FR2529175A1 - Collapsible horizontal partition for storage silo - comprises inflatable cantilever arms or panels which collapse when deflated. - Google Patents

Abstract

The collapsible horizontal partition for use in a storage silo comprises inflatable cantilever arms (3) or cantilevered flat panelling and serves to prevent the crushing of fragile goods due to stack weight. The partition cantilevers from an inside face and may have openings of which the size prevents goods from passing through. The partition collapses upon deflation and the speed of collapse may be adjustable. The effective length of the cantilever may equal the length or width of the silo or it may be half the width or length. Arms may have a circular cross section and may be mounted on the end of a gas feed pipe angled upwards to offset arm deflection. The supply system may allow partition elements to be inflated individually.

Description

"Silo partitioning system"
The present invention relates to a silo partitioning system.

 The silos are used for packaging and storage of various types of products, and in particular fragile products such as empty packaging, consisting of bottles, cups, pots, containers of various plastics, plastic, cardboard, or any other weak material. .

 The storage of such fragile products poses a problem because they are liable to deteriorate under the effect of slight overloads, which limits the stacking height of the products, the products located at the lowest risk of being deformed under the charge due to the products located above.

 It should be noted that the case of empty packaging is particularly important to solve, due to the obligation to have buffer stocks between machines at high speed, requiring the storage capacities commonly reaching 100m3.

 One solution to remedy these drawbacks consists in making a horizontal partitioning of the storage silo at several levels, the number of partitions being a function of the height of the silo and of the resistance of the stored products.

 A first solution consists in providing fixed horizontal intermediate floors. However, these floors cause difficulties emptying the silo. The inclined baffle partitions, such as those described in French patent 1 405 977, can only be suitable for products having a significant slope angle, and have the drawback of limiting the useful capacity of the silo.

 All fixed devices have the following common drawbacks: heaviness and complication of construction, difficulties in cleaning, difficulties in meeting fire safety requirements, the water or foam distribution system having to be present in all compartments. The solution consisting in replacing the solid partitions by skeleton partitions, would alleviate this last disadvantages, but would introduce reliefs likely to deteriorate the products.

 Finally, rigid movable partitions are impractical in large silos, because they would especially, during opening and closing operations, have the serious disadvantage of causing shocks and crushing of the products in the silo.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks
To this end, in the system which it concerns, certain walls of the silo are equipped, on their face turned towards the inside thereof, with at least one flexible and inflatable element which, once put under pressure from a gas, cleaning between the two compartments of the silo located on either side of it, underpasses to the smallest dimension of the stored products.

 When kept in pressure, the inflatable element (s) ensure a horizontal partitioning of the silo, which retracts when the inflatable elements are disconnected from the pressure source and placed in communication with the atmosphere. Given their flexibility, these movable partitions do not damage the products during installation and removal operations, as would be the case with rigid partitions.

 The number and shape of the inflatable elements depend essentially on the size of the silo, the nature and the size of the objects stored.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the inflatable elements are made of a material such that, when their internal chamber is exhausted, they deflate and collapse by gravity under the effect of their only weight, with a speed that can be adjusted.

 In accordance with a first advantageous embodiment in the case of small capacity silos, each horizontal partitioning is constituted by a single inflatable element of flat shape, constituting a continuous separation between the two compartments of the silo.

 This arrangement is advantageous for small capacity silos and for small objects, where the separation between two compartments must be carried out as strictly as possible.

 According to another embodiment of the invention, the partitioning between two compartments is made from a series of elongated elements arranged parallel to each other.

 According to a first possibility in this case, the elongated elements have a length corresponding to a dimension of the silo, respectively length or width thereof.

 All the elements are fixed on the same wall, or fixed on two opposite walls with alternate arrangement of the elements in the manner of two combs whose teeth interpenetrate.

 According to another possibility, the elongated elements have a length corresponding substantially to half of a dimension of a silo, width or length respectively, and are fixed opposite on two opposite faces thereof.

 Advantageously, the inflatable elements are of cylindrical shape. This arrangement is advantageous for ease of making and fixing at the internal face of the walls.

 The material constituting the inflatable elements can be chosen from all flexible materials capable of forming gas-tight envelopes. Particularly noteworthy are flexible synthetic materials and rubbery materials.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, each inflatable element is fixed on a hollow tubular support, having an end end serving for the passage of the inflation gas, and also comprising an exhaust orifice thereof.

 The cylindrical shape is advantageous because it makes it possible to use standard steel tubes, and above all avoids the risks of deterioration of the elements during their installation.

 The various hollow supports are either fixed on a common plate, or fixed on the wall of the silo and joined to the gas source by means of traditional connections.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, each tubular support of an inflatable element has an inclination of a few degrees upward, relative to the horizontal.

 Therefore, the inflatable element associated with this support has a tendency to be very slightly inclined upward, which ensures, due to its flexibility, and after receipt of the items to be stored, the maintenance in a substantially horizontal position .

 Advantageously, the gas supply system for the inflatable elements is equipped with a flow limiter. This agercetrent is interesting because it is necessary that the inflatable elements are filled slowly with gas, so as to avoid rapid expansion which would throw the objects already stored in the silo on the walls, or move them too violently.

 According to another embodiment, the gas supply system of the elements is arranged so as to allow the inflation and deflation of the elements independently of each other, or in groups of elements, with an adjustable speed. This avoids too sudden movement of the products stored inside the silo.

 From a practical point of view, the inflatable elements not being supplied with gas under pressure, the lower compartment of the silo is filled with articles to be stored. When this filling is carried out, the inflatable elements delimiting the upper part thereof are pressurized. This pressurization being carried out slowly, the articles located in the lower compartment are slightly displaced, without deterioration thereof. I1 is then proceeded to fill the compartment located above the inflatable elements, these then constituting an excellent end-of-fall damper for the products entering the silo.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting examples, two embodiments of this silo
Figures 1 and 2 are two perspective views of a silo equipped with a first system, the walls of which are partially torn off, Figure 1 representing the partitioned silo and Figure 2 representing the silo after release of the intermediate partition
Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a silo equipped with a second partitioning system
Figure 4 is a detail view in section and on an enlarged scale of the device for fixing an inflatable element.

 The silo (2) shown in Figure 1 has a rectangular section, its width having a value of about 3 meters. Halfway up the silo are fixed a number of inflatable elements (3) of circular section, each with a diameter of 200 millimeters. Each inflatable element is closed at its free end (4), and engaged at its other open end on a hollow tube (5) connected to a gas supply device (6) supplied under a pressure of 0.4 bar.

 From a practical point of view, when the inflatable elements (3) are pressurized, they occupy a horizontal position, as shown in FIG. 1 of the attached schematic drawing, this partition preventing the weight of the products stored above s '' exercise on the products located below and avoiding their deformation. The spacing between two adjacent inflatable elements (3) is such that it does not allow the passage of articles located in the upper compartment to the lower compartment. When the envelopes are placed in communication with the atmosphere as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawing, they fall under the effect of their own weight, ensuring the communication of the lower and upper compartments, which form only one single volume.

 The silo shown in FIG. 3 is of greater height, for example 8 meters high, and must be partitioned, taking into account the nature of the products to be stored in four compartments with a height of 2 meters each.

 I1 is therefore provided three intermediate partitions, each of which consists of two series of inflatable elements (7) each having a length corresponding substantially to half the width of the silo. The two series of inflatable elements (7) are fixed on two opposite walls of the silo, so that two opposite elements are practically contiguous, the vacuum between them having a value of the order of 10 to 15 millimeters, insufficient to allow the passage of products. As in the previous case, the diameter of each inflatable element is of the order of 200 millimeters, and the space between two parallel and neighboring elements is of the order of 10 to 15 millimeters, so as not to allow the passage of 'stored items.

 When all the inflatable elements are under pressure, as shown in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawing, they partition the silo into four chambers, each 2 meters high. The articles will therefore no longer be subject to the maximum except to the load represented by the weight of 2 meters of products, while the absence of partitioning would result at the base of the silo by a load corresponding to that of 8 meters of products, which is intolerable in some cases.

 The airing of the inflatable elements (7) causes them to fall, freeing up the entire interior space of the silo and making it possible in particular to fill the silo by sending products from above.

 From a practical point of view, when the height stored in the lower chamber (8) reaches the desired level, the elements (7) of the first partition are inflated so as to form a first horizontal surface intended to receive the products which arrive in the second bedroom (9). I1 is then carried out the inflation of the elements (7) of the second partition, forming the lower surface of the chamber (10), then the inflation of the elements (7) of the third partition forming the lower surface of the chamber (12).

 FIG. 4 of the appended schematic drawing represents a system for fixing the inflatable elements respectively (3) of FIGS. 1 and 2 and (7) of FIG. 3.

 In this case, the various inflatable elements belonging to the same horizontal partition, are fixed on a U-shaped profile (13), which supports a cylindrical end piece (14) whose bottom is equipped with a valve (15) connected to a tube. (16) air supply opening itself into an air supply duct (17), and the bottom also has an air exhaust port (18). The same end piece (14) advantageously has peripheral grooves (19) allowing the elements (7) to be fixed by means of collars (20).

 It should be noted that the support end piece is very slightly inclined relative to the horizontal, its axis forming an angle () of the order of 100 upwards, so that in the loaded position, the inflatable elements ( 7), occupy a substantially horizontal position.

 As is apparent from the above, the invention brings a great improvement to the existing technique, by providing a silo partitioning system, of simple design, avoiding that the articles situated at the base of the silo undergo too great a load because articles during the installation and retraction of the partitions, and satisfying the safety criteria, since requiring only a single detection and watering system using water or foam, at the upper part of the silo.

 It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiments of this partitioning system, described above by way of examples; on the contrary, it embraces all of its variant embodiments.

 Thus in particular that each partition between two chambers of the silo could be constituted by a single inflatable element, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

 1. - Silo partitioning system, characterized in that certain walls of the silo (2) are equipped, on their face turned towards the inside thereof, with at least one flexible and inflatable element (3) which, once pressurized with a gas, cleaning between the two compartments of the silo located on either side of it, underpasses to the smallest dimension of the stored products.  2. - System according to claim 1, characterized in that the inflatable elements (3,7) are made of a material such that, when their internal chamber is exhausted, they deflate and collapse by gravity under the effect of their only weight with an adjustable speed.  3. - System according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that each horizontal partitioning is constituted by a single inflatable element of flat shape, constituting a continuous separation between the two compartments of the silo.  4. - System according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the partitioning between two compartments is made from a series of elongated elements (3,7) arranged parallel to each other.  5. - System according to claim 4, characterized in that the elongated elements (3) have a length corresponding to a dimension of the silo, respectively length or width thereof.  6. - System according to claim 4, characterized in that the elongated elements (7) have a length corresponding substantially to half of a dimension of a silo, width or length respectively, and are fixed vis-à-vis on two opposite sides of it.  7. - System according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the inflatable elements (3,7) are of cylindrical shape.  8. - System according to any one of claims 4 to 7, characterized in that each inflatable element (3,7) is fixed on a hollow tubular support (14), having an end end serving for the passage (15) of the inflation gas, and also comprising an orifice (18) for exhausting it.  9. - System according to claim 8, characterized in that each tubular support (14) of an inflatable element (3,7) has an inclination (out) of a few degrees upward, relative to the horizontal.  10. - System according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the gas supply system for the elements (3,7) is arranged so as to allow the inflation and deflation of the elements independently of each others, or in groups of elements, with an adjustable speed.