GB1575297A

GB1575297A - Containers

Info

Publication number: GB1575297A
Application number: GB7192/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Tioxide Group Ltd
Current assignee: Tioxide Group Ltd
Priority date: 1978-02-23
Filing date: 1978-02-23
Publication date: 1980-09-17
Also published as: BE874375A; ZA79174B

Description

(54) CONTAINERS (71) We TIOXIDE GROUP LI MITED, a British Company of 10 Stratton Street, London W1A 4XP do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to an improved container for the transport and delivery of finely-divided solids, for example of pigmentary titanium dioxide.

It has hitherto been commdn practice to pack, transport and deliver finely-divided solids such as pigmentary titanium dioxide in separate sealed bags, normally of multiply paper, which contain a convenient weight of product for handling by the operator, for example of 25 kilograms.

Transport and delivery of quantities of solid in excess of the weight of one bag are normally undertaken by stacking the appropriate number of bags on a wooden pallet. Such loaded pallets are conveniently moved by mechanical handling equipment such as by a fork lift truck.

However, the use of relatively small sacks is inconvenient in that the user has to open each sack prior to the discharge of its contents with the consequent utilisation of time and effort. Furthermore, excessive handling may cause dust problems. Also, the disposal of a large number of emptied bags (which may contain some residual powder) and of the wooden pallets (which normally require storage prior to their return to the manufacturer) also presents some difficulties. Where the pallets are not returned, as frequently happens, the supply of replacement pallets is a substantial cost to the manufacturer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a cheaper and more convenientlyhandled container for finely-divided solids such as pigmentary TiO2.

Accordingly, the present invention is a container comprising a surrounding wall attached at its upper edge to a cover and at its lower edge to a base; wall, base and cover all being of flexible material, the base and cover being provided with flexible tubes having releasable closure means; a plurality of flaps attached externally to the base by one side and the free sides of which are provided with releasable connecting means whereby the flaps can be secured over the flexible tube of the base and means for lifting the container.

The surrounding wall, which is preferably cylindrical when the container is full, the base and cover are normally made from the same material and are secured to each other by conventional means, for example by sewing the peripheries of the base and cover to opposite edges of the surrounding wall of the container.

One very suitable material, both from the point of view of strength and cost, is a woven cloth of polypropylene filaments, the filaments being coated with a mixture of polypropylene and polyethylene. The cloth is suitably woven to prevent leaking of the contents and of suitable filament thickness, for example of about 1000 denier, to provide the necessary strength.

It has also been found that such a material resists staining, has excellent retaining properties for pigment TiO2 and does not show too great an affinity for the contents during emptying. Materials such as polyvinylchloride-covered polyester filaments and/or rubber covered nylon fabric have been found to be more expensive and are not preferred.

The base of the container is preferably attached to the lower edge of the wall of the container in such a manner and is so constructed that when the contents are being discharged, the base assumes an angle of between 55" and 75" and preferably an angle between 60 and 70 , with the horizon tal plane across the base of the surrounding wall of the container. It has been found that such an angle is particularly suitable in assisting the discharge of pigmentary titanium dioxide from the container via the discharge tube.

The flexible tubes in the base and cover are, respectively, discharge and filling tubes for the container and are normally of the same type of material as the container but woven from smaller diameter filaments to give greater flexibility. Both tubes are normally provided with tie-cords as the releasable closure means.

It may be desirable to provide in the cover, in addition to the flexible filling tube, a second tube which is adapted to be connected to a dust removing means.

The flaps on the base are conveniently releasably interconnected by doubling over and sewing a portion of the free side of each flap to form a passage-way for a draw-string which, when tightened and tied, retains the flaps in position against the base thereby protecting the discharge tube from damage during handling and/or during transport.

When released it is preferred that the flaps, which are conveniently quadrant in shape, form a cone-like structure which may assist in supporting the base to some extent and in directing the discharge of the material, for example pigmentary titanium dioxide.

In order to control the rate of discharge from the container it has been found convenient to provide the discharge tube with rings of rigid material spaced along the tube and secured to the wall thereof. These are provided with external handles whereby the tube between the rings may be twisted in opposite directions to restrict the internal cross-section of the discharge tube and thereby control the discharge rate of the solid through the tube. Other means for doing this can, of course, be used but they tend to be significantly more expensive.

One embodiment of the present invention comprises a container the side, base and cover of which are woven from 1000 denier polypropylene filaments coated with a mixed polypropylene (80%) polyethylene (20%) composition.

The container is, when extended, approximately 40" in diameter, 45" in depth (from cover to base) and is provided with flexible filling and discharge tubes 18" in diameter at the centres of the cover and base. These tubes are made of woven polypropylene cloth similar to that of the remainder of the container but of smaller diameter filaments to give them increased flexibility. Cords are provided to tie off the tubes when the container is full.

Equidistantly around the periphery of the base of the container are sewn the base sides of four flaps of quadrant shape, the apices of which are doubled over and sewn to form a passage for a draw-string which, when tightened and tied, retains the flaps firmly in position against the base so that they protect the discharge tube. When released and during discharge the base forms an angle of approximately 65" with the horizontal plane across the face of the surrounding wall of the container.

To the outside of the surrounding wall of the container are sewn four looped handles whereby the container can be lifted, for example by means of a fork lift truck.

The drawing accompanying the Provision al Specification shows one embodiment of the invention similar to that described above wherein there is shown a surrounding wall (1) fixed to base (2) and cover (3). The cover is provided with a flexible filling tube (4) and a tie cord (5) and the base is also provided with discharge tube (6) and tie cord (7). Four flaps (8) are provided and interconnected by draw string (9). Lifting handles (10) are also shown.

In use, the full container is lifted above the receiving receptacle, the draw string on the flaps is then released as is the tie string on the discharge tube whereupon the contents of the container are cleanly discharged.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A container comprising a surrounding wall attached at its upper edge to a cover and at its lower edge to a base; wall, base and cover all being of flexible material, the base and cover being provided with flexible tubes having releasable closure means; a plurality of flaps attached externally to the base by one side, the free sides of which are provided with releasable connecting means whereby the flaps can be secured over the flexible tube of the base and means for lifting the container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 made from woven polypropylene filaments.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2 wherein the polypropylene filaments are coated with polypropylene and polyethylene.

4. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein at least the surrounding wall, base and cover of the container are made from woven filaments of about 1000 denier.

5. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the base is so attached to the surrounding wall and is so constructed that it assumes, during discharge of the contents, an angle of between 55" and 75" to the horizontal plane across the base of the surrounding wall of the container.

6. A container as claimed in claim 5 wherein the assumed angle is in the range 60 to 70".

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tal plane across the base of the surrounding wall of the container. It has been found that such an angle is particularly suitable in assisting the discharge of pigmentary titanium dioxide from the container via the discharge tube. The flexible tubes in the base and cover are, respectively, discharge and filling tubes for the container and are normally of the same type of material as the container but woven from smaller diameter filaments to give greater flexibility. Both tubes are normally provided with tie-cords as the releasable closure means. It may be desirable to provide in the cover, in addition to the flexible filling tube, a second tube which is adapted to be connected to a dust removing means. The flaps on the base are conveniently releasably interconnected by doubling over and sewing a portion of the free side of each flap to form a passage-way for a draw-string which, when tightened and tied, retains the flaps in position against the base thereby protecting the discharge tube from damage during handling and/or during transport. When released it is preferred that the flaps, which are conveniently quadrant in shape, form a cone-like structure which may assist in supporting the base to some extent and in directing the discharge of the material, for example pigmentary titanium dioxide. In order to control the rate of discharge from the container it has been found convenient to provide the discharge tube with rings of rigid material spaced along the tube and secured to the wall thereof. These are provided with external handles whereby the tube between the rings may be twisted in opposite directions to restrict the internal cross-section of the discharge tube and thereby control the discharge rate of the solid through the tube. Other means for doing this can, of course, be used but they tend to be significantly more expensive. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a container the side, base and cover of which are woven from 1000 denier polypropylene filaments coated with a mixed polypropylene (80%) polyethylene (20%) composition. The container is, when extended, approximately 40" in diameter, 45" in depth (from cover to base) and is provided with flexible filling and discharge tubes 18" in diameter at the centres of the cover and base. These tubes are made of woven polypropylene cloth similar to that of the remainder of the container but of smaller diameter filaments to give them increased flexibility. Cords are provided to tie off the tubes when the container is full. Equidistantly around the periphery of the base of the container are sewn the base sides of four flaps of quadrant shape, the apices of which are doubled over and sewn to form a passage for a draw-string which, when tightened and tied, retains the flaps firmly in position against the base so that they protect the discharge tube. When released and during discharge the base forms an angle of approximately 65" with the horizontal plane across the face of the surrounding wall of the container. To the outside of the surrounding wall of the container are sewn four looped handles whereby the container can be lifted, for example by means of a fork lift truck. The drawing accompanying the Provision al Specification shows one embodiment of the invention similar to that described above wherein there is shown a surrounding wall (1) fixed to base (2) and cover (3). The cover is provided with a flexible filling tube (4) and a tie cord (5) and the base is also provided with discharge tube (6) and tie cord (7). Four flaps (8) are provided and interconnected by draw string (9). Lifting handles (10) are also shown. In use, the full container is lifted above the receiving receptacle, the draw string on the flaps is then released as is the tie string on the discharge tube whereupon the contents of the container are cleanly discharged. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A container comprising a surrounding wall attached at its upper edge to a cover and at its lower edge to a base; wall, base and cover all being of flexible material, the base and cover being provided with flexible tubes having releasable closure means; a plurality of flaps attached externally to the base by one side, the free sides of which are provided with releasable connecting means whereby the flaps can be secured over the flexible tube of the base and means for lifting the container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 made from woven polypropylene filaments.

7. A container as claimed in any of the

preceding claims wherein the flexible tubes are woven from the same material as the remainder of the container but of smaller diameter filaments.

8. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the cover is provided with a second tube adapted to be connected to dust removing means.

9. A container as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the tube of the base is provided with rings of rigid material spaced along the tube and secured to the wall thereof, the rings being provided with external handles.

10. A container as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as shown in the drawing accompanying the Provisional Specification.