body side wall, covering securing means for securing said plastic cover to said body to form a seal; said cover including a central disk and the cover securing means being disposed peripherally about said central disk for coupling said cover to said body, said cover including cover hinging means for flexing said cover in the presence of said impact to permit the cover and neck to cooperate with one another in maintaining the seal on the top, said cover hinging means being located contemporaneously with respect to said first and second annular hinges; and the hinges cooperating to isolated said neck from said body when said cover is secured by said securing means and said body is subjected to impact.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 12 words

The drum assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover includes a gasket.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 33 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said cover includes an intermediate wall extending between said peripheral interface member and said central disk with the central disk being disposed radially adjacent the cylindrical wall.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 14 words

The assembly of claim 3 wherein said interface member comprises an inverted U-shaped member.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The assembly of claim 4 further comprising a gasket disposed in said U-shaped member.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 26 words

The assembly of claim 3 wherein said intermediate wall forms an upper cover flexing region with said disk to cooperate in defining the cover hinging means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 25 words

The assembly of claim 3 wherein said intermediate wall extends radially outwardly for coupling to a mechanized drum handling mechanism used for lifting the drum.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 23 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical wall forms a lower cover flexing region to cooperate in defining the cover hinging means.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 56 words

The assembly of claim 8 wherein said neck coupling means includes a first and second annular flexing regions disposed at opposite ends of the vertical wall and said lower cover flexing region is disposed approximately on the same level as said second annular flexing region on said body when said cover is closed on said body.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said body sidewall has a thickness, and wherein said top surface has a radial width substantially larger than said thickness.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said neck includes a second vertical wall disposed above said first vertical wall, with cover securing means including a ring dimensioned to fit about said second vertical wall.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

The assembly of claim 11 wherein said ring includes an inclined ring wall, said inclined wall cooperating with the upwardly and outwardly extending conical wall to force said cover downward as said ring is tightened around said neck and said cover.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 12 words

The assembly of claim 12 wherein said ring has a C-shaped cross-section.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 20 words

The assembly of claim 1 wherein said neck includes a second cylindrical wall disposed above the first defined cylindrical wall.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 71 words

The assembly of claim 13 wherein the ring has split ends, a locking mechanism coupled with the split ends for permitting the ring to assume an open position at which the ring may be placed about the cover and neck and a closed position at which it embraces a major part of the neck to tighten and lock the cover about the entire neck to seal the cover to the neck.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein the upper and lower annular hinge on the body being approximately aligned with the respective upper and lower cover flexing regions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-04-11	1997-10-11	1998-04-12	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-04-11	2001-10-11	2002-04-12	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-04-11	2005-10-11	2006-04-12	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Open top plastic drum with plastic cover

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