A DEVICE FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH TAPPING OFF FLUID FROM OR FILLING FLUID INTO A CONTAINER

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for use in connection with tapping fluid from a container and includes a tapping and filling hole closable with a bung, this bung having an outwardly open, substantially cylindrical recess or cavity with at least two mutually spaced lugs projecting into the cavity, the device including a generally cylindrical member, which is removably mounted over said hole, and has an opening arranged in its wall for emptying or filling fluid, and also including a tool for manual handling of the bung, where the tool is provided with a shaft (17) with a handle at its end remote from the housing, the other end of the shaft being provided with a directly or indirectly attachable bung holder (1) for releasable attachment of the plug with the aid of gripping means (4) associated with the holder. The gripping means comprises at least two bell crank-shaped elements (6), each with one leg (7) movably displaceable in respective guide passage (8) in a key bit (3) pertaining to the housing, the other legs (9) of the elements (6) extend past open guide channels (10) into, and for coaction with, a shaped recess (11), which is disposed radially in an actuating means (12) juxtaposed to the housing (2) and rotatable in relation to it for actuating the gripping means (4).

Description: A device for use in connection with tapping off fluid from or filling fluid into a container The present invention relates to a device for use in connection with tapping a fluid from a container, or filling it with a fluid via an internally threaded tapping or filling hole disposed in a wall of the container, this hole being closable by a bung provided with an externally threaded, substantially cylindrical cavity provided with at least two mutually spaced and diametrically opposed lugs projecting into the cavity, the device including a generally cylindrical member adapted for being removably mounted with an open end thereof over said hole, there being arranged an opening in a wall of the member for intake or discharge of fluid via this member, the device also including a tool for manually handling the bung from a place outside the member, this tool including a shaft extending axially displaceably and rotatably through a part of the member directly opposite the open end thereof, its end situ¬ ated outside the member being provided with a handle means, while at its other end it has means for direct or indirect retention of a bung holder, which includes a housing provided with a key bit movably accommodating a movable gripping means having gripping portions radially displaceable between inner and outer end positions, the gripping portions being intended to engage against the cavity side wall in their outer end positions, such as to releasably retain the bung. The disadvantage with these bung holders now on the market is that there are plugs or bungs implemented and/or made from material that do not enable them to be re¬ tained and/or opened by the holders in question. The object of the present invention is to achieve a device of the kind mentioned above, where the mentioned disadvantages have been eliminated by using a bung holder for releasable retention of the bung, where the holder may be directly or indirectly attached to the end of the tool shaft. The distinguishing features of the invention are disclosed in the accompanying claims. Due to the invention there has now been achieved a device that fulfils its purpose excellently, while it is both simple and cheap to manufacture. By the inven¬ tion there has now been provided a bung holder that may be attached directly to the end of the tool shaft or, in special cases, may also serve as an adapter with the function of bung holder, which is readily attached to an already existing bung holder in a tapping and fill¬ ing device in accordance with my European patent No. 0575423. An advantage with this arrangement is that because of the new inventive bung holder it is possible to open all the plugs or bungs on the market today that are intended for containers made as barrels or drums. The invention will now be described in more detail below with the aid of a preferred example of the inven¬ tion, and with reference to the accompanying drawing, where: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an already known bung holder, seen obliquely from below, which may be attach¬ ed to the end of the tool shaft and can coact with the inventive bung holder. Fig. 2 is a front view of the inventive bung holder, where one half of the view is an axial section, Fig. 3 is a plan view from above of the bung holder in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a view of the housing of the bung holder seen in Fig. 2, without the rotatable actuating means placed above it, where the housing has been rotated 90° in one or the other direction, and where half of it is seen in an axial section. The gripping means is shown here with its gripping portions in their outer end positions. Fig. 5 is a plan view from above of the housing shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a view from below of the inventive holder. Fig. 7 is a view, half of which is an axial section, of the bung holder actuating means included in the upper part thereof. The means has been rotated in one or the other direction. In Fig. 1 there is shown a perspective view, taken obliquely from below, of an already known bung holder 19, serving as a positional fixing means 18 for a bung holder 1 in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, and which is more closely illustrated in Figs. 2-7. The tool which may be used to loosen a bung (unillustrated on the drawing) in a container in the shape of a barrel, drum or the like, can carry the positional fixing means 18 at the free end 23 of its shaft 17. The inventive bung holder 1 includes a hous¬ ing 2 provided with a key bit 3, and accommodates movably mounted gripping means 4 having gripping por¬ tions 5 that are radially displaceable between inner and outer end positions, the gripping portions being intended to engage against the cavity side wall in the latter position such as to releasably retain the bung. The gripping means 4 comprises two bell crank-like elements 6, each having one leg 7, which is movable in its respective guide passage 8 disposed radially in the key bit 3. These legs 7 terminate in the above-mention¬ ed gripping portions 5, which coact with the cavity wall of the bung. The other leg 9 of the elements 6 is preferably at right angles to the leg 17 and parallel to the axial direction of the holder 1. These legs 9 extend past respective interior open channels 10 in the housing 2 into, and for coaction with a shaped recess 11, made radially in an actuating means 12 juxtaposed to the housing 2 and rotatable thereto, such as to actuate the gripping means 4. Helical springs 13 are disposed for guidance in channels 10. One end of each spring engages against the end wall of channel 10, while its other end engages against a leg 9 of gripping means 4, such as to provide spring bias in a radially outward direction for the gripping portions 5 of legs 7. This effect facilitates rotational movement of the actuating means 12 when it is operated directly or indirectly by the tool shaft 17. The actuating means 12 is a generally cylindrical disk 14 and is provided with the shaped recess 11 in its surface 15 facing towards the housing 2. In the surface 16 of disk 14 there is a large recess or cavity 22 facing towards the tool shaft 17, and the cavity is provided with at least two mutually opposing, inwardly directed lugs 20, 21. The inventive bung holder is thus loosely connectable to an engagement means 18 fitted to the end 23 of the tool shaft 17 and taking the shape of a holder 19 of known implementation. In the case where the bung holder 1 in accordance with the present invention is directly attached to the end 23 of the shaft 17, or to an attachment means 18 carried by it, the surface 16 of disk 14 facing towards the tool shaft 17 does not need to have the cavity 22, but is then directly attached to the end 23 with the aid of a thread (unillustrated on the drawing) or the attachment means 18. The actuating means 12 is rotatably, positionally fixed to the housing 2 by two elements, e.g. screws 24, 25, and in the illustrated example their free ends mate with threaded holes in the means 12. The shank of each screw 24, 25 extends through arcuate slots 26, 27, with their heads 28, 29 bearing against the surface of the housing remote from the actuating tool, such as to ensure retention of the means 12 by housing 2. The length and position of the slots 26, 27 determine the amount of rotation available to the means 12 and, consequently, the stroke of the gripping portions 5. The screws 24, 25 also serve as buffers for the radial movement of portions 5, and thus take up the force transmitted from tool shaft 17 to the housing 2 with its key bit 3, and which is required to open or close the container in question with the aid of the bung.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for use in connection with tapping a fluid from a container, or filling it with a fluid via an internally threaded tapping or filling hole disposed in a wall of the container, this hole being closable with an externally threaded, substantially cup-shaped bung having an outwardly open, substantially cylindrical cavity, provided with at least two mutually spaced and diametrically opposed lugs projecting into the cavity, the device including a generally cylindrical member adapted for being removably mounted with an open end thereof over the bung hole, there being arranged an opening in a wall of the member for intake or discharge of fluid via this member, the device also including a tool for manually handling a bung from a place outside the member, this tool including a shaft (17) extending axially displaceably and rotatably through a part of the member directly opposite the open end thereof, its end situated outside the member being provided with an operating means preferably in the shape of a handle, while at its other end (23) it has a directly or in¬ directly positionally fixable bung holder (1) including a housing (2) provided with a key bit (3) and accommo- dating movably mounted gripping means (4) , these means having gripping portions (5) that are radially dis¬ placeable between inner and outer end positions, where in the latter they are intended to engage against the side wall of the cavity for releasable retention of the bung, characterized in that the gripping means (4) comprises at least two bell crank-like elements (6) , one leg (7) of each being movable in guide passages (8) disposed radially in the key bit (3) and terminating in gripping portions (5) coacting with the cavity wall of the bung, the other leg (9) of each being directed at an angle to the other leg (7) such that it is parallel to the axis of the bung holder (1) and extending past interior, open guide channels (10) in the housing (2) into, and for coaction with, a shaped recess (11) , which is radially arranged in an actuating means (12) juxtaposed to the housing (2) , the means (12) being rotatable in relation to the housing for actuation of the gripping means (4) . 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that helical springs (13) are disposed in the guide channels (10) for acting against the legs (9) of the gripping means (4) to provide spring bias against the gripping portions (5) of the legs (7) in an outward, radial direction, such as to facilitate the turning movement of the actuating means (12) . 3. Device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the actuating means (12) is a cup-shaped disk (14) , its surface (15) facing towards the housing (2) being provided with a shaped recess (11) , while its surface (16) facing towards the end (23) of the tool shaft (17) is either directly or indirectly attachable to the shaft (17) , or has at least two lugs (20, 21) provided in a large recess or cavity (22) , which is loosely connectable to an engagement means (18) in the shape of a holder (19) fitted to the end (23) of the tool shaft (17) . 4. Device as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that the surface (16) of the disk (14) facing away from the housing (2) and towards the shaft (17) is directly attachable to the end (23) of the shaft (17) with the aid of a threaded connection or the like.

Inventors: AASTROEM HALVARD, AASTROEM, HALVARD
Applicants: AASTROEM HALVARD, AASTROEM, HALVARD
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B67B7
IPC codes: B67B7