Fibre drum having an end with an exterior crimp structure

Abstract

 57 A fibre drum (10) having in lieu of the customary internal crimp structure an external crimp structure (16,18,20,22) whereby the drum body (14) may be of a constant cross section from the bottom of the drum up and-through the open top thereof. The crimp structure, although external as compared to the prior internal crimp structure, permits the use of conventional closures including closure panels and locking bands. The lower end of the fibre drum may be varied in accordance with its intended use to have either a removable bottom or a permanent bottom, and the end construction at the lower end of the drum may be of either the interior or exterior crimp structure.

Description

[0001] This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in fibre drums, and more particularly to an end structure of such a fibre drum.

[0002] A typical fibre drum construction is disclosed in the patent to Bergstrom, U.S. patent No. 2,727,673, granted December 20, 1955.

[0003] In the typical fibre drum construction, adjacent the end thereof, it is interiorly crimped to define a reinforcing bead and also has an outer downwardly facing shoulder beneath which a retaining band may be engaged. The so deformed cylindrical configuration of the fibre drum is reinforced by an external metal band.

[0004] For nearly thirty years, fibre drum industry customers have insisted that covers from each manufacturer fit drums from the other manufacturers so that they, the customers, do not have to keep the ends separated by manufacturer when filling lots of drums which may have been supplied by more than one vendor. As a result, there has been little or no change in the fibre drum configuration, particularly at the top end thereof.

[0005] In recent years, the use of fibre drums for packaging materials has been expanded, and now fibre drums are utilized to package products which, due to high viscosity or other characteristics, require the use of a close-fitting pressure or follower plate inside the drum during the filling or emptying operations.

[0006] In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to provide a fibre drum which is primarily cylindrical and wherein the top portion of the drum has no radially inwardly directed projection which reduces the effective diameter of the drum. Furthermore, it is proposed that the end of the drum be constructed so as to receive existing closures including an end member and a locking band.

[0007] The solution to this overall problem is the formation of the open end of the drum, at least at the top thereof, with an external crimp structure.

[0008] With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

[0009] 

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a fibre drum top portion where the top end is provided with an exterior crimp structure.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of a fibre drum showing upper and lower portions only thereof wherein the upper end is provided with an exterior crimp structure in accordance with the invention and the bottom end is provided with a like exterior crimp structure wherein both the top and bottom of the fibre drum are provided with removable closures.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view Similar to Figure 2, but shows the drum with a permanent bottom and wherein the drum is provided with an exterior crimp structure receiving that bottom.

Figure 4 is another fragmentary perspective view of still another fibre drum construction wherein the upper end has an exterior crimp structure and the lower end is closed with a permanent closure in a conventional manner utilizing an internal crimp.

[0010] It is to be understood that the purpose of this invention is to provide a fibre drum wherein the body of the drum starting at the top is fully open for the full cross section thereof and wherein the body remains of a constant cross section entirely to or substantially to the bottom closure of the body. In this manner, products may be packaged therein or dispensed therefrom utilizing a pressure or follower plate inside of the container.

[0011] Referring now particularly to Figure 1, it will be seen that the fibre drum is generally designated by the numeral 10 and includes a fibre drum member 12 having a cylindrical body 14. At the upper end thereof, the fibre drum member 12 is outwardly turned as at 16 to define an annular flange 18 which defines an upwardly facing shoulder 20. At the outer edge of the flange 18, the fibre drum member 12 is reversely turned once again as at 22 to define an upstanding cylindrical flange 24.

[0012] In a customary manner, the exterior crimp structure is reinforced by a metal band generally identified by the numeral 26. The metal band 26 has a lower shoulder portion 28 which surrounds the drum body 14 below the flange 18 so as to maintain the cylindrical shape of the drum body 14. The band, above the lower cylindrical portion 28, is outwardly turned as at 30 to define an annular portion 32 which underlies and supports the annular flange 18.

[0013] Next, the reinforcing band 26 is reversely turned as at 34, at the outer edge of the annular portion 32, to define an upstanding cylindrical flange 36. The flange 36 closely engages the upstanding flange 24 of the fibre drum member 12.

[0014] The metal band includes a terminal portion 38 which extends over and inwardly of the upper edge of the cylindrical flange 24 and has a free edge 40 which is generally forced into the interior surface of the cylindrical flange 24 spaced axially from the shoulder 20.

[0015] It will be readily apparent from the foregoing description of the upper end structure of the fibre drum 10, which upper end structure is generally identified by the numeral 42, that the access opening to the interior of the fibre drum 10 is unimpeded as far as the cross section of the body 14 is concerned. Thus, a pressure or follower plate 46 may be readily inserted within the body 14 in close-fitting engagement therewith so as generally to form a seal.

[0016] Upon comparing the end structure 42 with that of Bergstrom, it will be seen that the upper cross section thereof is the same, but in lieu of the drum body 14 being outwardly turned so that the diameter of the drum body 14 corresponds substantially to that of the cylindrical flange 24, the drum body is of a reduced diameter. This reduced diameter, from a practical standpoint, will normally be on the order of 22 1/2 inches, which is also the standard inside diameter set by the steel drum industry. On the other hand, the diameter of the cylindrical flange 24 and the reinforcing band 26 adjacent the same will correspond to that of Bergstrom and drums formed in accordance with the industry so that a cover of the type specifically shown in the Bergstrom patent may be placed on the drum in sealed relation and locked in place by a conventional locking band without modification.

[0017] Although the drum member 12 has been illustrated as being free of any lining or internal coating, it is to be understood that the drum body member 12 may be modified to utilize whatever type of lining material is desired for the particular product.

[0018] In Figure 1 there has been illustrated only the upper end of a fibre drum constructed in accordance with this invention. Reference is now made to Figures 2-4 wherein the overall fibre drum construction is illustrated.

[0019] In Figure 2, the fibre drum 10 is provided with an interior crimp structure upper end portion 42. The lower end of the fibre drum 10 is also provided with an interior crimp structure lower end, which lower end is separately identified by the numeral 48, but which is identical to the end structure 42. The lower end 48 will be closed by a conventional closure utilizing a locking band in the same manner as described with respect to the upper end 42.

[0020] In Figure 3 there is illustrated a slightly modified form of fibre drum generally identified by the numeral 50. The fibre drum 50 will include a body 14 like the drum 10 and will have an upper end 42 with an internal crimp structure in the manner defined with respect to the fibre drum 14. On the other hand, the lower end will be of a different construction.

[0021] It will be seen that the lower end of the fibre drum 50, which lower end is generally identified by the numeral 52, is permanently closed and will include a bottom end 54. The lower end 52 will have an internal crimp structure such as that of the upper end 42, but in lieu of the cylindrical flange 24 terminating as shown in Figure 1, the cylindrical flange 24 will be provided with an extension which is turned inwardly as at 56 and then reversely folded upon itself as shown at 58. Further, the reinforcing metal band 26, instead of merely being reversely turned over the free edge of the cylindrical flange 24, will be first turned radially inwardly around the extension and then radially outwardly above the reversely folded part of the extension and locked thereinto as at 60. It is to be understood that the bottom end 54 may be provided with either a reinforcement or a sealing layer 62 and that the same may be incorporated into the reversely turned end of the body member 12. It will be seen that the bottom end 54 will be tightly clamped against the downwardly facing shoulder 20 of the annular portion 18 of the end structure 52.

[0022] It will be seen that, like the fibre drum 10, the fibre drum 50 will be of a constant cross section for the full height of the body 14.

[0023] In Figure 4 there is illustrated still another form of fibre drum identified by the numeral 70. The upper part of the drum 70 will correspond to the upper part of the drum 10 and include an upper end 42 which is of an exterior crimp structure as specifically defined with respect to Figure 1. However, the bottom of the fibre drum 70 will be identical to that of past drum constructions in that the body 14 will be foreshortened and provided with an internal crimp structure 72 having the general appearance of a bead. A permanent bottom end 74, which may be provided with a reinforcing or sealing layer 76 will be clamped against a shoulder 78 defined by the internal crimp structure 72 by the reversely folded lower part of the drum member 12. This lower end will be generally identified by the numeral 80 and will incorporate a conventional reinforcing band 82 such as that shown. in Bergstrom U.S. patent 2,727,673.

[0024] Although only several preferred embodiments of the fibre drum construction have been specifically illustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that minor variations may be made in the drum construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fibre drum comprising a cylindrical body terminating at at least one end thereof in an outwardly directed crimp including a radially outwardly extending and an axially outwardly facing shoulder joined to said body one end by a bend, and an axially extending radially outer cylindrical flange, and a metal reinforcing band surrounding said body adjacent said one body end, underlying said shoulder, and surrounding said cylindrical flange.

2. A fibre drum according to claim 1 wherein said cylindrical flange forms a terminal part of said drum at said one end, and said reinforcing band wraps around a free end of said cylindrical flange, said reinforcing band having a free end extending radially into said cylindrical flange axially outwardly of said shoulder.

3. A fibre drum according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opposite end of said body terminates in a second and like outwardly directed crimp, whereby a follower plate may pass entirely through said drum body.

4. A fibre drum according to claim 1,2 or 3 wherein the opposite end of said body terminates in a second outwardly directed crimp, and said flange has radially extending therefrom a radially inwardly extending end retaining flange clamping a permanent end against said shoulder.

5. A fibre drum according to claim 4 wherein said retaining flange is reversely turned on itself axially inwardly and radially outwardly.

6. A fibre drum according to claim 4or ₅ wherein said metal reinforcing band at the opposite end -f said body extends radially inwardly from that part thereof surrounding said cylindrical flange and is reversely bent around said retaining flange.

7. A fibre drum according to claim 4 wherein said metal reinforcing band at the opposite end of said body extends radially inwardly from that part thereof surrounding said cylindrical flange and is reversely bent arouhd said end retaining flange and has a terminal edge projecting axially into said retaining flange.

8. A fibre drum according to claim 5 wherein said metal reinforcing band at the opposite end of said body extends radially inwardly from that part thereof surrounding said cylindrical flange and is reversely bent around said end retaining flange, and has a terminal edge projecting into said retaining flange and clamping together said reversely turned parts of said retaining flange.

₉. A fibre drum according to any of claims 1 to 8 wherein said drum body is closed at the other end thereof by a permanent end seated on an internal bead.

10. A fibre drum according to any of claims 1 to8,wherein said shoulder and said flange are of dimensions for receiving an existing fibre drum industry standard closure.

11. A fibre drum according to any of claims 1 to 10 wherein said shoulder and said flange are of dimensions for receiving an existing closure, and said metal reinforcing band being of a size and shape to receive a conventional fibre drum industry standard locking band.

Drawing