The present invention relates to a process for a rational and hygienic batchwise transport and handling of larger quantities of piece-formed food-stuffs such as pieces of meat etc and a device intended to be used at the process.

Today piece-formed food-stuffs such as meat are usually transported in small plastic containers,or one-way packages of cardboard or on rust-proof stands. Therefore, the transport is rather unrational. Moreover, at the handling of so many small packages it is difficult to keep a good hygiene. The working environment for the people handling the goods is not satisfactory either since the lifting of the large number of small packages cannot be avoided.

According to the present invention the above problems have been solved and a process for a rational and hygienic batchwise transport and handling of larger quantities of food-stuffs such as pieces of meat etc has been brought about.

The process comprises filling the piece-formed products into a one-way package, preferably a plastic bag, plastic foil etc, which is placed in a pallet container of plastic and closing the filled one-way package. The plastic bag, plastic foil etc has about the same size as the inner measures of the pallet container.

The pallet container is provided with at least one scuttle in one of the side walls. The scuttle can be opened automatically or manually.

Such filled pallet containers can be transported by lorry etc to a food industry for instance. Then the pallet container is placed over a conveying belt, a receiving pocket etc and tilted in such a way that it inclines towards the conveying belt etc. The plastic bag and the scuttle are opened in connection therewith, whereby the piece-formed products fall down on the conveying belt. By varying the angle of inclination of the container the discharging velocity of the container can be controlled. Often the plastic bag is opened before the tilting of the container has started.

The pallet container of plastic used at the process according to the invention comprises a lower part provided with recesses for the forks of a fork lift. The container has got a bottom and four side walls. At least one of the side-walls is provided with a scuttle which can be opened automatically or manually by means of a control preferably placed at the side or at the back of the pallet container. Moreover, preferably the scuttle is provided with through slits or the like. An opening in the plastic bag in the pallet container can be made for instance with a knife inserted through these slits. Thereby the unloading of the piece-formed food-stuffs is facilitated.

Of course an opening in the plastic bag can be made in another way. Thus, for instance it is possible to provide the scuttle with a device which will automatically cause the desired opening in the bag when the scuttle is opened. There are also other alternatives for opening the bag. However, it is important that the bag and the scuttle are opened in such a way that the food-stuffs will not fall on the operator handling the pallet container or that the food-stuffs will risk to fall out of the container before

it has come into the discharging position.

Preferably the scuttle is hung up in its upper edge. However, it can also be hung up in the middle, so-called pivo mounting or in its lower edge.

At one embodiment of the invention the side walls of the pallet container are collapsible. In this way empty containers can be transported as flat packages which are little bulky.

However, it is also possible to provide the container with fixed walls which cannot be collapsed. Of course this alternative is worse from a transport economic viewpoint.

Normally the container has no lid. The measures of the container is usually 1200 x 1000 mm or 1200 x 800 mm. The height is suitably adapted in such a way that it makes a module as compared to the loading height of the transport vehicles.

The control for opening the scuttle is suitably designed as a one hand hold whereby the discharge of the container by means of only one person is facilitated.

It is suitable to design the pallet container with rounded corners inside to avoid unintentional holes of the plastic bag. In this way the container can also be cleaned easier.

The container can be furnished with a label on the outside for automatic or manual reading of the content of the container.

Usually the material in the plastic bag used is polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride. In certain cases the bag can be closed by vacuum to increase the durability of the food-stuffs.

The pallet container according to the invention also works at refrigerator transports. Then it can be used as storing package for the food-stuffs in cold stores.

The invention is further explained in connection with the enclosed figures of which Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a pallet container 2 according to the invention provided with a scuttle 3 at one side. The scuttle 3 is opened and the piece-formed food-stuffs 1 are being discharged on a conveying belt 6. The container is suspended in a special suspension device 10. The container is designed with recesses 8, 9 for the forks of a fork lift.

Fig. 2 shows the same pallet container 2 as illustrated on Fig. 1. However, the container 2 is lifted up with cables and it is handled by one operator 5.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cut out part of the wall 4 where the scuttle 3 is arranged. The scuttle 3 is designed with through slits 7. A knife or the like can be inserted from the outside through these slits 7 and bring about an opening in a plastic bag in the container 2. The plastic bag is not shown on the drawing. The scuttle 3 is hung up in its upper edge in hinges 10. The scuttle 3 can be opened by means of a control 11 comprising securing plates 12. The control can be handled with one hand by an operator 5 from the back wall or the side wall of the container 2.

Fig. 4 shows from above a cut out part of the connection between the container wall 4 and the scuttle 3 when the securing plates 12 are in their locked position. For instance the securing plates 12 can be handled by means of cables 13.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown since these can be modified in different ways within the scope of the invention.