Device for Filling Sandbags and the like

This invention relates to a device for filling sandbags and the like.

Sandbags are widely used for many applications, such as flood defences and in military installations. Sandbags are generally supplied empty, with the bags having to be filled with sand prior to use. It will be appreciated that sandbags often need to be filled quickly.

Devices for use in filling sandbags are well known. Once such device comprises an upwardly-facing funnel portion having a wide inlet at its top and a narrow outlet at its bottom. The funnel portion is supported on legs and, in use, a bag to be filled is attached to the outlet, such that sand loaded or shovelled into the funnel portion falls into the bag.

The disadvantage of such devices are that the process of attaching and detaching the bags is time consuming and this, when combined with the additional time taken to load the sand into the funnel portion makes the whole filling process lengthy.

We have now devised a device for filling sandbags and the like which alleviates the above-mentioned problem.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for filling sandbags and the like, the device comprising a funnel portion having a wide inlet at its upper end and one or more sidewalls which converge downwardly to a narrow outlet at its lower end, the device further comprising means for supporting the funnel portion above the ground and a carriage portion mounted below the outlet, wherein the carriage portion comprises a plurality of locations for attaching respective sandbags and for holding said sandbags open, the carriage portion being displaceable to cause a selected location thereon to register with said outlet of the funnel portion.

In use, a sandbag is attached to the carriage portion, whereupon the carriage portion is displaced to cause the mouth of the sandbag to register with the outlet of the funnel portion. Whilst the bag is being filled another bag can be attached to another location on the carriage portion, so that the empty bag can immediately be moved into position once the first bag has been filled. The full bag can then be removed and

another bag fitted whilst a second bag is being filled. It will be appreciated that this process is far more expedient than that using known devices.

The carriage portion may comprise two or more locations. In one embodiment, the locations are arranged in a circle, the carriage portion being rotatable to cause a selected location to register with the outlet.

In a preferred embodiment, the locations are arranged in line, the carriage portion being slidable to cause a selected location to register with the outlet.

Preferably the carriage portion is displaceably mounted relative to the outlet by a mechanism which is disposed above the level of the outlet, so as to prevent sand or other particulate matter from contaminating the mechanism as it falls through the outlet.

Preferably the carriage portion comprises a handle for displacing the carriage portion relative to said outlet.

Preferably the carriage portion comprises wheels or rollers which engage a transverse rail of the device. Preferably the wheels or rollers are constrained against the rail by a further rail which extends parallel thereto, said further rail preferably being removable to allow the carriage portion to be detached from the device.

Preferably each location comprises oppositely-directed hook means disposed on opposite sides of an opening, the hook means being arranged to engage the neck of the bag.

Preferably one of the hook means comprises a plate which extends transversely of the opening. In use, one side of the bag can be hooked over the plate.

Preferably one of the hook means comprises a pair of pointed projections disposed on the line which extends transversely of the opening. In use, the other side of the bag can be engaged with the carriage portion by piercing the bag with the projections. ^"

Preferably the supporting means comprise legs. Preferably the legs are collapsible, preferably by means of joints which allow the legs to articulate intermediate their opposite ends.

Preferably the legs are arranged to articulate inwardly.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of an example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sandbag filling device in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line H-Il of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a carriage portion of the device of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a device for filling sandbags and the like comprising a square or rectangular frame 10, which is supported at its respective corners by depending legs 11. The legs 11 comprise a joint 12 intermediate their opposite ends, which allow the legs to be folded inwardly when not in use.

A plurality of generally triangular-shaped plates 14 are fixed along their upper edges to respective crossbars of the frame 10. The plates converge inwardly towards their lower end to define a funnel portion 13 having a narrow outlet 15 at its lower end. The sides of the plate 14 are welded together.

A carriage portion 16 comprises a pair of parallel elongate side portion 17, which are interconnected at their opposite ends and at points intermediate their opposite ends by cross portions 18 to define two openings 19 at respective opposite ends thereof.

An elongate hook plate 20 is welded along a longitudinal side edge thereof to the outer face of the inner cross portion 18 bounding each opening 19, the plate 20 curving outwardly and upwardly. A pair of upwardly-turned spikes 21 are welded to

the outer face of the end cross portion 18 bounding each opening 19, the spikes 21 being disposed adjacent perspective opposite ends of the cross portion 18. A U- shaped handle 22 extends outwardly from each opposite end wall 18.

A pair of axles 23 extend perpendicularly outwardly from each side wall 17 at opposite ends thereof. The axles 23 are cranked upwardly intermediate their opposite ends, so that the distal end thereof lie in a plane above the plane of the upper surface of the openings 19. A wheel 24 is mounted to the distal end of each axle 23. The wheels 24 have a concave circumferential surface, as shown in Figure 2.

The wheels 24 seat on respective cross portions 25 extending between respective ones of opposite pairs of legs 11. The upper surface of the cross portions 25 are preferably convex in shape to conform with the circumferential shape of the wheels 24. The upper surface of the cross portions 25 are positioned above the level of the outlet 15 of the funnel portion 13, so as to position the wheels 24 and the surface of the cross portions 25 at a point where they cannot be contaminated by sand falling through the outlet 15. The wheels 24 on each cross portion are constrained in position by an upper cross portion 26, which extends parallel to the cross portion 25. The upper cross portion 26 can be removed to allow the carriage portion 16 to be detached from the device.

The carriage portion 16 is thus free to slide in a direction D between a first position, in which one of the openings 19 is located below the outlet 15 and a second position, in which the other opening 19 is located below the outlet 15.

In use, the neck of a sandbag is hooked over the hooked plate 19 associated with one opening 19, the other side of the neck of the sandbag is then engaged with the spikes 21 on the other side of the opening 19. The carriage portion 16 is then slid to cause the neck of the bag to register with the outlet 15.

Sand is then loaded or shovelled into the funnel portion 13, so that it falls through the outlet 15 into the sandbag. Whilst the sandbag is being filled, another sandbag can be engaged with the other outwardly-disposed opening 19. Once filled, the carriage portion 16 can be slid to cause the empty sandbag to be positioned under the outlet

15, where it can be filled in the above-mentioned manner. Whilst the second sandbag is being filled, the first sandbag can be detached and a new sandbag fitted in its place.

It will be appreciated that the time taken for the sandbag filling process is merely determined by how quickly sand can be loaded or shovelled into the funnel portion 13, since the fitting and the removal of the sandbags can be carried out simultaneously. The process is thus much faster than conventional methods.

When not in use, the legs 11 can be folded inwardly to lie under the funnel portion 13, thereby forming a compact arrangement which is easily stored and transported.