Abstract:
A device for supporting a plurality of flexible containers for liquid, including a plurality of baskets, each containing at least one of the flexible containers, a magazine to receive the baskets, able to adopt an operating configuration in which the baskets are disposed inclined one above the other, which magazine includes supports for the baskets, able to adopt a loading/unloading position such that each basket can be loaded/unloaded along a horizontal path, and able to adopt an operating position to maintain each basket in an inclined position to make the magazine adopt the operating configuration, and a driver for driving the supports between the loading/unloading position and the operating position.

Description:
FIELD 
     The invention concerns the support of flexible containers for liquids, for example containers adapted to be connected to an installation for biological liquid treatment. 
     BACKGROUND 
     To the inlet of the circuit of such an installation, a source container containing the product to be treated may thus be connected, but also containers containing a cleaning liquid such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), a rinsing liquid such as pure water or a buffer liquid such as a saline solution. 
     To the outlet, in addition to a container for collecting the treated liquid, can be connected various other containers for collecting cleaning, rinsing or buffer liquid, or for collecting residues. 
     Such containers, which are flexible, are already known, in particular bags formed from one or two flexible films peripherally welded and comprising at least one inlet/outlet connector. 
     These single-use bags are economical to produce and may attain high capacities of several tens of liters. 
     Once filled with liquid, such bags however have the drawback of being particularly difficult to utilize, in particular due to their high volumes and weights associated with a high level of deformability which makes difficult their manipulation and the transfer to piping of the liquid they contain. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention aims to enable easy and convenient utilization of such containers. 
     To that end, it provides a device for supporting a plurality of flexible containers for liquid; characterized in that it comprises:
         a plurality of baskets, each adapted to contain at least one said flexible container;   a magazine to receive said baskets, able to adopt an operating configuration in which said baskets are disposed inclined one above the other with each said container being in a position in which at least one connector is in the lower part thereof, said magazine comprising:
           support means for said baskets, able to adopt a loading/unloading position in which they are adapted such that each said basket can be loaded/unloaded along a horizontal path, and able to adopt an operating position in which they are adapted to maintain each said basket in inclined position to make said magazine adopt said operating configuration, and   means for driving said support means between said loading/unloading position and said operating position.   
               

     The device according to the invention makes it possible to limit the manipulations to be performed on the flexible containers. More particularly, it suffices for the operator to position each flexible container in a basket of the device, then to load it horizontally in the magazine the support means of which assume the loading/unloading position. 
     Once all the containers have been loaded, all that remains for the operator to do is to actuate the drive means to induce the passage of the support means into their operating position and thus the inclination of the baskets and of the flexible containers, such that at least one connector of each container is in the lower part thereof. 
     As each container is inclined, any air bubbles contained inside migrate towards its upper part, such that on connecting that container to the circuit via the connector situated in the lower part thereof, the risks of transferring air into the circuit are eliminated or at least very substantially reduced. 
     The device according to the invention is of course appropriate for flexible containers of small capacity but it is particularly advantageous when the flexible containers are of high capacity. 
     The fact of providing a plurality of baskets, each adapted to contain at least one flexible container, enables the baskets to be manipulated, which is easier in particular due to their stiffness. 
     The fact that the loading of the baskets containing the containers is carried out horizontally, makes it possible to use a commercially available lifting machine, for example a simple lifting truck, to install (load) the baskets onto the support means or remove (unload) them. 
     Lastly, as the baskets are disposed one above the other in the operating configuration of the magazine, the device according to the invention procures a great reduction in the floor area occupied by the containers in the zone of the installation, which is particularly advantageous when, as is generally the case in the operations of treatment of biopharmaceutical liquids, the installation is situated in a zone with controlled atmosphere where space is limited and very costly. 
     According to features that are preferred as being favorable to the simplicity and convenience of use of the device according to the invention:
         said support means comprise for each said basket, a pair of opposite runners adapted to slidingly receive said basket;   the runners of each said pair are pivotally mounted on opposite uprights of said magazine;   the device comprises, for each said pair, abutment means to limit the pivoting of said runners;   said abutment means comprise at least one rod adapted to travel in an oblong opening of a said upright;   each said pair of runners comprises means for locking said basket in said magazine;   said locking means comprise a latch mechanically linked to one of the runners of said pair, said latch being adapted to cooperate with a positioning member of a said basket;   said drive means comprise means for mechanical linkage rigidly linking said pair of runners together and means for pivoting said pairs of runners;   said mechanical linkage means comprise two metal bars disposed in said uprights of which the respective tops are linked by a bridging member;   said means for pivoting comprise reduction transmission and a source of rotation;   said source of rotation comprises a crank;   the ratio of said reduction transmission is such that seven crank turns leads to pivoting of said support means through approximately 20°;   said magazine comprises a horizontal chassis mounted on wheels;   said horizontal chassis is partly hollow to permit the travel of a said basket on passage from said loading/unloading position to said operating position;   each said basket comprises a frame adapted to cooperate with said support means and a grid adapted to support a said flexible container;   each said basket comprises a retaining hook adapted to cooperate with a handle of said flexible container, said retaining hook being rigidly fixed to said tubular frame;   each said basket comprises a first retaining hook adapted to cooperate with a handle of said flexible container, said first retaining hook being rigidly fixed to said tubular frame and each said basket further comprises a second retaining hook hinged to said first retaining hook and adapted to cooperate with said handle of said flexible container; and/or   said grid comprises a re-entrant portion situated on the opposite side from said retaining hook to accommodate a said connector of said flexible container.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure of the invention will now be continued with the detailed description of an embodiment, given below by way of illustrative but non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device according to the invention of which the baskets each contain a flexible container filled with liquid, the magazine being in operating configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of one of the flexible containers of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view a basket of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view from another angle of the rear part of the basket of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a view from the front of the basket of  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the magazine of the device of  FIG. 1  the support means of which are in the loading/unloading position; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view from another viewing angle of the magazine of  FIG. 6  the support means of which are in the operating position; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a basket, containing a flexible container, resting on the arms of the fork of a lifting truck; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the device of  FIG. 1  of which the support means occupy their loading/unloading position, the baskets being loaded into the magazine; 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 1  of which the outer faces of the magazine have been removed in order to show the drive means of the support means; and 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the rear part of the basket of  FIG. 3  loaded into the magazine of the device according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The device  50  illustrated in  FIG. 1  comprises a magazine  60  and a plurality of superposed baskets  10 , here six baskets  10 , each containing a disposable flexible bag  1  filled with biological liquid. 
     Such a disposable flexible bag  1  will now be described in more detail with the aid of  FIG. 2 . 
     The bag  1 , which here has a capacity of 50 liters, is here obtained from at least one PureFlex™ flexible film  2  of the applicant. This is a co-extruded film comprising four layers, respectively, from the inside to the outside, a layer of ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) forming the material for contact with the liquid, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol (EVOH) forming a barrier to gases, a copolymer layer of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA) and a layer of ultra low density polyethylene (ULDPE) forming the outer layers. 
     As explained later, device  50  can be used with bags of capacity different from 50 liters, for instance 10 or 20 liters. Of course, device  50  can be used with bags made from a film different from PureFlex™ film, for instance HyQ® CX5-14 film from Hyclone Industries or Platinum UltraPack film from Lonza. 
     Bag  1  delimits a closed internal volume, here generally parallelepiped, and comprises at one of its ends several inlet/outlet connectors  3 . 
     Bag  1  also comprises a handle  7  on the opposite side from the connectors  3  and two oblique weld beads  9  situated on respective opposite sides of those connectors  3  at the corners to facilitate the flow of the liquid towards the connectors and avoid a residual volume of that liquid remaining in those corners. 
     The basket  10  will now be described with the aid of  FIGS. 3 to 5 . It comprises a frame  11 , a plurality of cross-members  12 , a grid  19 , two positioning members  30 ,  31  and two retaining hooks  35  and  40  each provided to cooperate with the handle of a container such as a bag  1 . 
     The frame  11  which has a rectangular outline, comprises a front bar  11   a , a rear bar  11   b  and two lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d , these bars here being formed from one or more metal tubes of square section and of which the ends are welded end to end. 
     In the drawn embodiment, the positioning members  30 ,  31  are formed by two metal fingers of which the length is here equal to the width of the lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d  of frame  11 . 
     The fingers  30 ,  31  extend parallel to the front and rear bars  11   a ,  11   b  and are each welded to the upper face of a corresponding lateral bar  11   c ,  11   d  in the rear part of the basket  10 . 
     As will be seen in detail later, fingers  30 ,  31  are adapted to each cooperate with a corresponding abutment of the magazine  60 , each finger  31  also being adapted to cooperate with a corresponding locking latch  80  disposed on that magazine  60 . 
     The retaining hook  35  which is produced from metal wire formed by bending, is situated in the central part of rear bar  11   b  of frame  11 . It is provided to receive the handle of a large capacity (50 liter) container such as bag  1 . 
     Hook  35  ( FIG. 4 ) comprises a straight section  36  and two right-angle elbow sections  37 ,  38  which are similar and prepared from a single length of wire. 
     Each right-angle elbow section  37 ,  38  is oriented along a plane perpendicular to section  36  and joins to an end thereof by a branch  37   a ,  38   a.    
     The branches  37   b ,  38   b  of sections  37 ,  38  are fixed by welding to the lower face of the rear bar  11   b  of frame  11  such that branches  37   a ,  38   a  project transversely to the plane of frame  11  on the opposite side from grid  19 . 
     The retaining hook  40  which is also produced from metal wire formed by bending, is hinged to the hook  35 . It is provided to receive the handle of a container of smaller capacity than bag  1  (here 10 liters). 
     Hook  40  comprises a straight section  41  and two portions  42 ,  43  which have a similar arrangement, the shape of one being the mirror image of the shape of the other. 
     Each portion  42 ,  43  comprises an elongate section  44  of J-shaped profile of which one of the ends connects to a straight pivot section  45 . 
     The elongate section  44  is flat and comprises a rounded base  46  of which the ends are connected to a corresponding straight branch  47 ,  48 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , branch  47  is longer than branch  48 , the two branches being generally parallel to each other. 
     Pivot section  45  is connected to branch  47  at the opposite end thereof to base  46  and extends transversely to the plane formed by the elongate section  44  of J-shaped profile. 
     The two portions  42 ,  43  are here prepared from the same length of metal wire and are joined by the straight section  41 . More particularly, the opposite end of each branch  48  to the corresponding base  46  is connected to section  41  such that the latter extends perpendicularly to the planes of the sections  44  of J-shaped profile; the pivot sections  45  extending parallel to section  41  towards the outside of hook  40 . 
     Hook  40  which has a slightly smaller width than that of hook  35 , is movably mounted on that hook  35 , the pivot sections  45  resting on the branches  37   b ,  38   b  of the right-angle elbow sections  37 ,  38  such that hook  40  is free to swing. 
     The cross-members  12  ( FIG. 5 ), which here number four, are formed from metal wires shaped by bending. They each comprise a straight main section  13  provided to receive grid  19 , two lateral supports  14   a ,  14   b  of J-shaped profile and two straight sections  15  for fixing to frame  11  ( FIG. 4 ). 
     Each support  14   a ,  14   b  of J-shaped profile is planar and comprises a straight base  17  of which the ends are connected to a corresponding straight branch  16 ,  18 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , branch  16  is approximately two times shorter than the base  17  and forms an angle β therewith, here approximately 120°. 
     Branch  18  is approximately three times longer than the base  17  and forms an angle γ therewith, here approximately 100° 
     The two lateral supports  14   a ,  14   b  have a similar arrangement, the shape of one being the mirror image of the shape of the other. 
     These two lateral supports  14   a ,  14   b  are here made from the same length of metal wire and are joined by the main straight section  13 . More particularly, the opposite end of each branch  16  to the corresponding base  17  is connected to the main section  13  such that the supports  14   a ,  14   b  and section  13  extend in the same plane; section  13  furthermore having the same orientation as bases  17 . 
     The two straight fixing sections  15  are similar and have approximately the same length as that of bases  17  of supports  14   a ,  14   b . They are connected to the opposite end of each branch  18  to the corresponding base  17  and extend facing each other transversely to the plane formed by the supports  14   a ,  14   b  and section  13 . 
     Grid  19  comprises a metal framework  20  and a plurality of longitudinal metal bars  21 ,  22  and transverse metal bars  23 . 
     The metal framework  20  comprises a front bar  24 , a rear bar  25  and two straight lateral bars  26 ,  27 , these bars  24 ,  25 ,  26  and  27  here being formed from one or more metal wires shaped by bending and of which the ends are welded end to end. 
     The front  24  and rear  25  bars each comprise a main section  24   a ,  25   a  of which the ends respectively connect to two other straight sections,  24   b ,  25   b  at the same angle α ( FIG. 3 ), here approximately 120°. 
     These bars  24  and  25  only differ by their main section, the one  25   a  of the rear bar being straight whereas the one  24   a  of the front bar  24  has a rectangular re-entrant portion  28  at its central part. This re-entrant portion  28  is provided to accommodate the connectors of a bag such that the end pieces of those connectors are in the plane of grid  19  and so enable all the liquid contained in the bag to be drained. 
     The transverse bars  23  are similar to rear bar  25  and thus comprise a straight main section  23   a  of which the ends respectively connect to two other straight sections  23   b  with the same angle α. Bars  23  are disposed parallel to bar  25 , their ends being connected by welding to the side bars  26 ,  27  of framework  20 . 
     The longitudinal bars  21  are similar to the lateral bars  26 ,  27 , differing therefrom simply by a greater cross-section. The two bars  21  which extend symmetrically on each side of the main sections  23   a  and  25   a , are welded from underneath, to sections  23   b ,  24   b  and  25   b  of the transverse bars  23 , front bar  24  and rear bar  25 . 
     The longitudinal bars  22  are similar to the lateral bars  26 ,  27 , differing therefrom simply by a smaller cross-section. Bars  22  are regularly spaced along the main sections  23   a ,  24   b  and  25   a  of the transverse bars  23 , front bar  24  and rear bar  25  to which they are welded from underneath. 
     On assembly of a basket  10 , the cross-members  12  are fixed to the frame  11  by welding of the fixing sections  15  onto the lower face of the lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d  (in order to avoid any risk of piercing of a bag  1  disposed in a basket  10  by a free end of one of those sections  15 ). As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the four cross-members  12  are mounted parallel to each other and regularly spaced along the lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d.    
     The grid  19  is positioned on the cross-members  12  ( FIG. 5 ) such that its longitudinal bars  22  and lateral bars  26 ,  27  respectively rest on the main sections  13  and on the branches  18  of the supports  14   a ,  14   b  of J-shaped profile, and such that the three transverse bars  23  and the rear bar  25  are situated facing the main sections  13 . 
     Fixing between grid  19  and cross-members  12  is achieved here by welding points between the transverse  23  and rear  25  bars, and the main sections  13  of those cross-members  12 . 
     The magazine  60  will now be described with the aid of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
     It comprises a horizontal chassis  61  above which is mounted a gantry  62  formed by two hollow lateral uprights  63 ,  64  which extend facing each other and which are met by a horizontal roof wall  65 . 
     Chassis  61  comprises two tubular metal cross members  66 ,  67  opposite each other, and a rectangular platform  68  of sheet metal welded between those two cross members  66 ,  67 . 
     Platform  68  only links the rear parts of cross members  66 ,  67 , such that the front half of chassis  61  is hollow. It also has two cut-outs  68   a  at its ends in order to drain the liquid which could deposit on that platform in case for example of leakage of a bag  1 . 
     In order to facilitate the movement of magazine  60  within the installation area, chassis  61  is mounted on wheels  70  while two arcuate handles  71 ,  72  are fixed to the longitudinal edges of each of the uprights  63 ,  64 . 
     Magazine  60  also comprises a plurality of pairs of opposite runners  75   a ,  75   b  that are regularly spaced along the lateral uprights  63 ,  64 , each of those pairs  75  being provided for the insertion and withdrawal by horizontal sliding of a basket  10 . In the drawn embodiment, six pairs of runners  75   a ,  75   b  are used. 
     Each runner  75   a  is formed from a panel  76  of which one of the faces has, along its entire length and close to one longitudinal edge, a groove  77  of which the width is very slightly greater than the thickness of the lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d  of the basket  10 . In the drawn embodiment, the panel  76  is rectangular. 
     Each runner  75   a  also comprises, at its rear end, a locking latch  80  adapted to cooperate with the finger  31  of a basket  10  and which will be described in more detail below. 
     The runners  75   b  are similar to runners  75   a , differing therefrom only by the absence of a locking latch  80 . 
     Runners  75   a  (and respectively  75   b ) are pivotally mounted on the upright  63  (and respectively  64 ), their opposite face to groove  77  being turned towards the inner face of that upright  63  (and respectively  64 ). 
     The magazine  60  further comprises drive means (which will be described in detail below) which may be actuated by a crank  83  ( FIG. 7 ) projecting from the outer face of lateral upright  63 , which enables all the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  to be pivoted simultaneously to pass them:
         from an loading/unloading position ( FIG. 6 ) in which each pair  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  is horizontal to enable the insertion and the withdrawal of a basket  10  by horizontal sliding;   to an operating position in which each pair  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  is inclined to the horizontal at an angle σ ( FIG. 7 ), here equal to 20°.       

     For an observer positioned facing the upright  63  that has crank  83 , this pivoting of the pairs of runners  75  is carried out anti-clockwise, such that the rear of the runners  75   a ,  75   b  is raised relative to their front part. 
     The loading of the bags  1  filled with liquid is carried out in the following manner. 
     First of all, and for each of the bags  1  to connect to the circuit, the operator takes a basket  10  which he places close to that bag  1  such that the front face of the basket  10  faces the end of the bag  1  where the handle  7  is situated (the opposite end to the connectors  3 ). 
     He then proceeds with the loading of the bag  1  into the basket  10  by sliding it over the grid  19  using the handle  7  until the inlet/outlet connectors  3  are situated above the rectangular re-entrant portion  28  of that grid  19 . He then releases the handle  7 , then introduces the free end of the retaining hook  35  into that same handle ( FIG. 8 ) in order to avoid the bag  1  sliding when the basket  10  is in inclined position. 
     The loading of a bag of smaller capacity (10 liters) is carried out in similar manner, the only difference consisting in inserting the free end of hook  40  (and not that of hook  35 ) into the handle of that bag. 
     For each basket  10  in which a bag has been placed, the operator either uses his arms or brings a lifting truck close to the basket  10 . In that case, he carries out the following operations:
         positioning the arms  100  of the fork  101  of that lifting truck to face the rear side of basket  10 ;   inserting the arms  100  under basket  10  while making them progressively slide over four straight sections  13  of the cross members  12  ( FIG. 8 ), the outer edges of the arms  100  then being disposed against branch  16  of the two supports  14   a ,  14   b  of J-shaped profile such that basket  10  is fixed in its transverse direction;   raising basket  10  using the arms  100  to place it facing a corresponding pair  75  of horizontally oriented runners  75   a ,  75   b;      still with the help of arms  100 , slidingly inserting the lateral bars  11   c ,  11   d  of the frame  11  of basket  10  into the grooves  77  of the pair  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  until the fingers  30 ,  31  come into abutment against the rear end of the runners  75   a ,  75   b , the locking latch  80  then cooperating with the finger  31  in order to lock basket  10  on the pair  75 ; and   withdrawing arms  100  from basket  10 .       

     After loading all six baskets  10  (or only those in which a bag has been placed) into the magazine  60  ( FIG. 9 ), the operator turns the crank  83  in order to simultaneously pivot all the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  so as to incline the baskets  10  at an angle σ (here 20°) relative to the horizontal ( FIGS. 1 and 10 ). 
     Where the magazine has to be moved between the place of loading and the place of installation, it is convenient to carry out that movement with the runners in loading/unloading position (horizontal). 
     In that inclined position, magazine  60  then occupies its operating configuration in which the baskets  10  are disposed inclined one above the other with the inlet/outlet connectors  3  of the bags  1  in the lower part and pointing towards the floor, such that air bubbles rise in the direction of the handles  7 . 
     After connecting the bags  1  to an installation for treating biological liquid, the draining of the biological liquid they contain may thus be carried out without risk of introducing air into the pipes of that installation, or at least with a very limited risk. 
     Once the drainage has terminated, the operator proceeds with the unloading of the bags  1 . 
     He starts by turning the handle  83  in the opposite direction in order to bring all the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  (and thus the baskets  10 ) into loading/unloading position ( FIG. 9 ). 
     Next, he unlocks the baskets  10  from the pairs  75  by acting on the latches  80  and withdraws them from the magazine  60  manually (the use of a lift is no longer necessary, as the bags  1  are empty). 
     Lastly, after having removed the handles  7  from the retaining hooks  35  beforehand, the operator removes the empty bags  1  from baskets  10  and consigns them to waste. 
     In what follows, certain aspects of the shape of magazine  60  will be reviewed of which the advantages will be better understood in the light of the description which has just been made of the loading method according to the invention. 
     The vertical spacing between two pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  of magazine  60  depends on the volume of the container of greatest capacity that can be inserted into a basket  10 , in this case a container of 50 liters such as bag  1 . 
     More particularly, this spacing is predetermined in order that in operating configuration of the magazine  60 , a bag such as  1  filled with liquid and contained in a basket  10  is flush with the grid  19  of the basket  10  situated just above it ( FIG. 10 ), so as to minimize the height to the ground of magazine  60 . 
     The angle of inclination σ of the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  is also optimized. More particularly, it is clear that the greater the angle σ, the less is the risk of transferring air bubbles into the circuit but in exchange, the height from the ground of the magazine  60  is increased. 
     In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, the value of that angle σ is of the order of 20°. This inclination makes it possible to a great extent to limit the risk of introducing air without however increasing the height above the ground of the magazine  60  too much, such that it can pass beneath a standard door frame (2 meters) in order to enable its displacement from one room to another and to facilitate the unlocking then the manual withdrawal of the baskets  10  after draining the bags  1 . 
     The fact that the front half of the chassis  61  of that magazine  60  is hollow also participates in the optimization of its height above the ground by making it possible to position the first pair  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  close to chassis  61 . Thus, on pivoting the pairs  75 , the front of the basket  10  supported by the first pair  75  enters the hollow of the chassis  61  to locate as close as possible to the ground ( FIG. 10 ). 
     With the aid of that  FIG. 10 , a description will now be given in more detail of the means for driving the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  between the loading/unloading position and the operating position. 
     The six runners  75   a  are rigidly linked to one end of a first corresponding metal rod  84  about which they are adapted to pivot. Each of these rods  84  passes through a circular opening provided in the inner wall  85  of the lateral upright  63  and comprises at its opposite end to the runner  75   a  a screw thread cooperating with a nut to prevent its withdrawal after assembly. 
     At the height of each rod  84  and behind it, the inner wall  85  of the lateral upright  63  comprises an oblong opening  88  of circle arc form shown in dashed line in  FIG. 10 . 
     A flat vertical bar  89  having approximately the same length as the upright  63  but much narrower, is disposed along the inner wall  85  of that upright  63 . This vertical bar  89  comprises six circular openings  90  distributed over its height so as to have the same spacing as between the rods  84  and of which the diameter matches the width of the oblong openings  88 . 
     Behind the rods  84 , the six runners  75   a  are also rigidly linked to one end of a second corresponding metal rod  91 . Each of these rods  91  passes, from runner  75   a , through an oblong opening  88  then a circular opening  90  of the flat vertical bar  89  and comprises at its opposite end to the runner  75   a  a screw thread cooperating with a nut to prevent its withdrawal after assembly. 
     Each runner  75   a  is thus fastened to a first rod  84  about which it may pivot, and to a second rod  91  which travels in an oblong opening  88  of the inner wall  85  of upright  63 , the form of that oblong opening  88  determining the maximum inclination σ, here equal to 20°, which runner  75   a  can assume relative to the horizontal. 
     As for vertical bar  89 , this makes it possible to mechanically link all six runners  75   a  such that they all simultaneously pivot through the same angle of inclination. 
     The mechanical linking means enabling simultaneous pivoting of the runners  75   b  to be obtained relative to the lateral upright  64  are identical to those described above for the lateral upright  63  and the six runners  75   a.    
     The flat vertical bar  89  of the upright  63  and its equivalent of the upright  64  are hingingly linked at their top by a bridging member  92  comprising two brackets  92   a  hingingly mounted respectively to the tops of the uprights  63  and  64 . 
     Thus, the six pairs  75  of runners  75   a  and  75   b  are mechanically linked and all pivot simultaneously through the same angle of inclination. 
     Crank  83  which enables this pivoting to be performed, is fixed to a first end of a shaft  86  freely mounted to rotate on the inner wall  85  of the lateral upright  63 . This input shaft  86  is linked via an angle transmission and a reduction transmission  87  (here comprising a set of cog wheels and an endless screw) to one of the rods  84  (here the second going up from the ground) which is thus slightly longer than the other rods  84  in order to pass through the reduction transmission  87 . 
     The reduction ratio is such that when the operator turns the handle  83  through seven revolutions, the pairs  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b  pivot by approximately 20°. 
     With the aid of  FIG. 11 , a description will now be given in more detail of a locking latch  80  adapted to cooperate with the finger  31  of a basket  10 . 
     This locking latch  80  comprises a roof wall  93  having a rectangular outline and a lateral wall  94  extending perpendicularly to wall  93  along one of its longitudinal edges. 
     The first end  95  of lateral wall  94  is pivotally mounted about a rotational shaft  96  on the inner face of a runner  75   a  in the vicinity of its upper rear corner. 
     The second end  97  of lateral wall  94  has a profile inclined from top to bottom and from the rear to the front. 
     Between its two ends  95  and  97 , the lateral wall  94  comprises, on the opposite side from the roof wall  93 , a cut-out  98  partially conforming to the cross-section of finger  31 . 
     The latch  80  also comprises a prop  99  which extends through roof wall  93  and perpendicularly thereto, in the direction of the cut-out  98  (of which only the head can be seen in  FIG. 11 ). 
     A compression spring (not visible in  FIG. 11 ) is furthermore fixed between the roof wall  93  and the longitudinal edge of runner  75   a  in order to permanently bias the latch  80  towards the runner  75   a  until the free end of prop  99  rests on the longitudinal edge of the runner  75   a  (the roof wall  93  then being parallel to that longitudinal edge as in  FIG. 11 ). 
     The operation of this locking latch  80  will now be described. 
     As a basket  10  is inserted into a pair  75  of runners  75   a ,  75   b , the finger  31  approaches the latch  80  until it enters into contact with its edge  97  having an inclined profile. 
     The force exerted by the finger  31  towards the front of magazine  60  on that inclined profile makes the end  97  pivot upwardly about shaft  96 , such that the finger  31  can continue its movement until in comes into abutment against the rear end of runner  75   a.    
     As soon as finger  31  has gone past the inclined profile, the latch  80  is returned downwardly by the spring, cut-out  98  then coming to lock that finger  31  and thereby basket  10 . 
     In variants, not shown, of the device according to the invention:
         the support means comprise a single inclinable plate provided with fastening straps, the baskets being stacked on top of each other on the plate in horizontal position, strapped to each other on that plate which is then inclined;   the baskets are formed of solid metal or plastic or another material; and/or are shaped differently, for instance as a bin;   the magazine comprises at least one reader of electronic labels that are intended to be bonded to the containers and bearing information as to the nature of those containers (volume, nature of the liquid, etc.), the readers, using a technology that is both wireless and contact free (for example RFID: radio frequency identification), conveying the information collected and possibly other information (for example the angle of inclination of the containers relative to the horizontal and their position in the magazine), after reading, to a display present on the magazine and/or towards an automatic controller/computer external to the magazine;   the locking of the baskets to the magazine is obtained by positioning members different from fingers  31 , for instance pins each disposed on a runner and comprising a metal rod at one of its ends, each pin being adapted to cooperate with a detent disposed on the frame of a basket;   in each runner, the region of the groove in contact with the baskets is an interchangeable part subject to wears, manufactured for example from a plastics material of acetal type;   the source of rotation is other than a crank, for example an electric motor;   the angle of inclination of the runners is different from 20°; for example between 10 and 45°;   the number of pairs of runners and of baskets is different, for example from two to ten;   each basket comprises a cover to protect its flexible bag;   each basket comprises a movable double retaining hook of marine anchor profile (or two separate moveable hooks) hinged to the fixed hook to cooperate with the handles of bags of different capacities (for example 10 and 20 liters); and/or   the pivot sections of the moveable retaining hook are curved round the branches of the fixed hook on which they rest.       

     Numerous other variants are possible according to circumstances, and in this connection it is to be noted that that the invention is not limited to the example embodiments described and shown.