EP0298181A1 - Reservoir or silo - Google Patents

Abstract

A chamber forming a reservoir or silo which is preferably generally prismatic, particularly parallelepipedal, of the type with vertical metal lateral walls composed of spaced uprights connected together by means of sheet-metal panels. The said metal sheets are formed into the shape of a cylindrical surface portion with a vertical generatrix in order thus to form a multi-lobed, preferably smooth, wall. The invention is particularly applicable to the storage of grain or granular products. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to an enclosure forming a reservoir or silo and finds particular application in the storage of granular products.

Already known, in particular from French patent No. 75 03 715, metallic silos, in particular with grain or granular products, resting on a metal or concrete infrastructure or base and allowing complete emptying. Such known silos are generally prismatic, in particular parallelepipedic with a square or rectangular horizontal cross section, and with vertical metal lateral walls composed of spaced uprights connected to one another by sheet panels with horizontal corrugations.

However, such silos are of heavy structure and of high labor cost. In addition, their mechanical characteristics are insufficient. Thus, corrugated sheets working essentially in bending require a much larger sampling. In addition, the production of these silos requires elements of prefabricated panels with a large overall volume and therefore bothersome in particular for transport which is then relatively expensive. Finally, the sheets being corrugated there is a significant retention of dust resulting in a more difficult and expensive maintenance.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks by providing an enclosure forming a tank or silo with a light structure, simple to manufacture and to maintain allowing a reduction. transport volume and more economical assembly labor.

The solution according to the invention, to solve the technical problem posed consists of an enclosure of the aforementioned type characterized in that the sheets are shaped as a portion of cylindrical surface with vertical generator to thereby form a multilobed wall, preferably smooth. For such an enclosure, in particular during the storage of granular products, the sheets work especially in traction by admitting a high stress rate, which makes it possible to reduce their thickness and their surface (smooth sheet) therefore their weight. This gives a possible reduction of 15% compared to known structures. For example, the sheets according to the invention can be produced with a thickness of 2 mm or 1.5 mm while the thickness of the sheets of known structures is of the order of 3 to 4 mm.

According to a particular characteristic of the invention, two successive uprights are moreover connected by several horizontal crosspieces or spacers spaced apart, marrying or not the profile of the aforementioned sheets, and located outside or inside, preferably at each fastener. or pulling connecting two by two the aforementioned adjacent side walls. These crosspieces are particularly advantageous since they make it possible to take up the horizontal loads acting on the uprights and tending to bring them closer.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the sheets are assembled together and to the uprights either by edge-to-edge welding between sheets and at an angle on the uprights, either by bolting with overlapping sheet metal and on a plate welded to the upright. Thus, in the case of an assembly by bolt, it is possible to use sheets with decreasing thickness from bottom to top, hence an additional weight gain. In addition, such an assembly can be carried out easily and requires much more economical assembly labor.

• La figure 1 est une vue partielle en perspective d'une enceinte conforme à la présente invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue partielle en perspective d'une portion de paroi de l'enceinte selon l'invention, entre deux demi-montants successifs reliés par une entretoise.
• La figure 3 est une vue partielle de dessus conforme à un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention montrant l'assemblage par soudure des tôles aux montants au niveau d'un angle de l'enceinte.
• La figure 4 est une vue partielle de dessus conforme à ce mode de réalisation montrant l'assemblage par soudure de deux demi-montants adjacents au niveau d'une attache ou tirant.
• La figure 5 est une vue semblable à la figure 4 d'un autre mode de réalisation montrant l'assemblage par boulon des tôles aux montants ; et
• La figure 6 est une vue partielle de dessus semblable à la figure 4 d'un autre mode de réalisation montrant l'assemblage par boulon de deux demi-montants adjacents.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics and details thereof will appear more clearly on reading the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of nonlimiting examples illustrating several currently preferred embodiments and in which:

• Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of an enclosure according to the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a partial perspective view of a portion of the wall of the enclosure according to the invention, between two successive half uprights connected by a spacer.
• Figure 3 is a partial top view according to a first embodiment of the invention showing the assembly by welding of the sheets to the uprights at a corner of the enclosure.
• Figure 4 is a partial top view according to this embodiment showing the assembly by welding of two adjacent half uprights at a fastener or tie.
• Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 of a another embodiment showing the assembly by bolt of the sheets to the uprights; and
• Figure 6 is a partial top view similar to Figure 4 of another embodiment showing the assembly by bolt of two adjacent half uprights.

With reference to the appended figures, an enclosure 1 according to the present invention rests on an infrastructure 2 such as a concrete slab. The enclosure 1 forming a reservoir or silo is generally of prismatic shape, and preferably parallelepipedal with vertical metal side walls.

These walls are made up of spaced uprights 3 interconnected by curved smooth sheets 4 forming a portion of cylindrical surface with vertical generatrix. Thus, the enclosure 1 has a multilobed external wall.

The convexity of the sheets forming the panels is oriented towards the outside on an external wall, but can be oriented towards the inside of an adjacent silo on the common internal partition wall forming a partition between two adjoining silos.

The radius of curvature of cylindrical surfaces with vertical generator or panels is calculated according to the products stored. This radius of curvature is in the range of about four meters to eight meters. And, as shown in Figure 2, the arrow ℓ of the arc corresponding to the curve of the sheet metal panel 4, is within a range of about 6 cm to 15 cm.

Two successive uprights 3 are further connected by several crosspieces or spacers 5 horizontal and spaced. These crosspieces 5 may or may not follow the curve of the sheet metal panels 4 and are located outside or inside them. FIG. 2 illustrates the case of a spacer 5 conforming to the curve of a sheet metal panel 4, and situated inside of it.

The adjacent side walls are connected two by two by a set of fasteners or tie rods 6, preferably horizontal and spaced, linked to the uprights 3 as will be explained in more detail below.

As shown in Figure 1, the spacers 5 are preferably mounted at each fastener or tie 6 above.

The enclosure 1 can be assembled either by welding or by bolting.

In the solution by welding (Figures 2, 3 and 4) the sheets of a panel 4 are welded edge to edge together, and at an angle on the uprights 3.

Each upright 3 consists of two metal profiles 8, 9 with a U-shaped cross section with a flat bottom, welded to one another.

At the corners of the enclosure 1, the two sections 8, 9 are welded to each other, each at one end of a branch of the U, while the flat bottoms of the sections are arranged substantially perpendicularly (FIG. 3) .

The uprights which are not situated at the corners of the enclosure 1 are produced in tubular form with a substantially rectangular section by welding opposite to the end parts of their two branches of the sections 8 and 9 (FIG. 4).

Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, each sheet 7 of a panel 4 is welded along its two lateral edges at the bottom of the two sections 8, 9.

The fasteners or tie rods 6, which can be cables, chains or metal bars are also welded to the vertical uprights 3, for example by means of a plate 10. (FIG. 4).

In the bolting solution, the sheets are assembled together with overlap and to the uprights by means of a plate welded to the uprights (Figures 5 and 6).

In this case, each upright is produced in the form of a section with an I-shaped cross section 12.

At the corners of the enclosure 1, a first plate 13 is welded at an angle slightly less than 90 ° to the intermediate part of the profile 12, while a second plate 14 is welded at an angle close to 90 ° to one of the bases 15 of the profile 12. The plates 7 of the walls forming the angle under consideration are respectively bolted at 16 and 17 to the plates 13 and 14.

The uprights which are not situated at the corners of the enclosure carry two plates 18, 19 welded symmetrically at an angle of approximately 90 ° on either side of the intermediate part of the profile 12 (figure 6).

The fastener or tie rod 6 is bolted to one of the bases of the profile 12, for example by two bolts 20, 21 arranged symmetrically relative to the plane passing through the intermediate part of the profile 12.

The bolting assembly allows the use of sheets with decreasing thickness from bottom to top, which allows an additional weight gain without loss of strength of the structure.

Thus, the enclosure according to the present invention has a simple structure, resulting in particular in ease of manufacture and maintenance, a much more economical on-site assembly labor, especially in the bolting solution, as well as an advantageous reduction in transport volume.

Claims (7)

1. Enclosure forming a reservoir or silo, preferably generally prismatic, in particular parallelepipedal, of the type with vertical metal lateral walls which, when they are adjacent, are connected in pairs by ties or tie rods (6), and composed of spaced uprights connected together by sheet panels, characterized in that said sheets (7) are shaped as a portion of cylindrical surface with vertical generator to thereby form a multilobed wall, preferably smooth. 2. Enclosure according to claim 1, characterized in that two successive uprights (3) above are further connected by several horizontal crosspieces or spacers (5) spaced or not matching the profile of the aforementioned sheets, and located outside or at the interior, preferably at each aforementioned fastener or tie (6). 3. Enclosure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned sheets (7) are assembled together and to the uprights (3) either by edge-to-edge welding between sheets and at an angle on the uprights, or by bolting with overlap sheet metal and flat welded to the uprights. 4. Enclosure according to claim 3, characterized in that the thickness of the aforementioned sheets decreases from bottom to top. 5. Enclosure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each upright (3) consists of two metal sections (8, 9) of U-shaped cross section with flat bottom, welded to each other, each by at least one end of one of the branches of said U. 6. Enclosure according to claim 5, characterized in that the above-mentioned uprights (3) not being located at the corners of the enclosure (1) are produced in tubular form with a substantially rectangular section. 7. Enclosure according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that each upright is produced in the form of a section with an I-shaped cross section on which is welded at least one plate (13, 14, 18, 19 ) cited above.

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