EP2937291B1 - Method and device for transferring loads - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for charge transfer.

It relates more particularly to a gravitational transfer device of the type comprising a tubular body delimiting a longitudinal through passage, this tubular body being at one of its ends said perforator, shaped in point to allow the piercing of a bag to the content to be transferred .

The transfer of materials from large containers, such as big bags, is problematic because they are extremely difficult to handle. However, there are many applications where it would be necessary to quickly and easily empty this type of container to transfer its contents, either in smaller containers or in specific locations.

A transfer device for transferring charges, in particular bulk materials, packaged in bag-type containers, is disclosed in the document FR-2895728 . This device comprises a tubular body delimiting a longitudinal through passage, this tubular body being at one of its ends, said perforator, shaped tip to allow a piercing said bag.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide a transfer device of the aforementioned type, whose simple and robust design allows quick and easy gravity transfer of materials contained in bags, particularly large.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a transfer device for transferring charges, in particular bulk materials, packaged in a bag-like container, said device comprising a tubular body delimiting a longitudinal through-passage, this tubular body being at one of its ends, said perforator, shaped in point to allow a piercing of said bag, this tubular body being equipped with at least one closure member of the passage mounted movably between a closed position and an open position of said passage and being provided, on its outer peripheral surface, in the region of the body extending between the member shutter end and the piercing end, of legs, characterized in that the legs are mounted at least partially movable between a so-called inactive position, close to said body, and a so-called active position, spaced from said body, and in that the area said body closable by said closure member is disposed spaced from the open end of the body opposite the piercing end of said body to define, between the open end and closable area, a connection zone of said device.

The piercing end of the device allows piercing, from the outside, said bag to the content to be transferred and, therefore, the at least partial introduction of said body inside the bag to a position in which the legs s extend in an active position inside the bag after having moved from an active position to an inactive position at the insertion opening of the body into the bag, formed by the piercing of said bag. In the active position, the tabs prevent any untimely exit of the bag device.

The presence of a tubular connecting zone capable of allowing a connection, generally by interlocking the device with a receiving bag or a so-called transfer pipe, enables a safe and rapid transfer of the charge from the bag pierced by the device to the receiving bag. . This results in considerable time savings for the user.

Thanks to the presence of a shutter member, the transfer can be interrupted at any time, so that the risk of overflow of the receiving bag is controlled. Similarly, the bag perforated by the device can be emptied at a rate and a rate chosen by the operator.

Preferably, the tabs are elastically deformable tabs equipped with biasing means in the spaced apart position of said body.

Generally, the return means of a tab are made in one piece with the tab and are formed by the elasticity of said tab which tends to bring this tab in a position spaced from said body. Thus, the legs are foldable against the body to a position applied against said body during the partial introduction of the body inside the bag before reaching redeploy by spacing said body, once introduced into the bag. In this separated position, they are able to bear on the inner wall of the bag and to retain at least a part of the body inside said bag, so that any untimely exit of the bag device is prevented.

Preferably, the tabs are blade-type tabs radially disposed around said body and are inclined with their free end farthest from the piercing end of the body as their connecting end to the body.

Preferably, at least some of the tabs are disposed at the same level on the outer peripheral surface of said body and at least some of the tabs are associated with a through opening of the body disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the body between the tab and the piercing end of the body.

The presence of these through openings allows a drain of almost the entire bag.

Preferably, the tip of the perforating end is generally conical, which facilitates the piercing of the bag and the partial penetration of the device into the bag.

Preferably, the closure member is a pivotable closure member pivotally mounted about an axis preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage defined by said body.

Such pivotal mounting allows to easily obtain a shutter member adjustable flow.

Preferably, the tubular body is divided into at least two sections each provided, at one end, with an outer peripheral collar, said collars being positioned facing each other in the coupled state of said sections delimiting between them a free space adapted to be occupied at least partially by said closure member. One of the flanges also forms a limit stop of the introduction of the body inside the bag to be drained.

Preferably, the flanges are, in the coupled state of said sections, assembled together by screwing, one of the screw bodies forming the axis about which the closure member is pivotally mounted. This results in a simplification of the construction.

Preferably, the body is equipped with a gripping handle disposed at the region of said body closable by said closure member. This handle also forms a visual cue means of the open or closed position of the shutter member.

Preferably, the device comprises a fastener, such as a link, a strap, a collar positionable around the connection area to allow including the maintenance of a container said receptacle in the state fitted by its neck on the zone of connection of the device.

Preferably, the end of the body, opposite the piercing end, is provided with an outer peripheral flange. This collar forms a stop preventing a sliding of the fastener beyond the end of said body. This flange also makes it possible to prevent a rise of material along the connection zone of the device during the transfer phase.

The subject of the invention is also a process for transferring charges, in particular bulk materials, packaged in a bag-type container using a device mentioned above, said method comprising, in the closed position of the organ of closure, a step of perforation of said bag, preferably at the bottom of the bag, with the perforating end of the device until introduction of the perforating end and at least some tabs inside said bag, a step of opening the shutter member, and if necessary, at least before the step of opening the closure member, a step of fixing a container said receiver or a guide duct at the connection area of the device.

• La figure 1 représente une vue de face d'un dispositif conforme à l'invention en position d'utilisation, les sacs entre lesquels le transfert de charges s'établit ayant été représentés transparents pour permettre une visualisation des parties du dispositif disposées à l'intérieur des sacs ;
• La figure 2 représente une vue en perspective d'un dispositif en position ouverte de l'organe d'obturation ;
• La figure 3 représente une vue de dessus du dispositif de la figure 2 ;
• La figure 4 représente une vue en perspective d'un dispositif en position fermée de l'organe d'obturation ;
• La figure 5 représente une vue de dessus du dispositif de la figure 4 ;

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description of exemplary embodiments, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• The figure 1 is a front view of a device according to the invention in the position of use, the bags between which the transfer of charges is established having been shown transparent to allow visualization of the parts of the device disposed inside the bags ;
• The figure 2 represents a perspective view of a device in the open position of the shutter member;
• The figure 3 represents a top view of the device of the figure 2 ;
• The figure 4 represents a perspective view of a device in the closed position of the closure member;
• The figure 5 represents a top view of the device of the figure 4 ;

As mentioned above, the transfer device 1 which is the subject of the invention is more particularly intended for the transfer of fillers, in particular of bulk materials, such as pulverulent materials or granules packaged in bags 20, in particular of large dimensions. , also called "big bags" to bags 21 said receptors of smaller dimensions or to predetermined storage areas.

The illustrated example illustrates charge transfer from a large bag 20 to a smaller sized tubular bag 21 then used, for example, as a cover member ballast in a silage silo.

This transfer device 1 thus comprises a tubular body 2 delimiting a longitudinal passage 5 passing through. In the examples shown, this body 2 is made of metal. One of the ends shown at 3 in the figures of said body is shaped conical tip generally general. This tip-shaped perforating end 3 is here made using inclined arms converging from the peripheral edge of said body towards the free end of the tip.

The device also comprises a member 4 for closing off the passage 5. In the example shown, the closure member 4 is a pivotable closing member pivotally mounted about a substantially parallel axis, that is, that is to say parallel to more or less ten degrees, to the longitudinal axis of the passage 5 delimited by said body for the displacement of said shutter member 4 between an open position and a closed position of said passage. This closure member 4 comprises a pallet 41 provided with a lateral bore for the pivotal mounting of said closure member and a rod 42 of radial operation to the pallet.

The tubular body 2 is in turn divided into at least two sections each provided, at one end, with an outer peripheral collar 9, said collars 9 being positioned opposite one another in the coupled state of said sections. delimiting between them a free space 10 capable of being occupied at least partially by said closure member 4.

The flanges 9 are, in the coupled state of said sections, assembled together by screwing, one of the screw body 11 forming the axis about which the closure member 4 is pivotally mounted.

In the open position of the passage 5, the pallet 41 extends mainly outside the perimeter delimited by the tubular body 2. In the closed position of the passage 5, the pallet 41 extends mainly inside the perimeter delimited by the body 2 in a position shown in dashed lines at the figure 5 .

Thus, during its passage from the closed position to the open position, said shutter member progressively releases the passage 5 to adjust the flow.

In the example shown, the body 2 is equipped with a gripping handle 12 disposed at the zone 15 of said body 2 closable by said closure member 4. In the closed position, the handle 12 and the operating rod of the closure member extend diametrically opposite. It is thus easy for the operator to visually identify the closed position of the closure member. For a gradual opening of the passage 5, the rod 42 maneuver is gradually approximated to the handle 12.

The shutter member could also be made in the form of a shutter member pivoting about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said passage, but this solution is less convenient.

The transfer device 1 further comprises, on the outer peripheral surface of the body 2, in the zone of the body 2 extending between the closure member 4 and the end 3 perforating, tabs 6, in this case, here, four lugs 6 mounted at least partially movable between a so-called inactive position close to said body 2 and a so-called active position spaced from said body 2.

These tabs 6 are elastically deformable tabs, equipped with a biasing means in the spaced apart position of said body 2.

In the example shown, each tab forms one of the branches of a bent piece whose other leg forms the fixing portion of the leg to the body. This attachment portion is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the body, and held in the support position by screwing, riveting or otherwise.

In the example shown, said tabs 6 are arranged at the same level, on the outer peripheral surface of said body 2 and are each associated with an opening 8 through the body 2 disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the body 2 between the lug 6 and the end 3 perforating the body 2.

Each tab 6 is angularly offset from another tab 90 °. These tabs are applied against the outer peripheral surface of the body during the introduction into the bag of said body, at the opening in the bag 20 before redeploying once the insertion opening in the bag exceeded as illustrated by figure 1 wherein the tabs are in an active position that prevents inadvertent output of the device through the perforation opening through which it entered the bag.

The device further comprises a tubular connecting zone 7 of the device disposed between the open end 14 of the body opposite to the piercing end 3 of the body and the closable zone 15 of said body.

This connecting zone 7 is formed by the portion of the body extending between the open end 14 of the body and the closable zone 15 and allows a generally interlocking connection of a receiving bag 21 as illustrated in FIG. figure 1 or driving for example.

For holding the receiver bag 21 at this connection zone 7, the device 1 comprises a fastener 16 such as a link, a strap or a collar that can be positioned, in the manner of a ligature, around the zone 7 of connection, and around the outer peripheral surface of the collar of the receiving bag fitted by its neck on said connecting zone 7.

To complete this fixation, the end 14 of the body 2, opposite the end 3 perforator, is provided with an outer peripheral collar 13, which prevents slipping of the fastener beyond the end 14 of the body 2 tubular.

The transfer of charges between the bag 20 and the bag 21 receiver can, using the device 1 described above operate as follows: the device 1 is, with its shutter member 4 in the closed position, positioned under the bottom of the bag 20 to empty, which itself is maintained in height using, for example, a forklift. The device 1 is positioned on the ground in the erected state of the tubular body with its perforating end 3 pointing towards the bottom of the bag. The bag is lowered until perforation of the bag bottom by the perforator end 3 which enters the bag as the lowering of the bag.

The introduction of the device into the bag continues until the passage of the legs 6 of the body which are close to the body to enter the bag before moving away from the body to retain the device inside the bag. At the opposite end 14 of the body, at the zone 7 of connection, is fixed or has been fixed a bag 21 receiver and the bag 20 is positioned at a height which allows a gravity flow of the loads from the bag 20 to the bag 21 via the passage 5.

The closure member 4 can then be opened to allow this gravity flow.

When the bag 21 receiver is filled, the closure member 4 is returned to the closed position and a new bag 21 receiver can be positioned on the device 1 to carry out a new transfer operation.

When the emptying of the bag 20 to be emptied is completed, the device 1 can be removed from the bag to be emptied and positioned on a new bag to be emptied.

Claims (11)

1. A transfer device (1) for transferring loads, in particular bulk materials, packaged in containers of the bag type (20), said device (1) comprising a tubular body (2) defining a longitudinal through passage (5), this tubular body (2) being, at one (3) of its ends, called perforating, configured as a tip to allow piercing of said bag (20), this tubular body (2) being equipped with at least one member (4) for sealing the passage (5) mounted movably between a closed position and an open position of said passage (5) and being provided, on its outer peripheral surface, in the zone of the body (2) extending between the sealing member (4) the perforating end (3), with tabs (6),
   characterized in that the tabs (6) are mounted at least partially movably between a so-called inactive position, close to said body (2), and a so-called active position, separated from said body (2), and in that the zone (15) of said body (2) able to be sealed by said sealing member (4) is arranged separated from the open end (14) of the body (2) opposite the perforating end (3) of said body (2) to define, between the open end (14) and the sealable zone (15), a connecting zone (7) of said device (1).
2. The device (1) according to claim 1,
   characterized in that the tabs (6) are elastically deformable tabs equipped with return means to the separated position of said body (2).
3. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some of the tabs (6) are arranged at the same level on the outer peripheral surface of said body (2) and in that at least some of the tabs (6) are associated with a through opening (8) of the body (2) arranged, on the outer peripheral surface of the body (2), between the tab (6) and the perforating end (3) of the body (2).
4. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the tip of the perforating end (3) has a generally conical appearance.
5. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the sealing member (4) is a pivoting sealing member mounted pivotably movable preferably around an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the passage (5) defined by said body (2).
6. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the tubular body (2) is divided into at least two segments each provided, at one end, with an outer peripheral collar (9), said collars (9) being positioned opposite one another in the coupled state of said segments while defining a free space (10) between them able to be at least partially occupied by said sealing member (4).
7. The device (1) according to claim 6 combined with claim 5,
   characterized in that the collars (9) are, in the coupled state of said segments, assembled to one another by screwing, one of the screw bodies (11) forming the axis around which the sealing member (4) is pivotably mounted.
8. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the body (2) is equipped with a gripping handle (12) arranged at the zone (15) of said body (2) able to be sealed by said sealing member (4).
9. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that the device (1) comprises a fastener (16), such as a link, a strap, a collar able to be positioned around the connecting zone (7) in particular to allow the maintenance of a so-called receiving container (21) in the state fitted by its neck on the connecting zone (7) of the device (1).
10. The device (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
    characterized in that the end (14) of the body (2), opposite the perforating end (3), is provided with an outer peripheral collar (13).
11. A method for transferring loads, in particular bulk materials, packaged in containers of the bag type (20) using a device (1) according to one of _daims 1 to 10, said method comprising, in the closed position of the sealing member (4), a step for perforating said bag (20), preferably at the bottom of the bag (20), using the perforating end (3) of the device (1) until the perforating end (3) and at least some tabs (6) are inserted inside said bag (20), a step for opening the sealing member (4), and if necessary, at least before the opening step of the sealing member (4), a step for fastening a so-called receiving container (21) or a guide conduit at the connecting zone (7) of the device.

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