AU761697B2 - Self-discharging freight container for bulk solids - Google Patents

Description

WO 01/44079 PCT/AU00/01555 SELF-DISCHARGING FREIGHT CONTAINER FOR BULK SOLIDS THIS invention concerns freight containers for bulk solids.

FIELD OF INVENTION By "Freight containers" we mean ISO standard freight transport containers but clearly the invention can be adapted to suit any standard container size. These are routinely transported by road, rail or ocean freight. The purpose of the container is to transport and discharge any bulk solid irrespective of the bulk density of the material or its flow characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus aspect of the invention provides a self-discharging freight container for bulk solids comprising:a static frame capable of supporting the container and contents; a container hinged to the frame along a tilting axis at or near the top of the frame; the container having a hinged floor which tilts to release the contents when the container is tilted toward a discharge position; wherein, the container has a pair of mutually spaced, triangular braces adjacent the hinge axis; and a thrust point along each brace and a reaction point on an adjacent part of the static frame between which points a discharging force is exertable.

Preferably the braces extend into the container interior. They may be located symmetrically along the length of the container and mutually separated by half the length of the container. The force may be exerted by rams each of which works in a pocket provided in the container interior. The brace may be reinforced by a strut WO 01/44079 PCT/AUOO/01555 2 extending from the hinge axis and the thrust point is at the intersection of the brace and the strut.

A flow control surface is located at each end of the floor externally of the container to direct exit flow. The flow control surface may be a plate extending uprightly from the floor, the length of the plate being equal to the floor width. The flow control surface may contact a seal surface on the adjacent end wall of the container. This may be a flexible seal strip which lines the junction between the container walls and the floor in order to arrest particles. The floor itself may be faced with a hard wearing polymer suitable for bulk solids handling with a useful coefficient of friction. A floor vibrator such as an eccentric weight device may assist solids flow.

If multiple rams are used, say every 2.5 3m along the length of the container, then rams used in the construction of agricultural machinery may be used. Hydraulic tilting of the container is convenient but in an alternative version the container has a lifting point on the side of the container opposite to the hinge axis so the container may -tilted by external means. This permits discharge by an overhead crane. In this instance the rams remain connected and damp the initial discharge movement which would otherwise be too sudden.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention can be clearly understood and put into practical effect the description will now refer to the drawings which are diagrammatic and not to scale, the drawings show non-limiting embodiments of the invention, wherein:- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation at A (See Figure 2) of the unmounted freight container showing the hydraulic ram; WO 01144079 PCT/AU00/01555 3* Figure 2 is a rear elevation of Figure 1 showing the static frame and the container frame; Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation similar to Figure 1 but showing an intermediate discharge position; Figure 5 is a side elevation similar to Figure 4 showing the final discharge position; Figure 6 is an elevation of a flow control plate; Figure 7 is a rear elevation of a version capable of discharging to both left and right; Figure 8 is an elevation showing the final discharge position of the version of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a side elevation of a version which is discharged by a crane; and Figure 10 is an end elevation of a version with side-by-side containers.

Referring now to the drawings, the freight container is shown unmounted but in use will be mounted on a rail wagon, a truck used by a port authority or the like. The container itself is top-filled from bulk feeder installations but for grains carriage, the container will have a roof or a tarpaulin cover.

Referring to Figures 1 3, the static frame is made of rectangular box-section end frames 2, joined by ground-engaging bearers 4. A pair or intermediate L-shaped vertical legs 6, support half the container hinge 8. The horizontal legs 10 have floor rolls 12. The container 14 is a box having a cage 16 composed of box-section ribs 18 and connecting rails 20. The top rail 20 is connected to rib 18 by brace 22. Strut 24 extends between hinge corner 26 and brace 22. Bottom rail 28 is like the top rail 20 and defines the floor opening. Ribs 18 located half of a floor hinge 30. The remaining half is fixed WO 01/44079 PCT/AU00/01555 4 to the floor frame 32. The cage is lined with steel plate creating an open topped box.

The floor frame 32 is covered with a slab of high density polyethylene. The floor perimeter carries a continuous, quadrant section rubber seal 34.

The hinge corner 26 of the container frame mounts the remaining half of the container hinge 30. Thrust mounts 35, 36 allow double acting ram 42 to tilt the container about the longitudinal tipping axis to the position shown in Figure 4 and finally to the position shown in Figure Figure 2 shows the intermediate legs 6A, 6B. The braces 22 lie in the interior of the container and the rams work in hollow pockets 38 indicated by broken lines in Figure 4. Placing the rams at /4 positions shown in Figure 2 minimises deflections.

The freight container weights about 4.5 tonnes and the load is of the order of tonnes. It is designed to discharge loads into existing bulk handling installations which have chutes, hoppers, elevators and known ancillary equipment as indicated in Figure 9.

When discharge commences the displacement force is large because the entire contents are supported by the floor. The brace distributes the discharge thrustthrough the cage. The brace acts at the floor hinge corner 44, simultaneously lifting and tilting the floor and separating wall 46 from the floor. As the discharge angle increases the floor rolls on the floor rolls 12. The opening width increases as the floor tilt steepens and orderly discharge follows.

For loads which settle or lock or become sticky, an out of balance vibrator attached to the underside of the floor is actuated. As the contents flow from the slot defined by the walls of the container and the floor, they tend to diverge. Sideways divergence is prevented by the operation of flow control plates 48 which are upstance extending from the floor and consequently follow the movement of the floor. They lie WO 01/44079 PCT/AU00/01555 just outside of the end walls 50 and ensure that the flow does not spread unduly in a horizontal direction (see Figure In Figure 7 and 8, the static frame is modified by the provision of a LH set of vertical legs 6A, 6B and a RH set of vertical legs (not shown) enabling an elongated static frame to accommodate a left-discharging cage 52 and a right-discharging cage 54. The disposition of the parts in the fully discharged position is shown in Figure 8. Hydraulic power is provided by a diesel powered pump unit housed on part of the static frame.

In other versions the rams are coupled to the bulk-handling installation hydraulic circuit.

In Figure 9 the hydraulics are replaced by a gantry crane 56 which hoists at twin lifting points 58 at the level of the door roller. The points correspond to the ram positions and thereby minimise deflection. The points are engaged with a bridging sling.

The hoist tilts the floor until the mass leaving and the mass remaining exert an over-centre action on the floor when the discharge accelerates suddenly. To slow the discharge, the ram acts as a hydraulic damper between the container and the static frame.

In Figure 10 the vertical leg 6 moves from one edge of the static frame to the centre, giving the frame an inverted T-section. This allows the containers to lie in a pair, side-by-side with a common hinge axis. This embodiment is expected to be useful where very dense concentrates are carried. Usually the container will be of lesser volume than an ISO version.

In all embodiments, the floor rolls over the floor rollers to assume a position in which the hinged wall and the floor are coplanar at 500 to the horizontal. The container rotates through an angle of 400. Fluent loads empty well before the final discharge WO 01/44079 PCT/AU00/01555 6 position is reached so it is not essential that discharge extends to the 50' position for all loads.

We have found the advantages of the above embodiments to be:- 1. stiffer construction minimises material but preserves the robustness of the construction; 2. minimisation of tare weight.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative example of the present invention many variations and modifications thereto will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad ambit and scope of the invention as herein set out in the appended claims.

EDITORIAL NOTE NO: 23286/01 This specification does not contain pages 7-10.

The claims are to follow.

Claims (20)

1. A self-discharging freight container for bulk solids comprising:- a static frame capable of supporting the container and contents. a container hinged to the frame along a tilting axis at or near the top of the frame, the container having a hinged floor which tilts to release the contents of the container when the container is tilted toward a discharge position, wherein the container and floor have overlapping side walls.

2. A self discharging freight container according to claim 1 wherein the container has a pair of mutually spaced. triangular braces adjacent a hinge axis. a thrust point along each brace and a reaction point on an adjacent part of the static frame between which points a discharging force is exertable.

3. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the braces extend into the container interior.

4. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 3 wherein the braces are located symmetrically along the length of the container and mutually separated by half the length of the container. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 3 or 4 wherein the force is exerted by rams each of which works in a pocket provided in the container interior.

6. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claims 2 to 5 wherein the brace is reinforced by a strut extending from the hinge axis and the thrust point is at the intersection of the brace and the strut.

7. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the overlapping side walls of the floor comprise a flow control surface located at each end of the floor externally of the container to direct exit flow. AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19) NV 000 I01-0-19 a. fi COMi P. ~D OLr 'J L WO 01/44079 PCT/AU00/01555 12

8. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 7 wherein the flow control surface is a plate extending uprightly from the floor, the length of the plate being equal to the floor width.

9. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 8 wherein the flow control surface contacts a seal surface on an adjacent end wall of the container. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 9 wherein the container rotates through 350 to 450 to maximum discharge.

11. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to wherein a flexible seal strip lines the junction between the container walls and the floor to arrest particles.

12. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 11 wherein the floor is faced with a hard wearing polymer suitable for bulk solids handling with a useful coefficient of friction.

13. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 12 wherein the floor has vibrating means to assist solids flow.

14. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 13 wherein the container has a roof which permits top filling. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 14 wherein the static frame accommodates two containers one discharging to the left and one discharging to the right.

16. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 1 employing two containers wherein the containers are located one behind the other in the direction of carriage.

17. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 16 wherein multiple interior rams exert a discharge force every 2.5 3m along the length of the container. AMENDED SIHEET (ARTICLE 19) 1_[http wv et tent.cornLo m ndoSexarn su .Dr F tcn 01U 144079. cpc?tromCacne= part=na inoo oar=oc o nj WO 01/44079 PCT/AUO0/01555 13

18. A self-discharging freight container for bulk solids according to claim 1 wherein a pair of lifting points are located symmetrically along the side of the container and mutually separated by half the length of the container.

19. An apparatus fitted with a self-discharging freight container as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18. A rail wagon fitted with a self-discharging freight container in any one of claims 1 to 18.

21. A self-discharging freight container as claimed in claim 15 wherein the static frame has a central support and the two containers lie side-by-side, separated by the central support.

22. A self-discharging freight container substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 or as modified by Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings.

23. A self-discharging freight container as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A self-discharging freight container as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings. AMENDED SHEET (ARTICLE 19)