Abstract:
A support for a cylindrical container adapted to engage said container at its mid-section and containing a rapid connect and disconnect flexible member adapted to pull together two hinged semi-circular members to permit the container to be firmly held in position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In moving and tilting cylindrical containers, devices have been developed such as shown in application Ser. No. 08/524,595, entitled &#34;COMBINATION CARRIER, TILTING AND OPTIONAL FORCE MEASURING DEVICE&#34;, now abandoned. In order to lift the cylindrical container, it is necessary to grasp it firmly around its middle. This is especially true if the container is to be tilted for pouring purposes. A number of devices have been developed for this purpose as is set forth in the Information Disclosure Statement but none of them possess the quick attach and release characteristics of the instant invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device that will encircle a cylindrical container and which in place may be attached to a mechanism for lifting and tilting said cylindrical container once firmly encircled. The instant invention permits a number of different diameter containers to be held and quickly and easily secured or unsecured. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a support for a cylindrical container which will be readily removable from said container and which will enable the container to be readily secured for lifting, transporting, tilting, and weighing purposes. 
     This together with other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art when the following general statements and descriptions are read in the light of the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cylindrical container transporting and weighing device such as shown in abandoned application Ser. No. 08/524,595, entitled &#34;COMBINATION CARRIER, TILTING AND OPTIONAL FORCE MEASURING DEVICE&#34; with applicants&#39; invention used to encircle and support the container. 
     FIG. 2 is a side-elevation view of the detail of applicants&#39; invention attached to a cylindrical container. 
     FIG. 3 is a top-plan view showing applicants&#39; invention encircling a container. 
     FIG. 4 is a top-plan view showing applicants&#39; invention adjacent a container but not attached thereto. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, a combination drum lifter and transporter with an integral force measuring device such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,421 is shown generally at 10. The lifting mechanism 11, rather than engaging the upper lip 12 of the drum 13 as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,421, is attached to side arms 14--14 (See FIG. 2), which in turn are attached to the support device shown generally at 15 of this invention. Thus, when the support device 15 is secured and when the lifting device 11 is actuated by the air cylinder 16, drawing air from the reservoir 16a, the drum 13 is lifted. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the vertical members 14--14 are shown fixedly attached to semi-circular member 17, which partially encircles the drum 13. At each end of semi-circular member 17, there are hinges 18--18 to which are attached shorter semi-circular members 19--19, which when closed further encircle the drum 13. The other end of one of the members 19 is provided with a fixed protrusion 20 which is adapted to engage the flexible member 21 at any one of a number of locations thereon. Member 21 can be a chain. A bicycle chain, for example, works well. Any other sort of flexible member that has preferably equal-spaced indentations adapted to engage the member 20 will be satisfactory. In operation, the device carrying the support for the cylindrical container is moved up to the cylindrical container 13 as shown in FIG. 4 until the semi-circular member 17 is in place abutting the container 13. The two shorter semi-circular members 19 are then pushed together, the flexible member 21 is attached to the protrusion 20, the lever arm 23 is rotated on support 22 so as to tighten to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 from a position essentially perpendicalar to a tangent to the cylindrical member 13 at support 22, thus tightening the semi-circular member 17, the shorter semi-circular members 19, and the flexible member 21 so that the drum is held securely. The lever 23 is rotated over center so as to stay in place. Safety pin 22a prevents accidental release of lever 23. When it is desired to disengage the support from the drum, safety pin 22a is disengaged and lever 23 is merely rotated to a position so that it is perpendicalar to a tangent to the drum at support 22 thus loosening flexible member 21 so that one end of it may be disengaged from protrusion 20 and the shorter semi-circular members 19--19 may be rotated outward. Then semi-circular member 17 may be withdrawn from around the cylindrical container 13. 
     While this invention has been described in this provided embodiment, it is to be appreciated that variations therefrom may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.