AU615965B2 - Sampling apparatus and means - Google Patents

Description

1-[25 1.6 ZAnsNdN1NrHArDV Q1 PATENTS ACT 1952 Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: *4 o S S @44 Lodged: (Et®~oplete SpeclV''ation-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: P'ublished: *Priority: *Rplated Art: 4*4 0* 8 0 Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actual Inventor: C Address for Service: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT -VAN-GAR-D ENGINE-BR-ING-6L-MI1-TE-- GM121

I.

Malden Street, ,Palm erston-North,New-Zealand- ~ordon Jarnes Garden I-U. Rantzen Co., Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys.

John Street, Woollahra, N.S.W. 2025.

Tel: (02) 328-7560.

ii Complete Specification for the invention entitled: SAMPL-ING APPARATUS AND MEANS The following statement is a full description of th-is invontion, including the best method of performing it known to me:-* Note: The description is to lbu typed in doublu StItcirig, pica type face, in en aea not excoeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of qoolj qttlity and it is to be inserted inside this form.

14166/77-L Pi mled by C J,'I 11119 1 I1ItI"IoII',,v;jI III Govoill"Jent 11rinter, Canberra 2 This invention relates to improvements in methods and means for taking core samples of fibrous materials especially fibrous materials such as wool which has been compressed into a bulk within a pack.

In the wool industry it is common practise to take core samples of the wool after it has been compressed into a bale in a pack formed from a woven synthetic fibre material. ncreasingly the handling of wool bales has become mechanised and this has included mechanisation of .0o. the core sampling operation. Equipment has thus been developed whereby a bale of wool can be located in a machine and a number of core samples taken therefrom by one or more core tubes forced into the bale to a depth required to ensure a fair sample of the contents is forced into the i tube(s). When the tube(s) have been withdraw r from the bale the wool is ejected therefrom by suitable means such as a push rod or compressed air.

The number of core samples taken from each bale depends on the size of lot or number of bales for a particular grade of wool submitted to auction. In a known machine there are a plura ity of core sampling tubes which can be simultaneously inserted into the bale being sampled., This machine can thus take a number of samples at the same time, however, it is intended primarily for processing large numbers of samples. It is thus somewhat complex in construction and represents a high capital cost which is io: ine Lommissloner otf atents, Commonwealth of'Australia. Phi.ip .Lawrence Meads) Status DIRECTOR of Applicant Company a Delete wtichever is inapplicable.

*b-Delete if not a Ccnventon application.

No legislation is required.

:3: not viable for other than large wool brokerage firms.

In addition it is not particularly versatile in operation as the number of samples taken from each bale cannot be readily selected to suit the lot size or number of bales being handled. There is thus a need for a less complex and lower cost machine which is versatile in operation and thus more suited to handling both small and large quantities of bales for sampling.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a core sampling machine for compressed fibrous I materials, the machine having the facility to be able to readily select the number of core samples from a bulk of fibrous material depending on coring requirements.

s0 In one broad aspect therefore there is provided a core sampling machine for the removal of a core sample from a bulk of fibrous material located with a bale, the machine comprising a framework within which a bale of fibrous material can be located and compressed by compression means, one or more sampling tubes, means for inserting the tube(s) into the compressed bale and means for removing a sample from the tube(s) when the tube(s) has/have been removed from the bale, the tube(s) being carried by a movable support means jj4 N *i 1 I.U|p N ;f ,i i ,1 i i 1 46 r t;

L-

O

I 1 o o r r r

I

r I o o or b: o r oo I o ir.oD r

D

ro oo or o as adapted to move the sampling tubes about an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel to the length of the tube(s) and therefore move the tube(s) in a direction parallel to the surface of the bale from which sampling is to take place whereby the position of the tube(s) relative to the surface of the bale into which the tube(s) will be inserted can be adjusted prior to insertion taking place.

Usually the core sampling tube has a sharpened end which is inserted into the wool by being forced through the woven synthetic fibre pack. The material of the pack is thus cut and in doing so loose or frayed ends remain and consequently there is a risk that some of the cut fibres will become forced into either the sample being taken or into the wool which remains within the bale. Such contamination is unacceptable to the end user of the wool and constitutes a major risk in the sampling of wool.

Accordingly, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a core sampling arrangement which in operation removes or at the very least significantly reduces the risk of contamination by extraneous material from the packing of a bale of compressed fibrous material when a core sample thereof is taken.

4- 0 I e

I:

7_ Ki .L -L YC Jj Accordingly in a preferred from of the invention the sampling apparatus includes a heated tubular member being engageable with the synthetic material pack to cut an opening therein and seal the periphery of the opening substantially without leaving loose or frayed ends, said opening being of size such that upon disengagement of the heated tubular element from the synthetic material the core sampling tube can be inserted therethrough.

The foregoing and the following more specific disclosure has referred to the fibrous material as being wool. While the invention in its different embodiments has particular application to the sampling of wool from a wool bale the invention also has application to the removal of samples of other fibrous materials contained within a pack.

In the more detailed description which follows reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a schematic elevation of a machine according to the invention;

-A,

Figure 2 is a sectioned partial plan view of the machine as shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of the mounting of the core sampling tubes and heated elements as well as the operating mechanism for the latter.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a bale 1 of wool located in the machine in the position in which i one or more core samples can be removed. The machine is 0 comprised of a framework having a base 2, uprights 7 and 001D suitable cross members 6. A moving platen 3 is located S00 :00 S0 within the framework and is coupled by tie rods 5 to the 0 0 end of the piston rod 4a of vertically orientated hydraulic 0 rams 4. The platen 3 can thus be moved upwardly and oO, downwardly relative to the base 2.

Cross member arrangement 6a includes a compression surface 6c against which the bale 1 can be compressed following upward movement of the moving platen 3. As previously mentioned Figure 1 illustrates a bale located between the i t 4 i compression surface 6c and the moving platen 3 in a I compressed form.

The core tube assembly located within the framework of the machine consists of two or more core tubes 11 which are vertically orientated and are located on and guided by a swing bar frame 9. The upper ends of the core tubes are I p i- 7 attached to a pusher bar 12 which is mounted to the free end of the piston rod 8a of an hydraulic ram 8 which is mounted by the upper cross member arrangement 6b. The swing bar frame 9 is mounted by a bearing arrangement carried by the cross member arrangement 6a. In a like manner a bearing 18 couples the piston rod 8a to the pusher bar 12. The core tube assembly can thus be rotated about a substantially vertical axis. By referring to Figure 2 of the drawings it will be seen that the compression plate 6c contains a pair of arcuate openings 16 through which the So core tubes 11 are located. These openings 16 permit the aforementioned rotational movement.

0 0a With the core tube assembly, being rotatable about the Sl vertical axis the leading ends lla of the core tubes can be o1 1conveniently positioned to the desired point at which the core tubes will enter the bale. Thus if two core samples 0 are to be taken the core tube ram 8 is merely actuated and 0 0 the core tubes 11 forced into the bale. If, however, more o 0s.

1 than two samples are required the ram is actuated to take O~'0o the first pair of samples whereupon the core tube assembly is rotated to a position where a further pair of core samples can be taken this operation being repeated for as many times as core samples are required to be taken from the particular bale being processed.

The wool samples contained within the core tubes are i removed therefrom by suitable means such as push rods or -I 8 being blown out by compressed air. Such removal means are well known in the art and thus a full description of the construction and operation thereof is not required in the present specification.

The machine preferably includes means for cutting openings inthe bale prior to insertion of the core tubes. These means consist of a heated tubular member 13 carried by links 14 whereby the heated tubular member can be moved into engagement with the bale (see the right hand arrangement in Figure 1) and a position (see left hand arrangement of Figure 1) where the heated tubular member is clear of the bale.

It Movement of the heated members 13 is controlled by a small Shydraulic ram or air cylinder 15 the piston rod,.of which is coupled to the links 14. In Figure 3 the mounting of the tubular heating members 13 is more particularly shown.

There are a pair of air cylinders 15 mounted by a cross

S.

piece 19 spanning vertical side plates 20 mounted at their lower end portions by a channel shaped base 20. Openings are provided in this base 20 to permit movement therethrough of core sample tubes 11.

The tubular heating members 13 are mounted by a pair of yokes 21 extending between, and pivotally eonnected to, the outer ends of links 14. The lower link 14 is pivotally mounted at its inner end to the side plate 20. The upper i_ .i r C r '7 4; 4" *r r 444f 4 44 d t 44: 4 414 4 44i 4 II t 4 4: link 14 is pivotally coupled at the inner end thereof to a connecting member 22 and pivotally mounted in its length to the side plate 20.. The connecting member 22 is attached to a mounting element 23a located at the free end of the piston rod 23 of cylinder 15. The inner ends of the upper links 14 are coupled by a common pivot axle 24 which extends through slots 25 in side plates The heated tubular element 13 can thus be moved by operating air cylinder 15 int' a position where they engage with the pack material at a point where the core tubes are to enter the bale. The heated end of the tubular member, which is preferably sharp and is usually of circular cross section, causes a circular opening to be instantly formed in the pack material. As the pack material is a woven synthetic the circular slug of material sticks to the hot cutter member so as to be removed clear of the pack as the cutter member is withdrawn by the opposite movement of ram The cutter member is heated to a temperature such that the pack material will melt, however, as there is a substantial difference in the temperature required to melt or burn the synthetic pack material and the temperature at which the wool begins to burn there is no adverse effect on the wool.

Due to the heated cutting action the periphery of the opening is sealed with a result that there are no loose or frayed fibre ends which can become lodged either in the -9-

J

I

sample or the material within the bale during operation of the core sample tubes II.

Accordingly, in operation the swing bar 9 is located in the desired position and the machine operated whereby the cutter tubes 13 engage with the pack material to form a pair of openings. The cutter members 13 are .then retracted whereupon the core sample tubes 11 are inserted into the pack 1 through the formed openings.

Once the required penetration has been achieved, the core samples are removed and the core tubes withdrawn. If nore than two samples are required swing bar 9 is then repositioned and the operation repeated.

In an alternative form of the machine the core sample tubes and S. heated cutting members may be mounted on a travelling frame o which can be moved in a longitudinal or transverse direction to I "5 permit samples to be taken at any point within the range of this S movement. In such an arrangement elongate slots rather -than the arcuate slots 16 are formed in the compression surface 6a and a suitable mounting arrangement is provided whereby the core tube assembly can be moved rectilinearly rather than being rotated.

The number of core tubes 11 may be any number which can be accommodated on the swing bar or moving frame and they may 4 4, 4 be arranged so as to be operated either individually or simultaneously.

4 t 0 4. 4 So oa 4 4 old 11 It has been found that the machine according to the present invention can core up to 96% of the depth of the bale.

Also the machine can take a heavier core than conventional machines The circular synthetic slug which is removed from the bale material as been found to remain in the heated tube as it is withdrawn from contact with the pack. Thus the removed <slug does not become forced into the material during penetration of the core sample tubes. It has in fact been IV{ discovered that the slug then shrinks in size due to the continued heating action thereof and falls out of the tubular element clear of the bale. However, in continued operation it has been found that the slugs tend to stay within the tubular element due to the slug from the successive operation remaining in the tubular element.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the aforementioned operations may be arranged so as to be corpleted automatically and timed to occur in correct sequence initiated by the machine operator.

intae machin

Claims (12)

1. A core sampling machine for the removal of a core sample from a bulk of fibrous material located within a bale, the machine comprising a framework within which a bale of fibrous material can be located and compressed by compression means, one or more sampling tubes, means for inserting the tube(s) into the compressed bale and means for removing a sample from the tube(s) when the tube(s) has/have been removed from the bale, the tube(s) being carried by a movable support means adapted to move the sampling tubes about an axis of rotation which is substantially parallel to the length of the tube(s) and therefore move the tube(s) in a direction parallel to the surface of the bale from which sampling is to take place whereby the position of the tube(s) relative to the surface of the bale into which the tube(s) will be inserted can be adjusted prior to insertion taking place. 44 44 4 4

2. A core sampling machine as claimed in claim 1 further including a heated member which is engageable with the bale to cut an opening therein and seal the periphery of the opening prior to insertion of a sampling tube.

3. A core sampling machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the heated member is of tubular form with a cutting leading edge. IL I i. I S I: 4 i 0 place. 13

4. A core sampling machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein the heated member is mounted by mounting means controlled in movement by a linear actuator whereby the heated member can be moved into and out of engagement with the bale.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mounting means comprises two pairs of links which carry_ j therebetween yokes which mount the heated member, one of the links of each pair being coupled to the linear,, actuator.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to. wherein the sampling tubes are carried by a pusher, said sampling tubes being movable through openings in a platen against which the bale can be compressed.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein between the 4 0 platen and pusher there is located a movable mounting through which the sampling tubes extend and which carries the mounting arrangement for the heated members.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 wherein the pusher is mounted for rotational movement by bearing means and said movable mounting is located with said platen by bearing means having an axis of rotation which is coaxial with that of the bearing means mounting the AL/ pusher. SAMPLING APPARATUS AND MEANS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known Note: The description is to be typed in doubl sacing, ice type face. in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of tood cuality and it is to be inserted inside this form. 14166/77-L wi ilitld Iby l (itcmin rt z IliililP,' ~li v~ ent Printer, Canb rra 14

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 8 where the bale is locatable on a bale platen which is movable toward and away from the fixed platen.

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the movable platen is connected to and movable by linear actuators.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the pusher is connected to and movable by a linear actuator.

12. A core sampling machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 1st. Day of August 1991. Allflex New Zealand Limited t a C a Ot a ta t o a a. it a a a n n...n Applicant's Patent Attorney p 21 4 I