Schenck Accurate, Inc.

Steven L Becker

Jeffrey M Nauman

Thomas G Kelly

Disclosed is a machine for unloading a bulk-material bag of the type having a bottom portion, a side portion and a transition portion between the bottom and side portions. The machine includes an apparatus aiding discharge of the material from the bag. In the improvement, the apparatus includes a tri-section panel mounted for movement on the machine, thereby configuring the panel to sequentially contact the bottom, transition and side portions of the bag. The panel has first, second and third segments angle-mounted to one another. In a specific embodiment, the segments are substantially planar. A microprocessor-based controller is coupled to the actuator and regulates its movement as a function of a process parameter, e.g., the compressibility of the bag and/or the weight of the material contained in the bag. A highly preferred embodiment of the machine also has a bag lifting mechanism above the tri-section panel. Such mechanism includes an extensible device coupled to the controller for regulating extension of such device as a function of the weight, volume or level of the material contained in the bag. A new method for unloading a bulk material bag is also disclosed.

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Edgerton, WI, United States of America

Steven L Becker