Loading apparatus for transport container

Abstract

An apparatus ( 10 ) for loading a transport container with a load of bulk material has a load bin ( 20 ) positioned for axial movement atop a base assembly ( 40 ). A packer blade ( 90 ) is positioned inside the load bin for movement relative to the load bin in the same axial direction. The load bin has an open first end ( 22 ) and a second end ( 24 ), with a pair of vertical side walls ( 66 ) and a substantially open top surface. Drivers ( 60, 92 ) are provided for the axial movements. Material is loaded into the load bin, the openable end of the transport container is placed around the first end of the load bin, and the load bin is extended into the transport container until the packer blade is inside the transport container. By retracting the load bin while retaining the packer blade inside the container, the load is transferred.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for loading a transport container having an openable end with an load of bulk material in a single operation with a loading apparatus comprising a load bin, having an unobstructed first end and a second end, the load bin comprising a floor, a pair of vertical side walls, and a gusset on each vertical side wall that extends into an interior of the load bin and secures the vertical side wall to the floor, the load bin having a substantially open top surface, a packer blade, effectively closing the second end of the load bin and movable along a longitudinal axis of the load bin interior on a track defined by the gussets and the vertical side walls, from a retracted position near the second end of the load bin to an extended position in the direction of the open first end, a base assembly, upon which the load bin is positioned for movement between an extended position and a retracted position along a longitudinal axis of the base assembly extending from a first end to a second end of the base assembly, means for driving the load bin relative to the base assembly and means for driving the packer blade relative to the load bin; the method comprising the steps of:
 loading the load bin of the apparatus with the bulk material, the packer blade positioned in the retracted position;   positioning the openable end of the transport container around the first end of the load bin, such that the first end passing into an interior of the transport container;   disposing the bulk material inside the transport container by at least moving the first end of the load bin further into the interior by moving the load bin toward the extended position relative to the base assembly such that the packer blade is inside the transport container;   transferring the bulk material from the load bin into the transport container by simultaneously moving the load bin toward the retracted position while maintaining the packer blade inside the transport container; and   moving the transport container relative to the load bin, so that the first end of the load bin passes out of the transport contain through the openable end thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs while the load bin is in the retracted position on the base assembly.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs after the positioning step has placed the first end of the load bin into the transport container interior.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs before the positioning step has placed the first end of the load bin into the transport container interior.   
     
     
         5 . A method for loading a transport container having an openable end with a load of bulk material in a single operation, the method comprising the steps of:
 loading a load bin of a loading apparatus with the bulk material, the loading apparatus comprising a load bin having a rectangular floor with a width and a length dimension, a pair of side walls extending upward from the rectangular floor, from a first end to a second end thereof, along the edges defining the length dimension, with the width of the floor and the height of the side walls selected to permit insertion of the load bin into the transport container through the openable end, the load bin further defined by a packer blade spans across the rectangular floor between the side walls, the packer blade movable in the length dimension of the floor from a retracted position near a first end of the load bin to an extended position near the second end; a base assembly, upon which the load bin is movably positioned, so that, in a retracted position, the load bin is atop the base assembly and, in an extended position, the first end of the load bin is extended onto a transport container being loaded with the second end of the load bin over the base assembly; means for driving the load bin relative to the base assembly between the retracted and extended positions; and means for driving the packer blade relative to the load bin, the packer blade positioned in the retracted position during the loading of the bulk material;   positioning the openable end of the transport container around the first end of the load bin, such that the first end passes into an interior of the transport container;   disposing the bulk material inside the transport container by at least moving the first end of the load bin further into the interior by moving the load bin toward the extended position relative to the base assembly such that the packer blade is inside the transport container;   transferring the bulk material from the load bin into the transport container by simultaneously moving the load bin toward the retracted position while maintaining the packer blade inside the transport container; and   moving the transport container relative to the load bin, so that the first end of the load bin passes out of the transport contain through the openable end thereof.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs while the load bin is in the retracted position on the base assembly.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs after the positioning step has placed the first end of the load bin into the transport container interior.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the loading step occurs before the positioning step has placed the first end of the load bin into the transport container interior.