Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Packinq arranqement ~or fillina of free-flowinq materials
The present invention relates to a bagging apparatus for
bagging free-flowing material and sealing machine for said
bags, comprising means for receivir.7 and temporary storing
of the material, at least one apparatus ~or weighing and
filling, at least one system for transport of the bagged
material and means for closing of the bags.
It has been known for a long time a movable apparatus for
bagging of free-flowing material such as fertilizer and
grain. The material is transported in bulk overseas to remote
locations. Normally, the bulk material i5 di~charged from the
docked ships by using a mechanical grab. The free-~lowing
material is supplied to the hoppers or silos for storage,
located at the quay or nearby the docked ship.
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The hoppers of the well known hagging plants are made very
- robust, having coarse grating enabling the grab to crush
any lumps. The bagging is done by reliable volume packers
located directly below the hopper. The packers can be used
for packing of open bags, but also for valve bags if the
headroom below the hopper is increased by redesigning the
construction of the hopper. This represents however a large
and costly operation~
Volume packers are used ~or bagging because it is reliable
under the harshe environment due to vibration, humidity, dust
and temperatures di~erence.
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These packers have, however, one main disadvantage because
of the unaccuracy during bagging. one has experienced an
unaccuracy o~ 300 gram pr. bag when bagying 50-litres bags.
This adds up to several hundred tons pr. shipload.
A second disadvan~age with the known mobile packers are the
open solutions of the supply piping for electricity and air
and the unattached and unsecured apparatus which represents
bad environment and production loss.
In Norwegian patent No. 156324 (corresponding to EP Patent
No. 0.067.064) there is disclosed a mobile bagging apparatus
where two containers are used for bagging free-flowiny mate-
rial. One upper container made according to standard dimen-
sions comprise a silo for receiving the material and it is
fastened to the lower container which comprise the bagging
apparatus.
It seems like said patent has concentrated on making an appa-
ratus that can be transported with containership rather than
solving the problems related to the bagging problems o~ the
mobile bagging apparatus. The apparatus can, because of the
low headroom in the container, only be used for bagging open
bags, and futher on it is only room for one bagging run.
The solution in accordance with said patent implies that it
has restricted use and low production capacity.
Further on, because the upper container is resting on the
lower container, the vibrations and strokes from the dis-
charging apparatus will be transmitted to the lower container
which comprise the weighing equipment.
The vibrations and strokes are harmful to the equipment and
will disrupt the accuracy. Thus, mechanical weighiny
apparatus without electronic control is there~`ore used.
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However, the mechanical weighiny apparatus has low accuracy
and capacity, and ~his increase the drawback of the system
according to said Norwegian patent.
The objects of the present invention are to design a bagging
appa~atus with high production capacity which can be used
both for bagging of open bags and valve bags. A further
object with the invention has been to employ electrical
weighing apparatus to increase the accuracy, and thus reduce
the economic loss an unaccurate weighing apparatus repre-
sents. It has also been an object ko make the apparatus
environmentally sound and as compact as possible to simplify
the transportation from one location to another.
According to the invention one has arrived at a bagging
apparatus characterized by that; the means for weighing and
filling of material, the transportation means for the bagged
bags and the closing means are located in the same frame
construction, and that the means for weighing and filling is
height adjustable from a position partly or completely out-
side the frame, and that ~he receiving equipment is freely
supported with regard to the frame/ it is adjustable in the
vertical direction and that the frame, if connected to the
loading equipment it is done by a flexible connection or the
like to avoid transmission of vibrations and strokes from
the discharging equipmen~ to th~ frame.
Sufficient area to contain two parallell bagging runs is
provided by making the weighing- and filling means adjustable
in the vertical direction. This has doubled the packing
capacity and also made room for bagging of valve bags by
using extra equipment.
Further, because the weighing equipment is freely supported
with regard to the frame and a flexible connection is used
between the weighing appara~us and the frame, it is possible
to use electrical weights for measuring the bagged material.
It should also be mentioned that a second room is made in
the frame for necessary cooling of the electronic system.
When the bagging apparatus is idle, the weighing- and filling
means can be lowered to the frame, covered and locked. Thus
the frame, housing all the equipment, represents a compact
unit which requires a small area and is simple and unexpen-
sive to transport from one location to another.
In order to give a better understanding of the invention it
will be described in more detail, by ways of examples only,
with reference to t~e accompanying drawings.
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Fig. 1 illus~rates the side view of the bagging plant for
open bags,
Fig. 2 illustrates the Pnd view of the same bagging plant,
Fig. 3 illustrates a side view of a modified bagging plant
for bagging of valve bags, and
Fig. 4 illustrates an end view of the same modified b gging
plant.
Fig. 1 and 2 illustrates a bagging plant for the bagging of
open bags. The bagging plant comprises a receiving system in
form as a hopper 1 for intermediate storage of the free~
flowing material, two apparatures 3 for weighing and filling
of the bagged material, two systems for transporting filled
bags sompri~ing two conveyors, such as belt conveyors 4, and
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two machines 5 for sealing the bags. The weighing- and fill-
ing apparatus 3, the transportation system 4 and the ~ealing
machines 5 are located in a framelike construction 2 which
is located below the receiver 1.
The receiver 1 is supported on telescopic legs 6 separated
from the frame 5 to prevent transmission of vibrations and
stroXes to the weighing apparatus.
Further, if the receiver 1 i5 connected to the weighing- and
filling apparatus it is done by flexible means 7 to prevent
transmission o~ the vibra~ions from the hopper to the frame-
like construction. This has allowed v0ry accurate electronic
weights to be use~ in the bagging apparatus.
With regard to the receiver 1, it does not have to be mov-
able or hava telescopic legs. It is, within the scope of
the invention as defined in the claims, possible to use a
permanent receiver or hopper. It must however have an outlet
with a sufficient height above the ground, and if it has a
connection 7 it needs to be adjustable in the longitudinal
direction so that the weighing- and filling apparatus can be
fed and if necessary he used for packing of open bags and
valve bags~
The weighing- and filling apparatus 3 comprises two separate
units, and they are mounted in a solid rectangular support
frame 8 which is height adjustable by the guides 10,11 loca-
ted at each corner of the support frame. The guides comprise
a casing or pipe 10 connected to the frame 8 which can move
along the vertical column 11, shown in a complementary sec~
tional view. The columns 11 extend preferably in the total
` height of the framelike construction, and its ends are moun-
ted in the top and bottom of the framelike cons~ruction 2.
It will be apparent from the figures, that the casings 10 are
mounted to the leg 12 which is protruding downwardly from the
corner of the frame 8. This enables the frame 8 to be moved
from a position where it will be close to the weighing- and
filling apparatus 3 and be housed by the framelike construc-
tion 2, to a position when it is in use, just inside or above
the top part of the framelike construction.
It should be added that the position of the support frame 8
is defined by the bag type. Thus, if open bags are used,
the support frame will be arranged in a position shown in
Fig. 1 whereas if valve bags are filled, it will be arranged
in a position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, see later section.
It should also be mentioned that the support frame in its
various positions is secured by screwed connections (not
shown) to the framelike construction 2.
The support frame is according to the invention not restric-
ted to the examples shown in the figures or explained above.
Thus, it is possible to add extensions to the columns reach-
ing above the top part of the support frame and also using U-
formed instead of pipe-~ormed casing. Further, it is possible
to use telescopic casing attached to each of the corners,
and the legs of the support frame may represent the inner
pipe in these. Or one can apply sliding members or rollers
on the support frame.
Different arrangements may be applied for lowering and rais-
ing of the support frame 8 . Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate an
arrangement where it is used a chain 12 reaching from the
corners of the support frame via freely running joint gears
14. The chain is pulled or activated by means of a hydraulic
cylinder 13. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate another example where
the support frame can be lowered and raised using a centrally
located telescopic hydraulic system. A hydraulic lifting
system is described, but if preferred, other practical lift-
ing arrangements can be applied.
Thus, instead of the arrangemen~ shown in Figs. 1 and 2, one
may use wires instead of the chain 12 and let the wires pass
freely suspended costors and be pulled by suitable means
such as a drum.
Further it will, instead of applying a telescopic hydraulic
system as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, be suitable to make use of
four such units, where one unit is located at each corner of
the support f rame 8 .
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate almost an equivalent system relative
to Figs. 1 and 2, but Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a system which
is modified for bagging valve bags. The modification includes
that the support frame 8 and the weighing- and filling means
3 are arranged in a higher position to make room for the
filling spout 17 and a turning hopper 18 for the bags. Be-
cause bagging valve bags takes longer time to fill due to
the filling pipe 17 than bagging open bags, each o~ the
weighing- and filling means 3 is provided with two weighing
silos 16 and two corresponding filling pipes 17. Thus, the
transport capacity has been doubled compared to what would
have been possible with only one weigh and filling spout.
The framelike construction 2 can be supplied with covers in
the form of doors and/or trapdoors 19,20,21 for housing the
packing apparatus when it is out of use. A second obtion is
to let a part of the sideports and roof be supplied by per-
manent covers. It should though be mentioned that it is most
convenient that the largest possible proportion of the sides
of the framelike construction are uncovered when the
apparatus is in use. This will give a more flexible solution
with regard to the movability of the transport conveyor 4
out of the framelike construction to adapt the receiver
system, lorry etc. on the quay.
The figures show how the doors 19 can be used for closing the
end ports and the use of split trapdoors 20,21 for covering
of the sides. The trapdoors may be hinged to the framelike
construction, and they might when the packing system is in
use, be doubled by turning them up against the roof, or
against the working platform, see Figs. 2 and 4. The ~rame-
like construction and the covers can be made of whatever
suitable metal and having the outer dimension size and shape
corresponding to a standard container dimension. This is
though no necessary feature because the packing system is
very often transported by ships where the size is not
critical and not containerships.
In one corner of the framelike construction there is a room
for the electrical system which is connected to the weighing
apparatus (not shown). The room is supplied with a cooling
apparatus to keep the temperature of the electrical apparatus
at a constant level. The weighing- and filling apparatus
and the equipment in the framelike construction is well known
technic and will not be described in more dekail.
The following section will describe the operation of the
packing system according to the invention.
Free-flowing material such as fertilizer, grain etc. is
supplied through the hopper 1 by a grab or conveyor. The
material is transported from the hopper via khe flexible
coupling to the weighing- and filling apparatus 3. Depending
on the ~ag size, the electronic weight will provide a very
accurate weighing of the material. Open bags are bagged
(Figs. 1 and 2) by applying only one outlet for each of the
weighing- and filling means 3, and the bags are kept in
position by a tightening means 15. ~fter bagging is perfor-
med, the bags are dropped to the conveyor leading from the
bagging system and passing the sealing machine 5. The sealing
machine 5 might either be a sticking or a hot welding mac-
hine, depending on the bag. From the sealing machine the bags
are transpor~ed to a lorry or to a suitable site for stor
ing.
Valve bags are bagged as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. As
previously described, double weighing siloes 16 can be app-
lied, each comprising one corresponding filling spout. The
bags are tread on to the filling spouts and will alternately
as they are filled, drop to the transport conveyor 4. Because
the valve bages are selfsealing, they can be directly trans-
ported to the waiting lorry or storing site.
