IE900177A1 - Apparatus for placing granular or the like material in one or more receptacles - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for enabling a predetermined weight of a granular material to be placed in one or more receptacles including a screw conveyor 11 for conveying the material to a weighing means 13 comprising hoppers 50 and chute means 14 for transferring the weighed material from the hoppers to the or each bag, is provided with an air circulation means 15 for blowing air into the or each bag before and/or during the placement of the material therein to inflate the bags to extract the air from the or each bag following placement of the granular material therein. A plurality of bags i.e. four are filled in one cycle, being held in a shaping box 16 on a lift during filling. The filled bags are then forwarded for discharge on a conveyor 18.

Description

This invention relates to an apparatus‘for placing granular and the like material in one or more receptacles .

In particular, it relates to an apparatus 5 for placing granular material in a plurality of containers.

The invention, therefore, provides an apparatus for enabling a predetermined weight of a granular material to be placed in one or more receptacles which apparatus comprises means for conveying the material to a weighing means; means for transferring the thus weighed material to a chute means; means for transferring the material from the chute means to the or each receptacle; and an air circulation means for blowing air into the or each receptacle before and/or during the placement of the material therein; which blowing means also enables air to be extracted from the or each receptacle following placement of the granular material therein; and means for removing the thus filled receptacles from the apparatus.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:IE 90177 - 3 Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention and one position of use; Figure 2 is a perspective slightly enlarged 5 and partly cutdown view of the apparatus of Figure 1 of the drawings; Figure 3 is a side elevation of part of the apparatus of Figure 1 of the drawings; Figure 4 is a perspective and enlarged view 10 of part of the apparatus of Figure 1 of the drawings; Figure 5 is an enlarged view of part of the apparatus of Figure 4 of the drawings in a first condition of use; Figure 6 is an enlarged view of part of the 15 apparatus of Figure 4 of the drawings in a second condition of use; and Figure 7 is an enlarged view of part of the apparatus of Figure 1 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, there is 20 shown an apparatus 10 according to the invention which comprises a screw conveyor 11; a funnel means 12; a weighing apparatus 13; a chute means 14; an air circulation system 15; a bag shaper means 16; an elevator 17; a conveyor means 18; and a main frame 19.

Each of the above components will now be described individually and their relationship with the entire apparatus.

IE 90177 - 4 The screw conveyor 11 comprises a conventional archimides type screw capable of conveying granular material from a silo (not shown) to the funnel means 12. With particular reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, the funnel means 12 comprises a Y-shaped device 30 the leg 31 of which is in communication with the outlet (not shown) of the screw conveyor means 16.

The leg 31 leads into a second leg 32 and a third leg 33.

Each of the inlets 42, 43 from the leg 32 and leg 33 respectively, which are in communication with the leg 31, is closable by a respective flap 34, 35. The flaps 34 and 35 are connected to a rod 36 mounted between, and capable of reciprocal movement relative to, a pair of support members 37, 38. The support member 38 has pivotally attached thereto an arm 39 connected to the piston 40 of an hydraulic ram 41. The arm 39 is also connected to the rod 36 so that the reciprocal movement of the piston 40 will result in reciprocal movement of the rod 36 resulting in the movement of the flaps 34, . Thus, with the piston 40 extended relative to the ram 41 both flaps 34, 35, which move in unison and in parallel relationship, are such that the inlet 42 is in the closed condition and the inlet 43 is in the open con25 dition. With the piston 40 withdrawn relative to the ram 41, the inlet 42 is in the open condition while the inlet 43 is in the closed condition.

Each of the legs 31, 32 leads into the weighing apparatus 13. The weighing apparatus 13 comprises two hoppers 50, 51 each of which incorporates a conventional weighing device for granular material.

The weighing device is of a well-known type and need not be described herein. The outlet of each of the hoppers 50, 51 is located above the chute means 14.

IE 90177 - 5 The chute means 14 comprises four chutes 61, 62, 63 and 64 created by walls 66, 67 in transverse orientation relative to the walls 68, 69. The outlet of the hopper 50 is located centrally of the wall 66; the outlet of the hopper 51 is located centrally of the wall 67. Each of the chutes 61-64 terminates in a respective tubular outlet 71-74 connected to each chute 61-64 by respective connector means 81-84.

Each connector means 81-84 is in communication with the air circulation system 15. The air circulation system 15 includes respective pipes 85, 86, 87, 88. Each pipe leads into a manifold 89 suitably mounted on two of the connector means 81, 82. A fan unit 90 having a fan 91 is mounted on the chute means 14. A first pipe 92 leads from the fan unit 90 into the manifold 89; a second pipe 93 leads from the fan unit 90 into the manifold 89. The manifold 89 has a first flap valve 94 and a second flap valve 95 as well as a first vent pipe 96 and a second vent pipe 98.

Located below the chute means is the bag shaper means 16 which essentially comprises a box 20 without a cover or a base and is divided into four compartments 21, 22, 23, 24.

Each tubular outlet 71-74 is respectively lo cated above the compartments 21-24 respectively.

Located below the box 20 is the elevator 17 of well-known construction and capable of raising or lowering, as desired, a pallet 25. When in the raised condition, the pallet 25 constitutes a base for the box .

IE 90177 - 6 A first sub-frame 26 supports the box 20.

The frame 19 comprises legs 52-55, two cross members 56 which support a second sub-frame 27.

The second sub-frame 27 provides support for 5 the chute means 14.

The conveyor means 18 is adapted for travel from left to right, as viewed in the drawings, for conveying pallet 25 sequentially to the elevator 17 and from the elevator 17 to a storage or other location as desired.

The apparatus 10 operates as follows. Suitable bags 76, 77, 78 and 79 are each attached to respective tubular outlets 71-74 by respective known clamp means 75. With the fan 91 operating and air circulating in the first and second pipes 92, 93 in the direction of the associated arrows, the flap valve 94 is closed and the flap valve 95 is opened so that air is drawn in through the second vent pipe 97 and blown into the bags 76-79 (see Figure 5). The bags 76-79 are inflated.

Meanwhile, the screw conveyor 11 is constantly conveying granular material from the silo and, via the funnel means 21, depositing the material first in the weighing apparatus 13. In particular, initially, the flaps 34, 35 are arranged so that the material only passes down the leg 32 thereby filling the hopper 50 until the weighing apparatus 13 detects the correct or desired weight. Immediately and automatically, the flaps 34, 35 move so that material no longer passes out the leg 32 but is diverted to the leg 33.

IE 90177 - 7 Subsequently, the hopper 50 is emptied and having regard to the location of the outlet of the hopper 50 vis-a-vis the chutes 61, 63, the load is evenly divided between the two chutes 61, 63. Meanwhile, the hopper 51 is fill ing and when full to the desired weight, the flaps 34, are arranged so that the material now flows into the closed hopper 50 and the hopper 51 empties into the chutes 62, 64. The material from the chutes 61, 63 enters the bags 76, 79; the material from the chutes 62, 64 enters the bags 77, 78. The bag shaper 16 provides for the bags 76-79 to have a square shape when filled with material. The even distribution of the material in the bags 76-79 is assisted by the inflation of the bags 76-79.

If desired, a vibrating means (not shown) may be incorporated into the apparatus 10 for vibrating the bags 76-79 as they are being filled to further assist in the even distribution of the material.

When the bags 76-79 are filled, the flap val ves 94, 95 move so that air is extracted from the bags 76-79 to assist in the closure thereof. The bags 76-79 are closed and the pallet 25 supporting the bag is lowered with the bags 76-79 thereon.

When the thus loaded pallet 25 reaches the conveyor means 18, the conveyor means is reactivated so as to move the loaded pallet 25 to the right. Meanwhile, another pallet 25 is raised to provide a base for the bag shaper means 16, four new bags 76-79 are attached to the outlets 71-74 and the filling operation is repeated.

IE 90177 - 8 incorporate filled bags If desired, the bag shaper means 16 may a means for providing strapping around the 76-79.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus 5 may be used and/or designed to operate so as to enable the material to be placed into one or more bags as desired.

The invention is not limited by or to the specific embodiments described which can undergo considerable variation without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (11)

1. An apparatus for enabling a predetermined weight of a granular material to be placed in one or more recep tacles which apparatus comprises means for conveying the 5 material to a weighing means; means for transferring the thus weighed material to a chute means; means for transferring the material from the chute means to the or each receptacle; and an air circulation means for blowing air into the or each receptacle before and/or 10 during the placement of the material therein; which blow ing means also enables air to be extracted from the or each receptacle following placement of the granular material therein; and means for removing the thus filled receptacles from the apparatus. 15

2. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the conveyor means comprises an archimedes screw capable of conveying granular or particulate material.

3. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the conveyor means leads into a first leg of a 20 funnel means which leg leads into a second leg and a third leg; and a control means is provided for enabling the material to pass from the first leg to the second leg or the first leg to the third leg.

4. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 wherein the 25 control means comprises a first flap member interposed between the first leg and the second leg and a second flap member interposed between the first leg and the third leg; and means for controlling the position of said flap members wherein when in a first condition of 30 use, the first flap member enables material to pass from IE 90177 - 10 the first leg to the second leg and when in a second con dition of use prevents the passage of material from the first leg to the second leg; wherein in a first condition of use, the second flap member enables 5. Material to pass from the first leg to the third leg and when in a second condition of use prevents the passage of material from the first leg to the third leg; and wherein means is provided for enabling the first flap member to be in said first condition of use simultaneous 10 ly with the second flap member being in said second condition of use or vice versa.

5. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said enabling means comprises an hydraulic ram connected to said first or second flap members which when actuated 15 enables the flap members to move in unison.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1-5 wherein the air circulation means comprises an air circulation generation means, a first pipe and a second pipe; the generation means having an inlet port and an 20 outlet port; a first end of said first pipe being connected to the air outlet port; a first end of the second pipe being connected to the air inlet port; the second end of the first pipe and the second end of the second pipe each terminates in a common conduit having 25 an opening therein; the first pipe having a first vent pipe and a first valve means associated therewith; the second pipe having a second vent pipe and a second valve means associated therewith; the arrangement being such that when the first valve is in a first condition of 30 use, air passes from the first pipe to the first vent pipe and when in a second condition of use, air passes from the first pipe to the common conduit; wherein IE 90177 - 11 10 when the second valve is in a first condition of use, air passes from the second vent pipe to the second pipe and when in a second condition of use, air passes from the common conduit to the second pipe; and wherein when the first valve means is in the first condition of use, the second valve means is in the second condition of use or vice versa.

7. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the common conduit leads into a respective tubular member adapted for communication with a respective receptacle so as to enable air to be blown into each respective receptacle or withdrawn from each respective receptacle as required.

8. An apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1-7 wherein the number of receptacles is four.

9. A process for placing granular material into one or more receptacles using the apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1-8 wherein the air circulation means enables air to be blown to the or each receptacle prior to and/or during the placement of material therein and, following placement of material therein, enables air to be extracted from the or each receptacle.

10. An apparatus for enabling a predetermined weight of a granular material to be placed in one or more recep tacles substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A process substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.