Container closure device and method of operating the same

1 . An apparatus for sealing a container lid to a container containing nuclear waste and/or toxic material, the apparatus comprising:

a lid assembly comprising:

an open-loop clamp band configured to secure the container lid to a container opening, the open-loop clamp band biased towards a closed position; and

a closure assembly coupled to the open-loop clamp band, the closure assembly including:

a pair of lugs including a threaded lug and an unthreaded lug respectively affixed to opposing ends of the open-loop clamp band;

a clamp bolt receivable by the pair of lugs, the clamp bolt having a bolt head to be positioned proximal the unthreaded lug; and

a jam assembly for receiving the clamp bolt, the jam assembly being positioned at a predetermined calibrated position along the clamp bolt relative to the bolt head and between the pair of lugs,

an annular weight for overlaying a region proximal to a perimeter of the container lid to impart a downward sealing force at an interface between the container lid and the container opening, wherein the downward force at the interface seals a gap defined by the container lid and the container; and

a drip tray configured to be positioned on a surface of the container lid for receiving excess substance from a container fill head, wherein the surface opposes a side of the container lid configured to seal the container opening,

wherein the annular weight is a ring-shaped weight having a hollow central region, and

wherein the drip tray is positioned within the hollow central region of the annular weight.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the jam assembly includes a pair of jam nuts, and wherein a first jam nut of the pair of jam nuts is torqued toward a second jam nut of the pair of jam nuts, and the second jam nut is torqued toward the first jam nut, the pair of jam nuts and clamp bolt being rotatable as a unitary assembly,

the predetermined calibrated position is a position of the pair of jam nuts when the pair of jam nuts are adjacent the threaded lug when the open-loop clamp band is in a closed or tightened position about the perimeter of the container lid, wherein the open-loop clamp band is configured to move to the closed or tightened position when the clamp bolt is tightened while maintaining the jam assembly at the predetermined calibrated position along the clamp bolt,

the clamp bolt is rotatable for transitioning the open-loop clamp band between an open position and the closed position.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the open-loop clamp band is a clamp ring for fitting around a substantially circular drum lid.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a standoff device for positioning between the unthreaded lug and the jam assembly for maintaining a position of the bolt head relative to the unthreaded lug.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the standoff device includes a pin received within an aperture in a shaft of the clamp bolt, the aperture positioned on an opposing side of the unthreaded lug relative to the bolt head.

6 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the standoff device includes at least one of a Belleville washer or a wedge device.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the annular weight includes an electromagnet configured to engage the container lid for placing or removing the container lid at the container opening.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drip tray and the annular weight are configured to be substantially concentric with one another.

9 . An apparatus for sealing a container lid to a container, the apparatus comprising:

a lid assembly comprising:

an open-loop clamp band configured to secure the container lid to a container opening; and

a closure assembly coupled to the open-loop clamp band;

an annular weight for overlaying a region proximal to a perimeter of the container lid to impart a downward sealing force at an interface between the container lid and the container opening, wherein the downward force at the interface seals a gap defined by the container lid and the container; and

a drip tray positioned on a surface of container lid for receiving excess substance from a container fill head, wherein the drip tray and the annular weight are configured to be positioned concentric with the annular weight.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the annular weight includes a plurality of wedge-shaped alignment fingers configured to concentrically align the annular weight with the container lid.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the closure assembly includes:

a pair of lugs including a threaded lug and an unthreaded lug respectively affixed to opposing ends of the open-loop clamp band;

a clamp bolt receivable by the pair of lugs, the clamp bolt having a bolt head to be positioned proximal the unthreaded lug; and

a jam assembly for receiving the clamp bolt, the jam assembly securable at a calibrated position along the clamp bolt and between the pair of lugs,

wherein the clamp bolt is rotatable for transitioning the open-loop clamp band between an open position and the closed position.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the jam assembly includes a pair of jam nuts respectively torqued towards the other of the pair of jam nuts to secure the jam assembly at the calibrated position along the clamp bolt, wherein a first jam nut of the pair of jam nuts is torqued toward a second jam nut of the pair of jam nuts, and the second jam nut torqued toward the first jam nut, the pair of jam nuts and clamp bolt rotatable as a unitary assembly, and wherein the calibrated position is determined based on a position of the pair of jam nuts when the pair of jam nuts are adjacent the threaded lug when the open-loop clamp band is in a closed or tightened position about the perimeter of the container lid.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , comprising a standoff device for positioning between the unthreaded lug and the jam assembly for maintaining a position of the bolt head relative to the unthreaded lug while the open-loop clamp band is biased towards the closed position, wherein the standoff device includes a pin received within an aperture in a shaft of the clamp bolt, the aperture positioned on an opposing side of the unthreaded lug relative to the bolt head.

14 . A method of assembling a lid assembly for a container lid, the method comprising:

extending a clamp bolt through an unthreaded lug, the unthreaded lug affixed to a first open end of an open-loop clamp band;

engaging the clamp bolt with a jam assembly;

threading the clamp bolt into a threaded lug, the threaded lug affixed to a second open end of the open-loop clamp band;

affixing the jam assembly at a calibrated position along the clamp bolt relative to the bolt head, the jam assembly positioned between the threaded lug and the unthreaded lug,

coupling an annular weight to the container lid, the annular weight positioned to overlay a region proximal to a perimeter of the container lid to impart a downward sealing force at an interface between the container lid and a container opening of the container, wherein the downward force at the interface seals a gap defined by the container lid and the container, wherein the annular weight is a ring-shaped weight having a hollow central region; and

coupling a drip tray to the container lid, the drip tray configured to be positioned on a surface of the container lid for receiving excess substance from a container fill head, wherein the surface opposes a side of the container lid configured to seal the container opening, wherein the drip tray is positioned within the hollow central region of the annular weight.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising securing a standoff device between the unthreaded lug and the jam assembly to maintain a position of the bolt head relative to the unthreaded lug.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the standoff device includes a pin, and wherein securing the standoff device includes:

drilling an aperture in a shaft of the clamp bolt at a position between the affixed jam assembly and the unthreaded lug; and

inserting the pin within the drilled aperture for positioning the pin between the jam assembly and the unthreaded lug.

17 . The method of claim 14 , comprising rotating the clamp bolt head in a direction to unthread the clamp bolt from the threaded lug to position the open-loop clamp band in an open position.

18 . The method of claim 14 , comprising rotating the clamp bolt head in a direction to thread the clamp bolt into the threaded lug to position the open-loop claim band in the closed or tightened position to seal the container lid to a container containing nuclear and/or toxic waste, wherein the jam assembly is maintained at the calibrated position while the clamp bolt head is rotated.