Abstract:
A container for liquid chemicals is disclosed, comprising a cylindrical container shell, an upper curved base and a lower curved base, and also a container inflow and a container outflow, wherein the container inflow and the container outflow are arranged at the upper curved base of the container and a drainage tube is provided which extends form the container outflow to the lower curved base.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a container for liquid chemicals comprising a cylindrical shell, an upper curved base and a lower curved base as well as a container inflow and a container outflow. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    EP 0 338 573 relates to a safety container for dangerous and/or precious chemical products, in particular in liquid form, in which the container is firmly arranged on a pallet which facilitates handling. In order to provide a container which can be manufactured in a simple way and, if appropriate, is pressure resistant, the container is formed in a cylindrical design and is closed by upper and lower curved bases. In order to achieve the stackability and, if appropriate, the mechanical protection of the container against forces acting from the outside, receiving means for the container are provided at the corner areas of the pallet. In order to fill the container, a cover has to be unscrewed, and emptying of the container takes place at its lower base which complicates the operation and the handling of the container. Furthermore a secure and disturbance-free emptying of the container is not insured in cases where the container is moved. Also the fact that the container has to be mounted on a pallet for its protection complicates the usage of the container. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following summary of the invention is included in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects and features of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and as such it is not intended to particularly identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented below. 
         [0006]    The invention is based on the objective to provide a container for liquid chemicals in which the liquid chemicals can securely be transported and from which the liquid chemicals may be taken out in a simple, secure and disturbance-free way also in case the container is not arranged vertically or is moved. 
         [0007]    For this purpose, the container for liquid chemicals according to the invention is characterized in that the container inflow and the container outflow are arranged at the upper curved base of the container and in that a drainage tube is provided which extends from the container outflow to the lower curved base. By means of this advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention, a simple and secure operation is insured because the inflow and the outflow to and from the container can be done from its upper side, and because of the fact that the drainage tube reaches to the bottom of the container, a secure emptying of the container is insured also in case the container is not standing up vertically or is moved. 
         [0008]    An advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the container inflow and the container outflow are embodied as inflow stubs and outflow stubs, respectively. The container of the invention is, thereby, arranged in an advantageous way such that the conduits for the inflow and the emptying of the liquid chemicals can be easily connected to the container. 
         [0009]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that a shut-off valve is provided at the container inflow and the container outflow, respectively. Although valves for controlling the inflow and the outflow could be provided in the supply means for the container, it is advantageous when in the container inflow and the container outflow shut-off valves are provided because the operation of the container is possible, in this case, independent of the best preconditions of the filling device or the emptying device. 
         [0010]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the shut-off valves at the container inflow and the container outflow are glandless valves. Such valves are particularly advantageous in particular if the liquid chemicals are shot-sensitive or friction-sensitive. In such a case, the shut-off valves are not forming any peril points for filling-in and removing the chemicals. 
         [0011]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that, at the lower curved base, a bottom cup curved to the outside is centrally provided, and that the drainage tube reaches into the bottom cup. Since the residual liquid of the chemicals is practically collected in the bottom cup “up to the last drop”, an almost complete removal of the chemical from the container can be insured. 
         [0012]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the bottom cup is welded to the lower curved base, wherein the bottom cup, in this case, is practically an integral portion of the container which contributes to its stability. 
         [0013]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the drainage tube extents within the container out of center to the container shell to the area of the bottom of the container and then under an angle to the bottom of the container or the bottom cup. By means of this arrangement, enough space is provided at the upper side of the container in an advantageous way in order to be able to arrange the armatures to be easily accessible and clearly laid out. 
         [0014]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that, on top of the bottom cup a lower bottom cup protective cover is provided which covers the bottom cup. The bottom cup protective cover serves at one hand, the protection of the bottom cup and of the container at its bottom side. On the other hand, the bottom cup protective cover forms a means for anchoring the container in a respectively arranged receptacle, for example a ring, which receives the bottom protective cover, or three or more guiding portions which engage at the bottom cup protective cover when the container is inserted therewith in the anchoring. 
         [0015]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention in characterized in that the bottom cup protective cover is welded to the lower curved base whereby again the stability of the protective cover and also the protection for the container is put up. 
         [0016]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that, around the container shell, an outer shell is provided which surrounds the container shell with a distance. The outer shell serves, in an advantageous way, at first as an additional protection for the container against mechanical influences from outside. 
         [0017]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the outer shell forms, with the container shell, a closed space which is provided with an inflow stub and an outflow stub. If the space is filled during the transportation with a diluting agent for the chemicals, for example water, a further security measure is provided thereby in case the chemical is leaking out of the container. Furthermore, the closed space can be filled with cooling agent such that a cooling of the chemical in the container during the storage as well as during filling or drainage is ensured. 
         [0018]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the outer shell is formed in a cylindrical design, is welded, at the upper and the lower side, with tube halves and is welded by means of the tube halves with the container shell. Thereby, a connection free of tensions of the outer shell to the container shell is ensured. 
         [0019]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the inflow stub is provided at a lower area of the outer shell, and the outflow stub is provided at an upper area of the outer shell. In case the space between the outer shell and the container shell is filled with a liquid, this liquid flows in an advantageous way, from the bottom to the top which allows a uniform filling. If the space is to be drained, the drainage may be done also through the inflow stub at the bottom of the container. 
         [0020]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that an upper protective cover is provided which, in the mounted state, covers the container inflow and the container outflow. This protective cover serves, in an advantageous way, during transportation and storage of the container, for the protection of the armatures which are arranged at the upper side of the container. When the container is put into operation and the armatures have to be accessible, the protective cover can easily be taken off. 
         [0021]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that the upper protective cover is connected to the container by means of a releasable strap connection wherein this is an advantageous and particularly simple solution for taking off the protective cover. 
         [0022]    A further advantageous embodiment of the container of the invention is characterized in that a carrying ring is provided on the container wherein the carrying ring is connected to the container by means of fixtures and surrounds the container inflow and the container outflow or the upper protective cover, respectively, with a distance. 
         [0023]    The carrying ring again serves for the mechanical protection of the protective cover or the upper side of the container, respectively. On the other hand, the carrying ring forms a simple handling means for the container since the container may be gripped at the carrying ring and, thereafter, be transported. Finely, the carrying ring also serves the purpose to fix the container at a storage site at a wall, a post or the like thereby that a strap is simply put around the carrying ring. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    Further advantages, features and usage possibilities of the present invention are resulting from the following specification in connection with the embodiments shown in the drawings. 
           [0025]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale. 
           [0026]    In the specification, in the claims and in the drawings, the terms as listed in the bellow list of the reference numbers and the respective reference numbers are used. In the drawings: 
           [0027]      FIG. 1  shows a vertical section through the container of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  shows a view on to the upper side of the container of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  shows a strap connection between the protective cover and the container; 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  shows a side view of the container of the invention of  FIG. 1 , and 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the container according to the  FIGS. 1 to 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0032]    The container  2  of  FIG. 1  consists out of metal and comprises a cylindrical shell  4  which is welded at the upper side to a curved top base  6  and to the lower side with a curved bottom or lower base  8 . 
         [0033]    The lower curved base  8  has a central circular opening  10  into which a further cylindrical shell stub  12  is welded which, itself, is closed by means of a welded, curved bottom  14 . The shell stub  12  and the bottom  14  together form a bottom cup  16  in which the remaining of the liquid chemical are collected upon drainage of the container. This arrangement is particularly advantageous when the container  2  is not in a completely vertical position, e.g., tilted, during the drainage procedure. 
         [0034]    The bottom cup  16  consisting out of the shell stub  12  and the bottom  14 , is protected against a mechanical damage from outside by means of a protective cover  18  which consists out of shell stub  20  welded to the curved base  8  and out of a curved base  22  which is welded to the shell stub  20 , thereby forming a protective cover cup  18 , which is of larger dimensions and is fitted over cup  16 , leaving a protective space in-between. 
         [0035]    The cylindrical container shell  4  is protected against outer mechanical damage by means of an outer shell  24 . The outer shell  24  is welded to ring tube halves  26  and  28 . The ring tube half  26  is welded to upper curved base  6 . The ring tube half  28  is welded to the lower curved base  8 . By means of the arrangement with the ring tube halves  26  and  28 , the outer shell  24  is situated without tension on the container  2 . 
         [0036]    The ring tube halves  26  and  28  furthermore protect the upper and lower curved bases  6  and  8  against mechanical damage from outside. 
         [0037]    A screw socket is welded to the ring tube half  26  as a liquid outflow  30  to which a hose or a tube can be connected. To the ring tube half  28 , a screw socket is welded as a liquid inflow  32  to which a hose or a tube may be connected. 
         [0038]    The container  2  comprises a drainage conduit  34  out of metal eccentrically to its central axis. At the bottom of the drainage conduit  34 , a tube piece  36  is welded in an oblique way. The tube piece  36  reaches almost to the bottom of the curved bottom  14  of the bottom cup  16 . 
         [0039]    The drainage conduit  34  is hydraulically connected, at its upper side, to the tube stub  38 . The tube stub  38  is welded to the upper curved base  6 . A valve  40  is welded to the tube stub  38 . Preferably, the valve  40  does not comprise a gland but comprises a liquid tight bellows. A tube flange  42  is welded to the valve  40 , wherein, in this way, a first armature is formed by which a removable, hydraulic connection of the container  2  to other armatures can be effected. 
         [0040]    The container  2  comprises a carrying ring  44  which consist out of a circularly bent tube ring the outer diameter of the ring corresponding to the outer diameter of the cylindrical outer shell  24 . The carrying ring  44  is connected to the upper curved base  6  by means of at least two mountings. In  FIG. 1 , a mounting  46  is visible. From  FIG. 2 , two further mountings as  52  and  54  are visible. 
         [0041]    The container  2  comprises, for the protection of the flange stubs and the armatures, an upper protective cover  48  which is connected to the upper ring tube half  26  by means of two removable straps  50 . At the side of drainage, the fixing nut  68  of each strap connection is loosened whereby the upper protective cover  48  may easily be removed and the access to the flange  42  is allowed. 
         [0042]    The details of the strap connection  50  can be taken from  FIG. 3 . Accordingly, the strap connection consists out of a sheet steel angle  62  which is welded to the ring tube half  26  as well as out of an eye  64  which is welded to the outer wall of the upper protective cover  48 . During transportation of the container, the steel sheet angle  62  and the eye  64  are fixed to each other by means of the screw stub  66  welded to the steel sheet angle  62  and by means of the fixing nut  68 . 
         [0043]    A second armature is arranged at the upper curved base  6  of the container  2  whereby the filling of the container is facilitated. As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , the armature consists out of a connection flange  58  on to which the valve  56  is welded. The valve  56  is without gland and is arranged as a bellows valve. As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , the valve  56  is hydraulically connected to the tube stub  60  welded to the upper curved base  6 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  shows in perspective view the arrangement of the valves  40  and  46  as well as the flanges  42  and  58  at the upper curved base  6  of the container  2 . 
       LIST OF REFERENCES 
       [0000]    
       
           2  Container 
           4  Cylindrical container shell 
           6  Upper curved base of the container 
           8  Lower curved base of the container 
           10  Opening 
           12  Cylindrical shell of the bottom cup 
           14  Curved bottom of the bottom cup 
           16  Bottom cup 
           18  Protective cover 
           20  Shell of the lower protective cup 
           22  Curved bottom of the lower protective cover 
           24  Cylindrical outer shell 
           26  Upper ring tube half for the outer shell 
           28  Lower ring tube half for the outer shell 
           30  Outflow stub 
           32  Inflow stub 
           34  Drainage tube conduit 
           36  Tube piece 
           38  Tube stub 
           40  Valve 
           42  Flange 
           44  Carrying ring 
           46  Holder for carrying ring 
           48  Upper protective cover 
           50  Removable strap connection 
           52  Holder for carrying ring 
           54  Holder for carrying ring 
           56  Valve 
           58  Flange 
           60  Tube stub 
           62  Steel sheet angle 
           64  Eye 
           66  Screw stub 
           68  Screw nut