Device and method for filling trays

Abstract

This involves a device ( 1 ) and a method for the semi-automatic filling with sand ( 2 ) and water ( 3 ) of containers ( 5 ) for packaging bloodworms. The device comprises a removable drawer ( 6 ) for retaining at least one row ( 4 ) of said containers ( 5 ) placed side by side, a tank ( 7 ) for storing dry sand, reservoirs ( 15, 16 ) for retaining determined doses of sand, means ( 11, 12 ) for moving the reservoirs between a position for filling a reservoir by gravity from the storage tank and a position for emptying a reservoir for the discharge of a dose of sand by gravity directly into a corresponding container, a tank ( 18 ) for retaining water, and water-supply means ( 25 ) arranged to supply each container with a determined quantity of water.

1 . A device ( 1 ) for the semi-automatic filling with sand ( 2 ) and water ( 3 ) of containers ( 5 ) for packaging bloodworms, characterized in that it comprises a removable drawer ( 6 ) for retaining at least one row ( 4 ) of said containers ( 5 ) placed side by side, a tank ( 7 ) for storing dry sand, reservoirs ( 15 ,  16 ) for retaining determined doses of sand,
 means ( 11 ,  12 ) for moving the reservoirs between a position for filling a reservoir by gravity from the storage tank and a position for emptying a reservoir for the discharge of a dose of sand by gravity directly into a corresponding container, a tank ( 18 ) for retaining water, and water-supply means ( 25 ) arranged to supply each container with a determined quantity of water.   
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , characterized in that the removable drawer ( 6 ) comprises at least two parallel rows ( 4 ) of containers ( 5 ) of at least four containers each. 
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in either one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sand-storage tank ( 7 ) is situated above the retention reservoirs ( 15 ,  16 ) and comprises gravity-flow orifices ( 8 ) placed in vertical line with the reservoirs in the filling position. 
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the retention reservoirs ( 15 ,  16 ) are formed by recesses made in at least two parallel horizontal bars ( 10 ) made of plastic secured to movement means. 
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , dependent on  claim 2 , characterized in that the retention reservoirs ( 15 ,  16 ) are placed in pairs on one and the same bar and are arranged so that one of the reservoirs of each pair is filled with sand by gravity while the other reservoir is emptied by gravity simultaneously. 
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water-supply means ( 25 ) comprise a constant-level reservoir ( 21 ), and receptacles ( 26 ) for metering identical quantities of water suitable for being filled from the constant-level reservoir in a first position and for being emptied into the containers ( 5 ) of the removable drawer in a second position. 
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 6 , characterized in that each metering receptacle ( 26 ) is formed by a tube ( 60 ) open at its ends, one end ( 61 ) of which is curved upward and arranged to submerge below the level of the constant-level reservoir in the first position so that said tube is filled with the determined quantity of water ( 62 ) in its submerged portion by the principle of connecting vessels, and the other end ( 63 ), situated above the level in the first position, is substantially straight and arranged to allow the gravity flow of said determined quantity of water into the boxes in said second position. 
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 7 , characterized in that it comprises manual means for actuating the metering receptacles by simple translational movement between first and second positions. 
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 8 , characterized in that the manual actuation means ( 32 ) are secured to a link rod ( 34 ) that can be actuated by placing the removable drawer ( 6 ) beneath the dry sand storage tank. 
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises intermediate means ( 29 ) for a flow between the metering receptacles and the containers situated in the removable retention drawer. 
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises spring-based automatic ejection means ( 70 ) of the removable drawer. 
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, since the containers ( 5 ) are designed to receive of the order of five worms, the sand-retention reservoirs have a capacity of between 25 g and 40 g of sand. 
   
   
       13 . The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means ( 25 ) for supplying the containers with water for determined quantities comprise metering receptacles with a filling volume of between 5 and 15 ml of water. 
   
   
       14 . A method for semi-automatic filling of blood-worm-packaging containers ( 5 ) with sand and water, characterized in that the user fills a removable drawer ( 6 ) for retaining at least one row ( 4 ) of said containers ( 5 ) placed side by side, said drawer is placed beneath reservoirs ( 15 ,  16 ) for retaining determined doses of sand supplied from a dry sand storage tank ( 7 ), each container is supplied with a determined quantity of water and said reservoirs are moved between a position for filling reservoirs by gravity with a dose of sand from said storage tank and a position of discharging the sand by gravity directly into a corresponding container. 
   
   
       15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14 , characterized in that, since the retention reservoirs are placed in pairs on one and the same bar, the user fills one of the reservoirs of each pair with sand by gravity while the other reservoir of said pair is emptied by gravity simultaneously. 
   
   
       16 . The method as claimed in either one of  claims 14  and  15 , characterized in that, since the water is supplied from receptacles ( 26 ) for metering identical quantities of water, each receptacle is simultaneously filled from a constant-level reservoir in a first position and they are simultaneously emptied into the containers of the removable drawer in a second position. 
   
   
       17 . The method as claimed in any one of  claims 14  to  16 , characterized in that the containers ( 5 ) of the removable drawer ( 6 ) are filled with water in one action at the same time as the removable drawer is put in place.