GB2405853A

GB2405853A - Material handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2405853A
Application number: GB0419131A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Larrington
Original assignee: Richard Larrington Ltd
Current assignee: Richard Larrington Ltd
Priority date: 2003-08-28
Filing date: 2004-08-27
Publication date: 2005-03-16
Anticipated expiration: 2024-08-27
Also published as: GB0419131D0; AU2004268430A1; WO2005020664A3; WO2005020664A8; GB2405853B; WO2005020664A2

Abstract

Apparatus for handling particulate material, such as crops, (that are easily damaged) comprising a framework (14 fig 4) enclosing a plurality of chutes 24 (Fig 2) that are aligned with the same number of containers 6. The frame work is made from uprights 13, side members 15,16 and internal dividing members 19,20. The containers 6 are mounted on a receiving platform 3 and the framework is vertically movable relative to this platform. The upper and side surfaces of the framework are covered firstly by a relatively thick layer (22 fig 2A) of impact cushioning material. This cushioning material is further covered by a strong flexible sheeting 23 which forms the open ended chutes. An air bag 30 may be located within the neck of the chutes which is operated in conjunction with flaps 31 to restrict the passage through the chutes. The flexible material, cushioning and flaps help to minimise damage to perishable products being loaded into the containers.

Description

- 2405853

MATERIAL HANDLING

This invention relates to the handling of materials in divided and/or particulate form.

In particular, the present invention is concerned with the handling of materials such as root crops and/or tree grown fruit crops which are prone to being damaged during the course of handling.

As is well known in the harvesting of root crops such as potatoes, carrots or other such crops and/or during the handling of fruit such as apples, pears, etc., the fact that such crops are to all intents and purposes firm and solid physically to handle as compared with crops such as plums, etc., can readily obscure the fact that the handling of firm and solid crops, in practice, invariably also carries the risk of bruising and other damage arising from items of a crop knocking one against the other or hitting a hard surface such as the bottom or side walls of a container into which the crops are being introduced for what ever reason such as packing, transferring from one container to another such as a carrying bag and vice versa With present day methods of commercial harvesting of a crop such as potatoes the commercial requirement is for large quantities of the crop to be rapidly harvested, and at the time of harvesting with the capability of feeding the harvested crop into a bulk container for onward transmission from the location of harvesting.

Historically, a conventional method of feeding large quantities of a crop such as potatoes into transport containers accepting a filling weight of, for example, one ton weight involves the use of a conveyer system which transfers the harvested potatoes from the delivery end of a potato harvesting machine which is caused to travel simultaneously length ways of several rows of potato plants to lift and to remove the lifted potatoes from the unwanted material namely any accompanying soil, leaves and stems, and then to feed the thus harvested potatoes separated from the unwanted material onto a conveyor which in turn lifts the potatoes above the side walls of a container, i.e., lorry/trailer which is moving along the field in synchronism with the advance of the potato harvester.

This conveyor conventionally is positioned so as to clear the side walls of the container and as a result has to allow the potatoes to free fall a considerable distance from the delivery end of the conveyor into the lorry trailer load receiving container. By reason of the extent of such free fall required to allow access to the interior of the container, the potatoes delivered at the start of a filling operation and frequently at later stages during the filling operation undergo considerable free fall and are thus are thus likely to impact against the container floor and walls and also against previously deposited potatoes with considerable force thereby creating the real hazard of bruising the potatoes and/or otherwise damaging the potatoes.

As is well understood, such damage can lead to ingress of fungi spores etc., with the consequential enhanced risk of initiating conditions for subsequent rotting of the potatoes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of and means for at least reducing the risk of crops being damaged during the bulk handling thereof.

Broadly, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for handling material in particulate and/or divided form characterized in that during delivery thereof from a supply position to a receiving position by a material delivery system involving allowing material to fall from a supply thereof to a receiving receiving position, and characterized by the apparatus including means for so cushioning the rate of flow of material during its transit between the supply position and the receiving position as to reduce risk of damage to the materials during said delivery.

Preferably the cushioning means includes, for each rigid part of the apparatus likely to be contacted by material whilst in the delivery thereof a covering of an impact cushioning material, and in that the impact cushioning material is covered by a flexible covering material presenting a non-abrasive surface to any said material.

In a preferred construction the impact cushioning material comprises a plastics cellular sponge-like material.

In a preferred construction the flexible covering material is a PVC plastics material.

Preferably said cushioning means is arranged to direct falling material by way of at least one flexible guide having a material discharge mouth to the receiving position.

In a preferred arrangement means are provided for restricting the rate of discharge of material from the material discharge mouth whereby the risk of damage to a discharging crop is further reduced.

In a preferred arrangement the means for restricting the rate of discharge includes a cushioning means that is arranged to control the discharge volume availability between an initial lower volume at the initial stages of material discharge as compared with the discharge volume of the flexible guide during the latter stages of material discharge.

In a preferred arrangement means are provided for selectively adjusting the distance of the discharge mouth of the guide initially from a container/load receiving position floor and subsequently the surface of material previously delivered to said receiving position.

Preferably, the control of the volume availability for material to be discharged includes an inflatable bag or the like that is inflatable substantially to block the discharge mount at the initial states of material discharge and that is adapted for controlled deflation of the material as the material is progressively discharged.

Preferably, the height adjustment of the discharge mouth relative to the receiving position is related to the rate of the deflation of the inflatable bag, the arrangement being such that the rate of material discharge is maintained at such a rate that damaging free fall of material leaving the guide discharge mouth into the container is further effectively prevented.

Conveniently the selective adjustment of height and deflation is effected in relation to the quantity and/or nature of the material being delivered.

Broadly, according to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a method Of bulk handling material in divided form being delivered from a supply thereof to a receiving position by a feeding system involving delivery from the supply position to at least one material receiving position, involving the step of interposing in the free fall path a material cushioning zone incorporating an inflatable bag or the like adapted to block in relation to the inflation thereof said 2 0 free fall path.

Preferably, the location of the zone is adjusted in relation to the quantity and/or nature of the material being delivered.

In a preferred method, during the transfer of material in divided form from a supply/delivery position to a receiving container for the material, height ways adjustable means for cushioning the flow of material from the supply is/are interposed in the flow path between the supply position and the container, the cushioning means directing the material received thereby by way of at least one flexible guide having a material discharge mouth whilst producing relative upwards movement between the guide discharge mouth and initially the position of the base of the container/trailer, and subsequently the surface level of material delivered into the container, said relative movement being at such a rate that damage producing free fall of material leaving the guide discharge mouth into the container is effectively prevented.

This action has the consequence of ensuring that the material generally spills without free fall from the guide discharge mouth into the interior of the container.

In a further preferred method, the flexible guide includes an inlet portion having a shape substantially conforming to that of the opening of the container, a tapering chute region leading to the guide discharge mouth which latter has a generally rectangular cross section that is smaller than that of the container, whereby the guide discharge mouth is confined to a region of the container spaced from the walls thereof, the arrangement being such that material introduced into the guide is effectively constrained, for any instantaneously relative positioning of the container floor relative to the mouth of the guide, to the region in the immediate 2 0 vicinity of the guide mouth.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus mountable to a trailer or other vehicle for controlling the filling of the load receiving region of the vehicle or at least one container carried by the vehicle the apparatus including cushioning means for intercepting the flow of material from a 2 5 supply thereof, flexible material guide means for guiding material displacing from the cushioning means into the load receiving region or container, the guide means having a restricted cross-section material discharge outlet, and means for enabling selective adjustment of the height of the discharge mouth with respect to said region or container.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how to carry the same into effect reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure I which is a very schematic perspective view of the an embodiment of apparatus incorporating the concepts of the present invention when mounted upon a flat top trailer, Figure 2, is a schematic side view of the apparatus of the invention when in a partially raised position; Figure 2A is a schematic cross sectional view of a detail of the apparatus shown in Figures I and 2; Figure 3 is a very schematic end view when in a lowered position; Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of a cushion frame of the apparatus and.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates the use of means for controlling the available discharge volume of a material discharge guide; with Figure 5 schematically illustrating a pair of side by side discharge chutes with the controlling means in a first operational position; and Figure 6 schematically illustrates the same chutes with the controlling means in a second operational position Referring now to Figures 1 to 4 since the apparatus of the present invention is intended amongst other possibilities to be usable in conjunction with a flat top trailer or the like as is commonly used for agriculturaUhorticultural purposes a trailer is very very schematically shown at 1 in the Figure 1. The trailer 1 comprises a chassis 2 supporting load receiving platform 3 and mounted from road running wheels 4. The chassis 2 is provided with appropriate towing bar or like facilities 5 for attachment to a towing vehicle (not shown). Generally such trailers are constructed according to generally standard dimensions related to the primary intended usage function of the trailer and to the carrying capacity normally intended for such general use. In relation to trailers particularly suitable for transportation of harvested crops the load receiving platform 3 can be in the form of a flat top with shallow side rails and/or side panel facilities (not shown) the flat top being dimensioned so as to be able to mount a plurality of standard sized individual containers 6. For example, two, four, six to eight or more separate containers 6 of a size or sizes as commonly utilised in the handing crops of the kind above mentioned.

In use, the containers 6 are required to be merely placed upon the trailer platform 3 for the purposes of filling to be subsequently transferred to a location at which the containers are removed from the trailer 1 for subsequent handling and to be replaced by a further batch of containers for subsequent filling.

The apparatus of the invention is intended to be mountable to the trailer in the 2 0 manner of an attachment for the trailer the apparatus of the invention can be used in conjunction with two or more trailers and, for example, transferred from one trailer to another whilst the trailers are 'in the field' thereby allowing a continuous movement of trailers with filed containers from the filed whilst crop harvesting continues.

The apparatus 7 of the invention is very schematically illustrated in Figure 1 When placed upon the flat top trailer I and in more detail in the Figures 2 to 4.

The apparatus 7 includes a support frame section 8 that is intended to rest upon the trailer platform 3 and a schematically represented crop cushioning section 9 that is mounted from the support frame section 8 in such manner as to be vertically displaceable between a lowered position and a fully raised position as will be discussed herein after. The Figure 1 illustrates a partially raised setting for the cushioning section 9 The support frame section 8 incorporates a base portion including main longitudinal rails 10 that are intended to be positioned lengthways of the trailer platform and end rails 11 An upstanding post 12 is provided at each corner of the base portion 8. These four posts, lying at the comers of the rectangle defined by the base portion, provide guide supports for support legs 13 provided at each corner of a rectangular main frame 14 of the crop cushioning section 9 (Figure 4). The rectangular main frame 14 of the cushioning section 9 includes side rails 15 extending lengthways of the base section frame, upper end rails 16 bridging the upper ends of the legs, lower end rails 17 bridging the lower ends of the legs, and two closely adjacent centrally positioned uprights 1. The dimensioning of the main frame 14 of the cushioning section 9 is such that it is nests into the area defined by the four upright posts 12 of the support frame.

The legs 13 of the cushioning section main frame 14 co-operate with guide rolls or the like (not shown) provided on the support frame posts 12. With this arrangement the cushioning frame 9 is able to be smoothly moveable up or down relative to the base portion 8. This movement can be effected by any convenient lifting and lowering arrangement such as one utilising hydraulic rams, or one using a system of cables running over an arrangement of pulleys associated with the base portion posts 12 and to the centrally positioned uprights 18. The 2 5 location of such a lowering and lifting arrangement a pulley or like system is very schematically indicated at 1 8A - 9 - In practice, the hydraulic rams involved with a cushioning frame rifling arrangement can be operated from the power take-off conventionally provided on a towing tractor or by means of a elf contained hydraulic motor system installed on a trailer and connected to control the apparatus 1 or by providing a frame lifting arrangement that is part of the overall construction of the apparatus. The cushioning section frame 14 also includes in the embodiment shown in the Figures a centrally positioned further longitudinal rail 19 and three further transverse rails 20 positioned as to effectively to divide the frame into eight separate similarly dimensioned rectangular regions within which separate containers would be provided for individual filling by material In practice, the configuration of longitudinal rails and transverse rails is related to the maximum number of containers it is proposed to carry upon the trailer at any one time As is schematically indicated in Figure 2A The upper and side surfaces of the various rails of the cushioning section main frame 14 are covered firstly by a relatively thick layer layer 22 of impact cushioning material i.e., a cushion of a soft plastics foam/cellular structure sponge like material. This cushioning material is in turn covered by strong flexible sheeting 23 presenting a non-abrasive surface to the any crop to be handled. This sheet or sheets provide 2 for each said rectangular area an open ended chute 24.

As will be seen from the drawings each of the chutes 24 has the form of an upside down rectangular based truncated pyramid/cone. These chutes 24 are so dimensioned that the chutes hang down downwards to such extent that when the cushioning frame is in its lowest position the bottoms 25 of the chutes contact or are set closely adjacent to the bottoms of any containers 6 positioned on the trailer.

It will be appreciated that the flow of material downwards of the chutes could give rise to distortion of the rectangular shape of the chute discharge ends 25 into a generally circular form. If this shape distortion is not acceptable the discharge mouth 25 can be braced by means of a tie such as a rope bridging at least one pair of opposite walls of the chute to prevent these walls freely displacing outwards thereby assisting in retaining the generally rectangular form to the chute discharge mouth 25.

It will be understood that the containers 6 can be of such size as to be associated with a single chute 24. If on the other hand larger sized containers are used such containers may be such as to receive material from two or more chutes 24 depending upon container size.

If desired, the outlet ends 25 of the chutes 24 can be constrained to maintain the shape of the associated chute by suitable reinforcement of the chute forming material.

Also, if desired straps or the like (not shown) can be provided to enable closure of any of the chutes for what ever reason. For example, in situations where less than eight containers 6 are required to be filled.

With a view to providing additional cushioning capability each chute area can be provided with a cushioning rail or (not shown) so positioned intermediate of the 2 0 length of the chute as to prevent any uncontrolled free fall of material through the chutes towards the containers In use the cushioning section 9 would be initially set to its lowest position so that for example the bottoms 25 of the chutes 24 contact or are positioned closely adjacent to the platform or container bottoms. -1 1-

To fill the containers 6 material is allowed to fall from a supply thereof (not shown) such as above mentioned towards the cushioning frame 14. The source of the supply is so positioned that the material being supplied is supplied within the boundaries of the cushioning frame 14 so as to avoid martial spillage outside the outer regions of the cushioning frame. Some of the material being deposited will strike the cushioning rails 15,16,19 and 20 whereby the initial fall is broken at these positions. Remaining material will enter the chutes and will contact the tapering walls of the chutes with a relatively small proportion actually passing through the chute directly.

The material that strikes the frame rails will be directed into the chutes in various directions causing the material undertake a complex series of displacements including rolling into the appropriate chutes, soft bouncing from one side of the chute funnel to the other, with each such displacement serving to control! the actual speed of the fall of an individual article such as a potato. As will be appreciated the complex movements of the material after having contacted the frame cushioning are traversing from wall to wall of the chutes in a generally random manner and in so doing tends effectively to slow the rate of fall of any material that happens to enter the apparatus of the invention without immediately striking the cushioning frame or the walls of the chute into which it has entered.

In other words the action of the apparatus of the invention can conveniently be regarded a random acting material fall breaker cascade in which material undergoes a succession of bouncing soft fall to soft fall also generally involving displacements having a rolling action down the walls of the associated chute whilst travelling from one wall towards another wall of the chute 2 5 The material passing through the chutes will progressively build-up a layer of the material. During such build up the cushioning frame 14 is progressively raised at a rate compatible with the rate of filling of the container or other catchment area of the trailer load receiving region.

When the requisite degree of filling of the containers the mouths 25 of the chutes 24 can be closed to prevent further discharge of material from the chutes.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, these Figures very schematically illustrate an additional mode of controlling the discharge of material through an adjacent pair of chutes 24 by providing an air bag 30 adjacent to the discharge end of each chute 24 operating in conjunction with flaps 31 located adjacent to the associated chute discharge end 25 in such positions that when it is required to discharge material into a container by way of the apparatus previously discussed or by way of similar discharge chutes the inflatable bag 30 is inflated so that it effectively displaces the flaps 31 outwardly causing the latter to block the discharge opening of the chute.

This is the position shown in Figure 5. As will be noted the discharge end of the chute is also at its lowest position with respect to the container to be filed. With the flaps 31 thus displaced to block the chute opening when the material, i.e., crop, to be discharged into the container 6 positioned beneath the chute 24 the material falls into the chute. It will be appreciated that the contact between the material and the chute walls and within the material itself can be regarded as soft impacts that in the case of a root crop such as potatoes the latter are not damaged by soft fall. This initial fall is arrested by the flaps being pressed towards the chute walls. As the crop continues to fall into the chute the crop weight tends to push downwards onto the flaps pushing them away from the walls thereby progressively enabling crop to move past the flaps and the chute walls at a relatively slow speed and this make soft impact with the container.

As the fall of the material into the chute 24 continues the inflatable bag 30 is 2 5 progressively deflated thereby allowing the weight of the material to move the flaps 31 further away from the chute walls. At the same time the chute is raised so that the lowermost end of the chute is located just above the level of the material already in the container.

Claims

1. Apparatus for handling material in particulate and/or divided form characterised in that during delivery thereof from a supply position to a receiving position by a material delivery system involving allowing material to fall from a supply thereof to a receiving receiving position (6), and characterised by the apparatus including means (9) for so cushioning the rate of flow of material during its transit between the supply position and the receiving position (6) as to reduce risk of damage to the materials during said delivery.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that cushioning means includes, for each rigid part (15,16,19,20) of the apparatus likely to be contacted by material whilst in the delivery thereof a covering of an impact cushioning material 922), and in that the impact cushioning material is covered by a flexible covering material (23) presenting a nonabrasive surface to any said material.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, and characterised in that the impact cushioning material (22) comprises a plastics cellular sponge-like material.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, and characterised in that the flexible covering material (23) is a PVC plastics material.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, and characterised by means for 2 separating the material being delivered from the supply into a plurality of separate material delivery paths (24), and in that a material receiving (6) is provided at the load receiving position of each such path.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, and characterised in that said cushioning (9) incorporates at least one flexible guide chute (24) for each said delivery path, and 2 5 in that each the guide chute has a material discharge mouth (25) selectively locatable relative to the associated receiving position (6) the arrangement being such that falling material in divided form may be directed by said guide chutes (24) to the appropriate material receiving position (6).

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, and characterised by means (18A) for selectively adjusting the distance of the discharge mouth (25) of each such guide chute (24) from an associated load receiving position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised by means (30,31) for the flow of material falling therein.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, and characterized in that each said guide means (24) has associated therewith means (30,31) restricting the rate of material flow in said path including further cushioning means (30) co-operating with said guide means between the supply and loading positions in such manner as to control the discharge volume availability for material in transit from the supply position to the loading position between an initial lower volume at the initial stages of material discharge as compared with the discharge volume availability for material in transit within the guide means during the latter stages of material discharge.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7, and characterized in that the control of the volume availability for material to be discharged includes an inflatable container bag (30) or the like that is inflatable substantially to block the discharge volume availability at the initial states of material discharge and that is adapted for controlled deflation container/bag the arrangement being such as to increase as required the volume availability for the material in transit as the material is progressively discharged. - 1 5

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 or 10, and characterized in that the selective height adjustment of the discharge mouth (24) relative to the receiving position is related to the rate of the deflation of the inflatable container/bag (30), the arrangement being such that the rate of material discharge is maintained at such a rate that any damaging free fall of material leaving the guide discharge mouth into the container is effectively further prevented.

12 Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, 10 or 11, and characterized in that the selective adjustment of height and of the inflatable container/bag (30) is effected in relation to the quantity and/or nature of the material being delivered.

13 Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that the flexible guide includes an inlet portion having a shape substantially conforming to that of the opening of the container (6), a tapering chute region leading to the guide discharge (25) which latter has a generally rectangular cross section that is smaller than that of the container, whereby the guide discharge mouth is confined to a region of the container spaced from the walls thereof, the arrangement being such that material introduced into the guide is effectively constrained, for any instantaneously relative positioning of the container floor relative to the mouth of the guide, to the region in the immediate vicinity of the guide mouth (25).

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13, and by means for bracing at least two of the walls of the chute (24) in such manner as to brace the outlet region of the chute (24) against outwards displacement.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, and characterized in that the apparatus is adapted for mounting to a trailer or other vehicle providing at 2 5 least one location for receiving said material.

16. Apparatus mountable to a trailer (2,3) or other vehicle for controlling the filling of the load receiving region of the trailer or other vehicle or at least one - 1 6 container (6) carried by the trailer of vehicle vehicle the apparatus (1) being characterized by including cushioning means (9) for (240 for guiding material displacing from the cushioning means into the load receiving region or container (6), the guide means (24) having a restricted cross-section material discharge outlet (25), and means (1 8A) for enabling selective adjustment of the height of the discharge mouth with respect to said region of container.

17. A method of bulk handling material in divided form being delivered from a supply thereof to a receiving position by a feeding system involving delivery from the supply position to at least one material receiving position, characterized by the step of interposing in the path a material being delivered a cushioning zone incorporating an inflatable bag (30) or the like adapted to block in relation to the inflation thereof said path.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, and characterized by heightwise adjusting the zone in relation to the quantity and/or nature of the material being delivered.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 characterized in that during the transfer of material in divided form from a supply/delivery position to a receiving position/ container (6) for the material, height ways adjustable means (9) for cushioning the flow of material from the supply is/are interposed in the flow path between the supply position and the container, the cushioning means (9) directing the material received thereby by way of at least one flexible guide ( 24) having a material discharge mouth (24) whilst producing relative upwards movement between the guide discharge mouth and initially the base of the container and thereafter the surface level of material delivered into the container (6), said relative movement being at such a rate that damage producing free fall of material leaving the guide 2 5 discharge mouth into the container is effectively prevented

20. Apparatus for handling material in particulate and/or divided form during delivery thereof from a supply position to a receiving position by a material delivery system constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.