APPARATUS FOR HANDLING DIFFERENT KINDS OF MATERIALS AND USE OF THE APPARATUS

Abstract: Device for handling materials of different types, as loose materials, liquid substances or bulk goods, advantageously for storing, screening and adjustable feeding, dosage or discharge of materials, the device comprising as an immediately to the handled material influencing organ a hollow means (1), consisting of a turnable mantle piece (2) of flexible material and to the ends of the mantle piece securely fixed end parts (3, 4) at least one of which is rotatable to turn the mantel piece. Characteristic to the device according to the invention is, that the end(s) parts (3, 4) have been arranged as mutually rotatable, advantageously even 180<o>, whereby the inner hollow space of the mantle piece (2) can be changed to two towards each other tapering spaces (20, 21), while the cross-sectional area of the throttle zone (22) between the tapering spaces is simultaneously changed according to the alteration of the tapering of the spaces. The invention relates also to the advantageous adaptation forms of the device as a holding and grasping device, conveying device or pump as well as a washing or rinsing device, in which case a central feeding and discharge of the washing or rinsing agent is connected to the device.

Description: Apparatus for handling different kinds of materials and use of the apparatus. This invention relates to a device for handling materials of di " f-ferent types, as loose materials, liquid substances or bulk goods, advantageously for storing, screening and adjustable feeding, dosage or discharge of materials, the device comprising as an immediately to the handled material influencing organ a hollow means, consisting of a turnable mantle piece of flexible mate¬ rial and to the ends of the mantle piece securely fixed end parts, at least one of which is rotatable to turn the mantle piece. The object of the invention includes also the specific use of such a device. It is previously known in the art to use the device mentioned above as a pressing tool particularly to squeeze the juice out of berries and in the wood in¬ dustry as a bark press. Based on the perception α novel and very versatile device has been invented, characteriz- ed in that the end parts of the hollow device have been arranged to be rotatable in regard to each other, advan¬ tageously at least 180°, whereby the inner hollow space of the mantle piece can be converted into two spaces ta¬ pering towards each other, while the cross-sectional area of the throttle zone between the tapering spaces changes according to the alteration of the tapering. According to a preferable embodiment of the in¬ vention the device includes two hollow means arranged in series one after the other, so that the mantle piece of each hollow means is composed of rope bodies, adap¬ ted peripherically between the end parts, and a uni¬ form element made of elastic material and adapted inside the rope bodies. In this case the first hollow means acts advantageously as a storing instrument for the material, so that its walls can be moved towards and apart from each other by rotating at least one hollow part, and the second hollow means forms a discharge or dosage channel for the material, which can be closed and the size of which can be adjusted by rotating at least one end part connected with it. According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention two hollow means have been inserted within each other and they are formed by funnel- shapedly to the same direction tapering rings of rope bodies, so that when the hollow means are not twisted the rope bodies run in pairs essentially parallel, and when at least one hollow body is twisted the rope bodies of the mantle piece form a framework net ad¬ justable in its mesh size. Such a device can advanta¬ geously be used as a self-purifying screening device. According to a further embodiment of the inven¬ tion the device is securely connected from its one end part to a large sack containing the material, whereby the device functions as an openable and closab- le discharge means for the large sack. As already stated before, the advantage of the invention is its versatility. Thus in addition to the above-mentioned adaptation forms particularly connec¬ ted with the storing, screening and dosage of the mate¬ rial the device according to the invention can be used as a holding and grasping device at the outer surface of an object or at a hole in it. Moreover the device can be used as a conveyor or a pump, in which case the hollow means have been coupled serially one after an¬ other. Still one notable adaptation form of the in¬ vention is the use of the device as a washing or rinsing device, whereby a central feeding and dischar- ge of the washing or rinsing agent is connected with the device. A specific feature in this washing or rinsing operation is the condition, that the object or material to be washed or rinsed is forced to move in the radial direction by turning the walls of the mantle piece of the device. The device is described in the following in con¬ nection with some of its advantageous realization and adaptation forms with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows as a perspective view the mate¬ rial handling device according to the inventional prin¬ ciple in untwisted condition; Figure 2 shows the handling device.of Fig. 1 in twisted condition; Figure 3 shows as a side elevation the material handling device assembled by the first preferable em¬ bodiment of the invention, especially for storing pur¬ poses; Figure 4 shows an alternative realization form of the junction of two successively connected hollow means; Figure 5 shows as a side elevation the material handling device assembled by the second preferable em- bodiment of the invention, especially for screening purposes of the material; Figure 6 shows the material handling device of Fig. 5 as a plan view "in partly twisted condition; Figure 7 shows the material handling device assembled according to the third preferable embodiment of the invention, especially for conveying and pumping purposes of the material; Figure 8 shows the material handling device assembled according to the fourth preferable embodiment of the invention, especially for compression of mate¬ rial with small specific gravity; Figure 9 shows as a side sectional view a de¬ vice according to one embodiment of the invention in- tended for the use as an instrument for grasping a hole; and Figure 10 shows as a partly sectioned side view a device used for washing or rinsing of the material. In the Fig. 1 it has been shown a material ' handling device according to the inventional principle in untwisted condition and in the Fig. 2 in twisted condition. This device includes as an immediately to the handled material influencing organ a hollow means 1 composed of a turning mantle piece 2 of elastic mate- rial, and to the ends of the mantle piece securely fix¬ ed, advantageously ring-shaped end parts 3 and 4, at least one of which can be rotated to turn the mantle piece. In compliance with the invention the ring-shaped end parts 3 and 4 have been arranged to be mutually ro¬ tatable, advantageously even 180°, whereby the inner hollow space of the mantle piece 2, into which the handled material is to be placed, is altered to two towards each other tapering spaces 20 and 21, while the cross-sectional area of the throttle zone 22 bet¬ ween the spaces is simultaneously changed according to the alteration of their tapering. According to a preferable embodiment of the in¬ vention the mantle piece 2 consists of rope bodies 23 adapted as a mantle, the ends of which bodies have been fastened to ring-shaped end parts, as well as of a uniform element 24 made of- resilient material and adapted inside the rope bodies 23. The rope bodies 23 have.most advantageously been made of flexible plastic-based material, e.g. po- lyamide, and the uniform element inside the rope bodies is preferably made of a suitable textile or film mate¬ rial, so that it pleats evenly and does not hamper the rotating of end parts 3 and 4. Though the end parts have been shown in the figures as ring-shaped pieces, it is clear that they can also be formed otherwise, for example according to the cross-sectional profile of the object to be hand- led. In the Fig. 3 is shown a material handling de¬ vice assembled in compliance with the first preferable embodiment of the invention„ This device can be used particularly as a storing silo for the material and it comprises two successively coupled hollow means 1, 1', the upper means 1 of which conically downwards ta¬ pering and acts as a storing place of the material, so that its walls can be moved by rotating at least one end part 3, 4 towards and apart from each other to elimi- nate vaulting of the material and to crush material clods, and the lower means 1 ' of which is conically downwards extending and acts as a discharge or dosage channel for the material, so that it can be closed and its size can be adjusted by rotating at least one end part 3', 4' connected with this second hollow means 1'. Advantageously the mantle piece 2 of the upper hollow means 1 and also the mantle piece 2' of the lower hollow means 1 ' is composed of, as in the exemp¬ lary case of Figs. 1 and 2, rope bodies 23, 23' adap- ted between the end parts 3,4 and 3', 4' and the uni¬ form element 24, 24' of resilient material placed pe- pherically inside the rope -bodies. According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the hollow means 1 and 1 ' can be used inde- pendently. For this purpose both hollow means can be provided by its own driving machinery, which runs both or only one hollow means 1, 1' from the end parts 3, 4 and 3', 4 * . Because the rotating driving force can be realized by several ways, the driving machinery has been deleted in the drawing. One can, however, state, that one advantageous way to rotate the end part is to use gear transmission, which influences to the toothed outer periphery of the end part. In the exemplary case of Fig„ 3 the ..end parts 4 and 3' have been adapted concentrically within each other and advantageously mutually rotatably in the junction of the mantle pieces 2 and 2' of the hollow means 1 and 1'. In Fig. 4 an alternative solution has been pre¬ sented to form a junction of two successively coupled hollow means. In this case the rope bodies 23 and 23' of the mantle pieces have been fixed to a common end part, which is stationary, whereby twisting of the mantle pieces 2 and 2' is achieved by rotating the end parts at the opposite ends of the mantle pieces. In Fig. 5 has been shown a material handling device assembled by another adaptation form of the in¬ vention, especially for material screening. In this case the mant.le pieces of hollow means 1 and 1" are composed of two rings formed by rope bodies 23, 23", placed one within the other and tapering funnel- shapedly in the same direction, so that each of these rope bodies has been fixed at its one end to a common end part 4 and at its other end to one of the two, advantageously ring-shaped, end part 3, 3" inserted one within the other and being mutually rotatable. When the hollow means are untwisted (Fig. 5), the rope bodies 23, 23" of the mantle pieces run in pairs essen- tially in the same direction, and when at least one hol¬ low means being twisted (Fig. 6) the rope bodies 23, 23" of the mantle pieces 2" form an essentially lattice- shaped net, the mesh size of which can be adjusted by changing the relative turning angle of end parts 3 and 3" to be rotated in regard to each other. Alternatively the material screening tool can be formed by inserting two hollo means one within the other expanding conical¬ ly in the material flow direction, each of which means is composed of two end parts and rope bodies connecting them together. According to one advantageous embodiment of the invention the mantle piece 2 is equipped with machining tools influencing to the handled material. Then the material handling device can be used in addition to the storing and adjustable feeding of the material also for instance as a surface treatment instrument of an object inserted inside the hollow means or as a preliminary barking device of logs in the wood industry. In Fig. 8 has been shown a material handling device assembled by one advantageous embodiment of the invention , particularly for compression of a material with low specific gravity to a small space. In this case shaft parts 31 and 41 have been turnably jointed to both end parts 3 and 4. As shown in Fig. 8, the mantle piece composed of rope bodies 23 and a uniform element 24 of resilient material, has been adapted to run around the free ends of the turning shaft parts, so that by twisting the shaft parts the diameter of the hollow space remaining inside the mantle piece can be reduced for preliminary compression of the material with low specific weight, and whereby the material is compressed to the final desired density by rotating at least one end part 3, 4. To facilitate the turning of the shaft part and for maintaining the tightness of the mantle piece, the mantle piece can be made for instance of elastic material, as shown in Fig. 8, or the one end of the mantle piece can be locked to one end part and the other end be provided with counterweights. As already before stated, the advantage of the invention is its versatility 0 In Fig. 7 have been shown a cross section of a device assembled according to one advantageous embodiment of the invention, which is used as a holding and grasping means at the outer surface of the object. The device according to this exemplary case comprises two successively in series adapted and to each other coupled hollow means 1 and 1', the mantle pieces of which can be pressed against the outer surfa- ce of an object inside the hollow means by turning the hollow means. Such a device is particularly suitable for various stacking and unloading tasks for example in warehouses. Besides a holding and grasping apparatus the device shown in Fig. 7 can also be used as a con- veying or pumping device for bulk goods. In this case successive hollow means 1, 1' are used in series one after the other, so that as a result.of the reducing of the inner space in the previous hollow means the bulk goods are transferred to the next hollow means. In Fig. 9 an alternative embodiment of the holding or grasping device has been shown. The device according to his adaptation form is intended to grasp in its outer periphery at the inner surface of a hole in the object. The device comprises two end parts 3 and 4 as well as rope bodies connecting them together. One of the end parts, in this case end part 4, is smal¬ ler in its outer diameter than the other end ' part 3. To get the grasping connection the hollow means 1 is turned and pushed through the hole in the object, thereafter end parts 3 and 4 are mutually rotated in such a way, that the twist of the hollow means is re¬ duced, whereby the outer diameter of the hollow means increases and the hollow means grasps at the inner sur¬ face of the hole. In Fig. 10 still one advantageous adaptation form has been shown for the device according to the inventional principle. According to this embodiment the device is intended for use particularly as a washing or rinsing device, so that a central feeding or dis- charge of washing or rinsing agent has been connected to the device, and the object or material to be washed or rinsed is forced to move in radial direction by turning the mantle piece 2 of the hollow means 1 by mutual rotation of end parts 3 and 4. The invention has been described above only by some of its realization and adaptation forms - This does not, of course, restrict the invention, but modi¬ fications are possible within the limits of the appen¬ ded claims.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. Λ device for handling materials of different types, as loose materials, liquid substances or bulk goods, advantageously for storing, screening and adjust¬ able feeding, dosage or discharge of materials, the de¬ vice comprising as an immediately to the handled mate¬ rial influencing organ a hollow means (1), consisting of a turnable mantle piece (2) of flexible material and to the ends of the mantle piece securely fixed end parts (3,4), at least one of which is rotatable to turn the mantle piece, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the end parts (3, 4) have been arranged as mutually rotatab¬ le, advantageously at least 180 , whereby the inner hol- low space of the mantle piece (2) can be chanqed to two towards each other tapering spaces (20, 21), while the cross-sectional area of the throttle zone (22) between the tapering spaces is simultaneously changed according to the alteration of the tapering of the spaces (20, 21), 2. A device as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least two hollow means, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mantle piece (2, 2') of each hollow means (1, 1 ') is composed of rope bodies (23, 23') adapted between the end parts (3, 4; 3', 4') and a uniform element (24, 24') of resilient material inserted peri- pherically inside the rope bodies, and that the hollow means (1, 1 ') have been arranged successively in series, so that the walls of the first hollow means (1) acting advantageously as the material storing means can be moved towards and apart from each other by rotating at least one end part (3, 4) to eliminate vaulting of the material and to crush material clods, and that the se¬ cond hollow means (1') forms advantageously an dischar¬ ge or dosage channel for the material, which channel 11 can be closed and the size of which can be adjusted by rotating at least one end part (3', 4') connected with the second end part. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2, 5 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the hollow means (1, 1') can be used independently. 4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mantle pieces (2, 2") of the hollow means (1, 1') have been fixed to 0 a common end part. 5. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the junction of the hollow means (1, 1') the end parts (4, 3') have been adapted concentrically one within the other. 5 6. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims 1 - 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that each end part (3, 4; 3,' 4') forms a closed ring limiting the passage opening of the material. 7. A device as claimed in claim 1 comprising 0 two hollow means (1, 1"), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mantle pieces are composed of two rings of rope bodies (23, 23") adapted one within the other and tapering funnel-shapedly in the same direction, whereby when the hollow means (1, 1") are untwisted 5 the rope bodies (23, 23") of the mantle pieces run in pairs essentially in the same direction, and when at least one hollow means is twisted, the rope bodies (23, 23") of the mantle pieces (2, 2") form a lattice- shaped net, the mesh size of which can be adjusted. 0 8. A device as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rope bodies (23, 23") have been fixed each at its one end to a common end part (4) and at its other end to one of two ring-shaped end parts (3, 3") adapted one within 5 the other and being mutually rotatable. 9. A device* as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it has ' been connec¬ ted from its one end part (3) securely to a large sack containing material, so that it acts as an ppenable and closable discharge means for the large sack. 10. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the mantle piece (2) has been provided with machining tools .influencing the material. 11. A device as claimed in claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the end parts (3, 4) comprise turnable jointed shaft parts (3', 4')*, so that by turning them the inner diameter of the mantle piece (2) is reduced, for preliminary compression of a mate¬ rial with small specific weight advantageously, so that the compression of this kind of a material to the final density is performed by rotating at least one of two end parts (Figure 8) . 12. Use of the device as claimed in claim 1 as a holding or grasping device to grasp at the outer surface of the_object or at the inner surface of a hole in the object (Figure 9) . 13. Use of the device as claimed in claim 1 as a washing or rinsing device, so that a central feed¬ ing or discharge of the washing or rinsing agent is con¬ nected to the device, and the object or material to be washed or rinsed is forced to move in the radial direc¬ tion by turning the mantle piece (2) (Figure 10) . 14. Use of the device as claimed in claim 2 as a transferring or conveying device for bulk goods and as a pump of bulk goods-, (Figure 7) o

Inventors: VILKUNA JOUKO, VILKUNA, JOUKO
Applicants: VILKUNA JOUKO, VILKUNA, JOUKO
Application year: 1986
Main classification: B65D88
IPC codes: B07B1, B65D88, B65D90, B65G7, D06F15, F04B43