The invention relates to material handling apparatus, for example such apparatus as is used to hold, transport transfer and generally handle material such as a flowable particulate material. Such material that which might be used in the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, or wherever paniculate material is used.

Such material is often held, used or transported in intermediate bulk containers, silos or the like.

Such containers generally have an outlet which is obturatable by a raisable valve, generally conical or frusto-conical which is raisable by an actuator means comprising a bellows. There is a vibrator to vibrate the valve to obviate bridging or rat-holing and promote a smooth flow of material round the whole of the perimeter of the valve through the annulus formed between the valve and an outlet throat of the container on lifting.

Such apparatus requires a seal to prevent material contacting the actuator means. Such a seal has therefore to be both flexible and strong, and operative in both raised and lowered operative positions of the valve.

According to the invention there is provided material handling apparatus for handling flowable material, comprising a container, an outlet to the container and a valve means raisable and lowerable by actuating means to open a flow path for the material between the valve means and an outlet of the container, and seal means, which is operative to seal the actuating means against contact with material on movement of the valve means between open and closed positions, and vice versa.

The seal means may be flexible, preferably comprising an inert woven material. This is relatively inexpensive, yet efficient.

The seal means may have a frusto-conical configuration. This provides for ease of fixing.

The valve means may be raisable and lowerable by a probe device, and the seal means may be secured to the probe device. This provides for ease of construction, particularly where the seal means may be clamped to the probe device.

There may be an upper (in use) edge of the seal means secured to the probe means by a peripheral edge and a lower (in use) edge of the seal means may be secured to a mounting means of the actuating means by a respective peripheral edge.

An edge of the seal means may comprise a pocket for receiving an edge of the probe device.

The seal means may be of substantially Z-shape in cross -section.

The seal means may be invertible.

The woven cloth material may comprise a woven material such as Kevlar (Registered Trade Mark).

Apparatus embodying the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of apparatus according to the invention:

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged sectional view of a mounting arrangement; and

Fig. 3 shows an enlarged sectional view of a further mounting arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows apparatus 1 for handling flowable material, such as a powder, particulate material and the like, with on the left hand side (as viewed) an outlet valve 2 in a first or closed position and on the right hand side (as viewed) the valve 2 being shown in a second or open position. The outlet valve 2 in the embodiment is a conical or frusto-conical member.

The valve 2 is lifted on a probe device 3 , of complementary configuration to the underside thereof, which is machined as a one piece metal unit and which is raisable and lowerable by an actuator in the form of a pneumatic bellows 4 which acts on a beam 5 which supports the probe 3 via isolators 6 such as rubber bushes.

There is a vibrator 7 such as an air driven vibrator secured to the underside of the probe 3.

The apparatus 1 comprises a container, silo, or intermediate bulk container 1 ' which houses the valve 2, probe 3, bellows 4, beam 5 , isolators 6 and vibrator 7.

In order to ensure that material flowing through an annular outlet 14 from the container 1 ' in the raised position of the valve 2, to a station 8, does not come into contact with the mechanism 4, 5. 6. 7, there is a seal means 9 comϋrisins

an invertible frusto-conical, flexible seal in the embodiment made of Kevlar (Registered Trade Mark) The seal means 9 is inert, strong, vet flexible so that it can form a complete flexible seal, or cover, internally of the apparatus 1 for the actuating means 4, yet entirely spaced therefrom so that there is no "snagging" or tearing. Tne seal means 9 is clamped to an inner periphery of the probe 3, which inner periphery is received in a peripheral pocket 9a of the seal means 9, which pocket comprises a flange There is a flange 9b at the opposite edge whereby the seal means 9 is secured to a base or the actuator 4, via a support beam 10 thereor The seal means 9 is thus or substantially Z -shape The seal means 9 is also able to withstand vibrations when the vibrator 7 is operative, and is maintained interiorly of the container 1 ^'

Thus in a closed position of the valve means 2, that is in a position to obturate the outlet, the seal means 9 is directed downwardly to the left from the beam 10 to the clamped position with the probe 3. When the probe 3 is raised by the bellows 4, (right hand side of Fig. 1) the clamped connection with a periphery of the seal means 9 draws the seal means 9 upwardly bodily, so that it now extends upwardly from the beam 10 The seal means 9 is inverted, but in both positions (left and πght hand side of Fig 1) , the actuating means is always maintained interiorly of the seal means 9 and hence kept apaπ from the flowable matenal. Because of its flexible nature, it can be in verted repeatedly without detπment.

The apparatus 1 , an IBC for example, is movaDle and can be deposited on the station 8, for which purpose there are feet 11 with locating lugs 12 receivable on brackets 13 with sockets 14' on the outlet 14

The feet 11 and brackets 13 can be held together using a band clamp 15

0

To provide a seal to the exterior, there is a locating arrangement 16' in gasket 17 such as a PTFE gasket at the position of location of the cone 2 on the outlet throat or hopper 14.