GB2330549A

GB2330549A - Barrel with a lid seal operating according to the double-lid principle and with a flanged edge

Info

Publication number: GB2330549A
Application number: GB9825927A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Weissmann; Helmut Lehning
Original assignee: Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH
Current assignee: Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie KIT
Priority date: 1996-06-01
Filing date: 1996-06-01
Publication date: 1999-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2016-06-01
Also published as: DE29681271U1; WO1997047014A1; GB9825927D0; GB2330549B

Abstract

The invention concerns a barrel which has a lid seal and is used for the inward and outward transfer of radioactive or toxic substances in a contamination-free manner. The barrel comprises a flanged edge (2) and a deformable annular seal (3) disposed between the inner lid (6) of the double-lid system and the barrel. The inner lid (6) comprises a pivotable lever (8) with a rounded end (9) as an element for locking with the barrel, the lever (8) acting on the inner wall (1) of the barrel, below the seal (3) which engages at least partially around the flanged edge (2) in a form-locking manner. Placed on the smooth region of the barrel wall (1) on which the lever acts, below the seal (3), is a support ring (11) having a recess (14) which is directed towards the barrel interior and in which the rounded end (9) of the pivotable lever (8) engages when the barrel is locked.

Description

Barrel, having a lid closure according to the doublelid principle and a

flanged edge The present invention relates to a barrel, having a lid closure according to the double-lid principle for the contamination-free inward and outward transfer of radioactive or toxic substances, and a flanged edge as well as an annular, deformable seal lying between the inner lid of the double- lid system and the barrel, having the features in the preamble of claim 1.

The contamination-free inward and outward transfer of radioactive or toxic material from a barrel or some other container to a contaminated system or vice versa is accomplished by using the so-called double-lid technique. A lid closure system, based on this technique, is known from DE-PS 38 23 593. This concept is disadvantageous in that, when barrels have smooth, beadless walls, such as, for example, in the case of DOT barrels, the locking elements f or the inner lid of such a system have, on the one hand,' to abut against and be retained on the smooth wall and, on the other hand, to engage therewith beneath the barrel seal which lies on the flanged edge and protrudes into the barrel. On the one hand, therefore, the retention of the lid in the barrel is adversely affected, whereby, on the other hand, there is a risk of the seal becoming damaged when the barrel is to be lifted by the inner lid.

In consequence, the present invention seeks to remedy this disadvantage and create a barrel of the initially mentioned type, wherein the locking elements of the inner lid of a double-lid system are satisfactorily retained on the internal surface of the barrel, without adversely affecting the barrel seal.

To achieve the object, the invention proposes the features which are mentioned in the characterising part of claim 1. Additional advantageous embodiments of the invention are mentioned in the characterising features of the sub-claims.

In the case of the double-lid charging technique by means of a charge box, the construction of the barrel according to the invention now permits barrels to be used also with a smooth wall without beads and with a flanged edge, without said disadvantages.

Further details of the present invention are explained more fully hereinafter and with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through the upper barrel edge with an inner lid inserted; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detailed view of the seal and the supporting ring.

The upper portion of the wall 1 of a DOT waste barrel according to American or British standards is illustrated in Fig. 1. These barrels are normally formed from sheet steel and have a flanged edge 2, which is annularly rolled-up outwardly, said edge extending from the smooth wall 1 in a seamless manner and subsequently being provided with a clamping ring for retaining an outer protective lid, said clamping ring extending around said edge and not being shown. A shaped seal 3, f ormed from resilient sealing material and extending around the barrel edge, is inverted over the flanged edge 2 and firmly adhered there, the lower end 4 of said seal protruding into the barrel at the internal surface of the wall 1 and terminating at an end face 5. The barrel is sealed by a lid 6 in a gas-tight or alpha-tight manner and forms the inner lid of a double-lid system for the contamination-free inward and outward transfer of radioactive or toxic substances into the barrel. The function of such double-lid systems is known, but only the inner lid of such a system plays a role in the present invention.

Situated on the underside of the lid 6 is a locking system, mounted thereon, for locking the lid 6 on the wall 1, said system comprising, in addition to other component parts for the actuation thereof, the lever 8 which is pivotable about the pivot point 7 on a cross-shaped locking means 10, said lever being pivotable relative to the wall 1 with its rounded end 9 beneath the end face 5 of the seal 3 and, in consequence, firmly clamping the lid 6 to the wall 1. The lever 8 is shown in Fig. 1 in the two positions "open" and "closed", the transitional region of the end 9 being shown therein by a plurality of circles. The cross-shaped locking means 10, belonging to the locking system and having the pivot point 7, is moved upwardly and downwardly for such purpose in a manner not shown more fully. An intermediate plate 12, which sits on the underside of the lid at a spacing from the cross-shaped locking means 10 and has slots 13, through which the levers 8 protriide, therefore defines the pivotal movement of the levers 8 upwardly and downwardly.

The lever 8 engaged beneath the end f ace 5 of the seal 3 with the initially mentioned, conventional type of construction, but it was possible that said seal could become damaged thereby. In consequence, an essential element of the present invention here is the supporting ring 11, which is inserted into the barrel at the clamping location and secured on the wall, said ring being non-deformable and having a recess 14, which is orientated towards the barrel interior and forms the support for the rounded end 9 of the lever 8. The supporting ring 11 is advantageously placed with its upper edge 18 directly - 4 beneath the end face 5 of the seal 3, so that said seal can be supported thereon, and the end face 5 is protected.

The supporting ring 11, which is shown on an enlarged scale in crosssection in Fig. 2 together with the seal 3, is formed from metal, e.g. iron, aluminium or their alloys, and can be mounted on the internal surface of the wall in various ways, such as, for example, by being adhered theretof pressed therein or welded thereon. The already mentioned recess 14 extends annularly around the internal surface 15 of the supporting ring 11 and has the cross-sectional configuration of a flat groove with a level bottom surface 17 and intensively rounded corners, the rounded portion 16 of which corresponds substantially to the path of the rounded ends 9 of the levers 8 during compression, so that said levers can engage in the recess 14 in a form-locking manner during a locking process or an inwardly pivoting process. The lid 6 is therefore situated in the barrel in a likewise secure and specific manner, as in the case of the locking means for lids in barrels having beads in the wall.

- 5 List of reference numerals:- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 is barrel wall flanged edge shaped seal lower end end face lid pivot point lever rounded end cross-shaped locking means supporting ring intermediate plate opening recess internal surface rounded portions outline upper edge claims:

1. Barrel, having a lid closure according to the double-lid principle for the contamination-free inward- and outward transfer of radioactive or toxic substances, and having a flanged edge as well as an annular, deformable seal, which lies between the inner lid of the double-lid system and the barrel, having the following features:

a) the inner lid (6) has a pivotable lever (8) with a rounded end (9) as the locking.element with the barrel, the rounded end (9) of said lever cooperating with the internal wall (1) of the barrel beneath the seal (3) with its rounded end (9) in its locked position, b) the seal (3) abuts against the internal wall (1) of the barrel in the region of the barrel opening and at least partially engages around the flanged edge (2) in a formlocking manner.

characterised by the additional feature: c) a supporting ring (11) is inserted onto the smoothwall (1) of the barrel within the range of the lever movement, and said ring has a recess 14, which is orientated towards the barrel interior, and in which recess engages the rounded end (9) of the pivotable lever (8) during the locking process.

2. Barrel according to claim 1, characterised by the additional feature:

d) the recess (14) extends annularly around the internal surface (15) of the supporting ring (11) and has the cross-sectional configuration of a flat groove having a level bottom face (17) and intensively rounded corners, the rounded portion (16) of which corresponds substantially to the path of the rounded ends (9) of the levers (8) during compression.

3. Barrel according to claim 1 or 2, characterised by the additional feature:

e) the supporting ring (11) is placed with its upper edge (18) directly beneath the end face (5) of the seal (3).

4. Barrel according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the supporting ring (11) is formed from metal, e.g.

iron, aluminium or their alloys, and is mounted on the internal surface of the wall (1) by being adhered ther. eto, pressed therein or welded thereon.