Apparatus, systems and methods for manipulating a drum or other container

An automated system for installing a bung plug in a drum, the drum movable on a conveyor into and through the system, the drum having a bung opening formed in and facing upwardly from its upper surface and an outer rim extending around the upper surface, the bung opening configured to contain a releasable bung plug threadably engageable therein, the center of the bung opening being spaced inwardly from the outer rim of the drum by a distance, the bung opening having an upwardly protruding lip extending therearound and a diameter measured between opposing sides of the lip, the automated system comprising:

• an electronic controller;
• an automated drum rotator electronically coupled to the electronic controller, whereby the electronic controller controls use of the drum rotator to selectively rotate the drum in the system;
• an automated, power-driven, up-and-down moving bung locator electronically coupled to the controller and carrying at least first and second downwardly-facing, spaced-apart bung location sensors, the bung location sensors being spaced apart the same distance as the diameter of the bung opening, the bung locator including at least one downwardly-extending foot spaced outwardly relative to the bung location sensors and configured to rest at least partially upon the outer rim of the drum, wherein the bung locator is configured to be lowered down over the drum until at least one foot thereof contacts the outer rim of the drum, whereby as the drum is rotated below the bung locator, the bung location sensors will concurrently detect the presence of opposing sides of the lip of the bung opening thereunder, respectively;
• an automated, power-driven, downwardly-facing bung plug installer electronically coupled to the electronic controller, the bung plug installer including an automated, power-driven, bung plug wrench selectively rotatable to install a bung plug in the bung opening;
• an automated torque sensor operatively coupled to the bung plug wrench of the bung plug installer and electronically coupled to the electronic controller, whereby the torque sensor is configured to measure torque placed upon the bung plug as the bung plug wrench installs the bung plug in the bung opening in real-time as often as desired;
• and
• an automated displacement sensor coupled to the bung plug installer and electronically coupled to the electronic controller, whereby the displacement sensor is configured to measure the amount of vertical movement of the bung plug in the bung opening during installation thereof in real-time as often as desired,
• wherein based at least partially upon at least one measurement taken by the torque sensor and/or the displacement sensor, the electronic controller will stop the installation of the bung plug by the bung plug wrench in real-time and/or determine if the amount of torque applied to the bung plug meets, exceeds or falls below a desired torque value.

An automated method of removing a bung plug from a drum and installing a bung plug in the drum with the use of an automated drum manipulation system, the drum having a bung opening formed in and facing upwardly from its upper surface and an outer rim extending around the upper surface, the bung opening configured to contain a bung plug therein, the center of the bung opening being spaced inwardly from the outer rim of the drum by a distance, the bung opening having an upwardly protruding lip extending therearound and a diameter measured between opposing sides of the lip, the automated method comprising:

• after the drum with a bung plug in its bung opening arrives in the system, at least one respective automated, power-driven, clamp arm of front and rear wheeled carriages positioned on opposing sides of the conveyor moving inwardly toward the drum until at least one wheel thereof contacts the drum, respectively;
• at least two automated, power-driven wheels of at least one of the carriages rotating the drum;
• an automated bung locator moving down to position at least one foot extending downwardly therefrom upon the outer rim of the drum to automatically position first and second downwardly-facing, spaced-apart bung location sensors carried by the bung locator radially inwardly of the outer rim of the drum the same approximate distance as the distance between the outer rim and the center of the bung opening;
• as the drum is rotated below the bung locator, the first and second bung location sensors automatically detecting when opposing sides of the lip of the bung opening are concurrently positioned thereunder, respectively;
• the power-driven wheels of the front and/or rear carriages automatically ceasing rotation of the drum when or after the first and second bung location sensors detect opposing sides of the lip of the bung opening are concurrently positioned thereunder;
• an automated downwardly-facing bung plug extractor moving down over the bung hole to position a centering collar of the bung plug extractor atop the lip of the bung opening and an automated, power-driven bung plug wrench of the bung plug extractor radially inwards of the lip;
• the automated, power-driven bung plug wrench of the bung plug extractor automatically loosening the bung plug from the drum;
• removing the bung plug from the drum;
• an automated downwardly-facing bung plug installer, separate and distinct from the bung plug extractor, moving down over the bung hole of the drum to position a centering collar of the bung plug installer atop the lip of the bung opening and an automated, power-driven bung plug wrench of the bung plug installer radially inwards of the lip;
• and
• the automated, power-driven bung plug wrench of the bung plug installer automatically installing a bung plug in the bung opening of the drum.