Plastic drum with multiple handles

Abstract

A plastic drum is formed with a generally circular sidewall and a bottom. The sidewall includes two sets of handles, one set being disposed near a top rim, and a second set being disposed at an intermediate position below the first set. A third set of handles is disposed at the bottom of the drum. The bottom of the drum is profiled to form a channel that accepts a rail having predetermined at least a predetermined width. Several drums can be turned upside to support rails in their channels and form barriers or traffic lanes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a. Field of Invention

This invention pertains to a plastic drum that is provided with multiple handles shaped and positioned to allow the contents of the drum to be dumped easily. The drum is further provided with channels accepting external rails.

b. Description of the Prior Art

Drums, particularly plastic drums, are very useful in a number of areas, including, for example, the building industry. Drums can be used for transporting various dry goods, as well as well liquids. Once the contents are dispensed, drums may also be used for storing scraps and garbage.

A problem with prior art drums has been that when they are full and heavy, they are difficult to handle. In fact, if a single person lifts a full drum up, he may dropped the drum and injure himself, or others. Moreover, if a full drum falls over, its contents can spill and drum could start rolling and cause property damage.

Drums are very common at most construction sites, and like many other common objects, they tend to be used for various different purposes, other than storing and transporting articles. For example, since drums usually have bright colors, they are frequently used upside down to restrict access to certain unsafe areas, and as traffic barriers. For example, several drums can be positioned either to cordon off an area, or to demark a safe lane along with pedestrian, and/or motor vehicular traffic can pass. This function could be enhanced if straight members, such as wood rails, are positioned on top of the drums. However, presently drums have no means to hold such wood rails in place, and therefore they could be easily knocked off, or even blown off by wind, and cause injuries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above, a drum constructed in accordance with this invention includes generally cylindrical (or frustoconical) sidewall and a bottom. The sidewall is terminated at the top with a rim and supports at least two sets of handles. The first set is formed on the top, near the rim. The other set of handles is formed at an intermediate position below the first set of handles.

The bottom is profiled to form another set of handles. These handles are shaped and positioned to allow a person to lift and turn the drum over to empty its contents.

In addition, the bottom is also profiled to form one, or, preferably, two channels. The channels are sized and shaped to accept and form an interference fit with a rail. Two or more drums can then be turned upside down and used to hold rails to define a barrier, traffic lanes, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a front elevational view of a drum constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the drum of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a side sectional view of the drum of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a side sectional view of the drum of FIGS. 1-3 turned upside down;

FIG. 5 shows an orthogonal view of the drum;

FIG. 6 shows another orthogonal view of the drum;

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the drum;

FIG. 8 shows a bottom view of the drum;

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged side elevational view of the bottom of the drum turned upside down;

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged view of the bottom of the drum holding a wood piece;

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged view of the drum holding two perpendicular wood pieces; and

FIG. 12 shows two drums supporting a wood rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, a drum 10 constructed in accordance with this invention includes a sidewall 12, a bottom 14, two lateral wings 16 and a top rim 18. The sidewall is preferably frustoconical in shape, with the portion disposed adjacent to the bottom 14 having a smaller diameter than the portion on top, near the rim 18.

As seen in FIG. 8, the bottom 14 is formed of four pie-shaped sections. Two of the pie-shaped sections 22 have two radial walls 26 and an arcuate wall 28. The other two sections 24 have a similar shape but are also formed with two radial cavities 30. The radial cavities are formed with two rod-shaped elements or handles 32.

The sections 22, 24 form two perpendicular intersecting horizontal channels 34, 36. Each channel has two vertical sides and a flat floor as at 38.

Each wing 16 is formed with two sidewalls 40, 42. The two sidewalls support two handles 44, 46. As seen in FIG. 3, the handles 44, 46 are vertically offset from each other, with handles 46 being disposed close to the rim 18, as shown.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the drum 7. As can be seen in this view, drum 10 has an inside bottom wall 50 that is relatively smooth and featureless.

The drum is preferably molded as a unitary member. Alternatively, some of its members, including some, or all the handles 32, 44, 46 can be made separately and added later.

The drum 10 can be used for several functions. First, it can be used to transport various materials, including solid, liquid, granular or paste-like materials. The drum may be provided with a top (not shown) that engages rim 18 and seals the contents of the drum. Once the drum reaches the construction site, its contents are emptied and the drum can be used to hold scraps and other desirable or undesirable material.

Typically, drum 10 can be fairly large. For example, drum 10 could be 32″ high and 24″ in diameter. Thus, the drum may be difficult to handle when it is full, especially a single person tries to move it or empty it. However, in the present drum this problem is eliminated by the various handles. The top handles 46 are advantageous because they allow the drum to be handles easily, when empty. The intermediate handles 44 are used to lift and carry the drum. The bottom handles 32 are used to lift and hold the drum as it is being emptied. Preferably, handles 44 and 46 are disposed below the rim 18, as shown.

As discussed above, two or more drums 10 can also be used as barriers or traffic guides. For this purpose, each drum 10 is turned upside down and its channels 34, 36 used to hold a rail. For example, in FIG. 10, a drum is shown holding a rail 60. The channels 32, 34 are sized preferably to form interference fit with the rail 60 to insure that the rail 60 is formed securely and does not fly off or fall.

FIG. 12 shows two drums 10A, 10B constructed in accordance with this invention and used to support a rail 60. The rail may be for example, a standard piece of lumber that is nominally a 2×4 or 2×6 framing member.

Numerous modifications may be made to this invention without departing from its scope as defined the appended claims.

Claims

1. A drum comprising:

a sidewall defining an oval space with a top rim;

a bottom;

a first set of handles disposed near the rim, said first set of handles being designed to facilitate moving the drum; and

a second set of handles near the bottom, said second set of handles being designed to facilitate empting the drum.

2. The drum of claim 1 further comprising an intermediate set of handles disposed below the first set of handles.

3. The drum of claim 1 wherein said second set of handles is affixed to said bottom.

4. The drum of claim 1 wherein said bottom is profiled to form channels accepting a rail.

5. A drum comprising:

a bottom; and

a generally cylindrical sidewall formed with a rim on top and terminating with said bottom, said sidewall

wherein said bottom is profiled with a horizontal channel sized and shaped to accept a rail having a predetermined size.

6. The drum of claim 5 wherein said channel extends along the whole bottom.

7. The drum of claim 5 wherein said bottom is formed with a first and a second channel.

8. The drum of claim 7 wherein said channels are perpendicular to each other.

9. The drum of claim 5 further comprising a first set of handles disposed near said rim and a second set of handles formed on the bottom.

10. The drum of claim 9 further comprising an intermediate set of handles disposed below said first set of handles.

11. The drum of claim 9 wherein each said set of handles includes a pair of handles.

12. The drum of claim 11 wherein the handles of each pair are diametrically opposite to each other.

13. The drum of claim 5 wherein said bottom includes projections defining said channels.

14. The drum of claim 9 wherein said bottom is formed with a plurality of projections, said second set of handles being formed in two of said projections.

15. The drum of claim 14 wherein said projections are pie-shaped.

16. The drum of claim 15 wherein said channel is defined between said projections.

17. The drum of claim 5 further comprising wings formed on said sidewall, each said wing supporting two handles.

18. The drum of claim 17 wherein there are two diametrically opposite winds.

19. The drum of claim 18 wherein each wing is formed of two vertical walls, with the handles extending horizontally between said walls.