CN1066117C - Method and apparatus for converting an open top container into a top discharge container - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of converting an open-topped vessel to a top-emptied vessel, comprising the steps of: providing a cover having a discharge opening (4) and adapted to stand on a support surface; securing the lid to the container; placing the lid-fitted container in an inverter (16); and inverting the container to reverse the position of the container bottom and the lid.

Description

Method and apparatus for converting an open top container into a top discharge container

field of invention

The present invention relates generally to emptying containers, and more particularly to placing containers in a ready-to-empty state.

The present inventors have created such containers which comprise a bracket or base with 4 upstanding interlocking sides. Although the present invention has created containers of the form described above, it is not limited to these containers.

background of the invention

When a container must be emptied, the method used depends largely on the contents of the container. In the case of flowable non-liquid materials such as fine particulate matter, gravity discharge is the preferred solution. In order to make this form of discharge more convenient, attempts have been made to develop containers with bottom discharge devices. Various containers with bottom discharges housed in a base or tray (which form part of the container) have not found popularity with users for a number of reasons.

An alternative is to tilt the container to the extent required to enable the contents to flow from the container, usually in a tilting device to which the container is mounted. In order to provide an approximately uniform discharge rate, which is a normal requirement, the inclination of the container must be continuously adjusted. This method of discharging is laborious and/or time intensive and therefore undesirable.

Summary of the invention

In general, the present invention provides a container inversion method comprising placing an open-top container in a ready-to-discharge state by installing a container cover and then inverting the container. A discharge port is arranged above the top opening of the container. The discharge through the discharge port can be easily adjusted by changing the size of the discharge port. Apparatus for economically and efficiently carrying out the method are also disclosed herein.

More specifically, the method of the present invention for use with a top-opening container comprising a base and wall means upstanding from the base, as it is intended, transforms such a container into one that is ready to be inverted in a controlled manner. A container that is emptied through the top of the container, the method comprising the steps of: installing a cap having a discharge opening over the top opening of the container; placing the capped container in an invertor, and inverting the container , so that the positions of the bottom and the lid of the container are reversed; and the inverted container is supported in an inverted state.

The apparatus for carrying out the method comprises a cover having a discharge opening and fittings capable of securing the cover to a container to cover the open end of the container; a container frame capable of being rotated and inverted from one end to the other, the frame comprising A container receiving compartment with means to minimize container movement within the compartment during rack inversion.

Figure overview

In the drawings of preferred embodiments of the apparatus of the invention:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a lid with an open top for a container;

Figure 2 is a schematic end view of the cover in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a second form of cover;

Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the lid of Figure 1 installed over a container top opening to provide a container-lid assembly;

Figure 5 is a schematic side view of a container-lid assembly installed in an invertor;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 after being reversed;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 with the end closure of an invertor opened enough to allow the container-lid assembly to be removed from the inverter, and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the container-lid assembly converted for delivery to the point of use.

Detailed description of the drawings

Figures 1 and 2 show a cap 1 comprising a container cover 2, of a first form, intended to fit over the top opening of a container. This type of container hood has a receiving end 3 which is separated by a funnel-shaped middle part 5 from a discharge end provided with a central discharge device 4 . A frame 6 surrounds the container cover 2 . The frame 6 comprises a strut 7 with a foot 8 at a first end, and the other end of which is connected by a fitting ring frame 9 . The frame 9 is shaped and dimensioned to rest on the top edges of the sides of the container at its open end and to surround the sides of the container near the top edges of the sides of the container. A strut 10 connects the struts 7 adjacent to the foot 8, and a pair of parallel receptacles 11 connects a pair of struts 7 respectively. The receptacle 11 is shaped and dimensioned to receive the fork of a forklift, thereby enabling the lids to be easily lifted and positioned over the top opening of a container or to remove them therefrom.

Clips, numbered 12, are shown schematically as they may be of any suitable type. Clamps 12 enable the frame 9 to be clamped to the top of the container, preferably with a gasket between the container and the frame 9 .

Fig. 3 is a kind of container cover, and it except that funnel part 5 is processed into certain shape to provide a kind of side discharge device 4 instead of the central location discharge device of Fig. 1, its general configuration and shown in Fig. 1 The configuration is the same. Preferably the discharge means 4 comprises an adjustable flow control means.

In FIG. 4 , a lid 1 has been clamped onto a container 13 , wherein the container 13 comprises a tray bottom 14 having four sides 15 upstanding from the bottom 14 . The container may be of the type wherein the sides 15 are detachable from the bottom 14 and are fastened to the bottom and lockable together in a vertical position to provide an open top container. The container may also be of the type wherein the sides 15 are attached to the bottom 14 so that the sides 15 can be folded over to the bottom and raised from the bottom to the shown upright position and interlock to form a top opening container.

In Figure 5, the container lid assembly has been installed in an invertor 16 which includes a frame support, designated 17, on which a frame 18 is mounted so that it can be rotated around An axis designated 19 rotates. There is a driving means 20, by means of which the frame 18 can be rotated a predetermined arc to invert a container-lid assembly housed in the frame.

The frame 18 as shown is a frame that generally forms a channel having an open side and several open ends. The channel floor (which forms a frame rear side) is referenced 21 and is located opposite the frame side of the opening. The remaining sides of the channel which are spaced apart from one another are marked with reference numeral 22 . Each open end of the frame 18 is provided with closure members 23 and 24, respectively. As shown, the closures 23 and 24 are hinged doors as are the respective closures, and they are provided with suitable locking means by which the closures 23-24 can be locked to cap each end of the frame. department. It should be understood that each detachable enclosure 23-24 may be formed as an alternative, wherein the enclosures 23-24 may be connected by quick-connect hinges, or each enclosure 25 may be slidably mounted on each frame. on the end.

In preparation for an inversion procedure, the enclosure 24 of the frame 18 will be locked closed as by suitable locking means, indicated schematically at 26 . By operating the drive means 20, the frame 18 will be positioned in the orientation shown in FIG. In a preferred arrangement the drive means will be manually actuated and deactivated by respective frame position detectors associated with the two operative frame orientations shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 .

The container-lid assembly is shown seated with the base 14 resting on the closure 24 and the assembly against the rear 18 of the frame. To facilitate charging of the assembly, closure 23 will be at least partially open, as shown. A suitable means can be used to maintain the desired opening of the closure member 23. The opening required to charge the assembly can vary. The required opening can be very small, corresponding to a small gap between the closure 24 and the bottom of the bottom bracket 14, as can be done by a skilled forklift operator.

The closure 23 is then locked closed, and when locked closed the spacing between the closures 23-24 is only more or less greater than the overall height of the container-lid assembly, which will substantially avoid end-to-end mobility.

The frame 18 is then rotated clockwise to achieve the state of FIG. 7 . The rotation of the frame is always such that the rear 18 of the frame supports the assembly during inversion.

Figure 7 shows the next step, which is to loosen the upper closure 24 (formerly the lower closure) and open it as required so that the container-lid assembly can be removed with a forklift. The inverted container-lid assembly of Fig. 8 is in operative relationship with a piece of equipment, or a bin or other use where discharge can begin at outlet 4, and can be transported with a forklift.

Care should be taken that the connection between the container and the container hood is not subjected to lifting stress at any time. To load the shrouded container into the invertor (FIG. 4), lifting is done by the fork of the forklift engaging the bottom 14 of the container. As will be seen from Figure 6, by using the receiver 11 of the forklift fork, the pod/pod assembly can be lifted from the frame and removed without applying any load to the coupling between the pod and pod. Therefore, coupling is only concerned with the fixing of the container cover to the container.

What has been described above is one presently preferred form of the invention. It should be understood that modifications may be made to the structures described and shown without departing from the inventive concept disclosed herein.

Claims (11)

1. method that open-topped container is transformed into a top emptying receptacles, described open-topped container comprises a bottom and several wall upright from the bottom, said method comprising the steps of: provide a lid to described open-topped container, described lid has a drawing mechanism and has the footing device of kiss the earth; A reversing device is provided, described reversing device comprises: the frame of a storage container, the frame of described storage container is installed on the rack support spare, make described frame can rotate reversing end-to-end, and described frame comprises the compartment of a storage container that can enter through the first side of described frame, and also comprise isolated open end, each described open end is assembling an openable closure member; Described method also comprises the steps: described lid is installed on the open top of described container; Described lid is fixed on the described container so that form a kind of container-cap assemblies; Be in closing state with one of described closure member, with described frame location, so that a kind of supporting member is provided, described bottom can be placed in the described supporting, and be in the state that partially opens at least with other described closure member, described container-cap assemblies is loaded in the closure member of described locking by described frame first side, and described bottom is stood upright on the described closure member of closing; Close other described closure member, thereby in process, can stop described container-cap assemblies vertically moving between described closure member of closing described container-cap assemblies reversing; Reverse described frame by rotation, make described container-cap assemblies reversing, and described container-cap assemblies is stood upright on described other the footing device of closure member; Then, open one of described closure member at least in part, and shift out described container-cap assemblies from described frame through the side of described frame.

2. equipment that an open-topped container is transformed into a top emptying receptacles, it is characterized in that described equipment comprises a lid that has a discharging opening, described discharging opening is suitable for opening and closing, described lid can be fastened on the container, to cover the open end of described container; A container frame, described container frame is spin inversion end-to-end, described frame comprises the compartment of a storage container, described compartment has the mobile device that reduce to minimum degree of a container on end-to-end direction that makes in described storage container compartment in the process of the described frame of reversing, describedly make the mobile device that reduce to minimum degree of a container on end-to-end direction in described storage container compartment comprise two closure members that are used for the opened end of described compartment, and the distance between the described closure member near but be not less than the bottom-to-top-height that the container of described lid is installed when described container.

3. the equipment described in claim 2, it is characterized in that, the described mobile device that reduce to minimum degree of container on end-to-end direction that be used for comprises device for limiting, so that mobile the reduce to minimum degree of described container except end-to-end the moving in compartment, described restraint device comprises a frame rear portion that is positioned at the described first frame side opposite, and the contiguous described frame of the second and the 3rd frame side rear portion.

4. the equipment described in claim 3, it is characterized in that, described frame is installed in the rack support spare, described rack support spare can make described frame turn over a camber line between the charging position of container-cap assemblies and discharging position, for by the radian of the described charging position of the described container-cap assemblies of described frame rear support and described discharging position at a distance of 180 °.

5. as any described equipment in the claim 2 to 4, it is characterized in that described closure member is by being articulated and connected on described frame.

6. as any described equipment in the claim 2 to 4, it is characterized in that it also comprises the actuating device that is used for moving with respect to rack support spare described frame.

7. equipment as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that it also comprises the actuating device that is used for moving with respect to rack support spare described frame.

8. as any described equipment in the claim 2 to 4, it is characterized in that, described lid comprises an installation end, a discharge end and an infundibulate transition portion, described installation end is suitable for being connected on the open end of a container, described discharge end is provided with discharging opening, and the cross sectional dimensions of described infundibulate transition portion tends to dwindle on the described discharge end direction at it.

9. the equipment described in claim 5, it is characterized in that, described lid comprises an installation end, a discharge end and an infundibulate transition portion, described installation end is suitable for being connected on the open end of a container, described discharge end is provided with discharging opening, and the cross sectional dimensions of described infundibulate transition portion tends to dwindle on the described discharge end direction at it.

10. the equipment described in claim 6, it is characterized in that, described lid comprises an installation end, a discharge end and an infundibulate transition portion, described installation end is suitable for being connected on the open end of a container, described discharge end is provided with discharging opening, and the cross sectional dimensions of described infundibulate transition portion tends to dwindle on the described discharge end direction at it.

11. the equipment described in claim 7, it is characterized in that, described lid comprises an installation end, a discharge end and an infundibulate transition portion, described installation end is suitable for being connected on the open end of a container, described discharge end is provided with discharging opening, and the cross sectional dimensions of described infundibulate transition portion tends to dwindle on the described discharge end direction at it.

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