Bag-like containers, in particular big-bags, are used to collect and transport material. When wholly filled, big-bags can weigh about 1500 kg and have dimensions of for instance 90x90x110 cm.

Such big-bags are used in the building trade, for instance in the sorting of dirt, the disposal and delivery of construction materials, sand, bricks and are used particularly in small spaces where a stationary container cannot stand. Gardeners also use such big-bags, for instance for delivering sand and stones, and often to dispose of garden soil. Demolition contractors use big- bags for sorting of demolished materials in small spaces and big-bags are especially useful on demolition sites where there is little space for stationary containers.

A problem with such big-bags is however that when they are fully filled they are difficult to handle.

An object of the present invention is to obviate this problem.

According to a first aspect of the present invention an assembly is provided as according to claim 1. Big-bags can thus be filled and supported very easily using the present invention.

Further details and features of the assembly are stated in the claims 2-lys.

According to another aspect of the present invention a method is provided as according to claim 17.

According to a third aspect of the present invention the use of the assembly is provided as according to claims 18 and 19.

A further aspect of the invention is related to devices for use in combination with the assembly, according to claims 20 and 21.

Asbestos is usually removed from buildings using small bags with double walls. About 35 of these bags often have the same volume as one big-bag.

Using the present invention in the removal of asbestos in particular, there is a very low asbestos emission and the asbestos does not have to be broken into small pieces in order to be collected. The danger of release of asbestos is thus reduced and the related costs are low.

The invention will now be described on the basis of the following description which makes reference to the following figures ; - figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention, - figure 2 shows the embodiment of figure 1 with a big-bag suspended therein, - figure 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the assembly of the present invention, - figure 4 shows a top view of the embodiment of figure 3 in the folded-out position of use, - figure 5 shows a top view of the embodiment of figures 3 and 4 in a folded-up storage position, - figure 6 is a perspective view of a pouring chute according to the present invention.

- figure 7 shows a second preferred embodiment of the invention according to the present invention in perspective, and - figure 8 shows a partially cut away view of a big bag pallet support and suspending means according to the present invention.

An assembly 1 in figure 1 has four upright frame elements 2, 4, 6 and 8. The front upright frame elements 2 and 4 are provided with front wheels 10 on a bottom end thereof. These frame elements 2, 4 are connected at the bottom by means of a lying connecting

frame piece 12. Two lower frame side pieces 14 extend slightly upward from connecting piece 12 and are welded to the hollow rear frame parts 6 and 8. The inside of the two rear frame parts 6 and 8 is provided with a screw thread (not shown) which corresponds with a screw thread 16 arranged on two rotatable rear rods 18 which extend through rear frame parts 6 and 8.

Two swivel castors 20 are mounted on the underside of these rods 18.

These rotatable rear rods 18 are stabilized on the upper end thereof by two ring sleeves 22, through which rings 22 the rear rods 18 extend. Handles 24 are arranged on the top end of these rods 18.

An upper frame part 26 connects the two ring sleeves 22.

Two side frame parts 28 extend to front frame parts 2 and 4 and are connected thereto.

A front upper frame part 30 extends between the two front frame parts 2 and 4 and is connected thereto.

This front upper frame part 30 and the rear upper frame part 26 are provided respectively with two upward turned hooks 32,34, and two hand-grips 36 are arranged at the top of the two upright front frame parts 2 and 4 respectively.

A pivotable rod (not shown) with a handle arranged thereon can also be mounted on the lower connecting piece 12.

During use a big-bag B (figure 2) is suspended inside the assembly 1 from hooks 32 and 34 by means of loops L. In this situation the mouth M of big-bag B is held open, whereby filling of the big-bag is facilitated, since this mouth does not first have to be opened before filling thereof.

When the big-bag has been wholly filled, assembly 1 can be displaced simply by means of pulling and/or pushing on for instance hand-grips 36.

In order to increase the flexibility of displacement of assembly 1, swivel castors 20 can, if

desired, be rotated upward about 30 cm away from contact with the ground by operating handles 24, whereafter assembly 1 can be displaced easily by exerting a force on the rod and handle (not shown) pivotally connected to connecting piece 12.

A second embodiment of assembly 40 according to the present invention has a front frame 42, a rear frame 44 and two side frames 46 respectively 48 (figure 3).

Frames 42-48 each have in front view roughly the form of a truncated rectangle. It will be apparent that the frames can have other forms, such as a rectangle. Each of the frames 42-48 has an upper frame part 50-56, a lower frame part 58-64, two upright side frame parts 66-80 and two side parts 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 91, 92 and 94 tapering downward and extending between the upright side frame parts and the lower frame parts.

Bars 95 extend between the upper frame parts and the lower frame parts in order to strengthen the frames. In an embodiment which is not shown, perspex sheets can be mounted in frames 42-48 to further protect the big-bags and to further limit the diffusion of for instance asbestos.

The front and rear upright side frame parts 70, 72, 78 and 80 of front frame 42 respectively rear frame 44 are hollow. Up and downward displaceable swivel castors 96-102 are arranged in hollow rods 104-110, which rods are in turn mounted inside the hollow side frame parts.

Swivel castors 96-102 are displaceable up and downward by means of operating rotatable handles 112-118 which extend between the hollow rods 104-110 to control the up and downward displacement of the swivel castors.

Four upright rods 120 are arranged in the top of hollow side frame parts 70, 72, 78 and 80. These rods 120 are provided with a series of fastening holes 122 which correspond with fastening pins 124 which extend through an opening in side frame parts 70, 72, 78 and 80 in order to fasten these rods 120 at a predetermined height

in these side frame parts. These upright rods 120 are provided with a U-shaped engaging piece 126 on the top end thereof.

A pivotable pull rod 128 is mounted on the lower frame part 60 of front frame 42 and is provided with a hand-grip 130 on the front end thereof.

Side frame 50 is provided with four fixing ears 140-146 extending from the inner side of upright side frame parts 66 respectively 68. Fixing ears 140 and 144 correspond with fixing ears 148 and 150 which extend from the upright side frame part 70 of front frame 42. These corresponding fixing ears 140 and 148 are mutually coupled by means of fastening pins 151, see also figure 4.

The upper frame part 52 of front frame 42 is provided on side frame part 72 with two other fixing ears 152 which are mounted on the other side of frame part 52 relative to fixing ears 140, 144. These fixing ears 152, wherein only one is shown in figure 4, correspond with protruding fixing ears 154 extending from side frame 46.

These ears 152 respectively 154 are also pivotally coupled to a fastening pin 151.

Arranged on the other end of upper side frame part 54 of side frame 46 are two fixing ears 156 which are also arranged on the same side of side frame 46 as ears 154.

These fixing ears 156 of side frame 46 are also coupled by means of a pin 151 to two elongate fixing fingers 158 of rear frame 44 which are placed one slightly above the other. On the other end of rear frame 44 two fixing ears 160 are arranged one above the other which extend from upright side frame part 80 in opposing direction relative to fixing fingers 158 ; they correspond with fixing ears 142 and 146 of side frame 48. These ears are also coupled hingedly to each other by means of the releasable pins 151.

During use a big-bag (not shown) is suspended from the U-grips 126 so that the body of the big-bag

hangs inside assembly 40 through an opening O which is bounded by upper frame parts 50-56. While a big-bag is being filled the swivel castors 96-102 can be rotated fully upward so that the underlying frame parts 58-64 of the assembly come into direct contact with the ground.

This ensures that during filling the displacement of assembly 40 is limited to a minimum and the stability of the assembly is high.

In order to enable handling of different sizes of big-bag, the up and downward displaceable rods 120 are set to a predetermined height.

A pouring chute device 170 (figure 6) has a circular frame piece 172 under which four legs 174 extend to a quadrangular lower frame 176. Legs 174 and lower frame 176 are connected by means of hollow cube-like coupling pieces 178 which can be coupled to the U-shaped pieces 126 of rods 120.

A downward tapering pouring chute 180 is arranged under circular frame piece 172. During use this pouring chute device 170 is coupled to frame assembly 40.

Such a pouring chute makes it exceptionally easy to fill a big-bag with material which must be removed from for instance ceilings and roofs, for instance from asbestos ceilings, without this resulting in diffusion of the material for removal.

When not in use, assembly 40 can be folded up into a collapsed storage position in order to save space, as shown in figure 5.

A second assembly 200 according to the present invention comprises a rear open upstanding square frame section 202, a first open side upstanding square frame part 204 and a second open side upstanding square frame part 206.

Upper lying connecting pieces 208,210 of the side frames 204,206 respectively extend between the rear frame 202 and front upstanding frame parts 212 and 214 of the side frames 204 and 206 respectively.

A hingeable bar 216 extends transversely between the side frame parts 206,204, between the upstanding front frame parts 212 and 214 respectively.

The upstanding frame parts 212,214 and the lying hingeable bar 216 form a front opening 218 of the assembly 200 through which a big bag 218 can pass when lying either on the ground or on a pallet P.

The upper lying upper frame parts 210 and 208 and lower lying frame parts 220,222 are attached at the rear ends thereof to two rear hollow upstanding supports 224,225 respectively to which the rear frame 202 is attached.

Four pivotable wheels are arranged in the upstanding support columns 212,214, 225 and 224.

Two vertically displaceable bearing poles 226, 228 are mounted in the rear hollow supports 224,225.

At an upper edge of said poles 226,228, a roller 230 is mounted between two upstanding lip parts 232.

A downwardly turned hook element 234 is arranged on an upper part of the hollow supports 224,225 on the opposite side thereof to the lying frame parts 210 and 208.

The poles 226 and 228 are vertically displaceable in the hollow supports 224 and 225, the rear sides of which are open (not shown), by means of a pulley mechanism 236. The pulley mechanism 236 comprises a rotatable handle 238 continuous with a rotatable bar 240 which is mounted in two cylinder wheels 242,244 which are in turn fixed to the hollow supports 224,225 by means of side plates 246.

A length of cord 250 extends around the cylinder wheels 242,244, and up and around a pulley 248 mounted on supports 224,225 which cord 250 is connected to the poles 226,228.

On rotation of the handle 238, the bar axle 240 is in turn rotated whereby either the cords 250 are tightened or loosened, whereby in the former case, the

support poles 226,228 are upwardly displaced and whereby in the latter case the poles 226,228 are downwardly displaced.

A locking pin 252 mounted on the side plates 246 forms a ratchet lock with a ratchet 254 arranged adjacent the side plates 246 on the opposite side of the wheels 242,244 and 240 enables the poles 226 and 228 to be locked in a raised or lowered position.

In use, the bar 216 can be released and opened, whereafter the assembly 200 can be pushed over a big bag, either resting on the floor or on a pallet.

Once situated within the assembly, the rear corner cords of the big bag can be lifted up and over the pin rollers 230 of the rear support poles 226,228 and hooked around the hooks 234 in order to secure the big bag within the assembly 200.

Front cords of the big bag are hooked around support hooks (not shown), depending from the front bar 216.

In this position, the mouth of the big bag is kept open, and is available for receipt of waste material.

In a not shown embodiment, the rear and side frames of the assembly 200 can be closed by means of panels, in order to reduce bulging of the big bag during filling thereof, whereby, when being transported by means of the assembly, the chance that the loaded big bag can be split open, by means of catching onto protruding objects is greatly decreased.

Furthermore when being loaded, the big bag can remain on the ground.

When loaded to requirements, the handle 238 can be rotated, whereby the poles 226 and 228 are upwardly displaced which in turn causes the big bag to be upwardly displaced, so that it no longer contacts the ground.

In this situation the assembly plus big bag can be displaced or, for example a pallet can be placed under the loaded big bag, which, after downward displacement of

the poles 228 and 226 in order to release the cords of the big bag, the big bag can be removed by a forklift truck for example.

It will be obvious that the displacement mechanism 236 can also be automatic, for example comprising a hydraulic system.

The assembly, in a preferred embodiment, may also comprise a pallet fork device 250 (see figure 8).

This device 250 comprises two L-shaped forks 252,254 which are joined at an upper extremity thereof by a lying bar 256.

Prongs 258,260 of the forks 252,254 are hollow and house a spring coil 262 fixed internally to an elbow of the forks, said coil 262 which is continuous with support straps 264.

The straps 264 are connected to the coils 262 by means of an internal connecting pin 266 which also functions as a stop which abuts against an inner periphery of an opening 267 arranged in the front of the prongs 260.

The bar 256 is provided with a slot 268 extending therethrough through which a gripping mechanism for example of a fork lift truck can be extended in order to displace the device 250.

Furthermore, in a not shown embodiment, the forks can be releasably securable to the front bar, by means of a securing pin assembly which cooperate with the slot 268 of the bar 256. In this not shown embodiment, the distance between the forks is adjustable, whereby the forks can be secured to the bar at the desired distance therebetween, in order to cater for different sized pallets.

At each end thereof, the lying bar 256 is provided with a loop 270.

The straps 264 are also provided at the outer ends thereof with loops 272. As shown in figure 8, the loops 270,272 can either be hooked onto a hooking mechanism 274 or else, the loops 272,270 may be hooked

onto the hooks 234 and the non shown hooks associated with the bar 216 of the assembly 200.

The hooking mechanism 274 consists of a single central link 276 through which two further links 278 are passed whereby in each of these links 278 two further bars 280 are attached by means of links 282 associated thereon.

At the other end thereof, the bars 280 are associated with hooks 284 which pass through the loops 272,270 respectively, and which are joined to said hooks 284 by means of loops 286.

In use, the prongs 260,252 can be inserted through a pallet P, in which position the straps 264 are fully withdrawn into the prongs 260 by means of the coils 262. After being inserted through a pallet, the straps 264 can be withdrawn and either hooked up with a hooking mechanism 274 or over the rollers 230 and onto the hooks 234 of the assembly 200, when the assembly is driven over the pallet on which a big bag is supported (not shown) through which the prongs 260 extend. In such a position (not shown) the big bag can be filled.

When sufficiently filled, again the handle 238 can be rotated whereby the straps 264 and the pallet arranged thereon and the prongs are lifted from the ground. In this position, the mechanism 200 can be displaced to, for example, an area whereby the big bag and pallet can be lowered, the straps 264 released from the hooks 234 whereafter the fork device 250 plus the pallet and big bag arranged thereon can be removed by fork lift truck for example.

Alternatively, the hooking mechanism 274 can be hooked directly onto the big bag whereby the big bag can be raised up out of the mechanism 200 and stored away on raised shelves in a warehouse.

Alternatively, the big bag pallet fork assembly 250 and hooking mechanism 274 can also be lifted as a whole and stored away after the assembly 200 has been removed therefrom.

The invention is not limited to the above description ; the requested rights are rather determined by the following claims.