Sand bag filling apparatus

• US 4,044,921 A
• Filed: 04/12/1976
• Issued: 08/30/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Warren R. Caverly
• Original Assignee: Warren R. Caverly
• Inventors: Caverly, Warren R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lane, Hadd
• Application Number:
  US05/675,800
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 222/533, 222/226, 222/227, 222/238, 222/63, 222/74, 222/415, 141/391, 198/54, 198/57, 198/58, 198/533, 198/547
• US Class Current: 222/74
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 88/68 using rotating devices

Abstract

An improved sand bag filling apparatus comprising a hopper having rotatable longitudinal members with radially extending arm members that fluff the sand in the hopper as the longitudinal members are rotated. A powered conveyor belt receives sand from the hopper and moves the sand to a conveyor discharge end whereat is disposed a bag chute. The bag chute has a pivotable nozzle that cooperates with a switch to actuate the conveyor belt when the dispensing nozzle is pivoted in a sand delivery direction.

Claims

1. An apparatus for receiving bulk sand and for bagging the sand, comprising:

a frame assembly;

a hopper assembly supported by the frame assembly and comprising a hopper having a discharge opening, the hopper assembly being further characterized as comprising agitating means for imparting lifting energy to the sand contained in the hopper, the agitating means being characterized as comprising;

a first longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the first longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm member as the longitudinal member is rotated;

a second longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper in generally parallel relationship to the first longitudinal member;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the second longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm members as the second longitudinal member is rotated, the arm members of the second longitudinal member meshingly cooperating with the arm members of the first longitudinal member;

a third longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper in generally parallel relationship to the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the third longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm members as the third longitudinal member is rotated, the arm members of the third longitudinal member meshingly cooperating with the arm members of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member; and

rotating means for rotating the first longitudinal member, the second longitudinal member, and the third longitudinal member;

a conveyor assembly supported by the frame assembly comprising a conveyor belt disposed spatially in sand receiving relationship to the discharge opening;

power means connected to the conveyor assembly for selectively powering the conveyor belt in an actuated mode;

a bag chute supported by the frame assembly and disposed spatially in sand receiving relationship to the conveyor belt; and

actuating means for selectively actuating the power means to transmit driving power to the conveyor belt.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bag chute is characterized as having a sand discharge opening and the actuating means is further characterized as comprising:

a dispensing nozzle pivotally supported on the bag chute in sand receiving relationship to the discharge opening thereof, the dispensing nozzle being pivotal in a sand delivery direction and in a sand non-delivery direction;

switch means having an on position and an off position, the switch means actuating the power means to power the conveyor belt when positioned in the on position and the conveyor belt being stopped when the switch means is in off position, the switch means being positioned in the on position when the dispensing nozzle is pivoted in the sand delivery direction and the switch means being positioned in the off position when the dispensing nozzle is pivoted in the sand non-delivery direction;

bias means for rotating the dispensing nozzle in the sand non-delivery direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the hopper has a sand receiving opening and the apparatus is further characterized as comprising:

a screen pivotally attached to the hopper and selectively disposable in a screening mode and in a dumping mode, the screen being positioned over the sand receiving opening in the screening mode and alternately, the screen being positioned removed from the sand receiving opening in the dumping mode wherein the screen is cleared of non-passing material.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

powered platform means supporting the frame assembly for selectively moving the apparatus to a selected sand bagging site.

5. An apparatus for filling bags with sand, comprising:

a frame;

a hopper having a sand receiving opening and a sand discharging opening;

agitating means for imparting lifting energy to the sand in the hopper whereby the sand is placed into a fluffed condition;

a conveyor belt supported by the frame and disposed spatially in sand receiving relationship to the hopper discharge opening, the conveyor belt movable to deliver sand received from the hopper to a conveyor discharge end;

power means connected to the conveyor belt to selectively power the conveyor belt whereupon sand on the conveyor belt is delivered to the conveyor discharge end;

a bag chute supported by the frame and disposed to receive sand delivered by the conveyor belt to the conveyor discharge end thereof, the bag chute having a discharge opening;

a dispensing nozzle pivotally supported on the bag chute in sand receiving relationship to the discharge opening thereof, the dispensing nozzle being pivotal in a delivery direction and in a non-delivery direction;

switch means actuated by the pivoting of the dispensing nozzle for actuating the power means to power the conveyor belt whereby the conveyor belt is powered when the dispensing nozzle is pivoted in the delivery direction and the conveyor belt is stopped when the dispensing nozzle is pivoted in the non-delivery direction; and

bias means for rotating the dispensing nozzle in the non-delivery direction.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the agitating means is characterized as comprising:

a first longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the first longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm members as the longitudinal member is rotated;

rotating means for rotating the first longitudinal member.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the agitating means is further characterized as comprising:

a second longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper in generally parallel relationship to the first longitudinal member;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the second longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm members as the second longitudinal member is rotated, the arm members of the second longitudinal member meshingly cooperating with the arm members of the first longitudinal member;

a third longitudinal member journally supported in the hopper in generally parallel relationship to the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member;

a plurality of radially extending arm members connected to the third longitudinal member in a spatial pattern wherein the sand is caused to be fluffed by the arm members as the third longitudinal member is rotated, the arm members of the third longitudinal member meshingly cooperating with the arm members of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member; and

,

the rotating means is further characterized as rotating the second and third longitudinal member.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

powered platform means supporting the frame for moving the apparatus to a selected sand bagging site.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 further characterized as comprising:

a screen supported by the hopper over the sand receiving opening thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

powered platform means supporting the frame for moving the apparatus to a selected sand bagging site.