Hatch cover apparatus

Abstract

A hatch cover apparatus includes a cover lid adapted to cover an opening formed by the body of a storage container. The apparatus includes an expandable seal which extends between the closed cover and the container body to thereby seal the opening, and an arrangement for retaining the cover lid in a closed position when the seal is expanded. The apparatus further a sliding arrangement for providing sliding movement of the cover lid relative to the opening between an open position and a closed position.

1 . An automatic hatch cover apparatus for a storage container comprising: 
 a cover lid adapted to cover an opening formed by the body of a storage container,    a sliding arrangement for sliding the cover lid relative to the opening between an open position and a closed position,    a retaining arrangement for retaining the cover lid in a closed position,    a sealing arrangement extending between the closed cover and the container body to thereby seal off the opening, by wherein the sealing arrangement is activatable in a sealing condition to seal off the opening whereby the retaining arrangement retains the cover lid in a closed position, and in a non-sealing condition whereby the cover lid is slidable between the open position and the closed position to uncover and cover the opening.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing means comprises an expandable seal.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sealing means comprises an internal pressure inside the container causing sealing off of the opening.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein by the retaining arrangement comprises: 
 at least one guide member mounted on the container body, and    a frame for engaging with the at least one guide member, with the cover being connected to the frame.    
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein by the cover lid being is pivotally connected to the frame.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sliding arrangement comprises an extension member, the extension member being extendable between a retracted position corresponding to the open position of the cover lid and an extended position corresponding the cover lid being in a closed position.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a frame connected with the cover lid, and wherein the extension member is connected to the frame and the container body.  
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein by the extension member is connected to the cover lid and the container body.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein by the retaining arrangement comprises first and second securing arrangements for securing the cover in a closed position, the first securing arrangement comprising at least one first securing member ( 410 ) mounted on the container body and at least one second securing member provided on the cover lid, the first securing member engaging with the second securing member.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is mountable to an existing container and cover lid ensemble.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus comprises an activating arrangement activating the sealing arrangement and the sliding arrangement, the activation arrangement comprising a common activation source.  
     
     
         12 . A method of operating an automatic hatch cover apparatus comprising the steps of: 
 providing a cover lid adapted to cover an opening formed by the body of a storage container,    providing a sliding arrangement for sliding the cover lid relative to the opening between an open position and a closed position,    providing a retaining arrangement for retaining the cover lid in a closed position,    providing a sealing arrangement extending between the closed cover and the container body to thereby seal off the opening,    activating the sealing means in a sealing condition to seal off the opening whereby the cover lid is retained in a closed position, and a non-sealing condition whereby the cover lid is slidable between the open position and the closed position to uncover and cover the opening,    closing the opening by sliding the cover over the opening followed by sealing off the opening,    opening the opening by unsealing the opening followed by sliding the cover away from the opening.