WO2007057398A1

WO2007057398A1 - Stillage

Info

Publication number: WO2007057398A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/068460
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dennis Webster
Original assignee: Intermediate Applications Ltd
Priority date: 2005-11-15
Filing date: 2006-11-14
Publication date: 2007-05-24

Abstract

A stillage (2) is disclosed for use in stacking one bulk container (4) upon another (6). The stillage is shaped to stably rest upon the lower bulk container (4) and has locating features such as feet (74) which define its position thereupon. It is further shaped to receive and stably support the upper container (4) and has locating features to define the upper container's position. These may be formed to allow a rectangularly shaped container to be placed in either of two orientations, one at right angles to the other. An interior access space of the stillage may be provided to enable access to an inlet of the lower container.

Description

DESCRIPTION

STILLAGE

The present invention relates to stillages for use with bulk containers.

Bulk containers of standardised dimensions are commonly used for storage of liquids in, for example, the waste disposal and chemical industries. One such

container is known as an IBC (intermediate bulk container) and has a metal lattice

framework surrounding a vessel formed of plastics. Typically there is a filler cap on

the vessel's upper face, and an outlet, provided with a closure valve, in a lower region

of one of the side faces. Another widely used container is known in the industry by the acronym IPAC, and has a substantial metal framework around a metal walled

container.

It is sometimes desirable to stack bulk containers one upon another. One

reason for doing this is to enable the filing of one from another by gravity feed. For

example, an IPAC may be permanently in situ to supply fluid to associated

equipment. By topping up the IPAC from an IBC placed upon it, any interruption in

the availability of the fluid can be avoided. Of course stacking also helps to make

efficient use of space.

It is a common practice to empty one bulk container into another simply by

lifting the first container using a fork lift, to elevate it and so allow it to empty under

gravity feed. However, the fork lift (and often the operator) are then idle while the

first tank empties. When the liquid being supplied is viscous, the time taken to empty

the first container can be significant. Operators typically end the filling process

prematurely, leaving significant quantities of product in the container, which then go to waste. Such wastage can easily be in excess of twenty litres per container, and the consequent expense can be considerable. Also operators often choose to incline the upper container while emptying it, using the fork lift, in the belief that this will hasten the process. IBCs are designed to empty while upright, and inclination again results in product being left in the container and wasted.

The inventor has recognised that such problems could be avoided by stacking bulk containers one upon another, inter alia to allow one to be emptied into the other.

Problems arise when stacking bulk containers.

A first problem is that bulk containers are often not designed to rest stably one upon another.

A second problem arises where access is needed to a filler cap in the upper

face of the lower container (e.g. to lead a hose to the cap, and so permit the lower container to be filled from the upper) since such access can be prevented by the upper

container.

A third problem arises from the fact that some bulk containers are rectangular

in plan rather than square. The orientation of the containers cannot always be

arbitrarily chosen. Consider the situation where an IBC is stacked upon an IPAC.

Both have valves in side faces, but conventionally one has its valve in the longer

face, while the other has the valve in its shorter face. To make both valves

accessible, the longer face of one must be aligned with the shorter face of the other.

This creates potential difficulties when stacking one upon the other.

The present invention is intended to solve, or at least to alleviate, one or more

of the above problems. During prior art searching, the following documents have been found.

US patent 6318598 (Schmitt) describes a stackable liquid container, one version of which has a pallet forming a container base. The pallet is cut away at one corner to provide access to a fill opening. The pallet would not be suitable for use with other containers, e.g. having inlets not disposed at a corner of the container. No

internal access space appears to be defined by the pallet.

EP 1529732 (Bostik Findley) shows a framework adapted to suspend one container above another. The framework is intended to stand upon the ground, rather than to seat upon a lower container, and has cross beams above the upper container

from which the upper container is suspended.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is a stillage for

use in stacking one bulk container upon another, the stillage being shaped to stably rest upon a lower bulk container and having lower locating features for locating itself

upon the lower bulk container, and being shaped to stably support an upper bulk

container, having upper locating features shaped to locate the upper bulk container.

A particularly preferred embodiment addresses the problem of access to the

lower container's filler cap by separating the upper and lower bulk containers and

providing an internal access space which is open to the exterior and enables a user to

reach an upper face of the lower container while the stillage is in situ.

In a further preferred embodiment, the upper and/or lower locating features

are shaped and arranged to enable them to receive a bulk container of rectangular

plan shape in both (a) a first orientation in which the long edges of the container ran

fore-and-aft with respect Io the stillage and (b) a second orientation in which the long edges of the container run from side-to-side with respect to the stillage. Hence the container's valve can be located where the user chooses.

In still a further preferred embodiment, the lower locating features comprise a downwardly facing channel or right angle section for resting and locating upon a

peripheral upper ledge of the lower container. The stillage can thereby be adapted to locate and rest upon the narrow upper ledge of a conventional IBC.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of a stack comprising an IPAC, a stillage embodying the present invention, and an IBC;

Figure 2 is a perspective illustration of the same stillage seen in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective illustration of a further stillage embodying the

present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective illustration of still a further stillage embodying the

present invention:

Figure 5 is a perspective illustration of s tack comprising an IBC, a stillage

embodying the present invention, and a cylindrical pressure vessel;

Figure 6 shows the stillage of Figure 5, and the pressure vessel, in more

detail;

Figure 7 is a perspective illustration of a transfer conduit arrangement used

with the stillages:

Figure 8 is a perspective illustration showing upper and lower IBCs and still

another stillage embodying the present invention; Figure 9 is a schematic representation of a further stillage according to the present invention, fitted with a heater arrangement;

Figures 10 and 11 are perspective illustrations showing the stillage being used

to mount a collector or funnel; and

Figure 12 is a perspective illustration of a further transfer conduit

arrangement used with the stillages.

The stillage 2 seen in Figures 1 and 2 serves to permit an IBC 4 to be stacked

upon an IPAC 6. Thus for example the IPAC may be left in situ on a long term basis

and topped up from the IBC. The IBC is replaced when empty. A flexible hose (not

shown) can be led from the outlet 8 of the IBC to the filler cap 10 of the IPAC, to connect the two.

The IBC 4 is of a standard type, having a metal mesh outer structure 12

surrounding a plastics vessel 14. Note that the upper periphery of the outer structure

is formed by a narrow ledge 16, but its lower periphery comprises a more substantial

metal structure 18.

The IPAC 6 has a sturdy metal outer structure surrounding a metal-walled

vessel 22. The outer structure has comer uprights 20 running between a base 24 and

an upper frame 26.

The stillage 2 is constructed in this particular embodiment from square

section steel tube and steel plate, with welded joints. The version seen in Figure 2

is used to mount an IBC upon an IPAC, as in Figure 1. It has an upper planar

framework 30 and a lower planar framework 32. Both are generally square in plan.

The upper framework 30 has peripheral fore-and-aft members 34 and peripheral cross members 36, formed of square section tube. Two intermediate cross members 38 extend between the peripheral fore-and-aft members and are butt jointed to them, and pairs of intermediate fore-and-aft spacers 40,42,44 run between the cross members, again being butt jointed in place. Front intermediate fore-and-aft spacers 40 are of square section tube, but remaining spacers 42, 44 are flat metal strips. The

result is a sturdy square lattice structure.

Note however that the peripheral members 34, 36 do not meet to form corner joints. Instead, they are coupled through diagonal corner plates 46 welded to the upper faces of the peripheral members, and through stub members 48, 50 welded both

to the peripheral members 34, 36 and to the undersides of the corner plates. The

corner plates 46, viewed in plan, each have a "W" shaped outer edge. To put this

another way, each corner plate is generally a right-angled triangle, except that a square region adjacent the right angle of the triangle is omitted. Along the outer edge

thus formed runs an upstanding guide wall 52 formed of sheet metal bent to the same

"W" shape and welded in place. Recall that the containers to be received upon the

stillage 2 have a rectangular plan shape and may need to be positioned with their long

edges running fore-and-aft or from side-to-side. In either orientation, the guide walls

52 are able to receive the corners of the container and to locate them against

displacement in both directions. If the long edges run from side-to-side then the

containers corners are received in corners 54 a-d of the guide walls; if they ran fore-

and-aft then the containers corners rest in corners 56a-d of the guide walls.

The lower planar framework 32 is similar to the upper framework, having

peripheral fore-and-aft members 60 and peripheral cross members 62 reinforced by a square lattice of intermediate cross members 64 and fore-and-aft spacers 66, 68, 70. Note however that here the peripheral members meet, and are butt jointed, at the framework's corners. Also the front peripheral cross member is not continuous but

instead is broken into right and left parts 62r, 621. An access space is thus formed through which a filler cap in the upper face of the lowermost container can be

reached when the stillage rests upon that container.

The upper and lower planar frameworks 30, 32 are coupled through spacers 72 between their respective peripheral fore-and-aft members 34, 60. Secured to the

underside of corner regions of the lower framework 32 are right angle feet 74 positioned to rest on, and to be located by, complementary features on the upper

frame 26 of the IPAC 6. On each of the four long edges of the stillage is a pair of stirrups 76 L, R arranged to receive the tines of a fork lift. In the illustrated

embodiment they are each formed by strip metal bent to an "L"shape and secured at

one end to a respective foot 74 and at its other end to the underside of the respective

peripheral member.

The stillage 102 illustrated in Figure 3 is intended to allow one IBC to be

stacked upon another (rather than an IBC upon an IPAC) and to this end it differs in

various respects from the Figure 2 embodiment. Nonetheless it can once more be

thought of as having upper and lower planar frameworks 130, 132. As before the

upper framework has a generally square plan shape formed by peripheral fore-and-aft

members 134 and peripheral cross members 136. Corner joints between these

members are formed precisely as in the earlier embodiment, by means of corner

plates 146 carrying upstanding guide walls 152 on their upper faces and stub members 148. 150 on their lower faces. The square lattice reinforcing the upper framework is in this embodiment formed by two continuous intermediate fore-and-aft members 138 with laterally extending spacers 140, 142, 144 of strip metal. Omission of any spacer from a middle region 180 creates an access space for reaching a filler cap of the lower IBC. The lower framework 132 is similar to the upper one but its corners are right-angled joints between the peripheral fore-and-aft and cross members 160, 162. Note that these joints are formed through upright legs 182 at each of the

stillage's four corners. The front cross member is in two parts 162L, 162R to provide access to the space 180. Spacers 172 separate and couple the upper and lower

frameworks 130. 132.

In order to rest and locate upon the ledge 16 forming the upper part of the

IBC (see Figure 1) the stillage seen in Figure 3 has a base 183 formed by downwardly

open "U" sections channel members whose shape can be seen where the base 183 is

broken away at 184. The base comprises fore-and-aft base members 186 and cross

base members 188, forming a generally rectangular shape to match that of the ledge 16 of the IBC. Note from Figure 1 that the comers 17 of that ledge are rounded. To

accommodate this, the corners of the base are not formed by simple mitre joints as

might be expected, but instead the fore-and-aft and cross members of the base are

joined through diagonal corner pieces 190 which are themselves joined to the

members in 45 degree mitres. The channel on the base's underside thus forms an

approximation of the rounded shape of the IBCs comer which, allowing also for the

channel being somewhat oversized, allows one to be received by the other. The base

183 is coupled to the lower framework 132 by the comer legs 182 and also by upright intermediate legs 192, 194. Four pairs of strips 176L, R are again formed by right- angled bent sheet metal parts, which in this embodiment are each joined at one end

to a respective leg 182. 194 and at the other end to the underside of the lower framework 132. As in the previous embodiment, the stillage can thus be lifted by a fork lift approaching from the front, the rear of from either side.

The stillage 202 illustrated in Figure 4 is in most respects identical to the

Figure 3 version and its overall structure will not be described again. The only

differences concern the base, indicated at 283 in Figure 4 and formed in this embodiment of right angle section, seen in broken away region 284 and having a

horizontal wall 290 and downwardly extending upright wall 292. The diagonal comer pieces 190 of Figure 3 are consequently unnecessary and base 283 has instead

simple right angled corner joints. These are formed by mities. Upright wall 292

locates the stillage on the ledge beneath.

Figures 5 and 6 show still a further version 302 of the stillage used to mount

an IBC 304 upon a circular pressure vessel 306 having a raised, circular ledge or rim

308. In order to seat upon this rim, the base of the present stillage comprises a

circular member 310 of downwardly open, channel section material. In the present

embodiment this is again an inverted "U" section. It is coupled to the main body of

the stillage through uprights 312. In other respects the construction of the present

stillage matches that of the stillages described above.

Whereas Figures 5 and 6 show an IBC mounted upon a circular pressure

vessel, embodiments of the present invention may also be used to mount one circular

pressure vessel upon another. As Figure 5 shows, the pressure vessel has a base 314 which is square in plan, being formed of substantial square section tube. The footprint of this base is different in dimensions from that of an IBC, but to adapt the stillage to support such a pressure vessel merely requires it to be constructed with the

correct fore-and-aft and lateral dimensions.

Figures 7 and 8 show a conduit arrangement 400 for carrying fluid from the outlet 402 of an upper IBC to the inlet of a lower one, located at the centre of its upper face. This particular arrangement is particularly suited to use with hazardous

liquids. A problem arises in this regard in that any liquid retained in the conduit after

supply of liquid has been shut off may be released when the operator disconnects the conduit, which could be dangerous. Hence the conduit is designed to minimise any such liquid retention. The IBC outlet has a valve 404 and the conduit arrangement

comprises commercially available male and female cam locking connectors 408

(which are well known to those skilled in the art) to make a releasable connection to

the valve's outlet. In this case, a male cam locking connector leads to a female cam

locking connector, which in turn is coupled to an eccentric reducer 410. Again, this

is a commercially available item. It serves to link the connectors (which in this

embodiment have a nominal 5cm bore) to a smaller diameter conduit (in this

embodiment, 13mm nominal bore). To this end the reducer 410 has a tapered portion,

but note that due to the eccentricity of the reduced diameter end of this portion, and

its faired shape, there is no step or upwardly sloping region to the reducer^'s interior,

lower surface, which might serve to retain liquid. The reducer 410 in its turn is

coupled to a "T' shaped tube 412 having an upwardly directed limb 413 which leads

to a vent pipe 414 whose function will now be explained. In the absence of the vent pipe, following closure of the IBCs valve 404, an

air lock is formed in the conduit which can cause liquid retention. By admitting air to the conduit, the vent ϋipe 414 breaks this airlock and ensures that the conduit drains. The vent pipe is thus open to the atmosphere at its upper end 416, and to prevent expulsion of liquid through the vent pipe, this end must be above the liquid level in the IBC. In practice, this means that the vent pipe should extend above the

top of the IBC. The vent pipe is coupled to the limb 413 through a form of isolating valve known as a dry break, indicated at 418. This is another commercially available item known to those skilled in the art, and is a valve which is opened when coupled

to the adjacent conduits, which automatically closes when the connection is broken.

Hence when the vent pipe 414 is disconnected, the limb 413 is automatically closed

to the exterior. A further dry break 420 coupled the "T" tube 412 to a longer tube

422, which in this embodiment is a flexible hose.

The hose 422 and "T'^" tube 412 are of relatively small section in this

embodiment in order to reduce flow rate and allow controlled dosage of liquid.

Larger sectioned conduits could be used in other embodiments.

The hose 422 is led to a cap or bung 424 sized for receipt in the inlet of the

lower IBC. and passes through it. The bung 424 also receives an air outlet pipe 426,

which communicates with the interior of the lower IBC through an elbowed

connector 428 which passes through the bung. As the lower container fills, air Is

expelled through the outlet pipe 426. Where the liquids being handled are volatile,

this air may be contaminated with dangerous or environmentally damaging vapours, and to treat these, the outlet pipe 426 can be led to a separate scrubber unit such as a carbon filter.

A problem can arise in that the flexible hose 422 can form itself into a "bellied" shape, curving first downwardly and then upwardly, which would retain liquid. To avoid this, it can be replaced with a rigid conduit, leading at its lower end to a short length of flexible hose used to form the final coupling Io the lower container. Figure 12 shows such an arrangement. The rigid conduit is indicated at 450 and has a first connector 452 for coupling to the outlet of upper container 454.

In this particular embodiment the rigid conduit 450 is generally "U" shaped, and

leads downward to a coupling with a flexible conduit 456 having at its end a second connector for coupling to the inlet of a lower container 458. By virtue of the combination of the rigid upper conduit 450 and the flexible lower conduit 456, it is

ensured that there is no "belly" - i.e. reversal of gradient - to retain liquid, whilst still

providing an easy means of coupling to both containers.

The arrangement seen in Figure 7 provides for agitation of the liquid in the lower IBC, to promote mixing thereof. This is done using a commercially available

agitation unit whose motor 430 is mounted upon the stillage. The motor could in

principle be electric, but a compressed air driven unit is used in the illustrated

embodiment. It can be seen in Figure 8 that the structure of the stillage 431 has been

deepened, as compared with the abo\e described embodiments, in order to

accommodate the motor. An upright motor shaft 432 passes through a sealing gland

in the bung 424 and extends down into the interior of the lower IBC, carrying at its

lower end a mixing head 434 which in this embodiment has pivoted blades 436.

These can adopt the compact configuration shown in solid lines in order to pass through the IBC 's inlet, but when the head rotates in the liquid they automatically pivot outwards to adopt the wider configuration shown in phantom. This head is commercially available and does not in itself form part of the present invention.

Note that the liquid inlet leads to a feed pipe 438 which extends downwardly, in cantilevered fashion, from the bung 424, and terminates adjacent the mixing head

434, or to be more specific just above it. Not only does the feed pipe 438 thus extend

into the liquid in the lower container, and so promote mixing of the incoming liquid therewith, but its proximity to the mixing head also helps to ensure that the incoming liquid is distributed through the body of liquid in the container.

The arrangement is well suited to use where a concentrate in the upper

container is to be diluted in a body of liquid in the lower one, e.g. when preparing dilute acid in bulk. Agitiation helps to avoid variations in concentration in the

resulting dilute liquid. Flow could be metered in this context by incorporating a suitable metering device in the supply conduit.

However the arrangement has any number of other uses. For example, inks

and dyes often need to be mixed prior to use. The present invention makes it possible

to deliver such preparations from one bulk container to another, and to mix the liquid

at the same time. Thus for example the lower container could be connected to

printing machinery, and be topped up from a replaceable upper container, avoiding

any machinery down time for the replacement of the ink supply.

In some cases it is desirable to heat the liquid. For example this may be done in order to reduce viscosity and so promote drainage and reduce wastage. It is known

to place an electrically heated jacket around an IBC to heat its contents. The jacket is placed over and around the container, but cannot conveniently extend beneath it since inserting it below the container involves handling problems. Supplying the heat from the sides makes it difficult to ensure that all regions of the container are adequately heated. By incorporating a heat source into the stillage according to the present invention, however, heat can conveniently be supplied from beneath the container, which is advantageous in promoting convective mixing of the liquid.

Figure 9 is a somewhat schematic representation, but the principles will be clear. Heat sources are mounted on the stillage. In the illustrated embodiment they are electric devices formed as large area pads 600, 602. To bring them into thermal

contact with the actual vessel of the bulk container, and not merely with its

surrounding framework, the heat pads are movably mounted, in this case by means of springs 604, 606, and are upwardly biased. They are also of course shaped and

dimensioned to fit through openings in the IBC framework, although this merely

entails forming them as rectangles in the illustrated embodiment.

Still a further use of the stillage is represented in Figures 10 and 11. In

previous examples the stillage has been used to mount one bulk container upon

another. However in this case it serves instead to mount a collector or funnel upon

a container. The stillage 500 is once more seated upon a container 501 to be filled.

The funnel 502 is constructed such that it has the same footprint as a bulk container.

In. the illustrated example it is square in plan, having a sheet metal construction with

four flat panels 504 that surround and are downwardly inclined toward a central drain

hole leading to an upright conduit 508 positioned to align with and extend into the

centra] inlet 510 of the container 501. Upright legs 511 at the corners of the funnel support it and seat upon the stillage in the same "W" shaped features used in other applications to locate an upper container. Of course the funnel can be used in filling

the container. In particular, it is useful when draining smaller vessels. Typically in such applications a grid or mesh is placed across the funnel's upper surface and the vessels to be drained are placed - neck down - in the mesh, causing them to drain first in to the funnel ands then into the container beneath.

It must be understood that the aforegoing embodiments are presented by way of example rather than limitation. Numerous variations are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1.A stillage for use in stacking one bulk container upon another, the stillage being shaped to stably rest upon a lower bulk container and having lower locating features for locating itself upon the lower bulk container, and being shaped to stably support an upper bulk container, having upper locating features shaped to locate the upper bulk container.

2. A stillage as claimed in claim 1 , which is adapted to separate the upper and

lower bulk containers and provides an internal access space which is open to the exterior and enables a user to reach an upper face of the lower container while the

stillage is in situ.

3. A stillage as claimed in claim lor claim 2, in which the upper and/or lower

locating features are shaped and arranged to enable them to receive a bulk container

of rectangular plan shape in both (a) a first orientation in which the long edges of the container run fore-and-aft with respect to the stillage and (b) a second orientation in

which the long edges of the container run from side-to-side with respect to the stillage.

4. A stillage as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the lower locating

features comprise a base comprising channel or angle section members for resting

and locating upon a peripheral upper ledge of the lower container.

5. A stillage as claimed in claim 4, in which the base members form in plan

a substantially rectangular shape for receiving a similarly shaped ledge of the

container.

6. A stillage as claimed in claim 5, in which comers of the substantially rectangular plan shape formed by the base members are omitted or are formed by diagonal pieces to allow the channel to receive a ledge whose corners are rounded.

7. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the lower locating features comprise downwardly projecting feet.

8. A stillage as claimed in claim 2, in which the upper and/or lower locating

features comprise four "W" shaped boundaries for receiving respective corners of the

container.

9. A stillage as claimed in claim 2 wherein the upper and/or lower locating

features define the comers of two similar and overlapping rectangles, one at right

angles to the other.

10. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim comprising upper and lower

substantially planar frames, the upper frame carrying the upper locating features and

the lower frame carrying the lower locating features.

11. A stillage as claimed in claim 10 wherein the upper and/or lower frame(s)

comprise peripheral fore-and-aft and cross members reinforced by a lattice structure.

12. A stillage as claimed in claim 11 wherein joints between the fore-and-aft

members and the cross members comprise corner plates carrying locating features.

13. A stillage as claimed in claim 12 wherein the corner plates carry locating

features in the form of respective projecting walls.

14. A stillage as claimed in claim 13 wherein the walls are "W" shaped in

plan.

15. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim, provided with a device for

agitating liquid in the lower bulk container.

16. A stillage as claimed in claim 15 in which the agitation device is mounted

upon the stillage.

17. A stillage as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the agitation device comprises a motor mounted upon the stillage, a shaft coupled to the motor, and an agitation head coupled to the shaft, so that the shaft is insertable into the lower bulk

container to cause the agitation head to be submerged in liquid in it.

18. A stillage as claimed in claim 17, which is provided with a closure for

insertion in the inlet of the lower bulk container, the closure incorporating a seal

through which the shaft passes.

19. A stillage as claimed in claim 18, which is further provided with a feed

pipe insertable into the lower bulk container, the feed pipe being arranged to eject

incoming liquid into the vicinity of the agitation head.

20. A stillage as claimed in claim 19 in which both the shaft and the feed pipe

pas through the closure and are located relative to each other by it.

21. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim provided with a closure for

the lower bulk container through which extend an inlet conduit connectable to the

upper bulk container and an air vent.

22. A stillage as claimed in claim 21 in which the air vent is provided with

fittings for connection to an air scrubber.

23. A stillage as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22 in which the inlet conduit

extends beyond the closure, on the side of the closure which lies toward the interior of the bulk container when it is mounted, so that an open end of the inlet conduit is able to be submerged in liquid in the lower bulk container.

24. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim provided with a transfer conduit with fittings for connection at one end to an outlet of the upper bulk container and at the other end to an inlet of the lower bulk container.

25. A stillage as claimed in claim 24 in which the transfer conduit is adapted

to drain itself in to the lower container after the outlet from the upper container has

been closed.

26. A stillage as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25, wherein a vent pipe meets the transfer conduit at a "T'' junction, the vent pipe having an open end remote from the "T'^" junction and the open end being positionable above the liquid level in the

upper container.

27. A stillage as claimed in any of claims 24 to 26 in which the transfer

conduit comprises a rigid portion for coupling to the upper bulk container and a

flexible portion for coupling the rigid portion to the lower container.

28. A stillage as claimed in any of claims 24 to 27 in which the transfer

conduit comprises a larger diameter portion for coupling to the upper bulk container,

a smaller diameter portion, and an eccentric reducer coupling the larger diameter

portion to the smaller diameter portion.

29. A stillage as claimed in any preceding claim which carries at least one

heater for warming the contents of the upper bulk container.

30. A stillage as claimed in claim 29 in which the heater is arranged to contact

the upper bulk container.

31. A stillage as claimed in claim 30 in which the heater is movably mounted upon the stillage and is biased toward contact with the upper bulk container.

32 A method of adding liquid to a bulk container, comprising placing a stillage upon a first bulk container, placing a second bulk container upon the stillage, leading a conduit from an output of the first bulk container to an inlet of the second

bulk container, and allowing liquid to pass from the second bulk container to the first under gravity feed.

33. A method as claimed in claim 32, further comprising agitating the liquid

as it passes into the second container.

34. A stillage substantially as herein described with reference to, and as

illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.