Bulk bag discharging system assembly

Abstract

A material container discharge assembly including a main frame assembly; a spout access chamber engaging the main frame assembly; at least two independently movable material container impactors engaged to the main frame assembly and adapted to engage a material container when the material container is positioned within the main frame assembly and above the spout access chamber; and wherein the material container impactors include a conditioning frame.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10 / 430,518, filed on May 6, 2003, entitled BULK BAG DISCHARGING SYSTEM ASSEMBLY, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 378,298, filed on May 6, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Bulk bag discharging systems have been used to transfer materials, usually raw materials, from one container into another without contaminating the materials. Generally, bulk bag discharging systems lift a material-containing bag into a dispensing position. Once the bag is in position, an operator must somehow stretch the outlet portion of the bag material that is below a tie off point around a dispensing spout. This is extremely difficult in known bulk bag systems employing a dust free chamber around the dispensin...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This is extremely difficult in known bulk bag systems employing a dust free chamber around the dispensing spout because the dispensing spout is normally contained within a square chamber.

As a result, there is no convenient way to seal the bag in a dust free manner because, before the bag is untied to release the contents, the loose bag material must be fitted around the dispensing spout, which is difficult if not impossible, for an operator when the only access point is a single door on one side of the chamber.

The single door does not allow the operator to easily reach around the entire circumference of the spout and fit the loose bag material over the spout.

Additionally, prior bulk bag dispensing systems have used V-shaped impactors that run off one pneumatic cylinder and pinch together to squeeze the sides of the bulk bag, thereby preventing the formation of bridging / rat-holing, which is a condition whereby a material arches or bridges across a dispensing hole, resulting in sporadic flow or a complete cessation of flow.

Unfortunately, this design only allows the operator to stop the flow of material by closing the iris shut off valve when the material is flowing out of the bag.

There simply is not enough strength in the prior art iris designs to close the container when the material itself is preventing the iris from closing.

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