Safe transporation of hazardous materials

An overpack for shipping hazardous materials, comprising

• a receptacle for confining the material to be shipped against accidental exposure and scattering,
• said receptacle having spaced inner and outer shells of ductile material with said outer shells formed with angular intersections between adjacent surfaces,
• a rigidly compressible first mass of insulating material filling the space between said inner and outer shells,
• lid means for providing access to the interior of said receptacle for loading and removing of the material being shipped,
• reinforcement means comprising diagonal gusset plates secured to adjacent sections of said outer shell and extending along said intersections with a second mass of insulating material formed in the spaces between said gusset plates and the associated intersections for providing further reinforcement,
• and a deformable reinforcing plate positioned between said outer shell and said insulating material for further absorbing energy and spreading localized forces so as to resist penetration by an object.

A protective shipping container for hazardous materials, comprising

• a rectangular metal outer shell of standardized shipping container size and shape and having standard corner fittings,
• a continuous layer of relatively rigid fire retardant polyurethane foam adhered to the inner surfaces of said outer shell,
• a rectangular metal inner lining shell positioned within said layer and adhered thereto,
• a plurality of slip plates releasably secured to the inner flat surfaces of said outer shell,
• a plurality of elongated gusset plates having their edges secured to the inner flat surfaces of said outer shell in diagonally covering relation to the intersections of said flat surfaces,
• one end of said container being formed to provide a movable lid,
• said outer and inner shells being connected to each other at said lid to seal off said layer of foam,
• hinges on said container supporting said lid for swinging movement between open and closed positions,
• gasket means sealing said lid to the rest of said container when in said closed position,
• reinforcing members inset in said lid and the confronting rim of the container,
• bolt means releasably engageable in said reinforcing members for holding said lid in said closed position,
• and orifices formed through said outer shell to permit egress of gases from said foam layer.

In a shipping container overpack for protected transportation of hazardous materials and the like,

• a receptacle formed in a plurality of sections;
• means associated with said sections for releasably sealing them together to provide a leakproof overpack;
• said sections being defined by wall structures, comprising an inner liner,
• an outer shell spaced from said inner liner, and
• a layer of foam material sandwiched between and adhered to said inner liner and said outer shell,
• said layer of foam material being substantially free of voids at and adjacent to said liner and said shell and having gradually increasing numbers of voids from the vicinity of said liner and shell to the area midway therebetween,
• said inner liner and said outer shell being fabricated of metal, said layer of foam material being yieldably rigid so as to provide a stress skin structure in conjunction with said liner and shell,
• said layer of foam material being foamed in situ between the fabricated inner liner and outer shell to provide said gradually increasing numbers of voids therein,
• said layer of foam material being formed of an isocyanate mixed with an exothermic curing agent and a blowing agent capable of vaporizing under the exothermic heat of said curing agent and not vaporizing under the chilling influence of said metal liner and shell so as to provide said gradually increasing numbers of voids,
• said curing agent being a polyol, and said blowing material comprising trichloromonofluormethane.

In a shipping container overpack for protected transportation of hazardous materials and the like,

• a receptacle formed in a plurality of sections;
• means associated with said sections for releasably sealing them together to provide a leakproof overpack;
• said sections being defined by wall structures, comprising a metal inner liner of substantial thickness,
• a metal outer shell of substantial thickness spaced from said inner liner, and
• a layer of foam material sandwiched between and self adhered to said inner liner and said outer shell,
• said layer of foam material being substantially free of voids at and adjacent to said liner and said shell and having gradually increasing numbers of voids from the vicinity of said liner and shell to the area midway therebetween;
• and wherein said layer of foam material is yieldably rigid so as to provide a stress skin structure in conjunction with said liner and shell;
• and wherein said receptacle is formed in two sections, said inner liner and said outer shell are joined together by a metal wall to enclose said layer of foam material within each section, said means comprises a resilient gasket positionable in sealing engagement between said sections, and attachment means is provided for operatively engaging and releasably securing said sections together with said gasket positioned in sealing engagement therebetween;
• and wherein said foam material provides thermal insulation, said outer shell is formed with an orifice for expulsion of gases emanating from said foam material when said receptacle is heated excessively as by a surrounding fire, and said orifice is sealed shut by heat and pressure responsive means formed to open and unseal said orifices when predetermined temperatures and internal pressures are reached.

In a shipping container overpack for protected transportation of hazardous materials and the like,

• a receptacle formed in a plurality of sections;
• means associated with said sections for releasably sealing them together to provide a leakproof overpack;
• said sections being defined by wall structures, comprising a metal inner liner of substantial thickness,
• a metal outer shell of substantial thickness spaced from said inner liner, and
• a layer of foam material sandwiched between and self adhered to said inner liner and said outer shell,
• said layer of foam material being substantially free of voids at and adjacent to said liner and said shell and having gradually increasing numbers of voids from the vicinity of said liner and shell to the area midway therebetween;
• and wherein said layer of foam material is yieldably rigid so as to provide a stress skin structure in conjunction with said liner and shell;
• and wherein said outer shell is formed of generally flat plates in a polyhedron configuration, and gusset plates are secured to said outer shell in the space between said inner liner and outer shell in covering relation along the edges defined by the intersections between contiguous generally flat plates;
• and wherein spaces are formed between said gusset plates and the portions of said flat plates between the gusset plates along the associated intersection, and said spaces are filled with a foam material of substantially higher density than said first-named layer of foam material.