GB2260759A

GB2260759A - An outlet pipe for a bag

Info

Publication number: GB2260759A
Application number: GB9221771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice Frederick Goymer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-08-25
Filing date: 1990-04-12
Publication date: 1993-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 2010-04-12
Also published as: GB2260759B; GB9221771D0; GB9008340D0; GB2245883A; GB2245883B; GB8919367D0

Description

2'1, 1 AN OUTLET PIPE FOR A BAG The invention relates to an outlet pipe

for a bag According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an outlet pipe for a bag, the pipe including adjacent the outer end thereof at least one locating lug.

The or each locating lug prevents the pipe from twisting with respect to the bag and hence keens the pipe in the position of maximum internal diameter and prevents twisting stresses being imposed on the pipe.

The pipe preferably also includes at the inner end thereof at least one further locating lug.

Preferably, a barrier for preventing outflow through the pipe is provided withir the outer end of the pipe and over the bore thereof. The barrier may take any suitable form but preferably takes the form of a membrane. A protective member may be provided in front of the membrane. The protective member may be provided inside the bore of the pipe and preferably the internal bore of the pipe is screw threaded and the protective member includes complementary screw threads.

2 According to another aspect of the invention, there is an outlet pipe for a bag according to the previously described aspect of the invention and including any of the preferred features mentioned in relation thereto, the outlet pipe being arranged to extend between the interior and exterior of a container for the bag and the container including a complementary recess arranged to receive the or each locating lug.

Preferably, the container includes a pallet base and the outlet pipe -iarranged to extend through a bore in an upright or block of the palletHolding means is preferably provided for holding the or each outer locating lug in its complementary recess and the means preferably comprises a member ha-ing, an internal screw thread which is arranaed to be screw threaded onto an externally screw threaded portion adjacent the outer end of the pipe so as to abut the outside of the container. Means is preferably also provided for preventing movement of the pipe out of the container. The means preferably comprises a shoulder adjacent the outer end of the pipe which abuts a portion of the container.

The pipe may be a separate article suitably connected 3 to a bag, but preferably is integral with the bag.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the container; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base of the container; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the base; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the base; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a side panel of the embodiment; Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the embodiment, and Fig. 7 is an elevation in partial cross-section of th outlet pipe of the embodiment.

The container 50 of the embodiment comprises five panels 51 mounted on a pallet 52 to form a box in th shape of a cube.

e 4 The pallet 52 is in the same shape as a conventional pallet but is moulded from Plastics material. Around the edges of the upper surface of the pallet are grooves 53, 54. The grooves 53 on two opposite sides of the pallet are straight sided and the other two grooves 54 have a narrow entrance neck 55 as shown in phantom in Fig.7 so that they are able to form a sliding connection with an elongate projection on the lower edge of a side panel 51, the projection 56 including a narrow neck 57 leading to a larger head 58 which is received in the lower part of the groove 54 so that a side panel is prevented from moving upwardly out of the groove.

Sliding connections of this type are formed between each of the side panels. Once the side panels have been connected to each other, the two opposite side panels including elongate projections 56 are slid into the grooves 54. The lower edges of the other two side panels 51 are plain and arranged to be received in the straight sided grooves 53. Overcentre clamps 59 are used to clamp the plain edged side panels to the pallet.

The fifth panel 51 is a lid 60. The upper edges of two opposite side panels 51 include grooves 54 for forming a sliding connection with downwardly facing elongate projections 56 provided on the underside of the lid 60 adjacent opposite edges thereof. The upper edge of one of the other side panels 51 is provided with a straight sided groove 53 which is arranged to receive an edge of the lid 60. The fourth edge of the lid 60 is secured to its adjacent side panel by overcentre clamps 59.

Fig.8 shows the connections at each edge of the container and in the Figure:- "S" indicates a sliding connection "G" indicates a straight edged groove connection, and "C" indicates a connection only using clamps.

The pallet 52 includes nine uprights 61 between its base 62 and upper part 63. one upright 01 is provided in each corner of the pallet, one upright 61 is arranged centrally and the remaining four uprights are provided one at each edge of the pallet substantially centrally with respect thereto. An outlet bore 64 is defined in one of the central edge uprights 01, the inner end of the outlet bore 64 is defined in the floor of the container and the outlet end is defined in the outer vertical face of the upright 61. A hinged cover 65 is provided to protect the outer end of the outlet bore in use.

6 In use, items may be stored within the container either alone or inside a flexible lining bag, the latter being particularly useful for liquids or powders. The lining will include an outlet pipe 70 extending therefrom in a position to run through the outlet bore 64. As the outlet bore 54 is in the floor of the container, little if any residue will be left in the container after emptying through the outlet bore 64. In an alternative embodiment, the floor of the container instead of being flat is sloped down towards the outlet bore 64 to ensure that all of the powder or liquid flows out thouch the bore 64. The inside surfaces of the panels 51 are smooth and free from proliections and, as shown in Fig.7, the connections at the edges of the oanels 51 are flusland thus there is no ris'Z'-- of any inner f lexi b! e I -i- Ing bag becoming damaged by the interior of the container.

The outlet pipe 70 is shown in Fig.9. At its inner end, the outlet pipe 70 includes a shoulder 71 which is received in a complementary counterbore 72 at the entrance to the outlet bore 64. A locating lug 773 extends downwardly from the shoulder 71 and is received in a recess in the floor of the con.tainer. similar shoulder 74 and locating lug 75 are provided at the outer end of the pipe 70. The shoulder 74 7 forms the front of a collar 76 provided on the outlet pipe 70 and abuts a shoulder on the container where the outlet bore 64 narrows to a diameter closer to that of the outlet pipe 70. The narrower diameter outer part 77 of the outlet bore 64 includes a groove 78 for receiving the locating lug 75. The part 79 of the outlet pipe subsequent to the shoulder 74 includes both external and internal screw threads. A barrier membrane 80 is also provided adjacent the end of the outlet pipe and extends across the bore. The barrier membrane 80 prevents the contents of a flexible lining bag from leaving the bag through the outlet pipe 70. The barrier membrane 80 is protected from damage from external sources in use by an externally screw threaded plug 81 which is screwed into the outlet pipe 70 in front of the barrier membrane 80. The outer end 79 of the outlet pipe 70 receives on its external screw threads an internally screw threaded securing ring 82. The securing ring 82 is received in a counterbore 83 in the container so that the outlet does not project from the container and the hinged cover 65 lies flush with the side of pallet.

In use, to empty the container of granular or liquid content, the plug 81 is first unscrewed and the membrane 80 must then be broken. This may be done with a drain tap 84 in the form of a thin walled 8 cylindrical tube having an axially projecting blade 85 at one end. When the blade 85 is screwed into contact with the membrane 80, it will cut around its circumference. A method may be used to ensure that the membrane 80 is not completely detached from the outlet pipe 70 so that it undesirably is carried out of the outlet pipe 70 with the contents of the container. This may involve providing a stop or a marking on the drain tap 84 which will inform an operator when the blade 85 has cut a sufficient distance around the circumference of the membrane 800, such as, for example, two thirds of the distance around.

A particular advantage of the invention is the resistance to bursting of a container according to the invention when subjected to a shock load, such as might be experienced if the container were accidentally dropped from a fork lift truck, for example. In particular it is intended that the embodiment should comply with the British Standard No.6939 for intermediate bulk containers for dangerous goods which is based on Chapter 16 of the 1986 United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

In the embodiment, the sliding connection between each 9 of the sides means that any load is spread over the length of the sliding connection and is thus more readily absorbed. Clearly it is impossible -for a box to be constructed with sliding connections at every edge. At two of the lower edges of the container of the embodiment, plain edges of side panels 51 are - f orce received in straight sided grooves 53. A burs. tending to move a side panel 51 so as to bow the panel 51 will be resisted by the outer wall of the groove and any downwards component of the burst force will not be able to bow the rigid pallet base 522 away from the side panels 51. Any tendency for such a force to move a side panel 51 upwards away from the base is resisted by the overcentre clamps 59. It is also not possible for a bag to become squeezed between two panels for example, simply by the weight of the liquid id 60 or powder therewithin. In some instances a 1_1 will not be required and may be omitted. In the embodiment the lid 60 is secured by sliding connections on two sides and by a groove connection on a further side. While the sliding connection as before, will resist any burst force transverse to the edge, the groove connection does not. In the embodiment, the groove connection with the lid 60 prevents the lid 60 from bowing away from the side panel but does not provide any resistance to bowing of the side panel away from the lid and overcentre clamps are thus used to provide this necessary retaining force. As neither a sliding nor a groove connection could be used on the final edge of the container, clamps are provided to resist any burst force.

Figs. 10 to 26 show a second embodiment. The container 100 of the second embodiment comprises a lid 101 and four side panels 117, 121 mounted on a pal-let base 102 to form a rectangular box.

The pallet base 102 comprises a main flat panel part 103 which forms the floor of the box. A rectangular foot 104 depends from each corner of the lower face ofF the floor part 103. Each foot 104 defines therein a downwardly facing recess 105. Further depending feet 106 are provided on the lower face of the floor par', 103, one at each side, mid-way between the corner feet 104, one at the rear, again mid-way between tIne corner feet 104, and one centrally of the floor part 1,033. Centrally at the front of the floor part 103 is defined a circular section through bore 107. At the entrance to the bore 107 on both sides of the floor part 103, the bore 107 is surrounded by an annular shallow recess 108, 109, the recess 109 on the lower face being deeper than that on the upper face. A shoulder 110 mid-way through the bore 107 separates a larger diameter upper section 111 from a smaller 11 diameter lower section 112. On the lower face of the floor part 103 two walls 113 depend on either side of the bore 107. The end 114 of each wall 113 is slanted inwardly. On the upper face of the floor part 103, two channels 115 run adjacent the sides of the floor part 103 from front to rear thereof. Each channel 115 tapers upwardly. Upstanding walls 116 are provided at the front and rear of the upper face of the floor 103 and terminate just short of the channels 115.

The front and rear panels 117 each slant inwardly at their upper and lower edges on their outer faces. The slanted edge 118 at the lower edge of each front or rear panel 117 engages an upstanding wall 116 on the pallet base 10 in the erect container. Along the side edges of each front and rear panel 117 are provided ridges 119 which widen outwardly and are arranged to slide into corresponding channels 120 provided in the inner faces of the side panels 121 to form a dovetail joint. The lower edge of each side panel 121 includes a similar ridge 122 which slides into the channels 115 to form a dovetail joint therewith. The upper edge of each side panel 121 slants inwardly at its outer face. The slanted edges 123 at the upper edges of the front, rear and side panels 117, 121 engage with retaining walls 124 depending as a continuous skirt from the main panel part 125 of the lid 101. On the upper face 12 of the main part 15 of the lid 101 four domes 16 project, one at each corner of the upper face. Each dome 126 tapers upwardly from the u-p-per face initially at one angle and then a more acute angle.

To erect the container 100, the ridges 122 on the lower edges of the side panels 121 are slid into the channels 15. The ridges 119 on the _front and rear panels 117 are then slid into the channels 122-0 in the side panels 1271 and the lid is then placed over the upper edges of the panels 12,17, 1211 with the skirt 124 engaging the slanted edges 1223.

The pallet base 102 is formed as a holiow constant thickness unit and the same construction is used for the panels 117, 121 and lid '01. Each component is produced by a -rotational The second embodiment can be used with a lin-ing bag in the same manner as the first embodiment. a recess (not' shown) being provided in the bore 107 to receive the lug 73 on the pipe 70. The two walls!l") will protect the exposed pipe 70 and the pipe in this case should be dimensioned such that it does not extend downwardly or forwardly of the two walls 113.

While the particular arrangement of sliding and groove 1 11 13 fastenings described is preferred, clearly alternative arrangements are possible.

The panels in the embodiment are of constant thickness, but in alternative embodiments, external ribs may be provided for additional strength.

in one alternative embodiment the lower edges of the panels to be received in grooves include a short projecting lip and a similar lip is provided on the outer edge of the groove. Thus, in use, the pressure from the contents of the container will cause the lips to engage to prevent movement of a panel out of a groove.

14

Claims

1. An outlet pipe for a bag, the pipe includ.ing adJacent the outer end thereof at least one locating lug.

2. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe includes at the inner end thereof at least one further locating lug.

3. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein a barrier for preventing outflow through the pipe is provided within the outer end of the pipe and over the bore thereof.

4. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 3, where-in the barrier takes the form of a membrane.

5. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 4, where-in a protective member is provided in front of the membrane.

1 n,. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 5. wherein the protective member is provided insidee -the bore the p i pe.

7. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 6, wherein the 1 inter.n,t-l bore c-f the pipe is screw threaded and the protective member includes complementary screw threads.

8. An outlet pipe for a bag as claimed in any of clalms ' t,-- '?, the outlet pipe being arranged to extend between the interior and exterior of a container for the bag and the container including a complementar,' recess arranled to receive the or each locating lug.

9. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the container includes a pallet base and the outlet pipe is arranged to extend through a bore in an upright or block of the callet.

10. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein holding means is provided for holding the or each outer locating lug in its complementary recess.

11. An outlet pipe as claimed in claim 10, wherein the holding means comprises a member having an internal screw thread which is arranged to be screw threaded onto an externally screw threaded portion the outer end of the pipe so as ' adiacent t c) abut the outside of the container.

16 19. An outlet pipe as claimed in any of cl-a-ims 8 to 11, where in means is prov ided for prevent in- r.-,cz--ementof the pipe out of the corntalner.

13. An outlet pipe as claimed in:--!aim 12, wherein, the means comprises a shouider adjacent th-eof the pipe which abuts a portion of the container.

An ou'-let pipe as claimed in any of -I 1,33, wherein the pipe is integral with a bric.

1 r_.

J An outlet pipe for a bag substant-fally. as described herein with reference to F(%--.! 1, accompany-ing, drawings.