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System and method for storing, transporting and dispensing bulk particulate materials and dispensing apparatus therefor

System and method for storing, transporting and dispensing bulk particulate materials and dispensing apparatus therefor description/claims

This invention relates to a system and method for storing, transporting and dispensing bulk particulate solids, and more particularly to such a system and method for dispensing controlled amounts of such material. The invention further contemplates a novel apparatus detachably mountable on a material container for metering controlled amounts of such material.

In many industries utilizing bulk particulate materials, such materials often are stored and transported in large bags having a set of stops on the upper ends thereof for suspending them and elongated spouts on the lower ends thereof through which material may be discharged. Such spouts usually are closed by a rope or other suitable means adjacent the base ends thereof, and folded up against the bottom walls of the bags. Typically, such bags are stored on pallets in storage areas. When it is desirable to use such material, perhaps for a processing operation using a blender, reactor or other vessel, the bags are lifted, transported to the processing site and positioned above the vessel into which the material is to be dispensed, a handler reaches under the bag and unties the rope restricting the flow of material through the spout and the material is allowed to gravity flow through the spout into the vessel. Such practice, however, has not been found to be entirely satisfactory in several respects. Typically, there is very limited working space below a bag suspended over a vessel to permit the handler to easily maneuver and release the rope restraining the flow of material through the spout. Furthermore, the material often will not flow freely out of the bag or will flow uncontrollably, adversely affecting the process operation, particularly when seeking to blend the particulate material with a liquid. In addition, it often is hazardous for the handler to work below a suspended bag to either release the spout for discharging the material or induce flow of poorly flowing or clogged material.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved system and method of storing, transporting and discharging bulk particulate material in which the material may be easily transported to its dispensing site and readily discharged, and the material handler at the dispensing site will not be exposed to any hazardous conditions in freeing the spout or inducing the gravity flow of poorly flowing or clogged material.

The present invention consists of a system for transporting bulk particulate materials generally comprising a bag including a discharge spout for holding such material, means for transporting the bag from a first site to a second site, and means detachably mountable on the spout for metering the discharge of material from the bag. Preferably, the bag includes a set of straps provided on the upper end thereof for suspending the bag and an elongated spout at the lower end thereof which may be closed by means of a rope or other suitable means, the transporting means comprises a fork lift truck having a set of blades on which the straps of the bag may be connected to suspend the bag therefrom, the metering means comprises a dispensing apparatus including a hopper detachably mountable on the free end of the bag spout, a valve for metering the flow of material through the device and means for fluidizing the material in the hopper to enhance the flow therethrough, and a support structure is provided which functions to support the bag and dispensing apparatus thereon to facilitate the attachment of the dispensing apparatus onto the bag spout and the detachment of such apparatus therefrom.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a bulk material bag carried by a transporting vehicle, comprising components of a system embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 3 including a support structure comprising another component of such system;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 2, illustrating the bag detached from the transport vehicle and resting on the support structure;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the section shown in FIG. 2 designated by the numeral 4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the section shown in FIG. 3 designated by the reference numeral 5;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the section designated by the numeral 6 in FIG. 5, having certain portions thereof shown in vertical cross section and other portions thereof broken away; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevational view of the bag shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, having a material dispensing device detachably mounted thereon, and having a portion thereof broken away.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a system for storing, transporting and dispensing a bulk particulate material embodying the present invention which generally consists of a bag 10 adapted to hold a bulk particulate material, a fork lift truck 11 on which such bag may be supported, transported and lifted and lowered, a support structure 12 on which such bag may be supported and a dispensing apparatus 13 which may be detachably mounted on such bag and also supported on such support structure to facilitate its attachment and detachment with respect to the bag, Bag 10 is of a conventional construction consisting of a main body portion 14, pairs of straps 15 provided on the upper end thereof and a spout 16 provided on the lower end thereof, formed of a flexible material capable of confining various bulk particulate materials being handled. Discharge spout 16 has a substantially tubular configuration when opened, including an inlet at the upper end thereof communicating with the interior of the main body portion and an outlet at the lower end thereof through which material may be discharged. Typically, when not in use, the spout is closed at the upper end thereof by means of a rope or other suitable device and the rest of the spout is folded against and detachably secured to the underside of the main body portion of the bag. The fork lift truck also is of a conventional construction including a chassis 17 mounted on a set of wheels and having suitable propulsion means, a mast 18 mounted on the front end of the chassis and a fork assembly 19 mounted on the front end of the mast and displaceable vertically thereon. The fork assembly is provided with a pair of transversely spaced blades 20 from which a bag 10 loaded with material may be suspended by means of straps 15. Normally, a bag 10 filled with material is stored in a suitable area on a pallet. Whenever it is desired to transport such bag from a storage area to a processing or other site, such movement may be accomplished by adjusting the blades of the fork assembly at a suitable height, advancing the truck to insert the blades in straps 15, raising the fork assembly to lift the bag off of tire supporting pallet and then driving the truck to the desired processing or other site.

Dispensing apparatus 13 is adapted to be detachably mounted on the free end of spout 16 in its unfolded, depending condition for controlling the gravity flow of material from the main body portion of the bag therethrough. As best seen in FIGS. 4 through 7, such apparatus includes an upper hopper section 21, a lower hopper section 22 depending from and formed integrally with upper hopper section 13, a valve 23 depending from and formed integrally with lower hopper section 22 and a clamping member 24. Upper hopper section 13 has a frusto-conical configuration including an outer frusto-conically configured surface 21a. Lower hopper section 22 has a frusto-conical configuration with an upper inlet communicating with the upper hopper section and a lower outlet. Spaced inwardly from hopper sections 21 and 22 is a permeable wall member 22a through which air or another gas including an inert gas supplied through a line 26 may be injected at a low pressure to fluidize material passing through lower hopper section 22 and thus enhance its flowability. Valve 23 preferably is a butterfly valve having a detachable operating handle 27 with an elongated stem 28 to permit an operator to open and close the valve from a distance clear of a bag when the dispensing apparatus is mounted on the spout of an overhead bag as shown in FIG. 7.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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