Greif Bros. Corp. of Ohio, Inc.

North American Packaging Company

Grief Bros. Corporation

North American Packaging (pacific Rim) Corporation

Michael Morrison

Harry Mays

George Patton

A machine comprising a base and an elongated cradle pivotally mounted on the base is used to facilitate separation of nested tapered drums from a stack. With the cradle in an upright position, the machine is moved toward the stack to embrace the stack in the cradle. A pair of clamps on the cradle embrace and grip successive drums at a lower end of the stack, and then the cradle is moved to a lay-down position, carrying the stack with it. A first clamp of the pair, gripping a first drum, is moved away from a second clamp of the pair and then releases the first drum so that it can be separated from the second drum. The first clamp is then moved toward the second clamp. The second clamp releases the second drum, and the laid-down stack is moved along the cradle to align the second drum with the first clamp and a third drum in the stack with the second clamp. The first and second clamps then grip the second and third drums, respectively, and the first clamp is again moved away from the second clamp. The first clamp then releases the second drum to permit the second drum to be separated from the stack.

Machine and method for facilitating separation of members of a stack

A ring reinforcement is utilized on the circular head and bottom of a conventional 55 gallon drum. The conventional drum contains a cylindrical steel body having the two conventional V-shaped ribs expanded into the sidewalls at the middle of the cylinder. The drum&mdash;when either of the open-head or closed-head variety&mdash;has a circular head and a circular bottom closing in sealed relationship with the drum interior. This circular head and circular bottom are reinforced by welding a drum-reinforcing rim preferably inside the barrel. It has been found that remarkable resistance to bulging results, enabling the barrel to be shipped with product with up to 25 psi pressure relative to the barrel exterior without objectional distortion.

Ring reinforcement for conventional drum

A mixing vane is mounted interior of a drum having a plastic lining--preferably a vinyl lining. Preferably two mixing vanes covers a cylindrical solid angle of 240.degree. while 120.degree. remains unoccupied to permit convenient pouring of the contents from the barrel. The mixing vane is preferably constructed with a L-shaped section with the bottom of the 'L' fitted to the interior of the lined drum and the vertical member of the 'L' protruding outward from the barrel wall as the mixing vane. In the preferred embodiment, the vertical member of the 'L' is disposed along a helical path to produce directional movement of the barrel contents during barrel rotation. Preferably, the mixing vane is injection molded from vinyl or polyethylene. In fastening to the sidewall of the 55 gallon, the mixing vane is softened at the bottom of the 'L' by either placement in a vinyl solvent or heating to produce a sticky surface. The vane is placed, preferably by clamping, to the inside surface of the vinyl coated 55 gallon drum. There results a complete and simple bond of the vane to the drum which can withstand the temperatures of materials placed within the drum and effect desired mixing of the drum contents.

Drum with internal static mixer

A 55 gallon drum is provided with a static mixer that enables internal mixing of product during barrel rotation. Before fastening of at least one of the respective lids, a circular elastic ring insert is place within the barrel. This circular plastic ring insert has a diameter exceeding that of the barrel, has two external protuberances for keying to the cylindrical inside of the barrel at internal ribs, and is cut across the ring so as to interrupt the otherwise endless dimension of the ring. Upon insertion to the barrel, the ring is opened at the cut and disposed in an auger like helix along the inside cylindrical wall of the drum. The two protuberances are keyed to the drum interior of the internal ribs to effectively fasten by friction its helical auger like path on the cylindrical inside wall of the drum. Thereafter, the drum is closed and filled with product. Upon drum rotation, relative motion between the contained product and helical auger like static mixer occurs. Product is moved vertically with respect to the drum side walls towards one end of the drum. Product movement continues to the end of the drum with return product flow to the opposite drum end along the axial dimension. When cooling spraying accompanies such rotation, rapid cooling of the entire drum contents results.

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Stockton, CA, United States of America

Michael Morrison