Molded container

Abstract

A molded container has a tubular body closed at its ends by closures integrally formed therewith. The upper closure has openings for filling and emptying the container. The wall of the container has a central portion formed with indentations and a pair of frusto-conically shaped end portions which diverge axially outwardly from the closure toward the central portion. A shoulder is formed between the indentations and the end portion of the wall to facilitate lifting of the container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a molded container, and more particularly, to a unitary molded container having improved lifting and rolling features.

2. The Prior Art

Heretofore, molded containers had been made with cylindrical walls and were not susceptible to easy lifting by engagement of the wall. Rather, containers had to be lifted by engagement of their bottoms with blades of a lift truck or the like. The rolling resistance of such containers was also very substantial since practically the entire wall made contact with the surface on which the container was being rolled, thus making the rolling quite difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a novel container which has a wall integrally formed with top and bottom closures. The wall has a central portion formed with one or more indentations and frusto-conical end portions. The end portions diverge axially outwardly from the closures toward central portion of the wall and form a shoulder with the indentation to facilitate engagement thereof by a blade of a lift truck, or the like, for lifting the container. The edge areas on the end portions of the wall immediately adjacent the central portion of the wall act as rolling hoops when the container is rolled on its side diminishing the heretofore experienced rolling resistance of containers known in the art.

THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a container showing the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the container of FIG. 1 being lifted;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the container in a tilted position; and

FIG. 5 is a view showing the container positioned on its side.

Referring now to the drawing, more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a molded container, generally designated 10. The container is a drum and may be formed from plastic or the like.

The container has a tubular body which includes a continuous wall 12 closed at its ends by respective end closure members, namely a top end closure 14 and a bottom end closure 16. The end closures are integrally formed with the wall and present a unitary construction of a closed container.

The wall 12 has a central portion 18 and a pair of frusto-conically shaped end portions 20 which diverge axially outwardly from the end closures 14 and 16, respectively, toward the central portion 18.

The central portion 18 of the wall 12 has flattened indentations 22 each of which forms a shoulder 24 with the end portion 20 of the wall 12. The indentations are spaced about the wall in such manner that at least two of said indentations are disposed in planes separated from each other by 180.degree. and paralleling the major, or vertical, axis (not shown) of the container.

The indentations 22 and shoulders 24 provide convenient lifting areas engageable by blades 55 of a fork lift truck, or the like, as best seen in FIGS. 3 through 5.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown the container 10 being lifted from a platform or floor 51 by engagement of blades 55 of a lift truck (not shown) or the like with the shoulder 24.

In FIG. 4, the indentations 22 are engaged by flat areas of the blades 55, or the like, and the container is lifted and tilted at the same time. The blades 55 exert a pressure against the indentations 22 thereby maintaining the container firmly in their grasp.

FIG. 5 shows the container positioned on its side after being lifted and tilted as heretofore described. The container contacts the platform or floor 51 by edge areas 26 on the circumference of the end portions 20 of the wall 12, as shown. The container can be rolled with relative ease since the edge areas 26 act as rolling hoops and reduce rolling resistance of the container. Heretofore, containers made without edge areas of the type described here, were difficult to roll due to substantial rolling resistance presented by contact of the substantially entire wall of the container with the surface on which the container is being rolled. The edge areas greatly diminish the area of contact between the container and the floor, or the like, on which the container is rolled, thus reducing the rolling friction.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the top 14 of the container is formed with a pair of apertures 28 and 30 for filling and emptying the container. The apertures have threaded upstanding flanges 32 and 34, resepctively, engageable by threaded covers (not shown) for closing the same.

The top closure member 14 is formed with a plurality of upstanding ridges 36 disposed in circumferentially spaced arrangement about the periphery thereof and in close proximity to the edge of the closure 14. The ridges provide protection for closures secured to threaded apertures 28 and 30. The inside annular surface of the ridge 36 provides a surface for a person or a hand truck to grasp the container. The spaces between the ridges form water run-off areas.

The bottom closure member 16 has a plurality of depressions 38 which are engageable by user's hand when manually handling the container, emptying it, or using the same with drum slings or the like.

Claims

We claim:

1. A unitary molded container comprising:

a. a tubular body having a continuous wall closed at its top and bottom ends by respective top and bottom closure members integrally formed with said wall;

b. said wall having a central portion and a pair of frustoconically shaped end portions diverging axially outwardly from said closure members toward said central portion;

c. a pair of apertures in said top closure member to facilitate filling and emptying said container;

d. said wall having at least a pair of substantially flat indentations in said central portion forming shoulders with each of said end portions to facilitate lifting said container;

e. said indentations of a pair being disposed in the planes separated by 180.degree. from each other and paralleling the major axis of said container.