Device

Abstract: The application describes a valve device which can be used to open and shut a laterally arranged inlet in an inclined wall of a mixer granulator and which can be used in an automatic operation. The valve device comprises a main body (1) and a piston (2), the piston being movable between a retracted position and an advanced position. The piston (2) comprises a face (3) at its forward end which is inclined to the direction of movement and the device comprises means (24,19) to rotate the piston as it advances and retracts. Thus, the face of the piston can open and close an opening in a wall which extends in a direction at an angle to the said direction of movement of the piston.

Description: The present invention relates to a container comprising a valve device for controlling access to an inclined wall thereof. In the production of pharmaceutical tablets, for example, it is necessary to periodically introduce the component materials into a mixer granulator. Typically, the mixer granulator comprises a generally cylindrical bowl with a lid which has the same diameter as the bowl and is fitted with air filters. Conventionally, it has been necessary to manually open and shut the lid of the bowl when fresh material needs to be fed to the mixer granulator. This makes continuous feeding difficult and allows the material to come into contact with the ambient atmosphere. A known mixing or granulating apparatus having a disc valve is disclosed in GB-A-2091625. Also, GB-A-2100610 shows a known mixer-granulator drier having a slide valve. One aim of the present invention is to provide a container with a valve device which can be used to open and shut a laterally arranged inlet in an inclined wall of a mixer granulator and which can be used in an automatic operation. However, the invention can also be used in many other situations. According to the invention there is provided a container having an inlet in an inclined wall thereof, a substantially vertical inlet chute communicating with the inlet of the container, and a valve device for opening and closing the said inlet of the container, wherein the valve device comprises a piston which is movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, the piston having a face at its forward end which is inclined to the direction of movement of the piston, wherein the valve device further comprises means to rotate the piston as it advances and retracts and wherein the piston is arranged in a substantially horizontal position, whereby the inclined face of the piston, in its advanced position, closes the inlet of the container and, in its retracted position, adopts a different orientation and is capable of deflecting material flowing down the inlet chute sideways into the container. The container of the invention allows automatic and continuous feeding of materials in a sealed system. Other advantages will be apparent from the detailed description. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below, by example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a schematic elevational view showing the container and valve device in a mixer granulator; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a valve device with the piston in its retracted position; and Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, but with the pistion in its advanced position. The schematic view of Fig. 1 shows a mixer granulator A mounted on a tabel B. Material can be fed to the mixer granulator A from a hopper C via a chute D. Mixed material is taken from the mixer granulator A to a fluid bed frier E via chute F. Valve device G is mounted at the base of chute D. The valve device G illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 comprises a main body generally designated by the reference numeral 1 and a piston designated by the reference numeral 2. The piston 2 is movable between a retracted position shown in Fig. 2 and an advanced postion shown in Fig 3. The piston 2 has at its forward end a face 3 which is inclined to the direction of movement of the piston. The valve device includes means 4 to rotate the piston as it moves between its retracted and advanced positions. The advancement and rotation of the piston 2 allows the face 3 to adopt a forward position in which it can close an opening 5 in a wall 6 which itself is inclined to the direction of movement of the piston, here inclined through approximately 60°. In the illustrated embodiment, the inclined wall 6 is the upper part of the side wall of a mixer granulator bowl 7. The valve device is arranged in a generally horizontal orientation at the base of a vertical chimney 8 which feeds the bowl 7. The main body 1 of the valve device comprises a cylindrical piston support 9 and a bearing housing 10. Mounted behind the housing 10 is an air cylinder 11, surrounded by an end cover 12. A PTFE-coated steel bearing 13 is located within housing 10, and a reciprocating thrust rod 14 extends rearwardly from the bearing 13 to the air cylinder 11, by which it is controlled. The air cylinder 11 contains a piston (not shown) which is driven by air pressure in a conventional manner. The piston 2 comprises a pair of concentric cylinders 15, 15′ fixedly connected together, the above mentioned face 3 closing the forward end of the outer cylinder 15′ at an angle of 60°. The face 3 is thus oval-shaped. The inner cylinder 15 is movably mounted on the piston support 9 and is closed at its forward end by an end plate 16. Thrust rod 17 is connected to the end plate 16 by a locking nut 18 and extends rearwardly within the piston support 9 to the bearing housing 10 where it is fixed to the bearing 13 and thus to the thrust rod 14. Rollers 19 are fixed at the rear end of the inner cylinder 15, on opposite sides thereof, and these rollers locate in spiral grooves 24 in the piston support 9, these grooves and rollers forming the above mentioned rotating means 4. The valve device is housed within a cylindrical member 20 which is fitted to the base of the chimney 8 via clamps 21. The member 20 is also connected to the end cover 12 by clamps 22. These clamps can be easily undone to allow easy access to the valve device if necessary. Upon supply to the air cylinder of air under pressure, thrust rods 14, 17 and thus the cylinders 15, 15′ are forced forwards along piston support 9. The rollers 19 moving along the spiral grooves 24 cause the rod 17 and the cylinders 15, 15′ to rotate on the bearing 13 as the piston advances. The advanced position of the piston is shown in Fig. 3, wherein the opening 5 in the wall 6 of the bowl is closed by the face 3 of the piston 2. The face 3 is advantageously made from sintered stainless steel which allows the passage of air therethrough. Thus, when compressed air is fed to the chamber forming between cylinders 15 and 15′ via the hollow thrust rod 17 and via air lines (not shown), the air can fluidise the powder to assist the flow into the bowl. As clearly seen in Fig. 2 the valve device is mounted at the base of the chimney 8 so that the leading edge of the piston, in its retracted position, is at the bottom and almost enters the opening 5. The trailing edge of the face 3 is at the top and is flush with the wall of the chimney 8. The inclination of the face 3 is chosen to be the same as that of the wall 6 of the bowl, but on the opposite side of the vertical, and the spiral grooves 24 extend around 180. and to a length equal to a horizontal distance between the top and bottom edges of the opening 5. Accordingly, by its forward movement, the piston rotates from a position completely free of the opening to a position completely closing that opening. The piston is reversed to the position in Fig. 2 by means of the air cylinder. It should be noted that in the retracted position of the piston, the end face which is inclined to the vertical serves to direct any material coming down the chimney into the bowl, and for this purpose the angle of inclination should be at least 60° The valve device of the invention is well adapted to an automatic system in which the operation of the mixer granulator is linked to the feed of material to the bowl, the valve device intermittently freeing the opening in the bowl to coincide with the mixer granulator being emptied and fresh material being fed in. The feeding of the mixer granulator can thus be achieved in an entirely sealed and sterile manner which is important when pharmaceuticals are being handled. The inclined face of the piston can provide a flush internal finish to the inside wall of the bowl. This ensures that no unmixed material is left in the entry port between filling cycles. The side-fitting valve also allows the main lid at the top of the bowl to be opened in emergencies without having to remove any feed pipes. It should be noted that the bowl could be fitted with two or more valve devices if different materials are fed separately to the mixer granulator, rather than a predetermined blend of materials. The valve can be used to control the flow of powders under pressure or liquid under pressure. If pressurized powders or fluids are being fed, the valve would need little modification other than the provision of seals for the piston. It should be noted, however, that in such circumstances the angle of inclination of the end face of the valve may be much less than the 60° mentioned above in connection with powders.

Claims: A container (A) having an inlet (5) in an inclined wall thereof, a substantially vertical inlet chute (D) communicating with the inlet (5) of the container (A), and a valve device (G) for opening and closing the said inlet (5) of the container (A), wherein the valve device (G) comprises a piston (2) which is movable between a retracted position and an advanced position, the piston (2) having a face (3) at its forward end which is inclined to the direction of movement of the piston, wherein the valve device (G) further comprises means (4) to rotate the piston as it advances and retracts and wherein the piston (2) is arranged in a substantially horizontal position, whereby the inclined face (3) of the piston, in its advanced position, closes the inlet (5) of the container (A) and, in its retracted position, adopts a different orientation and is capable of deflecting material flowing down the inlet chute (D) sideways into the container (A). A container according to claim 1, wherein the piston (2) is substantially cylindrical and is mounted on a cylindrical member (9), the rotating means comprising spiral grooves (24) in the said cylindrical member (9) and keys (19) fitted on the piston (2) or spiral grooves (24) in the piston (2) and keys (19) fitted on the cylindrical member (9). A container according to claim 2, wherein the spiral grooves (24) extend around 180°. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the angle of inclination of the face (3) of the piston (2) is substantially 60°. A container according to any preceding claim, wherein the face (3) of the piston (2) is porous. A device according to any preceding claim, wherein the piston (2) is advanced and retracted by means of air pressure. A mixer/granulating machine comprising a container according to any preceding claim.

Inventors: RUMBOL EDWIN VINCENT, RUMBOL, EDWIN VINCENT
Applicants: GLAXO GROUP LTD, GLAXO GROUP LIMITED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: B01F15
IPC codes: B01F15, F16K5, F16K31