Container for hazardous material

• US 4,376,489 A
• Filed: 02/23/1981
• Issued: 03/15/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corporation (ArcelorMittal SA)
• Original Assignee: Bethlehem Steel Corporation (ArcelorMittal SA)
• Inventors: Clemens, Richard E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Price, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US06/237,029
• Time in Patent Office: 750 Days
• Field of Search: 220/85 B, 220/435, 220/437, 220/438, 220/426, 220/446, 220/1.5, 220/902, 220/900, 165/136, 62/45, 206/521, 206/586, 206/591, 206/594, 92/98 R, 92/98 D, 105/358, 105/360, 141/18, 141/82, 141/231, 141/232, 137/264, 137/375, 137/593, 138/30
• US Class Current: 220/1.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/128 tank containers, i.e. containers provided with supporting devices for handling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/90 Rupture proof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4824 Tank within tank

Abstract

A container for hazardous material has an outer shell, an inner cylindrical tank for hazardous material, resilient filler material between the shell and the tank, flexible, impervious diaphragms fixed within the tank and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the tank to provide chambers adjacent each end of the tank, and an arrangement to pressurize and de-pressurize the chambers. The flexible, impervious diaphragms act as an energy absorbent in case the container is subjected to a sudden load and in addition the diaphragms allow for thermal expansion or contraction of the hazardous material in the tank.

Claims

1. A container for hazardous material comprising

(a) an outer shell,

(b) an inner cylindrical tank to be substantially filled with hazardous material,

(c) resilient filler material between the shell and the tank,

(d) a first flexible, impervious diaphragm member fixed within the tank and extending in a plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tank to provide a first chamber adjacent one end of the tank free of hazardous material, and

(e) means to pressurize the chamber by admitting a gas thereto and thereby allow for the expansion, contraction and movement of the hazardous material by flexing of the diaphragm member.

2. The container of claim 1 further comprising a second flexible, impervious diaphragm member fixed within the tank and extending in a plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tank to provide a second chamber free of hazardous material adjacent the other end of the tank.

3. The container of claim 1 further comprises means to pressurize and to relieve the pressure from the first chamber.

4. The container of claim 2 further comprising means to pressurize and to relieve the pressure from the first and second chambers.

5. The container of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 further comprising means to control the temperature of the hazardous material in the inner tank.

6. The containers of claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 further comprising an opening in the outer shell positioned adjacent an opening in the tank located at about the longitudinal midpoint of the tank, an expansion joint bellows extending between the openings, means to seal the opening in the shell and means to seal the opening in the tank.

7. A container for hazardous material comprising

(a) an outer shell,

(b) an inner cylindrical tank for hazardous material including an intermediate tubular portion to be substantially filled with hazardous material and dished end portions,

(c) a resilient filler material between the shell and the tank,

(d) plate members extending between and fixed to the inside of the outer shell and the outside of the tank to position the tank within the shell,

(e) outwardly extending flange portions on each end of the tubular portion and on the dished end portions,

(f) a flexible, impervious diaphragm extending in a plane substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the tank and positioned between each flange portion of the tubular portion and its adjacent flange portion of the dished end portion to fix said diaphragm within the tank,

(g) fastener means to secure each flange portion of the tubular portion to its adjacent flange of the dished end portion,

(h) means to pressurize by admitting a gas to the chambers and to relieve the pressure from the chambers formed by each diaphragm and its adjacent dished end portion to allow for expansion, contraction and movement of the hazardous material by flexing of the diaphragm member, and

(i) an opening in the outer shell positioned adjacent an opening in the tank located at about the longitudinal midpoint of the tank, an expansion joint bellows extending between the openings, and means to seal the openings.