Method and system for packaging bitumen (asphalt) and products produced therefrom

Abstract

A system provided by an assembly for packaging bitumen (asphalt) comprises a loading and bagging station, a support mounting station, a curing station and a separating station. The loading and bagging station provides for loading bitumen into a bag and sealing the bag once the bag has been filled with bitumen thereby providing a package. The support mounting station is downstream the bagging station and provides for positioning the package on a movable support. The curing station is downstream the support mounting station and provides for curing the bitumen within the bag on the movable support. The separating station is downstream the curing station for separating the package after curing from the movable support. Associated methods and products are also provided.

1 . An assembly for packaging bitumen comprising:
 a loading and bagging station for loading bitumen into a bag and sealing the bag once the bag has been filled with bitumen thereby providing a package;   a support mounting station downstream the bagging station for positioning the package on a movable support;   a curing station downstream the support mounting station for curing the bitumen within the bag on the movable support; and   a separating station downstream the curing station for separating the package after curing from the movable support.   
     
     
         2 . An assembly according to  claim 1  further comprising a conveying assembly for:
 conveying the package between the bagging station and the support mounting station; 
 conveying movable support carrying the package between the support mounting station said curing station; and 
 conveying the movable support carrying the package between the curing station and the separating station. 
 
     
     
         3 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the support mounting station comprises a movable support discharge station comprising a platform for holding a stack of movable supports and having an opening positioned above a lower conveyor, a higher conveyor positioned downstream the platform and above the lower conveyor provides for carrying the package and selectively conveying the package, the discharge station providing for selectively allowing a movable support to be discharged via the opening onto the lower conveyor, the lower conveyor providing for conveying the package under the higher conveyor downstream thereof, the higher conveyor providing for conveying the package onto the movable support. 
     
     
         4 . An assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the higher conveyor comprises a font edge, the higher conveyor providing for causing the package to fall off the front edge onto the movable support being conveyed thereunder and downstream thereof. 
     
     
         5 . An assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein the movable support discharge station further comprises movable supporting elements being positioned beneath the platform for holding the bottom movable support of the stack, the movable holding elements being retractable so as to allow the bottom movable support to fall through the opening onto the lower conveyor. 
     
     
         6 . An assembly according to  claim 5 , wherein the movable support discharge station further comprises lateral grips for gripping the stack so as not to fall though the opening when discharging the bottom movable support. 
     
     
         7 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the movable support comprises a tray. 
     
     
         8 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a separation station downstream the curing station for separating the package from the movable support. 
     
     
         9 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the separating station comprises:
 a conveyor for conveying the movable support carrying the package in a downstream direction;   a first sub conveyor downstream from and contiguous to the conveyor for engaging the package only and conveying the package in the downstream direction; and   a second sub conveyor for receiving the movable support once the package is engaged by the first sub conveyor for conveying the movable support separately from the package.   
     
     
         10 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the second sub conveyor is a ramp. 
     
     
         11 . An assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the separating station further comprises a split floor structure defining an upper floor portion providing for the package to be conveyed thereon and a lower floor portion providing for receiving the movable support thereon and being contiguous with the second sub conveyor. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the separating station comprises a conveyor for conveying the movable support carrying the package in a downstream direction and a clamp for clamping and lifting the package from the tray. 
     
     
         13 . An assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the separating station further comprises a movable platform continuous with the conveyor providing for moving upwardly relative the conveyor thereby providing a space for the movable support to be conveyed therein. 
     
     
         14 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the separating station comprises a conveyor for conveying the movable support carrying the package in a downstream direction and movable platform continuous with the conveyor providing for moving upwardly relative the conveyor thereby blocking the package from moving downstream and providing a space for the movable support to be conveyed therein. 
     
     
         15 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the loading and bagging station comprises a reservoir with bitumen having a discharge outlet, a first arm with a suction for suctionally engaging the bag at one side thereof and positioning the bag to the discharge outlet, a second arm with a suction for suctionally engaging the bag at another opposite side thereof, the arms providing for being moved away from each other thereby opening the top edge of the bag so as to receive bitumen therein from the discharge outlet. 
     
     
         16 . An assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the loading and bagging station further comprises clamp members for holding the bag at opposite longitudinal ends of the top edge thereof and spreading members for being positioned within the open top edge to maintain the top edge in an open position. 
     
     
         17 . An assembly according to  claim 15 , further comprising a pair of oppositely disposed carriages mounted on respective rails and comprising top arm members for engaging the bag therebetween when the bitumen has been discharged within the bag so as to move the bag along the rails to a sealing station. 
     
     
         18 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a rack positioning and loading station for loading the packages on the movable supports on a rack having a plurality of shelves, the rack positioning and loading station comprising:
 a ramp conveyor for conveying the packages on the movable supports to a top conveyor;   an elevator for carrying the rack thereon providing for lifting the rack so that each shelf is positioned adjacent the top conveyor; and   a pusher for pushing the packages on the top conveyor unto the adjacent shelf.   
     
     
         19 . An assembly according to  claim 18 , further comprising a rack unloading station for uloading the packages on the movable supports from the rack, the rack unloading station comprising:
 an out-feed conveyor providing for receiving the packages on the trays from the rack;   an elevator for carrying the rack thereon providing for lifting the rack so that each shelf is positioned adjacent the out-feed conveyor; and   a pusher for pushing the packages from each shelf adjacent the out-feed conveyor onto the out-feed conveyor.   
     
     
         20 . An assembly according to  claim 8 , further comprising a pallet loading station for loading the separated packages onto a pallet thereby building a bundle, the pallet loading station comprising:
 a top platform comprising an opening and a floor adjacent the opening;   an elevator platform for carrying the pallet and lifting the pallet or the top most packages of the bundle mounted thereon to the opening so as to be adjacent to the floor;   a pusher for pushing the packages on the floor onto the pallet or the top most packages of the bundle mounted thereon when the pallet or the top most package is adjacent the floor; and   a top pusher for exerting a top pressure on the bundle.   
     
     
         21 . An assembly according to  claim 20 , wherein the platform is rotatable so as to provide for wrapping the bundle in a wrapping material from a dispenser during rotation thereof. 
     
     
         22 . A bitumen package provided by the assembly of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . A method for packaging bitumen comprising:
 positioning a bag at the discharge outlet of bitumen reservoir;   suctionally opening the bag;   pouring the bitumen within a bag;   sealing the bag thereby providing a package;   positioning the package on a tray;   positioning a plurality of trays with packeges thereon on a rack with shelves for curing;   curing the bitumen;   separating the packages from the trays; and   stacking the packages on a pallet.