Wheeled support frame for a removable plastic container having closure and ...

[54] WHEELED SUPPORT FRAME FOR A
REMOVABLE PLASTIC CONTAINER
HAVING CLOSURE AND ACTUATING
DEVICE

[75] Inventor: Godefridus H. J. Jonkers, Helmond, Netherlands

[73] Assignee: Wiva Verpakkingen B.V.,

Oosterhaut, Netherlands

[21] Appl. No.: 672,165

[22] Filed: Mar. 19,1991

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data

Mar. 23, 1990 [NL] Netherlands 9000697

[51] Int. C1.5 B62B 1/14

[52] U.S. CI 280/47.26; 280/47.24;

280/47.27; 280/79.5; 220/284; 220/300;

248/129

[58] Field of Search 280/35, 47.131, 47.18,

280/47.23,47.26, 47.27, 47.33, 79.5, 79.6, 47.24; 215/332; 220/284, 293, 295, 297, 300; 248/129,

147, 154

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

664,555 12/1900 Jewett 248/154

1,444,125 2/1923 Kirkpatrick et al 248/129 X

1,837,411 12/1931 Cutter 248/154

2,079,698 5/1937 Roesinger 248/147

2,405,674 8/1946 Schliwa et al 280/35 X

2,643,044 6/1953 Sundholm 248/154 X

2,667,320 1/1954 Whitley 248/147

3,811,597 5/1974 Frankenberg et al 220/284

3,830,514 8/1974 Green 248/129 X

4,333,580 6/1982 Sweigart, Jr 220/297 X

4,723,686 2/1988 Pennisi 220/300

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0301467 11/1989 European Pat. Off. .

2819490 5/1979 Fed. Rep. of Germany 220/284

1504747 12/1967 France 220/300

2627168 8/1989 France .

Primary Examiner—Andres Kashnikow
Assistant Examiner—Brian L. Johnson
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Watson, Cole, Grindle &
Watson

[57] ABSTRACT

A plastic container with a bottom and, connecting continuously onto the edge thereof a standing wall of random shape defining an upper circular edge portion on which can be placed a cover provided with a peripheral groove for receiving the edge portion, the cover and the edge portion being provided with co-acting locking elements. The locking elements include on the one hand by a number of L-shaped locking members distributed uniformly over the periphery, one leg being fixed to the cover or to the edge portion of the container such that it is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom, and on the other hand by an outward pointing lip on the edge portion or the cover and against which the other leg of the locking member can be placed. The cover can be lifted relative to the container during filling of the container, while for its permanent closure the cover is positioned on the upper circular edge of the container and turned through a determined distance relative to the container in order to place all the locking members simultaneously in contact with the co-acting lip, whereby the cover is locked onto the container.

16 Claims, 2 Drawing Sheets

WHEELED SUPPORT FRAME FOR A REMOVABLE PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVING CLOSURE AND ACTUATING DEVICE

5

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a plastic container with a bottom and connecting continuously onto the edge thereof, a standing wall of random shape, on the upper edge portion of which can be placed a cover, the cover and the edge portion being provided with co-acting locking means.

Such plastic containers are frequently used for receiving chemical waste which is to be burned together J5 with the container. For this purpose it must, on the one hand, be possible for the user to remove the cover during filling of the container, while on the other, it must be locked during transport to the incineration location such that it cannot come loose. 20

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The container according to the invention is distinguished in that the upper edge is circular and that the locking means are formed on the one hand by a number 25 of L-shaped locking members distributed uniformly over the periphery, one leg thereof being fixed to the cover or the edge portion of the container such that it is oriented perpendicularly to the bottom, and on the other hand by an outward pointing lip on the edge 30 portion or the cover against which the other leg of the locking member can be placed.

As a result of this embodiment the maneuverability of the cover is facilitated during filling of the container since it has only to be lifted up, while for its permanent 35 closure the cover has to be turned through a determined distance relative to the container in order to place all the locking members simultaneously in contact with the co-acting lip, whereby the cover is locked onto the container. 40

In a preferred embodiment the cover is provided with a peripheral groove into which fits the edge portion of the container, the L-shaped locking members being arranged along the outer periphery of the cover groove.

It is further recommended to embody the container 45 with an outward pointing flange provided with through-holes, the number of which is equal to the number of locking members, such that a part of the peripheral flange forms the lip-like locking part. The peripheral flange can include a recess for receiving a 50 nose-like member on the L-shaped locking member.

In order to obtain a sealing closure, there is arranged in the peripheral groove of the cover a sealing means of resilient material against which the upper wall of the container comes to rest. 55

The invention further relates to a device for actuating the cover for a waste container as described above.

This device is characterized by a frame with support for supporting the container, a pressure element for co-action with the cover movable relative to the sup- 60 port, which pressure element is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the support.

Using such a device, placing, fastening and, conversely, re-opening the cover on the container is facilitated since only a few operations are necessary for clos- 65 ing or opening the container.

These and other features of the invention will be further elucidated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a perspective side view of a container arranged in an actuating device according to the invention, and

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show respectively a side view of a detail of the locking means, a top view along the line

III— III in FIG. 2 and a standing section along the line

IV— IV in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the drawings the container according to the invention is designated with 1 and the cover with 2. The container has a bottom part 3 onto the edge of which connects the wall part 4, which is provided at the top with a circular edge 5. This latter is embodied inter alia with an outward pointing flange part 6, into which are recessed openings 7.

The cover 2 is dish-shaped and the upstanding outer edge thereof has on the underside an annular groove 8, in the bottom of which is arranged a sealing element of resilient material 9.

The edge part 5 of container 1 ends at the top in a zigzag-shaped edge strip 10, the top surface of which presses against the resilient material 9 when the cover is placed on the edge 5 of container 1.

The outer peripheral portion of cover 2 is provided at regular mutual intervals with a locking member 12 which in the embodiment shown is L-shaped (see FIG. 2). One leg 13 of the locking member points towards the bottom 3, while another leg 14 thereof has a length corresponding with the length of the through-hole 7 in the edge flange 6. This leg 14 co-acts with the bottom face of the edge flange 6, doing so along a limited liplike portion 17 embodied on the underside with a recess 18. The leg 14 of the L-shaped locking member is embodied with a nose-like member 19 of a size such that it can fall into the recess 18, as shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 3 can be seen that the leg 14 is displaced slightly outward relative to the leg 13 in order to preserve a space 20 between the peripheral edge 11 of the cover 2 for the purpose of remaining free of the portion of the flange 6 lying adjacent to the edge strip 5 (see FIG. 4).

FIG. 1 shows that a large number of L-shaped locking members 12 are utilized, this number corresponding with the number of through-holes 7 in flange 6. Each L-shaped locking member 12 can thus be placed through an opening 7 of flange 6 and locking can be effected by turning the cover 2 relative to the container 1, since all legs 14 of the locking members 12 come to lie against the underside of flange 6, wherein all nose-like members 19 can fall into a corresponding recess 18, thus permanently locking the cover 2 onto container 1. The locking is brought about, inter alia, because the resilient material 9 is temporarily compressed and springs back again as soon as the nose-like member 19 falls into the recess 18. A permanent sealing of the container content is nonetheless ensured so that the container 1 with a cover 2 arranged thereon is secure for transport of chemical or toxic material stored in the container 1. The container with cover can be incinerated in the combustion furnace together with the contents thereof.

It will be apparent from the above that arranging the cover 2 on container 1 manually can be quite irksome on