GB1299161A - Process and apparatus for packing meltable material in flexible containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1299161 Packing plastic material ZIMMERMANN GmbH & CO 1 Jan 1970 98/70 Heading B8C In a process for packing meltable material such as bitumen a tubular foil sheath 15 of synthetic plastics material, which is resistant to water and the material to be packed, one end of the sheath is drawn over a material filling nozzle 13, the sheath is unrolled on to a pool of water 11 in a trough 10, and the filling material is forced through the sheath from the filling nozzle 13. As shown, the tubular sheath is laid, full length, on the water 11 and can either be inflated by compressed air supplied by a nozzle 14 to escape, at a controlled rate, from one or more openings 19 adjacent the closed end of the sheath or, the latter can be initially opened to trap sufficient air therein which provides an air cushion which advances in front of the molten material as the latter passes along the sheath. In a modification, Fig. 2b (not shown), compressed air and filling material are successively introduced into one end of a sheath, which is unrolled from a reel (115a) mounted on a float (121) located on the water (111) adjacent the nozzles (113, 114), as the material, introduced into the sheath, forces an air cushion (123) towards the reel (121) to move the latter away from the nozzle (113). The air in the cushion (123) escapes when the inner end of the sheath is freed from the roll (115a) and the sheath becomes filled. The open freed end of the sheath is closed by a clip (125); alternatively, if this end is closed, one or more air escape openings are provided. In a further modification, Fig. 3, (not shown), a sheath is unwound as it is filled and is carried by a trolley (221) having rollers (228) which roll on a guide wire (227). A similar guide may be employed to prevent lateral movement of the float (121), Fig. 2b (not shown). The sheath can be filled from both ends in which case the venting openings are located at, or near, the middle of the sheath, or it can be filled from the middle, the molten material flowing towards both ends. Air venting openings can be distributed throughout the length of the sheath.