Material handling apparatus

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for handling the passage of flowable material through an outlet (2) of a container (3) comprising a valve means (4) in the outlet opening (2) adapted for opening and closing the outlet (2) and means (5) to provide a variable lift of the said valve means (4).

Description: The invention relates to material handling apparatus, particularly to such apparatus as a silo, hopper or intermediate bulk container (IBC) which handles in the sense of storing, holding or transporting flowable material such as powder or other particulate material Such material is usually discharged through an (in use) lower outlet aperture of the container, which aperture is usually obturated by a valve means which is usually conical or frusto-conical. This valve means obturates the aperture by setting down on a hopper outlet of the container. The valve is raised by means, usually a bellows situated therebelow and internally of the hopper outlet to form an annular outlet through which material flows during discharge. A vibrator ensures that there is no tendency in the material to "bridge" or form "rat holes" which otherwise lead to uneven flow or, in the former case, no flow at all. Sometimes too it is necessary to adjust the lift of the valve means, but this can be difficult as the bellows is either inflated, or deflated, so providing only extreme end positions and no intermediate positions. According to GB-A-2 178 731 the means to raise and lower the valve means can be operated to vibrate the valve means. Within the apparatus according to WO-A-9008724 according to the preamble of claim 1 the means to raise and lower the valve means are operable as adjusting means to vary the raised position of the valve means. It is accordingly an object of the invention to seek to mitigate this disadvantage. According to the invention there is provided apparatus for handling passage of flowable material through an outlet opening of a container therefor, comprising a conical or frusto-conical valve means adapted for opening and closing the opening, means to raise and lower the valve means for opening and closing the opening, and adjusting means to vary the raised position of the valve means, wherein a separate adjusting means is mounted on the major axis of the cone or frusto-cone. The variable lift means may be below the valve means This provides a compact construction The variable lift means may comprise a reciprocable cylinder means and a drive means for raising and lowering the cylinder means. The drive means may comprise a rotatable captive thread means Such thread means may be secured to the cylinder means The rotatable thread means may comprise a male thread device secured to a mount for the valve means and a female rotatable thread device, the arrangement of both such devices being such that rotation of one causes the other to reciprocate. The power means may comprise an electric motor means for rotating the female thread means According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a container for flowable material, as hereinbefore defined. Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing. Fig. 1 is a part longitudinal sectional general arrangement of apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic arrangement of a second embodiment of apparatus according to the invention. Referring to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 apparatus 1 for handling passage of flowable material through an outlet aperture or opening 2 of a container 3, therefor, comprising a valve means 4 in the opening 2 adapted for opening and closing the opening, and means 5 to provide a variable lift of the valve means 4, whereby to provide a variable outlet area or opening 6 through which material can flow. The container 3 is in the embodiment an intermediate bulk container (IBC) which has a hopper outlet 7 defining the opening 6 through which material passes for further handling at say a handling or discharge transfer station. The material is generally a powder, perhaps a pharmaceutical powder. The valve means 4 is in the form of a frusto-cone which sits down by its peripheral rim on the hopper outlet there being various seals 8 for ensuring non-contamination of the ambient atmosphere. There is a bellows 9 for raising and lowering the cone valve, which bellows 9 is internally of the hopper outlet 7 and is secured to a cross beam 10 and to a raisable beam 11 supporting the cone valve 4, which carries an air vibrator 12, to obviate the vibrations of which in the support structure there is an isolator 13, or rubber for example. The structure described is relatively standard, being marketed in general under the registered Trade Mark "MATCON". In order to provide for a variable lift of the cone valve, either in a constantly variable mode or in a "pulse" mode, the means 5 is provided in the form of a piston and cylinder device mounted centrally below the cone valve 4, on the major axis thereof in the embodiment, which device 5 is actuated by a motor means in the form of an electric, DC, motor 14 which is supplied by power cables 15, the motor 14 and cables 15 being in a housing 16. The motor 14 is secured to a pillow plate 17 to prevent rotation of the motor body, an outlet shaft 18 of the motor 14 passing internally of a threaded rotatable lower (as viewed) female part 19 of a main shaft 20 which has telescopically and threadingly mounted thereon a captive male part 21 which is secured at the upper (as viewed) part to a further female part 22 which is itself secured to the plate 11 mounting the cone valve 4. The part 20 comprises a drive means. The female part 19 has an upwardly facing peripheral shoulder 23 and the female part 22 a downwardly facing shoulder 24. Mounted between these shoulders and enclosing the rotatable shaft is a means acting to bias the two female parts apart, the biassing means comprising a coil spring 25. The shoulder 23 of the lower female part 19 itself sits on a shoulder 26 of a cylinder or sleeve 27 in which the mechanism 20 operates, the sleeve 27 being a split sleeve having a longitudinal slit or slot 28 in which a locating means 29 is received, the slit or slot 28 and the locating means 29 is received. The slit or slot 28 and the locating means 29 then act as a guide to allow upward and downward movement of the plate 11. There are controls (not shown) which control the speed and direction of operation of the motor means 14, i.e. forward or reverse whereby to control the lift, and the mode that is continuously variable or in a pulse mode. The control may be via a control console (not shown), whereby actuation of suitable controls adjusts the motor means 14 to provide variable height of the valve 4, which is a closure or cap. The height is thus adjustable. It will be understood that there are suitable conduits (not shown) whereby the electrical leads 15 are fed out of the lifting means 20 and through the support plate 10 to the exterior. Likewise, conduits 30' are for air lines for the bellows. In operation, the bellows 9 is operated to raise or lower the cone valve 4 for opening or obturating the hopper outlet 6 to a greater or lesser extent as desired, with all the attendant advantages of the bellows controlled system. If it is desired to provide a variable or adjustable lift during operation with the bellows 4 raised, the motor means 14 is actuated. Its shaft 18 is therefore rotated which in turn rotates the female part 19. Rotation of this part 19 is only possible on movement of the male part 21 and this, being threadingly engaged with the female part 19 and slidingly engaged with the upper female part 22, rotates about its longitudinal axis. Being captive, however, this action is only possible if it rides down into the female part 19, which itself rises to accommodate this. This it does, drawing thereby the upper female part 22, and hence the support plate 11 downwardly to the desired amount, the guide 28, 29 providing a smooth longitudinal motion, there equally being slots in outer cylinder 30 on which a peg means 31 rides. The degree of lift is controlled by the motor means 14, which can be periodically reversed to provide a pulse action. Thus the bellows 9 provides lift of the cone to the extent provided by the motor means 14 which effectively raises or lowers the base datum from which the bellows operates by adjusting the support plate 11 to a desired set height, thereby effectively adjusting the lift of the bellows 4 and the size of the annular outlet. Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus 100 shown is similar to that of Fig. 1, and accordingly like parts are indicated by like reference numerals. There is an annular or toroidal inflatable seal 101 for seating against a base 103 of a valve 4, only the base being shown, which base is supported by a cylinder 104 comprising a female part 102 and a male part 105, which are telescopically arranged with connections or guides 106, therebetween with means such as a bellows (not shown) acting on the base 103 whereby to raise and lower the valve 4 to provide an annular outlet around its perimeter for flow of material from an IBC, for example, in which the apparatus is mounted. There is an expansible sleeve 108 such as a bellows type seal which acts as a hygienic cover covering the junction between the parts 102 and 105. The part 102 supports a U-shaped bracket or dash-pot 107 which in its base 109 (as viewed) has a through aperture 110 through which extends a piston 111 of a piston and cylinder 112 arrangement, the cylinder 112 of which is secured to and carried by the part 105. The piston 111 and cylinder 112 arrangement comprises variable lift means 5, the piston 111 having a stop or abutment 113 in the form of a transverse plate. In operation, lift of the valve 4 is adjusted to provide a variable lift and hence size of aperture, by operation of the means 5 to provide a set desired height of the detent 113. The bellows or the like means is operated to raise the base 103 of the valve 4, and this action raises the part 102 until the base 109 of the dash-pot engages under the detent 113. The valve 4 thus is limited in its lift to the level determined by the detent 113. The height of lift is simply adjusted by operation of the means 5 to adjust the position of the piston 111 in the cylinder 112 and hence the height of the detent 113. The lift of the valve 4 can be oscillated, or pulsed, by reciprocation of the piston 111 in the cylinder 112 on suitable operation of the means 5. It will be understood that apparatus as hereinbefore described embodying this invention is operable to provide a fine adjustment of the lift provided by the bellows. Also, the apparatus can provide for dosing when material is added through a valve like the top (as viewed) cap 4 shown. The motor means 14 or piston and cylinder 111, 112 may be any suitable means other than a D.C. motor, such as for example an air motor or a hydraulic motor.

Claims: Apparatus (1) for handling passage of flowable material through an outlet (2) opening of a container (3) therefor, comprising a conical or frusto-conical valve means (4) adapted for opening and closing the opening (2), means (9) to raise and lower the valve means (4) for opening and closing the opening (2), and adjusting means (5) to vary the raised position of the valve means (4), characterised in that a separate adjusting means (5) is mounted on the major axis of the cone or frusto-cone (4). Apparatus according to Claim 1, the separate adjusting means (5) being below the valve means. Apparatus according to Claim 2, the separate adjusting means (5) comprising a reciprocable cylinder means and a drive means for raising and lowering the cylinder means Apparatus according to Claim 3, the drive means comprising a rotatable captive thread means. Apparatus according to Claim 4, the rotatable thread means comprising a male thread device secured to a mount for the valve means and a female rotatable thread device, the arrangement of both such devices being such that rotation of one cause the other to reciprocate. Apparatus according to Claim 5, the rotatable thread means comprising power means. Apparatus according to Claim 6, the power means comprising an electric motor means for rotating the female thread means. Apparatus according to Claim 8, characterised by the separate adjusting means (5) being housed in a housing (6) below the valve means (4). A container for flowable material, characterised by apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

Inventors: CUENNET JEAN, SEMENENKO IVAN, SEMENENKO, IVAN
Applicants: MATCON R & D LTD, MATCON (R & D) LIMITED
Application year: 1996
Main classification: B65D90
IPC codes: B65D90