Abstract:
A device for opening a cylindrically bilateral filter canister, such as that houses the M98 chemical, biological, radiological filter for storage and transport. The filter canister is sealed with an epoxy-covered pull-cord that ends in an eye-loop. The device is disposed on a platform for the opening operation. The device includes a frame, first and second rollers, and a winch. The frame includes first and second support members. The first support member engages the platform and supports the second support member. The first and second rollers are disposed parallel to the platform to support the canister along its periphery. The winch includes a drum and a motor and is disposed on the frame. The drum engages the eye-loop. The motor turns said drum to receive the pull-cord from the canister.

Description:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST 
     The invention described was made in the performance of official duties by one or more employees of the Department of the Navy, and thus, the invention herein may be manufactured, used or licensed by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates generally to a device to open filter canisters. In particular, the device is particularly related to a motorized mechanism to reduce risks and fatigue associated with manual labor effort for such opening operations. 
     Collective protection (COLPRO) systems are employed in military environments, such as naval ships to remove contaminants from air. The military standard filter set employs M98 chemical, biological, radiological (CBR) filters for this purpose. For warehousing and transport, each filter is packed into a ruggedized cylindrical aluminum canister to protect against environmental and handling hazards. 
     The shipping weight of a single loaded canister is approximately 65 lbs. Each canister is tightly sealed with a thick strip of epoxy, into which a plastic coated wire as a pull-cord with eye-loops on either end is embedded. The two ends of the pull-cord wire protrude from the epoxy seal. To open the canister the pull cord wire must be torn out from the epoxy, thereby removing the epoxy seal. 
     SUMMARY 
     Conventional mechanisms to open a filter canister yield disadvantages addressed by various exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In particular, various exemplary embodiments provide a motorized mechanism to reduce the considerable manual labor required to open a cylindrically bilateral filter canister, such as that used to store an M98 chemical, biological, radiological (CBR) filter. This mechanism reduces labor effort by utilizing powered opening techniques. 
     In various exemplary embodiments, the device operates to open a cylindrically bilateral filter canister, such as that houses the M98 CBR filter. The filter canister is sealed with an epoxy-covered pull-cord that ends in an eye-loop. The device is disposed on a platform for the opening operation. The device includes a frame, first and second rollers, and a winch. 
     The frame includes first and second support members. The first support member engages the platform and supports the second support member. The first and second rollers are disposed parallel to the platform to support the canister along its periphery. The winch includes a drum and a motor and is disposed on the frame. The drum engages the eye-loop. The motor turns said drum to receive the pull-cord from the canister. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and various other features and aspects of various exemplary embodiments will be readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar numbers are used throughout, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a canister; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a conventional manual tool; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a dolly-mount tool; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a roll-around tool; and 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are de-scribed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and logical, mechanical, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a cylindrical filter canister  100  for storage and shipment of an M98 chemical, biological, radiological (CBR) filter. The aluminum canister  100  measures approximately two-feet in diameter and extends approximately one-foot in thickness. 
     As shown in prone position, the canister  100  separates bilaterally into a top portion  110  and an identical bottom portion  120 , secured together at the joining rim by a wire  130  and sealed with epoxy  140 . The wire  130  includes a pair of loop ends  150 . To open the canister  100  to retrieve the CBR filter, at least one of the loops  150  is pulled away from the canister  100  to tear the epoxy seal  140  and separate the portions  110 ,  120 . 
     The canister can be opened using a pry-bar and hammer. This manual method utilizes no specialized tools or training. This process is extremely labor-intensive, and presents potential for personal injury and/or equipment damage. An alternative technique uses a manual opener currently used aboard naval vessels. 
       FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of this conventional manual opener tool  200  currently employed to open the canister  100 . The tool  200  includes a handle  210  attached to a shaft  220 . A cylindrical drum  230  with a radially protruding button  240  attaches to the shaft  220  opposite the handle  210 . The button  240  engages one of the loops  150  to wind around the drum  230  as the handle  210  turns around the perimeter of the canister  100 , thereby pulling the wire  130  from the epoxy seal  140 . 
     Although providing a less labor-intensive means of opening the CBR filter canister than by the pry-bar, the opening process (especially over the course of many canisters) causes significant manual fatigue. This opener tool  200  is currently the preferred method for opening CBR filter canisters in both Navy shipboard and shore-based activities. 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of hand-truck powered opener  300 . A rollable hand-truck dolly  310  holds the canister  100 . An electric winch that includes a drum  320  with its associated motor  330  attach to the dolly  310  below the truck handle. One of the loops  150  is wound a nylon rope and fed into the winch  320 , which the motor  330  turns to unwind the wire  130 . However, the size, weight and operational constraints (requiring two persons to lift the canister and engage the motor) render this configuration impractical for cramped ship-board conditions. 
       FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a compact roll-around opener  400  also developed at NSWCDD. A pair of tubes  410 , with square-cross-section and rollers, is disposed adjacent to the canister  100  along the radial periphery. An electric-driven winch, including a cylindrical drum  420  coaxially connected to a motor  430 , attaches to the tubes  410 . A radially-protruding button  440  extends from drum  420  to engage one of the loops  150  as the motor  430  turns the drum  420  to pull the wire  130  from the epoxy seal  140 . 
     The opener  400  operates using the small electric winch that is mounted upon compact rollers. Opening of a CBR filter canister is accomplished by positioning the drum  420  along the side of the canister  100  and drawing the canister-sealing wire  130  onto the winch drum by snagging the loop  150  around the button  440 . As the wire  130  is drawn from the epoxy seal  140 , the opener  400  is free to roll around the circumference of the canister  100 . 
     Advantages to this configuration include compact size and reduced operator strain, as no lifting of the canister  100  is required. However, drawbacks include absence of supporting structure for the opener  400 , where upon completing the unwrap operation, the opener  300  falls onto the floor near the canister  100 . Due to the relatively small clearance around drum, this can cause frequent work stoppages to clear the area of wire and epoxy debris. Additionally, the small diameter of the drum  420  produces clogging from epoxy accumulation. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  show perspective views  500  and  510  of an exemplary embodiment of a powered canister opener. This device includes an electric-powered winch mounted on a compact frame that supports the canister  100  and includes rollers to permit the canister  100  to rotate freely during the opening process, with the cylindrical axis parallel to the floor. 
     The frame includes vertical members  520  mounted to horizontal members  530  that rest on a platform or the floor. The members  520 ,  530  are separated by a width sufficient to straddle the canister  100  along its height. A mount plate  535  attaches across the vertical members  520 . Bottom free-rollers  540  are mounted across the horizontal members  530 . Side free-rollers  545  are mounted across the vertical members  520 . These free-rollers  540 ,  545  support the canister  100  along its radial periphery. 
     The winch, attached to the plate  535 , includes a rotatable drum  550  with its turning axis parallel to the canister  100 , an electric motor  560  coaxial with the drum  550 , and a pulley  570  to strip the epoxy and guide the wire  130  to the drum  550 . The motor  560  receives alternating current electric power from cords  580  via a control switch. The motor  560  turns the drum  550  that receives and spools the wire  130  to open the canister  100 . The drum  550  includes a radially-protruding button, similar to the button  440  on the roll-around opener  400 . 
     The sequence of operations for using this device is as follows: The horizontal members  530  are disposed on the floor (or table). The motor  560  is connected via the cords  580  to an electrical power source. A filter canister  100  is rolled onto the opener frame to rest along the rollers  540 ,  545 . The canister  100  is rotated as needed to align one of the loops  150  for latching to the drum  550 . By activating the switch controller, the winch operates such that the pull-cord wire  130  wraps around the drum  550 . 
     As the motor  560  turns, the wire  130  is drawn from the epoxy seal  140  onto the drum  550 . During this interval, the canister  100  rotates freely on the frame rollers  540 ,  545 . Upon drawing the wire completely from the interface between the top and bottom portions  110 ,  120 , the canister  100  is rolled off of the frame for filter extraction. The wire  130  is removed from the drum  550  and discarded. The operations rolling through discarding operations can be repeated as necessary to complete opening all of the filter canisters as intended. 
     The power driver CBR filter canister opener presents the following advantages as compared to previous manual and powered systems: (a) reduced labor requirements for filter change-out events, (b) reduced worker fatigue, (c) reduced potential for injury, (d) equivalent opening cycle time, and (e) compact volume and portability. 
     Reduced labor: Conventional execution of change-out of a CBR filter system (typically replacement of 50-to-200 filters in canisters) requires a large work crew open filters in a timely fashion with minimal worker fatigue or injury. The disclosed device enables using smaller work parties. 
     Reduced fatigue: Opening CBR filter canisters can tire personnel greatly. The overall task conventionally involves multiple lifting, bending, and straining operations to open a single canister. The disclosed device performs most of the physical labor, thereby reducing worker fatigue. 
     Reduced potential for personnel injury and filter damage. Opening a filter canister presents several opportunities for injury, such as slipping, tripping, falling, dropping, muscle straining, etc. By obviating manual exertion, the disclosed device reduces these risks. 
     Equivalent opening cycle time: The conventional time to open a single canister  100  is approximately 45-seconds to one-minute. The disclosed device presents similar cycle times, thereby enabling the other advantages without degradation in performance. 
     Compact and portable design: Previously developed prototypes to open filter canisters have been unwieldably large and necessitated considerable volume to transport or lacking in structural stiffness. The disclosed device pro-vides structural support while maintaining the loading and operational ability to open the canister  100 . 
     While certain features of the embodiments of the invention have been illustrated as described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the embodiments.