IE65093B1

IE65093B1 - Palletising method and apparatus

Info

Publication number: IE65093B1
Application number: IE2591A
Authority: IE
Inventors: William Ronan
Original assignee: Grassland Res
Priority date: 1991-01-04
Filing date: 1991-01-04
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Also published as: BE1003735A7; GB2251421B; IE910025A1; GB2251421A; GB9111721D0

Abstract

Apparatus for palletising four 500 kg bags of granular fertiliser material onto a pallet comprises a filling means 3 for filling granular fertiliser from a hopper 4 into a bag 2 and closing or sealing means (not shown). Hoist means for raising the filled bags 2 comprises a rigid bridge frame 10, a frame trolley 12 movable longitudinally along the frame 10, and a hoist trolley 1 movable transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the trolley 12. The hoist trolley 13 carries hoist hooks 21 which engage in lifting loops in the bags to lift a leading pair of bags 2A off the conveyor to a level above a following pair of bags 2B. The hoist trolley 13 then travels rearwardly and a further pair of hoist hooks 20 are engaged with the following pair of bags which are lifted and the four filled bags on the hoist hooks are then delivered onto the pallet where they are secured in position by banding and/or shrink wrapping. The bags 2 have a substantially rectilinear base for improved stability.

Description

Palletising Method and Apparatus The invention relates to a method and apparatus for palletising bags of granular material, particularly large 500kg capacity bags of granular fertilizer material.

It is well known to package granular fertilizer material into bags of 50kg capacity which are subsequently palletised, a single pallet generally holding forty 50kg bags. In some cases, however, there is a desire, particularly amongst larger farmers using specialised fertilizer spreading equipment, to provide fertilizer in larger bags. It is known therefore to package granular fertilizer into bags of 500kg capacity. Such 500kg bags by virtue of their large bulk are, however, generally difficult to handle for both the packager and for the wholesaler. Efforts have been made to palletise four such bags side by side on a standard sized pallet to assist in handling, however, to date such efforts have not been entirely successful.

This invention is therefore directed towards providing a method and apparatus for palletising bags of granular material, especially 500kg bags of granular fertilizer material.

According to one aspect the invention provides a method of palletising bags of granular material comprising the steps of : filling granular material into bags; delivering the filled bags along a bag conveyor with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; raising the filled bags with the filling ends uppermost; arranging the bags into an aligned configuration by arranging one pair of bags in side by side relation next to another pair of bags so as to form a square pattern with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; conveying the filled bags in the aligned configuration over a pallet; lowering the filled bags in the aligned configuration onto the pallet; and delivering the pallet carrying the bags in the aligned configuration to a securing station for securing the bags on the pallet in the aligned configuration.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the two pairs of filled bags in the aligned configuration are guided onto the pallet, during lowering, by a guide means.

Preferably, filled bags are delivered along a bag conveyor in a single file.

In one embodiment of the invention a leading pair of bags are raised and shifted in the raised position transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor, - 4 and a following pair of bags are raised into the aligned configuration in side by side relation next to the first pair of bags so as to form a square pattern.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention each bag comprises a cylindrical tubular member extending from a substantially rectilinear base and having a lifting loop. Most preferably the base is approximately 60 cm by 50 cm so that four filled bags may be supported on a standard pallet.

In another aspect the invention provides an apparatus for palletising bags of granular material comprising: filling means for filling granular material into bags; a bag conveyor for delivering filled bags away from the filling means with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; hoist means for raising the filled bags from the bag conveyor, for lowering the filled bags onto a pallet and for conveying the filled bags over a pallet, the filled bags being in an aligned configuration with one pair of bags in side by side relation next to another pair of bags so as to form a square pattern with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; a securing means for securing the filled bags in position on a pallet; and means for delivering the pallet carrying the bags in the aligned configuration to the securing means.

In one embodiment of this aspect of the invention the hoist means comprises: a rigid bridge frame, a hoist trolley movable transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the bag conveyor; and a hoist carried by the hoist trolley.

In one embodiment of the invention the hoist means includes a frame trolley movable longitudinally along the frame in the direction of travel of the bag conveyor.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus includes a pallet conveying means for delivery of loaded pallets to the securing means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus includes guide means for guiding the filled bags into 15 alignment on a pallet.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the guide means comprises a three sided former extending upwardly from a pallet at a pallet loading station.

In one arrangement the securing means comprises a wrapping 20 means which may include a banding station. Additionally or alternatively the wrapping means comprises a shrink wrapping station.

In one embodiment of the invention the apparatus includes means for folding upper lifting loop portions of bags downwardly. Preferably, the means for folding comprises an air jet means.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus includes a waiting station between the filling means and the hoist means.

The invention also provides a pallet having four 500 Kg 5 bags of fertiliser whenever palletised by the method and/or the apparatus of the invention.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an apparatus for palletising bags of granular material in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus; Fig. 3 is an end view of part of the apparatus; Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic plan views of the apparatus in different positions of use; and - 7 Figs. 7 and 8 are side views of a pallet loaded with filled bags according to the invention, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a pallet loaded with filled bags, and Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic plan view of a pallet loaded with filled bags.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated an apparatus according to the invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 1 for palletising bags of granular material, in this case 500kg capacity bags 2 of granular fertilizer, onto a pallet 3. The bags 2 comprises a cylindrical tubular member extending from a substantially rectilinear base and having a single lifting loop. The base is approximately 60 cm long and 50 cm wide so that four bags are supported on a standard pallet which is 1420 mm long and 1200 mm wide.

The apparatus 1 comprises filling means 3 for filling granular fertilizer material from a hopper 4 into a bag 2 and closing or sealing means (not shown). Filled bags 2 are led away from the filling unit 3 by a conveyor 5. Hoist means for raising the filled bags 2 and delivering at least two pairs of bags 2 in a desired alignment onto the pallet 3 in this case comprises a rigid bridge frame 10 bridging the conveyor 5, a frame trolley 12 movable longitudinally along the frame 10 in - 8 the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1 and a hoist trolley 13 movable transversely in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. with respect to the direction of travel of the trolley 12 and the direction of travel of the conveyor 5. The hoist trolley 13 carries hoist means comprising two pairs of hooks, namely a forward pair of hoist hooks 20 and a rear pair of hoist hooks 21. A pallet conveyor 25, which in this case runs transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the filled bag conveyor 5, delivers a filled pallet 3 containing four bags 2 to a securing station (not shown) where the bags are secured in position on the pallet 3 by banding and shrink wrapping.

As will be described in more detail below the hoist means delivers four filled bags 2 in a two-by-two arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 7 onto an empty pallet 3. Guide means for guiding the bags 2 onto the pallet 3 in correct alignment, with the side edges of bags not overlying the side edges of the pallet 3, is in this case provided by a former 30 having three sides and which opens in the direction of travel of the pallet conveyor 25.

In use, 500kg capacity bags are filled with granular material through the filling head 3 and progress along the bag conveyor 5 until they lie underneath the bridge frame 10 of the hoist * means. It will be noted particularly from Figs. 4 to 6 that there is a gap 40 between the filling head 3 and the bridge - 9 frame 10 of the hoist means. This gap acts as a waiting station from which filled bags 2 may be either manually taken off or loaded on in the event of difficulties with the filling or palletising equipment or in cases where it is not desired to palletise the filled bags.

A leading pair of bags 2A are positioned by the conveyor 5 underneath the rear pair of hoist hooks 21. The hooks 21 are lowered to engage the bags 2A and are then raised to lift the bags 2A off the conveyor to a level above a following pair of bags 2B and lowered to support plates to stabilise the bags. The hoist trolley 13 then travels rearwardly in the direction of the arrcw X in Fig. 4 until it takes up the position illustrated in Fig. 5 with a front pair of hoist hooks 20 overlying the conveyor 5 . The conveyor 5 delivers a following pair of filled bags 2B underneath the hoist hooks 20 which are then extended and engage with the bags 2B as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 to lift them off the conveyor. As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 the hoist trolley with the four bags 2A, 2B is then moved forwardly in the direction of the arrow Y in Fig. 5, by moving the frame trolley 12, until the two pairs of bags 2A, 2B are located over a pallet 3 on the pallet conveyor 25. The hoist is then operated to lower the two pairs of bags 2A, 2B onto the pallet 3, the movement of the bags onto the pallet 3 being guided by the former 30 so that the edges of the bags 2A, 2B do not overly the edges of the pallet 3. When the bags 2A, 2B are lowered onto the pallet 3 the hoist hooks 20, 21 are disengaged and the frame trolley 12 is returned to the start position illustrated in Fig. 4. The conveyor 25 leads the pallet 3 with the filled bags away, the next pallet is then loaded onto the conveyor from a pallet magazine 35, and the procedure is repeated.

As illustrated in Fig. 7, when the bags 2 are lowered onto the pallet 3 their lifting loops are generally upstanding. Means for automatically folding the upper lifting loop portions of the bag downwardly is provided by air nozzles 50 which deliver jets of air to the trailing pair of bags 2. The air jets are activated by a switch which is operated when the bags 2 are lowered onto the pallet 3. The upstanding loop portions of the leading pair of bags 2 are folded downwardly by an inlet lip 51 of a pallet press. The bags 2 are banded and shrink wrap is applied to provide the configuration illustrated in Fig. 9.

The method and apparatus of the invention provides a relatively simple system for handling and palletising large 500kg bags of granular fertiliser material.

As will be particularly apparent from Fig. 7 the rectilinear base of the bags used in the method and apparatus of the invention provide a particularly stable palletised load. Because of the rectilinear base there is a large contact area between the pallet and the base of a bag. Thus, when the 1 wrapping is removed, in use, the bags do not tend to tilt off the pallet and on removal of one bag from the pallet the remaining three bags remain stably supported on the pallet.

Many variations on the specific embodiment of the invention will be apparent. For example, it will be appreciated that instead of delivering bags along a bag conveyor in single file, two filling units may be employed side by side to deliver bags along one or two side-by-side conveyors into side-by-side rows.

It will also be appreciated that while the invention has been described for use in handling and palletising granular material fertilizer bags of a particular size it will be appreciated that it may be used for handling any suitable size bags of fertilizer or other granular material.

These and many other alternatives and modifications will be readily apparent and accordingly the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims

1. A method of palletising bags of granular material comprising the steps of : filling granular material into bags; 5 delivering the filled bags along a bag conveyor with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; raising the filled bags with the filling ends uppermost; arranging the bags into an aligned configuration 10 by arranging one pair of bags in side by side relation next to another pair of bags so as to form a square pattern with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; conveying the filled bags in the aligned 15 configuration over a pallet; lowering the filled bags in the aligned configuration onto the pallet; and delivering the pallet carrying the bags in the aligned configuration to a securing station for 20 securing the bags on the pallet in the aligned configuration. 13

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the two pairs of bags in the aligned configuration are guided onto the pallet, during lowering, by a guide means.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein filled bags are delivered along a bag conveyor in a single file.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein a leading pair of bags are raised and shifted in the raised position transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor, and a following pair of bags are raised into the aligned configuration in side by side relation next to the first pair of bags so as to form a square pattern.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein filled bags are delivered along a bag conveyor in two side by side files so that the bags are in an aligned configuration with one pair of bags in side by side relation next to another pair of bags so as to form a square pattern with the filling ends of the bags uppermost.

6. A method of palletising bags of granular material substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. An apparatus for palletising bags of granular material by a method as claimed in any preceding claim, the apparatus comprising: filling means for filling granular material into 5 bags; a bag conveyor for delivering filled bags away from the filling means with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; hoist means for raising the filled bags from the 10 bag conveyor, for lowering the filled bags onto a pallet and for conveying the filled bags over a pallet, the filled bags being in an aligned configuration with one pair of bags in side by side relation next to another pair of bags so as 13 to form a square pattern with the filling ends of the bags uppermost; a securing means for securing the filled bags in position on a pallet; and means for delivering the pallet carrying the bags in the aligned configuration to the securing means.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the hoist means comprises: a rigid bridge frame, a hoist trolley movable transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the bag conveyor; and a hoist carried by the hoist trolley.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the hoist means includes a frame trolley movable longitudinally along the frame in the direction of travel of the bag conveyor.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 wherein the apparatus includes a pallet conveying means for delivery of loaded pallets to the securing means.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 10 wherein the apparatus includes guide means for guiding the filled bags into alignment on a pallet.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the guide means comprises a three sided former extending upwardly from a pallet loading station. -1613. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 12 wherein the securing means comprises a wrapping means including a banding station.

13. 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the wrapping 5 means includes a shrink wrapping station.

14. 15. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 14 wherein means are provided for folding upper lifting loop portions of bags downwardly.

15. 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the means 10 for folding comprises air jet means.

16. 17. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 16 including a waiting station between the filling means and the hoist means.

17. 18. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described 15 with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18.

19. A pallet having four 500 kg bags of fertiliser whenever palletised by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 and/or using an apparatus as claimed in any of claims 7 to 18.