EP1754543B1 - Device and method for emptying viscous substances from containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The emptying device (1) is used on drums (2) containing paste (20). A drum tracking plate (4) pumps out the drum. The drum tracking plate has an upper plate and a sieve plate, with a negative pressure connection to the cavity between them. Before pumping out, the intermediate cavity has the air sucked out of it, so that the paste then sucked out by the pump (5) has no air in it.

Description

I. Field of application

The invention relates to an emptying device for highly viscous substances.

II. Technical background

Materials that are so viscous that they no longer escape due to gravity - even in large containers - trapped air bubbles or the material no longer slips to the lowest point, prepare considerable difficulties when from the storage container out of this highly viscous material z. B. should be removed via a pipe so that no air bubbles are conveyed in the delivery line, because this is the downstream application, eg. As the automated application of a seal or adhesive bead problems.

So far, such pastes have been transported and delivered in cylindrical buckets or barrels that have been emptied by the user that on the surface of the paste of the opened barrel, a so-called barrel follower plate was pressed, with a pump, z. B. a piston pump, was tightly connected to a central passage of the barrel follower plate (barrel-follower pump).

There are problems with the venting:

Due to the initial pressing of the follower plate, in particular, elevations on the surface of the paste are to be flattened and, initially, any trapped, trapped air between the surface of the paste and the plate is forced out through its central opening or actively aspirated.

The type of pump is of secondary importance. Instead of scoop pumps and eccentric screw pumps can be used, or other types of pumps, each having specific advantages and disadvantages, especially in connection with the delivery of pasty materials have.

The disadvantage is that between the plate and the surface of the paste, but also inside the paste, completely enclosed by the paste, air-filled cavities may be present that do not empty due to lack of connection to the outlet opening in the plate, and only during the Emptying process get into the conveying line.

• der Bediener grundsätzlich zu Beginn des Entleervorganges einen Teil des Materials, bei dem Lufteinschlüsse zu befürchten waren, entleeren musste,
• dass bei falscher Einstellung des Auflagedruckes die Folgeplatte im Material des Behälters auf den Boden gepresst wurde und das Material seitlich an der Umfangsdichtung der Platte vorbeigepresst wurde oder
• bei zu geringem Auflagedruck die Pumpe Luft gefördert hat und somit die problemlose Entleerung der Behälter sehr stark von der Erfahrung des Bedieners abhing.

Other disadvantages were that

• the operator had to empty at the beginning of the emptying process a part of the material in which air pockets were to be feared,
• that in case of incorrect adjustment of the contact pressure, the follower plate in the material of the container was pressed onto the ground and the material was pressed past the circumferential seal of the plate later, or
• at too low contact pressure, the pump has promoted air and thus the easy emptying of the container was very much dependent on the experience of the operator.

For example, the shows FR-A-25 44 699 a barrel-follower pump according to the preamble of claim 1, wherein, however, the pump opening with the space above the screen plate, which is acted upon by negative pressure, is connected. There existing non-extractable air pockets will therefore sooner or later reach the pump opening.

III. Presentation of the invention a) Technical task

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an emptying device and an emptying process, which allows a reliable bubble-free, so void-free, removal of the paste despite simple and inexpensive construction.

b) Solution of the task

This object is solved by claims 1 and 10. Advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the dependent claims.

Due to the design of the barrel follower plate from a dense top plate and an associated lower sieve plate, the gap is evacuated, only through the sieve plate and closed top plate existing openings, so usually only the sieve openings, a passage of air or paste ,

If the drum follower plate is laid down on the surface of the paste with the sieve plate, which surface preferably covers this surface completely and seals against the inner circumference of the container, then the sieve plate initially rests only on the elevations of the uneven surface of the paste.

This will create some air-filled cavities at the bottom of the screen plate, which are completely enclosed by paste in the circumferential direction and are therefore delimited and separated.

By the drum follower plate with force in the feed direction down, ie in the container, applied and / or evacuated the space between the closed top plate and screen plate by means of the vacuum port, the air of these cavities, due to the plurality of screen openings respectively with the space between the top plate and screen plate in conjunction, pressed up into the gap, so that over time from all screen openings paste enters into the gap, which can also be optically well controlled in a transparent top plate.

As soon as from all screen openings paste up into the space occurs, which is easy to see in a transparent top plate, this process could be terminated, since then it is ensured that there are no air pockets on the bottom of the screen plate more, from where the Paste is pumped by the pump through the follower plate.

As a precaution, however, this is preferably continued until the entire space is filled with paste, which can be controlled in a simple manner - in which at the one or more negative pressure connections of the drum follower plate transparent viewing tubes or sight tubes are connected - and there paste you can see.

This process is performed prior to each pumping out of the paste from the container and is preferably maintained during the pump down, and in particular maintained throughout the container evacuation, even though no paste pumping is currently taking place.

After complete emptying of the container, the barrel follower plate, whose space is indeed at least partially filled with paste, disposed of together with the container, which is why the follower plate is inexpensively made of plastic.

In order to facilitate or facilitate the described procedure, top plate and screen plate are tightly connected, in particular glued or integrally formed with each other, on the one hand on the outer peripheral edge and on the other hand in particular via a pumping wall, which surrounds the usually central pumping hole tight and the vertical distance bridged between the top plate and the sieve plate, and on the upper end of the pump or its suction tube is placed, for which a connecting device for tight fitting and longitudinally fixed, at least in the feed direction down, is present to by pressurizing the pump or the suction tube in the feed direction also to act on the barrel follower plate in the feed direction.

The outer edge of the barrel follower plate is elastic in the radial direction in order to fit tightly against the inner circumference of the container, which for this purpose in the course direction from top to bottom has a constant, usually a round, cross-section.

The edge of the barrel follower plate is preferably a towering over the top plate, conically upwardly and outwardly slightly widening, annular peripheral edge whose elasticity is ensured by the material elasticity of the plastic from which the barrel follower plate and thus their edge.

To ensure that any initial air entrapment between the surface of the paste and the sieve plate is connected to at least one of the sieve openings, the number of sieve openings is as large as possible, in particular greater than 100, or greater than 500 or even greater than 1000 or 2000, and the distances of the screen openings from each other so the width of the webs in between, as low as possible, namely at most 30 millimeters, better at most 20 millimeters or at most 10 millimeters.

The sieve openings can punctiform, z. B. circular, screen openings or elongated, in particular radially slit-shaped, screen openings, there it is harmless if one and the same sieve opening communicates with several separate air inclusions.

In order to avoid that the penetrated through the sieve openings in the space of the follower plate there again forms air pockets before the sucked paste from the vacuum port or another overflow of the barrel follower plate exits into the viewing tube (which indeed also remaining air pockets below the sieve plate in the container can entail additional measures can be provided:

On the one hand, a negative pressure could be applied from several points, so that trapped air is sucked off at one point, while paste is already present at the other vacuum port.

It is also advantageous if the height distance between the upper plate and the sieve plate increases towards the negative pressure connection or towards the overflow, in order to avoid sealing between the upper plate and the sieve plate by means of paste, before all the air has been sucked out of the intermediate space.

Thus, in the case of a vacuum connection arranged close to the central pump opening, the vertical distance of the top plate from the outer edge to the filter plate, which is usually close to the middle, could increase conically.

The screen plate itself can be straight, ie flat, be formed or even slightly tapered even from the edge towards the center to the feeding of the paste to the central pump opening by pressure on the barrel follower plate in the feed direction, ie in the container down to favor.

Since the drum follower plate is not reused after emptying the container together with the container, and thus also the paste taken up in the drum follower plate, its volume must be kept as low as possible and thus also the free distance between top plate and screen plate, which should therefore be less than 30 millimeters, in particular less than 20 millimeters or even less than 10 millimeters.

In order to increase the stability of the plate in spite of production from plastic, top plate and screen plate are verrippt against each other, so supported by vertically upstanding ridges or other spacers against each other, the webs preferably extend radially, but in particular not from the outer edge to the inner pumping wall go through and go into this, to ensure a connection in the circumferential direction between the otherwise resulting individual chambers, in particular near the inner periphery, so the pump wall.

In order to move the barrel follower plate relative to the container and in particular to be able to apply force to the container in the feed direction, the discharge device also comprises a lifting device for lifting and, above all, lowering the container on the one hand and the barrel follower plate on the other hand relative to one another.

For this purpose, as before in the feed direction, the patch on the barrel follower plate pump be connected to the lifting device and both together relative to a fixed point, namely a support frame, are moved vertically, while the container is stationary.

Preferably, however, the container is placed on a relative to the support frame movable support plate and moves, with the result that barrel follower plate and pump remain at rest. This has the advantage that all running to the drum follower plate and the pump lines are not subject to movement, and therefore their risk of damage is reduced.

This is particularly useful since in the present case a whole series of sensors and thus also electrical lines to the sensors in addition to the previously known Emptying devices are provided in order to better monitor and better automate the emptying process:

Thus, on the one hand an enclosing housing with a particular transparent door part of the emptying device, on the one hand only when the door closed the lifting device in motion and thus to avoid a risk of injury, on the other hand, but also within this on request tight housing temperature and To be able to actively control humidity inside the enclosure in accordance with storage specifications for the paste with regard to these physical parameters.

In addition, a force sensor is useful to monitor the pressure of the barrel follower plate into the paste and also a sensor for detecting the conveying speed or flow rate of the pump, which is anyway driven preferably from the consumer side to the current needs, especially order To be able to carry out plausibility checks between the determined flow rate on the one hand and the sinking of the barrel follower plate on the other hand, because if both do not correlate, this means that paste z. B. was pressed past the outer edge of the follower plate and thus the contact pressure is too high or, conversely, no sufficient tracking of the plate is given due to low feed pressure.

For the same reason, it makes sense to constantly monitor the negative pressure applied to the vacuum connection via a sensor and optionally also the pressure prevailing in the paste in the container, generated by the contact pressure with, overpressure.

Again, the agreement with predetermined setpoints can be controlled, the determination of the setpoint among other things, depending on the viscosity of the paste, the design of the pump, etc. takes place.

In the case of all parameters monitored by sensors, if the deviation between setpoint values and actual values is too strong or if the result of plausibility comparisons is negative, an alarm is output which should lead to a manual check by an operator.

By the emptying device has a control that performs these comparisons in addition to the movement of the lifting device and optionally also the activation of the negative pressure, and possibly a memory unit for the measured values of the sensors and also the results of the comparisons, and / or a data output, the proper Expiration of the entire emptying process is logged and proven or checked.

One of the advantages of the described emptying device is that in the transport path of the paste, ie in the line above the barrel follower plate, then no additional vent valve is needed, but this transport line can go through, which not only reduces the cost, but another source of interference eliminated.

Although in principle the design of the pump used in this emptying is secondary, is to be received on the often used for pasty materials design of the scoop piston pump in which a mushroom-shaped scoop is moved vertically back and forth and thereby stroke paste from the container, ie the Area in or below the barrel follower plate, promotes upward.

• Wenn die Evakuierung vor dem Aufsetzen erfolgt, wird die Evakuierung vorzugsweise manuell erfolgen durch Verbinden der Unterdruckquelle mit dem Unterdruck-Anschluss der Fass-Folgeplatte solange, bis durch optische Kontrolle erkennbar ist, dass aus allen Sieböffnungen der Siebplatte Paste hindurch tritt oder sogar abgewartet wird, bis danach in allen an den vorhandenen Unterdruck-Anschlüssen angeschlossenen Sichtschläuchen Paste sichtbar ist.

Since the drum follower plate is used as a disposable part, at the beginning of emptying each new container, the pump tube or suction tube must be placed on the pump opening of the barrel follower plate and sealed with this. This can be done before or after the evacuation of the gap of the barrel follower plate:

• If the evacuation takes place before touchdown, the evacuation is preferably carried out manually by connecting the vacuum source to the vacuum port of the barrel follower plate until it is visually detectable that paste passes or even waits for all sieve openings of the sieve plate, until then visible in all the sight tubes attached to the existing vacuum connections.

• Sofern das Evakuieren automatisch mittels der Steuerung vollzogen wird, wird es vorzugsweise erst nach dem Aufsetzen der Pumpe bzw. des Saugrohres auf die Pumpöffnung erfolgen, und vor allem für diesen Fall muss sicher gestellt werden, dass auch im Saugrohr oberhalb oder unterhalb des Schöpfkegels kein Lufteinschluss verbleibt.

The viewing tubes are designed so long that the negative pressure must be stopped only when the paste reaches up to a predetermined minimum height, preferably up to the upper edge of the pump opening even in the then still open pump opening the barrel follower plate.

• If the evacuation is carried out automatically by means of the control, it will preferably take place after the pump or the suction tube has been placed on the pump opening, and above all in this case it must be ensured that no air is trapped in the suction tube either above or below the scoop remains.

Preferably, the scoop pump is therefore controlled so that when stopping the pump, the scoop always remains in a defined parking position relative to the pump housing, so that it is possible to provide a vacuum connection on the intake manifold, optionally below and / or above this parking position and during evacuation of the drum follower plate to vent this part of the suction pipe with.

If the deaeration process is to be carried out automatically and monitored by the controller, the necessary optical control, ie either the passage of paste through all sieve openings of the sieve plate and / or the reaching of predefined locations in all of the viewing tubes by the paste, is also automatically monitored by means arranged there optical sensors.

Since the feed force of the barrel follower plate is controlled into the container, among other things, depending on the viscosity of the paste, and the resulting pressure on the paste z. B. depends on the size of the friction of the edge of the barrel follower plate relative to the container, a reliable, even during the ongoing emptying effective, centering the barrel follower plate against the container to be sure:

On the one hand, this is done by an initial insertion of the container in a centering device on the base plate, for example, the insertion between two mutually angled stop bars that can be equipped for monitoring with a button or pressure sensor for this purpose.

Since not entirely vertical walls of the container, this centering can deteriorate with the downward movement of the barrel follower plate, preferably a Querverfahr device is provided which ensures tracking in both transverse directions to the vertical between the container on the one hand and the barrel follower plate on the other it by a floating mounted base plate and / or a laterally displaceable barrel follower plate by, for example, the support arm, to which the pump and the suction tube are fixed, is transversely displaceable and also entrains the barrel follower plate by this in the transverse direction with the pump or the suction pipe is connected.

c) embodiments

Fig. 1:

eine erste Variante der Entleervorrichtung,

Fig. 2:

eine zweite Variante der Entleervorrichtung,

Fig. 3

die Siebplatte,

Fig. 4

die Oberplatte, und

Fig. 5

die daraus zusammengesetzte Fass-Folgeplatte.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in more detail below by way of example. Show it:

Fig. 1:

a first variant of the emptying device,

Fig. 2:

a second variant of the emptying device,

Fig. 3

the screen plate,

Fig. 4

the top plate, and

Fig. 5

the resulting barrel follower plate.

Fig. 1 shows in the side view of the emptying device 1 for removing paste 20, which is delivered in a barrel-like container 2 with constant over the height inner, usually round, cross-section 3.

For this purpose, a barrel follower plate 4 is placed or pressed onto the surface 21 of the paste 20, which covers the entire surface 21 and rests tightly against the inner cross section 3 of the container 2.

By a central pump opening 12 in the follower plate 4, the paste 20 is pumped out by means of a pump 5, whereby the amount of paste 20 decreases in the container 2 and the follower plate 4 of the sinking surface 21 due to the action in the feed direction 10, so the axial direction in the Container 2 in, follows.

The pump 5 is in this case a scoop pump whose scoop piston 27 moves up and down in the feed direction 10, in particular to below the surface 21 of the paste 20 and thereby paste 20 at each stroke up into the suction pipe 35 and from there further transported via the pump 5 and suitable extraction lines 34 to one or more connected consumers.

The follower plate 4, in particular its pumping wall 13 projecting upwards around the central pump opening 12, is tightly connected to the suction tube 35 of the pump 5, which sits axially fixed in the feed direction 10 and preferably also in the transverse direction to the pumping wall 13, and by forward movement of the suction tube 35 and the pump 5 down in the feed direction 10 is applied with force, so that the paste 20 is displaced upwards into the pump opening 12 into it. In order to move the pump 5 and the suction tube 35 selectively in the feed direction, both are connected via a coupling 33 with a lifting device 17 in the form of a pneumatic piston, which is located above the pump 5 and clutch 33 and the piston rod 17 a vertically down from the Cylinder 17b projects, which is fixedly attached to a housing or support frame.

Thus, the thus aligned to the axis of movement of the piston rod 17 a positioned follower plate 4 is exactly aligned with the container 2, before placing the follower plate 20 of the open-topped container 2 on the fixed in this case, the base plate 19 which is attached to a support frame 20, and pushed transversely to the feed direction 10 in a container centering 36, which consists of two defined at an angle to each other on the base plate 19 positioned stop strips 36, which of course must be positioned depending on the container 2 used, in particular their outer diameter, respectively.

The barrel follower plate 4 and other elements of the emptying device 1 are according to Fig. 1 already equipped according to the invention as described below.

While in Fig. 1 the relative movement between the follower plate 4 and the container 2 is done by lowering the follower plate 4 by means of movement of the pump 5 and suction tube 35 pressing thereon, the show Fig. 2 a solution in which, conversely, the follower plate 4 (which in the Fig. 2 not visible but within the container 2) and the associated pump 5 remain at rest and instead the container 2 against the feed direction 10 is moved upward by vertical movement of the base plate 19, on which the container 2, in turn, inserted into a container centering 36, is turned off.

For this purpose, the base plate 19 is guided vertically along the vertical corner columns of the support frame 18 and movable by means of a lifting device 17 ', which acts on two on opposite sides of the base plate 19 Pneumatic cylinders 17b exists. In order not to lose any height, these are arranged in the corner regions of the quadrangular base plate 19 and protrude from the lower end position of the base plate 19 substantially from above, wherein the upwardly out of the cylinder 17b extendable piston rod 17a extending against a cylinder 17b above and presses the bridge 42 connected to the base plate 19.

In addition to one of the lifting devices 17 'while a Wegmessvorrichtung 26 is arranged, which determines the altitude of the base plate 19 at any time.

In the Fig. 2 The application of force from the suction tube 35 is not directly on the follower plate 4, but with the intermediary of a stable, usually made of metal, pressure plate 41, which covers substantially the entire surface of the follower plate 4 from above, so that the follower plate 4 as disposable plastic and With relatively low intrinsic stability and thus can be made inexpensively.

As the Fig. 2a and c show this emptying device 1 is housed in a closed, cabinet-like housing 23, the front door 24, which is necessary for changing the container 2, a viewing window for optical control of the correct emptying process has. The housing 23, which is preferably produced by dense planking of the stability-securing support frame 18, on the one hand provides protection against engagement in the emptying device during operation, which would constitute a risk of injury from moving relative to each other parts, and on the other hand, the possibility therein for the paste to be handled correct physical parameters such. As pressure, temperature and humidity in the interior of the container 23 to actively set and monitor, which is particularly important in by atmospheric moisture and / or temperature-curing pastes, such as those used as sealants and adhesives, is of great importance. In addition, all functional parts of the emptying device, in particular the control panel for the electrical control 25, are housed as well as all the sensors arranged for monitoring the emptying process, namely sensors for the aforementioned physical parameters of the atmosphere within the container 23 and a force sensor for the application of force to the container 2 and follower plate 4 against each other, and / or a pressure sensor for the pressure prevailing in the paste in the container 2 and / or in the suction tube 35 and the extraction line 34 Paste 20.

By monitoring either the absolute values of these sensors and / or comparing the relative values, for example the lifting speed of the base plate 19 to the delivery rate of the pump, the monitoring of the emptying process can be documented on the one hand and automatically monitored in addition to the manual optical control, which is mainly that above the follower plate 4 as well as at the passages between the follower plate, suction tube 35 and pump 5 etc. may escape.

The fixed mounting of the suction tube 35 and possibly the pressure plate 41 and also the entire associated arrangement such as pump 5 and extraction lines 34 eliminates a mobile training all leading to these components electrical lines and tubing for media to be funded and thus reduces the risk of failure of the emptying considerably , The structural complexity of the mobility of the base plate 19 and its monitoring by means of a Wegmessvorrichtung 26 are low compared.

• wie die Vertikal-Schnittdarstellungen der Fig. 5a und b zeigen, ist die in der Aufsicht in der Regel kreisrunde Fass-Folgeplatte 4 zweischichtig aufgebaut und aus zwei im Schmelzgussverfahren hergestellten Kunststoffteilen, die dicht miteinander verbunden, insbesondere verklebt sind, hergestellt:
  • Zum einen die in den Fig. 3 dargestellte untere Siebplatte 7, die von einer Vielzahl von kleinen runden Sieböffnungen 14 verteilt über die gesamte Fläche der Siebplatte 7, durchdrungen wird sowie von einer zentralen, großen Pumpöffnung 12.

In the Fig. 3-5 the core of the emptying device according to the invention, namely the specially controlled drum follower plate 4, is explained:

• like the vertical sectional views of Fig. 5a and b show, in the supervision usually circular barrel follower plate 4 is constructed in two layers and made of two manufactured by melt casting plastic parts that are tightly interconnected, in particular glued, prepared:
  • On the one hand in the Fig. 3 shown lower sieve plate 7, of a plurality of small round sieve openings 14 distributed over the entire surface of the Sieve plate 7, is penetrated and from a central, large pump opening 12th

From the outer edge of the sieve plate 7, a peripheral edge 11 projects upwardly, the outer periphery of which widens conically upwards with a small skew angle of about 3 ° - 10 ° deviating from the vertical, wherein the material thickness of the rim 11 is to be measured the edge 11 with its freely leaking upper end elastically on the inner cross-section 3 of the container 2 can create tight.

The screen plate 13 is stiffened by arranged on its top, star-shaped stiffening webs 15, which end at the same height as a circumferential shoulder 43 in the inner periphery of the rim 11 and the pump opening 12 surrounding annularly closed pumping wall 13 '.

As especially Fig. 3a shows, the webs 15 do not go through in the radial direction, but have passages 44 between the separated from the webs 15 areas, which in the perspective view of Fig. 3c have been omitted for the sake of simplicity.

On the shoulder 43 and the upper end face of the pumping wall 13 'is then placed a matching top plate 6 and glued or welded, as shown in the Fig. 4 is shown.

The top plate 6 corresponds from its outer diameter to the inner diameter of the rim 11 at the height of the shoulder 43 and is closed except for a likewise existing, equally large central pump opening 12, of which in turn a pumping wall 13 projects upwards.

Due to the tight connection of the preferably transparent top plate 6 with the screen plate 7 is formed in the Fig. 5 shown barrel follower plate 4 and 4 ', the in the Fig. 5a and b is shown in longitudinal section, and thereof the variant according to Fig. 5a when Fig. 5c in three-dimensional view.

As well as Fig. 4 shows, between the top plate 6 and the sieve plate 7 resulting gap 8 is the distance 8 'between the two plates only accessible via the at least one, nozzle-like upstanding from the top plate 6 vacuum port 9. In addition, the pump opening 12 in the pump wall 13 also an opening through a side open vacuum port 9 'have.

Thus, when placed on the surface 21 of the paste 20 follower plate 4 rests with its edge 11 close to the inner circumference of the container 2 and the pump opening 12 is sealed by the attached suction tube 35 and the associated pump 5 or other manner, can by applying negative pressure at the vacuum port 9, firstly sucked off the air still present below the follower plate 4 and thereby the surface 21 of the paste 20 are equalized, which is then successfully completed when from all screen openings 14 paste 20 enters into the gap 8 inside.

By further negative pressure, this gap 8 fills completely with paste 20, since as well as the screen openings 14 and the passages 44 in the webs 15 are dimensioned sufficiently large to pass through the paste 20 at the applied negative pressure.

At the latest when the entire intermediate space 8 is filled with paste 20, paste 20 will also emerge from the vacuum connection 9 towards a viewing tube 29 connected to it, which preferably is transparent like the top plate 6 and is used together with the follower plate 4 as a disposable part.

As Fig. 5a shows, sieve plate 7 and top plate 6 can be flat and thus also the bottom 7a of the sieve plate 7 represent a flat surface.

Fig. 5b on the other hand shows a design in which on the one hand, the screen plate 7 and thus also its bottom 7a slightly conically increases from the outer edge to the middle, preferably at an angle of 5 ° - 15 °. As a result, the displacement of the paste 20 in the container 2 to the central pump opening 12 is supported.

In addition, and / or instead, the distance 8 'between the top plate 6 and the sieve plate 7 can not be constant, but increase in one direction, for example, again from the outer edge to the central pumping wall 13 or vice versa, and the negative pressure port 9 thereby in the region of largest distance 8 'are arranged.

This prevents paste 20 from leaving the vacuum port 9 before the gap 8 is completely filled with paste, which in turn minimizes the risk of trapped air trapped below the follower plate 4.

In addition, the show Fig. 5 each in the left half of the image and the loading of the follower plate 4 in the feed direction 10 by the suction tube 35 by means of a pressure plate 41 which - formed as a rotary part and made of metal, in particular aluminum - covering substantially the entire top of the follower plate 4 and applied, so that the follower plate 4 can be made even with a lower intrinsic stability.

To the negative pressure ports 9 and 9 'of the follower plate 4, which protrude upward, so in the direction of the pressure plate 41, remain accessible, in the pressure plate 41 at the corresponding points through holes are released, which are preferably kidney-shaped over a large angular range around the center of the Pressure plate 41 run around so as not to have to comply with an exact rotational position between the pressure plate 41 and the follower plate 4. The pressure plate 41 is preferably connected via a thread 45 fixed to the suction tube 35.

Instead of connecting the vacuum ports 9, 9 'of the follower plate 4 through the pressure plate 41, it is also possible to connect the pressure plate 41, e.g. by means of peripheral seals on the inner circumference and outer circumference of the pressure plate, such as O-rings 46 to seal against the top of the follower plate 4 and the pressure plate 41 itself equipped with a vacuum port 9 "with corresponding recesses in the bottom or inside of the pressure plate 41 in Connection is that correspond to the vacuum ports 9 and 9 'of the follower plate 4.

This facilitates the placement of the pressure plate 41 on the follower plate 4 and applying the negative pressure, but has the disadvantage that in the case of suction of paste 20 into the vacuum port 9 "of the pressure plate 41 into this reused pressure plate 41 must be cleaned consuming and about In addition, no visual inspection for the filling of the entire gap 8 by paste 20 longer possible.

Fig. 5a also shows the using a scoop pump as a pump 5 within the pump opening 12 up and down moving scoop piston 27, in a parking position 28, in which the standstill of the pump generally stops.

If the scoop piston 27 is designed so that it - at least in its parked position 28 - under certain circumstances rests tightly against the inner circumference of the pumping wall 13, also mediated by the piston 27 adhering paste 20 - so is preferably also in the pumping wall 13, namely at a location above the scooping piston 27 located in the parking position 28, a negative pressure connection 9 'provided in order to also be able to remove existing air at the beginning of the emptying process.

The vacuum ports 9, 9 'can be connected via a y-shaped viewing tube of sufficient length with one and the same vacuum source. Sufficient length of sight tubes is necessary to prevent that in one branch of the view tube no paste 20 is visible, while the other branch is so far filled with paste 20 that it threatens to pollute the behind the sight tube 29 following solid vacuum connection.

In Fig. 5 Furthermore, the shoulder 43 'on the inner circumference of the pumping wall 13 can be seen, which serves for the cross-wise positive fitting of the suction tube 35.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

emptying

2

container

3

Inner cross section

4

Barrel follower plate

5

pump

6

top plate

7

sieve plate

7a

bottom

8th

gap

8th'

distance

9.9 '

Vacuum port

10

feed direction

11

edge

12

pumping port

13

Pumpwandung

14

sieve opening

15

web

16

connecting device

17.17 '

lifting device

17a

piston rod

17b

cylinder

18

supporting frame

19

stand plate

20

paste

21

surface

22

vacuum bell

23

casing

24

door

25

control

26

Displacement measuring device

27

adding pistons

28

parking position

29

view tube

30

Under pressure sensor

31

force sensor

32

speed sensor

33

clutch

34

withdrawal line

35

suction tube

36

container centering

36a, b

strip

37

temperature sensor

38

Humidity Sensor

39

storage unit

40

Querverfahr device

41

printing plate

42

bridge

43.43 '

paragraph

44

passage

45

thread

46

O-ring

Claims (16)

1. An emptying device (1) for emptying viscous substances (20) from drum type containers (2), comprising:

   - a drum follower plate (4); and

   - a pump (5) connected to the pump opening (12) of the drum follower plate (4),

   wherein the drum follower plate (4) comprises an upper plate (6) and a lower plate grid plate (7), disposed sealed therewith, whose intermediary space (8) comprises a first vacuum connection (9),
   wherein the pump opening (12) is sealed relative to the intermediary space (8) by a pump wall (13).
2. An emptying device according to claim 1, wherein

   - the upper plate (6) is connected to the grid plate (7) and sealed therewith, in particular glued together or configured integral therewith and/or, in particular;

   - the drum follower plate (4) comprises an outer rim (11), elastic in radial direction, in particular, protruding upward beyond the upper plate (6) and expanding conically in upward direction, in particular, an annular circumferential rim (11) and/or, in particular;

   - the sifting openings (14) are separated from one another by radial bars with a width of 30 mm at the most, in particular, 20 mm at the most, in particular, 10 mm at the most.
3. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the number of sifting openings (14) is greater than 100, in particular, greater than 500, in particular, greater than 1000, in particular, greater than 2000 and/or in particular;

   - the sifting openings (14) are elongated, in particular, radially extending sifting openings or punctiform, in particular, round sifting openings (14), and in particular, all sifting openings (14) are configured the same and/or, in particular;

   - the elevation distance between the upper plate (6) and the grid plate (7) is a free distance (8') of less than 30 mm, in particular, less than 20 mm, in particular, less than 10 mm and/or, in particular;

   - vertically oriented bars (15) are provided between the upper plate (6) and the grid plate (7), wherein said bars extend in particular radially between the pump wall (13) and the outer rim (11) and support and stabilize the upper plate (6) relative to the grid plate (7).
4. An emptying device according to one of the claims 2 or 3, wherein

   - the drum follower plate (4) is made of plastic and/or, in particular;

   - the upper plate (6) comprises a distance from the grid plate (7), which changes in radial direction, and which increases, in particular, from the outside to the inside, and the at least one vacuum connection (9) is disposed in the portion with the largest distance (8') and/or, in particular;

   - the bars (15) extend in radial direction and, in particular, do not reach the circumferential rim (11) or the pump wall (13) in the radial portion of the largest distance between the upper plate (6) and the grid plate (7), and/or in particular;

   - the bottom side (7a) of the grid plate (7) rises in a slightly conical manner from the outer rim towards the pump opening (12), which is disposed in particular in the center.
5. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the drum follower plate (4), in particular, its pump wall (13) establishes a connecting device for fixating to the pump (5) in at least one longitudinal direction and/or, in particular;

   - the emptying device (1) comprises a lifting device (17) for raising and lowering the emptying device (1) relative to a fixed point, in particular, comprises a support frame (18) and/or, in particular;

   - the emptying device (1) comprises a lifting device (17') for raising the stand plate (19), on which the container (2) stands, relative to a support frame (18) and/or, in particular;

   - the emptying device (1) comprises a closed housing (23), in particular, with a transparent door (24), in which the lifting device (17, 17'), the drum follower plate (4) and the pump (5) and possibly a control (25) are disposed.
6. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the lifting device (17, 17') comprises a distance measuring device or a position measuring device (26) and/or, in particular;

   - the drum follower plate (4) comprises at least one second vacuum connection (9') in the pump wall (13) and/or, in particular;

   - the second vacuum connection (9') is disposed in the pump wall (13) above the parking position (28) for the scooping bucket (27) and/or, in particular;

   - the vacuum connections (9, 9') are connected to one another.
7. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - a transparent sight hose or a sight tube (29) extends from each vacuum connection (9, 9') and/or, in particular;

   - a vacuum sensor (30) is connected to the vacuum connection (9, 9') and is disposed, in particular, in the intermediary space (8) and/or, in particular;

   - a force sensor (31) is connected to the lifting device (17, 17') and measures the force, by which the drum follower plate (4) presses against the viscous material (20) and/or, in particular;

   - a speed sensor (32) is connected to the pump (5) and detects its feeding speed.
8. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - all sensors are connected to the control (25) and/or, in particular;

   - the control (25) is capable to adapt the feed volume to the consumption of the one or plural consumers simultaneously connected thereto and/or, in particular;

   - a disengageable clutch (33) is disposed between the lifting device (17) and the pump (5) and/or, in particular;

   - the extraction tube (34) is continuous above, thus downstream of the pump (5), and, in particular, does not comprise a bleed valve.
9. An emptying device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   - the stand plate (19) for the container (2) comprises a container centering device (36), in particular, provided as two stop bars (36a, b), disposed at an angle relative to one another and/or, in particular;

   - the emptying device (1) comprises a temperature sensor (37) and/or a humidity sensor (38) within the housing (23) and/or, in particular;

   - the control (25) comprises a data output and/or a memory unit (39) for the data of the sensors comprised by the emptying device.
10. A method for emptying pastes out of drum type containers (2) comprising an inner cross sections (3), which are constant over their elevations, wherein the method includes

    - placing a fitting drum follower plate (4) onto the surface (21) of the viscous material (20);

    - pumping the viscous material (20) through the drum follower plate (4); and

    - adjusting drum follower plate (4) according to the sinking surface (21),

    wherein

    - a portion as large as possible, in particular, the entire surface (21) of the viscous material (20), is brought in contact with a grid plate (6), which comprises a plurality of grid openings (14), before pumping out the viscous material (20) through a pump opening (12); and

    - the side of the grid plate (6), which faces away from the viscous material (20) and which is sealed relative to the pump opening (12), is loaded with vacuum until viscous material swells from as many sifting openings (14) as possible, in particular, out of all sifting openings (14).
11. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - the loading with vacuum is performed before each pumping down process and is maintained during the pumping down process, and in particular, the loading is performed continuously and/or, in particular;

    - the drum follower plate (4) is disposed of together with the container (2) after complete emptying of the container (2) and/or, in particular;

    - the drum follower plate (4) is additionally loaded with a force in drive direction (10) into the container (2) and/or, in particular;

    - a transversal drive device (40) in at least two transversal directions to the drive direction (10) is either integrated at the stand plate (19) or at the support arm for the drum follower plate (4).
12. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - the vacuum loading is commenced simultaneously at plural locations of the surface (21) and/or, in particular;

    - the vacuum loading is terminated when a predetermined vacuum is reached and/or in sight hoses (29), which are provided at each vacuum connection (9, 9'), a viscous material (20) becomes visible respectively and/or, in particular;

    - the pump (5) is brought in contact with the viscous material (20) through the drum follower plate (4) before the sucking down process and/or, in particular;

    - the speed of the pump (5) sucking through the drum follower plate (4) is controlled in particular depending on the material requirements of the one or plural consumers supplied by the pump (5).
13. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - the drive force of the drum follower plate (4) against the container (2) is controlled in particular depending on the viscosity of the viscous material (20) and/or depending on the feeding speed of the pump (5), the position of the follower plate (4) in the container (2), the pressure measured in the container (2) in the viscous material (20), and/or the vacuum measured in the cavities and/or, in particular;

    - the relative movement of the drum follower plate (4) and/or of the pump (5) or its suction snorkel are monitored and controlled with respect to their relative positions.
14. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - the filled container (2) is opened before pumping down and inserted into a container centering device (36); and

    - the drum follower plate (4) placed onto the surface (21) is connected to a vacuum source until the viscous material (20) stands in the sight hoses (29) and/or at the upper end of the pump wall (13), wherein

    - the vacuum loading is terminated; and

    - the pump (5) or a suction tube are placed in a tight manner onto the pump opening (12) and the pumping down is initiated.
15. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - the drum follower plate (4) is loaded, in particular, manually with pressure in drive direction (10) before pumping down, and/or, in particular;

    - the temperature and the air humidity are measured in addition to the force in drive direction (10) and the pressure or the vacuum in the container (2) in or close to the viscous material (20) and compared to specified target values and recorded while the container (2) is being emptied and/or, in particular;

    - an alarm is put out when the target values deviate too much from the actual values of said sensors, and a manual control is performed by the operator.
16. A method according to one of the preceding method claims, wherein

    - when using a scooping bucket pump as a pump (5), the scooping bucket (27) assumes a defined parking position when the pump stands still and a vacuum loading is performed in particular before the first pumping down of viscous material also above, thus downstream of the scooping bucket (27) and/or, in particular;

    - the connection between the pump (5) and the suction and the drum follower plate (4) is established by placing a vacuum bell (22) over at least a portion of the drum follower plate (4), in particular, its pump opening (12) and/or its vacuum connections (9, 9'), and a subsequent evacuation of the drum follower plate (4) is performed by evacuating the vacuum bell (22) and/or, in particular;

    - a self adjusting centering of the drum follower plate (4) is performed by its conical configuration relative to the container (2) during emptying.

Images