Portable sand bag hopper

• US 7,954,520 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James Michael England
• Original Assignee: James Michael England
• Inventors: England, James Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust; Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US12/233,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20100071806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 141/10, 141/114, 141/301, 141314-316, 141/391, 248 99-101
• US Class Current: 141/114
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/36 by volumetric devices or methods checking volume of filled material B65B1/48
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 67/12 Sack holders, i.e. stands or frames with means for supporting sacks in the open condition to facilitate filling with articles or materials nozzles, funnels or guides adapted to support sacks B65B39/06

Abstract

A highly portable sand bag hopper has the shape of a cabinet with the front open. The flat, solid top of the cabinet has a loading opening for loading sand into a lower cone. A horizontal sliding door located near the lower, smaller tapered end of the cone opens and closes the lower discharge opening by pulling a spring-loaded lever arm. The upper part of the cone is loaded with sand at a predetermined level to discharge discreet amounts of sand. A seal may be located around the lower opening to sweep sand or debris from the top of the discharge door.

Claims

1. A portable sandbag hopper for filling sand bags at a remote location, comprising:

(a) An essentially rectangular cabinet having an open front and essentially vertical sides and back connected to a solid essentially horizontal top, said top having an essentially circular opening adapted to receive the upper, larger part of a loading cone;

(b) A loading cone inside of said cabinet wherein the upper, larger part of said cone is attached to said upper top opening, the lower, smaller tapered part of said cone having a discharge hole wherein said lower part of said cone further comprises a frustro-conical discharge piece with a central hole therein having a door slot cut therefrom adapted to receive the semi-circular end of a discharge door;

(c) A horizontal, slidable flat discharge door having a rectangular end and a semi-circular end located in the lower part of said cone, wherein said semi-circular end of said door is adapted to slide into said door slot and wherein said door is adapted to slide to open or close the lower discharge hole;

(d) A hand-operated discharge lever pivotably connected to one side of said cabinet, connected to said discharge door and biased towards the closed position by a spring;

(e) A circular seal next to the upper surface of said discharge door to sweep sand or other debris from the upper surface of said discharge door;

wherein when a workman manually pulls said discharge lever towards the back of said cabinet said lever opens said discharge door and allows sand to be discharged from said loading cone;

wherein said portable hopper may be manually operated by hand at remote emergency locations.

2. A portable sand bag hopper as in claim 1, wherein said seal on top of said slidable door comprises a brush-type seal attached around the inner circumference of said frustro-conical discharge piece.

3. A portable sandbag hopper as in claim 1, further comprises left and right discharge door tracks attached between one side of said cabinet and the lower part of said loading cone, each track having a track slot, adapted to receive said discharge door.

4. A portable sandbag hopper as in claim 1, further comprising a level marking located on the inside of said loading cone whereby a measured, pre-set and discrete amount of sand may be discharged into a sandbag.