Patents by Inventor John K. Shepard

John K. Shepard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5348180
    Abstract: A container, suitable for receiving and shipping various products, includes a hollow body member and a removable cover positioned on an open upper end of the body member and has a tamper-evident seal device connecting the body member and the cover to evidence any premature removal of the cover. The seal device includes two sets of superimposed apertures extending through the body member and the cover, a closed sealing wire or member extending through the sets of apertures and around respective inside and outside portions of the body member and cover between the sets of apertures and being sealed to form a closed loop. A patch member is secured to the inside surface of the body member and covers the apertures to prevent contaminants from entering the container through the apertures and to strengthen the area of the body member having the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventor: John K. Shepard
  • Patent number: 5189778
    Abstract: A system for reducing a paperboard drum to recyclable components including a cutter assembly receiving and rotating the chime end of a drum and severing the sidewall from the chime. A pair of pivot arms subsequently engage the drum header and sidewall and effect a general axial shifting thereof for partial disengagement of the released chime for subsequent manual removal of the chime and header. The resultant drum sidewall is guided, for movement on a helical path, into a chopper assembly which cuts the sidewall into a continuous helical strip which is immediately chopped into short lengths for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: John K. Shepard, Thomas P. Vander Sanden, Arthur R. Tomczak, Lawrence E. Renck
  • Patent number: 5190209
    Abstract: A corrosion resistent protective plastic overlay is intimately engaged with the chime of a fibre drum and extends from an inner edge portion thermally bonded to the drum lining over the head and into the exterior chime groove. The overlay is fusion bonded to the chime throughout the full extent of the surface-to-surface engagement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1993
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Gerald A. Gordon, John K. Shepard, William L. Swihart, deceased
  • Patent number: 5083995
    Abstract: A corrosion resistent protective plastic overlay is intimately engaged with the chime of a fibre drum and extends from an inner edge portion thermally bonded to the drum lining over the bead and into the exterior chime groove. The overlay is fusion bonded to the chime throughout the full extent of the surface-to-surface engagement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Sonoco Products Company
    Inventors: Gerald A. Gordon, John K. Shepard, William L. Swihart
  • Patent number: 4720038
    Abstract: This relates to a fibre drum construction and more particularly to the reinforcement of the chime which is utilized to shape an end part of a fibre drum body to receive and tightly clamp in sealed relation the periphery of the drum wall. The end part of a conventional chime includes a plurality of flanges arranged to define a radially inwardly directed channel with the lowermost flange terminating in a curl. The endmost flange, which is annular, is provided with radiating ribs which project axially inwardly into the overlying portion of the drum body and serve to rigidify the channel. The ribs extend vertically into a vertical flange of the flanges and terminate generally within the curl, with the ribs extending entirely across the end flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Assignee: Continental Forest Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: John K. Shepard
  • Patent number: 4560080
    Abstract: This relates to an end, preferably a bottom end, for a metal shipping container wherein the end panel is recessed so as to bear the weight of the product shipped within the container. The invention particularly relates to the reinforcing of the end panel by an annular rib formed in the radially outer part of the end panel near to but spaced from the seam which joins the end to a container body. The annular rib is concentric to the container and is axially downwardly offset so as to be axially upwardly opening. The reinforcing rib is of a preferred depth and width ratio with respect to one another and to the container diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1985
    Assignee: The Continental Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Shepard, Carl Roberson
  • Patent number: 4457465
    Abstract: This relates to a gas and liquid tight corner structure for fibre shipping containers or drums and particularly relates to the provision of a sealing rim on the end unit which is engaged within the corner construction and is compressible so as to maintain a tightening effect on the seal of the corner structure after the corner relaxes under the influence of crimping mechanism. The sealing rim may be tubular in the case of a metal end unit or may be solid in the case of a plastic end unit and the plastic material is resiliently compressible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1984
    Assignee: Continental Fibre Drum, Inc.
    Inventors: John K. Shepard, Walter R. Wagonseller