GB2212788A

GB2212788A - Maintaining a loose valve in position when moving container

Info

Publication number: GB2212788A
Application number: GB8727849A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ivan Semenenko
Original assignee: MATERIAL CONTROL ENG Ltd
Current assignee: MATERIAL CONTROL ENG Ltd
Priority date: 1987-11-27
Filing date: 1987-11-27
Publication date: 1989-08-02
Anticipated expiration: 2007-11-27
Also published as: GB8727849D0; GB2212788B

Abstract

A container 1 for a flowable material comprises an opening 2 through which flowable material can pass, a usually loose valve member 3 adapted to obturate the opening, and means 4 to clamp the valve member 3 to the container for when the container 1 is moved bodily. The clamping means may comprise an inflatable tube arranged on a channel-shaped support 6 (Fig 1), the clamp carrying sealing means as well, or may include pivotted levers 22 (Fig 4) actuated by an air bellows 23. <IMAGE>

Description

MATERIAL HANDLING APPARATUS The invention relates to a material handling apparatus, particularly apparatus for holding a flowable material such as a powder or other particulate material, though it will be understood that the apparatus could be used to hold other flowable material such as a slurry. The apparatus may comprise an intermediate bulk container - I.B.C., for example that disclosed and claimed in U.K. Patent Specification No. 20849693 In such an I.B.C. or bin there is a loose cone valve which, though self-seating and centralizing, would fall out of position if the bin was turned on its side or upended.This means that for some applications such an I.B.C. is unsuitable, for example: - in tumbling (in-bin mixing when the bin is clamped into a 'cage' or frame and then the whole assembly rotated to mix powders inside the bin); - Bin filling through valve (allowing bin to be made without a top filling lid, and thus intrinsically more hygienic and cheaper to manufacture).

- Road transport of hazardous powders. Pending E.E.C. legislation (already current in Germany) requires that I.B.C.'s are failsafe if dropped or crashed on a wagon - with no spillage of powders.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for holding a flowable material, comprising an opening through which flowable material can pass, a usually loose valve member adapted to obturate the opening, and means to clamp the valve member for when the apparatus is moved bodily.

Using apparatus embodying the invention it is possible to clamp the valve member in the opening so that material cannot flow from the apparatus when same is mounted in a tumbling frame for mixing material therein.

The means to clamp the valve member may comprise an expansible device which when expanded grips the valve member and clamps it in position.

The expansible device may comprise an inflatable device such as pneumatic ring or tube. When inflated with air from a suitable source, the ring or tube expands and grips the valve member to clamp it in position.

The ring or tube may suitably be seated in a relatively rigid support from which the device expands to grip the valve member. This provides a relatively simple construction which is yet able efficiently to clamp the valve member.

The support may suitably comprise a channel shaped member.

Alternatively, the clamp means may comprise a lever device operative on pivoting the lever to engage the valve member whereby to grip and clamp the valve member. This provides a relatively simple yet effective means to grip the valve member.

There may be a plurality, for example three levers each adapted to be pivoted synchronously by pivoting means in order to grip the valve member.

The pivoting means may comprise a device bearing on one end of the or each lever to pivot same about a pivot axis whereby to force an opposite end into gripping and clamping engagement with the valve member.

The valve member may be a conical valve member.

It will be understood that the invention extends to a container including apparatus as hereinbefore defined.

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through an I.B.C. or bin including apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view through a further embodiment of I.B.C. or bin including apparatus according to the invention; Figure 3 is a plan view of part of a yet further embodiment of I.B.C. or bin including a second embodiment of apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the I.B.C.

or bin of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are referred to by like numerals, there is shown apparatus 1 for holding a flowable material, comprising an opening 2 through flowable material can pass, a usually loose valve member 3 adapted to obturate the opening, and means 4 to clamp the valve member 3 for when the apparatus 1 is moved bodily.

The opening 2 is in a body of the I.B.C, the opening 2 being capable of being obturated by the valve member in the form of a cone valve 3 which has a depending cylindrical skirt or wall 5. Mounted interiorly of the cone is a channel-shaped support 6 which seats or supports the cone valve clamp in the form of an expansible in this case inflatable rubber bag, tyre, ring or tube 7 connected to a suitable source (not shown) of inflation medium such as compressed air. The channel shaped support 6 is made of suitable material such as rolled metal and is secured as by bolts through one flange 8 with a dust tray or dish 9 which has a seal 10 round its free end for sealing against the outside of the body 1.

The cone valve 3 is usually free, and self-centring and self-seating. If it is desired to transport the I.B.C, or "tumble" it for mixing powders in the body, the cone valve 3 is clamped in position seating on the body in the opening 2 by expanding the ring 7 with compressed air from the source via a non-return valve (not shown). The ring 7 expands out of the support 6 to grip the skirt 5 so firmly holding the cone valve in position The I.B.C. can then be readily and safely transported. For tumbling the bin, the apparatus 1 is fitted to the bottom of a usual bin tumbler frame 11 to which it is connected via pneumatically operated piston and cylinder arrangement 12 and clamp 13.

Figure 2 shows a similar apparatus 1 to that of Figure 1, in this embodiment the I.B.C. being arranged for bin filling through the cone valve 3.

In this embodiment, there is no lid and the bin is filled through the aperture 2 when the bin is inverted. There is a secondary cone 14 to divert flowable material such as powder past the cone valve 3 and clamp device 4, the channel support being secured as by bolts to the secondary cone 14 which itself is mounted on a raising and lowering device such as a pneumatic piston 15 and cylinder 16 arrangement in a filling spout 17 telescopically arranged with respect to an outlet shute 18 of the I.B.C. The bin 1 is inverted for filling, through the aperture 2, the cone valve 3 being securely clamped in position as before (Figure 1) by expanding the air ring 7 to engage the skirt 5, the piston 15 being extended to lower the secondary cone 14 and cone valve 2 together to expost an annular filling orifice at the opening 2.

The embodiment could also be used in a bin timbling frame, so that bins could be filled past the valve and also tumbled for mixing.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the cone valve clamping means comprises a lever arrangement 19 comprising in the embodiment three equiangularly arranged levers 20. Each lever is pivoted on an intermediate pivot axis 21. One end 22 of each lever 20 is acted on by actuating means in the form of an air bellows 23. The other end 24 of each lever 20 is adapted to engage under a lip 25 of the skirt 5 to grip and clamp the cone valve 3 in position, when moved from the dashed-line position, Figure 4, to the full line position on expansion of the air bellows 23 and hence movement downwardly (as viewed in Figure 4). This pivoting movement of the levers 20 is effectively an expansion as the radius described by the three other ends 24 increases or expands as the levers 20 pivot. Each lever 20 is acted on by resilient means such as a flat spring 26 to return it to its initial position when the bellows 23 is deflated. Any other suitable means other than a bellows 23 may be employed.

It will be understood that the apparatus in every embodiment would be automatic as they are airpowered, and interlocked for safety. In every embodiment operation of the cone valve 3 clamping means 4 ensures that that valve is firmly gripped so that the bin can be moved bodily without fear of spilling the contents.

Claims

CLAi'iS

1. Apparatus for holding a flowable material, comprising an opening through which flowable material can pass, a usually loose valve member adapted to obturate the opening, and means to clamp the valve member for when the apparatus is moved bodily.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, the means to clamp the valve member comprising an expansible device which when expanded grips the valve member and clamps it in position.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the expansible device comprising an inflatable device.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, the device comprising a pneumatic ring or tube.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the ring or tube being seated in a relatively rigid support from which the device expands to grip the valve member.

ó. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the support comprising a channel shaped member.

,. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the support comprising a lever device operative on pivoting the lever to engage the valve member whereby to grip and clamp the valve member.

b. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein there is a plurality of levers each adapted to be pivoted synchronously by pivoting means in order to grip the valve member.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, there being three levers.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 8 or Claim 9, including pivoting means comprising a device bearing on one end of the or each lever to pivot same about a pivot axis whereby to force an opposite end into gripping and clamping engagement with the valve member.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, the valve member being a conical valve member.

12. Apparatus for holding a flowable material, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A container, including apparatus according to any preceding claim.