Reconditionable container

Claim 2

A multitrip tight head shipping container of the type which may be repeatedly used comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum body, a pair of drum heads closing the opposite ends of said body, at least one of said drum heads having a peripheral edge overlapping the adjacent end of said body, an endless connecting ring surrounding the peripheral edge of said head and said body end and rigidly securing said head to said body in liquid-tight relation, said endless connecting ring being plastically expandable to permit the disassembly of said head from said body to facilitate reconditioning of said container and being plastically shrinkable after reassembly of said head and said body to again secure said head and body in liquid-tight relation.

Claim 3

The multitrip tight head shipping container as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that resilient sealing means is interposed between said body end and overlapping peripheral head portion, said resilient sealing means being compressed between said body and said head when said connecting ring is plastically shrunk to its securing position.

Claim 4

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 1 in which said connecting ring has an inwardly extending radial flange adjacent the outer surface of said body and a plastically expandable and contractible portion surrounding the peripheral edge of said head and body end.

Claim 5

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 2 in which an end reinforcing ring overlaps the periphery of said removable head, said end reinforcing ring, drum head, resilient sealing means, and body end being compressed and rigidly held together when said connecting ring is plastically shrunk to its securing position, and said end reinforcing ring, drum head and resilient sealing means being removable from said body end when said connecting ring is in an expanded position.

Claim 6

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 4 further characterized in that said reinforcing ring is integral with said endless connecting ring.

Claim 7

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 2 in which a curl reinforcing ring is secured to the outside of said body adjacent said body end, said curl reinforcing ring having a flaring skirt extending outwardly from said body, said removable head beinG cup-shaped and having a generally flat central portion set within said body and a cylindrical sidewall terminating in a curved flange which overlaps said body end, an end reinforcing ring overlapping the curved flange and sidewalls of said drum head, said connecting ring having a first flange abutting against said curl reinforcing ring skirt, a second flange and an expandable and shrinkable portion including one of said first and second flanges, said end reinforcing ring, curved drum head flange, resilient sealing means, body end, and curl reinforcing ring being compressed between said first and second connecting ring flanges when said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is plastically shrunk to its securing position, and said end reinforcing ring, drum head, and sealing means being removable from said body end when said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is in an expanded position.

Claim 8

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 6 further characterized in that said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion includes said first flange, said connecting ring being removable from said body when said plastically expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is in an expanded position.

Claim 9

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 6 further characterized in that said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion includes said second flange, said connecting ring being loosely retained on said body when said plastically expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is in an expanded position.

Claim 10

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 2 in which the end of said body enclosed by said removable head has an outwardly flaring extremity, said removable head being cup-shaped and having a generally flat central portion within said body and a cylindrical sidewall terminating in a radial flange overlapping said flaring body extremity, a reinforcing ring fitted with the cup-shaped head immediately adjacent said cylindrical sidewall, said reinforcing ring having a radial flange overlapping said drum head flange, said connecting ring having a cylindrical first leg portion telescoping the outside of said body and a plastically expandable and shrinkable portion surrounding the end of said container and including a second leg portion, said end reinforcing ring flange, drum head flange, sealing means and flaring extremity being rigidly compressed between said connecting ring first and second leg portions when said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is in its shrunk position, and said end reinforcing ring, drum head, and sealing means being removable from said body end when said expandable and shrinkable connecting ring portion is in its expanded position.

Claim 11

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 2 in which said connecting ring has a reinforcing portion overlapping in close relation the periphery of said head and a plastically expandable and shrinkable portion surrounding the end of said body, said expandable and shrinkable portion being engageable with said body when in a shrunk position so that said connecting ring secures said drum head to said body end, and said connecting ring expandable and shrinkable portion being disengaged from the outside of said body when in an expanded position so that said connecting ring, drum head and sealing means may be removed from the end of said body.

Claim 12

The multitrip tight head shipping container of claim 2 in which a curl reinforcing ring is secured to the outside of said body adjacent the end enclosed by said removable head, said curl reinforcing ring having a flaring skirt extending outwardly from said body, said removable drum head being cup-shaped and having a generally flat central portion set within said body and a cylindrical sidewall terminating in a curved flange overlapping said body end, said connecting ring having a reinforcing portion overlapping in close relationship the curved flange and sidewalls of said head, said connecting ring also having a plastically expandable and shrinkable portion surrounding said curl reinforcing ring, said expandable and shrinkable portion having a flanged extremity engaging said curl reinforcing skirt when said portion is in a shrunk position so that said connecting ring securely holds said drum head and sealing means against the end of said body, and said connecting ring flanged extremity being disengaged from said skirt when said connecting ring portion is expanded so that said connecting ring, drum head, and sealing means may be removed from said body.

Claim 13

A multitrip tight head shipping container of the type which may be repeatedly used comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum body, a pair of drum heads closing the opposite ends of said body, at least one of said drum heads having a peripheral edge overlapping the adjacent end of said body, an endless reinforcing ring overlapping the said peripheral edge of said drum head, an endless connecting ring surrounding the peripheral edges of said reinforcing ring, head and said body end and rigidly securing said head to said body in liquid-tight relation, at least one of said reinforcing ring and said connecting ring having a plastically expandable and contractible, portion so that upon plastic deformation of said at least one ring at least said head and said reinforcing ring may be removed from said body to facilitate reconditioning of said container, said plastically expandable and contractible portion being plastically deformable after reassembly of said head, reinforcing ring and said body to again secure said head and body in liquid-tight relation.

Claim 14

A multitrip tight head shipping container of the type which may be repeatedly used comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum body, a pair of drum heads closing the opposite ends of said body, at least one of said drum heads having a peripheral edge overlapping the adjacent end of said body, an endless reinforcing ring overlapping the said peripheral edge of said drum head, an endless connecting ring surrounding the peripheral edges of said reinforcing ring, head and said body end and rigidly securing said head to said body in liquid-tight relation, at least one of said reinforcing ring and said connecting ring having a plastically expandable and contractible, portion so that upon plastic deformation of said at least one ring at least said head and said reinforcing ring may be removed from said body to facilitate reconditioning of said container, said plastically expandable and contractible portion being plastically deformable after reassembly of said head, reinforcing ring and said body to again secure said head and body in liquid-tight relation.

Claim 15

The multitrip tight head shipping container as set forth in claim 12 further characterized in that said reinforcing ring includes said plastically expandable and contractible portion, said portion being plastically shrunk to release said head from said body and plastically expanded to secure said head to said body.

Claim 16

The multitrip tight head shipping container as set forth in claim 12 further characterized in that said connecting ring includes said plastically expandable and contractible portion, said portion being plastically expanded to release said head from said body and plastically shrunk to secure said head to said body.

Claim 17

The multitrip tight head shipping container as set forth in claim 12 further characterized in that said connecting ring and said reinforcing ring each include a said expandable and contractible portion, said reinforcing ring portion being plastically shrunk and said connecting ring portion being plastically expanded to release said head from said body, and said reinforcing ring portion being plastically expanded and said connecting ring portion being plastically shrunk to secure said head to said body.

Claim 18

The multitrip tight head shipping container as set forth in claim 13 further characterized in that the said peripheral edge of said reinforcing ring comprises a radially extending flange, said flange being defined by a plurality of coplanar radially extending teeth.

Claim 19

A multitrip tight head shipping container of the type which may be repeatedly used comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum body, a pair of drum heads closing the opposite ends of said body, at least one of said drum heads having a peripheral edge overlapping the adjacent end of said body, endless closure means surrounding the peripheral edge of said head and said body end and rigidly securing said head to said body in liquid-tight relation, said endless closure means including an endless closure component having a plastically expandable and contractible portion, said portion being plastically deformable to permit disassembly of said head from said body to facilitate reconditioning of said container, said portion being also plastically deformable upon reassembly of the reconditioned container components to again secure said head and said body in liquid-tight relation.

Claim 20

A multitrip tight head shipping container of the type which may be repeatedly used comprising, in combination, a cylindrical drum body, a pair of drum heads closing the opposite ends of said body, at least one of said drum heads having a peripheral edge overlapping the adjacent end of said body, endless closure means surrounding the peripheral edge of said head and said body end and rigidly securing said head to said body in liquid-tight relation, said endless closure means including an endless closure component having a plastically expandable and contractible portion, said portion being plastically deformable to permit disassembly of said head from said body to facilitate reconditioning of said container, said portion being also plastically deformable upon reassembly of the reconditioned container components to again secure said head and said body in liquid-tight relation.