GB2155913A

GB2155913A - Means for emptying a transport and/or storage container

Info

Publication number: GB2155913A
Application number: GB08506845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raimo Kaukinen
Original assignee: KONE KAUKINEN AY
Current assignee: KONE KAUKINEN AY
Priority date: 1984-03-15
Filing date: 1985-03-15
Publication date: 1985-10-02
Also published as: FI68027B; SE8501227D0; FI68027C; SE455495B; FI841048A0; NO165229B; NO165229C; GB8506845D0; GB2155913B; DK112585D0; SE8501227L; DK112585A; NO850974L

Abstract

A means for emptying a container, especially a large bag (9), comprises a tubular element (1) having a cutter portion (2), a socket element (3), which is equipped with an outer thread (4), and at least one flange element (5). The means consisting of the parts (1,3,5) is pushed by using the cutter portion through the wall of the container (9), screwed into its final position and then locked by means of the flange portion (5), whereby the edge portion of the opening in the wall is wedged between the flange portion (5) and the thread (4). The tubular element is further provided with closing means (7), and may be withdrawn from the element (3) to which a cap is then fitted. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Means for emptying a transport andlor storage container The invention relates to means for emptying a transport and/or storage container, especially a large bag, consisting of a tubular element, at one end of which there is a cutter portion, for enabling the means to be pushed through the wall of the transport and/or storage container to be emptied.

At present, large bags are often used as transport and storage containers. As an example of use of such large bags can be mentioned transportation and storage of agricultural fertilizers. In practice, large bags have proved to be advantageous means, but disadvantages have been found in connection with handling these bags. The greatest disadvantage appears when a bag is emptied. The difficulties relating to the emptying are caused by the size of large bags, the weight of a filled bag can e.g. be 600 kg, and therefore said bags cannot be emptied in a normal way through the mouth by tipping by hand.

Different methods have been developed for emptying bags. The most common method is to make a hole in the wall of the bag by means of a knife or some other sharp-edged tool, whereby the material inside the bag runs out through the hole. The inconvenience caused by this method is the difficulty to control the material running out. Another disadvantage is that it is not easy to close the bag after a hole has been made in the wall and therefore the whole contents in the most cases must be used all at once and the bag cannot be used afterwards for storage of any other material.

Additionally, there are various support constructions known in this technical field, on which support constructions large bags can be lifted with their mouth portion upwards or downwards. When the mouth portion is downwards, the contents are emptied by opening the string closing the mouth portion. When the mouth portion is upwards, the emptying is carried out by piercing through the wall of the bag by means of some sharp-edged tool. The disadvantage of these arrangements is the complexity and the need of extra constructions.

It is also relatively difficult to control the emptying and the bag can hardly be reused because of the hole in the wall.

The object of the invention is to provide emptying means, by which the disadvantages in question can be eliminated in a simple and, as to the costs, advantageous way.

This has been achieved by using the means according to the invention characterized in that the means consists of a socket portion, which is equipped with an outer thread and can be arranged around a tubular element, and of at least one flange portion, which is equipped with a central opening and can be arranged on the thread of the socket portion, and in that the means is arranged to be turned by means of the thread of the socket portion into its final portion with respect to the wall of the transport and/or storage container and to be locked into this position by turning the flange portion so that the edge portion of the opening in the wall is wedged between the edge of the central opening in the flange portion and the thread of the socket portion.

The advantage of the invention is its simplicity and therefore the manufacturing costs of the equipment are extremely advantageous. By means of the invention, large bags can be reused after the emptying and therefore the usability of the bags is improved and the amount of wastes is reduced.

The contents of a large bag can be taken into use in small batches and the bag can in between be moved quite freely, since the bag can be closed tightly, when the contents of the bag are not needed.

The invention will be described closer below means of an advantageous embodiment shown in the drawing, whereby Figures 1-6 illustrate parts of the means according to the invention separately from each other, Figure 7 shows the means according to the invention mounted in its place, and Figure 8 shows the means of the invention when a bag is reused after the emptying.

In the Figures, the reference numeral 1 relates to a tubular element, at one end of which there is a cutter portion 2. The reference numeral 3 relates to a socket portion, the external surface of which is provided with a thread 4. The numeral 5 again refers to a flange portion with a central opening 6.

The closing means of the tubular element is marked by the reference numeral 7 and the closing means to be fastened to the socket portion 3 is marked by the numeral 8. A transport and/or storage container, e.g. a larg bag, is in principle marked by the numeral 9 in Figures 7 and 8.

Consequently, the means according to the invention consists of the parts shown in the Figures 1-6.

The tubular element 1 is arranged to pass through the socket portion 3 and is fastened to the socket portion 3. The flange portion 5 again is fastened to the socket portion 3 by placing the central opening at the threads 4 of the socket portion and by turning the flange portion 5, until it stops at the other end of the threads 4 (at the left end in Figure 3). It shall be noted that the Figures show both a front view and a side view of the flange portion 5. The closing means 7 of the tubular element 1 is placed into its closing position. In the embodiment of the Figures, this can be carried out by pushing the closing means 7 into a slit 10 in the tubular element 1.

Said means for emptying a transport and/or storage container is pushed by using the cutter portion 2 through the wall of the container in question, e.g.

a large bag 9, until the wall of the large bag comes into contact with the first end of the thread (the end to the right in the Figures). The following step is to turn the means, whereby the means is moved axially forward by means of the threads 4 on the socket portion 3, whereby the wall of the large bag 9 finally comes into contact with the surface of the flange portion 5 facing the large bag 9. The means can be locked in its place by turning the flange portion 5 so that it moves by means of the thread 4 towards the wall of the large bag 9 (e.g. to the right in Figure 7), whereby the edge of the opening made in the wall of the large bag 9 is wedged between the edge of the central opening 6 in the flange portion 5 and the thread 4 on the socket portion 3. In this way, a safe locking and an efficient sealing are provided.To ensure that the wall material of the large bag 9 most easily gets between the edge of the central opening 6 and the thread 4, the edge of the centre opening 6 can be provided with a step or alike, if needed. By means of the steps described above, the means of the invention can be fastened to the wall of the large bag 9, whereby the bag is ready to be emptied by using of the means of the invention. A situation enabling the emptying is shown in Figure 7. The emptying itself can then occur by drawing the closing means 7 away from the slit 10, whereby the material inside the large bag runs out from the large bag 9 through the tubular element 1. The emptying can be interrupted at any time by pushing the closing means 7 back into the slit 10. Consequently, the emptying procedure is all the time completely controlled and safe.

After the large bag 9 has been emptied, the tubular element 1 can be loosened from the socket portion 3 and drawn out from the inside of the socket portion 3. The socket portion 3 then remains fastened to the large bag. Thereafter, the socket portion 3 can be closed by means of closing means 8 shown in Figures 2 and 8. The closing means 8 can for instance be a closing cap, as described in the Figures. Figure 8 especially illustrates a situation, when the hole made in the wall of a large bag 9 has been closed, whereby the bag can be used for other transport and/or storage purposes.

The closing of the socket portion 3 can advantageously be materialized by at first placing e.g. a plastic film at the outer end (the left end in Figure 8) of the socket portion 3, which film is fastened to the socket portion by means of e.g. an elastic 0ring 12. The closing means 8 is then placed on the plastic film to protect it from mechanical stress.

The closing means 8 can thereafter be locked in its place by using a suitable means 11, e.g. a groove made on the socket portion. A refilled large bag 9 can then be emptied in a very advantageous manner by removing the closing means 8 and by pushing the tubular element 1 through the plastic film mentioned above into the position shown in Figure 7, whereby the emptying can be reaiized as described above. It shall be noted that the reuse in question, i.e. closing and emptying, is possible over and over again, because the parts of the equipment can easily be made very durable.

The embodiment described above is by no means intended to restrict the invention, but the invention can be modified within the scope of the claims attached in many different ways. In these circumstances, the tubular element can be arranged in the socket portion either stationarily or detachably. The shape of the different parts of the equipment can also differ from the shape illustrated by the Figures. The closing means can also be materialized in some other suitable manner.

The tubular element 1 can be connected with any suitable hose, chute etc. When a large bag 9 is reused, another flange portion can be turned on the thread 4 of the socket portion 3 within the bag, if needed, whereby the wall of the large bag remains between the two flanges. The strength properties are then extremely advantageous. The closing means 8 can be of any type, e.g. a construction according to the closing means 7. The number of the cutting blades in the cutter portion 2 is by no means restricted, e.g. a cutter portion provided with two oppositely placed cutting blades is very advantageous in use.

Claims

1. Means for emptying a transport and/or storage container, especially a large bag, consisting of a tubular element (1), at one end of which there is a cutter portion (2), for enabling the means to be pushed through the wall of the transport and/or storage container (9) to be emptied, characterized in that the means consists of a socket portion (3), which is equipped with an outer thread (4) and can be arranged around a tubular element (1), and of at least one flange portion (5), which is equipped with a central opening (6) and can be arranged on the thread (4) of the socket portion (3), and in that the means is arranged to be turned by means of the thread (4) of the socket portion (3) into its final position with respect to the wall of the transport and/or storage container (9) and to be locked into this position by turning the flange portion (5) so that the edge portion of the opening in the wall is wedged between the edge of the central opening (6) in the flange portion (5) and the thread (4) of the socket portion (3).

2. Means according to claim 1, characterized in that the socket portion (3) is detachably arranged in the tubular element (1).

3. Means according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tubular element (1) is provided with closing means (7).

4. Means according to any of the preceding ciaims, characterized in that the socket portion (3) is provided with means (11, 12) for fastening of closing means (8) and a closing film.

5. Means for emptying a transport and/or storage container substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.