CA2518652A1 - Single-post modular bag filling apparatus - Google Patents
Single-post modular bag filling apparatus Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2518652A1 CA2518652A1 CA 2518652 CA2518652A CA2518652A1 CA 2518652 A1 CA2518652 A1 CA 2518652A1 CA 2518652 CA2518652 CA 2518652 CA 2518652 A CA2518652 A CA 2518652A CA 2518652 A1 CA2518652 A1 CA 2518652A1
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- Prior art keywords
- bag
- filling
- plate
- support
- frame
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B1/28—Controlling escape of air or dust from containers or receptacles during filling
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B1/30—Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled
- B65B1/32—Devices or methods for controlling or determining the quantity or quality or the material fed or filled by weighing
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01G—WEIGHING
- G01G19/00—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups
- G01G19/14—Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups for weighing suspended loads
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Quality & Reliability (AREA)
- Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
Description
SINGLE-POST MODULAR BAG FILLING APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for filling bulk bags, and specifically to such an apparatus having a simplified, modular construction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The filling of bulk bags, also known as flexible intermediate bulk containers or '~FIBCs" is typically accomplished by a filling machine having means for hanging the bag and connecting the bag to the nozzle of a discharge apparatus. In addition, the filling machine may be provided with means for weighing the bag as it is being filled, means for raising and lowering the bag, means for vibrating and compacting the contents of the bag during filling, and means for controlling discharge of particulate material into the atmosphere during filling of the bag. Bag filling machines incorporating one or more of these features are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos.
6,564,534 (Poulton et al.), 5,336,853 (Davidson) and 4,718,464 (Delves et al.).
One disadvantage of existing bag filling machines is that they are not easily adapted to suit the varying needs of users. For example, some users may not require means for vibrating the bag or hang-weighing the bag and its contents, whereas other users may require a filling machine having all of the above features.
In general, the inventors have found that it is difficult or impossible to retrofit additional components onto most existing bag filling machines. Likewise, it may be difficult to eliminate components which are not required by a specific user.
This not only limits the range of choices available to the user, but can increase cost due to the fact that it may be necessary to design a separate filling machine for each application. Furthermore, a user wishing to upgrade to a filling machine having enhanced features will be forced to purchase a new machine where retrofitting the additional components is not possible.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an apparatus for filling bulk bags, and specifically to such an apparatus having a simplified, modular construction.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The filling of bulk bags, also known as flexible intermediate bulk containers or '~FIBCs" is typically accomplished by a filling machine having means for hanging the bag and connecting the bag to the nozzle of a discharge apparatus. In addition, the filling machine may be provided with means for weighing the bag as it is being filled, means for raising and lowering the bag, means for vibrating and compacting the contents of the bag during filling, and means for controlling discharge of particulate material into the atmosphere during filling of the bag. Bag filling machines incorporating one or more of these features are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos.
6,564,534 (Poulton et al.), 5,336,853 (Davidson) and 4,718,464 (Delves et al.).
One disadvantage of existing bag filling machines is that they are not easily adapted to suit the varying needs of users. For example, some users may not require means for vibrating the bag or hang-weighing the bag and its contents, whereas other users may require a filling machine having all of the above features.
In general, the inventors have found that it is difficult or impossible to retrofit additional components onto most existing bag filling machines. Likewise, it may be difficult to eliminate components which are not required by a specific user.
This not only limits the range of choices available to the user, but can increase cost due to the fact that it may be necessary to design a separate filling machine for each application. Furthermore, a user wishing to upgrade to a filling machine having enhanced features will be forced to purchase a new machine where retrofitting the additional components is not possible.
2 The inventors have also found that many filling machines employ hang-weighing mechanisms which are unnecessarily complex. This can result in poor reliability and high cost.
There remains a need for simpler, more robust filling machines which are preferably of modular construction in order to meet the varying needs of filling machine users.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a bag filling apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, schematically showing a bag hanging from the carriage frame;
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the carriage frame of the bag filling apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the carriage frame of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a close-up of the base of the support post shown in Figure 1, with the base of the post attached directly to a floor surface;
Figure 5 is a close-up of a portion of the carriage frame of Figure 2, rigidly secured to the support post;
There remains a need for simpler, more robust filling machines which are preferably of modular construction in order to meet the varying needs of filling machine users.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a bag filling apparatus according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, schematically showing a bag hanging from the carriage frame;
Figure 2 is a side elevation view of the carriage frame of the bag filling apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the carriage frame of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a close-up of the base of the support post shown in Figure 1, with the base of the post attached directly to a floor surface;
Figure 5 is a close-up of a portion of the carriage frame of Figure 2, rigidly secured to the support post;
3 Figure 6 is a side elevation view of a bag filling apparatus according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, schematically showing a bag supported by the apparatus;
Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the rigging frame of the bag filling apparatus of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the rigging frame of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a front elevation view showing in isolation the vibrating support table and load cells of the apparatus of Figure 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a preferred bag filling apparatus 10 for filling a bulk bag 20 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Bag filling apparatus 10 comprises a single support post 12 extending vertically from the base to the top of the apparatus 10. The support post 12 preferably comprises a steel I-beam having parallel front and rear flanges 14, 16 connected by a web 18. Although it may be preferred to construct support post 12 from a single I-beam, it will be appreciated that post 12 could be of a different construction. For example, post 12 could be of tubular construction or may comprise two or more vertical members, for example as shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,564,534 (Poulton et al.).
The preferred apparatus 10 further comprises a carriage frame 22 from which the bag 20 is suspended. The carriage frame 22 comprises a rectangular sleeve 24 which surrounds the support post 12 (see the plan view of Figure 3) and is mounted for reciprocal vertical movement along the support post 12. The rectangular sleeve 24 is shown as comprising a double thickness front plate 26, a rear plate 28 and a
Figure 7 is a side elevation view of the rigging frame of the bag filling apparatus of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the rigging frame of Figure 7; and Figure 9 is a front elevation view showing in isolation the vibrating support table and load cells of the apparatus of Figure 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Figures 1 to 5 illustrate a preferred bag filling apparatus 10 for filling a bulk bag 20 according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Bag filling apparatus 10 comprises a single support post 12 extending vertically from the base to the top of the apparatus 10. The support post 12 preferably comprises a steel I-beam having parallel front and rear flanges 14, 16 connected by a web 18. Although it may be preferred to construct support post 12 from a single I-beam, it will be appreciated that post 12 could be of a different construction. For example, post 12 could be of tubular construction or may comprise two or more vertical members, for example as shown in U.S. Patent No. 6,564,534 (Poulton et al.).
The preferred apparatus 10 further comprises a carriage frame 22 from which the bag 20 is suspended. The carriage frame 22 comprises a rectangular sleeve 24 which surrounds the support post 12 (see the plan view of Figure 3) and is mounted for reciprocal vertical movement along the support post 12. The rectangular sleeve 24 is shown as comprising a double thickness front plate 26, a rear plate 28 and a
4 pair of side plates 30, 32. The side plates 30, 32 are connected to a drive mechanism described below, which is housed inside the cavities of the I-beam 12.
The carriage frame 22 further comprises a support beam 34 projecting horizontally from the front plate 26 of the rectangular sleeve 24 and supported by a pair of side brackets 36. The support beam 34 is shown in the drawings as comprising an I-beam, but may instead be of a different construction, for example it may be tubular.
A flat plate 38 is provided at the front end of the support beam 34. Attached to the plate 38 is a U-shaped frame member 40 comprising an elongate cross member 42 which is preferably attached to the plate 38 along substantially its entire length, and a pair of horizontal arms 44 extending forwardly from the opposite ends of the cross member 42. Each of the horizontal arms 44 is preferably supported in its horizontal position by a support bracket 46. The cross member 42 and the arms making up the U-shaped frame member 40 are preferably of a rectangular tubular construction.
The carriage frame 22 also comprises bag supporting means in the form of a pair of horizontal hanger arms 48 extending parallel to the support beam 34 and parallel to the horizontal arms 44 of the U-shaped frame member 40. The front and rear ends of each hanger arm 48 are provided with hangers 50, 52 from which the bag 20 is suspended by loops 54. The rear hangers 52 are slidable from the rear ends of hanger arms 48 to approximately the center points of hanger arms 48, thus permitting an operator to easily hang the bag from the front of the apparatus 10.
Hanger rods 56 are provided to assist the operator in moving the rear hangers 52.
The hanger rods 56 have one end attached to one of the rear hangers 52 and an opposite end located alongside the hanger arm 48 approximately midway between its ends. The rear hangers 52 are moved toward the front of the apparatus 10 by pulling hanger rods 56 toward the front of the apparatus. Once the bag 20 is hung from the hangers 50, 52, the rear hangers 52 are returned to the positions shown in the drawings, coming to rest against stops 58. Although the apparatus 10 shown in the drawings utilizes rear hangers 52 which can be moved manually, it will be appreciated that apparatus 10 may instead incorporate automated means for moving rear hangers 52 along the hanger arms 48. For example, pneumatic cylinders (not shown) may be provided for the purpose of moving the rear hangers 52. It will also be appreciated that the portions of hangers 50, 52 on which the bag loops 54 are received may be pointed in directions other than that shown in the drawings.
Each of the hanger arms 48 is attached to the U-shaped frame member 40 through a connecting arm 60 which, as shown in the drawings, may preferably be of a tubular construction. The connecting arms 60 extend outwardly at right angles from the front ends of the arms 44 of the U-shaped member 40. The inner end of each connecting arms 60 is actually suspended from one of the arms 44 by a load cell 62 which is at least partially housed within the arm 44 of U-shaped member 40 and the connecting arm 60. In addition, each load cell 62 is provided with a flexure 64 comprising a metal plate 66 extending along the side of arm 44 and secured to the side of arm 44 by a bracket 68. The use of flexures 64 allows the load cells 62 to move freely in the vertical plane A. As shown in Figure 2, the load cells 62 are vertically aligned along plane A with the mid-points of the hanger arms 48, and are therefore also aligned with the center of gravity of bag 20. The vertical alignment of the load cells 62 and the center of gravity of bag 20 permits the use of two load cells 62 rather than the conventional construction using three load cells, which requires the use of a more complex and costly carriage frame.
The outer end of each connecting arms 60 is connected to one of the hanger arms 48 through a pair of vertical plates 68, 70. The first plate 68 may preferably be rectangular and is attached to the outer end of the connecting arm 60. The second plate 70 is joined to the first plate 68 in an overlapping manner and has an offset lower end portion 72 which is connected to the side of the hanger arm 48. The end portion 72 is somewhat offset from plane A toward the front end of hanger arm so as to permit the rear hangers 52 to be slidable along hanger arms 48 as far as possible toward the front of the apparatus 10. The plates 70 are preferably provided with apertured brackets 74 proximate to the lower end portions 74 thereof for supporting the front end of hanger rod 46.
The carriage frame 22 is also provided with a cylindrical filling head 76 through which the nozzle of a discharge apparatus (not shown) extends into the bag 20 during filling. The filling head 76 comprises a pair of concentric cylinders 78, 80 and a mounting plate 82 with a circular aperture 84. The inner cylinder 78 has open upper and lower ends and has a side wall which closely fits inside and is sealed to the edges of aperture 84, for example by welding. The outer cylinder has an upper end which is sealed to the lower surface of plate 82, such that an annular space 86 is formed between cylinders 78, 80. The annular space 86 is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end. The sidewall of the outer cylinder 80 is provided with an aperture 88 which communicates with the annular space 86, the aperture being provided with a cylindrical fitting 90 for connection to a vacuum source (not shown). During filling of the bag 20, a solid material is filled into the bag 20 through the inner cylinder 78 and displaced air is evacuated from bag through the annular space 86. This arrangement ensures that particulate matter entrained with the displaced air does not enter the environment of the apparatus 10.
The mounting plate 82 may preferably have a rectangular shape, with the aperture 84 being centrally located in the plate 82. The edges of plate 82 are preferably folded to increase its rigidity. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the front and rear edges are folded upwardly to form flanges 92, 94 and the side edges are folded downwardly to form flanges 96, 98. The plate 82 is preferably mounted to the bottom surfaces of the connecting arms 60, for example by bolts (not shown), thereby mounting the filling head 76 to the remainder of carriage frame 22.
The apparatus 10 preferably also includes means for raising and lowering the carriage frame 22 along the support post 12. As mentioned above, the carriage frame 22 includes a rectangular sleeve 24 which surrounds the post 12 and is connected to a drive motor 102 through a drive mechanism 100. The drive mechanism 100 may preferably comprise a chain drive mechanism including a gear box 104 mounted to the upper end of support post 12 and enclosing upper sprockets 106, 108, a lower sprocket 109 mounted to the web 18 of support post 12, and a plurality of chains (not shown). The sprockets 106, 108 and 109 are connected to drive motor 102 by the chains. A chain connecting upper sprocket 108 and lower sprocket 109 is also connected to the top and bottom of sleeve 24, thereby enabling the drive mechanism 100 to raise and lower the sleeve.
Although only one drive mechanism 100 is shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the apparatus may incorporate a dual chain drive in which the dual drive mechanisms 100 are mounted to opposite sides of the support post 12. The up-and-down movement of the sleeve 24 is guided by a plurality of guide wheels located within the cavities of the support post 12. A first pair of guide wheels 110, 112 is rotatably connected to the side plate 30 through bushings 114, 116 at the upper and lower ends of sleeve 24. A second pair of wheels is similarly provided on the other side of the support post 12, although only an upper wheel 118, rotatably connected to the upper end of side plate 32 through a bushing 120, is visible in the drawings.
The apparatus 10 may further comprise means for vibrating and compacting the contents of the bag 20 as it is being filled, preferably in the form of a "pop-up"
vibrating cone table 122 such as that described in commonly assigned Publication No. US 2005/0022700 A1 dated February 3, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The cone table 122 is fully described in the above-mentioned published application, and is therefore not repeated here. The means for vibrating and compacting the contents of bag 20 may instead comprise a conventional stationary vibrating table which may have a flat or conical upper surface for supporting the bag 20.
As shown in Figure 1, the cone table 122 is positioned directly under bag 20 and may preferably be centered on vertical axis A. When in use, the cone table 122 engages the bottom of bag 20 so as to vibrate and compact the contents thereof.
It will be appreciated that the height of bag 20 will be adjusted by raising and lowering the carriage frame 22, so that the cone table 122 can be raised into engagement with the bottom of bag 20. It will be appreciated that the cone table 122 is shown in its contracted form in the drawings.
As shown in the drawings, the support post 12 and the cone table 122 may both be mounted to a frame 124 which, as shown in Figure 1, may preferably comprise a rectangular base 126 of tubular steel located to the rear of the apparatus 10 on which the support post 12 is mounted. The base 126 comprises a pair of elongate legs 128 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending from the rear to the front of the apparatus 10 and a pair of cross members 130, 132 extending between the legs 128. Covering the top of the rectangular base 126 is a rectangular plate 134 to which the pedestal base 136 of the support post 12 is attached by bolts (not shown) or the like.
The legs 128 extend forwardly to the front end of apparatus 10 in order to support the cone table 122. A sub-frame 138 may be provided between the legs 128 of frame 124, the sub-frame comprising a pair of legs 140 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending along the sides of the legs 128, with a cross member 142 preferably being provided at the front ends of legs 140. The components of the sub-frame 124 may also be formed of tubular steel, but may preferably have reduced width and height dimensions relative to the components of frame 124.
The frame 124 and the sub-frame 138 may preferably be provided with apertured flanges 144, 146, 148 for attachment to a floor surface (not shown).
As mentioned above, the filling apparatus of the present invention preferably has a modular construction in order to meet the varying needs of users of filling equipment. The apparatus 10 as shown in the drawings includes a number of components which may be modified or eliminated in order to suit the needs of a particular user. The single support post 12 is a central feature of all variations of the various embodiments of the apparatus. As mentioned above, the support post 12 preferably has a pedestal base 136 by which it can be attached to a frame or directly to a floor surface of the filling facility. Wherever possible, it is preferred to mount the support post 12 directly to the floor 150, as shown in Figure 5.
In situations where the size of the bags 20 being filled is constant, it may be preferred to eliminate the drive mechanism 100 for raising and lowering the carriage frame 22. In this case, it may be preferred to rigidly secure the rectangular sleeve 24 of carriage frame 22 directly to the support post 12, for example by securing the front and/or rear flanges 14, 16 of the sleeve 24 to the support post 12, for example by using bolts as shown in Figure 6. Another option is to eliminate the rear plate 28 and side plates 30, 32 of sleeve 24, and simply bolt the front plate 26 to the front flange 14 of the support post 12.
In some situations, the apparatus can be further simplified by eliminating means for hang-weighing the bag 20 as it is being filled. For example, in some situations weighing may not be critical or may be accomplished by other means, such as by supporting the bag 20 along with one or more components of the filling apparatus on a weighing apparatus. In these situations, the structure of the carriage frame 22 can be simplified considerably. A second preferred apparatus 200 according to the present invention, incorporating these features, is illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 and is now described below.
Bag filling apparatus 200 incorporates several components which are either identical or similar to components of apparatus 10 described above. These components are referred to by the same reference numbers used in the description of apparatus 10.
Apparatus 200 comprises a single support post 12 which preferably comprises a steel I-beam having parallel front and rear flanges 14, 16 connected by a web 18.
The support post 12 has a pedestal base 136 which may preferably be bolted directly to the floor (not shown) of the filling facility or may be mounted to a frame 124. The frame 124 comprises a rectangular base 126 comprising a pair of elongate legs 128 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending from the rear to the front of the apparatus 200 and a pair of cross members 130, 132 extending between the legs 128. The legs 128 may preferably be comprised of angle pieces (as shown) or may comprise tubular steel. The cross members 130, 132 are preferably comprised of tubular steel, and an additional cross member may also be provided between the front ends of legs 128. Covering the top of the rectangular base 126 is a rectangular plate 134 to which the pedestal base 136 of the support post 12 is attached by bolts 202 or the like. In the second preferred apparatus 200, the legs 128 are preferably attached to the floor through four feet 204.
Although the second preferred apparatus 200 may use a pop-up vibrating cone table, it may be preferred to use stationary means for vibrating and compacting the contents of bag 20. For example, the apparatus 200 may preferably use a stationary table 204 having a flat support surface 206 as shown in Figure 6 on which the bag 20 is supported. Alternatively, the support surface can be conical.
As best seen in the isolated view of Figure 9, the stationary table 204 has a pair of eccentric motors 208 which cause the support surface 206 to vibrate. In this preferred embodiment, the bag 20 is preferably supported on a pallet 210 to enable bag 20 to be removed from apparatus 200 once it is filled. The support surface may preferably have upturned edges 212, 214 along its sides to prevent substantial sideways movement of the bag 20 and pallet 210.
In order to weigh the contents of bag 20, the stationary table 204 is connected to the frame 124 through a plurality of load cells 216. The load cells 216 are located at the four corners of the stationary table 204 and each has an upper end connected to the support surface 206 and a lower end connected to an angled support piece 218. The support pieces 218 extend along the sides of the table and are attached to the legs 128 of frame 124 by fasteners such as bolts (not shown).
The apparatus further comprises a rigging frame 220 which is of simpler construction than carriage frame 22 due to the elimination of means for hang-weighing and for raising and lowering the bag. The rigging frame 220 comprises a front support plate 222 received against the front flange 14 of support post 12 and a rear support plate 224 received against the rear flange 16 of support post 12.
The front support plate 222 is wider than the rear support plate 224 as shown in the top view of Figure 8. The support plates 222, 224 are bolted to one another and to the support post by four bolts 226 which extend through aligned apertures in the plates 222, 224 and the front and rear flanges of support post 12.
Projecting forwardly from the front support plate 222 is a pair of horizontal hanging arms 228, 230 for holding the loops 54 of bag 20 during filling. The hanging arms 228, are preferably of tubular steel construction and do not have hangers such as described above for engaging the loops 54. Rather, the loops 54 of the bag 20 are merely slid over the ends of the hanging arms 228, 230 during mounting and removal of the bag from apparatus 200. The arms 228, 230 can be of relatively light construction since the weight of bag 20 is being supported on the stationary table 204.
The rigging frame also includes a T-shaped support plate 232 having a first elongate portion 234 extending from side-to-side between the hanging arms 228, 230 and being connected along one of its elongate edges to the front support plate 222. The T-shaped plate 232 also comprises a second elongate portion 236 which extends forwardly and supports a filling head 238 which is located between the hanging arms 228. A support bracket 240 extends forwardly from the front support plate 222 along the upper surface of the T-shaped support plate 232 to provide rigidity.
The filling head 238 comprises a pair of concentric cylinders 242, 244 and a mounting plate 246 with an aperture 248. The inner cylinder 242 has open upper and lower ends and has a side wall which closely fits inside and is sealed to the edges of aperture 248. The outer cylinder has an upper end which is sealed to the lower surface of plate 246 such that an annular space 250 is formed between cylinders 242, 244. The annular space 250 is closed at its upper end and is open at its lower end. The sidewall of outer cylinder 244 is provided with a fitting 252 for connection to a vacuum source (not shown). The mounting plate 246 has a front end which may be shaped to close the annular space 252 and a rear end which is attached to the support plate 232, for example by bolts (not shown). A support bracket 254 may preferably be provided between the outer cylinder 244 and the lower surface of the mounting plate 246. The function of the filling head 238 is the same as that of filling head 76 described above.
The carriage frame 22 further comprises a support beam 34 projecting horizontally from the front plate 26 of the rectangular sleeve 24 and supported by a pair of side brackets 36. The support beam 34 is shown in the drawings as comprising an I-beam, but may instead be of a different construction, for example it may be tubular.
A flat plate 38 is provided at the front end of the support beam 34. Attached to the plate 38 is a U-shaped frame member 40 comprising an elongate cross member 42 which is preferably attached to the plate 38 along substantially its entire length, and a pair of horizontal arms 44 extending forwardly from the opposite ends of the cross member 42. Each of the horizontal arms 44 is preferably supported in its horizontal position by a support bracket 46. The cross member 42 and the arms making up the U-shaped frame member 40 are preferably of a rectangular tubular construction.
The carriage frame 22 also comprises bag supporting means in the form of a pair of horizontal hanger arms 48 extending parallel to the support beam 34 and parallel to the horizontal arms 44 of the U-shaped frame member 40. The front and rear ends of each hanger arm 48 are provided with hangers 50, 52 from which the bag 20 is suspended by loops 54. The rear hangers 52 are slidable from the rear ends of hanger arms 48 to approximately the center points of hanger arms 48, thus permitting an operator to easily hang the bag from the front of the apparatus 10.
Hanger rods 56 are provided to assist the operator in moving the rear hangers 52.
The hanger rods 56 have one end attached to one of the rear hangers 52 and an opposite end located alongside the hanger arm 48 approximately midway between its ends. The rear hangers 52 are moved toward the front of the apparatus 10 by pulling hanger rods 56 toward the front of the apparatus. Once the bag 20 is hung from the hangers 50, 52, the rear hangers 52 are returned to the positions shown in the drawings, coming to rest against stops 58. Although the apparatus 10 shown in the drawings utilizes rear hangers 52 which can be moved manually, it will be appreciated that apparatus 10 may instead incorporate automated means for moving rear hangers 52 along the hanger arms 48. For example, pneumatic cylinders (not shown) may be provided for the purpose of moving the rear hangers 52. It will also be appreciated that the portions of hangers 50, 52 on which the bag loops 54 are received may be pointed in directions other than that shown in the drawings.
Each of the hanger arms 48 is attached to the U-shaped frame member 40 through a connecting arm 60 which, as shown in the drawings, may preferably be of a tubular construction. The connecting arms 60 extend outwardly at right angles from the front ends of the arms 44 of the U-shaped member 40. The inner end of each connecting arms 60 is actually suspended from one of the arms 44 by a load cell 62 which is at least partially housed within the arm 44 of U-shaped member 40 and the connecting arm 60. In addition, each load cell 62 is provided with a flexure 64 comprising a metal plate 66 extending along the side of arm 44 and secured to the side of arm 44 by a bracket 68. The use of flexures 64 allows the load cells 62 to move freely in the vertical plane A. As shown in Figure 2, the load cells 62 are vertically aligned along plane A with the mid-points of the hanger arms 48, and are therefore also aligned with the center of gravity of bag 20. The vertical alignment of the load cells 62 and the center of gravity of bag 20 permits the use of two load cells 62 rather than the conventional construction using three load cells, which requires the use of a more complex and costly carriage frame.
The outer end of each connecting arms 60 is connected to one of the hanger arms 48 through a pair of vertical plates 68, 70. The first plate 68 may preferably be rectangular and is attached to the outer end of the connecting arm 60. The second plate 70 is joined to the first plate 68 in an overlapping manner and has an offset lower end portion 72 which is connected to the side of the hanger arm 48. The end portion 72 is somewhat offset from plane A toward the front end of hanger arm so as to permit the rear hangers 52 to be slidable along hanger arms 48 as far as possible toward the front of the apparatus 10. The plates 70 are preferably provided with apertured brackets 74 proximate to the lower end portions 74 thereof for supporting the front end of hanger rod 46.
The carriage frame 22 is also provided with a cylindrical filling head 76 through which the nozzle of a discharge apparatus (not shown) extends into the bag 20 during filling. The filling head 76 comprises a pair of concentric cylinders 78, 80 and a mounting plate 82 with a circular aperture 84. The inner cylinder 78 has open upper and lower ends and has a side wall which closely fits inside and is sealed to the edges of aperture 84, for example by welding. The outer cylinder has an upper end which is sealed to the lower surface of plate 82, such that an annular space 86 is formed between cylinders 78, 80. The annular space 86 is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end. The sidewall of the outer cylinder 80 is provided with an aperture 88 which communicates with the annular space 86, the aperture being provided with a cylindrical fitting 90 for connection to a vacuum source (not shown). During filling of the bag 20, a solid material is filled into the bag 20 through the inner cylinder 78 and displaced air is evacuated from bag through the annular space 86. This arrangement ensures that particulate matter entrained with the displaced air does not enter the environment of the apparatus 10.
The mounting plate 82 may preferably have a rectangular shape, with the aperture 84 being centrally located in the plate 82. The edges of plate 82 are preferably folded to increase its rigidity. In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the front and rear edges are folded upwardly to form flanges 92, 94 and the side edges are folded downwardly to form flanges 96, 98. The plate 82 is preferably mounted to the bottom surfaces of the connecting arms 60, for example by bolts (not shown), thereby mounting the filling head 76 to the remainder of carriage frame 22.
The apparatus 10 preferably also includes means for raising and lowering the carriage frame 22 along the support post 12. As mentioned above, the carriage frame 22 includes a rectangular sleeve 24 which surrounds the post 12 and is connected to a drive motor 102 through a drive mechanism 100. The drive mechanism 100 may preferably comprise a chain drive mechanism including a gear box 104 mounted to the upper end of support post 12 and enclosing upper sprockets 106, 108, a lower sprocket 109 mounted to the web 18 of support post 12, and a plurality of chains (not shown). The sprockets 106, 108 and 109 are connected to drive motor 102 by the chains. A chain connecting upper sprocket 108 and lower sprocket 109 is also connected to the top and bottom of sleeve 24, thereby enabling the drive mechanism 100 to raise and lower the sleeve.
Although only one drive mechanism 100 is shown in the drawings, it will be appreciated that the apparatus may incorporate a dual chain drive in which the dual drive mechanisms 100 are mounted to opposite sides of the support post 12. The up-and-down movement of the sleeve 24 is guided by a plurality of guide wheels located within the cavities of the support post 12. A first pair of guide wheels 110, 112 is rotatably connected to the side plate 30 through bushings 114, 116 at the upper and lower ends of sleeve 24. A second pair of wheels is similarly provided on the other side of the support post 12, although only an upper wheel 118, rotatably connected to the upper end of side plate 32 through a bushing 120, is visible in the drawings.
The apparatus 10 may further comprise means for vibrating and compacting the contents of the bag 20 as it is being filled, preferably in the form of a "pop-up"
vibrating cone table 122 such as that described in commonly assigned Publication No. US 2005/0022700 A1 dated February 3, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The cone table 122 is fully described in the above-mentioned published application, and is therefore not repeated here. The means for vibrating and compacting the contents of bag 20 may instead comprise a conventional stationary vibrating table which may have a flat or conical upper surface for supporting the bag 20.
As shown in Figure 1, the cone table 122 is positioned directly under bag 20 and may preferably be centered on vertical axis A. When in use, the cone table 122 engages the bottom of bag 20 so as to vibrate and compact the contents thereof.
It will be appreciated that the height of bag 20 will be adjusted by raising and lowering the carriage frame 22, so that the cone table 122 can be raised into engagement with the bottom of bag 20. It will be appreciated that the cone table 122 is shown in its contracted form in the drawings.
As shown in the drawings, the support post 12 and the cone table 122 may both be mounted to a frame 124 which, as shown in Figure 1, may preferably comprise a rectangular base 126 of tubular steel located to the rear of the apparatus 10 on which the support post 12 is mounted. The base 126 comprises a pair of elongate legs 128 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending from the rear to the front of the apparatus 10 and a pair of cross members 130, 132 extending between the legs 128. Covering the top of the rectangular base 126 is a rectangular plate 134 to which the pedestal base 136 of the support post 12 is attached by bolts (not shown) or the like.
The legs 128 extend forwardly to the front end of apparatus 10 in order to support the cone table 122. A sub-frame 138 may be provided between the legs 128 of frame 124, the sub-frame comprising a pair of legs 140 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending along the sides of the legs 128, with a cross member 142 preferably being provided at the front ends of legs 140. The components of the sub-frame 124 may also be formed of tubular steel, but may preferably have reduced width and height dimensions relative to the components of frame 124.
The frame 124 and the sub-frame 138 may preferably be provided with apertured flanges 144, 146, 148 for attachment to a floor surface (not shown).
As mentioned above, the filling apparatus of the present invention preferably has a modular construction in order to meet the varying needs of users of filling equipment. The apparatus 10 as shown in the drawings includes a number of components which may be modified or eliminated in order to suit the needs of a particular user. The single support post 12 is a central feature of all variations of the various embodiments of the apparatus. As mentioned above, the support post 12 preferably has a pedestal base 136 by which it can be attached to a frame or directly to a floor surface of the filling facility. Wherever possible, it is preferred to mount the support post 12 directly to the floor 150, as shown in Figure 5.
In situations where the size of the bags 20 being filled is constant, it may be preferred to eliminate the drive mechanism 100 for raising and lowering the carriage frame 22. In this case, it may be preferred to rigidly secure the rectangular sleeve 24 of carriage frame 22 directly to the support post 12, for example by securing the front and/or rear flanges 14, 16 of the sleeve 24 to the support post 12, for example by using bolts as shown in Figure 6. Another option is to eliminate the rear plate 28 and side plates 30, 32 of sleeve 24, and simply bolt the front plate 26 to the front flange 14 of the support post 12.
In some situations, the apparatus can be further simplified by eliminating means for hang-weighing the bag 20 as it is being filled. For example, in some situations weighing may not be critical or may be accomplished by other means, such as by supporting the bag 20 along with one or more components of the filling apparatus on a weighing apparatus. In these situations, the structure of the carriage frame 22 can be simplified considerably. A second preferred apparatus 200 according to the present invention, incorporating these features, is illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 and is now described below.
Bag filling apparatus 200 incorporates several components which are either identical or similar to components of apparatus 10 described above. These components are referred to by the same reference numbers used in the description of apparatus 10.
Apparatus 200 comprises a single support post 12 which preferably comprises a steel I-beam having parallel front and rear flanges 14, 16 connected by a web 18.
The support post 12 has a pedestal base 136 which may preferably be bolted directly to the floor (not shown) of the filling facility or may be mounted to a frame 124. The frame 124 comprises a rectangular base 126 comprising a pair of elongate legs 128 (only one of which is visible in the drawings) extending from the rear to the front of the apparatus 200 and a pair of cross members 130, 132 extending between the legs 128. The legs 128 may preferably be comprised of angle pieces (as shown) or may comprise tubular steel. The cross members 130, 132 are preferably comprised of tubular steel, and an additional cross member may also be provided between the front ends of legs 128. Covering the top of the rectangular base 126 is a rectangular plate 134 to which the pedestal base 136 of the support post 12 is attached by bolts 202 or the like. In the second preferred apparatus 200, the legs 128 are preferably attached to the floor through four feet 204.
Although the second preferred apparatus 200 may use a pop-up vibrating cone table, it may be preferred to use stationary means for vibrating and compacting the contents of bag 20. For example, the apparatus 200 may preferably use a stationary table 204 having a flat support surface 206 as shown in Figure 6 on which the bag 20 is supported. Alternatively, the support surface can be conical.
As best seen in the isolated view of Figure 9, the stationary table 204 has a pair of eccentric motors 208 which cause the support surface 206 to vibrate. In this preferred embodiment, the bag 20 is preferably supported on a pallet 210 to enable bag 20 to be removed from apparatus 200 once it is filled. The support surface may preferably have upturned edges 212, 214 along its sides to prevent substantial sideways movement of the bag 20 and pallet 210.
In order to weigh the contents of bag 20, the stationary table 204 is connected to the frame 124 through a plurality of load cells 216. The load cells 216 are located at the four corners of the stationary table 204 and each has an upper end connected to the support surface 206 and a lower end connected to an angled support piece 218. The support pieces 218 extend along the sides of the table and are attached to the legs 128 of frame 124 by fasteners such as bolts (not shown).
The apparatus further comprises a rigging frame 220 which is of simpler construction than carriage frame 22 due to the elimination of means for hang-weighing and for raising and lowering the bag. The rigging frame 220 comprises a front support plate 222 received against the front flange 14 of support post 12 and a rear support plate 224 received against the rear flange 16 of support post 12.
The front support plate 222 is wider than the rear support plate 224 as shown in the top view of Figure 8. The support plates 222, 224 are bolted to one another and to the support post by four bolts 226 which extend through aligned apertures in the plates 222, 224 and the front and rear flanges of support post 12.
Projecting forwardly from the front support plate 222 is a pair of horizontal hanging arms 228, 230 for holding the loops 54 of bag 20 during filling. The hanging arms 228, are preferably of tubular steel construction and do not have hangers such as described above for engaging the loops 54. Rather, the loops 54 of the bag 20 are merely slid over the ends of the hanging arms 228, 230 during mounting and removal of the bag from apparatus 200. The arms 228, 230 can be of relatively light construction since the weight of bag 20 is being supported on the stationary table 204.
The rigging frame also includes a T-shaped support plate 232 having a first elongate portion 234 extending from side-to-side between the hanging arms 228, 230 and being connected along one of its elongate edges to the front support plate 222. The T-shaped plate 232 also comprises a second elongate portion 236 which extends forwardly and supports a filling head 238 which is located between the hanging arms 228. A support bracket 240 extends forwardly from the front support plate 222 along the upper surface of the T-shaped support plate 232 to provide rigidity.
The filling head 238 comprises a pair of concentric cylinders 242, 244 and a mounting plate 246 with an aperture 248. The inner cylinder 242 has open upper and lower ends and has a side wall which closely fits inside and is sealed to the edges of aperture 248. The outer cylinder has an upper end which is sealed to the lower surface of plate 246 such that an annular space 250 is formed between cylinders 242, 244. The annular space 250 is closed at its upper end and is open at its lower end. The sidewall of outer cylinder 244 is provided with a fitting 252 for connection to a vacuum source (not shown). The mounting plate 246 has a front end which may be shaped to close the annular space 252 and a rear end which is attached to the support plate 232, for example by bolts (not shown). A support bracket 254 may preferably be provided between the outer cylinder 244 and the lower surface of the mounting plate 246. The function of the filling head 238 is the same as that of filling head 76 described above.
Claims
Priority Applications (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2518652 CA2518652A1 (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2005-09-09 | Single-post modular bag filling apparatus |
| US11/991,668 US8327890B2 (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2006-09-08 | Modular bag filling apparatus |
| CA2618865A CA2618865C (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2006-09-08 | Modular bag filling apparatus |
| PCT/CA2006/001478 WO2007028251A1 (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2006-09-08 | Modular bag filling apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2518652 CA2518652A1 (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2005-09-09 | Single-post modular bag filling apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2518652A1 true CA2518652A1 (en) | 2007-03-09 |
Family
ID=37871974
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2518652 Abandoned CA2518652A1 (en) | 2005-09-09 | 2005-09-09 | Single-post modular bag filling apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2518652A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110316428A (en) * | 2019-06-26 | 2019-10-11 | 浙江明辉饲料有限公司 | Aquatic products specific feed processing method |
| CN113525804A (en) * | 2021-08-05 | 2021-10-22 | 黄琦 | Weighing and packaging machine for producing mannose oligomer |
-
2005
- 2005-09-09 CA CA 2518652 patent/CA2518652A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN110316428A (en) * | 2019-06-26 | 2019-10-11 | 浙江明辉饲料有限公司 | Aquatic products specific feed processing method |
| CN113525804A (en) * | 2021-08-05 | 2021-10-22 | 黄琦 | Weighing and packaging machine for producing mannose oligomer |
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