GB2334507A

GB2334507A - Materials handling bucket

Info

Publication number: GB2334507A
Application number: GB9803508A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Allen David Lovell
Original assignee: HOBDAY NIGEL WILLIAM; LOVELL PAUL MARTIN; QUARRY DOWN
Current assignee: HOBDAY NIGEL WILLIAM; LOVELL PAUL MARTIN; QUARRY DOWN
Priority date: 1998-02-20
Filing date: 1998-02-20
Publication date: 1999-08-25
Also published as: GB9803508D0

Abstract

A materials handling bucket includes an openable bottom 6 and a mechanism for opening said bottom, wherein said mechanism is contained within the scantlings eg within the body of said bucket, at least when said bucket is closed. A shield 21, which may be constructed as an inverted channel member (also 21 Fig.2), can be provided to protect the mechanism from damage by materials being handled. In one embodiment the openable bottom is constructed as a pair of flaps 15 and a further embodiment provides hook means 33 for suspending a materials collection bag eg a Big Bag, below said bucket (see Fig.4). Brackets 34 with eye means for attachment of said bucket to a front end loader or further means for attachment to an overhead gantry may be provided. The opening mechanism may comprise an hydraulic actuator 24 attached at one end to a cross pin 23 and at the other to corresponding pairs of links 25 and bosses 27, operating therethrough to open the flaps 15. The bucket may include a reinforced edge 30 for digging into materials to be handled (see Fig.3). Mounting the opening mechanism within the bucket provides protection from external damage when in use.

Description

MATERIALS HANDLING BUCKET The present invention relates to a materials handling bucket, particularly though not exclusively for use in filling containers.

Building materials, such as sand and ballast, have conventionally been delivered to building sites in bulk and tipped on the ground where required. This is no longer acceptable in large cities, where material must be delivered in a container. The type of container used is generally a so-called "big bag" Materials, such as building materials, are usually handled with "loaders", which term is used in this specification to mean a wheeled vehicle having one or more arms to which a bucket can be connected via a linkage enabling the bucket to be tipped for filling and emptying. It is known for buckets to be provided with openable bottoms for emptying of their contents through the bottom.

European Patent Specification No. 0,376,942, describes a bucket for a loader with hooks for a big bag and an openable closure at the bottom of the bucket. With the bucket full and the bag suspended from it, the closure is opened to fill the bag.

The filled bag can be handled, and particularly loaded onto a lorry, by the loader.

This bucket has its closure means exposed outside the bucket, where it is vulnerable to damage in use.

The object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved materials handling bucket, particularly for loading containers.

According to the invention there is provided a materials handling bucket having an openable bottom and a mechanism for opening the bottom of the bucket, the mechanism being contained within the scantlings of the bucket at least when the bottom is closed.

Provision of the mechanism within the bucket protects it from external damage, such as from collision.

To provide protection from damage by the materials being handled, for instance by abrasion, the mechanism is preferably shielded. In the preferred embodiment, the shield is an invert channel member, in which the mechanism is housed. The openable bottom comprises a pair of flaps, hinged at their outer edges to the bucket and linked to an actuator arranged in the shield above the joint line of the flaps.

Usually the bucket will have means, such as hooks, for suspension of a "big bag" below the bucket; although it is envisaged that the bucket may find application in loading other containers, not requiring suspension from the bucket.

Whilst the bucket will normally be provided with eyes for connection to a front end loader, its eyes or other attachment means may be arranged for attaching the bucket to other equipment, such as an overhead gantry. Usually it will be provided with a reinforced edge for digging into materials to be handled.

Preferably the bucket has a predetermined volume, whereby when filled level at its top, it contains the predetermined volume, so that it can be used for metering material such as building materials.

To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side view on the line l-l in Figure 2 of a bucket according to the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional front view on the line ll-ll in Figure 1 of the bucket, Figure 3 is a side view of the bucket fitted to a loader and being filled and Figure 4 is a similar view of the bucket filling a big bag, which is about to be loaded onto a lorry.

The bucket shown in the drawings has a flat fi-ont and rear 1,2 of steel plate, each having an in-turned lower end 3,4. The front and rear plates taper from the open mouth 5 of the bucket towards its bottom 6. These plates 1,2 are welded to side plates 7,8, which also have in-turned lower ends 9,10. The edges of the ends 3,4,9,10 define a rectangular aperture 11.

The front and rear lower ends 3,4 are reinforced by hinge plates 12,13 welded to them with hinge pin sockets 14 welded outside the plates. Two openable bottom plates 15 have complementary hinge pin sockets 16, hinge pins 17 connecting plates to the body of the bucket. The plates 12,13 are more extensive than the aperture 11 and are arranged to abut at their distal edges when closed across the aperture.

Within the bucket, an invert channel 21 is welded between the front and back plates, with its open bottom 22 level with the edges of the ends 3,4,9,10. It carries a cross-pin 23 with a hydraulic actuator 24 extending down from the pin. Two links 25 are pivotally connected from a knuckle 26 at the distal end of the rod of the actuator to bosses 27 on the openable bottom plates 15. Thus the actuator can draw the plates up into their closed position in abutment with the channel bottom 22, with the links 25 and bosses 27 within the channel, or pivot them down to an angled open position, see Figure 4. Pipes 28 for the actuator pass out of the channel via a slot 29 in the rear plate 2. It will be appreciated that this mechanism for opening the bottom plates 15 is completely contained within the scantlings of the bucket and protected from damage by collision of the bucket with anything. The actuator and the links are also protected by the invert channel from abrasion by the material loaded into the bucket.

The front 1 of the bucket has a reinforcing plate 30 at its rim for digging into a pile 40 of material to be loaded. At the bottom of the front, in front of the in-turned end 3, the front has a further reinforcing plate 31 welded on via brackets 32. This plate protects the fi-ont hinge 14, 16,1 7 and the corresponding edge of the front bottom plate 15.

Other components of the bucket are a set of four hooks 33, for the handling loops 41 of a big bag 43, and linkage brackets 34 welded to the back plate 2 for connection of the bucket to an ann 44 of a loader 45.

In use, with the bottom closed, the bucket is tipped forward to dig material to be loaded, as shown in Figure 3. The bucket is brought upright and the material levelled - by gentle shaking. A big bag is hooked on and the bucket lifted with the bag. The bottom is then opened as shown in Figure 4. Side plates 35 welded onto the top of the bottom plates 15 control the material from spilling out sideways as the bottom is opened. Once the contents of the bucket has been transferred into the big bag 43, the latter can be lifted onto the bed 46 of a lorry. The hooks 33 are set at a shallow angle whereby once the bag has been set down, reversing of the loader with draws them from bags' loops 41.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A materials handling bucket having an openable bottom and a mechanism for opening the bottom of the bucket, wherein the mechanism is contained within the scantlings of the bucket at least when the bottom is closed.
2. A materials handling bucket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanism is shielded to provide protection from damage by the materials being handles.
3. A materials handling bucket as claimed in claim 2, wherein the shield is an invert channel member for housing the mechanism.
4. A materials handling bucket as claimed in claim 3, wherein the openable bottom comprises a pair of flaps, hinged at their outer edges to the bucket and linked to an actuator arranged in the shield above the joint line of the flaps.
5. A materials handling bucket as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bucket includes means for suspension of a "big bag" below the bucket.
6. A materials handling bucket as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bucket is provided with eyes for connection to a front end loader.
7. A materials handling bucket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the bucket includes attachment means to attachment to an overhead gantry.
8. A materials handling bucket as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bucket includes an reinforced edge for digging into materials to be handled.
9. A materials handling bucket as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bucket has a predetermined volume, to enable it to be used for metering materials.
10. A materials handling bucket substantially as hereinbefore described with reference figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.