IE911292A1

IE911292A1 - Apparatus for handling large bags of material

Info

Publication number: IE911292A1
Application number: IE129291A
Authority: IE
Inventors: Eamonn Houlihan
Original assignee: Eamonn Houlihan
Priority date: 1991-04-18
Filing date: 1991-04-18
Publication date: 1992-10-21
Also published as: GB9208483D0; GB2257130A

Abstract

The apparatus for handling a large bag of material (A), e.g. fertilizer, includes a retaining frame (12) mounted on legs, the rear two of which have wheels and the front two of which are connected by a tow bar (40) and cross member. The frame prevents bag A from falling and supports the bag at a height sufficient to enable a material spreader (B) to be positioned between the legs and beneath the retaining frame.

Description

The present invention relates to apparatus for handling large bags of material. The apparatus has particular though not exclusive application to the handling of large bags of fertilizer, which is now often supplied in bags which contain a half tonne of fertilizer. 0 Normally, however, fertilizer is supplied in 50 kg bags which can easily be handled by one person. With these bags, fertilizer is loaded into a spreader by laying a bag of fertilizer over the edge of the spreader and then cutting the bag to allow the contents to spill into the spreader. One of the difficulties in emptying the contents of a big bag is that a large portion of the contents may have congealed and thus, when the bag is open the bulk of the contents comes out in one large lump which can damage the spreader.

The main difficulty however with the handling of large bags of fertilizer is their large weight which means that the end user needs a tractor with a front end loader or some other suitable lifting gear to lift the large bag over the spreader. This means that the farmer using large bags of - 2 fertilizer must use two tractors, one to spread the fertilizer and another to lift the large bags of fertilizer.

The object of the invention is to alleviate the above disadvantages .

The present invention provides an apparatus for handling a large bag of material comprising a retaining frame for the bag and a plurality of legs which support the frame at a height sufficient to enable a material spreader to be positioned between the legs and beneath the retaining frame.

Advantageously, the apparatus includes at least one pair of wheels and a tow bar, whereby the apparatus may towed by a tractor or the like to a desired location.

Conveniently, each of the wheels is mounted at the end of one of said legs, and the tow bar is provided between a pair of said legs.

Preferably, the retaining frame includes a plurality of tubular elements providing a generally upright enclosure open at one end and a base, the tubular elements being fixed relative to one another by a distance which is sufficient to prevent large lumps of material falling into the spreader positioned beneath the apparatus.

Advantageously, the apparatus includes an elongate spar, which extends over the upright enclosure to act as a safety device to prevent the bag of material from toppling from the apparatus . 0 The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only, one embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.

In the drawings : Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus; Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus showing a large bag of fertilizer mounted thereon and the contents being deposited into a fertilizer spreader positioned beneath the bag; and Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus for handling large bags of fertilizer includes a retaining frame 10 made from 25mm diameter piping, four legs 20 made from 38mm piping, two wheels 30 and a tow bar 40.

The retaining frame 10 is open at end 11 to enable a bag A (see Figure 2) to be lifted into the frame 10. The rail 12 of the frame 10 prevents the bag A from falling and an overhanging spar 14 acts as a safety device in preventing 0 the bag from toppling onto the frame 10. The elements 16 which comprises the rest of the frame 10 are located near enough together to prevent large lumps of material from falling into the spreader B (see Figure 2) and damaging it.

A wheel 30 is provided on each of the rear legs 20 and a cross-member 32 is fixed between the other legs 20. The tow bar 40 is fixed to the cross-member 32. A rotating eye ball 42 is included in the tow bar 40 so that the apparatus can easily be towed without damaging the equipment.

In use, the apparatus is towed to the desired location by tractor C behind the spreader B. The apparatus is then unhitched and parked in position. A large bag of fertilizer A is then lifted into the retaining frame 10 with the front end loader (not shown) of the tractor C.

The spreader C which is attached to the rear of the tractor C is then located underneath the bag A which may be then opened to dispense its contents into the spreader.

It will therefore be appreciated that the invention offers significant advantages over the prior art.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are 10 given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. Apparatus for handling a large bag of material comprising a retaining frame for the bag and a plurality of 5 legs which support the frame at a height sufficient to enable a material spreader to be positioned between the legs and beneath the retaining frame.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, including at least one 10 pair of wheels and a tow bar, whereby the apparatus may towed by a tractor or the like to a desired location.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, in which each of the wheels is mounted at the end of one of said legs, and the 15 tow bar is provided between a pair of said legs.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the retaining frame includes a plurality of tubular elements providing a generally upright enclosure 20 open at one end and a base, the tubular elements being fixed relative to one another by a distance which is sufficient to prevent large lumps of material falling into the spreader positioned beneath the apparatus. 25 5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, including an elongate spar, which extends over the upright enclosure to act as a safety device to prevent the bag of material from toppling from the apparatus .

5

6. Apparatus for handling a large bag of material substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

7. The features described in the foregoing specification, or any obvious equivalent thereof, in any novel selection.