GB1580807A

GB1580807A - Liner for container

Info

Publication number: GB1580807A
Application number: GB22564/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1976-06-01
Filing date: 1976-06-01
Publication date: 1980-12-03
Also published as: IT1084302B; NL7705943A; DE2724506A1; SE7706329L; BE855245A; FI771746A; JPS5325180A; FR2353450A1

Description

(54) LINER FOR CONTAINER (71 We, IMPERIAL CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED Imperial Chernical House, Millbank, London SW1P 3JF a British Company 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: This invention relates to means for transporting finelyZivided solid particulate material and in particular to an improved forum of liner for a container useful in tranwting such material.

Containers of the type which may be tipped in order to discharge their loads are used Thr transporting solid particulate material.

Such containers may form part of a vehicle, or they may be mountable upon a vehicle, for example a trailer, and demountable therefrom such that they may be transported apart from the vehicle, e.g. by ship or by aircraft, or may be transferred from one vehicle to another. The vehicle may be for example a road or rail vehicle.

It is known to instal in such containers a liner of a pliable material which is able to conform substantially to the internal shape of the container and to charge the solid particulate material into the liner in the container.

Prior to transporting other material in the container all that is required is for the particulate material to be discharged from the liner and for the liner to be removed from the container. Use of such a liner protects the container from the solid particulate material and ensures that the container does not have to be cleaned before it can be used for transporting other material.

In order to discharge a load of solid particulate material from such a lined container it is necessary to form an aperture in the liner in the container, for example, by forming a slit in the liner, and to tip the container.

However, where the material is a finely divided solid particulate material such a method of discharge suffers from the disad vantage that it may be possible to discharge a part only of the load, even when the con- tainer is tipped to a large angle of elevation, for example, to an angle of 45" or more, and a proportion of the load, and in some cases a substantial proportion of the load, may remain in the lined container. Discharge of that part of the load remaining in the lined container cannot be effected merely by in creasing the angle of elevation of the con tainer as such an increase in the angle may tend to place the centre of gravity of the vehicle carrying the con tainer outside of a line between the wheels of the vehicle thus making the vehicle itself unstable and liable to tip over.Indeed, a maximum angle of elevation for the con tainer is set to ensure stability of the vehicle carrying the container and at such a maxirnum angle of elevation a load of finely-divided solid particulate material often cannot be discharged fully.

We have now found that discharge of a load of finely-divided solid particulate material from such a container may be assisted by inflating the liner in the container and we have developed an inflatable liner for use in such a container.

The present invention provides a liner constructed of a pliable material and which is of box-like shape comprising a base, end walls, and side walls, at least one aperture through which the liner may be charged with finely-divided solid particulate material, at least part of the liner comprising an inner skin and an outer skin, and an entry port through which gas may be introduced into the space between the inner skin and the outer skin in order to inflate the space between the skins, inflation causing the inner skin to act upon the finely-divided solid particulate material, when said particulate material is contained in the liner4 in such a way as to assist discharge of said particulate material from the liner via an opening in the end well of the liner.

The liner is for use in a rigid container which container is itself suitable for use in transporting finely-divided solid particulate material.

In use the liner is installed in a suitable container and the liner is charged with finelydivided solid particulate material. To discharge the container the liner is breached, e.g. by slitting the liner at a part adjacent to an aperture in the container, and the container is tipped and some of the particulate material is thereby discharged from the liner through the aperture in the container. Gas e.g. air, is then passed into the space between the inner and outer skins of the liner in order to inflate the space between the inner and outer skins. Inflation causes the inner skin to act upon the particulate material remaining in the liner thereby causing discharge of the remaining material.

The liner of the present invention is suitable for use in the transportation of many different types of finely-divided solid particulate material, for example, lime and soda ash. It is particularly suitable for use in transporting finely-divided calcium carbonate, for example, finely ground natural calcium carbonate or precipitated calcium carbonate, especially submicron size precipitated calcium carbonate.

The calcium carbonate may be coated with a fatty acid, e.g. with a stearic acid. The calcium carbonate may be, for example, coated calcium carbonate having a particle size in the range 50 to 100 milli-microns.

The liner may be used with a container of the type conforming to the specifications of the International Standards Organisation (ISO), that is, a box-like container in which the end walls have dimensions 8 ft by 8 ft and in which the base, side walls and top have dimensions of 8 ft by either 20 ft, 30 ft or 40 ft. Containers having other dimensions may be used. The top of the container may be provided with one or more sealable hatches through which the container may be filled and one of the end walls of the container may be provided with double doors which provide access to the container and permit the liner to be installed in the container. The doors may themselves be provided with one or more sealable hatches through which the container and liner may be discharged. Alternatively, a discharge hatch or hatches may be positioned in the end wall of the container opposite the doors.

The liner is made of a pliable material.

Suitable materials are plastics materials, for example, polyethylene and poly(vinyl chloride). It is preferred that the plastics material is heat-sealable in order to simplify construction of the liner. Alternatively, the liner may be made of a woven material, for example, it may be made of canvas or of a woven cotton material. The woven material may be rubberised.

The liner will generally be of dimensions substantially the same as the internal dimen sions of the container with which it is to be used such that in use it is able to conform substantially to the internal shape of the container. For example, where it is to be used with an ISO container it will be of box-like shape when assembled and installed in a con tainer and have an oblong-shaped base, square end walls, and oblong-shaped side walls. The liner may have an open top, in which case the open top will provide the aperture through which the liner may be charged with particulate material. However, it is preferred that the liner has a top containing one or more apertures positioned so as to correspond with the hatches in the top of the container to permit filling of the liner with solid particulate material.The apertures in the top of the liner may be capable of being sealed after the liner has been filled. The liner may be provided with suitable means for attaching it to the container, for example, loops fastened to the end and side walls and/or the top of the liner which may be attached to corresponding books on the walls and/or top of the container.

The entry port through which gas may be introduced into the space between the inner skin and outer skin, may be connected to a pipe which in use is itself connected to a gas supply, for example, a compressed air supply. When the liner is installed in the container the pipe which is attached to the entry port should be positioned so that it is readily accessible and thus may readily be connected to a gas supply when it is desired to inflate the space between the inner and outer skins.

In general inflation of the space between the inner and outer skins will be effected after the container has been tipped and after that part of the load of finely-divided solid particulate material which may be removed by tipping has been removed. Alternatively, inflation of the space between the inner and outer skins may be effected during discharge of the material by tipping of the container.

In a particular form of the liner an inner skin and an outer skin are provided at least in the region of the base of the liner inflation of the space between the skins causing the angle of inclination of the base of the liner to increase. Use of this particularly form of liner in a container of the type which may be tipped will in effect increase the angle of elevation of the base ob the container when the container is tipped thereby causing discharge of the finely-divided solid particulate material which normally remains in the tipped container.

In this particular form of liner the inner skin and outer skin may be connected by ribs which serve to control the way in which the liner inflates. The ribs should be made of a pliable material and they are suitably made of the same pliable material as that from which the liner itself is made. The length of the ribs suitably increases progressively from one end of the base to the other so that when the liner is inflated the ribs control the inflation in such a way that the base of the liner becomes an inclined plane. The liner will, of course, be installed in the container such that when inflated the base of the liner is inclined downwards in the direction of the end wall of the liner through which the finely divided particulate material is to be discharged.

In a further embodiment of the invention the inner skin extends over at least part of the base of the liner and over at least part of an end wall of the liner opposite that end wall of the liner through which the finelydivided solid particulate material is to be discharged. The edges of the inner skin are sealed to the base and to an end wall and to the side walls of the liner, for example by heat sealing or by using double-sided tape. The inner skin when uninfiated may be made to conform substantially to the shape of the liner, for example by means of gussets, yet may be inflated to form a roughly wedge-shaped inflated section in that end of the liner opposite the end from which the finely-divided particulate material is to be discharged.

A particular embodiment of the liner of the present invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying diagrams in which Figure 1 shows a side view in cross-section of a liner, Figure 2 shows a view of the liner od Figure 1 in cross-section along the line A-A of Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a side view in cross-section of a liner installed in a container prior to filling with finelydivided solid particulate material, and Figure 4 shows a view of the liner of Figure 3 when inflated, the container having been omitted.

The liner (1), which is made of 700 gauge polyethylene, comprises side walls (2), end walls (3, 4), a top (5) and a base (6). In the top of the liner are four apertures (7, 8, 9 and 10) through which the liner may be charged with finely-divided solid particulate material. The liner also comprises an inner skin (11) which is sealed at (12) to the base (6) across the width of the base and is sealed at (13) to the end wall (3) across the width of the wall. The inner skin is also sealed along the lines (14) to the side walls (2).

Leading to the space between the base and walls ob the liner and the inner skin of the liner is an entry port (15) and a pipe (16).

When the liner is in an uninflated condition the inner skin (11) is made to conform substantially to the shape of the base, side walls, and end walls of the container. In order that the inner skin may so conform yet also may be inflated, as shown in Figure 4, the inner skin carries a gusset (17) adjacent to the end wall (3) and gussets (18) adjacent to the side walls (2).

The container (19) is of generally box-like construction and comprises in its top four hatches (20, 21, 22 and 23) which carry cover plates (24, 25, 26 and 27) respectively. One end of the container is sealed by a pair of pivotally-mounted doors (28) and in each door and near the base of the door are positioned two hatches (29, one not shown) which are sealed by cover plates (30).

In use the container (19) is mounted on a vehicle (not shown), the doors (28) are opened, and the liner (1) is positioned in the container and attached to the walls and/or the top of the container by means which are not shown, care being exercised to position the liner such that the apertures (7 to 10) in the top of the liner are adjacent to the hatches (20 to 23) in the top of the container. The pipe (16) is also positioned so that it is accessible from the hatch (23). The doors of the container are then closed ensuring that the hatches (29) are sealed by the cover plates (30).

The cover plates (24 to 27) are removed from the hatches (20 to 23) and the liner is filled with finely-divided solid particulate material, for example stearate-coated precipi tated calcium carbonate, through the apertures (7 to 10) in the top of the liner. When the liner is filled the apertures (7 to 10) are loosely closed by tucking the polyethylene which defines the apertures into the space between the top of the liner and the top of the container, and the container is sealed by replacing the cover plates (24 to 27).

In order to discharge the finely-divided solid particulate material from the container the hatches (29) in the doors of the container are opened, shutes (not shown) for delivery of material are attached to each hatch, and those parts of the liner adjacent to the hatches are slit. Because of the weight of the finely-divided particulate material in the liner those parts of the liner adjacent to the hatches will generally be pushed into the apertures of the hatches and thus the parts of the liner which it is necessary to slit will readily be located. The container is then tipped about an axis near that end of the container near the pivotally-mounted doors and the particulate material is discharged via the hatches (29).When the container has been tipped to its maximum angle of elevation and as much particulate material as possible has been discharged the pipe (16) is connected to a supply of compressed air and air is passed into the space between the base and walls of the liner and the inner skin of the liner in order to inflate the inner skin to the form as shown in Figure 4. Inflation of the inner skin assists discharge of the particulate material remaining in the liner.

Alternatively, inflation of the inner skin of the liner may be started before the container has been tipped, or it may be started at the commencement of tipping of the con tainer, or it may be started after some but not all of the particulate material has been discharged by tipping. When discharge of the particulate material has been completed the doors (28) of the container are opened and the liner is removed from the container and discarded. The container is then ready for use in the transportation of other material.

Alternatively, a fresh liner may be installed in the container and further finely-divided solid particulate material may be transported.

An embodiment of the liner of the present invention installed in a modified container will now be described with the aid of Figures 5 to 7 in which Figure 5 is a side view in cross-section of a liner installed in a container. Figure 6 is an end view of the container and Figure 7 is a side view in crosssection of a part only of the view of Figure 5 and showing a liner installed in a container, the liner being filled with finely-divided solid particulate material.

The liner is identical with that described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 except that it is installed in the container with that part of the liner which is inflatable positioned adjacent to the pivotally-mounted doors (28) of the container (19) rather than as in Figure 3 adjacent to the end wall opposite from the pivotally-mounted doors.

The container (19) is of generally box-like construction and comprises in its top four hatches (20, 21, 22 and 23) which carry cover plates (24, 25, 26 and 27) respecively.

One end of the container is sealed by the pivotally-mounted doors (28) and the end wall (31) opposite to the pivotally-mounted doors comprises an elongated hatch (32) which is covered by a pivotallyeunted hatch cover (33).

In use the container (19) is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and positioned with the pivotally-mounted doors remote from the power source of the vehicle (not shown). The liner (1) is then positioned in the container, the container is filled with finely-divided solid particulate material (34), and the container is sealed in the manner described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 except that the pipe (16) is positioned to be accessible from hatch (20).

In order to discharge the finely-divided solid particulate material from the container the position of the container on the vehicle is reversed so as to position that end of the container containing the hatch (32) remote from the power source of the vehicle, the hatch cover (33) is raised, and a chute (not shown) is positioned in the hatch opening. Due to the weight of finely-divided particulate material in the liner that part of the liner (35) adjacent to the hatch (32) is pushed into the hatch opening. This part of the liner is slit lengthwise and the container is tipped about an axis near this delivery end of the container and the particulate material is discharged through the hatch (32).When the container has been tipped to its maximum angle of elevation and as much particulate material as possible has been discharged the pipe (16) is connected to a supply of com pressed air and air is passed into the space between the base and walls of the liner and the inner skin of the liner in order to inflate the inner skin to the form shown in Figure 4 and discharge the remainder of the finely divided particulate material. Alternatively, inflation may be carried out in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

It is to be understood that between the loading of the container with finely-divided solid particulate material and the discharge of the material from the container the con tainer may have been removed from the vehicle and may have been transported by other means, for example, by ship or by aircraft.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A liner constructed of a pliable material and which is of box-like shape comprising a base, end walls, and side walls, at least one aperture through which the liner may be charged with finely-divided solid particu late material, at least part of the liner com prising an inner skin and an outer skin, and an entry port through which gas may be introduced into the space between the inner skin and the outer skin in order to inflate the space between the skins, inflation causing the inner skin to act upon the finely-divided solid particulate material, when said particulate material is contained in the liner, in such a way as to assist discharge of said particulate materal from the liner via an opening in the end wall of the liner.

2. A liner as claimed in claim 1 in which the pliable material is a plastics material.

3. A liner as claimed in claim 2 in which the pliable material is polyethylene.

4. A liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 having a top which contains one or more apertures.

5. A liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 which is provided with means for attaching it to a container.

6. A liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 in which the inner skin and outer skin are provided at least in the region of the base of the liner, inflation of the space between the skins causing the angle of inclination of the base to increase.

7. A liner as claimed in claim 6 in which the inner skin extends over at least part of the base of the liner and over at least part of an end wall of the liner, the edges of the inner skin being sealed to the base, an end wall and the side walls of the liner, the inner skin, when uninfiated, conforming substan

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

Claims

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

tainer, or it may be started after some but not all of the particulate material has been discharged by tipping. When discharge of the particulate material has been completed the doors (28) of the container are opened and the liner is removed from the container and discarded. The container is then ready for use in the transportation of other material.

Alternatively, a fresh liner may be installed in the container and further finely-divided solid particulate material may be transported.

An embodiment of the liner of the present invention installed in a modified container will now be described with the aid of Figures 5 to 7 in which Figure 5 is a side view in cross-section of a liner installed in a container. Figure 6 is an end view of the container and Figure 7 is a side view in crosssection of a part only of the view of Figure 5 and showing a liner installed in a container, the liner being filled with finely-divided solid particulate material.

The liner is identical with that described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 except that it is installed in the container with that part of the liner which is inflatable positioned adjacent to the pivotally-mounted doors (28) of the container (19) rather than as in Figure 3 adjacent to the end wall opposite from the pivotally-mounted doors.

The container (19) is of generally box-like construction and comprises in its top four hatches (20, 21, 22 and 23) which carry cover plates (24, 25, 26 and 27) respecively.

One end of the container is sealed by the pivotally-mounted doors (28) and the end wall (31) opposite to the pivotally-mounted doors comprises an elongated hatch (32) which is covered by a pivotallyeunted hatch cover (33).

In use the container (19) is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) and positioned with the pivotally-mounted doors remote from the power source of the vehicle (not shown). The liner (1) is then positioned in the container, the container is filled with finely-divided solid particulate material (34), and the container is sealed in the manner described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 except that the pipe (16) is positioned to be accessible from hatch (20).

In order to discharge the finely-divided solid particulate material from the container the position of the container on the vehicle is reversed so as to position that end of the container containing the hatch (32) remote from the power source of the vehicle, the hatch cover (33) is raised, and a chute (not shown) is positioned in the hatch opening. Due to the weight of finely-divided particulate material in the liner that part of the liner (35) adjacent to the hatch (32) is pushed into the hatch opening. This part of the liner is slit lengthwise and the container is tipped about an axis near this delivery end of the container and the particulate material is discharged through the hatch (32).When the container has been tipped to its maximum angle of elevation and as much particulate material as possible has been discharged the pipe (16) is connected to a supply of com pressed air and air is passed into the space between the base and walls of the liner and the inner skin of the liner in order to inflate the inner skin to the form shown in Figure

4 and discharge the remainder of the finely divided particulate material. Alternatively, inflation may be carried out in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.

It is to be understood that between the loading of the container with finely-divided solid particulate material and the discharge of the material from the container the con tainer may have been removed from the vehicle and may have been transported by other means, for example, by ship or by aircraft.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A liner constructed of a pliable material and which is of box-like shape comprising a base, end walls, and side walls, at least one aperture through which the liner may be charged with finely-divided solid particu late material, at least part of the liner com prising an inner skin and an outer skin, and an entry port through which gas may be introduced into the space between the inner skin and the outer skin in order to inflate the space between the skins, inflation causing the inner skin to act upon the finely-divided solid particulate material, when said particulate material is contained in the liner, in such a way as to assist discharge of said particulate materal from the liner via an opening in the end wall of the liner.
2. A liner as claimed in claim 1 in which the pliable material is a plastics material.
3. A liner as claimed in claim 2 in which the pliable material is polyethylene.
4. A liner as claimed in any one of claims

1 to 3 having a top which contains one or more apertures.
5. A liner as claimed in any one of claims

1 to 4 which is provided with means for attaching it to a container.
6. A liner as claimed in any one of claims

1 to 5 in which the inner skin and outer skin are provided at least in the region of the base of the liner, inflation of the space between the skins causing the angle of inclination of the base to increase.
7. A liner as claimed in claim 6 in which the inner skin extends over at least part of the base of the liner and over at least part of an end wall of the liner, the edges of the inner skin being sealed to the base, an end wall and the side walls of the liner, the inner skin, when uninfiated, conforming substan

tially to the shape of the liner and being capable of inflation to form a substantially wedge-shaped inflated section.
8. A liner as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4.
9. A liner as claimed in claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 5 to 7.
10. A container having installed therein a liner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9.