Title of Invention	VESSEL
Abstract	Heavy-duty light metal buckets of the prior art have the disadvantage that the riveted suspension blocks from which the handle is suspended tend to get loosened after prolonged use. This invention provides a heavy-duty light metal bucket wherein the riveted suspension blocks are welded to the outwardly folded or rolled out top edge of the body of the bucket.

Full Text

This invention relates to a metal bucket provided with a rigid bucket handle stretching across the bucket and capable of hinged movement. More particularly this invention relates to a means of reinforced handle fixation for heavy-duty light buckets. Buckets have a cup shaped body with a mouth that is as wide as or wider than the base of the said body. Buckets having a rigid handle stretching across the body of the bucket and capable of hinged movement to both sides of the bucket are ideally suited to be handled by a single operator. Aluminium, GI and steel buckets having the above type of handle generally have the rigid bucket handle mounted on to two suspension blocks provided on opposite sides of the bucket towards the top near the mouth of the body of the bucket. The suspension blocks are generally fitted to the cup shaped bucket through rivets. Riveting is the preferred form of fitting not only because it is economical but also because the generally thin walled bucket sidewall does not readily lend itself to efficient and quick welding. The above method of fitting the two suspension blocks by rivets works well enough for GI buckets and the riveted suspension blocks are usually damaged only when the whole bucket is damaged. But the same cannot be said of lightweight aluminium buckets having a single rigid handle provided with hinged fitting on to two suspension blocks that are riveted to the bucket wall. It is a common sight to see many of these old buckets with loosened or lost suspension blocks, as the aluminium riveting does not stand for too long the heavy duties to which these buckets are put to. For smaller metal vessels provided with such a hinged bucket handle the riveted joints getting weak is not so much of a problem as they are not usually put to rough use. For larger vessels with a thick sidewall and generally two handles lifted by two operators together, the riveted (or welded) joints are very strong and the above problem does not usually arise. Heavy-duty light metal buckets of the prior art, that are carried by a single person are characterized by a thin bucket sidewall (for reducing the weight of the bucket), an annular folded or rolled out edge at the mouth (for providing structural strength for the thin bucket side wall), a rigid handle stretching across the bucket, a body made of a light metal such as aluminium and rivet fitted suspension blocks (as welding is impractical) and it is for this type of buckets the invention is particularly aimed at. This type of buckets is necessary for carrying heavy loads by a single operator as in construction work and drawing water from wells. The object of this invention is to provide a means whereby the forces acting through the handle are efficiently distributed around the body of the bucket, said means also preventing detachment of the handle from the said body. Accordingly this invention provides a bucket having a cup shaped body (V) provided with a rigid bucket handle (H) stretching across the said body and capable of hinged movement, said body having an annular outwardly folded or rolled out edge (D) at its mouth, two suspension blocks (B) being provided externally on opposite sides of the said body towards the top near the mouth of the said body, said suspension blocks being fitted to the bucket wall through rivets, means for hinged mounting of the two ends of the said handle on to the said suspension blocks being provided, characterized in that said suspension blocks are welded to the adjoining part of the said folded or rolled out top edge (D) of the said body of the bucket. The suspension blocks of the aluminium buckets are usually made by casting and are sufficiently thick to permit easy welding. The thin sidewall of the bucket when rolled out at the top also attains a greater thickness than the sidewall. The part of the rolled edge adjoining the suspension blocks may be further compressed in a press to prevent burning out of the sheet during welding. The suspension blocks are fitted in contact with the said outwardly jutting top edge of the bucket so that weight is transmitted through the said thickened top edge thereby preventing loosening of the rivets. When the suspension blocks abutting on the thick top edge of the bucket are welded to the said top edge the suspension blocks are fiirther stabilized. The invention is aimed principally at single man held metal buckets that have to perform heavy duty. They have to be strong and at the same time as light as possible. The thin sidewall of the body of the bucket is provided with an annular outwardly folded or rolled out edge at its mouth for giving adequate strength. The suspension blocks are so positioned as to abut on to the said outwardly jutting top edge of the bucket, which is a double function performed by the said folded edge. The suspension blocks are placed in contact with the outwardly jutting top edge of i the bucket and this helps in weight transmission through the said outwardly jutting top edge. Riveting of the suspension blocks of the aluminium bucket has to be resorted to instead of welding, as the bucket sidewall has to be thin for reducing the weight of the bucket. On prolonged use the suspension blocks of these heavy-duty light metal buckets are prone to loosening and eventual dislocation. The invention finds an answer to this long felt problem. Of the heavy-duty buckets the type with the points of suspension of the two ends of the handle on to the suspension blocks disposed above the mouth of the bucket can carry heavier loads with minimal discomfort to the operator (compared to the other type) and for this type of standard heavy-duty buckets the invention is eminently suited. As the suspension blocks of this type of buckets are usually die cast they are eminently suited for the welding process. But the invention can also be applied with benefit to the type having the points of suspension (of the handle) below the mouth of the bucket. In this case the short thick strap-like suspension blocks are welded to the folded or rolled top edge of the body of the bucket. A survey of the buckets of the prior art discloses that in the particular type of the heavy-duty light weight metal buckets carried by a single person characterized by an aluminium body, folded top edge, riveted suspension blocks and a handle extending across the bucket, the suspension blocks are never welded to the folded top edge of the bucket. This procedure if only it had been adopted would have almost eliminated the problem of the dislocated suspension i blocks that is so much of a nuisance for the aluminium buckets. Even though the thick suspension blocks would stand the welding the thin lip of the aluminium bucket would bum off during the fast and practical gas welding that is employed in industry. The invention solves this problem by adapting the top edge of the bucket to stand the welding. A carefully folded or rolled top edge at the time of making it and further pressing to make it solid would ensure that the resulting thick top edge would stand the practical gas welding that the rest of the thin bucket wall around the suspension block would not stand. Welding to the annular folded top edge has also the advantage that the stress would be transmitted to the entire circumference of the bucket ensuring long term survival of the handle. The co-pending patent application No.l47/MAS/01 envisages an alternate method to achieve the same result as the present invention and the present invention is an improvement over the former one. The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig.l: is the pictorial view of a bucket according to the invention. As shown in the figure the cup shaped body V of the bucket is provided with a rigid bucket handle H stretching across the said body. The handle H is provided with means for hinged mounting at its two ends on to the suspension blocks B provided externally on the bucket. The body of the bucket has an annular rolled out edge D at its mouth that gives structural strength to the said body. The hinged mounting of the handle H is effected by passing the two ends of the rigid handle H through holes L provided on the suspension blocks. An aluminium bucket is illustrated in the figure and the means for locating the suspension blocks on to the relatively thin bucket sidewall is through rivets R. In the bucket shown, the handle H is suspended through two oppositely placed holed projections P of the suspension blocks B, said holed projections extending above the mouth of the bucket. These suspension blocks usually produced by casting are sufficiently thick and are therefore amenable to easy welding. The part of the rolled out edge D adjoining the said suspension blocks B are compressed in a press beforehand and then the suspension blocks (to which the handle H has been affixed) are riveted on to the body wall. The pressing may also be done by hammering of the rolled out edge to make it solid to stand the welding. This pressing would further strengthen the rolled out top edge D and the thick top edge (thicker than the thin sidewall of the body) would stand the welding. W is the weld between the suspension block and the rolled top edge D. In the embodiment shown only two welds are shown on the two sides of the suspension block on the left side of the bucket. But the entire top border of the suspension block may also be welded to the top edge D for greater strength. This welding of the aluminium bucket is done by gas welding using a filler metal, as is the conventional practice for welding thin aluminium parts. The bucket shown has the points of suspension of the two ends of the handle on the suspension blocks placed above the mouth of the body of the bucket. Because of centre of gravity considerations these buckets provide minimal discomfort to the operator when heavy loads are carried in them and as such they can be called the standard heavy-duty buckets. This type of aluminium buckets is therefore being used for construction work and for taking water from a well. The invention is particularly aimed at and is relevant for this type of heavy-duty buckets. The invention may also be applied with benefit to the other type of aluminium bucket wherein the points of suspension (of the handle) are disposed below the mouth of the bucket. In this type short thick strap like suspension blocks having projections positioned spaced from the bucket wall on opposite sides of the body of the bucket are provided with holes on the said projections disposed below the top edge of the bucket, the ends of the handle being suspended through the said holes. The short thick strap-like suspension blocks (that are fixed by riveting on to the bucket wall) are welded to the adjoining top edge of the bucket to further stabilize them. The bucket according to the invention usually has a volume capacity ranging between 3 litres and 60 litres. I claim: 1. A bucket having a cup shaped body (V) provided with a rigid bucket handle (H) stretching across the said body and capable of hinged movement, said body having an annular outwardly folded or rolled out edge (D) at its mouth, two suspension blocks (B) being provided externally on opposite sides of the said body towards the top near the mouth of the said body, said suspension blocks being fitted to the bucket wall through rivets, means for hinged mounting of the two ends of the said handle on to the said suspension blocks being provided, characterized in that said suspension blocks are welded to the adjoining part of the said folded or rolled out top edge (D) of the said body of the bucket. 2. The bucket as claimed in claim I, wherein said body of the bucket and the said suspension blocks are made of aluminium and the suspension blocks (B) are welded to the adjoining part of the folded or rolled out top edge (D) of the body of the bucket through gas welding using a filler metal. 3. A bucket substantially as herein described and illustrated.

Documents:

062-che-2004-abstract.pdf

062-che-2004-claims filed.pdf

062-che-2004-claims granted.pdf

062-che-2004-correspondnece-others.pdf

062-che-2004-correspondnece-po.pdf

062-che-2004-description(complete) filed.pdf

062-che-2004-description(complete) granted.pdf

062-che-2004-drawings.pdf

062-che-2004-form 1.pdf

062-che-2004-form 3.pdf

062-che-2004-form 5.pdf