GB2119771A

GB2119771A - Container for e.g. fruit or vegetables, and means for unloading the container

Info

Publication number: GB2119771A
Application number: GB08306427A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Carruthers
Original assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Current assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
Priority date: 1982-03-11
Filing date: 1983-03-09
Publication date: 1983-11-23
Also published as: GB2116526A; GB8306427D0; NL8300714A; DE3306347A1; GB2119771B

Abstract

An open-topped container 10 e.g. for root crops, is divided into two halves hingedly connected together at the top of the container to allow it to open into the position shown in Figure 2. Opening is controlled by two hydraulic cylinders 41, 42 acting on pivoted support frames 35, 36 for the container. Reference numeral 46 indicates a planter hopper into which the crop is discharged. Friction prevents the container slipping on the cross-bars 38, 40 of support frames. <IMAGE>

Description

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GB 2 119 771 A . 1

SPECIFICATION

Filling assembly for potatoes and other root crop planters

The present invention relates to a filling 5 assembly e.g. for use with root crop and other vegetable planters or with fruit or vegetable graders, hoppers and conveyors.

It is known to unload tubers from a simple box container by tipping this upside down using a 10 suitable rotating head on a fork lift truck. However, apart from the damage to the tubers and their sprouts during free fall of tubers from the box into the planter, this system is also subject to the disadvantage that it is difficult to control the 15 quantity of tubers placed in the hopper and so spillage occurs. Other drawbacks are that partially used boxes have to be handled twice and that the hopper filling operation has to take place with the planter stationary.

20 In an attempt to reduce drop height of tubers it has already been proposed to use a side-opening box and to discharge the tubers through the open side of the box once this is in position over the ■ planter. However, the hinged side of the box drags 25 on the potatoes and causes chit damage while the control of quantity of tubers placed into the hopper is poor and spillages often occur.

Moreover, latches fitted to secure the opening side of the box have to be released with the box held 30 over the hopper and this causes delay especially in one man operated systems.

According to the present invention, a filling assembly for use with fruit, vegetables or other objects comprises a container for the objects 35: which container is divided vertically into two parts which are hingedly connected together whereby the container is adapted to open for the controlled discharge of the objects into an appropriate receptacle for the objects, the assembly further 40 comprising control means adapted to be secured to the receptacle and operative to open the container as above described.

Conveniently, the container comprises an open-topped container divided vertically into two halves 45 which are hingedly connected together as above described e.g. by a horizontal hinge connection at the top of the container.

Conveniently, the control means includes two support members for the container and drive 50 means for separating the container-engaging parts of the support members thereby to open the container by relative pivotal motion of the two parts of the container about the hinge connection.

Conveniently, significant relative motion 55- between the container-engaging parts of the support members and the container is prevented during operation of the assembly by friction between these items.

Alternatively, or additionally, however, the 60 container is conveniently provided with abutment surfaces which in operation of the assembly will be engaged by the container-engaging parts of the support.

Conveniently, each half of the container is provided with downwardly projecting leg members or the like so as to enable the container to be supported'on one or more surfaces lying in a common horizontal plane without any tendency for the container to open of its own accord e.g. when full or part full. The leg members or equivalent will space the container from the supporting surface thereby allowing the use of a fork lift to load the container on to the control means of the assembly.

Conveniently, the container-engaging parts of the support members comprise bars of circular or other cross-section.

Conveniently, the support members are pivotally mounted on a base structure adapted to be secured to the receptacle in which case separation of the container-engaging parts of the support members is obtained by a corresponding pivotal motion of the support members.

Conveniently, the support members are urged into their container-opening positions by hydraulic rams or the like.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:—

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side view of an assembly in place on a planter prior to discharging its load and a perspective view of the same assembly as it will appear during discharge;

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of alternative designs of container for use in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 5 is a scap view showing yet another design of container in place on a planter.

Thus referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a filling assembly 10 for a potato or other root crop planter 12 comprises a container 14 for the crop 16 and control means 18 secured to the planter and operative to open the container into the discharge position shown in Figure 2.

As can be seen from the drawings, in the illustrated embodiment, the container 14 comprises a slatted wooden open-topped box divided vertically into two halves 20, 21 which are connected together by a horizontal hinge connection 23, 24 at the top of the box.

In this embodiment, as in all the later embodiments, the pivot axes of the hinges are preferably parallel to the longer sides of the container when viewed in plan. These hinges are each mounted on vertical leg members 26, 27 secured to the appropriate box half and projecting downwardly beneath the bottom of the box by the same amount as wooden runners 29. This enables the box to be supported e.g. in a stack of such boxes, without any tendency for it to open of its own accord.

The control means 18 comprises two goal post shaped support frames 35, 36 pivotally connected at their bases to a base structure 38 secured to the planter as shown. Suitable planters include, for example, the Howard Rotoplaner, Smallford Setrite, Lerebours Plantmasta, Amac, Faun and Gruse, and side loading allows 2 or 4 row models of each of these planters to be catered for.

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GB 2 119 771 A 2

The assembly of the present invention would not affect the filling of these planters by traditional means, such as bags and trays, if desired.

Conveniently, the cross-bars 39,40 of the 5 frames 35, 36 are of circular or any other suitable cross-section, relative movement between the cross-bars and those parts of the box engaged by the bars being prevented by friction or engaging the runners 29.

10 Reference numerals 41, 42 indicate two small bore and short stroke hydraulic double acting cylinders acting between the frames and the base structure 38.

In use, the box 14 is removed from the usual 15 stack of loaded boxes by a fork lift which places it on the cross-bars 39, 40 of control means 18 (Figure 1). The cylinders 41, 42 are then actuated to open the box (Figure 2) typically to provide a four inch separation at the bottom of the box. This 20 enables a gentle and controlled flow of tubers to occur from the container 14 into the hopper 46 of the planter. The assembly is conveniently operated from the tractor seat by a double-acting valve normally fitted to modern tractors. Spring closure 25 could be added to the assembly however if older tractors without double-acting valves had to be used.

Referring now to Figure 3, this shows a convenient form of welded metal chitting tray 30 container 50 for use as an alternative to the wooden bulk box 14 of the earlier embodiment. In use, the chitting container 50 is filled layer by layer and then stacked in the chitting house until the planting date. Mounting the chitting tray 35 container on support frames 35, 36 in the same way as box 14 will enable chitted seed to be planted without further handling.

It is an advantage of the illustrated assemblies that a full y tonne box 14 or container 50 can 40 always be over the hopper 46 whether this latter is empty, partially filled, or completely filled. With an empty hopper and the box 14 opened as shown in Figure 2, for example, about half the quantity of tubers in the box will transfer to the hopper. If the 45 hopper is already fairly full, on the other hand, the box 14 will continuously; top it up. The flow of tubers into the hopper is self regulating and will not overfill the hopper. Moreover as the downward movement of the tubers will be very small if the 50 planter is kept full, chit damage due to dropping can be kept to a minimum.

Other advantages are that the assemblies of the present invention enable the capacity of the planter to be greatly increased and the driver can 55 operate the assembly while planting so that stoppage time and turn around time should be greatly reduced as compared with existing devices where the complete filling operation has to take place with the planter stationary.

60 Planting from chitting trays or bags can be further speeded up if the fork lift operator fills spare boxes while the planting operation is being carried out. If a quantity of boxes are purchased a whole day's planting could be already boxed. 65 Alternative designs of container allow four-way entry of the lifting forks beneath the container thereby allowing loading from the rear of the planter 12 regardless of the position of hopper 46.

Two such embodiments are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 which respectively show a welded metal frame chitting tray container 50 and a wooden bulk box 40. In each case, four small runners 52 are fitted which will rest on the cross bars 39,40 of frames 35, 36 to raise the base of the box or container clear of the cross bars and allow withdrawal of the lifting forks. In Figure 5, four wooden feet 54 replace the downwardly extended corner parts of the Figure 4 embodiment.

Although the invention has been described above as an assembly including a receptacle and a control means, it will be appreciated that in practice it may prove attractive to market only those parts of the assembly not readily available to the user, e.g. the box hinges and a suitable sort of separable support for use as part of the box-opening control means. The scope of the invention should be interpreted accordingly.

As already indicated, the assembly 10 of the illustrated embodiments may also be used for unloading root crop into graders, hoppers, conveyors and like receptacles. They are also suitable for loading other vegetables or fruit into graders, hoppers and conveyors etc. though in these latter instances, some modification of items 14, 50 will often be desirable to suit the container to the particular objects concerned.

Claims

1. A filling assembly for use with fruit, vegetables or other objects comprising a container for the objects which container is divided vertically into two parts which are hingedly connected together whereby the container is adapted to open for the controlled discharge of the objects into an appropriate receptacle for the objects, the assembly further comprising control means adapted to be secured to the receptacle and operative to open the container as above described.

2. An assembly as claimed in Claim 1 in which the container comprises an open-topped container, divided vertically into two halves which are hingedly connected together to provide said two parts.

3. An assembly as claimed in Claim 2 in which the two halves of the container are hingedly connected together by a horizontal hinge connection.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the control means includes two support members for the container and drive means for separating the container-engaging parts of the support members thereby to open the container by relative pivotal motion of the two parts of the container about the hinge connection.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which significant relative motion between the container-engaging parts of the

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GB 2 119 771 A 3

support members and the container is prevented during operation of the assembly by friction between these items.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding 5 claim in which the container is provided with abutment surfaces which in operation of the assembly will be engaged by the container-engaging parts of the support.

7. An assembly as claimed in any preceding 10 claim in which each half of the container is provided with downwardly projecting leg members or the like so as to enable the container to be supported on one or more surfaces lying in a common horizontal plane without any tendency 15 for the container to open of its own accord.

8. An assembly as claimed in Claim 7 in which the leg members or equivalent will space the container from the supporting surface thereby allowing the use of a fork lift to load the container

20 on to the control means of the assembly.

9. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the container-engaging parts of the support members comprise bars of circular or other cross-section.

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10. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support members are pivotally mounted on a base structure adapted to be secured to the receptacle in which case separation of the container-engaging parts of the support 30 members is obtained by a corresponding pivotal motion of the support members.

11. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the support members are urged into their container-opening positions by hydraulic

35 rams or the like.

12. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore . described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13. A kit of parts comprising hinges and 40 separable support members for use in the assembly of Claim 4 when including the limitations of Claim 2.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Press, Leamington Spa, 1983. Published by the Patent Office. 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1AY, from which copies may be obtained.