FR2734798A1 - APPARATUS FOR THE PASSAGE OF FLUID MATERIALS, AND CONTAINER COMPRISING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus (1) for handling the passage of flowable material through an outlet (2) of a container (3) comprising a valve means (4) in the outlet opening (2) adapted for opening and closing the outlet (2) and means (5) to provide a variable lift of the said valve means (4).

Description

Àv 2734798 Device allowing the passage of fluids, and

  container with this device.

  The present invention relates, in general, to an apparatus allowing the passage of fluent materials and, in particular, an apparatus, such as a silo, a hopper or an intermediate container for bulk materials used to store, contain or transport fluids, such as powdery materials or other particulate matter. Materials of this type are traditionally discharged through a lower outlet opening (in use) from the container, which opening is usually closed by valve means which is usually conical or frustoconical. This valve means closes the opening by lowering on a funnel outlet of the container. The valve is usually lifted using a bellows located below it and inside the funnel outlet to define an annular outlet through which the material flows during unloading. A vibrator makes it possible to prevent the material from tending to form "bridges" or "rat holes" which would otherwise cause an irregular flow or, in the first case, a total absence of flow. Sometimes it is also necessary to adjust the lifting of the valve means, but this can be difficult because the bellows is either inflated or deflated, which only allows

  extreme positions but no intermediate positions.

  The present invention therefore aims to

  try to remedy this drawback.

  In accordance with the present invention and according to a first aspect thereof, there is provided an apparatus allowing the passage of fluent materials through an outlet opening of a container intended for them, apparatus which comprises a valve means adapted to open and closing the opening, means for raising and lowering the valve means to open and close the opening, and means for

  allow variable lifting of the valve means.

  The variable lifting means can be located below the valve means, which makes it possible to define

a compact structure.

  The variable lifting means may include a cylinder means capable of reciprocating and driving means for lifting and

lower the cylinder means.

  The drive means may comprise captive threaded means, mobile in rotation that can be fixed to the

medium forming cylinder.

  The threaded means movable in rotation may comprise a male threaded element fixed to a support provided for the valve means, and a female threaded element, movable in rotation, these two elements being designed such

  way that a rotation of one causes a back and forth movement

comes from the other.

  The driving means can comprise an electric motor

  intended to rotate the female threaded means.

  The valve means may comprise a conical or frustoconical means, the variable lifting or adjustment means being able to be mounted on the main axis of the cone

or the truncated cone.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a container for fluids equipped

  of a device, as defined above.

  The aims, advantages and characteristics of the present invention will emerge more clearly from reading the

  following detailed description of embodiments

  preferred, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a first preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic view of a second mode of

  preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention.

  With reference to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, an apparatus 1 allowing the passage of a fluid material through an opening or an outlet orifice 2 of a container 3 intended to contain said material, comprises a means forming a valve 4 placed in the opening 2 and adapted to open and close the opening, and means 5 intended to allow variable lifting of the valve means 4, thereby defining a section or a variable outlet opening 6 through which the material can to flow. In this embodiment, the container 3 is an intermediate container for bulk materials having a funnel outlet 7 which defines the opening 6 through which the material passes to then be transferred to a treatment or discharge station, for example . The material is generally a powder which can

  possibly a pharmaceutical powder.

  The valve means 4 is in the form of a truncated cone which lowers to come to bear by its peripheral edge on the funnel outlet 7, various seals 8 being provided to prevent contamination of the atmosphere ambient. A bellows 9 is provided for raising and lowering the conical valve, bellows 9 which is placed inside the funnel outlet 7 and which is fixed to a cross member 10 and to a lifting plate 11

  supporting the conical valve 4 which carries an air vibrator 12.

  The transmission of vibrations from the latter to the support structure is prevented by an insulator 13 made of rubber, for example. The structure described is relatively standard and generally marketed under the registered trademark.

"MATCON".

  To allow variable lifting of the conical valve, whether in continuously variable mode or in "pulse" mode, the means 5 are designed in the form of a piston and cylinder device mounted centrally above the below the conical valve 4, on the main axis thereof in this embodiment. The device 5 is actuated by a motor means which is in the form of a direct current electric motor 14 supplied by electric cables 15, the motor 14 and the cables 15 being housed in a casing 16. The motor 14 is fixed to a support plate 17 intended to prevent rotation of the body of the motor, while an output shaft 18 of the motor 14 passes inside a female threaded part 19 lower (when considered in Figure 1 ) and mobile in rotation of a main shaft 20 on which is mounted in a telescopic manner and screwed a captive male part 21 fixed at its upper part (when we consider it in the figure) to another female part 22

  itself fixed to the plate 11 supporting the conical valve 4.

  Part 20 includes training means. The female part 19 has a peripheral shoulder 23 facing upwards, and the female part 22 a shoulder 24 facing downwards. There is provided, mounted between these shoulders and enclosing the rotary shaft, a means acting to urge the two female parts at a distance from each other, means

  bias which includes a coil spring 25.

  The shoulder 23 of the lower female part 19 is in turn supported on a shoulder 26 of a cylinder or a sleeve 27 in which the mechanism 20 acts. The sleeve 27 is a split sleeve having a slot or a longitudinal notch 28 in which is received a positioning means 29. The slot or notch 28 and the positioning means 29 act as guide means to allow movement ascending and descending from the

plate 11.

  Control members (not shown) are provided for controlling the speed and the direction of operation of the motor 14, that is to say in forward or in reverse, to enable the lifting and the operating mode to be controlled. which can be a continuously variable mode or a pulse mode. The control can be carried out by means of a control console (not shown), the actuation of the appropriate control members making it possible to adjust the motor 14 to vary the height of the valve 4 which forms a closure or a hat. The height is

thus adjustable.

  It will be understood that there are conduits (not shown) suitable for routing the electrical conductors 15 from the lifting means 20 and through the support plate 10 to the outside. Likewise, conduits 30 ′ are provided for air lines intended for the bellows. In operation, the bellows 9 is actuated to raise or lower the conical valve 4 in order to open or close more or less as required the funnel outlet 7, with all the advantages inherent in the system

bellows controlled.

  If it is desired to allow variable or adjustable lifting during operation, while the bellows 9 is raised, the motor 14 is activated. Its shaft 18 is therefore driven in rotation, which rotates the female part 19. The rotation of this part 19 is only possible if the male part 21 moves, male part 21 which, coupled in a screwed manner with the female part 19 and slidingly with the female part

  upper 22, rotates about its longitudinal axis.

  However, the male part 21 being captive, this action is only possible if it descends into the female part 19 which itself is raised to allow this descent. This movement therefore drives the upper female part 22 and, consequently, the support plate 11 downwards over a desired distance, the guide means 28, 29 ensuring a smooth longitudinal movement and slots being also provided in a outer cylinder 30, slots in which a tenon 31 moves. The degree of lifting is controlled by the motor 14 which can be inverted periodically to allow operation by pulses. Thus, the bellows 9 ensures a lifting of the cone over the distance allowed by the motor 14 which in fact raises or lowers the basic level from which the bellows operates by adjusting the support plate 11 to a desired adjustment height, thus effectively adjust the lifting of the bellows 9 and the size of the annular outlet orifice. Referring now to Figure 2, the apparatus 100 shown is similar to that of Figure 1 and the identical elements are therefore designated by the same reference numbers. In this embodiment, an inflatable annular or toroidal seal 101 is provided intended to come into abutment against a base 103 of a valve 4 of which only the base is shown, base which is supported by a cylinder 104 comprising a female part 102 and male part 105 arranged telescopically by means of connecting or guiding members 106 disposed between them, a means, such as a bellows (not shown) acting on the base 103 to thereby lift and lower the valve 4 in order to define an annular outlet orifice around the perimeter thereof in order to allow material to flow out of a container, such as an intermediate container for bulk materials, in which the device is mounted. An extendable sleeve 108 is provided, such as a bellows type seal, which acts as a hygienic envelope covering the junction between the parts 102 and 105. The part 102 supports a leg-shaped U or a vibration damper 107 which has in its base 109 (when considered in FIG. 2) a through hole 110 through which extends a piston 111 of a piston and cylinder device whose cylinder 112 is attached to and carried by part 105. The device comprising the piston 111 and the cylinder 112 comprises variable lifting means 5, the piston 111 having a stop member or a stop 113 which is in the form

of a transverse plate.

  In operation, the lifting of the valve 4 is adjusted to allow lifting and, consequently, a variable opening size thanks to the actuation of the means 5 to define a desired adjustment height of the positioning member 113. The bellows or similar means is actuated to raise the base 103 of the valve 4, this action raising the part 102 until the base 109 of the vibration damper 107 engages from below with the positioning member 113. The valve 4 is thus limited in its lifting movement to the level determined by the positioning member 113. The height of the lifting is simply adjusted by the operation of the means 5 for adjusting the position of the piston 111 in the cylinder 112 and, therefore, the

  height of the positioning member 113.

  The valve 4 can be raised by

  oscillations or pulses, thanks to a movement of

  back and forth from piston 111 in cylinder 112 during a

  proper functioning of the means 5.

  It will be understood that the apparatus of the invention described above

  above allows fine adjustment of the lift provided by the bellows. The device can also allow dosing to add material via a valve, such as the top cap (when considered on the

figures) 4.

  Although the foregoing description has focused on

  preferred embodiments of the present invention, the latter is of course not limited to the particular examples described and illustrated here, and those skilled in the art will readily understand that it is possible to make numerous variants and modifications without leaving

of the scope of the invention.

  By way of example, the motor 14 or the piston and cylinder device 111, 112 may be in the form of suitable means other than a direct current motor, such as a pneumatic motor or a hydraulic motor.

Claims (10)

  1. Apparatus for the passage of fluids through an outlet opening of a container provided for them, comprising a valve means (4) adapted to open and close the opening, and means for raising and lowering the valve means for opening and closing the opening, characterized by means (5) for allowing   variable lifting of the valve means (4).   2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in oe   that the variable lifting means (5) are located below the valve means.   3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the variable lifting means (5) comprise a cylinder means (27) capable of performing a back-and-forth movement, and by drive means ( 14, 18) intended to raise and lower the means forming cylinder (27).   4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the drive means comprise threaded means   captives, mobile in rotation (19, 21).   5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the threaded means movable in rotation (19, 21) comprise a male threaded element (21) fixed to a support provided for the valve means, and a female threaded element movable in rotation (19), said two elements being designed in such a way that the rotation of one causes a   back and forth movement of the other.   6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the threaded means movable in rotation comprise a medium motor (14).   7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the motor means (14) comprises an electric motor   intended to rotate the female threaded element.   8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the valve means (4) comprises a conical or frustoconical means, and in that the lifting adjustment means are mounted on the main axis of the cone or of the truncated cone.   9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that   that the means (5) are housed in a casing (16) located above   below the valve means (4). 10. Container for fluids, characterized by   apparatus according to any of the claims previous.