Container arrangement

Abstract

The invention discloses a container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; and wherein the pressure means and the rollers are not mutually enabled. The rollers are closed by hand but are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders. The container arrangement can be a liner bag and/or intermediate bulk container (IBC).

1 . A container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; and wherein the pressure means and the rollers are not mutually enabled. 
     
     
         2 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the container arrangement is a liner bag and/or intermediate bulk container (IBC). 
     
     
         3 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the arrangement includes the following components:
 (a) Rollerblades;   (b) Air motor;   (c) Liner puller;   (d) Pivoting arms;   (e) Frame and structure;   (f) Safety features; and/or   (g) User interface.   
     
     
         4 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes two rubber-coated rollers constrained next to each other with the liner passing between them. 
     
     
         5 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 4 , in which one roller is driven by an air motor in a forward direction during decant, and a reverse direction briefly after decanting. 
     
     
         6 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 4 , in which the second roller does not drive but is in contact with the first roller and is thus driven to rotate with the driven roller due to friction. 
     
     
         7 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the rollers are moved apart by hand to allow the liner to be placed between them before decanting and released from their grip after decanting. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which there is some tension in the liner behind the rollers for example the part of the liner that has already been emptied and/or in which a liner puller is attached to the inlet gland of the liner by means of a rope or strap, that rope in turn is attached to a roller which is rotated by a ratchet and actuator system. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which rollers are placed in a bracket which is attached to the end of pivoting arms. 
     
     
         13 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes pivoting arms which are actuated up and down, however during decant the arms are not powered, and simply move under the influence of gravity and the reaction forces from the other powered systems and which the arm actuation is only used to bring the arms up to their original position after the decant is finished. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a frame that supports all the systems and which is mounted on wheels and can be rolled into position over the container arrangement from the back or from the front. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes a hood covering the container arrangement when the machine is in operation to prevent access to moving parts and in which the hood is opened by the operator to set up and remove the liner bag but will be closed while the machine is decanting fluid and returning to its starting position and in which a safety interlock in the hood is adapted to disable all drives and actuators when the hood is open. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , which includes an automatic mode which will begin the decant process with the push of a button and includes an “Auto Start” button and an “Auto Stop” button, and when the ‘Auto Start’ button is pushed, the rollers begin to rotate forward, the arm will begin to drop under its own weight and the puller will accept slack from the empty part of the liner bag, in which all these processes stop when the emergency stop button is pressed, or when the hood is opened, or when the ‘Auto stop’ button is pushed, or when a limit switch detects that the arms have reached the end of their 90 degrees arc-implying that the rollers have reached the wall of the IBC near the outlet gland. 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the rollers are closed by hand, but are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A container arrangement having an outlet port and a liner bag containing fluid, which includes pressure means adapted to create a high pressure within the liner bag, by means of a force applied to the liner bag and fluid; the force is applied by two rollers which grip the liner bag at a point furthest from the outlet port, then move on an arc towards the outlet port; and the roller squeezes the fluid forward and drive it out of the liner bag; wherein the rollers are closed by hand; and wherein the rollers are squeezed together with pneumatic cylinders. 
     
     
         26 . A method for emptying IBC, inner bag arrangements, liquid bags and/or liquid liners which includes a container arrangement as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . (canceled)