Patent ID: 7568902

Claim:
A bitumen strip forming apparatus for converting bitumen bale capsules into flat strips, the apparatus comprising: (i) the bitumen bale capsule having: a moulded piece capsule body (K 1 ) over which the PE/Polymer film is pushed into a bellows type formation; a flange guide (K 1 . 1 ) at one end of the said capsule body (K 1 ); a raised diameter at other end of the said capsule body (K 1 ) forming a collar (K 1 . 3 ); a PE holding section (K 1 . 2 ) of a suitable diameter for the size of the PE sleeve; (ii) a capsule dispenser (L) in order to position the said PE encapsulating capsule inline with a plurality of dispensing valves (F) and a plurality of forming nozzles (M), the said capsule dispenser (L) having: a plurality of guide channels (L 1 A, L 1 B) to keep the said bitumen bale capsules in stacks; a plurality of dispensing valves (F); a capsule removal pulling arm (L 1 C) for pulling the empty capsules down and further falling away of the said empty capsules and subsequently pulling the new capsules for loading in the said dispenser (L) into the said inline position; a spring loaded retaining latch (L. 1 .D) located below the said inline capsules to ensure non-slipping of the said capsules from the said inline position; (iii) a bitumen bale strip former for converting the said round PE encapsulated tubes into flat strips suitable for baling, the said former having: a plurality of forming nozzles (M) through which the said PE encapsulated tubes are forced, and force for forming the said round PE encapsulated tubes being applied by a piston (C) and product head compressing the product in a viscous bitumen product dispenser tank (A); a flange (M.O 1 ) to bolt the said former to the said capsule dispenser (L); a transition section (M. 2 ) to utilize minimum force to convert the said round PE encapsulated tubes into flat strips; a transition piece (CF. 004 ) in the said transition section (M. 2 ) having a very smooth internal surface in order to minimize resistance during forcing the said PE; the overall function of the said bitumen bale capsule being encapsulation of viscous bituminous products forcing through the internal core of the said capsule, and the said product exiting the said encapsulation process in the form of a PE round tube being converted into a flat strip suitable for baling utilizing both of the said capsule dispenser and the said bale strip former.