Apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material and process for the production of said blocks

Abstract

 An apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material from loose material (30) comprises:
- at least one first container (110; 110) for storing material (30) to be compacted;
- means (20;1020) for feeding the loose material (30) to be compacted to the said container;
- means (130;1130) for compressing the loose material (110), associated with the said storage container (110;1110);
- means for discontinuous operation of the feeding and compression means, able to perform the alternate feeding and compression of successive layers of loose material until the final axial dimension of the compacted block of agglomerated material is obtained.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material and a process for producing said blocks.

[0002] It is known, in the technical sector relating to the production of blocks of agglomerated material from loose material, that there exists the need to compact the granules of material after applying to their surface a reactive adhesive, normally a prepolymer, and stroing the granules inside a container inside which they are compressed until a programmed final density is obtained for the compacted block.

[0003] Although fulfilling its function, this technology nevertheless has certain drawbacks which make it unsuitable for large-scale production and the dimensions which are normally required.

[0004] Compression is in fact performed in a single step and the dimension corresponding to the thickness of the final block produced is necessarily limited, in particular in the case of high-density blocks, for the production of which it is required to store a large quantity of granules inside the container before performing compaction thereof; as a result containers with a size corresponding to the thickness of the final block, many times greater than the latter, are required, said final block also having varying densities in the thickness owing to the different force exerted on the different layers of the final block.

[0005] The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is to provide an apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material with which it is possible to achieve high hourly production outputs and with a smaller variation in the density compared to the prior art, while limiting at the same time the dimensions of the containers for storing/compacting the granules to be compacted.

[0006] In connection with this problem it is also required that this apparatus should be easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and be able to be installed easily at any place of use.

[0007] These results are achieved according to the present invention by an apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material from loose material according to the characteristic features of Claim 1 and by an associated production process according to the characteristic features of Claim 24.

[0008] Further details may be obtained from the following description of a non-limiting example of embodiment of the subject of the present invention provided with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1

shows cross-sectional views of a first embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention during the various operating steps;

Figure 2

shows cross-sectional views of a second embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention during the various operating steps;

Figure 3

shows a perspective view of a further constructional form of the first example of embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 4

shows a top plan view of the apparatus according to Fig. 3;

Figure 5

shows a cross-section, along the plane V-V of Fig. 4, of the apparatus during filling;

Figure 6

shows a cross-section, similar to Fig. 5, of the apparatus during compression; and

Figure 7

shows a cross-section, similar to that of Fig. 5, of the apparatus during unloading.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1 and assuming solely for the sake of convenience of the description and without any intended limitation a set of three reference axes in a longitudinal direction X-X, transverse direction Y-Y and vertical direction Z-Z, respectively, as well as a top part corresponding to the part for entry of the material into the containers and a bottom part opposite to the top part, the apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material according to the invention comprises:

• a first vertical-axis container 110 for storing a material 30, for example in granular form, to be compacted;
• a presser 131, in the example a piston, which can be operated in both directions along the vertical axis Z-Z, moved by a rod 132 which is controlled via the said programming means 300. The presser 131 is connected to the rod via fastening/release means 131a which allow engagement/disengagement thereof with/from the rod itself;
• the first storage container 110, in the example, has a substantially cylindrical form and is arranged on a base 11 so as to be situated under a device 20 for feeding the material 30; conveniently, said feeder is of the belt type in turn comprising two belts 21 and 22 rotating at different speeds and able to supply an adhesive substance which adheres to the granules, pellets or flakes of material 30 which are supplied via the two belts 21,22;
• programming means - indicated by 300 in the drawings - which control the operating movements of the moving parts of the apparatus for ensuring the correct operating sequences;

[0010] With the structure described above the operating principle of the apparatus is as follows:

• the first storage container 110 is arranged in position underneath the belts 21 and 22 supplying the material 30 and axially underneath the presser 131, which is kept in the raised position (Fig. 1a);
• the belt feeder 20 is started so as to cause the granules/flakes of material 30a to fall inside the storage container 110;
• once the pre-calculated and predefined storage level, corresponding to a predefined density of the final block after compaction, has been reached, lowering of the presser 131 is started so as compress the quantity of material 30a until the programmed density for the final block is reached;
• the presser 131 is raised again (Fig. 1c);
• the belt feeder 20 is started again so as to cause a second programmed quantity 30b of material to fall inside the container 120;
• the second layer 30b is compressed onto the first layer 30a (Fig. 3d);
• the filling/compression cycle is repeated, resulting in the accumulation of superimposed and compressed layers of compacted material inside the container 110;
• once the programmed thickness dimension (vertical in the example) has been reached, the container is unloaded and a new cycle started (Fig. 1).

[0011] Said unloading step involves release of the presser 131 from the rod, insertion of transverse pins 133 which axially lock the presser in position so as to maintain the pressure on the agglomerated material; removal of the container 110 from the working position; positioning of a new container 110 and engagement of a new presser with the operating rod (Figs. 1e, 1f) .

[0012] According to preferred embodiments it is envisaged that the container 110 is provided with a top, removable, guiding collar 112, for assisting entry of the material and the piston inside the containers.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, an embodiment of the apparatus with the container extending parallel to a longitudinal direction X-X, instead of parallel to the vertical direction Z-Z, is also envisaged.

[0014] In this configuration, filling of the container 1110 is performed by means of a belt feeder 1020 with belts 1021,1022 parallel to the vertical direction Z-Z and movable in a direction parallel to the transverse direction Y-Y, it being envisaged that the collar 1112 of the container 1110 has an opening 1112a on the respective side surface, so as to allow entry of the material into the container itself.

[0015] In this horizontal configuration it is also envisaged that the container 1110 has internally a counter-plate 1123 able to enter into engagement with a counter-thrust device 1400 in order to provide a reaction to the compressive force exerted by the presser 1131.

[0016] In this case the stroke of the presser 1131 remains constant and the counter-plate 1123 gives way upon filling of a quantity equal to the thickness of the material 30a compressed in each case, thus ensuring the compression, a uniform density and attainment of the desired height (in the horizontal direction) of the final block.

[0017] Once the final size of the block is reached, the container 1110 is unloaded by releasing the presser from the rod, locking it in position and freeing the container from engagement with the counter-thrust device 1400.

[0018] After arranging in position a new container 1110 and a new presser 1131, a new cycle can be started again.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 3, a second constructional form of the first example of embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention is also envisaged; in this configuration, the apparatus comprises:

• a rotating base 10 on which the following are arranged:

• a first vertical-axis container 110 for storing material 30, for example in granular form, to be compacted,
• at least one second vertical-axis container 120 for compressing the material 30 to be compacted,
• compression means 130 associated with said second container 120.

[0020] In greater detail:

• said base 10 comprises a rotating table 11 integral with a pin 11a connected to an operating system 11b inside a base 12 resting on the ground, the operating system being controlled by the said programming means - indicated by 300 in the drawings - which control the operating movements of the moving parts of the apparatus so as to ensure the correct operating sequences;
• the first storage container 110, in the example, has a substantially cylindrical form and is arranged on the base 11 so as to be situated under a belt feeder 20;
• the second compression container 120 in turn has a cylindrical form and is arranged in a position underneath and coaxial with said compression means 130 compressing the already described presser 131, in the example a piston, which can be operated in both directions along the vertical axis Z-Z and is in turn controlled via the said programming means 300.

[0021] With the structure described above the operating principle of the apparatus is as follows:

• the rotating table 11 (Fig. 3) is arranged so that the first storage container 110 is positioned underneath the belts 21 and 22 for feeding the material 30 to be compacted and the second compression container 120 is situated coaxially underneath the presser 131, kept in the raised position;
• the belt feeder 20 is started (Fig. 5) so as to cause the granules/flakes of material 30a to fall inside the storage container 110;
• once the pre-calculated and predefined storage level, corresponding to a predefined density of the final block after compaction, has been reached,
• the rotating table 11 is operated so as to reverse the relative position of the storage container 110 and the compression container 120 which are positioned underneath the presser 131 and the belt feeder 20, respectively;
• when the new position is reached (Fig. 6), the downward movement of the presser 131 is started so as to compress the quantity of material 30a until the programmed density of the final block is reached, while at the same time the belt feeder 20 is started again so as to cause a second programmed quantity 30b of material to fall inside the container 120;
• when compression inside the first container 110 and feeding of the new quantity of material 30b into the second container have been completed,
• the table 11 is rotated again and the filling/compression cycle is repeated, resulting in the accumulation (Fig. 6) of superimposed and compressed layers of compacted material inside the two containers 110 and 120;
• once the programmed thickness dimension (vertical in the example) has been reached, the two containers (fig. 7) are unloaded and a new cycle started as already described in connection with the example of embodiment according to Fig. 1.

[0022] It is also envisaged that control of the speed and the operating time of the belts 21 and 22 and the moving parts of the apparatus, via the programmer 300, ensures both the supply of the correct quantity of material to the storage container depending on the final density envisaged for the compacted block and the correct sequence of displacements/rotations of the various moving parts.

[0023] Although illustrated in relation to a minimum configuration of two containers for storage and compression, respectively, it is envisaged that several storage and compression containers associated with several belt feeders and compression pressers may be arranged on the rotating table 11 so as to divide up further the rotational sequence of the table, increasing the filling and compression operations performed in parallel so as to achieve an increased hourly production.

[0024] Although not shown, it is envisaged, moreover, that the movement which brings the containers underneath the belt feeder and the compression presser, respectively, may be rectilinear, including stepwise in nature, instead of being rotational. embodiments of the apparatus it is also envisaged that:

• each container 110 and/or 220 is provided with a respective, removable, top guiding collar 112,122, for assisting entry of the material and the presser inside the containers;
• the form of the containers and the presser may correspond to the form of the final block to be obtained.

[0025] According to the invention a process for the production of blocks of agglomerated material from a loose material is also envisaged, said process comprising the following steps:

• providing at least one container for storing the loose material to be agglomerated;
• aligning the container with a compression presser;
• feeding a predefined quantity of loose material to the first container;
• downward movement of the presser inside the container with compression of the loose material contained inside it;
• raising the presser;
• feeding a further quantity of loose material to the storage container;
• repeating the cycle until a compacted block of programmed thickness is obtained;
• extracting the container.

[0026] It is also envisaged that the method may be implemented either with vertical-axis containers with a fixed reaction bottom and variable stroke of the presser which moves downwards inside the container in relation to the height reached by the previously compressed layers, or with horizontal-axis containers with a fixed presser stroke and reaction bottom movable parallel to the direction of the travel of the presser and in the same direction as the compression stroke.

[0027] The stroke of the bottom may be substantially equal to the (horizontal) height of the compressed layer, there being envisaged in this case also a counter-thrust applied to the movable bottom so as to produce a reaction to the presser such as to allow the desired compaction of the agglomerated material.

[0028] It is therefore clear how with the apparatus and the process according to the present invention it is possible to maintain small overall dimensions of the apparatus in particular in the direction corresponding to the thickness of the final block to be obtained, while allowing the production of blocks which are also large in size, with obvious advantages in terms of costs, storage and transportation of the apparatus itself, with which it is nevertheless possible to obtain an increased hourly production output.

[0029] Although described in connection with certain constructional forms and certain preferred examples of embodiment of the invention, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present patent is defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for the production of blocks of agglomerated material from loose material (30), characterized in that it comprises:

- at least one first container (110;1110) for storing material (30) to be compacted;

- means (20;1020) for feeding the loose material (30) to be compacted to the said container;

- means (130;1130) for compressing the loose material, associated with the said storage container (110;1110);

- means for discontinuously operating the feeding and compression means, able to cause alternate feeding and compression of successive layers of loose material until the final axial dimension of the compacted block of agglomerated material is reached.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that said at least one container (110) is arranged with its axis parallel to a vertical direction (Z-Z).

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that said at least one container (110) has a fixed storage bottom (110a) for reaction against the compression.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that said compression means (130) are movable with a stroke variable in the direction of compression.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in said at least one container (1110) is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to a horizontal direction (X-X) .

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that said at least one container (1110) has a storage bottom (1110a) for reaction against the compression in the direction of compression.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that said reaction storage bottom (1110a) is movable with a constant stroke in the direction of compression.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that it comprises counter-thrust means (1400) acting on said movable bottom of the container.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 6, characterized in that said compression means (1130) are movable with a constant stroke in the direction of compression.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that said compression means (130;1130) comprise a presser joined to a rod (132;1132) which can be operated in both senses of the longitudinal direction of the containers (110,120;1110,1120).

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, characterized in that said presser (131;1131) is connected to the rod (132;1132) via fastening/release means.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 10, characterized in that it comprises means (133;1133) for locking the presser to the container (110;1110).

13. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that said at least one container (110;1110) comprises an end collar (112,122;1112,1122) able to guide the entry of the material (30) and the compression means (130;1130).

14. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises:

- a base (10) on which the following are arranged:

• at least one first container (110;1110) for storing material (30) to be compacted; and

• at least one second container (120;1120) for compressing the material (30) to be compacted,

there also being provided means (20;1020) for feeding the loose material (30) to be compacted to at least one of the two containers and compression means (130;1130) associated with said second container (120;1120) as well as means (12) for moving the base (10), able to position each container (110,120;1110,1120) alternately underneath said feeding means (20;1020) and underneath said compression means (130;1130).

15. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterized in that said base (10) is a rotating table (11).

16. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterized in that the said feeding means comprise a feeder (20) with belts (21,22) rotating at different speeds and designed to apply an adhesive substance to the loose material (30).

17. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterized in that said first container (110) and said second container (120) are arranged with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to the base (10).

18. Apparatus according to Claim 17, characterized in that said compression means are movable in a direction perpendicular to the base (10).

19. Apparatus according to Claim 14, characterized in that said first container (1110) and said second container (1120) are arranged with their longitudinal axis parallel to the base (10).

20. Apparatus according to Claim 19, characterized in that said compression means are movable in a direction parallel to the base (10).

21. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises programming means (300) designed to control the operating movements of the moving parts of the apparatus and the operating sequences.

22. Process for producing blocks of agglomerated material from loose material, comprising the following steps:

- providing at least one container for storing the loose material to be agglomerated;

- aligning the container with compression means movable in an axial direction;

- feeding a predefined quantity of loose material to the first container;

- inserting the compression means inside the container and compressing the previously fed loose material;

- raising the presser;

- feeding a second quantity of loose material to the storage container;

- repeating the cycle until a compacted block of programmed thickness is obtained;

- extracting the container.

23. Process according to Claim 22, characterized in that it is discontinuous.

24. Process according to Claim 22, characterized in that the said axial direction of movement of the compression means is vertical.

25. Process according to Claim 24, characterized in that the stroke of the said compression means is variable in the direction of compression.

26. Process according to Claim 22, characterized in that the said axial direction of movement of the compression means is horizontal.

27. Process according to Claim 26, characterized in that the stroke of the said compression means is constant in the direction of compression.

28. Process according to Claim 26, characterized in that the bottom of the container is movable in the direction of compression.

29. Process according to Claim 28, characterized in that a force acting as a counter-thrust to compression is applied to the movable bottom.

30. Process according to Claim 22, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:

- providing at least two containers (110,120;1110,1120) on a base (10) movable from a position aligning one container (110;1110) with a device (20;1020) for feeding the loose product (30) and the other container (120;1120) with compression means (130;1130);

- feeding a predefined quantity of loose material (30) to the first container (110;1110);

- moving the base (10) so as to position the first container (110;1110) underneath the compression means and the second container (120;1120) underneath the feeding device;

- inserting the compression means inside the respective container (120;1120) with compression of the loose material contained inside it and simultaneous feeding of a second quantity (30b) of loose material to the other container;

- moving the base (10) again and repeating the cycle until a compacted block of programmed thickness is obtained.

31. Process according to Claim 30, characterized in that the movement of the base is a rotation.

32. Process according to Claim 30, characterized in that said first container (110) and said second container (120) are arranged with their longitudinal axis perpendicular to the base (10).

Drawing