GB2272879A

GB2272879A - Potato boxes

Info

Publication number: GB2272879A
Application number: GB9224756A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Fryett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-11-26
Filing date: 1992-11-26
Publication date: 1994-06-01
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-26
Also published as: GB9224756D0; GB2272879B

Abstract

A potato box has sloping side walls (12) leading to a longitudinal gap (14) at the bottom of the box, a vertical support (18) upstanding from the centre of the gap, twin conveyors (20, 20A) beneath the gap, and means (22, 22A) on the central support for controlling delivery of potatoes to the twin conveyors. The means are preferably a pair of doors which are either hinged and held closed by latches (24) or slideable to control delivery (Fig 2, not shown). Avoids the operator having to enter the box during discharge. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvements in and relating to Potato Boxes This invention relates to a potato box.

A potato box, sometimes called a bulker, is a large container in use mounted on a vehicle (lorry or trailer) to carry root vegetables, especially potatoes. For convenience, the container is herein referred to as a potato box, although the invention is not limited to use of the box for carrying potatoes. The box may be stood on the platform of a standard flat bed lorry or trailer and fixed to the platform in any convenient manner, or be equipped with corner twist locks for mounting to a vehicle platform specially adapted to receive the box, or the box may form an integral part of the structure of a lorry or trailer.

A typical conventional potato box has side walls which slope down towards one another to a small gap which extends longitudinally down the centre of the box. Just beneath this gap is mounted a conveyor belt. The conveyor is operated when the potatoes in the box are to be unloaded to control delivery of the potatoes through an openable and closable trap door at the bottom of the back wall of the box.

The box is loaded through its open top, and at this time the gap at the bottom of the side walls above the conveyor is bridged by a series of flat boards or plates, typically of timber, which are laid side by side to extend along the entire length of the gap.

At the time of unloading, the rearmost bridging boards are lifted to allow potatoes to drop down on to the conveyor, and when delivery of potatoes through the trap door slows down, further bridging boards are removed, working from the back forwardly, until the complete load has been delivered right to the front of the box.

In order to lift the bridging boards in the above-described manner, the operator has to be inside the box, and this is potentially dangerous, especially due to the risk of slipping into the opened-up gap at the bottom of the box and fouling the conveyor.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved potato box which, when the potatoes are to be delivered, does not require the assistance of an operator inside the box.

According to the invention, there is provided a potato box having sloping side walls leading to a longitudinal gap along the bottom of the box, an upstanding supporting means extending along the centre of the longitudinal gap, twin conveyors below the gap, one on each side of the central supporting means, and means on the central supporting means for controlling delivery of potatoes on to the twin conveyors in a manner which does not require an operator to enter the box.

In one simple form of embodiment, the central supporting means carries an inverted V-shaped shield extending the full length of the box, said shield creating limited spacings between its bottom edges and the side walls of the box to.

restrict flow of potatoes on to the conveyors.

hThen loading of the conveyors is limited in this way; it is not essential at any time completely to close the gap at r the bottom of the side walls. Preferably, however, the sides of the inverted V-shaped shield are equipped with sliding shutters which can be moved to adjust and if desired completely close the spacings between the shield and the side walls of the box. These spacings may thus be adjusted in dimension to suit the average size of the potatoes forming the load, or may be completely closed when the box is loaded and opened only when the potatoes are to be delivered.

It is not necessary to enter the box to move the shutters.

The sliding movement of these shutters can be controlled via a coupling mechanism such as a rack and pinion from a handle or motor on the outside of the front and/or back end of the box.

In a preferred form of embodiment, a series of flaps are provided along the length of the central supporting means on both sides thereof, each flap hinged to said supporting means to be movable from a closed position in which the flap extends over the gap on one side of the supporting means to engage the side wall of the box and an open position in which it depends against or close to the supporting means.

Latching means are preferably provided to hold the flaps in the closed position, and the latching means can be coupled by a linkage to a handle located outside the box beneath its sloping side wall.

Preferably, by means of a coupling, a handle outside one side of the box operates the pair of aligned flaps on opposite sides of the support means. However, a handle is preferably provided outside both sides of the box, in case one handle should not be readily accessible when the vehicle on which the box is standing is parked close to a wall in a warehouse or the like.

Preferably also, a handle is provided for each pair of flaps, so that the flaps can be successively released into the open position starting from the back of the box and progressing to the front, during the unloading process. Advantageously, however, any pair of flaps can be opened if it is required to take a random sample from the load.

The handles, linkages and couplings could be linked to the flaps to enable the flaps to be closed from outside the box, but this is generally not necessary, as the flaps will only be lifted from the open to the closed position after the box has been completely emptied and the conveyors switched off.

Manual operation of the latches for the flaps is convenient, but powered latches, operating electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically could be provided if preferred. This option also applies to the sliding shutters which may be provided in the first form of embodiment.

The twin conveyors may also be driven electrically or from a source of pneumatic or hydraulic power. Endless belt conveyors are preferred, which have a return run towards the front of the box beneath the delivery run.

Two embodiments of potato box in accordance with the invention are now described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment in diagrammatic elevational view looking forwardly from inside the back wall of the box; and Figure 2 is an analogous view of an alternative embodiment.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a potato box 10 includes a container with sloping side walls 12. At the bottom of the box, there is a gap 14 extending the whole length of the box between the bottom edges of the side walls.

Upstanding from the base frame 16 of the box, centrally of the length of the gap 14, is a support 18. This support, which extends the whole length of the box, may be in the form of a solid wall, a framework, or possibly even a series of upstanding pillars, and it may be braced by struts to the side walls 12.

Beneath the gap 14 are installed twin endless conveyor belts 20, 20A, one on each side of the central support 18.

The conveyors are conveniently driven by electric motors, although other forms of power are possible, and means are provided for adjusting the tensions of the belts.

For closing the gap 14, a series of flaps 22, 22A are hinged at 23 to the central support, on opposite sides of the support for the full length thereof. The flaps form pairs aligned with one another on opposite sidles of the support 18, as exemplified by flap 22, which is shown open, and flap 22A, which is shown closed.

In fact, it is not possible in the preferred embodiment for one flap of a pair to be open and the other to be closed during unloading, as will be clear from the following description; the illustration is for the convenience of showing the two possible positions of the flaps, and is a situation which can occur when the flaps are being closed after discharge of the load has been completed.

In the closed position, the flaps 22, 22A are held by latches in the form of spring loaded bolts 24. When the latches are released by retracting the bolts 24, the flaps drop down against the sides of the central support 18, opening the gap 14. If the box is loaded with potatoes, these can then drop down on to the conveyors 20, 20A to be delivered through an openable and closable trap door in the back wall of the box. The shaping of each flap 22, 22A is important to locate its centre of gravity so that the bottom of the flap depends against the central support 18.

The bolts 24 are releasable by handles 26 linked to the bolts, one handle on each side of the box outside and beneath its side wall. However, the handles 26 are coupled together via a compensator 28 so that the handle on either side of the box will open one pair of flaps. It follows that there are a series of handles 26 along the length of the outside of the box, one for each pair of flaps.

The handles 26 can be locked in the bolt-retracted position, when the flaps 22,22A are open, by a locking pin 29. This prevents damage to potatoes falling on to the conveyors by the ends 30 of the latching bolts.

When the box is loaded through its open top with potatoes, the flaps 22, 22A are closed, closing the gap 14 and preventing potatoes from falling on to the conveyors 20, 20A.

When the box is to be unloaded, the conveyors are switched on, and, starting from the back, the pairs of flaps 22, 22A are successively opened to give delivery of potatoes at the back of the box at a controlled rate. The flaps 22, 22A are openable from outside the box, and there is no danger to the operator. After the box has been fully emptied and the conveyors switched off, it is acceptable for the operator to enter the box to close the flaps, as no danger arises at this time. However, it would be possible also to link the handles to the flaps so that the handles can be used to close the flaps.

Instead of being manually operated, a power drive could be employed to operate the flaps.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment which also provides safety for the operator. Similar reference numerals are employed in Figure 2 for parts similar to those of Figure 1.

In the alternative embodiment, instead of flaps, an inverted V-shield 32 is mounted on top of the central support 18 along the full length of the box 10. Mounted to the sides of the shield 32 are sliding shutters 34, 34A which can be employed to adjust the spacings 36, and if appropriate close the spacings, between the bottom edges of the shield and the sloping side walls 12 of the box.

The sliding shutters, possibly one at the back and one at the front on each side of the central support 18, may be operated by a rack and pinion 38 which may be manually or power operated.

With the alternative arrangement, it may not be necessary at any time completely to close the spacings 36. If the spacings are small, only a limited number of potatoes will be able to fall on to the conveyors, and the rate of delivery will be automatically controlled. For this reason, if regular loads of potatoes of more or less uniform size are being handled, it is possible to dispense with the sliding shutters 34, 34A and predesign the shield 32 so that the spacings 36 are of such a dimension that the rate of delivery of potatoes at the back of the box is appropriately controlled.

Claims

1. A potato box having sloping side walls leading to a longitudinal gap along the bottom of the box, an upstanding supporting means extending along the centre of the longitudinal gap, twin conveyors below the gap, one on each side of the central supporting means, and means on the central supporting means for controlling delivery of potatoes on to the twin conveyors in a manner which does not require an operator to enter the box.

2. A potato box according to claim 1, wherein the central supporting means carries an inverted V-shaped shield extending the full length of the box, said shield creating limited spacings between its bottom edges and the side walls of the box to restrict flow of potatoes on to the conveyors.

3. A potato box according to claim 2, wherein the sides of the inverted V-shaped shield are equipped with sliding shutters which can be moved to adjust and if desired completely close the spacings between the shield and the side walls of the box.

4. A potato box according to claim 3, wherein the sliding movement of the shutters is controlled via a coupling mechanism from a handle or motor on the outside of the front and/or back end of the box.

5. A potato box according to claim 4, wherein the coupling mechanism is a rack and pinion.

6. A potato box according to claim 1, wherein a series of flaps are provided along the length of the central supporting means on both sides thereof, each flap hinged to said supporting means to be movable from a closed position in which the flap extends over the gap on one side of the supporting means to engage the side wall of the box and an open position in which it depends against or close to the supporting means.

7. A potato box according to claim 6, wherein latching means are provided to hold the flaps in the closed position.

8. A potato box according to claim 7, wherein the latching means is coupled by a linkage to a handle located outside the box beneath its sloping side wall.

9. A potato box according to claim 8, wherein, by means of a coupling, the handle outside one side of the box operates the pair of aligned flaps on opposite sides of the support means.

10. A potato box according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein a handle is provided outside both sides of the box.

11. A potato box according to claim 8 or claim 9 or claim 10, wherein a handle is provided for each pair of flaps, so that the flaps can be successively released into the open position starting from the back of the box and progressing to the front, during the unloading process.

12. A potato box according to any of claims 7 to 11, wherein the handles, linkages and couplings are linked to the flaps to enable the flaps to be closed as well as opened from outside the box.

13. A potato box according to any of claims 7 to 12, wherein the latches for the flaps are manually operable.

14. A potato box according to any of claims 7 to 12, in which the latches are power operated.

15. A potato box according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sliding shutters are power operated.

16. A potato box according to any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the twin conveyors are power driven.

17. A potato box according to any of claims 1 to 16, using endless belt conveyors which have a return run towards the front of the box beneath the delivery run.

18. A potato box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 or to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.