GB2417950A

GB2417950A - Dispensing container

Info

Publication number: GB2417950A
Application number: GB0420419A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Nigel Mark Eaton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-14
Filing date: 2004-09-14
Publication date: 2006-03-15
Also published as: GB0420419D0

Abstract

A dispensing container (100), for example for cement, having: a hopper (200) for holding material to be dispensed and having an aperture (230) for allowing to pass therethrough material in the hopper, a shutter (240) for controlledly closing and opening the aperture, a channel (260) for removably receiving a tray (270) beneath the shutter for receiving material from the hopper through the aperture and shutter. The tray is sealed against the hopper when in the channel, allowing the tray to be automatically filled by gravity to its predetermined capacity. The hopper is preferably provided with a lid openable for filling and closable for keeping the hopper weatherproof. Preferably the unit has wheels on which it can be transported. This provides the advantages of: a water tight unit; ability to achieve consistent mix; portability; ease of use; allowing a tidy working area; and reducing the amount of cement dust, providing a better working environment for operators.

Description

24 1 7950 - 1 -

DISPENSING CONTAINER

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to containers for dispensing materials, and particularly (though not exclusively) to containers for dispensing materials such as cement for subsequent mixing.

Background of the Invention

In the field of this invention it is known that cement, for mixing with other materials to produce mortar, render, concrete, screed, etc., is typically supplied in moisture-resistant bags or packs weighing some 25Kg.

Typically, less than a whole bag of cement is required for mixing at any one time, and a new bag is typically opened, a desired amount of cement is manually removed (e.g., with a shovel) for mixing, and the remainder of the bag is left.

However, this approach has the disadvantage(s) that the remainder of the bag of cement left typically remains unsealed after removing some cement, allowing the remainder to 'go off' (i.e., absorb moisture and set) unless it is used quickly. Also, the amount of cement removed from the bag for mixing is typically estimated very roughly, resulting in inconsistent mix concentrations across different mixes. Further, the manual handling of cement with a shovel frequently results in spillages, causing waste and untidiness in working areas. Also, such manual handling typically generates quantities of cement dust, which may be a health hazard and environmental pollutant.

A need therefore exists for a dispensing container wherein the abovementioned disadvantage(s) may be alleviated.

Statement of Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a dispensing container as claimed in claim 1.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for a dispensing container as claimed in claim lo.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One cement dispensing container incorporating the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing(s), in which: FIG. l shows a side elevation view of a container for dispensing cement incorporating the present invention; and FIG. 2 shows a front elevation view of the container of FIG. 1.

Description of Preferred Fmhodiment

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a cement dispensing container 100 has two major parts: a main vessel or hopper 200 (conveniently made of injectionmoulded plastic) and a frame assembly 300 (conveniently made of metal sections). The hopper 200 and the frame 300 are bolted together with bolts 310. The frame 300 has at its front corners two legs 320, and has at its rear corners two wheels 330. The hopper 200 has a lid 210 which is attached by a hinge 220 and is movable between open and closed positions.

At its base, the hopper 200 has an aperture 230 which is closable by a sliding plate 240 forming a shutter. The shutter plate 240 is captive in the hopper and is movable between open and closed positions by a handle 250.

Immediately below the shutter plate 240 the hopper has a channel 260 extending around adjacent three sides (back, left and right) of the shutter plate. A removable dispensing vessel or tray 270 has lateral flanges which slide in the channel 260 and has a handle 280 for inserting and removing the tray.

In use, with the shutter plate 240 closed, the lid 210 is opened and one or more bags of cement are emptied into 4 - the hopper 200, which can hold the contents of several bags of cement. The lid is then closed, keeping the cement in the hopper dry. Before or after (as convenient) filling the hopper with cement, the dispensing container lOO is tilted onto only its wheels 330, wheeled to a level area where the cement is to be dispensed (e.g., beside a cement mixer - not shown), and stood with both its wheels 330 and its legs 320 on the ground.

Dispensing tray 270 is inserted fully into the channel 260 (in a close fit to the bottom of the hopper 200 so as to effectively seal the tray 270 to the hopper), and the shutter plate 240 is moved to its open position by pulling the handle 250, allowing cement from the hopper 200 to flow under gravity through the aperture and fill the dispensing tray 270. With the dispensing tray 270 full, the shutter plate 240 is pushed to its closed position. The full dispensing tray 270 is then removed from the hopper by sliding it out of the channel 260, and the full dispensing tray can then be emptied into an appropriate mixing device such as a cement mixer (not shown) for mixing as desired.

It will be understood that, as described above, the container lOO allows a predetermined measured amount of cement to be dispensed, dependent on the volume of the dispensing tray 270. It will be appreciated that the amount of cement required will depend on the mix required for the desired application (e.g., mortar, render, concrete or screed) and the size of the mix (e.g., large or small). In order to allow different amounts of cement - 5 to be dispensed for different applications and mix sizes, a range of dispensing trays of differing sizes may be used, each tray in the range having a different depth so as to provide a different predetermined volume.

Alternatively, it will be understood that the different predetermined volumes could be provided by a single tray having a base movable between different predetermined positions, or by a single tray having interchangeable differently sized inserts.

It will be understood that the dispensing container lOO can hold several bags of cement in a weatherproof manner in readiness for mixing in a cement mixer, and that the wheels make the container easily transportable (with or without cement). Thus, the container can be filled with cement at a first building site, used for dispensing measured quantities of cement at the first site over an period of hours or days, and can then be transported still containing the remainder of the cement to a subsequent building site or sites where it can be further filled as necessary and used for dispensing measured quantities of cement at the subsequent site(s), possibly at a later date or dates. Thus, use of the dispensing container lOO reduces wastage.

It will further be understood that the dispensing container lOO allows cement to be dispensed in measured quantities, with reduced generation of cement dust, and allowing improved mixing consistency. Thus, use of the dispensing container lOO reduces wastage, keep areas tidy from the build up of cement spillages, speeds and eases - 6 mixing, and is more operatorfriendly by effectively reducing cement dust when dispensing the cement to the mixer.

It will also be understood that although the dispensing container lOO has been described above as fabricated as a two-part structure (hopper 200 and frame 300), it could if desired be made as a single structure (e.g., with a single injection-moulded plastic body, similar to a common waste container for household waste).

Further, it will be understood that although the dispensing container has been described above in the context of containing/dispensing cement, the invention is not limited to use with cement and may be generally used with other materials, e.g., plaster.

In conclusion, therefore, it will be understood that the dispensing container described above provides the following advantages: Weatherproof storage Ability to achieve consistent mix Portability Ease of use Allows a tidy working area Reduced generation of dust, providing a better - 7

Claims

Claims 1. A dispensing container, comprising: a first vessel for holding

material to be dispensed and having an aperture for allowing to pass therethrough material in the first vessel; a shutter for controlledly closing and opening the aperture; and coupling means for removably receiving a second vessel at a position adjacent the first vessel so as to receive in the second vessel material from the first vessel through the aperture and shutter.
2. The dispensing container according to claim 1 wherein the coupling means is arranged to substantially seal the second vessel relative to the first vessel, thereby allowing the second vessel to be automatically filled to its predetermined capacity when the shutter is open.
3. The dispensing container according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the coupling means comprises a channel for slidably receiving the second vessel.
4. The dispensing container according to claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising a cover for opening the first vessel to allow it to be filled and for closing the first vessel.
5. The dispensing container according to claim 4 wherein the cover is hinged on the first vessel. 8 -
6. The dispensing container according to any one of claims 1-5 further comprising at least one wheel on which the dispensing container can be wheeled for portability.
7. The dispensing container according to any one of claims 1-6 comprising: a first portion containing the first vessel, and a second portion containing a frame, the first and second portions being fastened together.
8. The dispensing container according to any one of claims 1-6 wherein the dispensing container is of substantially unitary construction.
9. The dispensing container according to any one of claims 1-8 wherein the shutter has a handle for moving the shutter between closed and open positions.
10. A method for a dispensing container, the method comprising: providing a first vessel holding material to be dispensed and having an aperture for allowing to pass therethrough material in the first vessel; operating a shutter to open the aperture) providing coupling means removably receiving a second vessel at a position adjacent the first vessel so as to receive in the second vessel - 9 - material from the first vessel through the aperture and shutter; operating the shutter to close the aperture; and removing the second vessel from the coupling means.
11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the coupling means substantially seals the second vessel relative to the first vessel, thereby allowing the second vessel to be automatically filled to its predetermined capacity when the shutter is open.
12. The method according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the coupling means comprises a channel for slidably receiving the second vessel.
13. The method according to claim 10, 11 or 12 further comprising providing a cover for opening the first vessel to allow it to be filled and for closing the first vessel.
14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the cover is hinged on the first vessel.
15. The method according to any one of claims 10-14 further comprising providing at least one wheel on which the dispensing container can be wheeled for portability.
16. The method according to any one of claims 10-15 wherein the dispensing container comprises: a first portion containing the first vessel, and a second portion containing a frame, the first and second portions being fastened together.
17. The method according to any one of claims 10-15 wherein the dispensing container is of substantially unitary construction.
18. The method according to any one of claims 10-17 wherein the steps of operating the shutter comprise moving the shutter between closed and open positions by a handle on the shutter.
19. A dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. A method for a dispensing container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.