Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G65/00—Loading or unloading
  • B65G65/23—Devices for tilting and emptying of containers

Definitions

• This invention is concerned generally with emptying containers and particularly with placing containers is a state of readiness for emptying.
• An alternative is to tilt the container, usually in a tilting device on which the container is mounted, to the extent required to cause the contents to flow from the container.
• the tilt of the container has to be continually adjusted.
• This discharge method is labour and/or time intensive and is therefore not favoured.
• the present invention provides a container conversion method which involves placing an open topped container in a state or readiness for discharge by the steps of mounting a hood which is provided with a discharge opening over the open top of the container and then inverting the container. Discharge through the discharge opening can be readily regulated by altering the size of the discharge opening. Apparatus for economically and effectively carrying out the method is also disclosed herein.
• the method of the invention which is for use with an open topped container which includes a base and wall means upstanding from the base, has as its object the conversion of such a container into one which is inverted ready for emptying in a controlled manner through the container top, the method includes the steps of mounting a cover having a discharge opening over the open top of the container, placing the container fitted with the cover in an inverter and inverting the container to reverse the positions of the container base and cover and supporting the inverted container in the inverted condition.
• the apparatus to carry out the method includes a cover with a discharge
• a container cradle able to be rotationally inverted end over end where the cradle includes a container receiving compartment with means to minimise movement of a container within the compartment during inversion of the cradle.
• Fig.1 is a schematic side view of cover for the open top of a container
• Fig.2 is a schematic end view of the cover of Fig.1 ,
• Fig.3 is a schematic side view of a second form of cover
• Fig.4 is a schematic side view of the cover of Fig.1 mounted over the open top
• Fig.5 is a schematic side view of the container-cover assembly of Fig.4 mounted in an inverter
• Fig.6 is a view similar to Fig.5 after inversion
• Fig.7 is a view similar to Fig.6 with an end closure of the inverter opened sufficiently to allow the container-cover assembly to be removed from the inverter and Fig.8 is a view similar to Fig.4 showing the container-cover assembly inverted ready for transport to a use location.
• a cover 1 which includes a hood 2, of a first form, for mounting over the open top of a container.
• This form of hood has a
• the frame 6 includes legs 7 with feet 8 at first ends of the legs 7 and the other ends of the legs 7 are connected by a mounting ring frame
• the frame 9 is shaped and sized to sit on the top edges of the sides of a container at the open end thereof and to embrace the sides of the container adjacent the top edges of the container sides.
• Braces 10 join the legs 7 adjacent the feet 8 and a pair of parallel receivers 11 respectively join pairs of the legs 7.
• the receivers 11 are shaped and sized to accept the tines of a fork lift truck so allowing the cover to readily raised and positioned on the open top of a container or be removed therefrom.
• Clamps indicated 12 are shown diagrammatically as they can be of any suitable type.
• the clamps 12 allow the frame 9 to be clamped to the top of a container, preferably with a gasket between the container and the frame 9.
• Fig.3 is a hood of the same general configuration as that shown in Fig.1 except that the funnel part 5 is shaped to provide a side discharge means 4 rather than the centrally located discharge means of Fig.1.
• the discharge means 4 incorporates an adjustable flow control means .
• a cover 1 has been clamped to a container 13 where the container
• the container comprises a pallet base 14 with four sides 15 upstanding from the base 14.
• the container can be of the type where the sides 15 are demountable from the base 14 and are securable to the base and lockable together in the erect condition to provide an open topped container.
• the container can also be of
• the container-cover assembly has been mounted in an inverter 16 which includes a cradle support indicated 17 on which there is mounted a cradle 18 so as to be rotatable about an axis indicated 19.
• a drive means indicated 20 whereby the cradle 18 can be rotated though a predetermined arc to invert a container-cover assembly housed in the cradle.
• the cradle 18 as shown is a framework generally forming a channel with an
• the channel bottom (which forms a cradle back side) is indicated 21 and it is disposed opposite the open cradle side.
• the spaced apart remaining sides of the channel are indicated 22.
• the open ends of the cradle 18 are respectively provided with closure members 23 and 24.
• the members 23 and 24 are hinged doors like members and they are provided with lock means of suitable form whereby the members 23-24 can be locked closed over the ends of the cradle. It is to be understood that demountable members 23-24 could be provided as an alternative where the members 23-24 were attachable by quick connection hinge means or members 25 could be slidably mountable over the ends of the cradle.
• the closure member 24 of the cradle 18 In preparation for an inversion sequence the closure member 24 of the cradle 18 would be locked closed, as by suitable lock means indicated schematically as 26.
• the cradle 18 would be positioned in the orientation shown in Fig.5 by operation of the drive means 20.
• the drive means In a preferred arrangement the drive means would be manually activated and would be deactivated by cradle position detectors associated with the two operative cradle orientations shown in Figs.5
• the container-cover assembly would be placed as shown with the base 14 resting on the closure member 24 and the assembly against the cradle back 18.
• the closure member 23 would be at least partially open, as shown.
• a suitable means may be used to maintain a required opening of the closure member 23.
• the degree of opening required for loading the assembly can vary. The opening required may be quite small corresponding with a small clearance between the closure member 24 and the bottom of the base pallet 14, as can be achieved by a skilled fork lift truck operator.
• the closure member 23 is then locked closed and as the spacing between the
• closure members 23-24 when locked closed is only marginally greater than the overall height of the container-cover assembly, the assembly will be substantially prevented from end to end movement as the cradle 18 is inverted.
• the cradle 18 is then rotated in a clockwise direction to achieve the Fig.7 condition.
• the rotation of the cradle is always such that the assembly is supported by the cradle back 18 during inversion.
• Fig.7 illustrates the next operation which is to release the upper closure member 24 (formerly the lower closure member) and open it as required to allow the removal of the container-cover assembly by means of a fork lift truck.
• the inverted container-cover assembly of Fig.8 can be transported by the fork lift truck into operational relationship with a machine, or hopper or other use location where discharge from discharge opening 4 can be commenced.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Control And Other Processes For Unpacking Of Materials (AREA)
• Refuse Receptacles (AREA)
• Closures For Containers (AREA)
• Basic Packing Technique (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=3794264

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (4)

Citations (5)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1996
  • 1996-05-21 AU AUPN9954A patent/AUPN995496A0/en not_active Abandoned
• 1997
  • 1997-05-20 CA CA002255733A patent/CA2255733A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-05-20 JP JP09541266A patent/JP2000510801A/ja active Pending
  • 1997-05-20 NZ NZ332839A patent/NZ332839A/en unknown
  • 1997-05-20 EP EP97921523A patent/EP0929489A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1997-05-20 WO PCT/AU1997/000306 patent/WO1997044269A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1997-05-20 CN CN97196354A patent/CN1066117C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (5)

Non-Patent Citations (4)

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