GB2541024A

GB2541024A - Bag opening apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2541024A
Application number: GB1513976.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Ball Andrew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-08-07
Filing date: 2015-08-07
Publication date: 2017-02-08
Also published as: GB201611111D0; GB201513976D0; GB2541105A; GB2541105B

Abstract

Apparatus for holding open a canvas, or like, bag 7 on a site, e.g. a building or nucleardecommissioning site, consists of four corner blocks 2 fitted around the corners of a pallet 3, which are held in place by a circumferential securing device, preferably a strap 4 incorporating a tensioning device (Fig 1, 5), such as a ratchet mechanism. The corner blocks 2 may contain grooves (2E, Fig 3) or loops (2D, Fig 4) to hold the strap in place. Vertical poles 6 are inserted in a hole in each corner block and the handles 8 of the bag are fitted to hooks 9 at the distal end of each pole to keep the bag open for filling. The apparatus of the invention is easily fitted round a pallet and removable from it and is packable into an easily portable or storable module (Figs 6&7). The filled bag may be removed from above, e.g. by a crane, or on the pallet by a forklift means, after the apparatus has been removed. Preferably the poles 6, corner blocks 2 and/or securing device 4 are constructed from a lightweight, polymeric material. The apparatus can be used so that people do not have to hold open the bag and expose themselves to danger, e.g. the risk of physical injury from the means used to fill the bag or from radiation.

Description

BAG OPENING APPARATUS

This specification relates to apparatus for holding open bags so that they may be filled. It is particularly appropriate to the One Tonne Canvas Bags commonly used on building sites (which are often referred to as ‘Dumpy Bags’) but is relevant to many other types of open topped bag.

Dumpy canvas bags are essentially cubic in form with an open top and four handling loops at the upper, open corners. They are commonly used to bring sand or gravel, etc., in nominal 1 Te loads, to building sites and may also be used to remove debris from the site, e.g. soil, broken bricks, pieces of concrete, etc. The handling loops enable the bags to be craned on and off lorries, though, sometimes, they are handled on pallets by forklift means. When filling an empty bag, it is necessary to hold the bag open. Usually, this will require two people, each holding two of the loops, while a third will fill the bag. Often the bag is filled with a mechanical device and the swinging bucket, moving so close to the ‘bag holders’ is a breach of Health & Safety regulations but frequently it is done as a practical expedient, despite being potentially dangerous. If a bag holder is hit by the bucket and injured, legal proceedings are likely follow.

Currently, there are a number of nuclear facilities being decommissioned, where radioactive materials have to be handled. Frequently, this can involve filling dumpy bags with debris in environments where radioactive materials are present; these can be high, intermediate or low levels of radioactivity. Good nuclear practice decrees that people should not be exposed unnecessarily to radioactivity, even though they are provided with appropriate protective clothing, and it could be argued that bag holders are being unnecessarily exposed as, in theory, one person could fill the bag by him- / herself.

It is known to erect structures, e.g. from scaffolding members, onto which dumpy bags can be hooked for filling. This is acceptable if a large number of bags are to be filled at the same point but such structures are usually too heavy for people to carry from one point to another and often too big to move within nuclear facilities being decommissioned. Scaffolding structures can be dismantled and re-erected but only by qualified Scaffolders, who are not always available, i.e. delaying operations (extra cost).

Thus, there is an urgent need for a relatively light, easily portable and transportable means to hold open dumpy bags and the like so that they can be conveniently filled wherever and whenever required.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for holding open a bag(s) via its handles / loops or the like on a site(s) comprising:- i) a pallet having a circumferential edge of a specific depth or thickness; ii) members adapted to fit against an external corner of the pallet edge, each of said members having a hole, the axis of which is normal to the plane of the pallet; iii) a means to hold the members firmly against the external circumference of the pallet and secure them in this position; and iv) poles fittable into the holes in the members so that they are deployed upwardly and normally to the plane of the pallet each pole having a hook to which one of the bag’s handles / loops is fittable; characterised in that the apparatus, excluding the pallet, has:- a) a first storage and / or transportable mode in which the members, means to secure them to the pallet and poles are dis-assembled so that the components are formable into a compact portable bundle; and b) a second deployed mode in which the members are deployed around the circumference of the pallet and secured in position against the depth / thickness of the pallet edge, the poles fitted into the members and a bag fitted to the hooks on the poles so that the bag is held open and fillable; and further characterised in that the apparatus is retrieved from a storage location and taken to a first point of use, deployed (i.e. erected / assembled around a pallet) at the first point of use, a bag is located on the hooks via its handles / loops or the like to hold it open, the bag is filled / partly filled and removed from the apparatus with its contents and the apparatus is either re-used in its first point of use or dismantled / dis-assembled from the pallet and taken either to another point of use and used again there or to a storage location.

According to a first variation of the apparatus of the invention, the bag is a canvas, one tonne bag (dumpy bag) having an open top and loops / handles or the like to hold it open for filling.

According to a second variation of the apparatus of the invention, the members, securing means and /or poles are formed of lightweight materials.

According to a third variation of the apparatus of the invention, the lightweight members are made of polymeric materials.

According to a fourth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the poles have tubular sections.

According to a fifth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the hooks on the poles to engage with the handles / loops / means to hold the bag open include pegs and / or lugs.

According to a sixth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the members include means to locate the securing means relative to the members.

According to a seventh variation of the apparatus of the invention, the means to locate the securing means to the members include grooves or depressions in the sides of the members so that the securing means is located temporarily but positively with the members.

According to an eighth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the means to locate the securing means to the members include loops or slots which engage the securing means permanently with the members.

According to a ninth variation of the apparatus of the invention, curved sections are provided at the corners of the members for the securing means to pass round so that the securing means is prevented from fraying.

According to a tenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the means to secure the members to the pallet includes a circumferential member and a means to tension it against the depth / thickness of the pallet edge.

According to an eleventh variation of the apparatus of the invention, the circumferential member is a strap.

According to a twelfth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the circumferential member is formed by short sections fast with the pallet edge corner members.

According to a thirteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the means to tension the circumferential member is a device incorporating ratchet mechanism.

According to a fourteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the means to tension the circumferential member is a device incorporating a toggle mechanism.

According to a fifteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the filed / partly filed bag is removable by lifting from above.

According to a sixteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the filed / partly filed, bag is removable by dismantling the apparatus and removing it from around the pallet and lifting the bag and pallet together with a forklift device.

According to a seventeenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the dis-assembled parts are designed to be formed into a compact package.

According to an eighteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the compact package is portable by one or two persons.

According to a nineteenth variation of the apparatus of the invention, the compact package can be passed through restricted sized apertures. in a preferred application of the apparatus of the invention, four corner blocks are strapped around the circumferential edge of a pallet using a tensioning device and poles are provided one fitting vertically in each of the blocks. Hooks at the upper, distal end of each pole allow a bag to be fitted, via its handles, so that the bag is held open and may be filled by manual or mechanical means. Ideally, when heavy materials have to be handled, the base of the bag rests on the surface of the pallet. When full, the bag is removable either by lifting from above or on the pallet by a forklift means after removing the apparatus.

For a clearer understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, plan view of a pallet with one design of the apparatus of the invention fitted around its circumference;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic, side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing the fitting of the apparatus to the pallet and the fitting of the bag to the apparatus; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic, sectional elevation of a corner member of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 along the section AA of Fig, 5;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic, sectional elevation of a variation of the corner member of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 along the section BB of Fig, 5;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic, plan view of the variation of the corner member of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4 along the section CC of Fig, 4;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a toggle tensioning mechanism in the open position; and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a toggle tensioning mechanism in the closed position.

In the following description, the same reference numeral is used for the same component in different Figures and / or for different components fulfilling identical functions.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, one variation of the apparatus 1 of the invention is shown arranged around the circumference of a pallet 3. The apparatus consists of comer members 2, including an internal right angle 2A. Some pallets have rounded comers 3A so that the sides 2C of the corner members are sufficiently long to extend beyond the curvature 3A. A circumferential strap 4 passes round the four comer members 2 to a tensioning means 5, which is used to tighten strap 4 until comers 2 are firmly held against the depth 3B of pallet 3. (For clarity in Figs. 1 and 2, a small gap is shown between corners 2 and pallet 3 but the skilled person will understand that comers 2 will be hard against pallet once strap 4 has been fully tensioned 5.)

Strap 4 is located in groove 2E and this groove includes rounded comers 2B to prevent fraying as strap 4 is tightened 5. As shown (Fig. 2) comers 2, strap 4 and tensioner 5 are fitted around the edge of pallet 3 against the depth (thickness) 3B of pallet 3. Pallets are designed for use with fork lift devices to carry very significant loads and are robustly constructed so that the circumferential forces from comers 2 and strap 4 can be easily carried. Though not shown, intermediate edging members between comers 2 may be provided, if required, and held in position by strap 4. It will be noted that pallet 3 cannot be lifted by a fork lift device with apparatus 1 in its deployed position.

To deploy apparatus 1, the four corner members 2 are placed in position and strap 4 is fitted around them, placed in grooves 2E and connected to tensioning device 5. Where tensioning device 5 is a ratchet system, the ratchet (not shown) is operated to create an appropriate tension in strap 4 to hold members 2 firmly against the edge of pallet 3, as shown (Fig. 2). Poles 6 are now fitted and bag 7 hooked on 8, 9. The position (height) of hooks 9 on poles 6 is such that the base of bag 7 rests on pallet 3, as shown in Fig. 2. (As shown, dumpy bags 7 are sized to fit neatly on a pallet 3.) Bag 7 may now be filled manually or by a machine, as required. When full, bag 7 may be unhooked 8, 9 and lifted clear by a separate, overhead device, e.g. an excavator, crane, etc. Another bag 7 may be fitted and the process repeated.

Alternatively, apparatus 1 may be dismantled, i.e. poles 6 removed, strap 4 de-tensioned 5 and the components collected and packaged into an easily-portable bundle and either taken to another location for further use or returned to storage. To move pallet 3 and bag 7 together with a forklift means, apparatus 1 would have to be removed.

In a variation of the apparatus 1 (Figs. 4 and 5), loops or slots 2D are provided on members 2 so that strap 4 is captive with members 2. The slots 2D are big enough for straps 4 to slide through but it keeps the components together and simplifies assembly and packing into a bag or bundle (not shown) after use and improves portability. The apparatus 1, when packaged is relatively compact and light and can easily be carried by one person, or perhaps by two, if it has to be passed through an opening of restricted size.

As pallets are a standard size, a further variation of the apparatus 1 could include three of the four strap sections 4 fast with members 2 and the fourth side closed by means of a toggle device 11, 12, 13, in place of tensioning members, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7,. In this case, strap sections 4 would be cut to length and bonded to members 2 so that the apparatus would form a permanent girdle which would be placed around pallet 3, the ends 4A, 4B would be pulled 15 into position and secured by overlapping toggle sections 4C and 4D and locked together 16. In this case, strap sections could be replaced by lengths of wire and the toggle part 4C, 4D could in the form of an overlapping metal strap. This toggle variation would be ideal where the apparatus 1 has to be used repeatedly on different pallets, e.g. if many bags have to be filled and the filled bags removed on the pallets by forklift trucks.

The disclosure makes a significant contribution to the safety of the workforce on building sites or where selective demolition is taking place, e.g. nuclear decommissioning. The skilled person will be aware of other variations of the principle of the invention and their methods of use, which have not been specifically taught herein, but fall within the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims:-

1. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s) via its handles / loops or the like on a site(s) comprising:- i) a pallet having a circumferential edge of a specific depth or thickness; ii) members adapted to fit against an external comer of the pallet edge, each of said members having a hole, the axis of which is normal to the plane of the pallet; iii) a means to hold the members firmly against the external circumference of the pallet and secure them in this position; and iv) poles fittable into the holes in the members so that they are deployed upwardly and normally to the plane of the pallet each pole having a hook to which one of the bag’s handles / loops is fittable; characterised in that the apparatus, excluding the pallet, has:- a) a first storage and / or transportable mode in which the members, means to secure them to the pallet and poles are dis-assembled so that the components are formable into a compact portable bundle; and b) a second deployed mode in which the members are deployed around the circumference of the pallet and secured in position against the depth / thickness of the pallet edge, the poles fitted into the members and a bag fitted to the hooks on the poles so that the bag is held open and finable; and further characterised in that the apparatus is retrieved from a storage location and taken to a first point of use, deployed (i.e. erected / assembled around a pallet) at the first point of use, a bag is located on the hooks via its handles / loops or the like to hold it open, the bag is filled / partly filled and removed from the apparatus with its contents and the apparatus is either re-used in its first point of use or dismantled / dis-assembled from the pallet and taken either to another point of use and used again there or to a storage location.

2. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bag is a canvas, one tonne bag (dumpy bag) having an open top and loops / handles or the like to hold it open for filling.

3. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the members, securing means and /or poles are formed of lightweight materials.

4. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lightweight members are made of polymeric materials.

5. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein poles have tubular sections.

6. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hooks on the poles to engage with the handles / loops / means to hold the bag open include pegs and / or lugs.

7. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the members include means to locate the securing means relative to the members.

8. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means to locate the securing means to the members include grooves or depressions in the sides of the members so that the securing means is located temporarily but positively with the members.

9. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 7, wherein the means to locate the securing means to the members include loops or slots which engage the securing means permanently with the members.

10. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claims 8 or 9, wherein curved sections are provided at the comers of the members for the securing means to pass round so that the securing means is prevented from fraying.

11. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 10, wherein the means to secure the members to the pallet includes a circumferential member and a means to tension it against the depth / thickness of the pallet edge.

12. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 11, wherein the circumferential member is a strap.

13. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 11, wherein the circumferential member is formed by short sections fast with the pallet edge corner members.

14. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claims 12 or 13, wherein the means to tension the circumferential member is a device incorporating ratchet mechanism.

15. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claims 12 or 13, wherein the means to tension the circumferential member is a device incorporating a toggle mechanism.

16. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the filed / partly filed bag is removable by lifting from above.

17. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the filed / partly filed, bag is removable by dismantling the apparatus and removing it from around the pallet and lifting the bag and pallet together with a forklift device.

18. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the dis-assembled parts are designed to be formed into a compact package.

19. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claim 18, wherein the compact package is portable by one or two persons.

20. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as claimed in claims 18 or 19, wherein the compact package can be passed through restricted sized apertures.

21. Apparatus for holding open a bag(s), as described in and by the above statement with reference to the accompanying drawings.