GB2310843A - Detachable vehicle mounted apparatus for loading flowable material into the vehicle - Google Patents

Description

TRANSPORTING FLOWABLE MATERIAL This invention relates to the transportation of flowable material, for example particulate material.

The invention can, for example, be applied to the supply of two or more kinds of poultry feed successively from a feed manufacturer to a poultry farmer. If the poultry farmer has used substantially all of one delivery, which is of poultry feed of a first kind, before he requires delivery of poultry feed of a second kind, suitable for older birds than is the first kind of feed, there is no problem. However, if at the time he requires delivery of the feed of the second kind he knows that he will still have, unwanted, a very substantial quantity of the feed of the first kind, it is usual for him to ask the feed manufacturer to take that unwanted feed away and give him credit for its value.If every vehicle used for delivery incorporates expensive and heavy equipment for transferring any unwanted feed from the farmer's store into the vehicle, the cost of the equipment and the increased cost of fuel would be great. It would also be uneconomic to make two journeys to the farmer, one in one kind of vehicle, suitable only for delivering feed to the farmer, and the other in a different vehicle, suitable for receiving unwanted feed from the farmer.

According to the present invention, there is provided apparatus which is constructed to be readily mounted on the back of a road vehicle, without any part of the apparatus touching the road on which the vehicle travels, and readily demounted from the vehicle, the apparatus including a container, a first port through which air can be drawn out of the container, a second port through which, as a consequence of the air being so drawn out, a flowable material can enter the container, and a rotary seal means which is coupled to an outlet pipe and can force the flowable material, which has entered the container, towards an exit end of the outlet pipe.

An example in accordance with the invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of the rear end of a truck on which is mounted apparatus according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a view of the rear of the apparatus, taken as indicated by the arrow II in Figure 1, Figure 3 shows a plan view of the apparatus, taken as indicated by the arrow III in Figure 2, and Figure 4 shows part of what is shown in Figure 2 but in a sectional view.

The apparatus includes a container 1 which may have numerous planar outer faces (not illustrated in the drawings) and has a portion 1A of constant width, an upper portion 1B which progressively narrows, proceeding upwardly, and a lower portion 1C which progressively narrows, proceeding downwardly. Inside the container is a baffle plate 2 (Figure 4) which is in the form of a collar the width of which decreases, proceeding downwardly. An air filter 3 depends from a cap 4, at the top of the container 1, and lies mainly within the portion 1B of the container 1 but partly within the portion 1A.

There is a coupling 5 between a stub pipe 4A on the cap 4 and a suction pipe 6 and the stub pipe 4A can be regarded as a first port of the container, through which air can be drawn out of the container 1 when the lower end of the suction pipe 6 is coupled to suction means (not shown). There is a second port 7 constituted by a stub pipe 8 (Figure 3) projecting from the portion 1A of the container 1, and this pipe 8 can be coupled to one end 9 of a flexible feed pipe 10, made of rubber, when the apparatus is to be used for receiving unwanted flowable material. The feed pipe 10 is shown in an uncoupled position, ready for transport along roads behind a vehicle, being retained in that position by resilient forks 11 and 12 which permit ready release of the feed pipe 10 by merely lifting it out of the forks 11,12.Figure 1, in contrast to Figure 2, shows the feed pipe 10 folded to prevent its projecting too far laterally. When the feed pipe 10 is coupled to the pipe 8, particulate flowable material can be drawn along the pipes 10 and 8 and into the container 1 by the action of the suction means mentioned above.

By unfastening the coupling 4A and other operations, the cap 4 can be lifted, with the filter 3, out of the container 1 so that the filter can be replaced by a fresh one. The purpose of the filter 3 is to prevent dust leaving the container 1 by way of the pipe 6. A bottle 15 of compressed air is mounted on the container 1 and coupled by a tube 16 to the cap 4 and it receives air at pressure through a helical tube 17 from the compressor of a vehicle on which the container 1 etc is to be mounted. There is a control mechanism (not shown) by means of which a jet of air is periodically supplied from the bottle 15 to the filter 3 to blow any dust off the filter.

There is an inspection opening in the side of the container 1 and this is covered by a removable plate 18.

A casing 20 below the container 1 supports a hydraulic motor 20A which is coupled (by means not shown) to a hydraulic system of the vehicle and drives a rotary seal means 20B which forces the particulate material to enter a short outlet pipe 21 and hence a longer L-shaped outlet pipe 22 which is held by holding devices 23 mounted on the container 1. The rotary seal means 20B has the capability of conveying material out of the container 1, whilst remaining air-tisht.

To assist the rotary seal means 20B in forcing the particulate material up the outlet pipe 22, there is a third port constituted by a coupling 25 at the end of a short pipe 26 which communicates with the outlet of the rotary seal means 20B. A longer air supply pipe 27 having a coupling piece 28 at one end can be coupled at said one end to the coupling 25 and at the other end to pressure air-supply means (not shown), which may, for example, be a blower, possibly a so-called Roots blower, which can act also as the above-mentioned suction means. When the apparatus is not to be used, the air-supply pipe 27, in the uncoupled position illustrated in the drawings, is retained by resilient forks 29 and 30 which permit ready release of the air-supply pipe 27 by merely lifting it out of the forks.

The container 1 is supported on a frame 34 having four vertical legs 35 with disc-like feet 36 at their bottoms so that the apparatus can be self-supporting with the feet 36 standing on a plane surface. Tunnels 37 on the frame receive the tines of a fork-lift truck whereby the frame, the container 1, etc. can be lifted and advanced towards a truck or lorry, with the stub pipe 8 directed towards the fork lift.

To secure the apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 to a vehicle (truck or lorry), shown partially in Figure 1, the apparatus includes two rod portions 40 (only one visible) spaced apart and having a common horizontal axis which extends transversely of the vehicle when the apparatus is mounted on the vehicle, i.e. at right angles to the direction of forward motion of the vehicle. These two rod portions 40 could be spaced apart neck portions, i.e. portions of reduced but constant diameter, near opposite ends of a single horizontal bar fixed to the container 1 by brackets 41 or they could be stub shafts extending in opposite directions from two supporting brackets. In either case the rod portions 40 enter two somewhat V-shaped brackets 42 fixed to the back of the vehicle 43 when the apparatus is suitably positioned by the fork-lift truck. Alternatively if the vehicle 43 has a tip-up facility it is possible to dispense with the use of a fork-lift truck and tip the vehicle and move it until the rod portions 40 are above the brackets 42 and then de-tip the vehicle so that the brackets 42 rise to engage the rod portions 40. To secure the apparatus more surely to the vehicle, there is a coupling comprising a ball 45 fixed to the vehicle which engages a ball hitch fixed to the frame 34 of the apparatus.

The application of the described apparatus to the supply of pelletised poultry feed by a feed manufacturer to a poultry farmer is described below, although there are many other possible uses. The feed manufacturer has a number of vehicles 43 each with the parts 42 and 45 at the back, for coupling to apparatus as shown in Figures 1 to 4 but he has only a smaller number of such apparatuses, possibly only one. When he is required merely to deliver poultry feed to the farmer, he sends out to the farmer only the vehicle laden with the feed, but when he is required both to deliver feed of one grade to the farmer and collect feed of another grade from the farmer, he sends to that farmer a vehicle laden with feed and, having mounted on its back, apparatus according to Figures 1 to 4.The feed required by the farmer is unloaded in the usual way and then the feed pipe 10 and the air-supply pipe 27 of the apparatus according to Figures 1 to 4 are coupled to the pipe 8 and the pipe 26, respectively, and a blower is connected to the suction pipe 6 and the air supply pipe 27. Also the hydraulic motor 20A is connected to the hydraulic system of the vehicle so as to drive the rotary seal means 20B and an appropriate connection is made between the vehicle's compressor and the bottle 15. Then the feed to be returned to the feed manufacturer is continuously sucked into the container 1 through the feed supply pipe 10, by virtue of air being drawn out of the container 1 through the suction pipe 6, and simultaneously the feed is driven out of the bottom of the container 1 and along the outlet pipe 22 into the vehicle by the combined action of the rotary seal means 20B and the supply of air at pressure from the blower to the pipe 26 by way of the air-supply pipe 27. It will be appreciated that the portion of the outlet pipe 22 between 22A and the vehicle 43 has been omitted from the drawings for illustrative purposes.

Claims (18)

1. Apparatus which is constructed to be readily mounted on the back of a road vehicle, without any part of the apparatus touching the road on which the vehicle travels, and readily demounted from the vehicle, the apparatus including a container, a first port through which air can be drawn out of the container, a second port through which, as a consequence of the air being so drawn out, a flowable material can enter the container, and a rotary seal means which is coupled to an outlet pipe and can force the flowable material, which has entered the container, towards an exit end of the outlet pipe.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 having a third port to which air at pressure can be supplied to assist the rotary seal means in moving the material along the outlet pipe towards the exit end of that pipe.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 having an air supply pipe which, when the apparatus is to be used, can be coupled to the third port to supply air at pressure to it and means for retaining the air supply pipe in an uncoupled position when the apparatus is travelling with the vehicle, whilst permitting its ready release.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3 having a flexible feed pipe which, when the apparatus is to be used, can be coupled to the second port to convey said material to it and means for retaining the feed pipe in an uncoupled position when the apparatus is travelling with the vehicle, whilst permitting its ready release.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the container is supported on a frame having vertical legs with feet at the bottoms of the legs so that the apparatus can be self-supporting with the feet standing on a plane surface.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim so constructed as to receive the forks of a fork-lift truck for lifting the apparatus to a position where it can be mounted on the back of the road vehicle.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim having two spaced-apart horizontal rod portions with a common axis which extends transversely of the vehicle when the apparatus is mounted on the vehicle, these rod portions being capable of engaging suitable coupling means on the vehicle to fix the apparatus to the vehicle and support the weight of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the two rod portions are spaced-apart neck portions near opposite ends of a horizontal bar fixed to the container.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the rod portions are stub shafts extending in opposite directions from two supporting brackets fixed to the container.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim having an air filter in the container to prevent dust being drawn out of the container through the first port.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including a bottle of compressed gas and means for causing a jet of gas from the bottle to blow onto the filter to remove dust from it periodically.

12. A combination of a road vehicle and apparatus according to any preceding claim mounted on the back of the vehicle.

13. A combination according to claim 12 and further comprising suction means coupled to one end of a suction pipe the other end of which communicates with said first port.

14. A combination according to claim 12 which includes the features of claim 2 and further comprises pressure air-supply means coupled to one end of an air-supply pipe the other end of which is coupled to said third port.

15. A combination according to claims 13 and 14 in which the suction means and air-supply means are constituted by a single blower.

16. A combination according to any one of claims 12 to 15 which includes the features of claim 10 in which a compressor on the vehicle is arranged to supply compressed air to a vessel forming part of said apparatus, said apparatus includes means for causing a jet of air from the vessel to blow onto the filter to remove dust from it periodically.

17. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. A combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.