GB2373495A

GB2373495A - Sand bagging equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2373495A
Application number: GB0106824A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Robert Alexander Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-03-20
Filing date: 2001-03-20
Publication date: 2002-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 2021-03-20
Also published as: GB2373495B; GB0106824D0

Abstract

Apparatus for bagging 48 fluent material comprises a chute 10 having an inlet 12 for receiving the material, two outlets 14 and 16, and diverting means 34 for choosing either one of said outlets 14 or 16 while blocking a flow of material from the inlet 12 to the other outlet. Preferably, each of the outlets is closed by a manually operable flap 14, 16 and the diverter is a manually moved plate 36. Preferably a plurality of connectors 42 allow the chute to be angled e.g, by chains (50, Fig 2). Preferably the apparatus is used for filling sand bags and is mounted on a vehicle having a conveyer 46 for delivering the sand to the chute 10.

Description

APPARATUS FOR BAGGING FLUENT MATERIAL This invention relates to apparatus for bagging fluent material, and is particularly concerned with apparatus for filling sandbags.

Sandbags are required in great numbers when there is flooding or the risk of flooding, and it has been the practice to fill the bags manually from piles of sand dumped on the ground. Not only is this practice labourious and exhausting for the personnel involved but it is slow so that the necessary numbers of sandbags cannot be produced quickly.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate these difficulties.

The present invention is apparatus for bagging a fluent material, the apparatus comprising a chute having an inlet for receiving the material, two outlets, and diverting means for choosing either one of said outlets while blocking a flow of material from the inlet to the other outlet.

Preferably, each outlet includes means for closing that outlet, and the means may comprise a manually operable flap.

The chute may have a base and side walls at the inlet, and a base, side walls and a top at each outlet.

The diverting means may include a barrier pivotally mounted at a flow divider which is preferably the junction of adjacent side walls of the outlets.

A number of mounting brackets, preferably four, may be provided on the apparatus.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of apparatus according to the present invention, in use between a conveyor belt and sandbags; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, apparatus according to the present invention for filling sandbags comprises a chute 10 having an inlet 12 and two outlets 14 and 16. The inlet 12 and the top part of the chute are open in that they consist of a base 18 and two side walls 20, whereas the outlets 14 and 16 are closed as they have a top 22 in addition to the base and side walls 24.

The adjacent side walls 24 of the two outlets join to form a flow divider 30 where there is also provided a pivot post 32 for a diverting means in the form of a plate 34 movable on the post 30 to divert a flow of sand from the inlet 12 to one of the outlets while blocking the path to the other outlet. The plate 34 has an upstanding handle 36 to facilitate its movement manually between it s two extreme positions.

The outlets 14 and 16 are each provided with a manually operable flap 38 pivotal about a horizontal axis 40 and movable between a position in which the outlet is open and a position in which the outlet is closed.

The apparatus is provided with four mounting brackets 42 allowing it to be supported by four chains 50 when in use, the length of the chains being adjustable to control the position and inclination of the apparatus.

As illustrated, the apparatus is shown receiving sand from a conveyor 46 which may be a fixed installation but is preferably mounted on a vehicle of the type, for example, used to grit roads in Winter. As the conveyor is operated, sand is delivered to the inlet 12 and flows down the chute to be diverted by the plate 34 to the outlet 16 whence it flows into a sandbag 48, the flap 38 being, of course, open.

While the sandbag 48 at the outlet 16 is being filled, another sandbag is being located

beneath the outlet 14, and when the sandbag 48 is full the flap 38 is closed, the plate 34 is moved to divert the flow of sand to the outlet 14 and the flap 38 is opened to allow the sand to flow into the sandbag beneath the outlet 14.

Being mounted on a vehicle allows the apparatus to be used anywhere required, and being easily mounted on or removed from the chains means that the one apparatus can be used with a number of vehicles ferrying sand from a central location to the required site.

Apparatus according to the present invention may be used in the bagging operation of any fluent material.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for bagging a fluent material, the apparatus comprising a chute having an inlet for receiving the material, two outlets, and diverting means for choosing either one of said outlets while blocking a flow of material from the inlet to the other outlet.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which each outlet includes closure means for closing that outlet.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which and the closure mean comprises a manually operable flap.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the chute has a base and side walls at the inlet, and a base, side walls and a top at each outlet.
5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the diverting means includes a barrier pivotally mounted at a flow divider.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the flow divider is the junction of adjacent side walls of the outlets.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which there are four mounting brackets. 9. Apparatus for bagging a fluent material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a number of mounting brackets, are provided on the apparatus.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which there are four mounting brackets. 9. Apparatus for bagging a fluent material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Amended claims have been filed as follows 1. Apparatus for bagging a fluent material, the apparatus comprising a chute having an inlet for receiving the material, in which the chute has a base and sidewalls at the inlet, and a base, side walls and a top at each outlet. The two outlets, and diverting means for choosing either one of said outlets while blocking a flow of material from the inlet to the other outlet.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which each outlet includes closure means for closing that outlet.

3. Apparatus as claimed 2, in which and the closure mean comprises a manually operable flap.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any proceeding claim, in which the diverting means includes a barrier pivotally mounted at a flow divider.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the flow divider is the junction of adjacent side walls of the outlets.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a number of mounting brackets, are provided on the apparatus.