EP3774557B1 - Unit and method for fragmenting a bagged solid mass - Google Patents

Description

Technical area.

The subject of the present invention is a unit for fragmenting a solid mass formed from a powdery or compacted particulate material, packaged in a large-capacity flexible transport bag. The present invention also relates to a process for fragmenting a compact, bagged mass.

State of the prior art.

It is known that certain powdery or particulate materials intended to supply production units are packaged in large capacity flexible bags. Generally, the capacity of these bags is between 1 m ³ and 2 m ³ . Usually, the capacity of these bags is of the order of 1.5 m ³ .

It is known that such flexible bags have in particular four flexible, vertical walls surmounting a bottom provided with a flexible sleeve for discharging powdery or particulate materials. It is also known that under the effect of mechanical vibrations, the pulverulent material contained in the bag is caused to settle on itself and transform into a compact mass. Such a compaction phenomenon is very often also the result of hot conditioning of the materials, followed by a sharp drop in temperature. Finally, as far as hygroscopic materials are concerned, the settling or compacting effect is accentuated by the action of air humidity. These different effects result in the impossibility of emptying the bag through the flexible evacuation sleeve.

To overcome this drawback, the state of the art offers various solutions aimed at breaking up the compact mass to reduce it to fragments of sufficiently small sizes to be able to be evacuated by the flexible evacuation handle that the bag includes. Typically, the various solutions proposed proceed by mechanical actions of pressing the material, and this through the flexible walls of the bag. For this purpose, two opposing pressing elements are essentially used, capable of exerting local pressure on two opposite outer faces of the flexible bag. Under the effect of these opposing pressures and the penetrating movement of the pressing elements, cracks appear locally in the compacted mass. The repetition of this action on the bag, carried out according to various heights and positions, results in fragmenting the mass formed by the powdery material. Thus, this mass reaches a degree of division or fragmentation sufficient to be able to flow freely, by gravity, out of the bag, by passing through the evacuation sleeve.

Usually, the pressure exerted on the bag as well as the value of penetration of the pressing elements into the compact mass are controlled so that the bag is not damaged and does not produce, as a result of this damage, debris likely to pollute the powdery materials. . Fragmentation units implementing the above-mentioned techniques are described in particular in the documents US 5,944,470 , US 8,181,568 , US 8,567,312 , And US2015/0360431 .

The patent US 5,944,470 shows a fragmentation unit formed of a support structure to which is hinged, at a distance from the ground, a horizontal platform designed to receive a pallet for transporting a packaging bag of powdery materials. Pivoting of the platform allows the contents of the bag to be dumped into a transporter installed on the floor. The platform carries two opposing fragmentation systems, each equipped with an elongated pressing element, actuated by a linear displacement mechanism. The two elongated pressing elements are adjustable in position to act at different locations on the corresponding walls of the bag. This document also shows fragmentation systems with tilting blades, driven in upward pivoting during the action on the bag.

Such tilting vane fragmentation systems are also disclosed in patents US 8,181,568 And US 8,567,312 which respectively show a fragmentation unit provided with a frame defining a form of cage in the volume of which is mounted a lifting mechanism carrying a turntable provided to receive the bag to be fragmented. Pivoting pressure elements are secured to the frame. By pivoting the table and by raising or lowering the latter, different zones of the bag are offered to the action of the pressing elements. The pivoting movement of the pressing elements is operated from the bottom upwards so that the pressing force exerted on the bag is directed upwards. The effects of settling of the material in the lower zone of the bag, such as to tear the walls of this bag, are thus avoided.

One of the drawbacks of the aforementioned fragmentation units resides in the cylindrical shape of the pressing elements. Indeed, this shape is likely to create a punching effect that risks damaging the bag if the pressing force is too great. In addition, because these pressing elements have relatively small pressing surfaces, the mass contained in the bag very often is not reduced in its entirety to its original state so that numerous clods of more or less large sizes remain in the contents of the bag which, on the one hand, escape the pressing action and, on the other hand, are pushed back to the top of the bag.

Another disadvantage of the aforementioned fragmentation units resides in the obligation to raise the bag above the ground in order to fragment the mass contained therein. This way of operating poses several problems, in particular problems of safety, and of handling a mass at height. To secure these fragmentation units, the bag to be processed must be confined in an enclosed space, so that if it is inadvertently pushed off the lifting table, it cannot fall to the ground and injure people nearby. . For this reason, this unit must necessarily be equipped with removable barriers, safety, able to oppose the fall of the bag. These arrangements increase the cost of manufacturing and selling the comminution unit.

The handling of a mass above the ground is carried out using forklifts, the conduct of which is subject to regulations. Thus, the driver or forklift operator must have undergone specific training and must be in possession of a certificate of fitness to drive, periodically renewable. These different requirements, as is understood, significantly increase the operating cost of the comminution unit.

Such disadvantages are not found in the request US2015/0360431 which shows a fragmentation unit comprising a frame defining a region for receiving a bag to be decompacted, the latter being installed on a transport pallet placed on the floor. The frame comprises two side walls to which are secured two opposite fragmentation systems, comprising presser, fragmentation, rectangular, vertical plates, carried by actuators in the form of cylinders and driven in translation towards the bag by the latter. In addition, these fragmentation systems are periodically moved vertically in order to press the bag to its full height.

The disadvantage of such a fragmentation unit lies in the length of the plates which covers the entire width of the bag (by length is meant the greatest horizontal dimension of the latter). Such an arrangement is likely to limit the effectiveness of the pressing by slowing down the movement in the bag of the material returned to its original shape. However, such a displacement, by allowing this material to escape the grip of the pressure plates, proves necessary to obtain a fragmentation optimum of the whole of the mass contained in the bag. In addition, the actuators of the presser plates form lateral projections, opposite, overflowing on the lateral flanks of the fragmentation unit. Such an arrangement significantly increases the lateral bulk of the fragmentation unit and requires a cowling adapted to cover the actuators.

The patent application US2005/199650 shows a bag emptying installation equipped with means suitable, by pressing action on the bag, to oppose the formation of arches above the emptying sleeve. These pressing means occupy a lower position and are not movable in height so that they cannot be used to defragment the contents of a bag in its entirety.

Disclosure of Invention.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

Thus the present invention relates to a fragmentation unit in which the bag, whose contained mass is to be fragmented, rests on a support placed on the ground during the fragmentation operations.

The present invention also relates to a fragmentation unit of reduced size, however, capable of receiving large capacity bags.

Finally, the present invention relates to a fragmentation unit designed capable of facilitating, during the fragmentation operation, the movement in the bag of the fragmented material.

• un châssis comprenant un flanc arrière vertical et deux flancs latéraux lesquels sont parallèles et perpendiculaires au flanc arrière, lesdits flancs définissant un volume interne dans lequel s'étend une région de réception d'un sac de forme parallélépipédique, dont le contenu est à fragmenter, ledit sac étant prévu pour reposer sur un support ajouré installé dans ladite région de réception, laquelle est accessible par une ouverture formée en partie avant du châssis, ladite région, de forme parallélépipédique, étant ouverte vers le haut, étant écartée des flancs arrière et latéraux du châssis, et étant délimitée par le sol et par quatre faces virtuelles, planes, verticales, à savoir une face virtuelle avant, une face virtuelle arrière, toutes deux parallèles au flanc arrière du châssis et deux faces virtuelles latérales, ladite région étant divisée en une zone avant et en une zone arrière d'égales dimensions par un plan géométrique vertical (AA') parallèle au flanc arrière du châssis,
• un ensemble de pressage comportant au moins deux plateaux presseurs verticaux, opposés, parallèles aux flancs latéraux du châssis montés dans le volume interne que définit le châssis, chaque plateau présentant une hauteur, une longueur définie selon une direction perpendiculaire au flanc arrière et s'étendant entre un bord arrière du plateau et un bord avant dudit plateau, opposé au dit bord arrière, ledit bord avant faisant face à l'ouverture avant, chaque plateau presseur présentant une face de pressage plane verticale, présentant un bord arrière opposé au bord avant du plateau presseur et lesdits plateaux presseurs étant montés de manière mobile en rapprochement ou éloignement l'un de l'autre et de manière mobile en hauteur,
  et ladite unité de fragmentation se caractérise essentiellement en ce que :
• le bord arrière de la face de pressage de chaque plateau presseur est situé en arrière d'un plan géométrique (DD') contenant ladite face arrière virtuelle plane, et que le bord avant de chaque plateau presseur est tangent à un plan géométrique vertical (BB') parallèle au plan (AA') et divisant ladite zone avant de la région en deux sous-zones, à savoir une sous-zone arrière comprise entre les plans (AA') et (BB') et une sous-zone avant, comprise entre le plan (BB') et la face avant virtuelle (11a) de ladite région,
• elle est pourvue d'un ensemble de levage prévu pour soulever le sac et le dégager du support ajouré sur lequel il repose, ledit ensemble de levage comportant une tête pourvue d'une broche rotative, prévue pour recevoir en fixation des sangles de transport du sac par l'entremise d'élingues, ladite broche étant actionnable en rotation par un organe moteur, afin d'entraîner le sac en pivotement selon un quart de tour, les dites sangles convergeant au centre, c'est-à-dire vers la broche, et ladite broche rotative étant disposée au droit de la région de réception du sac, de manière centrée par rapport à cette dernière, l'axe géométrique central vertical de ladite région et l'axe géométrique de rotation de la broche étant confondus.

To this end, the fragmentation unit according to the invention comprises:

• a frame comprising a vertical rear flank and two lateral flanks which are parallel and perpendicular to the rear flank, the said flanks defining an internal volume in which extends a region for receiving a bag of parallelepiped shape, the content of which is to be fragmented, said bag being provided to rest on a perforated support installed in said reception region, which is accessible by an opening formed in the front part of the frame, said region, of parallelepiped shape, being open upwards, being separated from the rear and lateral sides of the chassis, and being delimited by the ground and by four virtual, flat, vertical faces, namely a front virtual face, a rear virtual face, both parallel to the rear side of the chassis and two lateral virtual faces, said region being divided into a front zone and a rear zone of equal dimensions by a vertical geometric plane (AA') parallel to the rear side of the chassis,
• a pressing assembly comprising at least two vertical pressing plates, opposite, parallel to the side flanks of the frame mounted in the internal volume defined by the frame, each plate having a height, a length defined in a direction perpendicular to the rear flank and extending between a rear edge of the plate and a front edge of said plate , opposite said rear edge, said front edge facing the front opening, each presser plate having a flat vertical pressing face, having a rear edge opposite the front edge of the presser plate and said presser plates being movably mounted in approach or distance from each other and in a mobile way in height,
  and said fragmentation unit is essentially characterized in that:
• the rear edge of the pressing face of each pressure plate is located behind a geometric plane (DD') containing said flat virtual rear face, and that the front edge of each pressure plate is tangent to a vertical geometric plane (BB ') parallel to the plane (AA') and dividing said front zone of the region into two sub-zones, namely a rear sub-zone between the planes (AA') and (BB') and a front sub-zone, between the plane (BB') and the virtual front face (11a) of said region,
• it is provided with a lifting assembly provided for lifting the bag and disengaging it from the perforated support on which it rests, said lifting assembly comprising a head provided with a rotating pin, provided for receiving the straps for transporting the bag by means of slings, said spindle being operable in rotation by a motor member, in order to drive the bag in pivoting according to a quarter turn, the said straps converging at the center, that is to say towards the spindle , and said rotary spindle being arranged in line with the bag-receiving region, centered with respect to the latter, the central vertical geometric axis of said region and the geometric axis of rotation of the spindle being coincident.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the depth of the rear sub-zone is less than the depth of the front sub-zone.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the plane (BB') is spaced at most fifteen centimeters from the plane (AA').

According to another aspect of the invention, the fragmentation unit is essentially characterized in that the plane (BB') is located behind the front face of the bag when the latter is present in the reception region.

According to another aspect of the invention, the fragmentation unit is essentially characterized in that each pressing plate of the pressing assembly occupies only part of the width of the bag when said bag is present in the region of reception and that each presser plate completely covers the normal distance between the planes BB' and DD'.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each pressure plate covers only 50% to 65% of the width of the bag.

Thanks to these various arrangements, the part of material already returned to its original state due to the pressing, for example a powdery state, under the effect of the action of the forces exerted on the material by the pressing plates is driven out of the influence of the latter by moving the bag forward and upwards. Due to this movement hunting, blocks not yet fragmented can join the space released by the driven material and can then be subjected to the action of the plates during a new pressing action. Similarly, due to this flushing movement, non-fragmented blocks located in the field of the mechanical pressing actions are no longer protected by the flushed material and therefore find themselves directly exposed to the dislocation action exerted by plates. pressers. It is therefore understood that such an arrangement greatly improves the efficiency of the fragmentation unit.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each pressure plate is rigidly fixed to a dedicated carrier carriage, mounted movable in translation on horizontal rails, fixed to a common forklift mounted movable in translation on two vertical rails fixed to the rear side of the frame, the said carrying carriages being operable in translation along their rails towards or away from each other by motor organs.

In what follows is designated by front chamber of the cylinder, that of the two chambers of the latter containing the rod and by rear chamber, the opposite chamber. By working chamber, it is necessary to understand that of the two chambers which are supplied with pressurized fluid to move in the direction of the pressing of the bag, the piston-rod assembly and the associated pressure plate.

According to another characteristic of the invention, each drive member for actuating the carriages moving towards or away from each other is formed by a hydraulic cylinder and the two hydraulic cylinders are mounted hydraulically in series, the rear chamber of the first cylinder being hydraulically connected by a pipe to the front chamber of the second cylinder, the value of the section of the rear chamber of the first cylinder being equal to the value of the section of the front chamber of the second cylinder reduced by the value of the section of the rod of this second jack. In this way, the movements of the presser plates towards or away from each other take place at the same speed and are perfectly synchronized.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the fragmentation unit is equipped with a means of measuring the displacement of the presser plates along their rails, and with a hydraulic pressure threshold detector associated with the supply circuit of the working chamber of one of the two jacks, said measuring means and said detector being connected to a control and command unit and said detector being able to deliver a threshold crossing signal when the pre-established threshold value is crossed, the control and command unit, from the reception of said signal, during an initialization phase according to which the presser plates are brought into pressure against the bag, ensuring the creation of an origin point for the displacements pressing plates, the latter, during each bag pressing operation, being moved towards each other from the point of origin by a constant, pre-established value.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the height relative to the ground of the presser plates is adjustable. In this way, the action of the presser plates is staged and can be applied to the entire height of the bag.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the forklift, fixed to the guide rails of the carriages carrying the presser plates, is actuated in translation along its rails by a motor assembly formed of a vertical cylinder and a transmission of movement deployed between the rod of the cylinder and the lift truck, said transmission being arranged in a muffle in order to multiply the amplitude of the movement of the rod of the cylinder, the cylinder being oriented so that its rod occupies a higher position and the transmission of movement being formed on the one hand, of a roller rotatably mounted in a clevis fixed to the upper end of the cylinder rod, and on the other hand, of a lifting chain partially wound on the roller and fixed by a from its two ends to the lift truck and from its other end to the rear side.

Additionally, according to another characteristic of the invention, the hydraulic circuit for supplying the ram comprises hydraulic booster means.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the lifting assembly is formed on the one hand, of a jib mounted so as to be able to move in translation on guide tracks which comprise vertical guide rails and, on the other hand, a motor assembly fixed to the rear side of the chassis and acting on the stem to move the latter in height, the said motor assembly being formed of a hydraulic cylinder and a motion transmission deployed between the stem and the rear side of the chassis, said hydraulic cylinder being oriented so that its rod occupies an upper position and said motion transmission being arranged in a muffle to multiply the amplitude of the movement of the cylinder rod and being formed of a roller rotatably mounted in a yoke carried by the cylinder rod and by a lifting chain partially wound around the roller and fixed by one of its two ends to the stem and by its other end, to the rear side of the frame. By lifting the bag and rotating the spindle of the support head through a fraction of a turn, for example through a quarter turn, two other opposite faces of the bag are brought opposite the presser plates.

The present invention also relates to a process for fragmenting a bagged mass using a fragmentation unit according to the invention, as defined by claim 11.

1. I) à disposer les plateaux presseurs à mi-hauteur du sac et à les rapprocher l'un de l'autre jusqu'au contact avec le sac et établir un point origine aux déplacements des plateaux presseurs l'un vers l'autre,
2. II) à amener les plateaux presseurs en partie supérieure du sac en vue de débuter un cycle de fragmentation,
3. III) à débuter un cycle de fragmentation par pressage du sac,
4. IV) après le cycle de fragmentation par pressage, à abaisser les plateaux presseurs d'un pas prédéfini de déplacement vers le bas,
5. V) à répéter les étapes III et IV jusqu'à atteindre la zone inférieure du sac.

This fragmentation process is essentially characterized in that it consists of:

1. I) to arrange the presser plates at mid-height of the bag and bring them closer to each other until they come into contact with the bag and establish a point of origin for the movements of the presser plates towards each other,
2. II) to bring the pressing plates to the upper part of the bag in order to start a fragmentation cycle,
3. III) to start a fragmentation cycle by pressing the bag,
4. IV) after the crushing cycle by pressing, in lowering the presser plates by a predefined step of downward displacement,
5. V) repeating steps III and IV until reaching the bottom area of the bag.

1. a) à appliquer les plateaux presseurs contre le sac et les déplacer l'un vers l'autre selon une distance prédéterminée, mesurée à partir du point origine, afin d'en fragmenter la masse contenue,
2. b) à relâcher la pression,
3. c) à écarter les plateaux presseurs l'un de l'autre,
4. d) à soulever le sac,
5. e) à faire pivoter le sac d'un quart de tour,
6. f) à le reposer sur son support ajouré,
7. g) à répéter les étapes a à f pour chacune des faces latérales du sac.

According to another characteristic of the method according to the invention, each fragmentation cycle consists of:

1. a) applying the presser plates against the bag and moving them towards each other over a predetermined distance, measured from the point of origin, in order to fragment the mass contained therein,
2. b) release the pressure,
3. c) moving the presser plates away from each other,
4. d) lifting the bag,
5. e) to rotate the bag a quarter turn,
6. f) to rest it on its perforated support,
7. g) repeating steps a to f for each of the side faces of the bag.

Raising the bag and setting it down after each fragmentation cycle helps to stir the material by breaking up any clumps of columnar or banked material that may have formed in the bag. Steps a) to f) will be carried out at minus n times, n being equal to the number of sides of the bag.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the method consists, immediately before each fragmentation cycle, in bringing the presser plates back to the upper part of the bag and in repeating the previous fragmentation cycles. Thus, for the second fragmentation cycle, the trays will be brought to the upper part of the bag and after pressing the four faces, lowered by the predetermined displacement step to reach the second height level. For each of the following cycles, the fragmentation trays will always be brought to the high position of the bag and after pressing the four sides, lowered to be arranged according to the level of height immediately below, the operations of pressing the four sides and lowering the trays repeating until reaching the corresponding pitch level.

According to another characteristic, the fragmentation process consists in slowing down the movement of the bag during its rotation.

Preferably, according to an additional characteristic, the braking of the rotational movement of the bag is effected by friction of the bag on the perforated support.

Alternatively, the braking of the rotational movement of the bag is effected by friction of said bag against the presser plates.

According to another characteristic, the method consists, before lifting the bag, in angularly displacing the spindle of the head by a quarter turn. Is thus obtained, during the lifting of the bag, a slow angular displacement of the bag which can be further slowed down by friction against the perforated support and/or against the presser plates.

According to another characteristic of the method according to the invention, the value of the downward displacement pitch of the presser plates is less than the height of each plate. Thus, from one cycle to another, an overlapping effect is obtained.

Brief presentation of figures and drawings.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'une unité de fragmentation selon l'invention, le sac et le support ajouré de ce dernier n'étant pas représentés sur cette figure,
• la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une unité de fragmentation selon l'invention, équipée d'un sac dont le contenu est à fragmenter,
• la figure 3 est une vue de face de l'unité de fragmentation selon l'invention,
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessus de l'unité de fragmentation selon l'invention,
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus de la région de réception du sac,
• la figure 6 est une vue en perspective de l'ensemble de pressage formé par les plateaux presseurs, leur vérin d'actionnement et leur chariot et rails de guidage,
• la figure 7 est une vue arrière de l'ensemble de pressage,
• la figure 8 est une vue en coupe selon la ligne EE de la figure 7,
• la figure 9 est une vue du schéma hydraulique d'alimentation des vérins d'actionnement des plateaux presseurs,
• la figure 10 montre en perspective l'unité de fragmentation lors d'une phase d'initialisation,
• la figure 11 montre en perspective l'unité de fragmentation en situation de fragmentation du contenu du sac,
• la figure 12 est un schéma hydraulique montrant notamment les moyens de gavage hydraulique de la chambre arrière du vérin de déplacement des plateaux de pressage en hauteur,
• la figure 13 montre, en perspective, l'unité de fragmentation en situation de levage du sac,
• la figure 14 est un schéma hydraulique simplifié montrant l'alimentation du vérin de l'ensemble de levage,
• la figure 15 est une vue arrière, en perspective, de l'unité de fragmentation.

Other aims, advantages and characteristics of the invention will appear on reading a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• there figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentation unit according to the invention, the bag and the perforated support of the latter not being shown in this figure,
• there figure 2 is a perspective view of a fragmentation unit according to the invention, equipped with a bag whose content is to be fragmented,
• there picture 3 is a front view of the fragmentation unit according to the invention,
• there figure 4 is a top view of the fragmentation unit according to the invention,
• there figure 5 is a top view of the bag receiving region,
• there figure 6 is a perspective view of the pressing assembly formed by the pressing plates, their actuating cylinder and their carriage and guide rails,
• there figure 7 is a rear view of the pressing assembly,
• there figure 8 is a sectional view along the line EE of the figure 7 ,
• there figure 9 is a view of the hydraulic supply diagram for the actuation cylinders of the presser plates,
• there figure 10 shows in perspective the fragmentation unit during an initialization phase,
• there figure 11 shows in perspective the fragmentation unit in a situation of fragmentation of the contents of the bag,
• there figure 12 is a hydraulic diagram showing in particular the means of hydraulic boosting of the rear chamber of the cylinder for moving the pressing plates in height,
• there figure 13 shows, in perspective, the fragmentation unit in a situation of lifting the bag,
• there figure 14 is a simplified hydraulic diagram showing the supply of the cylinder of the lifting assembly,
• there figure 15 is a rear perspective view of the fragmentation unit.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

In the attached figures is shown a unit 1, according to the invention, for the fragmentation of a bagged solid mass, formed of a powdery or compacted granular material. This powdery or granular material is packaged in a flexible bag 5 of parallelepipedal shape, of large capacity, typically with a capacity of between 1.5 m ³ and 2 m ³ .

The packaging bag 5 comprises a bottom 50, four vertical side walls 51, opposite in pairs, standing vertically on the bottom 50 and an upper wall 52 provided with a flexible sleeve 53 for filling. The bottom 50 of the bag is equipped with a flexible sleeve for emptying materials, not shown. Finally, the bag 5 has four lifting straps 55.

The fragmentation unit 1 comprises a metal frame 10, comprising a vertical rear flank 12 and two lateral flanks 13 which are parallel and perpendicular to the rear flank 12. These rear and lateral flanks define an internal volume in which extends a reception region 11 of the bag 5 accessible by an access opening 14, formed in the front part of the frame 10, this opening 14 extending from one side flank 13 to the other. The region 11, of parallelepiped shape, is open upwards and is separated from the rear and lateral flanks. This region is delimited by the ground and by four flat vertical virtual faces, namely a front face 11a, a rear face 11b both parallel to the rear sidewall 12 and spaced apart from the latter, and two side faces 11c, both parallel to the sidewalls sides 13 of the chassis and separated from these said sidewalls 13. These virtual faces 11a, 11b and 11c are represented in strong dashed lines on the figure 5 . It should be noted that the two normal distances between the two pairs of opposite walls 51 of the bag 5 are respectively close to the normal distances between the virtual faces 11c and between the virtual faces 11a, 11b of the reception region 11.

The rear side 12 of the frame 10 is formed by the assembly of two vertical uprights 120 to two upper 121 and lower 122 crosspieces.

Each lateral flank 13 is fixed to one of the vertical uprights and is formed by a lower horizontal spar 130 and a strut 131. As can be seen, this strut 131 is fixed on the one hand, to the upright 120 corresponding to the rear side 12 and on the other hand, to the lower spar 130. This strut extends obliquely between said spar 130 and said upright 120.

Region 11 is divided into a front zone 11d and a rear zone 11e of equal dimensions, by a vertical geometric plane AA' parallel to the rear side 12 of the frame 10. The front zone 11d faces the front opening 14 while that the rear zone 11e faces the rear flank 12. Thus, the two zones 11d, 11e have identical depths, this depth dimension being measured in a direction perpendicular to the rear flank 12. The region 11 at ground level is, preferably, equipped with lateral 110 and rear 111 abutment members defining an area 112 for receiving and wedging a perforated support 6, horizontal, provided to receive and transport the bag 5.

The reception and wedging area 112, preferably square in shape, extends centrally with respect to the region 11. Thus, this area 112 extends symmetrically with respect to the plane AA' as well as symmetrical with respect to a plane CC' perpendicular to the plane AA' and located at equal distances from the two lateral sides 13 of the frame 10. It will be noted that the contour of the area 112 corresponds to the projection of the contour of the reception region 11 on a horizontal plane, this projection following a square contour and the area 112 constituting the horizontal background of the region 11.

The lateral 110 and rear 111 abutment members are fixed to the ground by any known means, for example by lag bolts.

According to a practical embodiment, each abutment member 110, 111 is formed by a section in the form of an angle iron comprising two wings perpendicular to each other, namely a horizontal wing for support and fixing to the ground and a vertical wing forming the actual abutment. The two lateral abutment members extend perpendicular to the rear flank 12 while the rear abutment member 111 is parallel to said flank 12. The horizontal wing of each abutment member is external to the reception area and wedging 112. Advantageously, the front parts of the two lateral stops 111 form a flare to facilitate the introduction of the perforated support 6 into the reception and wedging area 112.

The perforated support 6, of square contour, is formed of horizontal slats 60 resting on an appropriate base. The horizontal slats 60 are parallel and arranged at constant spacing from each other. The base is made up of a series of dice and a lower support plate on the ground. Advantageously, this perforated support 6 is formed by the upper plate of a removable handling pallet 60, made of wood, known per se, of standardized dimensions. The length of each side of the reception area 112 is equal to or slightly greater by a few millimeters than the length of each horizontal side of the pallet 60 so that this pallet can freely be introduced into the reception area 112 and be removed from it. withdrawn.

It should be noted that the introduction into the reception area 112 of the pallet 60 and its withdrawal will be carried out using a fork-type handling device of the pallet truck type, the use of which, for the transport of charge, is not subject to administrative authorization. This machine can therefore be operated by personnel without specific training.

In its internal volume, the fragmentation unit 1 receives a functional pressing assembly comprising in particular two presser plates 15, metal, opposed, vertical, perpendicular to the rear side 12. These plates, of equal dimensions, are provided to come into pressure against two opposite sides of the bag 5 to fragment the contents. Preferably, they occupy with respect to the ground, the same level of height. These presser plates 15 can be driven simultaneously towards each other, towards the region 11 and consequently towards the bag 5, if the latter is present there to exert pressure there. The trays can also be driven simultaneously away from each other and from the region 11 and consequently from the bag 5, if the latter is present, to release the pressure and release said bag. Their height relative to the ground is adjustable so that the action of pressing and therefore of fragmentation is carried out over the entire height of the bag 5.

Preferably, each pressure plate 15 has a flat pressing face 150 by which it is brought into pressure against the bag 5, this flat face 150 being vertical, and perpendicular to the rear side 12 of the frame. Preferably, this pressing face 150 has no discontinuity, that is to say no relief in hollow or recess.

Each pressure plate 15 comprises a front edge 151 facing the front opening 14, an upper horizontal edge 152, a lower horizontal edge 153 and a rear edge 154. The pressing face 150 has a rear edge 150a that is preferably rectilinear, vertical, this rear edge 150a being opposite the front edge of the pressure plate 15 and being located in front of the rear edge 154 of said plate.

According to the invention, the rear edge 150a of the pressing face 150 of each pressure plate 15 is located behind a geometric plane DD' containing the rear virtual face 11b and the length of each pressure plate 15 is such that the front edge 151 of said presser plate is tangent to a vertical geometric plane BB' parallel to plane AA' and dividing front zone 11d of region 11 into two front and rear sub-zones of unequal or equal depths. Preferably, the depth of the rear sub-zone, that between the two planes AA' and BB' is less than the depth of the front sub-zone, i.e. that located between said plane BB' and the front virtual face 11a. By depth is meant the normal distance between the planes AA' and BB' as regards the rear sub-zone and the normal distance between the plane BB' and the virtual front face 11a as regards the front sub-zone .

The plane BB', is therefore located behind and away from the virtual face 11a and, when the bag 5 is correctly in place in the reception region 11, is located behind and away from the front face of said bag 5 Thus each presser plate 15 only covers part of the width of the bag 5 when the latter is in place in the reception region 11, for example between 50 to 60% of said width while covering however the normal distance between the plane BB' and the DD' plan. Preferably, the BB' plane is spaced at most fifteen centimeters from plane AA'. Thus, during each pressing operation, the unpressed part of the bag located immediately in front of the pressing plates 15 can easily accommodate the material expelled by the pressing action while being free to deform.

After each pressing cycle of two opposite faces, the bag 5 is pivoted a quarter turn to operate the pressing of the two other opposite faces. Thus, the bag is caused to complete a complete turn so that its four vertical faces are subjected to the action of the presser plates 15 and this along their entire width. The fact that the pressing plates 15 cover a little more than half the width of each side of the bag, makes it possible to obtain, during pressing, a covering effect.

Preferably, the front edge 151 of each pressing plate 15 is rounded at its junction with the upper 152 and lower 153 horizontal edges to eliminate the risk of damaging the bag during pressing. This characteristic is reinforced by the fact that the pressure plate 15 has rounded edges.

According to a practical embodiment, each pressure plate 15 is formed of a frame 15a laterally covered by a flat vertical sheet 15b whose flat face opposite the frame 15a constitutes the pressing face 150. This flat sheet is preferably solid in the sense that it is free of perforations. The framework 15a is advantageously formed of a frame made from hollow tubular sections, of circular cross sections. Thus, this framework is formed by an upper horizontal profiled element, of circular cross section, constituting the upper edge of the plate 15, by a lower horizontal profiled element, of circular cross section, constituting the lower edge of the plate 15, of an element rear vertical profile constituting the rear edge of the plate and a front vertical profile element, of circular cross section, constituting the front edge of the presser plate 15. It should be noted that the rear edge 154 of each presser plate 15 is located close to the rear side 12 to be moved away from the bag 5 when the latter is correctly positioned in the reception region 11.

Advantageously, the frame constituting the frame 15a of the plate comprises one or more longitudinal struts, reinforcement, opposing the deformation of the flat sheet 15b during the pressing of the bag.

Each presser plate 15, by the rear vertical profile, is rigidly fixed to a dedicated carrier carriage 16, mounted so as to move in horizontal translation along two horizontal rails 17, parallel, fixed to a common forklift 18 mounted from movable manner in vertical translation on two vertical rails 19 fixed to the rear side 12 of the chassis 1. As can be seen, the carrying carriages 16 and lift 18 as well as their guide rails 17 and 19 are integrated into the internal volume that defines the chassis 10 of the fragmentation unit and behind the region 11 for receiving the bag 5. Thus, the size of the fragmentation unit is thereby reduced.

The carrying carriages 16 are actuated in horizontal translation along their rails 17 towards or away from each other by motor members 163, 164 integrated in the volume between the rear side 12 and the region 11 for receiving the bag 5.

The two rails 17 are fixed to each other by two crosspieces 175, vertical, end. Each rail 17 has two horizontal, opposite guide tracks 170, 171, one of which cooperates in guiding with the carrier carriage 16 of one of the presser plates 15 and the other of which cooperates in guiding with the carrier carriage 16 of the another pressure plate 15. Each guide track 170, 171 comprises a horizontal basal flank and two lateral flanks, perpendicular to the basal flank.

Each carriage 16 is formed of two horizontal, parallel, upper 160 and lower 161 beams, integrating guide rollers 162 subject to cooperating with the corresponding guide tracks 170 or 171. These beams 160, 161 are fixed by any known means to the profile vertical rear of the corresponding plate 15.

According to a practical embodiment, each motor member 163, 164 consists of a hydraulic cylinder. The two hydraulic cylinders 163, 164 are preferably horizontal and parallel to the rear side 12 of the frame. These jacks are mounted oppositely and are fixed by their body, for example by a hinge, to the two end crosspieces 175. Each jack is fixed by its rod, for example by a hinge, to the carriage 16 which it actuates . These two cylinders 163, 164 are mounted hydraulically in series, in the sense that the rear chamber of the first cylinder 163 is connected by a pipe to the front chamber of the second cylinder 164. The value of the section of the rear chamber of the first cylinder 163 is equal to the value of the section of the front chamber of the second cylinder 164 reduced by the value of the section of the rod of this second cylinder, so that the useful sections of these two chambers are equal. The functional assembly formed by the two hydraulic cylinders 163, 164 is powered by a hydraulic circuit known per se, comprising in particular a hydraulic distributor 165. This distributor 165 is electrically controlled by a control and command unit 4 of a known type. To this end, the two pilots of the distributor are electrically connected by electrical connections, via an appropriate interface not shown, to the control and command unit 4. This distributor is for example of the four-orifice, three-position, four-way type. .

There figure 7 illustrates the hydraulic supply diagram for this hydraulic assembly. For reasons of simplification, all the hydraulic components are not represented on this diagram. In particular, flow limiters are not shown. We observe on this figure 7 that one of the outlet ports of the distributor 165 is connected by a pipe to the rear chamber of the second jack 164 while the other outlet port is connected by a pipe to the front chamber of the first jack 163. It is also observed that this distributor 165 is connected by one of its two inlet orifices to a hydraulic pump P and by its other inlet orifice to an oil reservoir R. Preferably, the carriages 16 are associated with a means of measuring their displacements along their rails 17.

The hydraulic supply circuit of the hydraulic assembly formed by the two cylinders 163, 164 is associated with a hydraulic pressure threshold detector associated with the supply circuit of the working chamber of one of the two cylinders 163, 164 As said previously, the working chamber is the one which is supplied with pressurized fluid to move the pressing plates 15 towards each other and consequently, to move said plates 15 in the direction of pressing the bag. 5.

According to the practical embodiment, the cylinders 163 and 164, during pressing, operate by pulling in the sense that during the pressing operation, their front chamber is supplied with fluid under pressure, by the pump P for what concerns the first cylinder 163 and by the rear chamber of this first cylinder 163 as regards the second cylinder 164.

The displacement measuring means and the pressure threshold detector are electrically connected, by electrical connections via appropriate interfaces, to the control and command unit 4.

According to a practical embodiment, the displacement measuring means is constituted by a cable position sensor, incorporating a drum for winding the cable and a sensitive element such as an encoder coupled to the drum and capable of delivering to the unit control and command 4, information representative of the cable unwinding value. Such sensors are known from the state of the art and are in common use. The end of the cable can be fixed to one of the pressure plates 15 while the body of the sensor can be fixed to one of the rails 17.

The pressure threshold detector is capable of delivering a signal representative of a pressure value greater than the threshold value in the corresponding hydraulic circuit. Thanks to this threshold detector, it is possible to perform, prior to any fragmentation operations, an initialization phase according to which a point of origin for the displacements of the presser plates 15 in the direction of their approximation, is established. This initialization phase is of course carried out after positioning the bag 5 in the region 11 of the fragmentation unit, and consists in bringing the presser plates 15 of the said bag 5 closer together until encountering a resistance to advancement representative of the contact of said trays 15 with said bag 5 ( Fig.10 ). This resistance to progress results in a sudden rise in pressure in the hydraulic circuit supplying the corresponding working chamber and in a crossing of the threshold value. A crossing signal is then emitted by the pressure threshold detector and is detected by the control and command unit 4 which can then, from the distance data delivered by the cable sensor, establish a point of origin for the movements trays 15. The trays 15 can then subsequently be moved towards each other from the point of origin over a limited pressing distance, of a predetermined value in view of the fragmentation of the mass of the bag ( Fig.11 ). Thus, the risk of damage to the bag will be eliminated.

Preferably, in order to carry out the initialization phase, the plates 15 are arranged at mid-height of the bag 5, this zone usually being the most bulging. It should be noted that this initialization phase also makes it possible to determine the thickness of the bag, namely the distance between two opposite side walls 51 of said bag.

After the initialization phase and before the first pressing operation, the plates 15 are separated from each other and brought opposite the upper part of the bag 5. Subsequently, the fragmentation operation can begin. It consists in pressing each face of the bag by lowering the plates 15 after each pressing cycle by a predefined value, preferably less than the height of each pressing plate 15 in order to obtain a covering effect.

With a view to the movement in height of the functional pressing assembly consisting in particular of the plates 15, the carriages 16, the guide rails 17 and the drive units 163, 164, the forklift 18, rigidly fixed to this assembly of pressing, is drivable in translation along the rails 19 by a motor assembly. Preferably, the forklift 18 is fixed by any known means to the two guide rails 17 of the carriages 16 and is formed by two vertical uprights 180 carrying guide rollers 181. These guide rollers 181 cooperate in guiding with the two rails 19 As can be seen, these two rails 19 each have at least one guide track 190 comprising a basal flank and two lateral flanks perpendicular to the basal flank. The guide rollers 181 of one of the uprights 180 of the carriage are engaged in the guide track 190 of one of the two rails 19, the rollers 181 of the other upright 180 are engaged in the guide track of the another guide rail 19. The guide rollers 181 of each upright 180 are subject to rolling on the basal flank and on one of the two lateral flanks of the corresponding guide track 190.

The functional pressing assembly is associated with a means for measuring its height relative to the ground and therefore for measuring its displacement. This measuring means, not shown, may consist of a cable position sensor, of the type described above. This sensor will be connected by electrical connections and by an appropriate interface to the control and command unit 4. This sensor incorporates a cable winding drum and a sensitive element, such as an encoder, coupled to the drum. This sensor is capable of delivering to the control and command unit 4 information representative of the unwinding value of the cable and consequently of the height, relative to the ground, of the pressing assembly. The end of the cable can be fixed for example to one of the rails 17 of the functional pressing assembly, while the body of the sensor can be fixed to one of the rails 19.

The drive motor assembly in translation of the lift truck 18 and consequently of the pressing assembly, is preferably constituted by at least one hydraulic cylinder 182 and by a motion transmission deployed between the rod of the cylinder 182 and the forklift 18. The hydraulic cylinder 182, by its body, is preferably fixed by an articulation to a horizontal crosspiece fixed to the two rails 19. This cylinder 182 extends vertically against the rear side 12 of the chassis and is oriented so that its stem occupies a superior position.

Preferably, the transmission of movement is arranged in a muffle in order to multiply the amplitude of the movement of the rod of the jack 182. This transmission is formed on the one hand, of a roller 183 rotatably mounted in a yoke fixed at the end upper part of the cylinder rod 182 and on the other hand, a lifting chain 184 wound partially on the roller 183 and fixed by one of its two ends to the carriage 18 and by its other end to the upper crosspiece 121 of the rear side 12.

The deployment of the rod of the cylinder 182 generates the elevation movement of the carriage 18 and consequently of the pressing assembly, the value of the displacement of this carriage 18 and of this pressing assembly then being twice the value the displacement of the rod of the cylinder 182. This arrangement allows the use of a cylinder with a reduced stroke compared to the value of the displacement in height of the presser plates 15.

In figure 12 schematically shows the hydraulic circuit associated with the hydraulic cylinder 182. As can be seen in this figure, the cylinder 182 is controlled by a controlled distributor 182a, of the four-orifice, three-position, four-way type. The two pilots of this distributor are electrically connected by electrical connections, via an appropriate interface not shown, to the control and command unit 4. Thus, this unit 4 is able to control the distributor 182a and consequently, the movements of the cylinder rod 182. The distributor 182a is connected as known by an appropriate pipe to the hydraulic pump P and by another pipe to the hydraulic tank R.

To the hydraulic supply circuit of cylinder 182 ( Fig. 12 ) are also associated with a balancing valve formed of a pressure relief valve 182b and a non-return valve 182c arranged in parallel. The non-return valve 182c allows the direct supply of the rear chamber of the cylinder and opposes its emptying which can only take place via the pressure limiter 182b. As can be seen, this pressure limiter 182b is connected to the supply line of the front chamber of the cylinder 182. Thus, this pressure limiter is controlled by the pressure prevailing in the supply line of the front chamber of the jack and can only be activated from a predetermined pressure threshold to allow the evacuation of the oil contained in the rear chamber of the jack 182. Thus, the retraction of the rod of the jack 182 in the jack body and consequently, the downward movement of the pressing assembly can only take place from a determined pressure threshold, greater than the value of the hydraulic pressure that alone generates the weight of the pressing assembly in the front chamber of cylinder 182. Such a configuration allows control of the retraction movement of the rod in the body and control of the downward movement of the pressing assembly. As can be seen, the pressure relief valve 182b that comprises the balancing valve has an anti-overpressure drain. Thus this balancing valve further constitutes a safety device.

During the pressing action, the presser plates 15 are biased upwards which generates an upward movement of the forklift 18 and of the pressing assembly. It is then necessary to prevent the lifting chain 184 from slackening and the resulting slack from causing the pressing assembly to move downwards under the effect of its weight, during the movement of the presser plates 15 apart. This unwanted movement may result in damage to the bag by friction of the presser plates against the walls of the latter. It is therefore necessary to constantly maintain the lifting chain 184 in tension. For this reason, the hydraulic supply circuit of cylinder 182 includes hydraulic boosting means, the purpose of which is to maintain a minimum pressure in the rear chamber of cylinder 182 in order to keep chain 184 taut and to compensate for the weight of the chain. pressing assembly and the carriage 18 without moving them along the rails 19.

Such hydraulic force-feeding means are represented schematically in figure 12 . These hydraulic booster means are formed by a controlled valve 182d and a pressure limiter 182e. The piloted valve 182d is of the normally closed type and of the type comprising two orifices, two positions, one way. This valve 182d is connected on the one hand, upstream of the limiter 182b and of the valve 182c to the supply line of the rear chamber of the cylinder 182. On the other hand, the valve 182d is connected to the pressure limiter 182e, it -even connected, via an appropriate return line, to the hydraulic reservoir R. The pilot of the valve 182d is connected to the control and command unit 4 by an electrical connection. Thus, the valve 182d is controlled by the control and command unit 4. In order to execute the booster function, the control and command unit 4 activates the distributor 182a in the direction of the supply of the rear chamber of the cylinder 182 and simultaneously activates the valve 182d in order to establish communication between the supply line of the rear chamber of the cylinder 182 and the pressure relief valve 182e. By this means, the pressure in the rear chamber of cylinder 182 is limited to what is strictly necessary for the displacement of the rod of the cylinder to tension the lifting chain 184, while remaining well below the pressure value from of which the action on the piston of the cylinder rod compensates for the weight of the pressing assembly and generates the movement of said assembly upwards.

Advantageously, the fragmentation unit 1 is further provided with a lifting assembly 2 designed to lift the bag and disengage it totally or partially from the perforated support 6 on which it rests. This lifting assembly 2 comprises, in accordance with the invention, a head 20 provided with a rotary spindle 21 arranged in line with the region 11 for receiving the bag, in a manner centered with respect to the latter, the vertical central geometric axis of said region and the geometric axis of rotation of spindle 21 being coincident. Attached to this pin 21 are slings 26 for attaching the carrying straps 55 of the bag 5. Because of this arrangement, the straps 55 of the bag 5 converge at the center, that is to say towards the pin 21 and cannot , as a result, be subjected to mechanical tension during the pressing of the upper part of the bag. The lifting of the bag 5, during the fragmentation operations, contributes to the disintegration of the mass which it contains.

According to a practical embodiment, the lifting assembly 2 comprises, on the one hand, a bracket 22 mounted so as to be able to move in translation on second guide tracks 191 that comprise the rails 19 and, on the other hand, a motor assembly fixed to the rear side 12 of the frame 10 and acting on the bracket 22 to move the latter in height. The head 20 is carried by the bracket 22 in line with the region 11 for receiving the bag 5. The bracket 22 carries the right of the region 11 for receiving the bag 5, the head 20. This bracket comprises two vertical uprights 220 equipped with guide rollers 221 provided to cooperate in guiding with the guide tracks 191. These guide tracks 191 are formed opposite to the tracks 190 and each comprise a basal flank and two lateral flanks perpendicular to the basal flank. The guide rollers 221 of each upright 220 are subject to rolling on the basal flank and on one of the lateral flanks of the corresponding guide track.

According to a practical embodiment, the motor assembly provided for the movement of the stem 22 in height, is formed by a hydraulic cylinder 23 and by a motion transmission deployed between the stem 22 and the rear side 12 of the frame 10.

As can be seen in figure 14 , the cylinder 23 is powered by a hydraulic circuit, known per se, comprising in particular a hydraulic distributor 230, of the type for example four orifices, three positions, four ways. The two pilots of the distributor are connected by electrical connections, via an appropriate interface not shown, to the control and command unit 4. For reasons of simplification, all the hydraulic components are not shown in figure 14 . Notably are the flow limiters are not shown. We observe on this figure14 that one of the outlet orifices of the distributor 230 is connected by a pipe to the rear chamber of the cylinder 23 while the other outlet orifice is connected by a pipe to the front chamber of this cylinder 23. It is also observed that this distributor 230 is connected by one of its two inlet ports to the hydraulic pump P and by its other inlet port, to the oil tank R.

Preferably, the motion transmission is arranged in a muffle to multiply the amplitude of the movement of the rod of the cylinder 23. According to a practical embodiment, the cylinder 23 is arranged vertically, the rod in the upper part, and the latter, in upper end carries a yoke in which is rotatably mounted a roller 24 around which is partially wound a lifting chain 25. This chain is fixed by one of its two ends to the bracket 22 and by its other end to the upper crosspiece 121 of the rear side 12. The chain 25 and the roller 24 constitute the transmission mentioned above.

The head 20 of the lifting assembly incorporates a motor member consisting of a servo motor. This servomotor is connected by electrical connections to the control and command unit 4 in order to be controlled by the latter. This servo-motor is able to actuate in rotation about a vertical axis, the pin 21 of the head 20. It is understood that by lifting the bag, by moving the lifting assembly and rotating the pin 21 according to a quarter turn, two new opposite sides of the bag 5 will be brought opposite the presser plates 15.

It is also possible to actuate the spindle 21 in rotation according to a quarter turn before lifting the bag 5 in order to twist the straps 55 and the slings 26. Thanks to this arrangement, the bag 5 during its lifting movement, will be driven in rotation, no longer by the pin 21 but by the action of untwisting the straps 55 and the slings 26. Advantageously, the rotation of the bag 5 will be slowed down by friction of the bottom 50 against the perforated support 6. The stop members 110 and 111, during this braking action, will effectively oppose the rotational drive of the perforated support 6.

The lifting assembly is associated with a means of measuring its height relative to the ground. This measuring means, not shown, may preferably consist of a cable position sensor, of the type of those previously described. This position sensor is connected by electrical connections, via an appropriate interface, to the control and command unit 4. The end of the cable can be fixed to the stem 22 while the body of this sensor can be fixed to one of the rails 19. By this means, it becomes possible to control the degree of lifting of the bracket 22 to allow either to completely separate from the perforated support 6, the bottom 50 of the bag, or to slightly lift the bag 5 so that the bottom 50 can remain lightly pressed against the perforated support 6 and can rub against the latter during the rotation of the bag.

According to a practical embodiment, the guide rollers 162, 181, and 221 are combined rollers. These rollers are each formed of a roller body in the form of a solid of revolution, receiving in rotation an outer ring constituting tread. The axis of rotation of this ring and the axis of revolution of the roller body coincide. By this outer ring, the roller is caused to roll on one of the side flanks of the corresponding guide track. The roller further comprises a second rolling member rotatably mounted on a shaft fixed to the roller body. The geometric axis of rotation of this second rolling member is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the outer ring. This second rolling member is designed to roll on the basal side of the corresponding guide track. Such combined rollers, as briefly described, are known from the state of the art and are in common use.

Although the fragmentation unit as described is intended to carry out the fragmentation operations before the bag emptying operations, it goes without saying that it can be used during this emptying to facilitate this operation, subject to the appropriate adaptations to the scope of those skilled in the art.

Similarly, a fragmentation unit has previously been described equipped with a pressing assembly comprising two opposite pressing plates 15, but it goes without saying that the pressing assembly may comprise several pairs of pressing plates 15.

It goes without saying that the present invention can receive all adjustments and variants in the field of technical equivalents without departing from the scope of this patent as defined by the claims below.

Claims (15)

1. - A fragmentation unit (1) for a bagged solid mass, comprising:

   - a frame (10) including a vertical rear flank (12) and two lateral flanks (13) that are parallel and perpendicular to the rear flank (12), said flanks (12, 13) defining an internal volume in which a region (11) extends for receiving a bag (5) with a parallelepipedal shape the contents of which are to be fragmented, said bag (5) being provided in order to rest on an openwork support (6) installed in said region (11), the region being accessible via an opening (14) formed in the front portion of the frame (10), said region (11), which is parallelepipedal in shape, being open towards the top, being separated from the rear (12) and lateral (13) flanks and being delimited by the ground and by four virtual planar vertical faces, namely a front face (11a), a rear face (11b), both being parallel to the rear flank (12) of the frame, and two lateral faces (11c), said region being divided into a front area (11d) and into a rear area (11e) of equal dimensions by a vertical geometric plane (AA') parallel to the rear flank (12) of the frame (10),

   - a pressing assembly comprising at least two vertical pressure plates (15), which are opposed, parallel to the lateral flanks (13) of the frame and mounted in the internal volume that defines the frame, each plate (15) having a height, a length defined in accordance with a direction perpendicular to the rear flank and extending between a rear edge (154) and a front edge (151) opposite to said rear edge, said front edge (151) facing the front opening (14), each pressure plate (15) having a vertical planar pressing face (150) having a rear edge (150a) opposite to the front edge (151) of the pressure plate and said pressure plates (15) being movably mounted so as to move towards or away from each other and in a manner which is movable in respect of height,
   characterized in that

   - the rear edge (150a) of the pressing face (150) of each pressure plate (15) is situated behind a geometric plane (DD') containing the virtual planar rear face (1 1b), and in that the front edge (151) of each pressure plate (15) is tangential to a vertical geometric plane (BB') parallel to the plane (AA') and dividing the front area (11d) of the region (11) into two sub-areas, namely a rear sub-area comprised between the planes (AA') and (BB') and a front sub-area comprised between the plane (BB') and the virtual front face (11a) of the region (11),

   - it is provided with a lifting assembly (2) provided to raise the bag and release it from the openwork support (6) on which it rests, said lifting assembly comprising a head (20) provided with a rotary spindle (21) to which the transport straps (55) of the bag (5) are attached with interposed lanyards (26), said spindle (21) being actuatable in rotation by a motor means, in order to cause the bag (5) to pivot by a quarter of a turn, said straps converging towards the center, i.e. towards the spindle (21), and said rotary spindle (21) being disposed vertically to the receiving region (11) for the bag, centered with respect to said region, the vertical central geometric axis of said region (11) and the geometric axis of rotation of the spindle (21) coinciding.
2. The fragmentation unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the depth of the rear sub-area is less than the depth of the front sub-area.
3. The fragmentation unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the plane (BB') is at a distance of at most fifteen centimeters from the plane (AA').
4. The fragmentation unit (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each pressure plate (15) is rigidly fixed to a dedicated support carriage (16) that is movably mounted in translation on horizontal rails (17), fixed to a common lifting carriage (18) that is movably mounted in vertical translation on two vertical rails (19) fixed to the rear flank (12) of the frame (10), said support carriages (16) being actuatable in translation along their rails (17), moving towards or away from each other, by means of motor means (163, 164).
5. The fragmentation unit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that:

   - each motor means (163, 164) is formed by a hydraulic cylinder,

   - the two hydraulic cylinders (163, 164) are hydraulically mounted in series, the rear chamber of the first cylinder (163) being hydraulically connected by means of a line to the front chamber of the second cylinder (164),

   - the value for the section of the rear chamber of the first cylinder (163) is equal to the value for the section of the front chamber of the second cylinder (164) reduced by the value for the section of the rod of said second cylinder.
6. The fragmentation unit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized by a means for measuring the displacement of the pressure plates (15) along their rails (17), and with a detector of the hydraulic pressure threshold associated with the supply circuit for the working chamber of one of the two cylinders (163, 164), said measuring means and said detector being connected to a monitoring and control unit (4) and said detector being capable of delivering a threshold transgression signal when the pre-established value for the threshold is transgressed, the monitoring and control unit (4), starting from receipt of said signal, ensuring the generation of a point of origin for the displacements of the pressure plates (5) during an initialization phase in which the pressure plates (5) are pressed against the bag, these pressure plates being displaced towards each other during each bag pressing operation from the point of origin by a constant, pre-established value.
7. The fragmentation unit (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the lifting carriage (18) is actuated in translation along its rails (19) by a motor assembly formed by a vertical cylinder (182) and a motion linkage deployed between the rod of the cylinder and the lifting carriage (18), said linkage being configured in the manner of a lifting pulley in order to multiply the amplitude of the movement of the rod of the cylinder (182), the cylinder being oriented in a manner such that its rod occupies an upper position and the motion linkage being formed on the one hand by a roller (183) mounted in rotation in a clevis fixed to the upper end of the rod of the cylinder (182), and on the other hand by a lift chain (184) wound partly around the roller (183) and fixed by one of its two ends to the lifting carriage (18) and by its other end to the rear flank (12).
8. The fragmentation unit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hydraulic circuit supplying the cylinder (182) comprises hydraulic overload means.
9. The fragmentation unit (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the lifting assembly is formed on the one hand by a bracket (22) mounted in a manner which is movable in translation on guide tracks (191) that comprise vertical guide rails (19) and on the other hand by a motor assembly fixed to the rear flank (12) of the frame (10) and acting on the bracket (22) in order to displace the height thereof, said motor assembly being formed by a hydraulic cylinder (23) and a motion linkage deployed between the bracket (22) and the rear flank (12) of the frame (10), said hydraulic cylinder being oriented in a manner such that its rod occupies an upper position and said motion linkage being configured in the manner of a lifting pulley in order to multiply the amplitude of movement of the rod of the cylinder (23) and being formed by a roller (24) mounted in rotation in a clevis carried by the rod of the cylinder (23) and by a lift chain (25) wound partly around the roller (24) and fixed by one of its two ends to the bracket (22) and by its other end to the rear flank (12) of the frame (10).
10. The fragmentation unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the region (11) at the ground level is equipped with lateral (110) and rear (111) abutment means defining an area (112) for receiving and wedging the openwork support (6).
11. A fragmentation method employing a fragmentation unit according to the preceding claims taken in combination, characterized in that it consists of:

    I) placing the pressure plates (15) at the mid-height of the bag and bringing them towards each other until they make contact with the bag (5) and establish a point of origin for the displacements of the pressure plates (15) towards each other,

    II) bringing the pressure plates (15) to the upper part of the bag (5) with a view to starting a fragmentation cycle,

    III) starting a fragmentation cycle by pressing the bag (5),

    IV) after the cycle of fragmentation by pressing, lowering the pressure plates (15) towards the bottom by a predefined displacement step,

    V) repeating steps III and IV until the lower area of the bag is reached.
12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that each fragmentation cycle consists of:

    a) applying the pressure plates (15) against the bag (5) and displacing them one towards the other by a predetermined distance, measured from the point of origin, in order to fragment the mass it contains,

    b) releasing the pressure,

    c) moving the pressure plates (15) away from each other,

    d) raising the bag (5),

    e) pivoting the bag (5) by a quarter of a turn,

    f) replacing the bag (5) on its openwork support (6),

    g) repeating steps a) to f) for each of the lateral faces of the bag.
13. The fragmentation method according to claim 12, characterized in that immediately before each fragmentation cycle, it consists of bringing the pressure plates (15) to the upper part of the bag (5) and of repeating the preceding fragmentation cycles.
14. The fragmentation method according to claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that it consists of angularly displacing the spindle (21) of the head (20) by a quarter of a turn before raising the bag.
15. The fragmentation method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the value for the displacement step of the pressure plates (15) towards the bottom is less than the height of each pressure plate (15).

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