Closure ring assembly for steel drums

Abstract

Interlocking end lugs are provided in an improved closure split ring assembly for steel drums. The interlocking end lugs facilitate the tangential alignment of the ring to seal the lid on the drum and lock it in place.

1 . A closure ring assembly for securing a lid to a cylindrical drum comprising
 an annular closure split ring having a first unitary end lug and a second unitary end lug, said first end lug having an unthreaded hole and said second end lug having a threaded hole,   a tie bolt having a head and a threaded cylindrical end for insertion through said first unthreaded lug to engage said second threaded lug for drawing the lugs together,   said first and second lugs each having an end face directly abutting one another for interlocking said lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement and tangentially aligning the annular closure ring to close the ring for sealing the lid on the drum.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first lug end face has a conical shoulder integrally formed therein and the second threaded lug end face is tapered to receive the conical shoulder such that when the tie bolt draws the lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement there is provided a guided wedging action and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bolt head has a tapered shoulder for cooperating with a tapered face of the first unthreaded lug opposite its end face such that when the tie bolt draws the lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement, the tapered bolt head and cooperating unthreaded lug facilitate the engagement of the lugs to provide a guided wedging action and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said bolt head shoulder is conically shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein the tapered face of the first unthreaded lug is conically shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first lug end face is plane and the second threaded lug end face is plane such that when the tie bolt draws the lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement there is provided a locking action and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bolt head has a cylindrical shoulder for cooperating with the unthreaded hole of the first end lug to facilitate the engagement of the lugs for interlocking and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein the face of the first unthreaded lug has projecting teeth for cooperating with the bolt head to assist in interlocking the end lugs. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein an end face of the first or second lug has projecting teeth to assist in interlocking the end lugs. 
     
     
         10 . A closure ring assembly for securing a lid to a cylindrical drum comprising
 an annular closure split ring having a first unitary end lug and a second unitary end lug, said first end lug having a tapered face with an unthreaded hole and said second lug having a threaded hole,   a tie bolt having a head and a threaded cylindrical end for insertion through said first unthreaded lug to engage said second threaded lug for drawing the lugs together, wherein the bolt head has a tapered shoulder for cooperating with the tapered face of the first unthreaded lug,   said first and second lugs each having an end face directly abutting one another for interlocking said lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement, wherein said first lug end face has a conical shoulder integrally formed therein opposite its tapered face and the second threaded lug end face is tapered to receive the conical shoulder such that when the tie bolt draws the lugs into engagement there is provided a guided wedging action and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum.   
     
     
         11 . A closure ring assembly for securing a lid to a cylindrical drum comprising
 an annular closure split ring having a first unitary end lug and a second unitary end lug, said first end lug having an unthreaded hole and said second end lug having a threaded hole,   a tie bolt having a head and a threaded cylindrical end for insertion through said first unthreaded lug to engage said second threaded lug for drawing the lugs together, wherein the bolt head has a cylindrical shoulder for cooperating with the hole of the first unthreaded lug,   said first and second lugs each having a plane end face directly abutting one another for interlocking said lugs together by frictionally abutting said end faces into locking engagement such that when the tie bolt draws the lugs into engagement there is provided a locking action and tangential alignment of the ring ends to seal the drum.   
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein the face of the first unthreaded lug has projecting teeth for cooperating with the bolt head to assist in interlocking the end lugs. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 11  wherein an end face of the first or second lug has projecting teeth to assist in interlocking the end lugs. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 1 ,  10 , or  11  wherein the threaded cylindrical end of the bolt has a resilient solid plastic coating fused onto its surface along a plurality of threads for sealing and locking the bolt in engagement said second threaded lug. 
     
     
         15 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the coating covers a segment of the threaded cylindrical end which is spaced apart from the threaded end of the bolt thereby facilitating the ease of starting the bolt in the threaded end lug. 
     
     
         16 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the coating extends completely around the threaded cylindrical end of the bolt. 
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 14  wherein the coating extends partially around the circumference of the threaded cylindrical end of the bolt.