MXPA00000363A - Improvements in containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (1) including a four sided base (2) having a trough (8) extending part way across the base upper face, a nozzle support (16) at the mouth of the trough (8) to support a linear bag nozzle (18) in said trough mouth with a liquid discharging bore portion of said nozzle below the level of said upper face of said base, four container side panels (9, 10, 11) for erection at the four sides of the base with one of the side panels (11) a nozzle panel. A nozzle aperture (24) in said nozzle panel (11) positioned so as to be aligned with the trough mouth when the nozzle panel (11) is erected on the base, and releasable nozzle retainer means (25, 26) on the nozzle panel.

Description

- IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTAINERS FIELD OF UMNVENTION This invention relates to a container for use with a plastic lined bag to hold a liquid or a liquefiable material (hereinafter called both simply liquids) where the container is adapted to allow the contents of the lined bag to be unloaded through an opening in a discharge side of the container.

PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE A container covering the aforementioned objectives is usually of a collapsible type having a base and four side panels capable of standing upright on the four edges of the base and which are interconnectable to provide a supporting enclosure of the lined bag. The container usually has a lid. The base is usually of the "platform" type, allowing an easy movement of the container by means of a fork or platform forklift. Two forms of crushable containers are common. In one form the side panels can be completely removed from the base and in the other form the side panels of the container are coupled to the base and can be moved between a bent condition where they are on top of each other and on the base, and a vertical condition On the base.

• - For the use of the liner bag for liquids, one side of the container is a discharge side adapted to attach a nozzle of the lined bag to project from the inside of the container as a discharge valve for liquids or can attach other devices to the nozzle. The nozzle of the bag can be attached by a retainer to hold it in a projection condition ready for a valve or other device that will be coupled to it. One form of retainer is described in the Australian patent 556931 by the applicant hereby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to provide means for allowing a substantially complete emptying of the lining bag. In the prior art containers the nozzle was supported in the projection condition at an elevation above the base resulting in an amount of liquid remaining in the liner bag after the discharge by gravity of liquid through the nozzle will finish. So far, the accepted solution to this problem has been to manually lift the bag with liner to cause the remaining liquid to exit through the nozzle, the present invention provides a modified container construction that will substantially complete the discharge of the liquid by gravity from a bag with lining.

In developing the present invention, another problem presented by containers of the type mentioned in previous paragraphs was considered. So far, it has been common practice for containers with liner bags described above to have nozzles of the same size. While the nozzle size adopted almost universally allowed the rapid discharge of low viscosity liquids, it has been found that the size of the nozzle is not suitable in cases where rapid discharge of low viscosity liquids is required and it is not capable of providing suitable discharge speed for high viscosity liquids. One solution to this problem is to provide lined liner bags with different sizes that allow the user of a container to choose the appropriate nozzle size for the type of liquid, or a required discharge velocity for the liquid, in the container. It has been determined through experimentation that two nozzle sizes will satisfactorily cover most types of liquid and the required discharge rates. The adoption of different nozzle sizes poses a problem for the container manufacturer, who until now only had to work with a single nozzle size, since the nozzle retainer in the discharge side container, should now work with nozzle nozzles. multiple sizes. Taking this into account, a nozzle retainer has been designed, capable of operating with two different nozzle sizes. The retainer is also capable of covering the opening to receive the nozzle in the discharge side container thus allowing the container to be used without a lining bag to accommodate the discrete material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A container that includes a base with an upper face and four sides, one of which is a discharge side, a depression in the base that partially traverses the upper face of the base from a depression mouth on the discharge side in the base, nozzle support means for supporting a lined bag nozzle in said depression mouth with a liquid discharge portion of said nozzle below the level of said upper face of said base, and including four side panels of the container to keep the four sides of the base vertical with one of the side panels a nozzle panel, a nozzle opening in said nozzle panel placed in such a way that it aligned with the mouth of the depression when the nozzle panel was raised vertically on the base, and releasable nozzle retainer means on the nozzle panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic view with the separated parts of a container shape with the base and a side panel illustrating the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view with the parts separated from a base different from that shown in the figural. Figure 3 is a perspective view of the elements of a bag nozzle retainer which is shown in general in Figure 1 on a larger scale. Figure 4 is a schematic side view in which the elements of Figure 3 are shown mounted in an operative relation in a side panel of the container. Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a lined bag nozzle coupled by the retainer of Figures 3 and 4 and Figure 6 is a fragmentary front view of a bag nozzle of a first size coupled by the retainer of figures 3 to 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING OF THE DRAWINGS.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a container 1 including a base 2 of the platform type with an upper surface 3, lower support bars 4 and spacers 5 with a size and position such as to allow the entry of teeth of a fork or platform forklift between the separators 5. There is a separator 6 having a special shape on the discharge side 7 of the base to accommodate an end of the mouth of the depression 8 extending inwardly through the base. As illustrated, the depression 8 increases in width and depth when it reaches the discharge side 7 of the base. It should be understood that this is a preferred configuration and the depression may have a uniform width and / or uniform depth. 4 panels are illustrated, the side panels can be detachably connected to the base on the sides of the base in such a way that they are vertical relative to the base or coupled to the base to allow the panels to bend downwards in relation to the base. one on another on the base and rise to a vertical condition relative to the base. Examples of removable and bendable arrangements are found in Australian patents 676087, 684859, 665635, 643812 and 694001 of the applicant herein. The manner in which the side panels are mounted on the base is not relevant in the present invention and for this reason no detailed connections are provided on the side panels relative to the base. As illustrated in Figure 1, two side panels 9 are equal and shorter than the two side panels 10 and 11. The side panels were created with the intention that they are of the type that can be folded down with the side panels more shorts 9 when placed vertical from the indicated plinths 12 on the opposite sides of the base and vertical side panels 10 and 11 from the upper surface of the base 2. The side panel 11 differs from the side panel 10 in that it is adapted for use with a container with bag with lining for liquids. Figure 2 illustrates another form of a container base, has a skeletal shape and the upper surface is provided by a floor sheet 13. The floor sheet 13 is provided with a notch 14 for skirting the ends, as is sometimes desirable for reasons that will be described later. This base form may have plinths 12 or it may be of the type in which the equal height side panels are removably coupled. At the mouth of the depression 8 there are means for supporting the nozzle of a lined bag. The support means can have various forms. In the manner illustrated in Figure 4 the depression terminates behind a support bar 16 forming part of the spacer 6. Alternatively, the support bar 16 may be an end flange 16a at the long end of the depression 8. , see figure 4. As will be seen in figure 5, the liner bag 17 has a nozzle which is generally indicated with 18 including a tubular nozzle body 19 resting on the bar 16. The body has a suitable threaded neck with a cap 20 and there is a flange 21 which, when the nozzle is mounted on the side panel 11, rests opposite the bar 16. The nozzle 18 includes a rear flange 22 where the nozzle is welded to the bag with lining 17. There is a membrane 23 on the inner end of the nozzle hole. In this way the contents of the liner bag are retained inside the lined bag until the membrane 23 breaks. It should be noted that the lined bag follows the profile of the depression 8 and that the lowest point of the hole of the body of the nozzle 19 falls on the surface 3 of the base 2. The result is that all the liquid in the bag, with Except for a very small amount that occupies the "L" zone, it will be unloaded from the lining bag. The support surface of the bar 16, and the flange of the depression, if used as an alternative to the bar 16, is curved, or otherwise with a profile along the upper face to locate the body of the bar. nozzle 19 relative to the nozzle retention means that will be described later. When the rear part of the nozzle body 19 of the flange 21 has multiple sides, often this portion of the nozzle body is hexagonal in shape, the upper surface of the bar 16 may have a profile to cooperate with the faces of the body of multiple sides. The side panels for the containers of the type proposed by the present invention conventionally comprise a tubular steel or angular steel frame with a cover sheet, the cover sheets provide uniform internal surfaces for the housing of the lined bag consisting of the base and the side panels. The side 11 of the container (see Figure 1) incorporates a nozzle opening 24 in the form of a notch long enough to allow the flange 21 of the nozzle to pass therethrough. In a loading sequence of the liner bag with the panel 11 mounted in a vertical condition on the base 2, the nozzle without the lid 20 can be inserted from inside the container through the notch 24. The flange 21 will pass through. the notch, however the larger nozzle flange 22 will not pass and when the nozzle 18 subsequently goes down to rest ** * f «* * ^ i ^ -b? & g - ** on the upper edge with profile of the bar 16 the ratio of the ®« Íents will be as shown in figure 4. The proposed retention means for the nozzle they comprise a plurality of seals that are illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5, the arrangements illustrated are given for use with two nozzles of different sizes. There are three shutters with slightly different heights, the shortest shutter is indicated by the number 25, the intermediate length shutter is indicated by 26 and the longer shutter is indicated by 26. The shutters are flanged plates in the upper edge 28, 29, 30 respectively and the shutters 25 and 26 have notches in the lower edge 31 and 32 respectively. The notch 31 has a width slightly larger than the outer diameter of the tubular body of the largest nozzle that is proposed and the notch 32 is for another (smaller) nozzle. When a nozzle with a hexagonal shaped outer body is used, the width of the notches 31, 32 may be such that it engages the faces disposed opposite of the nozzle body. Such coupling provides resistance to the torque that is created when the cap 20 is screwed on and twisted and unscrewed from the threaded end of the nozzle body. This is a coupling that is desired, since otherwise the developing torque will be transferred to the welded joint between the flange 22 of the nozzle and the liner bag 17. The seals are slidably received in rails 34. on the internal faces of the bars 33 forming part of the frame of the side panel 11.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, it will be noted that the shutter plate 25 is in a lower position when the rear part of the body 19 without cap of the nozzle of the flange 21 is received within the notch 31. This ensures that the discharge edge of the nozzle 18 is maintained in an illustrated projection condition. The plate of the plug 26 will be retained in a raised condition when the notch 32 thereof can not pass over the body of the nozzle and thus a longer plug 27 will remain raised while the lower edge of the plug will rest on the body of the nozzle 19. Figure 6 also shows sliding bolt closure means 35 which when operative covers the flange 28 and prevents the obturator 25 from rising to release the nozzle 18. Following the description, when there is no nozzle extending through the notch 24 the three shutters will be in a lower condition and the shutter 27 will cover the notch 24 where it will be retained by the slidable pin 35. By turning the floor sheet 13, discussed above, the depression 8 will be covered, the notch 24 will be covered and the notch 14 of the sheet 13 will rest on the plate 15 and be covered. The result is a container with a uniform internal surface that can transport discrete materials. The sealing system described in this way also provides a means to allow a container to be used for the storage or transportation of both liquid and dry products. In modifications of the mentioned constructions: The nozzle retainer can only include notched seals for coupling with lined bag nozzles. The nozzle retainer may comprise more than two shutters each provided with a notch to fit the nozzle of the lined bag. The nozzle retainer blanks 25 and 26 may have an opposite relationship to that described with reference to the drawings. A hinge means other than the sliding bolt 35 can be provided for the nozzle retention shutters. Hinged cover means or other means may be provided with its own security means to cover the nozzle retention means to thereby prevent unauthorized access to the nozzle retention means.

Claims (15)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A container that includes a base with an upper face and four sides one of which is a discharge side, a depression in the base that partially crosses the upper face of the base from a depression mouth on the discharge side of the base. base, nozzle support means for supporting a nipple of the liner bag in said depression mouth with a liquid discharge portion of said lower nozzle at the level of said upper face of said base, and including four container side panels for keep them vertical on all four sides of the base with one of the side panels a nozzle panel, a nozzle opening in said nozzle panel positioned such that it aligned with the depression mouth when the nozzle panel is in position vertical on the base, and releasable nozzle retainer means on the nozzle panel.

2. A container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the base and the side panels are provided with half-engageable means in this way the side panels can be assembled and disassembled from the base.

3. A container according to claim 1, further characterized in that the side panels are hingedly connected to the base allowing the side panels to fold down on one another over the base and to rise to a vertical condition with respect to base.

4. A container according to any of claims 1 to 3, further characterized in that the depression increases in depth along its length and has a maximum depth at the mouth of the depression.

5. A container according to any of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the nozzle holder means are part of the base and include a nozzle holder surface which will place a portion of liquid discharge of a bag nozzle with a liner supported on the support surface at a lower level of said upper face of said base.

6. A container according to any of claims 1 to 4, further characterized in that the nozzle support means are part of the depression and include a flange with a support nozzle surface which will place a portion of discharging the liquid from a bag nozzle with a liner supported on the support surface at a level lower than said upper face of said base.

7. A container according to claim 5 or 6, further characterized in that the nozzle support surface has a profile to center the nozzle relative to the width of the depression.

8. A container according to any of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that the opening of tr ^ • «« nozzle on the nozzle panel is a notch on a lower edge of the nozzle panel.

9. A container according to any of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that the nozzle opening in the nozzle panel is a depression hole of the nozzle panel adjacent to the lower edge of the nozzle panel.

10. A container according to any of claims 1 to 9, further characterized in that said nozzle retention means include a plurality of shutters each including an edge with respectively notches suitable for coupling to retain the same. portions of the body of the nozzles of the lining bag of different sizes.

11. A container according to any of claims 1 to 9, further characterized in that said nozzle retention means include three shutters, two of which include a notched edge with notches of respective size for retaining coupling means the body portions of two liner bag nozzles of different sizes and the third plug is not provided for coupling with a liner bag nozzle and can be placed over said nozzle opening.

12. A container according to claim 10 or claim 11, further characterized in that the obturators are slidably mounted on the nozzle panel.

13. A container according to claim 10 or claim 11, further characterized in that the shutters are pivotably mounted on the nozzle panel.

14. A container according to any of claims 1 to 13, which includes fixing means to prevent the release of said nozzle retention means.

15. A container according to any of claims 1 to 14, including a security cover for the means of the nozzle retainer for the bag.