GB1597626A - Store for particulate or granular material - Google Patents

Description

(54) STORE FOR PARTICULATE OR GRANULAR MATERIAL (71) We, MARLEY BUILDINGS LIM ITED, a British Company of Guildford, Surrey, GU3 1 LS, England, 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 is concerned with a store for particulate or granular material.

It has been known for many years to provide.fuel bunkers and gravel stores made up from prefabricated concrete panels. While the concrete panels themselves are weather resistant, it is difficult to adequately seal the joint lines between adjacent panels. In addition, to provide adequate strength it is necessary for the panels to be thick and consequently very heavy.

According to the present invention there is provided a store for particulate or granular material comprising a lower portion having a base with integral upstanding sides and an upper portion having a top with an aperture providing access to the interior of the store and integral downwardly directed sides which mate with the upstanding sides of the lower portion, the upper and lower portions being moulded from glass reinforced hydraulic cement, the aperture in the top being closed by a lid.

The store of the invention is designed particularly to take advantage of the properties of glass reinforced hydraulic cement.

This material may be moulded by techniques analagous to those used for glass reinforced plastics, but has more advantageous structural properties for many applications e.g., where greater impact resistance and rigidity are required. Also glass reinforced hydraulic cement structures of equal strength to those made from conventional concrete exhibit significant savings in weight.

For use as a fuel store, one of the upstanding sides of the lower portion is preferably provided with a closeable aperture for the removal of fuel, for example by a shovel. In the case of a store used, for example, for grain or gravel or grit, access through the aperture in the top may be sufficient. When an access aperture is provided in the lower portion, the store is preferably provided internally with an antispill plate over the aperture to prevent direct vertical access of the stored material to the aperture. The angle of repose adopted by the stored material under gravity commences at the edge of the anti-spill plate and is spaced inwardly of the aperture by a sufficient distance so that stored material does not spill through the apeture.

In a preferred embodiment, the anti-spill plate is formed integrally with a panel containing the access aperture and the panel is fixed in a cut out portion in one upstanding side of the lower portion. The panel may also be provided with an integral wather shield extending around the periphery of the aperture, and the weather shield may be used for mounting a hinged door for the aperture.

The door may be hinged from the upper edge of the weather shield and is preferably arranged so that when lifted to a horizontal position it remains in the horizontal position while material is removed from the store.

One method of achieving this effect is described in more detail in the following description Further advantageous features of the invention will be apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, making reference to the accompanying drawing which shows an exploded isometric view of a fuel store.

Referring to the drawings, a fuel store in accordance with the invention comprises a lower portion consisting of a base having integral upstanding sides 2 one of which 2a has a cut out portion adapted to receive a panel 3 which has an integrally formed antispill plate 4 and weather shield 5 and contains an access aperture 6 for removal of fuel from the store. The store further comprises an upper portion consisting of a top 7 with integrally formed downwardly depending sides 8. A recessed flange 9 on the sides 8 is engagable inside a complementary flange 10 on the sides 2 so as to locate the upper portion of the store on the lower portion and provide a weather-proof seal between the two portions. The top 7 has an acess apeture 11 through which the store may be filled, and the aperture 11 is provided with a hinge lid 12. The lower access aperture 6 is provided with a hinged door 13.

As mentioned above, for some applications the lower access aperture 6 may not be required, and for such applications the panel 3 may be replaced by a blank panel to seal the cut out portion in the side 2a.

The upper and lower portions of the fuel store are each formed in one piece by spraying a slurry of glass fibres, hydraulic cement, sand and water onto the internal surfaces of a mould, followed by hand rolling to consolidate and compact the deposited material. In a suitable formulation, chopped alkali resistant glass rovings form approximately 5% weight of the mixture with sand and cement, the latter being present in a weight ratio of approximately 1:2, said:cement. A deposited layer of approximately 8mm is formed to give suitable strength to the structure.

The sides 2 and 8 diverge outwardly with respect to the base 1 and top 4 respectively to allow easy removal of the hardened glass fibre/cement article from the mould and also so tht the upper and lower portions can be nested. The panel 3 is also moulded in one piece by spraying a similar slurry on to an appropriately formed mould surface. The lid 12 and door 13 may be formed from steel sheet, preferably galvanised or coated with an appropriate plastics material. Alternatively they may be formed wholly from a plastics material.

The side 2a of the lower portion which has a cut out corresponding to the aperture 6 in the panel 3 has slightly recessed surfaces to receive the panel 3 so that the external face of panel 3 is flush with the external surface of side 2a and to provide a weather seal to the joint lines. The panel 3 is held in position by bolts which pass through the recessed portion of the panel 2a. The anti-spill plate 4 is directed downwardly into the interior of the fuel store so that there can be no build up of fuel on the anti-spill plate when the level of the fuel in the store drops below the level of the anti-spill plate.

The door 13 is folded from an apertured metal sheet as shown in the drawings so as to provide side pieces 14 each with an elongated mounting aperture 15 through which is passed a pivot bar 16 which is supported in appropriately positioned holes at the upper end of the weather shield 5 and.held in position by spring clips 17 pressed on the ends of the pivot bar 16. The door 13 hangs freely vertically on the pivot bar 16, but when it is lifted to the horizontal position it may be pushed towards the interior of the fuel store with the pivot bare,l6 sliding along the aperture 15. The dozy 13 is pushed into the fuel store until it engages the under surface of the anti-spill plate 4, and the door is then held in the horizontal position while fuel is removed from the store.The door is then pulled horizontally outwardly until the pivot bar 16 engages the end of the elongate aperture 15, and the door is then free to pivot to its original vertical position.

To prevent unauthorised removal of the fuel a hasp 18 is provided on the door 13 for engagement with a staple (not shown) attached to the weather shield 5. The hasp and staple may be secured with a palock.

The lid 12 is provided with three downwardly directed edges 19 which overlap the sides of the aperture 1 to provide a weather seal. The side edges are formed into lugs 20 by which the lid is hinged to the upper portion of the fuel store. To provide a weather seal on the fourth edge 21 of the lid 12 this edge overlaps the top 7. The overlapped portion of the top 7 is formed with a groove 22 to collect rain running off the edge 21 of the lid. This groove also collects any water which runs off the lid when it is lifted.

The lid may be locked by a padlock used with hasp 23 and bolt 24 fixed respectively to the lid 12 and front side 8.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, by means of the present invention it is possible to provide a fuel store which is exceptionally weather resistant due to the integrally formed sides and base of the lower portion and top and sides of the upper portion and by providing overlapping surfaces at the remaining joint lines and the access apertures.

To provide variation in storage capacity of the fuel store without over-multiplication of the number of component parts, upper portions of varying height may be moulded to fit a single standard lower portion, or alternatively rectangular sleeve portions of various heights may be provided for insertion between the lower and upper portions. Typically, the different sized members adapted to mate with the standard base will be arranged to provide capacities of 250kg and 750kg of coal.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A store for particulate or granular material comprising a lower portion having a base with integral upstanding sides and an upper portion having a top with an aperture providing access to the interior of the store and integral downwardly directed sides which mate with the upstanding sides of the lower portion, the upper and lower portions being moulded from glass reinforced hydrau lic cement, the aperture in the top being closed by a lid.

2. A store according to claim 1 in which the sides of the upper and lower portions diverge outwardly from the top and base

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

Claims (9)

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

   two portions. The top 7 has an acess apeture 11 through which the store may be filled, and the aperture 11 is provided with a hinge lid 12. The lower access aperture 6 is provided with a hinged door 13.

   As mentioned above, for some applications the lower access aperture 6 may not be required, and for such applications the panel 3 may be replaced by a blank panel to seal the cut out portion in the side 2a.

   The upper and lower portions of the fuel store are each formed in one piece by spraying a slurry of glass fibres, hydraulic cement, sand and water onto the internal surfaces of a mould, followed by hand rolling to consolidate and compact the deposited material. In a suitable formulation, chopped alkali resistant glass rovings form approximately 5% weight of the mixture with sand and cement, the latter being present in a weight ratio of approximately 1:2, said:cement. A deposited layer of approximately 8mm is formed to give suitable strength to the structure.

   The sides 2 and 8 diverge outwardly with respect to the base 1 and top 4 respectively to allow easy removal of the hardened glass fibre/cement article from the mould and also so tht the upper and lower portions can be nested. The panel 3 is also moulded in one piece by spraying a similar slurry on to an appropriately formed mould surface. The lid 12 and door 13 may be formed from steel sheet, preferably galvanised or coated with an appropriate plastics material. Alternatively they may be formed wholly from a plastics material.

   The side 2a of the lower portion which has a cut out corresponding to the aperture 6 in the panel 3 has slightly recessed surfaces to receive the panel 3 so that the external face of panel 3 is flush with the external surface of side 2a and to provide a weather seal to the joint lines. The panel 3 is held in position by bolts which pass through the recessed portion of the panel 2a. The anti-spill plate 4 is directed downwardly into the interior of the fuel store so that there can be no build up of fuel on the anti-spill plate when the level of the fuel in the store drops below the level of the anti-spill plate.

   The door 13 is folded from an apertured metal sheet as shown in the drawings so as to provide side pieces 14 each with an elongated mounting aperture 15 through which is passed a pivot bar 16 which is supported in appropriately positioned holes at the upper end of the weather shield 5 and.held in position by spring clips 17 pressed on the ends of the pivot bar 16. The door 13 hangs freely vertically on the pivot bar 16, but when it is lifted to the horizontal position it may be pushed towards the interior of the fuel store with the pivot bare,l6 sliding along the aperture 15. The dozy 13 is pushed into the fuel store until it engages the under surface of the anti-spill plate 4, and the door is then held in the horizontal position while fuel is removed from the store.The door is then pulled horizontally outwardly until the pivot bar 16 engages the end of the elongate aperture 15, and the door is then free to pivot to its original vertical position.

   To prevent unauthorised removal of the fuel a hasp 18 is provided on the door 13 for engagement with a staple (not shown) attached to the weather shield 5. The hasp and staple may be secured with a palock.

   The lid 12 is provided with three downwardly directed edges 19 which overlap the sides of the aperture 1 to provide a weather seal. The side edges are formed into lugs 20 by which the lid is hinged to the upper portion of the fuel store. To provide a weather seal on the fourth edge 21 of the lid

   12 this edge overlaps the top 7. The overlapped portion of the top 7 is formed with a groove 22 to collect rain running off the edge 21 of the lid. This groove also collects any water which runs off the lid when it is lifted.

   The lid may be locked by a padlock used with hasp 23 and bolt 24 fixed respectively to the lid 12 and front side 8.

   As will be seen from the foregoing description, by means of the present invention it is possible to provide a fuel store which is exceptionally weather resistant due to the integrally formed sides and base of the lower portion and top and sides of the upper portion and by providing overlapping surfaces at the remaining joint lines and the access apertures.

   To provide variation in storage capacity of the fuel store without over-multiplication of the number of component parts, upper portions of varying height may be moulded to fit a single standard lower portion, or alternatively rectangular sleeve portions of various heights may be provided for insertion between the lower and upper portions. Typically, the different sized members adapted to mate with the standard base will be arranged to provide capacities of 250kg and 750kg of coal.

   WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A store for particulate or granular material comprising a lower portion having a base with integral upstanding sides and an upper portion having a top with an aperture providing access to the interior of the store and integral downwardly directed sides which mate with the upstanding sides of the lower portion, the upper and lower portions being moulded from glass reinforced hydrau lic cement, the aperture in the top being closed by a lid.
2. 2. A store according to claim 1 in which the sides of the upper and lower portions diverge outwardly from the top and base

   respectively.
3. 3. A store according to claim 1 or 2 in which one of the upstanding sides of the lower portion has a closable aperture.
4. 4. A store according to claim 3 comprising an anti-spill plate mounted within the store and above the closable aperture of the lower portion.
5. 5. A store according to claim 6 in which one of the sides of the lower portion has a cut-out portion in which is positioned a panel containing the closable aperture and having the anti-spill plate formed integrally therewith.
6. 6. A store according to claim 5 in which a weather shield is formed around the aperture integrally with the panel.
7. 7. A store according to any one of claims 3 to 6 in which the closable aperture has a door pivoted so as to retain a horizontal position when lifted.
8. 8. A store according to any one of claims I to 7 in which the top has a drainage groove adjacent and parallel to the pivot axis of a lid hinged to the top and overlapped by the lid.
9. 9. A store according to claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.