Drum ring and lever system

Abstract

A two piece clamping ring and lever system for retaining removable lids to containers comprises a split circular ring. The ring first end includes outwardly extending receiving hooks. The second end of the ring includes pivot bosses comprising a pivot shaft and enlarged button. A lever with pivot shafts engages with the ring first end. When the lever is closed contact surfaces on an inwardly projecting transverse beam on the underside of the lever and outwardly projecting beams on the ring first end engage to relieve stresses on the lever pivot shafts and ring first end pivot receiving hooks. A second stress transfer relationship is engaged as an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between the sidewalls of the ring second end is slideably engaged into corresponding receiving channels outwardly facing from the ring first end thereby relieving stresses on the pivot bosses and corresponding longitudinally extending lever bearing surface.

1 . A two piece clamping ring and lever system for retaining removable lids to containers, comprising:
 a split circular ring, having an inwardly opening, U-shaped channel and having first and second ends, said ring first end including opposed, outwardly facing side surfaces; said ring second end including a pivot boss having a fixed end by which it is mounted to the ring second end and further having a free end configured to extend into an interior region of the ring second end; and   a lever having an inwardly opening U-shaped channel, having mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the side surfaces of the ring first end, said lever having an end configured for pivotable engagement with the ring first end; said lever having a pivot boss bearing surface, against which the pivot boss is rotatably receivable, whereby said ring first and second ends are drawn together as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position to close the split circular ring.   
     
     
         2 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 1 , in which the lever comprises a longitudinally extending slot in which the pivot boss is slidable, the pivot boss bearing surface being provided at an end of the slot. 
     
     
         3 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 2 , in which the lever comprises a side wall and the slot extends through said lever side wall. 
     
     
         4 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 3 , in which the pivot boss comprises a pivot shaft receivable through said slot and the pivot boss free end comprises a button receivable adjacent a said lever internal surface. 
     
     
         5 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 4 , in which the slot comprises an access opening through which the button may be passed for engagement with said lever internal surface. 
     
     
         6 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 1 , in which the lever end is formed with a pivot shaft inwardly extending from a side of the lever to a pivot beam longitudinally disposed on the lever underside at least partially in said inwardly opening U-shaped channel; the lever end pivot shaft being engageable with an outwardly extending receiving hook provided on said ring first end. 
     
     
         7 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 6 , comprising an axially aligned pair of said lever end pivot shafts. 
     
     
         8 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 6  in which:
 said lever second end comprises inwardly facing sidewalls and an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between said sidewalls; 
 said ring first end outwardly extending receiving hook being configured with an outwardly facing receiving channel, said ring second end inwardly facing transverse beam configured to engage said ring first end outwardly facing receiving channel in a stress transfer relationship as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring, thereby relieving stresses on said ring second end pivot boss and said lever corresponding pivot shaft bearing surface. 
 
     
     
         9 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 1  wherein:
 said ring first end comprises an outwardly extending stress transfer beam and said lever comprises an inwardly facing transverse beam between spaced apart sides of said lever, configured to engage said ring first end outwardly extending stress transfer beam in a stress transfer relationship as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring. 
 
     
     
         10 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 4  wherein:
 said lever comprises a pivot boss alignment surface configured to provide a secondary capture region for said pivot boss button, acting in slideable engagement with the inwardly disposed surface of said pivot boss button for slideably retaining said pivot boss button when the clamping ring system is exposed to dynamic shock conditions. 
 
     
     
         11 . The two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 1  comprising a pair of said pivot bosses disposed one each on opposite sides of the ring second end and a pair of said pivot boss bearing surfaces disposed one each on opposite sides of the lever. 
     
     
         12 . In a container assembly wherein a cylindrical container is provided having a bottom and cylindrical sidewalls extending to an annular end portion defining a top opening and a removable lid overlying said opening, a two piece clamping ring and lever system for retaining said removable lid to said container, comprising:
 a split circular ring, having an inwardly opening, U-shaped channel and having first and second ends, said ring first end including opposed, outwardly facing side surfaces; said ring second end including a pivot boss having a fixed end by which it is mounted to the ring second end and further having a free end configured to extend into an interior region of the ring second end; and   a lever having an inwardly opening U-shaped channel, having mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the side surfaces of the ring first end, said lever having an end configured for pivotable engagement with the ring first end; said lever having a pivot boss bearing surface, against which the pivot boss is rotatably receivable, whereby said ring first and second ends are drawn together as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position to close the split circular ring.   
     
     
         13 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 10 , in which the lever comprises a longitudinally extending slot in which the pivot boss is slidable, the pivot boss bearing surface being provided at an end of the slot. 
     
     
         14 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 13 , in which the lever comprises a side wall and the slot extends through said lever side wall. 
     
     
         15 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 14 , in which the pivot boss comprises a pivot shaft receivable through said slot and the pivot boss free end comprises a button receivable adjacent a said lever internal surface. 
     
     
         16 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 13 , in which the slot comprises an access opening through which the button may be passed for engagement with said lever internal surface. 
     
     
         17 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 12 , in which the lever end is formed with a pivot shaft inwardly extending from a side of the lever to a pivot beam longitudinally disposed on the lever underside at least partially in said inwardly opening U-shaped channel; the lever end pivot shaft being engageable with an outwardly extending receiving hook provided on said ring first end. 
     
     
         18 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 17 , comprising an axially aligned pair of said lever end pivot shafts. 
     
     
         19 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 17  in which:
 said lever second end comprises inwardly facing sidewalls and an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between said sidewalls; 
 said ring first end outwardly extending receiving hook being configured with an outwardly facing receiving channel, said ring second end inwardly facing transverse beam configured to engage said ring first end outwardly facing receiving channel in a stress transfer relationship as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring, thereby relieving stresses on said ring second end pivot boss and said lever corresponding pivot shaft bearing surface. 
 
     
     
         20 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 12  wherein:
 said ring first end comprises an outwardly extending stress transfer beam and said lever comprises an inwardly facing transverse beam between spaced apart sides of said lever, configured to engage said ring first end outwardly extending stress transfer beam in a stress transfer relationship as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring. 
 
     
     
         21 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 15  wherein:
 said lever comprises a pivot boss alignment surface configured to provide a secondary capture region for said pivot boss button, acting in slideable engagement with the inwardly disposed surface of said pivot boss button for slideably retaining said pivot boss button when the clamping ring system is exposed to dynamic shock conditions. 
 
     
     
         22 . The container assembly and two piece clamping ring and lever system of  claim 12  comprising a pair of said pivot bosses disposed one each on opposite sides of the ring second end and a pair of said pivot boss bearing surfaces disposed one each on opposite sides of the lever. 
     
     
         23 . A two piece clamping ring and lever system for retaining removable lids to containers, comprising:
 a lever and   a split circular ring having an inwardly opening, U-shaped channel and having first and second ends, said ring first end including opposed, outwardly facing side surfaces; said ring second end including a pivot shaft by which the lever is mounted to the ring second end;   in which the lever comprises an inwardly opening U-shaped channel, having mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the side surfaces of the ring first end, said lever being formed with a pivot shaft inwardly extending from a side of the lever to a pivot beam longitudinally disposed on the lever underside at least partially in said inwardly opening U-shaped channel; the lever end pivot shaft being engageable with an outwardly extending receiving hook provided on said ring first end.