Flexible Container Filling Device

Abstract

A flexible container filling device adapted to quickly fill sandbags for water control, erosion control and military use is comprised of a vehicle coupling mechanism, a hopper having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port and a flexible container receiving system. The flexible container receiving system includes at least one flexible container ejection device. Furthermore, the flexible container receiving system is adapted to receive at least one flexible container. The receiving system is then adapted to receive flexible container filler material from the hopper. The receiving system places the flexible container filler material within the flexible container and ejects the flexible container from the system upon the flexible container being at least partially filled. This apparatus also provides a method for emptying the flexible container, collecting the flexible container material and collecting it for reuse.

1 . A flexible container filling device comprising: a vehicle coupling mechanism; a hopper having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port; a flexible container receiving system having at least one flexible container ejection device, the flexible container receiving system adapted to receive (i) at least one detachably coupled flexible container and (ii) flexible container filler material from the hopper, place the flexible container filler material within the flexible container, and eject the flexible container from the system upon the flexible container being at least partially filled.  
   
   
       2 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 1  wherein, there is at least one inlet port and one outlet port; the flexible container receiving system comprises a spool, the spool (i) having a plurality of flexible container cartridges, and (ii) detachably coupling to the hopper; and the ejection device is a flexible container support system.  
   
   
       3 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 2  wherein, each flexible container cartridge is (i) detachably coupled to the spool and (ii) adapted to place flexible container filler material within at least one flexible container; and the flexible container support system is a plurality of polymeric flaps.  
   
   
       4 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 3  wherein, the hopper includes a valve adapted to control the rate of flexible container filler material exiting the outlet port; the polymeric flaps are adapted to release the flexible container from the spool upon the flexible container receiving flexible container filling material; the spool is rotatably coupled to the hopper; and the vehicle coupling mechanism is coupled to the hopper and is adapted to couple the flexible container filling device to a cement truck.  
   
   
       5 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 1  wherein, the flexible container receiving system comprises a chute and a roller, the chute and roller adapted to receive at least one flexible container.  
   
   
       6 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 5  wherein, the chute having a pair of slotted rails adapted to receive a flexible container having (i) a pair of flanges and (ii) a surface being at least a partially mesh portion, the mesh portion being adapted to receive a flexible container filling material.  
   
   
       7 . The flexible container filling device of  claim 6  wherein, the flange portion includes a rope.  
   
   
       8 . A flexible container filling combination comprising: a flexible container filling material supply vehicle; a flexible container filling device comprising: a vehicle coupling mechanism; a hopper having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port; a flexible container receiving system having at least one flexible container ejection device, the flexible container receiving system adapted to: receive (i) at least one detachably coupled flexible container and (ii) flexible container filler material from the hopper, place the flexible container filler material within the flexible container, and eject the flexible container from the system upon the flexible container being at least partially filled; a flexible container; and a flexible container emptying device.  
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 8  wherein, the supply vehicle is a dump truck; the vehicle coupling mechanism is coupled to the hopper; and the flexible container emptying device includes a conveyor system.  
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 9  wherein, the flexible container receiving system includes a flexible container opening device operatively coupled to the flexible container; and the flexible container being operatively coupled to at least one other flexible container.  
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 10  wherein, the flexible container opening device is a pair of rails, each rail being adapted to receive a flexible container flange.  
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 8  wherein, the flexible container receiving system is a spool having a plurality of cartridges; the cartridges are adapted to (i) receive at least one flexible container and (ii) supply flexible container filling material to the at least one flexible container; and the flexible container is an expandable flexible container.  
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 12  wherein, the flexible container receiving system further includes a flexible container support mechanism; the flexible container support mechanism is adapted to couple the flexible container to the system prior to the flexible container receiving filler material; and the bag is adapted to expand upon receiving filler material.  
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 13  wherein, the spool is a first spool detachably coupled to the hopper in a manner adapted to allow a second spool to couple to the hopper upon detaching said first spool and the hopper is adapted to detachably couple to an outside surface of a dump truck wall.  
   
   
       15 . A flexible container having a generally cylindrical shape including, a proximal end, the proximal end being generally open a distal end, a portion of the distal end coupling to a second flexible container; a longitudinal axis, and a flexible container opening device coupling mechanism.  
   
   
       16 . The flexible container of  claim 15  wherein, upon receiving filler material, the flexible container is longitudinally expandable onto a flexible container placement location.  
   
   
       17 . The flexible container of  claim 15  wherein, the flexible container opening device coupling mechanism is a pair of flanges.  
   
   
       18 . The flexible container of  claim 17 , further having at least a partially mesh surface.  
   
   
       19 . The flexible container of  claim 18 , wherein, the pair of flanges extend generally parallel to the longitudinal axis; and the mesh surface extending between the two flanges.  
   
   
       20 . The flexible container of  claim 15  wherein, the flexible container opening device coupling mechanism is a bar.