GB1584802A

GB1584802A - Apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins

Info

Publication number: GB1584802A
Application number: GB3311977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: OS BAD ROZWOJOWY SYST MECH
Current assignee: OS BAD ROZWOJOWY SYST MECH
Priority date: 1976-08-18
Filing date: 1977-08-08
Publication date: 1981-02-18
Also published as: FR2361947A1; CA1086008A; DE2737078A1

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR USE IN CLEANING STORAGE BINS (71) We C)F,ROI)EK BADAWCZCFROZ- WOJOWY SYSTBMOW MECHANIZACJI, ELEK- TROTECHNIKI I AUTOMATYKI GORNICZEJ, a State Enterprise recognised under the Laws of Poland, of ul. -Leopolde 3i, Katowice, Poland, 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 apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins containing bulk materials and is designed for removing of overhangs and conglutination which may cause clogging in the bins.

In storage bins containing moist bulk material the build-up of overhangs and con glutination is often the cause of clogging which produces:a hinderance to a free flow of stored material. In order to prevent the occurrence of such effects a stream of com- -pressed air or of steam is usually introduced into the storage bin through a nozzled pipe or apparatus is used to produce mechanical or acoustic vibration of the storage bin outlet section, this vibration helping the bulk material to flow freely.

A disadvantage of these known and used methods and apparatus is that they are not sufficiently effective because of poor dynamics of the jet of gas or, in the case of mechanical or acoustic vibration apparatus, the construction is complicated and the assembly thereof is difficult.

In another apparatus designed for removing material overhangs, a reservoir of compressed gas is used, which has an outlet port controlled by means of a value which momentarily opens this port to allow the stream of gas two be introduced in sudden and sharp spurts into the storage bin containing the bulk material.

A disadvantage of this type of apparatus is that the inertia and the resistance to motion of the valve hinder sufficiently quick opening of the gas outlet.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins, comprising a reservoir of com- pressed gas with an outlet provided with a nozzle to be fixed in the wall of a ,storage tin containing bulk material, and closeable by means of a valve head linked by means of a stem with an actuator of a pneumatic power device and urged by resilient means into the outlet-closing position, a choke and a check valve being provided which in parallel connect the compressed gas reservoir with the cylinder of a pnematic power device. Preferably, the choke and check valve are installed in a cover separating the reservoir from the cylinder.

Preferably also, a ring gasket is installed between the valve head closing the outlet of the compressed gas reservoir and the gas outlet port, the gasket being fixed to the valve head.

A spring element may- be installed be tween the valve head and the stem linking the head with the actuator of pneumatic power device.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates in an axial section appa 'ratus according to one embodiment of the present invention with automatic control by means of a choke; Fig. 2 illustrates in detail the construction of valve head shown in Fig. 1 closing the outlet port of compressed gas reservoir; ,and Fig. 3 illustrates a modified version of construction of the valve head closing the outlet port of compressed gas reservoir, where the head is urged against the port by means of an extra spring element.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 3, the apparatus,includesa compressed gas reservoir 1, having an outlet port tipped with a nozzle 2.

The outlet port of reservoir ,1 is closed by ,means of a valve head 3, which is linked with a piston 4 of a pneumatic power device 5 by means of a stem 6. A return spring 8 is installed between a cover 7 of the power device 5 and the piston 4, the spring pressing valve head 3 against the outlet port of the compressed gas reservoir 1. A ring gasket 9 (Fig. 2) is installed between the valve head 3 and the outlet of reservoir 1, the gasket being fixed to the valve head 3.

The outlet nozzle 2 is fixed in the wall of a bin (not shown in the drawing) filled with bulk material, near the location where the overhang or conglutination is liable to form.

The reservoir 1 of compressed gas is connected via a choke 15 with the cylinder 13 of the pneumatic power device 5.

The apparatus is also fitted with a check valve 16 connected in parallel with choke 15 so that the air can flow only from cylinder 13 of the pneumatic power device 5 to ' the reservoir 1 of compressed gas.

Choke 15 and check valve 16 are in fact, accommodated in a cover 17 separating the reservoir 1 from the cylinder 13, but, for ease of illustration of the principle of operation, the choke 15 and check valve 16 are shown only in general outline remote from the cover 17 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Compressed air is directly supplied to reservoir 1 through a pipe 18.

From the reservoir 1 the air flows to cylinder 13 of the power device 5 through the choke 15, which is proportioned so that the air pressure in cylinder 13 does not cause movement of the piston 4 until the air pressure in reservoir 1 has attained a required valve.

As soon as piston 4 is raised the valve head 3 lifts thus quickly uncovering the outlet port in reservoir 1, and a sudden spurt of air flow through the outlet nozzle follows. The pressure in the compressed gas reservoir 1 drops thus causing the air to begin flowing out of cylinder 13 to the reservoir 1, mainly through check valve 16 and to a lesser degree through choke 15.

Return spring 8 causes the piston 4 to move to a position in which the valve head 3 closes the outlet of the gas reservoir 1. The working cycle is automatically repeated as long as the compressed air is supplied to the apparatus.

The working efficiency of the apparatus, as described in each embodiment, is further improved by providing a spring element 19 (Fig. 3) between the valve head 3 and the stem 6. In this case, first the spring element becomes strained when the outlet of reservoir 1 is open, until the moment when a force pulling the stem 6 overcomes the air pressure force acting upon the face of head 3; the head 3 is then suddenly lifted out of the outlet port of reservoir 1 and the outlet is quickly opened. Thus, opening of the outlet of compressed gas reservoir is considerably speeded up thus improving the working efficiency of the apparatus.

An advantage of the apparatus hereinbefore described is that a large amount of air can be introduced into the storage bin within a short time thus producing an effective and high-energy pulse of introduced gas.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins, comprising a reservoir of compressed gas with an outlet provided with a nozzle to be fixed in the wall of a storage bin containing bulk material, and closable by means of a valve head linked by means of a stem with an actuator of a pneumatic power device and urged by resilient means into the outlet-closing position, said reservoir being connected with a cylinder of the pneumatic power device by way of a choke and a check valve connected in parallel with said choke.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said choke and said check valve are accommodated in a cover separating said reservoir from said cylinder.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein a ring gasket is fitted between the valve head and the outlet from said reservoir and is fixed to said valve head.

Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to'3, wherein a spring element is fitted between said valve head and said actuator.

5. Apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing.

6. Apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 3 of the accompanying drawing.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. the power device 5 and the piston 4, the spring pressing valve head 3 against the outlet port of the compressed gas reservoir 1. A ring gasket 9 (Fig. 2) is installed between the valve head 3 and the outlet of reservoir 1, the gasket being fixed to the valve head 3. The outlet nozzle 2 is fixed in the wall of a bin (not shown in the drawing) filled with bulk material, near the location where the overhang or conglutination is liable to form. The reservoir 1 of compressed gas is connected via a choke 15 with the cylinder 13 of the pneumatic power device 5. The apparatus is also fitted with a check valve 16 connected in parallel with choke 15 so that the air can flow only from cylinder 13 of the pneumatic power device 5 to ' the reservoir 1 of compressed gas. Choke 15 and check valve 16 are in fact, accommodated in a cover 17 separating the reservoir 1 from the cylinder 13, but, for ease of illustration of the principle of operation, the choke 15 and check valve 16 are shown only in general outline remote from the cover 17 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Compressed air is directly supplied to reservoir 1 through a pipe 18. From the reservoir 1 the air flows to cylinder 13 of the power device 5 through the choke 15, which is proportioned so that the air pressure in cylinder 13 does not cause movement of the piston 4 until the air pressure in reservoir 1 has attained a required valve. As soon as piston 4 is raised the valve head 3 lifts thus quickly uncovering the outlet port in reservoir 1, and a sudden spurt of air flow through the outlet nozzle follows. The pressure in the compressed gas reservoir 1 drops thus causing the air to begin flowing out of cylinder 13 to the reservoir 1, mainly through check valve 16 and to a lesser degree through choke 15. Return spring 8 causes the piston 4 to move to a position in which the valve head 3 closes the outlet of the gas reservoir 1. The working cycle is automatically repeated as long as the compressed air is supplied to the apparatus. The working efficiency of the apparatus, as described in each embodiment, is further improved by providing a spring element 19 (Fig. 3) between the valve head 3 and the stem 6. In this case, first the spring element becomes strained when the outlet of reservoir 1 is open, until the moment when a force pulling the stem 6 overcomes the air pressure force acting upon the face of head 3; the head 3 is then suddenly lifted out of the outlet port of reservoir 1 and the outlet is quickly opened. Thus, opening of the outlet of compressed gas reservoir is considerably speeded up thus improving the working efficiency of the apparatus. An advantage of the apparatus hereinbefore described is that a large amount of air can be introduced into the storage bin within a short time thus producing an effective and high-energy pulse of introduced gas. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Apparatus for use in cleaning storage bins, comprising a reservoir of compressed gas with an outlet provided with a nozzle to be fixed in the wall of a storage bin containing bulk material, and closable by means of a valve head linked by means of a stem with an actuator of a pneumatic power device and urged by resilient means into the outlet-closing position, said reservoir being connected with a cylinder of the pneumatic power device by way of a choke and a check valve connected in parallel with said choke.