# US 8,540,102 B2 · Drum ring and lever system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,540,102 B2 - Document ID: US8540102B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/455,114 - Filed: 2009-05-28 - Published: 2009-12-03 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2008-05-29 - Assignees: American Flange & Manufacturing Co. Inc. - Applicants: Dale W. Taylor - Inventors: Dale W. Taylor - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8540102B2 ## CPC - B65D 45/34: lever-operated - B65D 45/345: {Lever-operated contractible or expansible band, the lever moving in the plane of the band} - Y10T 292/216: Toggle lever - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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, having first and second ends, an outer circumferential wall and oppositely disposed inwardly facing sidewalls, said ring first end including a plurality of outwardly extending receiving hooks, a plurality of outwardly facing receiving channels, and a plurality of outwardly extending stress transfer beams; said ring having an oppositely disposed second end including a flared region with mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the outwardly facing side surfaces of a lever, the inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end including inwardly extending pivot bosses comprising a pivot shaft and enlarged pivot button; 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 a pivot end formed with a plurality of pivot shafts inwardly extending from the spaced apart sides of the lever to a pivot beam longitudinally disposed about the center of the lever underside, said lever having a plurality of receiving windows projecting through oppositely disposed lever sidewalls comprising ring second end pivot boss access openings connected to longitudinally extending ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces, said ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces spaced from the lever pivot shafts a distance selected for drawing together the ring first and second ends as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring, said lever pivot shafts are configured for pivotable engagement with the ring first end receiving hooks and the lever receiving windows are configured for slideably receiving the ring second end pivot bosses. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 1 in which: said inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end include an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between said sidewalls; and said ring first end outwardly extending receiving hooks are configured with outwardly facing receiving channels, said ring second end inwardly facing transverse beam configured to engage said ring first end outwardly facing receiving channels 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 bosses and said lever corresponding pivot shaft bearing surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 1 wherein: said lever having an inwardly facing transverse beam between said spaced apart sides of said lever, configured to engage said ring first end outwardly extending stress transfer beams 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 lever pivot shafts and said ring first end pivot receiving hooks. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 1 wherein: said lever comprises a plurality of pivot boss alignment ribs extending longitudinally from said inwardly facing transverse beam, centrally connected to said lever longitudinal pivot beam, said pivot boss alignment ribs configured to provide a secondary capture region for said ring second end pivot button, acting in slideable engagement with the inwardly disposed surfaces of said ring second end pivot buttons for slideably retaining said pivot buttons when the clamping ring system is exposed to dynamic shock conditions. ### Claim 5 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, having first and second ends, an outer circumferential wall and oppositely disposed inwardly facing sidewalls, said ring first end including a plurality of outwardly extending receiving hooks, a plurality of outwardly facing receiving channels, and a plurality of outwardly extending stress transfer beams; said ring having an oppositely disposed second end including a flared region with mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the outwardly facing side surfaces of a lever, the inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end including inwardly extending pivot bosses comprising a pivot shaft and enlarged pivot button; 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 a pivot end comprising of oppositely disposed spaced apart sides having inwardly projecting pivot bosses comprising a pivot shaft and enlarged button, said lever having a plurality of receiving windows projecting through oppositely disposed lever sidewalls comprising ring second end pivot boss access openings connected to longitudinally extending ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces, said ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces spaced from the lever pivot bosses a distance selected for drawing together the ring first and second ends as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring, said lever pivot bosses are configured for pivotable engagement with the ring first end receiving hooks and the lever receiving windows are configured for slideably receiving the ring second end pivot bosses. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 5 in which: said inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end include an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between said sidewalls; and said ring first end outwardly extending receiving hooks are configured with outwardly facing receiving channels, said ring second end inwardly facing transverse beam configured to engage said ring first end outwardly facing receiving channels 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 bosses and said lever corresponding pivot shaft bearing surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 5 wherein: said lever having an inwardly facing transverse beam between said spaced apart sides of said lever, configured to engage said ring first end outwardly extending stress transfer beams 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 lever pivot bosses and said ring first end pivot receiving hooks. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 7 wherein: said lever comprises a plurality of pivot boss alignment ribs extending longitudinally from said inwardly facing transverse beam, centrally connected to said lever longitudinal beam, said pivot boss alignment ribs configured to provide a secondary capture region for said ring second end pivot button, acting in slideable engagement with the inwardly disposed surfaces of said ring second end pivot buttons for slideably retaining said pivot buttons when the clamping ring system is exposed to dynamic shock conditions. ### Claim 9 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 lids to containers, comprising: a split circular ring, having an inwardly opening U-shaped channel, having first and second ends, an outer circumferential wall and oppositely disposed inwardly facing sidewalls, said ring first end including a plurality of outwardly extending receiving hooks, a plurality of outwardly facing receiving channels, and a plurality of outwardly extending stress transfer beams; said ring having an oppositely disposed second end including a flared region with mutually inwardly facing internal surfaces slideably moveable in adjacency over the outwardly facing side surfaces of a lever, the inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end including inwardly extending pivot bosses comprising a pivot shaft and enlarged pivot button; 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 a pivot end formed with a plurality of pivot shafts inwardly extending from the spaced apart sides of the lever to a pivot beam longitudinally disposed about the center of the lever underside, said lever having a plurality of receiving windows projecting through oppositely disposed lever sidewall s comprising ring second end pivot boss access openings connected to longitudinally extending ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces, said ring second end pivot shaft bearing surfaces spaced from the lever pivot shafts a distance selected for drawing together the ring first and second ends as said lever is moved from a radial position to a tangential position during closing of the clamping ring, said lever pivot shafts are configured for pivotable engagement with the ring first end receiving hooks and the lever receiving windows are configured for slideably receiving the ring second end pivot bosses. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The container assembly with the two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 9, wherein said inwardly facing sidewalls of said ring second end include an inwardly facing transverse beam extending between said sidewalls; and wherein said ring first end outwardly extending receiving hooks are configured with outwardly facing receiving channels, said ring second end inwardly facing transverse beam configured to engage said ring first end outwardly facing receiving channels 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 bosses and said lever corresponding pivot shaft bearing surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The container assembly with the two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 9 wherein: said lever having an inwardly facing transverse beam between said spaced apart sides of said lever, configured to engage said ring first end outwardly extending stress transfer beams 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 lever pivot shafts and said ring first end pivot receiving hooks. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The container assembly with the two piece clamping ring and lever system of claim 11 wherein: said lever comprises a plurality of pivot boss alignment ribs extending longitudinally from said inwardly facing transverse beam, centrally connected to said lever longitudinal pivot beam, said pivot boss alignment ribs configured to provide a secondary capture region for said ring second end pivot button, acting in slideable engagement with the inwardly disposed surfaces of said ring second end pivot buttons for slideably retaining said pivot buttons when the clamping ring system is exposed to dynamic shock conditions.