Patent Publication Number: US-6216720-B1

Title: Siphon adapter

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a siphon adapter that when used with a shut-off device (like a faucet) can aid in removing liquid from containers that would, without this invention, normally be left in the container and wasted. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     This invention relates to containers where the drain hole is located higher than the bottom of the container and the container is situated so that there is clearance below the bottom of the container to allow for the use of the invention. The main application is with metal or plastic drums used in industry to transport, store and dispense liquids. The most typical drum sizes are 55 U.S. gallons and 30 U.S. gallons. However, this invention could be used on any size drum. 
     In most industrial settings, many different liquids are used on a regular basis. Dispensing liquids from drums can be done in a vertical or horizontal position. To dispense liquids in a vertical position, one of the bung plugs needs to be removed and replaced with a pump which reaches to the bottom of the drum. The liquid is then removed as needed until there is very little liquid remaining in the drum. 
     Horizontal dispensing is preferred because the drums can be stored on racks in a much more space-efficient manner. To dispense liquids in a horizontal position, a faucet and a vent are installed in the bungholes while the drum is vertical. The drum is then placed in its horizontal position on a rack. Because the bunghole is located in from the edge of the drum, the liquid will stop flowing when the liquid reaches the lower edge of the bunghole. Typically, approximately two U.S. gallons of the liquid remain in the drum. 
     The current solutions for trying to remove the remaining liquid are: while still in the rack, manually raising the backside of the drum (if it is accessible), or to manually pull the drum out of the rack somewhat to let it hang down in the front. Both of these methods could be dangerous to employees and still result in residual liquid remaining in the drum. The remaining liquid is valuable and it typically is discarded with the drums when they are recycled or scrapped. Therefore there is a longfelt need to easily, cheaply and safely remove a greater percentage of liquid from a drum laying in a horizontal position. Further, recent government regulations require that all but 3% of the liquid in a drum must be removed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     We provide a siphon adapter comprised of a hollow pipe having two ends. The first end is configured to fit through the opening of a container where the opening is higher than the bottom of the container. The first end is positioned and can be adjusted so that the opening of the pipe is very near and substantially parallel to the bottom of the container. The second end of the pipe remains outside the container and is lower than the first end. A faucet or other shut-off device is connected to the second end of the pipe. The shut-off device may have an open position and a closed position. When the shut-off device is in the open position, the liquid in the container flows out of the container through the pipe and the shut-off device. When the shut-off device is in the closed position, no liquid can flow out of the container and an airtight seal is formed by the shut-off device. In order for the pipe to act as a siphon, the level of liquid initially has to be above the opening. After the shut-off device is opened, the pipe fills with liquid and the liquid begins to exit the container. Therefore, the pipe acts as a siphon and liquid continues to exit the container through the pipe and the shut-off device even after the level of liquid is lower than the opening, until substantially all the liquid has exited the container or the shut-off device is in the closed position. Because the shut-off device forms a seal and is lower than the liquid level, if it is placed in an open position after it has been closed, the pipe will again act as a siphon even if the level of the liquid was below the opening when the shut-off device was closed. 
     The pipe can be molded as one piece or can be made up of two or more pieces. The pipe can be configured for attachment to the bunghole with a threaded connection. The first end of the pipe can be adjusted so that it is in substantially close proximity with the lowest side of the drum regardless of the distance between the bunghole and the side of the drum. There can be a slip joint sealing arrangement around the threaded connection that can be adjusted after the siphon adapter has been tightened in the bunghole. The siphon adapter can be sized so that it fits in a bunghole that has a diameter of two inches, three quarter inches or any size. The siphon adapter can be constructed primarily of metal, plastic or any other suitable material. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of the siphon adapter and faucet. 
     FIG. 2 is a side cut away view of the siphon adapter being inserted into a drum through the bunghole. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the siphon adapter showing how it is positioned in a vertical 55 gallon drum. 
     FIG. 4 is a front cut away view of the drum and first end of the siphon adapter with the adjusting collar. 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of the siphon adapter in a horizontal 55 gallon drum. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The siphon adapter can be used to empty any liquid containers where the drain hole is higher than the bottom of the container. However, our preferred embodiment is configured to be used to empty drums of liquids. 
     In order to use the siphon adapter, shown in FIG. 1, the shut-off device, which is a faucet  5 , should first be threaded on the second end  21  of the siphon adapter which comprises the siphon adapter  25 . We prefer to use a faucet as the shut-off device. However, a ball valve or any other device that can restrict the flow of the liquid may be used. Next, while the drum is still in the vertical position, the bung plug should be removed from the bunghole. The first end  19  of the siphon adapter should be inserted into the drum  1  through the bunghole  3 , as shown in FIG. 2; positioned so that the end  19  is touching the side  23  of the drum  1 ; and the opening of the siphon adapter  25  placed parallel to the side  23  of the drum  1 , as shown in FIG.  3 . Siphon adapter  25  should then be attached to the bunghole  3  with the threaded connection  13 . The siphon adapter may be attached by several methods other than a threaded connection, such as, but not limited to, welding, glue or press fit. At this point, the drum may be laid on it side, as shown in FIG. 5, for dispensing, storage or transportation. 
     An optional slip joint sealing arrangement  11  allows for final tightening and alignment of the siphon adapter  25  even after the threaded connection  13  has been tightened in the bunghole. Different types of arrangements may be used in place of the slip joint sealing arrangement, including, but not limited to a flange arrangement. 
     The optional adjusting threaded collar  15  may need to be adjusted up or down to compensate for varying location of the bung  3 . An optional protrusion  7  shown in FIG. 4 may be used to help adjust collar  15  of the siphon adapter before it is inserted into the drum. The siphon adapter  25  may be manufactured so that the protrusion  7 , when resting against the lower edge of the bunghole  3  and when the first end  19  of the siphon adapter  25  is in the correct position as shown in FIG. 4, will allow the collar  15  to be adjusted by turning the collar counter-clockwise so that its points  33  are in close proximity to or touching the inside edge of drum  23 . Alternatively, the collar may be adjusted by the process of inserting the siphon adapter  25  into the drum  1  to feel or hear if the collar touches the edge of the drum  23 . If it doesn&#39;t, remove siphon adapter and adjust the collar. Repeat this process until the collar touches the edge of the drum. If the collar touches the drum and won&#39;t turn, remove the siphon adapter from the drum and try to install again. The collar  15  should slightly touch the side  23  of the drum for best performance. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the bottom of the threaded collar  15  has four apertures  31  positioned 90° apart so that there are four points  33  that scrape the bottom of the drum when the collar  15  is in the best position. The total area of the four apertures  31  are preferably greater than the smallest restriction in the faucet  5  or shut-off device. The larger the apertures  31  the less impedance there is on the flow of the liquid out of the drum  1 . However, the siphon adapter  25  can only remove liquid down to the level of the top of the apertures  31 . So if the apertures are large and high, liquid would flow out of the container quickly but there would be more liquid remaining in the container than if the apertures were smaller and lower. If there are no apertures, the siphon adapter could drain all the liquid out of the container except that lying in the ribs. However, the flow of the liquid out of the drum would be very slow. The apertures  31  and their configuration in the threaded collar  15  are optional. The invention may be implemented without them. The siphon adapter does not need either the collar  15  or the flange arrangement  11 . However, it may have either the collar  15  or the flange arrangement  11  or both. The siphon adapter should be tightened securely and aligned in the bung  3 . 
     The siphon is a natural one. It starts itself when the liquid level  17  in the drum is above the level of the bunghole and the faucet is in the open position. Gravity forces the liquid out of the drum when the faucet is opened. This flow, started by the force of gravity, initiates the siphon action which continues to drive a liquid out of the drum even after the level of the liquid is lower than the bunghole. If the siphon action is lost while the drum is being emptied, raise the opposite end of the drum until the siphon action is regained. If the product is installed correctly, the siphon action will not be lost unless the drum accidentally rolls. For best performance, proper alignment of the siphon adapter should be ensured. The drum  1  should be vented for best flow rate. Teflon tape may be applied to the threads if needed. 
     The preferred siphon adapter can be sized to fit a standard ¾ inch bunghole, a standard 2 inch bunghole or any size bunghole. The siphon adapter can be constructed primarily of plastic or metal and the siphon adapter can be rigid or flexible or both flexible and rigid in different places. It is removable and reusable or could be permanently mounted in any size container. The siphon adapter may be comprised of one or several pieces. When used to drain liquid from a drum, the siphon adapter allows all liquid except that lying in the rings  29  of the drum to flow out of the drum when dispensing the drum horizontally. It is not necessary that the drum be tilted. 
     Although I have shown a present preferred embodiment of our siphon adapter, it should be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.