Patent ID: 7628287

Claim:
A reusable container for hazardous material, said container having high impact resistance and leak containment characteristics and being readily handleable by conventional fork lift or the like equipment, said container having a longitudinal axis and comprising a substantially closed and continuous first wall means providing an inner containment vessel for said material and having an open top portion, a substantially closed and continuous second wall means providing a protective shell substantially surrounding said vessel and having inner side surface portions radially outwardly spaced from at least a major portion of outer surface portions of said vessel to provide a first protective spacing between said vessel and shell, an access port formed thru said second wall means at a top section thereof, said open top portion of said vessel being affixed to said top section of said second wall means which places said access port in direct communication with said open top portion for loading and unloading said vessel with said material, a vessel cover adapted to be removably affixed to said top section to sealingly cover said access port, third wall means providing a sealable drum having side portions, a bottom, an open top, and sealable drum lid means for closing said open top, wherein said protective shell has from four to eight generally longitudinally extending strengthening rib means affixed to and substantially equidistantly spaced around and welded to segments of said outer surface portions of said shell and extending generally longitudinally thereof substantially from the top to the bottom of said shell, whereby said outer surface portions of said shell are spaced from inner surface portions of said drum side over a major portion of said drum to provide a second protective spacing between said drum and shell, wherein the construction of said second wall means provides a generally cylindrical upper side wall portion which extends longitudinally upward beyond said top section to provide a third protective spacing, wherein said upper side wall portion is provided at its top with a ring member which is affixed to an upper inner surface portion of said side portion of said drum, and wherein protective material is provided in said spacings.