EP0303762A1 - Drum filling device with a weighing machine and a vapour exhauster - Google Patents

Abstract

The drum filling device with a weighing machine monitoring the filling weight and a vapour exhauster arranged in the region of the bunghole and engaging over the filling tube with its suction opening is characterised in that the vapour exhauster is arranged, in the filling position of the device, in such a way that the edge surrounding the suction opening encompasses, at a short distance above the surface of the drum, the bunghole wall of the latter with a small lateral clearance. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a barrel filling device mentioned in the preamble of claim 1.

Drum filling devices with scales are known, for example, from the applicant's prospectuses. They allow the precise filling of drums (sheet metal or plastic drums of usually 200 l), whereby the filling process can be controlled by hand or monitored by an automatic control device that checks the empty weighing, filling and switching off the filling valve after the specified filling value has been reached supervised.

Barrel filling devices of this type are equipped with a filling tube which either only dips a little into the bunghole for filling above-level mirrors or is deeply immersed for filling below-level mirrors and is slowly raised by an appropriate lifting device during filling.

If harmful gases or vapors emitting liquids are filled, drum filling devices must be used to comply with occupational safety and environmental protection regulations Lines of the type mentioned are required, which suck off the gases escaping from the barrel with suction devices during filling. Such suction devices are for example from the publication:
"Program for the Prevention of Health Damage from Work Agents"
the professional association of the chemical industry. These suction devices create a space encompassing the filling pipe in the filling position of the barrel filling device in the height region of the bung hole, which is sealed laterally and upwards against the filling pipe and has an opening over the bung hole below. The cited document describes two constructions.

In one of these known constructions, the suction device has an opening on a funnel which widens downwards and is placed on the drum. In a second construction shown there, the suction device rests on the barrel surface with an elastic bellows to reduce the support weight.

Both known constructions mentioned have in common that the barrel is weight-loaded during suction, that is to say during the entire filling operation. However, this leads to an influencing of the weighing process, so that such constructions are not permitted according to German calibration regulations.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a drum filling device of the type mentioned at the outset, which allows a verifiable weighing operation while ensuring sufficient suction.

This object is achieved with the features of the characterizing part of claim 1 solved.

The drum filling device according to the invention has a suction device which is in the filling position of the device with its lower edge surrounding the suction opening at an all-round distance from the drum surface and the bunghole wall. This avoids any strain on the barrel during weighing. Since the edge of the suction opening is arranged at a short distance from the barrel surface and the bunghole wall, a labyrinthine throttling sealing effect results in this area, which largely limits the suction of air. In contrast to the known construction with suction funnel, in which considerable amounts of air are sucked in, air admixtures to the extracted gas are avoided as far as possible, so that the removal device connected downstream of the suction device is not overloaded by excessive amounts of gas.

The features of claim 2 are advantageously provided. Such a sensor, which is advantageously arranged directly on the suction device, determines the height distance of the suction device above the barrel surface and allows the maintenance of a small gap that sucks little foreign air between the edge of the suction opening and the barrel surface.

The features of claim 3 are also advantageously provided. In this way it is achieved that the bellows can be placed on the barrel surface in a completely sealing manner during the larger part of the filling process, but it only slightly loads the barrel, so that the final filling value can be at least approximately determined. Shortly before this end value is reached, the bellows is raised slightly so that it can now be loaded with its lower edge in the position according to the invention to stand freely above the barrel, whereby small amounts of extraneous air are only sucked in for a short time.

For larger filling systems, barrel filling devices are often used, which are equipped for filling different liquids. Interchangeable filling pipes are then advantageously provided, which are constantly connected to corresponding storage tanks and are kept ready next to the device and are to be fastened to a coupling device of the drum filling device for filling the corresponding liquid. In such devices, the features of claim 4 are advantageously provided. The suction device can be opened to change the filling tube at its longitudinal division and closed after inserting the new filling tube, which greatly facilitates the changing process.

Finally, the features of claim 5 are advantageously provided. The drip tray regularly provided in drum filling devices for dangerous liquids for collecting dripping liquid during the drum change is arranged here in such a way that it stands at a small gap under the suction opening of the suction device during the drum change. It is thus achieved that the suction device can remain switched on even during the barrel change without sucking in too large amounts of air.

• Fig. 1 eine erfindungsgemäße Faßfüllvorrichtung zur Überspiegelabfüllung,
• Fig. 2 einen Achsschnitt durch die Absaugeinrichtung der Faßfüllvorrichtung gemäß Fig. 1,
• Fig. 3 einen Ausschnitt in Darstellungsweise gemäß Fig. 1 einer Faßfüllvorrichtung für Unter­spiegelabfüllung,
• Fig. 4 eine Ansicht in Achsrichtung auf die Kupplungseinrichtung für das Füllrohr,
• Fig. 5 eine Ansicht in Achsrichtung auf die Absaugeinrichtung gemäß Fig. 2 und
• Fig. 6 die Seitenansicht einer Absaugeinrichtung in Ausführungsvariante mit Balg.

The invention is shown schematically, for example, in the drawings. Show it:

• 1 shows a barrel filling device according to the invention for filling over mirrors,
• 2 shows an axial section through the suction device of the barrel filling device according to FIG. 1,
• 3 shows a detail in the representation according to FIG. 1 of a barrel filling device for bottom mirror filling,
• 4 is a view in the axial direction of the coupling device for the filling pipe,
• 5 is a view in the axial direction of the suction device according to FIG. 2 and
• Fig. 6 is a side view of a suction device in a variant with bellows.

1 shows a side view of a complete drum filling device with a drum 1. This stands on the table 2 of a scale 3, onto which it was previously brought by hand or with devices (not shown) and aligned in the correct filling position.

A support column 4 is provided on the balance 3, which carries a lifting device 6 with an arm 5 in the preselected basic height setting. The lifting device 6 has a driver 7 which is height-adjustable in the direction of the arrow and which carries a coupling device 8, of which the upper end of a filling tube 9 is held interchangeably.

In the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, the filling tube 9 is designed for filling above-level mirrors. It is therefore only slightly sunk into the bung hole 10 of the barrel 1 shown with its bunghole wall 10 in the height position shown in FIG. 2, in order then to fill the barrel from above. When the filling is complete, the lifting device 6 disengages it from the barrel 1. Fig. 1 shows a filling tube 9 of conventional design, which is not a at its lower end 11 has a foot valve which is switched by a valve control 12 which is arranged at the upper end of the filling tube 9. Laterally, a connecting piece 13 for a filling hose 14 opens into the filling tube 9, through which liquid to be filled in the direction of the arrow is fed from a storage tank (not shown).

In this respect, the construction shown corresponds to the prior art, which also already has gas extraction devices which extract gases escaping in the area of the bunghole when filling.

In the construction according to the invention shown, a suction device 15 is provided, which is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 2 in an axial section. The suction device 15 is designed as a tubular housing which concentrically surrounds the filling tube 9 in the illustrated embodiment. At the upper end of the suction device 15, a seal 16 sealing against the filling pipe 9 is provided. The interior of the suction device 15 is vented via a pipe socket 17 and a suction hose 18, through which the extracted gases lead in the direction of the arrow to suction devices (not shown) and downstream treatment devices for the extracted gases, such as devices for returning them to the liquid storage tank, combustion devices or other removal devices.

The underside of the suction device 15 is open and forms the suction opening which draws gas from below with the edge 19. The edge 19, as shown in FIG. 2, is designed with a diameter which is somewhat larger than the outer diameter of the bunghole wall 10. In the in Fig. 2 shown position of the suction device 15 is the edge 19 at a low height above the surface che of the barrel 1 arranged. In this position, gas emerging from the barrel in the direction of arrow 20 is drawn in. In addition, secondary air is drawn in from the atmosphere in the direction of arrow 21. The sucked-in secondary air (arrow 21) is strongly throttled when it passes through the narrow gap between the edge 19 and the surface of the barrel on the one hand and through the annular channel between the inside of the suction device 15 and the outside of the bunghole wall 10. This ensures that only a relatively small amount of secondary air is sucked in, so that the subsequent gas treatment devices can be designed for low throughputs in a cost-saving manner.

Fig. 2 shows the suction device 15 in the height position above the barrel 1, which must be observed during the entire filling process. Care must be taken to ensure that this position is maintained exactly, since touching the barrel would disrupt the weighing and, on the other hand, enlargements of the gap with the resulting increase in the amount of secondary air sucked in should be avoided.

Therefore, a sensor 22 is arranged on the suction device 15, which is designed such that it determines the distance to the barrel surface in an inductive manner, for example. Depending on this, the lifting device 6 can be adjusted accordingly.

In a simple embodiment, the suction device 15 could be attached directly to the filling tube 9 at a fixed height in the illustrated altitude. In the figures, however, an embodiment is shown that is suitable for barrel filling devices with exchangeable filling tubes. With such devices, different liquids, in particular liquids which are chemically incompatible with one another, can alternate be filled on the same device. Several filling pipes then remain permanently connected to the associated tanks and are replaced on the device for filling.

For this purpose, the coupling device 8 holding the filling pipe 9 is longitudinally divided, as shown in FIG. 4. It has a hinge 23 on one side and clamping devices 24 on the other side, which are secured in the closed state with screws or the like. If the coupling device 8, as shown in FIG. 4, is open, the filling tube 9 can simply be removed and exchanged for another one. The coupling device 8 can also be designed in another way, for example in the form of a screw connection or the like.

This exchange could take place together with the suction device 15 attached to the filling pipe, which could then also lead to a corresponding disposal device for each liquid. In the illustrated embodiment, however, the suction device 15 is designed such that it remains on the filling device. To facilitate the replacement of the filler tube, it is designed in a manner similar to the coupling device 8 divided in the longitudinal direction, that is to say has two hinges 25 on the side facing the viewer and can thus be opened to remove the filler tube 9. The suction device can also be designed in a different way to replace the filler tube, for example, the hinges 25 being omitted. The two separable housing parts of the suction device can, for example, be plugged together or fastened by means of screws. The suction device 15 shown remains on the filling device and is with one arm 26 attached to the driver 7.

During filling breaks, especially when changing the barrel, 9 drops can fall down from the raised filling tube, which would have unpleasant consequences in the case of highly toxic liquids. For this purpose it is customary to arrange a drip tray under the raised filling tube.

In the embodiment shown, such a drip tray 27 is provided on a lateral movement device 28, which is attached to the lifting device 6 via an arm 29. The height of the drip tray 27, in which it is arranged to be laterally displaceable in the direction of the arrow, is selected such that after pulling up the suction device 15 into the upper end position, the drip tray 27 grips with the smallest possible height distance under the edge 19 of the suction device. Then the suction device can continue to run even during the barrel change and continue to suck off the vapors which are emitted by drops hanging from the filling tube. The narrow gap between the edge 19 of the suction device 15 and the drip tray 27 limits the intake secondary air.

The movements described in the above description of the barrel filling device shown can be controlled in the simplest case by hand. However, automatic control is preferable. A control unit 30 is provided for this purpose. This is electrically connected by lines 31 to 35 to the scales 3, the lateral movement device 28 for the drip tray 27, to the sensor 22 for determining the height of the suction device 15 above the barrel 1, to the lifting device 6 and to the valve control 12 of the filling pipe 9. It controls the processes as follows:

First, the scale 3 carries out an empty weighing when the drum is empty. Then the lifting device 6 is actuated in order to deposit the filling pipe 9 and the suction device 15 down to the barrel. Now the sensor 22 determines the altitude above the barrel and the lifting device 6 is controlled accordingly in order to move to a lifting position according to FIG. 2. The valve controller 12 is then actuated to open the valve.

It is now filled until the scale 3 reports that the filling weight has been reached. Then the valve control 12 is actuated to close the valve, the lifting device 6 moves the filling tube and the suction device upwards, to a position coordinated with the height of the drop tray 27 and then by appropriately activating the lateral movement device 28 under the edge 19 Suction device 15 moves. Then the filled one can be changed to an empty one for a new filling cycle.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment variant of the barrel filling device shown in FIG. 1, in which only the parts necessary for the description of the embodiment variant are shown in a detail. Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2.

1 with the only difference that it is not equipped for over-mirror filling, but for under-mirror filling. The filling tube 9 'must be moved in height during the filling process and immersed considerably deeper into the barrel. During the filling process, the lower end 11 of the filling tube should 9 'range constantly below the respective fill level. This ensures that filling is carried out more smoothly and without splashing, which is particularly necessary in the case of strongly foaming liquids. The filling tube should not stand still during the filling process, but rather be pulled up with increasing filling level in order to limit its external wetting by the liquid to be filled to a height range of a few centimeters. The suction device 15 'should be fixed in height during the filling process.

For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 3, a further lifting device 36 is arranged on the driver 7 of the lifting device 6, which carries the suction device 15 via the arm 26, which in turn has a height-controlled driver 37, the coupling device 8 for the upper end of the filling pipe 9 'Carries, which is naturally much longer in this case, but otherwise identical to the filling tube 9 shown in Fig. 1 is formed.

The height of the suction device 15 is thus controlled as in the embodiment of FIG. 1 by the lifting device 6, while independently of it with the lifting device 36 the filling tube 9 'can be moved in height.

The suction device 15 is essentially unchanged in the same way as the construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the only difference that the ring seal 16 for sealing the suction device 15 on the filling pipe is to be designed as a sliding seal in this case.

The control unit 30 'is largely identical to the control unit 30 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. It only assigns another control line 38 for the additional lifting device 36.

Fig. 6 shows a variant of the suction device, which can be provided on one of the embodiments of Fig. 1 or 3.

The suction device 15˝, which is otherwise identical to that in the previously described embodiment, has at its lower end a flange 41 on which a downward-pointing rubber bellows 39 is fastened. This is designed to be highly flexible if possible and forms the suction opening of the suction device 15 Saug with its lower edge 40.

The height control of the suction device 15˝, which is held by the arm 26, is carried out in a manner corresponding to that in the above-described embodiments. However, a variant is used for the control. First, the suction device 15˝ is lowered to the barrel 1, so that the edge 40 of the bellows 39 rests completely sealingly on the barrel surface during filling.

This position is maintained during the filling process. The scales are slightly loaded by the resilient bellows 39 without significantly interfering with the weighing. Shortly before reaching the final filling, the suction device 15˝ is raised slightly, namely to the height position II of the edge 40 shown with the broken line. Now the barrel is completely unloaded and can be filled to the final filling in fine weighing. The edge 40 is now in a position in relation to the surface of the barrel 1 and the bunghole wall 10 which corresponds to that of the edge 19 (see FIG. 2). Secondary air is now drawn in, but in a throttled manner. Then it can be lifted as with the previous ones described embodiments.

In this embodiment of FIG. 6, suction is carried out with light secondary air in the time range of the final filling with a completely unloaded drum, but completely sealed with the bellows during the longer period of the filling, so that overall less secondary air is produced than in the previously described embodiments. The suction device 15˝ can also be designed in a split manner for changing the filling tube 9, for which purpose the bellows 39 is also designed to be separable or, if appropriate, easily removable.

Claims (5)

1. drum filling device with a weighing monitor and a arranged in the area of the bung hole, the filling pipe with its suction opening overlapping suction device, characterized in that the suction device (15, 15 ', 15˝) in the filling position (Fig. 2) of the device such it is arranged that the edge (19, 40) surrounding the suction opening at a small height above the surface of the barrel (1) comprises its bunghole wall (10) with a small lateral distance. 2. Faßfüllvorrichtung according to claim 1, characterized in that the suction device (15 ', 15 15˝) is supported by a lifting device (6), the determining of a the vertical distance of the suction device above the surface of the barrel (1) Sensor (22 ) is controlled. 3. Drum filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction opening (edge 40) is formed on a height-elastic bellows (39) projecting downward from the suction device (15˝), the lifting device (6) depending on the scale control ( 30) is operated in such a way that the bellows is slightly lifted when the final filling value of the drum (1) is reached, but before that it rests on the drum surface. 4. Faßfüllvorrichtung according to any one of the preceding claims with replaceable stuffing horns, characterized in that the suction device (15, 15 ', 15˝) with lockable longitudinal pitch (hinges 25) is provided. 5. Drum filling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a height of the suction device (15, 15 ', 15˝) raised laterally under this at a small gap distance to the edge (19, 40) of the suction opening when the drum (1) is raised Drip tray (27) is provided.

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