Device for the descent of solid particles, in particular for unloading and extraction from a container
The unloading device addresses inflexibility and complexity in existing systems by allowing adjustable flow facilitation devices, simplifying structure, and optimizing material flow for homogeneous discharge.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/IB2025/054280
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-05-22
- Filing Date
- 2025-04-24
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing unloading devices for containers, such as silos and hoppers, are inflexible, complex, and disturb the flow of materials due to fixed vibration device positions and structural components, limiting adaptability and efficiency.
An unloading device with a modular design featuring arms connecting an outer and inner body, allowing flexible placement of flow facilitation devices like vibrations or hammers, reducing structural complexity and minimizing flow disturbances.
Enhances flexibility and efficiency by enabling adjustable vibration positions, simplifying structure, and optimizing material flow without interference, ensuring homogeneous discharge and reduced installation complexity.
Smart Images

Figure IB2025054280_30102025_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] Device for the descent of solid particles, in particular for unloading and extraction from a container
[0002] This invention relates to an unloading device, for example for a container such as a silo, a hopper or the like. The unloading device according to the invention is particularly suitable for favouring the descent of solid particles from the container in order to allow the particles to be unloaded and extracted from the container.
[0003] Silos of various shapes and sizes are widely present on the market. In general, the silos have a tapered lower portion which converges towards a lower unloading opening through which the loose material, generally in the form of granules, powder or flakes, contained inside the silo, can be picked up. Normally, at the unloading opening of the silo, depending on the characteristics of the product, there is a unloading device designed to favour a fluid and continuous descent of the material contained inside the silo, if requested.
[0004] Prior art unloading devices generally comprise a hollow external body, tapered in shape, which is associated at the bottom with the silo in a position concentric with the unloading opening of the silo. The outer body has a lower opening, through which the material can be picked up, and an upper opening, through which the material, coming from the silo, enters the unloading device. An inner body is positioned inside the outer body, generally conical in shape with apex facing downwards, in such a way that between the outer body and the inner body there is a unloading duct for the material. A vibration device is associated with the outer body or with the inner body to favour the descent of the material along the unloading device. The inner body is associated with and centred relative to the outer body by means of structures comprising three arms, distributed in an equally spaced angular manner between the inner body and the outer body. There is also a rod which supports a vibration device positioned to vibrate the inner body. The rod has a first end fixed to the inner body and a second end, protruding from the outer body, to which the vibration device is fixed. Although the prior art unloading devices are able to operate with a good efficiency, their structure can be improved, in particular from the point of view of complexity and flexibility.
[0005] In particular, in the prior art unloading devices the point for fixing the vibration device to the inner body is fixed and predetermined, as the position of the rod is predetermined. That is to say, once the unloading device has been constructed and installed, it is not possible to modify the position of the vibration device, for example to adapt it to different size requirements which have arisen.
[0006] Moreover, it is not possible, according to the prior art unloading devices, to use more than one vibration device. If the vibration effect is to be increased, the prior art unloading devices make it necessary to install a larger vibration device.
[0007] Further, the rod which supports the vibration device, which must be provided in addition to the arms which fix the inner body to the outer body, complicates the structure of the prior art unloading devices.
[0008] According to the prior art unloading devices, the arms interposed between the outer body and the inner body each have one end associated with the outer body and one end associated with the inner body. The end associated with the outer body rests on the outer body and has the shape of a foot having relatively large dimensions. Due to their dimensions, and in particular the dimensions of the foot, the arms of the prior art unloading devices can disturb the flow of material coming out of the silo.
[0009] Some examples of prior art unloading devices are described in EP 2174890, US 8408424, FR 2105104 and DE 20 2012 104189 U.
[0010] An object of this invention is to improve the unloading devices for unloading a loose material, in particular in the form of granules or powder, from an overlying container, for example a silo or a hopper.
[0011] A further object is to make the unloading devices which are currently used for unloading a loose material from a container more flexible and versatile. Another object of the invention is to simplify the structure of the unloading devices which are currently used for unloading a loose material from a container.
[0012] Yet another object is to provide an unloading device for unloading a loose material from a container, which is shaped in such a way as to minimise any effects of disturbance to the flow of the material which the parts of the unloading device exert on the material coming from the container.
[0013] Another object is to provide an unloading device for unloading a loose material from a container, which allows the energy generated by a flow facilitation device to be better transferred to an inner body of the unloading device, without producing negative effects on the container.
[0014] According to the invention, there is provided an unloading device for unloading a loose material from a container, comprising:
[0015] - an outer body, provided with an upper opening and a lower opening;
[0016] - an inner body positioned inside the outer body;
[0017] - a plurality of arms, interposed between the outer body and the inner body for associating the inner body with the outer body; wherein each arm has an end which passes through the thickness of a side wall of the outer body and is connectable to a flow facilitation device suitable for acting on the inner body to facilitate the downwards flow of loose material.
[0018] The unloading device according to the invention has a simplified structure compared with prior art unloading devices. In particular, the flow facilitation device is fixed to at least one arm of the plurality of arms interposed between the outer body and the inner body. In this way, it is no longer necessary to provide a dedicated rod for supporting the flow facilitation device, which allows the construction and assembly complications present in the prior art unloading devices to be reduced.
[0019] Moreover, eliminating the dedicated rod which, in the prior art, supports the vibration device, makes it possible to reduce the disturbances linked to the obstacles which the flow of loose material encounters inside the unloading devic
[0020] Moreover, the flow facilitation device may be connected, at the choice of the operator, to any arm interposed between the outer body and the inner body. This makes it possible to personalise the configuration of the unloading device, modifying, if necessary, the position of the flow facilitation device even after the unloading device has been installed.
[0021] It is also possible to use more than one flow facilitation device, if the energy applied to the inner body is to be increased, connecting each flow facilitation device to one of the arms interposed between the outer body and the inner body. This makes it possible to optimise the descent and the unloading of the loose material using multiple flow facilitation devices which are equal to each other, which allows the purchase and management in the storage system of the flow facilitation devices to be simplifies.
[0022] The arms interposed between the outer body and the inner body allow the inner body to be associated with the outer body, so that the inner body is supported by the arms, which are in turn supported by the outer body.
[0023] In an embodiment, the end of each arm protrudes outside the outer body.
[0024] This makes it particularly easy to fix the flow facilitation device to at least one arm.
[0025] Alternatively, the end of each arm may be contained in the thickness of the side wall of the outer body, or it may be flush with an outer surface of the side wall.
[0026] In an embodiment, the flow facilitation device comprises a vibration device for vibrating the inner body
[0027] The association between the inner body and the outer body is such that the outer body is substantially isolated from the inner body, with regard to the transmission of vibrations.
[0028] When the vibration device vibrates the inner body, the arms are configured to prevent or in any case minimise the transfer of the vibrations to the outer body. In an embodiment, the flow facilitation device comprises a hammering device for stressing the inner body by means of percussion actions.
[0029] In an embodiment, the arms of the plurality of arms are equal to each other. This allows the manufacture of the unloading device to be simplified.
[0030] In an embodiment, the plurality of arms comprises three arms positioned at an angular distance of 120° from each other about an axis of the unloading device.
[0031] In an embodiment, the outer body has a plurality of openings closed by respective removable doors.
[0032] There is a number of openings equal to the number of arms.
[0033] The openings allow easy access to the space positioned inside the outer body for performing operations for inspection, fitting, maintenance, picking up of material for quality control checks or the like.
[0034] The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a non-limiting example embodiment of it and wherein:
[0035] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an unloading device;
[0036] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the unloading device of Figure 1 ;
[0037] Figure 3 is a top view of the unloading device of Figure 1 ;
[0038] Figure 4 is a cross-section along the plane IV-IV of Figure 3;
[0039] Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-section of the detail “A” of Figure 4;
[0040] Figure 6 is a cross section of a shock absorbing element of the unloading device of Figure 1 ;
[0041] Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-section of the detail “B” of Figure 6;
[0042] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-section like that of Figure 4, showing only half of the unloading device;
[0043] Figure 9 is an enlarged cross-section of the detail “C” of Figure 8;
[0044] Figure 10 is a side view of a portion of an arm of the unloading device of Figure 1 ;
[0045] Figure 1 1 is a front view of the arm portion of Figure 10; Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view showing two components of the arm portion of Figure 10.
[0046] Figure 1 shows a unloading device 1 , designed to be connected to an overlying container, for example a silo or a hopper, for unloading in a controlled manner an loose material present inside the container. The loose material may be a powder material or a material in granular or flake form. An example of loose material processed by the unloading device 1 is cement.
[0047] The term “unloading device” means both a device which is able to allow the descent of the material from the overlying container by the effect of only the force of gravity, and a device which is able to actively induce the descent of the material present in the container, in particular owing to the energy generated by a flow facilitation device and transmitted to the loose material. The unloading device 1 is more specifically configured to allow the material present in the container to descend under constant conditions, avoiding stagnations and bridges of the material in a lower portion of the overlying container.
[0048] The unloading device 1 is also configured to avoid segregation of the material to be unloaded, that is to say, to prevent a portion of material with a larger grain size from separating from a further portion of material with a smaller grain size.
[0049] The unloading device 1 comprises an outer body 2 which is internally hollow. The outer body 2 is provided with an upper opening 21 and a lower opening 22. The upper opening 21 is designed to face an unloading opening of the above container to receive the material contained in the container. The lower opening 22, on the other hand, is designed to allow the unloading of the material towards the outside. A valve, or a closing door, or a transport system not illustrated may be located at the lower opening 22 in order to adjust the unloading of the material.
[0050] The outer body 2 extends about an axis Z. The outer body 2 has a transversal cross-section decreasing from the upper opening 21 to the lower opening 22. As shown in Figure 4, the outer body 2 may have a first portion 2a, extending from the upper opening 21 , having a truncated cone shape with a predetermined taper angle as a function of the features of the material to be extracted. The first portion 2a is connected to a second portion 2b, also frustoconical in shape, but with a different taper angle relative to the first portion 2a. In particular, the second portion 2b may have a side wall which is more inclined, that is to say, closer to the vertical direction, than the first portion 1 a. Consecutively with the second portion 2b there may be a third portion 2c, also frustoconical in shape, but having a different taper angle relative to the second portion 2b. In particular, the third portion 2c may have a side wall which is less inclined, that is to say, closer to the horizontal direction, than the second portion 2b. An end portion 2d, for example cylindrical in shape, is positioned consecutively with the third portion 2c. The changes in taper between the various portions of the outer body 2 favour the descent of the material, contributing to obstructing the formation of bridges inside the mass of material descending.
[0051] The outer body 2 may be made of two components and may comprise a conveying component 4 and a mixing component 5. The conveying component 4 is positioned above the mixing component 5.
[0052] The first portion 2a described above may be defined on the conveying component 4, whilst the second portion 2b, the third portion 2c and the end portion 2d may be defined on the mixing component 5.
[0053] The conveying component 4 and the mixing component 5 are connected to each other by a connection 6 which may be disassembled, in particular a fast and removable connection, that is to say, reversible. The connection 6 which may be disassembled may comprise a flange, fixed to the conveying component 4, and a further flange, fixed to the mixing component 5. These two flanges are joined to each other by means of removable connectors such as screws or clips. Thanks to the connection 6 which may be disassembled, the mixing component 5 can be easily removed and separated from the conveying component 4, so as to access inside the unloading device 1 from below, for maintenance, cleaning or control operations.
[0054] The outer body 2 has at the top a connecting flange 23 designed to allow the attachment of the unloading device 1 to an overlying container. The connecting flange 23 is concentric to the upper opening 22.
[0055] At a lower end of the outer body 2 there may be a further coupling flange 24, for example designed to be fixed to a valve or to another element for selectively closing or opening the lower opening 22.
[0056] The device also comprises an inner body 3 located inside the outer body 2. The inner body 3 may have a conical shape tapered downwards. The inner body 3 is located inside the outer body 2, in particular in a concentric position relative to the outer body 2.
[0057] The inner body 3 has an upper end 7 and a lower end 8, opposite the upper end 7.
[0058] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, between the outer body 2 and the inner body 3 there is a cavity which forms a peripheral channel 100 for the material. The peripheral channel 100 has an annular shape and extends substantially from the upper opening 21 of the outer body 2 to the lower end 8 of the inner body 3. The inner body 3 is hollow, in such a way that inside it there is a central channel 200 having a transversal cross-section which narrows downwards.
[0059] The fraction of the material to be processed having a finer grain size tends to slide downwards with a relatively high speed, passing through the central channel 200. The fraction of the material to be processed having a larger grain size tends, on the other hand, to slide downwards with a lower speed, passing through the peripheral channel 100.
[0060] The two fractions of material meet in the mixing component 5, in which they mix together, guaranteeing that the material which leaves the unloading device 1 has a homogeneous composition similar to that which it had in the overlying container.
[0061] The upper end 7 of the inner body 3 protrudes upwards from the outer body 2, that is to say, it projects upwards relative to a level defined by the connecting flange 23. The upper end 7 is thus positioned inside the container which lies above the unloading device 1 .
[0062] The lower end 8 of the inner body 3 protrudes below from the conveying component 4 and projects inside the mixing component 5. The lower end 8 is, therefore, positioned at a lower level than the connection 6 which can be disassembled.
[0063] The quantity by which the upper end 7 protrudes relative to the connecting flange 23 and the quantity by which the lower end 8 protrudes relative to the connection 6 which can be disassembled are selected as a function of the type of material which the unloading device 1 is designed to process. For example, the projection of the lower end 8 downwards relative to the connection 6 which can be disassembled increases the more the material to be processed is slidable, in order to reduce the outlet section of the inner body 3.
[0064] The inner body 3 and the first portion 2a of the outer body 2 do not have side walls parallel to each other, but have side walls inclined at different angles relative to a vertical direction. By providing different slopes for the side walls of the inner body 3 and of the first portion 2a, it is possible to reduce the risk of bridges forming in the loose material. Such bridges would obstruct the flow of loose material.
[0065] At least one flow facilitation device 900 is associated with the inner body 3 so as to transmit energy to the inner body 3 to facilitate the descent of the loose material in the unloading device 1 .
[0066] In the example shown, the flow facilitation device 900 comprises a vibration device 9 for transmitting vibrations to the inner body 3.
[0067] The energy transmitted to the inner body 3 is in this case energy deriving from the vibrations. According to an alternative version not illustrated, the flow facilitation device 900 may comprise, instead of the vibration device 9, a hammering device, which is able to stress the inner body 3 by percussion. The energy transmitted to the inner body 3 is in this case energy deriving from the impact of a hammering body.
[0068] What is described below with reference to the vibration device 9 is to be considered also applicable to the case in which the flow facilitation device 900 is a hammering device, except for any indications to the contrary.
[0069] The flow facilitation device 900 may be of a pneumatic, electrical or electropneumatic type.
[0070] According to one version, the flow facilitation device 900 might not be active in a continuous fashion and only work in a discontinuous fashion.
[0071] A plurality of arms 10 are interposed between the outer body 2 and the inner body 3 for connecting the outer body 2 with the inner body 3.
[0072] The arms 10 are positioned in equidistant angular positions about the axis Z.
[0073] According to the version illustrated, there are three arms 10. Said three arms are separated by angular steps of approximately 120°, even though there could be a different number of arms 10, for example two arms 10 or more than three arms 10.
[0074] The arms 10 have the same shape, that is to say, they are substantially equal to each other.
[0075] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, each arm 10 comprises a supporting body 1 1 which may, for example, have a substantially cylindrical shape. The supporting body 11 has a slot 12, which extends from one end of the supporting body 11 , for example along a diametric zone of the latter. The supporting body 1 1 also has an end flange 13, positioned at an end opposite that on which the slot 12 opens.
[0076] Each arm 10 also comprises a bracket 14, which has a substantially flat geometry and can have a substantially constant thickness. A contact surface 15 is defined at one end of the bracket 14, which may, for example, have a flat shape and extend transversally, for example perpendicularly, to a main plane on which the bracket 14 extends. The contact surface 15 is designed to come into contact with the inner body 3 for supporting it.
[0077] The bracket 14 also has a narrower end 16, opposite the contact surface 15. The narrower end 16 is designed to be received in a shape coupling in the slot 12 of the supporting body 1 1 and welded to the supporting body 1 1 , so that the bracket 14 and the supporting body 1 1 act as a single piece.
[0078] The supporting body 1 1 and the bracket 14 are positioned inside the outer body 2, as shown in Figure 8.
[0079] The flow facilitation device 900 is connected to at least one arm 10 and may comprise the vibration device 9.
[0080] As shown in Figure 5, the vibration device 9 is supported by supporting means 50 which, in the example shown, comprise a plate 41 , to which the vibration device 9 is fixed.
[0081] It is also possible to use supporting means 50 of a different type to those shown in Figure 5.
[0082] The supporting means 50 are connected to the arm 10 by a pin 19, which may be fixed to the supporting body 1 1 . More specifically, an end region of the pin 19 may be received in a hole 18, provided at an end of the supporting body 1 1 opposite to that in which the slot 12 is located.
[0083] The hole 18 may be a threaded hole, so that the pin 19 can be fixed to the supporting body 1 1 by a threaded connection.
[0084] Each arm 10 also has a damping part 17 positioned in such a way as to obstruct the transmission of the vibrations to the outer body 2.
[0085] The damping part 17, shown in detail in Figure 6, may be made of rubber, a synthetic polymeric material or, in general, any material which is able to exert an action for damping the vibrations.
[0086] The damping part 17 may have a substantially cylindrical geometry. The damping part 17 may have a through hole 25, positioned along an axis of the damping part 17, in which the pin 19 is passed. The damping part 17 also has a flanged edge 26, more clearly visible in Figure 7, designed to be interposed between an inner surface of the outer body 2 and the supporting body 1 1 .
[0087] On the flanged edge 26 there is a lip 27, designed to abut against the supporting body 11. The flanged edge 26 also has a further lip 28, positioned on the opposite side of the flanged edge 26 relative to the lip 27. The further lip 28 is designed to make contact against the outer body 2, from the inside of the latter.
[0088] On the damping part 17 there is a longitudinal hole 29, which extends parallel to the through hole 25. According to an assembled condition, the longitudinal hole 29 is aligned with a further hole 30 made in the supporting body 1 1 .
[0089] An anti-rotation pin 31 , shown in Figure 9, is received in the longitudinal hole 29 and in the further hole 30 to prevent the relative rotation between the damping part 17 and the supporting body 1 1 , even when the vibrations are applied.
[0090] By avoiding the relative rotation between the damping part 17 and the supporting body 1 1 , it is possible to avoid wear of the damping part 17.
[0091] According to an assembled configuration, the flanged edge 26 of the damping part 17 is positioned inside the outer body 2 and is clamped between an inner face 40 of the outer body 2 and the supporting body 1 1 , in particular between the damping part 17 and the end flange 13 of the supporting body 1 1 .
[0092] The damping part 17 passes through the thickness of a side wall of the outer body 2. In particular, the damping part 17 passes through an opening 32 made in the outer body 2, visible in Figure 2, so as to project outside the outer body 2. The portion of the damping part 17 positioned outside the outer body 2 may be housed in a casing 33 fixed relative to the outer body 2, for example welded to the latter.
[0093] The portion of the damping part 17 which projects outside the outer body 2 defines an end 34 of the arm 10 which protrudes from the outer body 2 towards the outside.
[0094] At the end 34 it is possible to fix the vibration device 9, which can be actuated to vibrate the inner body 2, for example using a connection system of the type described above with reference to Figure 5.
[0095] The vibration device 9 is located outside the outer body 2.
[0096] The vibrations generated by the vibration device 9 are transmitted to the pin 19, which in turn transmits the vibrations to the supporting body 1 1 , which transmits them to the bracket 14 fixed to it. The bracket 14 vibrates the inner body 3 to favour the descent of the loose material.
[0097] The flanged edge 26 of the damping part 17, which, as mentioned above, is interposed between the outer body 2 and the supporting body 11 , makes it possible to isolate the outer body 2 from the inner body 3 with regard to the transmission of vibrations. Thanks to the flanged edge 26 interposed between the outer body 2 and the supporting body 1 1 , it is in fact possible to obstruct the transmission of vibrations to the outer body 2.
[0098] All the arms 10 have the same end 34 protruding towards the outside of the outer body 2. This means that the vibration device 9 may theoretically be fixed to any end 34 and therefore to any arm 10. Depending on where the unloading device 1 and the overlying container has been installed, as well as the available spaces, it is possible to select at which end the vibration device 9 must be fixed.
[0099] It is also possible to use two or more vibration devices 9, connected to corresponding ends 34 of the arms 10, if the vibrating effect exerted on the inner body 2 is to be increased.
[0100] During operation, the brackets 14 lie substantially on respective vertical planes containing the axis Z. These planes may be positioned radially relative to the axis Z.
[0101] Positioning the brackets 14 on respective vertical planes makes it possible to minimise the interaction between the arms 10 and the loose material which descends from the overlying container. In effect, the loose material encounters the brackets 14 only along a respective transversal edge surface 35, shown in Figures 10 and 12, defined along the thickness of the brackets 14. The transversal edge surface 35 has a limited extension in the direction of the flow of loose material, in particular in the vertical direction, which ensures that the transversal edge surface 35 obstructs the flow of loose material in an extremely limited manner.
[0102] The transversal edge surface 35, which may be flat, is inclined downwards from the centre towards the periphery of the unloading device 1 . This further facilitates the descent of the loose material, which may also slide along the transversal edge surface 35.
[0103] As described above, the bracket 14 has a shape which widens from the narrower end 16 towards the contact surface 15, that is to say, from the supporting body 11 towards the inner body 3. This makes it possible to maximise the length of the contact surface 15, ensuring that the resting of the inner body 2 on the bracket 14 occurs along a region having a relatively large main dimension. In this way it is possible to effectively transmit the vibrations from the bracket 14 to the inner body 2, improving the distribution of the vibrations on the inner body 2.
[0104] At the same time, it is possible keep the dimensions of the narrower end 16 limited, so as to favour the isolation of the outer body 2 from the vibrations. In particular, thanks to the reduced dimensions of the narrower end 16, the transmission of the vibrations to the outer body 2 may be minimised using a damping part 17 having a relatively small transversal dimension (for example, a diameter of the end flange 13).
[0105] The outer body 2 may have a plurality of inspection openings 32b, distributed along the first portion 2a and positioned, for example, in angular positions equidistant about the axis Z. For example, there may be three inspection openings positioned at 120° from each other. Each inspection opening is closed by a covering element or door, which is fixed in a removable fashion, for example by screws, to the outer body 2.
[0106] A number of inspection openings may be provided which is equal to the number of arms 10, each inspection opening being interposed between two consecutive arms 10.
[0107] The inspection openings allow the operator, after removing the respective covering elements, to access the peripheral channel 100 to perform inspection, maintenance and repair operations, in particular, but not exclusively, on the arms 10.
[0108] During operation, the loose material which escapes from the overlying container descends into the unloading device, and is distributed partly in the central channel 200 and partly in the peripheral channel 100. The fraction of loose material which falls into the central channel 200 is conveyed by the latter directly into the mixing component 5, into which it enters after leaving the lower end 8 of the central channel 200. This fraction of material is usually the fraction with the finest grain size, which has a relatively high speed and follows a substantially linear trajectory along a vertical, or almost vertical, direction.
[0109] The fraction of material which falls into the peripheral channel 100 is, on the other hand, usually the fraction of material having a larger grain size, which falls more slowly and follows a more articulated path.
[0110] When the loose material coming from the peripheral channel 100 arrives in the mixing component 5, it is accelerated along the second portion 2b, which has a very marked slope, that is to say, it is very steep. Subsequently, the third portion 2c, which is less steep than the second portion 2b, conveys the loose material coming from the peripheral channel 100 towards a central zone of the mixing component 5, along a direction close to the horizontal direction or in any case along a direction having a significant horizontal component.
[0111] In the central zone of the mixing component 5, the flow of material conveyed from the second portion 2b is sent towards the flow of material coming from the central channel 200 along a direction extending transversely, almost perpendicularly to the latter flow. The two flows are thus mixed in a very efficient manner, so that a material is released from the lower opening having a distribution of the different grain sizes substantially homogeneous in the entire mass of the loose material.
[0112] According to the example shown, each arm 10 extends in the peripheral channel 100 (that is, in the gap between the outer body 2 and the inner body 3), passes through the thickness of the side wall of the outer body 2 and protrudes outside the outer body 2.
[0113] According to an alternative version not illustrated, it is possible that the arms 10 - whilst passing through the thickness of the side wall of the outer body 2 - do not protrude outside the outer body 2. For example, the arms 10 might have ends positioned flush with an outer surface of the side wall of the outer body 2, or have ends which terminate inside the thickness of the side wall of the outer body 2.
Claims
CLAIMS1. An unloading device for unloading a loose material from a container, comprising:- an outer body (2), provided with an upper opening (21 ) and a lower opening (22);- an inner body (3) arranged inside the outer body (2);- a plurality of arms (10) interposed between the outer body (2) and the inner body (3) for associating the inner body (3) with the outer body (2), wherein each arm (10) of said plurality of arms (10) has an end which passes through the thickness of a side wall of the outer body (2) and is connectable to a flow facilitation device (900) suitable for acting on the inner body (3) to facilitate the downwards flow of loose material, wherein each arm (10) of said plurality of arms (10) comprises a damping part (17) which passes through the thickness of the side wall for limiting transmission of vibrations to the outer body (2).
2. The unloading device according to claim 1 , wherein the end of each arm (10) protrudes outside the outer body (2).
3. The unloading device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the arms (10) of said plurality of arms (10) are substantially equal to each other.
4. The unloading device according to any preceding claim, wherein each arm (10) of said plurality of arms (10) comprises a substantially flat bracket (14), the bracket (14) having a contact surface (15) positioned in contact with the inner body (3) and a fixing end (16) positioned close to the outer body (2).
5. The unloading device according to claim 4, wherein each bracket (14) lies on a substantially vertical plane in a gap formed between the outer body (2) and the inner body (3).
6. The unloading device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the bracket (14) has, in a vertical plane containing an axis (Z) of the outer body (2), a transversal dimension which decreases progressively passing from the contact surface (15) to the fixing end (16).
7. The unloading device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein each arm (10) of said plurality of arms (10) further comprises a supporting body (1 1 ) for supporting the bracket (14).
8. The unloading device according to claim 7, wherein the supporting body (1 1 ) has a slot (12) in which the bracket (14) is received, the bracket (14) being permanently fixed to the supporting body (1 1 ).
9. The unloading device according to any preceding claim, wherein the damping part (17) protrudes outside the outer body (2) and has a flanged edge (26) positioned inside the outer body (2).
10. The unloading device according to claim 9, as appended to claim 7 or 8, wherein the flanged edge (26) is clamped between the supporting body (1 1 ) and an inner face (40) of the outer body (2).1 1 . The unloading device according to claim 7 or 8, or according to claim 9 as appended to claim 7, or according to claim 10, wherein the flow facilitating device (900) is connected to the supporting body (1 1 ) by a pin (19) passing through the damping part (17), an anti-rotation element (31 ) being provided between the supporting body (1 1 ) and the damping part (17) for preventing a relative rotation between the damping part (17) and the supporting body (1 1 ).
12. The unloading device according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer body (2) comprises a conveying component (4) and a mixing component (5) arranged beneath the conveying component, the inner body (3) being positioned inside the conveying component (4), in such a way thatan annular peripheral channel (100) is defined between the conveying component (4) and the inner body (3) for receiving a fraction of the loose material, a central channel (200) being defined inside the inner body (3) for receiving a further fraction of the loose material.
13. The unloading device according to claim 12, wherein the conveying component (4) is joined to the mixing component through a reversible connection (6) which can be disassembled.
14. The unloading device according to claim 13, wherein the inner body (3) has a lower end (8) which protrudes downwards below the reversible connection (6) which can be disassembled.
15. The unloading device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein:- the conveying component (4) comprises a first portion (2a) having a truncated cone shape geometry,- the mixing component (5) comprises a second portion (2b) having a truncated cone shape geometry, the second portion (2b) having a slope closer to the vertical direction than the first portion (2a),- the mixing component (5) comprises a third portion (2c) having a truncated cone shape geometry, the third portion (2c) being positioned below the second portion (2b) and having a slope closer to the horizontal direction than the second portion (2b),- the mixing component (5) comprises a fourth portion (2d) positioned below the third portion (2c) and having a substantially cylindrical geometry.
16. The unloading device according to any preceding claim, wherein the outer body (2) has at least one inspection opening (32b) closed by a removable closing element, and wherein optionally there is provided a number of inspection openings (32b) equal to the maximum number of arms (10), each inspection opening (32b) being interposed between two consecutive arms (10).
17. The unloading device according to any preceding claim, wherein the flow facilitating device (900) is selected from a group comprising: a vibration device, a hammering device.
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