METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PALLETIZING PEAT MOSS

Abstract

A system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising a dosing and feeding unit; a filling and compaction unit, receiving an amount of peat moss determined by the dosing and feeding unit, and compressing each determined amount of peat moss into a compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet; a stabilization unit, receiving, from the filling and compaction unit, pallets, each pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping the compressed bloc for stabilization thereof; a weighing and height measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from the stabilization unit; and a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each measured compressed bloc.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/555,715, filed on Nov. 4, 2011. All documents above are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in the field of peat moss bulk shipping. More particularly, the invention pertains to a method and apparatus for palletizing peat moss in bulk compressed form.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising a dosing and feeding unit; a filling and compaction unit, receiving an amount of peat moss determined by the dosing and feeding unit, and compressing each determined amount of peat moss into a compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet; a stabilization unit, receiving, from the filling and compaction unit, pallets, each pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping the compressed bloc for stabilization thereof; a weighing and height measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from the stabilization unit; and a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each measured compressed bloc.

There is further provided a method for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising a) determining an amount of peat moss corresponding to a target bloc; b) feeding the determined amount to a compaction box and compacting into a compacted bloc supported by a pallet; c) stabilizing the compacted bloc; d) measuring the compacted bloc; and e) wrapping the pallet with the compacted bloc thereon.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1a is a schematical perspective view; FIG. 1b is a schematical top view; and FIG. 1c is a schematical side view; of a system according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 2a is a schematical view of a doser in the system of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2b is a detail of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 3 is a schematical view of a sampler in the system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4a is a first perspective schematical view; FIG. 4b is a side schematical view; and FIG. 4c is a second perspective schematical view, of a compaction box according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIGS. 5a and 5b—show details of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 6 shows details of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 7 a) is a perspective partial schematical view and b) is a top view, of a compaction box according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a conveyer according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 9 show a pallet feeder a) in down and b) up positions according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 10 show a) a top view of a compaction box according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention b) a top view of a vent in a wall of the compaction box according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention and c) a perspective view of a palletized bloc according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a) a side view and b) a top view of units of the system of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 12 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a method of palletizing peat moss according to an embodiment of an object of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated for example in FIG. 1, a system according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention comprises a dosing and feeding unit 12, a filling and compaction unit 14, a stabilization unit 16, a weighing and height measuring unit 18, a wrapping unit 20 and an output unit 22.

The illustrated dosing and feeding unit 12 comprises two feeding lines (I) and (II), each line comprising a doser 30 (FIG. 1a).

The doser 30 is essentially a supply of peat moss, fed with peat moss from the back. As illustrated in FIG. 2a, a doser 30 comprises a conveyor 310 and an equalizer 320, the equalizer 320 pushing the material towards the front (see arrow A in FIG. 2a). The equalizer 320 comprises rotating aluminum bats 322 that gradually push the material forwards, ensuring constancy in volumes by using a number of sensors positioned at intervals, each one corresponding to a predetermined volume, and monitored through a panel view 330 (see FIG. 2b). The volumes are thus automatically selected, without manual manpower, by selecting a sensor from the panel view 330. Filling of the doser, equalizing and dumping from the doser, at the front end of the doser 30, into the compaction box of the filling and compaction unit 14 are all controlled by an automate (PLC) and fully automatic.

As best seen in FIG. 3, a sampler 324 is provided at the back of the doser 30, for collecting a reference volume, i.e. a cubic foot box for example, of material of each amount determined by the doser 30. A cubic foot box (12 in×12 in×12 in) is fed by a sampler screw 325 in a cubic box (not shown), and the weight of the cubic foot is measured by the PLC and stored as a reference. The cubic box is then emptied for a next sampling and measurement. This is done twice for each amount determined by the doser 30 for a given bloc of predetermined volume, for example 240 cubic foot, since it is found that an average over two reference measurements provides a reasonable accuracy for the bloc. This sampling is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) and fully automatic. Another sampler (not shown) may be provided to collect material sampling, for humidity content testing for example.

The doser 30 thus determines the amount of material to be fed into the compaction box 40 of the filling and compaction unit 14 for a specific bloc.

As people in the art will appreciate, in the present system, the volumes are determined upstream of the filling and compaction unit 14. Moreover, by providing two feeding lines (I) and (II), as best seen in FIG. 1a, typically one feeding line for coarse peat moss and one feeding line for fine peat moss, the system allows production of two different products, using the same wrapping units, by allowing compaction of a bloc of a first type, for example coarse peat moss, at the filling and compaction unit 14 while wrapping of a bloc of a second type, for example fine peat moss, at the wrapping units, in a continuous process. As a result, the speed and production rate are increased since different types and qualities of peat moss can be processed concurrently with the same system.

The amount of peat moss determined by the doser 30 is dumped from the front end of the doser 30 into the compaction box 40 of the filling and compaction unit 14, positioned below the dosing and feeding unit 12 in FIG. 1a. This discharge of the material at the front of the doser 30 into the compaction box takes barely 12 to 15 sec. Thus, the compaction box 40 receives the amount of material as determined in the doser 30 for a bloc, as described hereinabove.

As shown in FIG. 4, the compaction box 40 comprises a top part 510 and a mobile bottom part 520. A flange 530, i.e. a ring part, mobile on rails and bearings and hydraulically driven for example, is adapted to be lifted from the bottom part 520 to disengage the bottom part 520 from the top part 510 to allow the bottom part with a compacted bloc therein to leave the filling and compaction unit 14 for the stabilization unit 16, and to engage the bottom part 520 for connection with the top part 510 at the filling and compaction unit 14 for receiving the peat moss from the doser 30 for compaction. When the bottom part 520 is below the top part 510 for receiving the peat moss from the doser, the flange 530 in position therebetween ensures continuity between the two parts, thereby preventing dust or material leaks between the two parts 510 and 520. Those actions are monitored by the PLC and are all automatic. In FIG. 7, the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 is shown with its doors open.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bottom part 520 is mobile on tracks 540 provided below the box 40, which allows saving space above the box 40. A first track 540a may have a V shape so as to guide the box 40 and ensure it does not move sideways and a second track 540b may be provided with a flat wheel to give a sideways play to the box 40, thereby avoiding that the box 40 gets jammed on the tracks.

As shown in FIGS. 4c, 5 and 6, the filling and compaction unit 14 comprises a pallet feeder 570 comprising arms 550 and a frame 560, which handles a bundle of pallets and deposits one pallet at a time at the back of the box 40. In FIGS. 4c, 5b or 6, a pallet (P) is shown, waiting to be deposited behind the compaction box 40 on the tracks 540 by opening of the arms 550 so that the frame 560 moves down. When the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 is back at the filling and compaction unit 14 from the stabilization unit 16, the pallet feeder 570 thus deposits a pallet behind the box and slides the pallet inside the box for receiving a next load of material. The frame 560 can move up and down to lift the bundle of pallets as shown in FIG. 5b. In previous systems, the pallets had to be manually positioned, which was dangerous and, although efficient for a production of 10 blocs/hour, could not allow a production of up to 32 blocs/hour. In the present system, the pallet feeder 570 is provided at the back of the machine, with hydraulic arms 550 that take pallet bundles to leave only one pallet on the conveyor 310, just behind the compaction box 40. It is a two action system: open/close arm 550 on the pallet bundle and up/down the pallet bundle. As a result, a pallet is left behind the box 40 when the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 leaves a compressed bloc at the stabilization unit. When the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 returns to the filling and compaction unit 14, the pallet enters in the box 40 by an opening of the size of the pallet in the bottom part 520. All those actions are monitored by the PLC and fully automatic.

The filling and compaction unit 14 comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement 15, supported by a frame 17 (best seen in FIG. 1c), for compaction of the amount of peat moss determined by the doser, within the compaction box 40. A digital encoder is used to monitor the course of the piston so as to control the compaction ratio and the height of the bloc formed. The height of the bloc is thus precisely and automatically controlled, and uniform. The peat moss is compressed at a pressure between 3 and 5 kg/cm², for example at about 3.85 kg/cm², to a volume ratio of non-compressed peat moss to compressed peat moss between 2:1 and 3:1.

The compaction box 40 may be provided with vents (see for example FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, 7a), allowing air expulsion during compaction. In order to prevent such vents from being obstructed by the peat moss, the vents are formed by tapered bores in the doors of the compaction box 40, as shown in FIG. 10b for example, the tapering resulting in any material entering the bores to slide on the tapered surfaces of the bores, without obstructing them.

As shown in FIG. 10a, the compaction box 40 is provided with inner round corners 600, so as to produce peat blocs 700, shown in FIG. 10b on a pallet (P) for example, having round corners 710, which are found to be more resistant to breaking. Back inner corners 600b of the compaction box 40 may have an angle of 90 degrees, and the front inner corners 600a of the compaction box 40 may have an angle of 92 degrees, thereby reducing the risks that the bloc corners break upon opening of the front doors of the box.

FIG. 8 shows a conveyor, driven by a motor 546, and the tracks 540 that guide the mobile part of the compaction box 40 from the filling and compaction unit 14 to the stabilization unit 16. Forks 542, actuated by cylinders 544 for example, support the pallet during compression of the peat moss within the compaction box 40, at the filling and compaction unit 14.

At the stabilization unit 16, a top platen 311, best seen in FIG. 11a, driven by a piston for example, is moved to contact the top surface of the bloc upon arrival of the bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40, thereby stabilizing the bloc, before the doors of the bottom part 520 open to release the bloc. The bottom part 520 of the compaction box 40 leaves the pallet with the bloc thereon and withdraws to the filling and compaction unit 14. An elevator 548, actuated by a cylinder 541 for example, is used to lift the pallet (P), placed on a plate 543 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), and a layer of film is wrapped about the loaded pallet for stabilization of its expansion, as fast as possible, i.e. within between 45 to 60 s from its output from the compaction box 40, so that the bloc remains straight and integral, i.e. so that the bloc does not collapse, the conveyer remaining in position, as best seen in FIG. 9.

As shown in FIG. 11, the stabilization unit 16 may comprise a rotary arm stretch wrapper. The wrapper needs not be mobile or moved away to allow the box 40 to deliver the bloc, since the tracks 540 allow moving the compaction box 40 with the loaded pallet forward, as mentioned hereinabove. Those entire steps are fully automated by the PLC and need no manpower.

From the stabilization unit 16, once stabilized as described hereinabove, the bloc is moved to a scale and a linear resistance at the weighing and height measuring unit 18, to have its height and weight measured. These pieces of data are processed in a PC with the weight of the reference volume as determined before by sampling at the dosing and feeding unit 12 as described hereinabove so as to confirm the volume of the bloc, and an identifying sticker is generated for that bloc. All those steps are completely automated. The identifying sticker typically indicates the time of production of the bloc, the kind (coarse/fine) of the product, the weight, the volume, the height of the bloc, the weight of the reference volume. The sticker is printed with a unique ITN # and is put it on the bloc itself. Simultaneously, quality tests may be performed on the bloc.

The wrapping station 20 is provided after the weighing and height measuring unit 18. In FIG. 11, the wrapping station is shown as comprising a turn table, lower in speed that the first wrapper.

At the output unit 22, an arrangement of conveyors moves the pallets away where a forklift takes the loads. All the movements on the conveyors are automated by a PLC and require no manpower.

Determination of a volume for a first bloc at the dosing and feeding unit 12 is done concurrently with compaction of a second bloc at the filling and compaction unit 14, stabilization of a third bloc at the stabilization unit 16, measuring of a fourth bloc at the weighing and height measuring unit 18, and wrapping of a fifth bloc at the wrapping unit 20.

Sphagnum peat moss optionally in admixture with mineral or organic aggregates, having a water-content ranging from about 25 to about 50 weight % and a density ranging from about 0.05 to about 0.15 gm/cc on dry basis, is used as feedstock. If the water-content is too low, i.e., less than 25 weight %, it may be adjusted by adding water by means of water sprays for example. If, on the other hand, the water-content of the peat moss is too high, i.e., higher than 50 weight %, the compactions modes need be adjusted to provide a desired density bloc.

As shown in FIG. 12, in a method according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention, after determining an amount of peat moss corresponding to a target bloc (step A), the determined amount is feed to a compaction box (step B) for compaction into a compacted bloc supported by a pallet (step C). The formed bloc is quickly stabilized (step D) and measured (step E), then finally wrapped (step F).

In step A, a volume of peat moss is automatically determined according to a target peat moss bloc. Sample amounts of peat moss are collected as a reference for calculating the volume in the bloc.

In step C, according to a first mode, typically for high quality peat moss, for example peat moss with a water-content ranging from about 25 to about 50 weight %, high fiber content, recently cropped etc. . . . , the peat moss is compressed once fed within the compaction box by a piston and cylinder arrangement. According to a second mode, the peat moss is twice compressed once fed within the compaction box. According to a third mode, typically in case of poorer quality peat moss or for providing higher quality blocs for example, a first portion of the amount determined by the doser, for example 60%, is first fed within the compaction box, first compressed, then the remaining portion of the amount determined by the doser, for example 40% is fed within the compaction box and compressed on top of the first amount.

The compaction time in step C, between 2 and 30 s, is reduced by about half, compared to conventional methods, by provision of the stabilizing step D.

The present method allows forming up to 32 palletized blocs per hour, i.e. a cycle time between about 2 and 3 minutes.

The obtained palletized peat moss comprises a body of compressed peat moss upstanding from a pallet and wrapped with a plastic film, the plastic film retaining the peat moss in compressed form on the pallet. Typically, the palletized peat moss has a rectangular cross-section with a width of about 1.0 meter and a length of 1.2 meters, the height ranging from about 2.0 to about 2.5 meters. The volume of compressed peat moss retained on the pallet generally ranges from about 6 cubic meters.

Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it may be modified, without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject invention as recited hereinbelow.

Claims

1. A system for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising:

a dosing and feeding unit;

a filling and compaction unit, receiving an amount of peat moss determined by said dosing and feeding unit, and compressing each determined amount of peat moss into a compressed bloc of peat moss on a pallet;

a stabilization unit, receiving, from said filling and compaction unit, pallets, each pallet supporting a compressed bloc of peat moss, and wrapping the compressed bloc for stabilization thereof;

a weighing and height measuring unit, measuring each compressed bloc received from said stabilization unit; and

a wrapping unit, finally wrapping each measured compressed bloc.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit comprises at least one feeding line, each line comprising a doser.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit comprises a conveyor feeding peat moss and an equalizer automatically selecting amounts of peat moss to be conveyed to said filling and compaction unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said dosing and feeding unit comprises a conveyor feeding peat moss, an equalizer automatically selecting amounts of peat moss to be conveyed to said filling and compaction unit, and a sampler collecting reference samples.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit comprises a compaction box, said compaction box comprising a top part and a bottom part, said bottom part being mobile and adapted to move away from the top part after compression of the determined amount of peat moss into a compressed bloc to deliver a pallet supporting the compressed bloc of peat moss from said filling and compaction unit to said stabilization unit and return to said filling and compaction unit and reunite with said top part for compression of a next determined amount of peat moss.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said top and bottom parts are sealed together by a mobile flange during compaction, said mobile flange being adapted to disengage the two parts to allow the bottom part to move away from the top part.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit comprises a pallet manipulator feeding the filling and compaction unit with pallets for receiving loads of peat moss as determined by said dosing and feeding unit.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said filling and compaction unit comprises a pallet manipulator positioned at the back of the compaction box, said pallet manipulator depositing one pallet at a time at the back of the compaction box, and, when the bottom part is ready to receive a load of peat moss as determined by said dosing and feeding unit, letting the pallet slide inside the bottom part for receiving the determined amount of peat moss.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said filling and compaction unit comprises a piston and cylinder arrangement controlling a compaction ratio and a height of the compressed bloc of peat moss.

10. The system of claim 5, wherein said compaction box comprises tapered bores on walls thereof as air vents.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein said compaction box comprises inner round corners.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said stabilization unit comprises a stationary rotary arm stretch wrapper.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said stabilization unit comprises a top platen, adapted to move to contact the top surface of the bloc upon arrival from the filling and compaction unit.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said weighing and height measuring unit comprises a scale and a linear resistance.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said wrapping unit comprises a turn table.

16. A method for palletizing peat moss in bulk form, comprising:

a) determining an amount of peat moss corresponding to a target bloc;

b) feeding the determined amount to a compaction box and compacting into a compacted bloc supported by a pallet;

c) stabilizing the compacted bloc;

d) measuring the compacted bloc; and

e) wrapping the pallet with the compacted bloc thereon.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step a) comprises automatically determining a volume of peat moss according to a target peat moss bloc.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said step a) comprises automatically determining a volume of peat moss according to a target peat moss bloc and collecting a sample amount of peat moss as a reference for calculating a volume in a bloc in said step d).

19. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding the amount of peat moss determined in step a) in the compaction box, compressing the peat moss on a pellet inserted in the compaction box, and conveying the compacted bloc on the pallet to a stabilization unit.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding the determined amount of peat moss compressing the determined amount of peat moss once.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) feeding a first portion of the determined amount of peat moss, compressing the first amount, feeding a remaining portion of the determined amount of peat moss, and compressing.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises feeding the determined amount of peat moss compressing the determined amount of peat moss twice.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein said step b) comprises inserting one pallet at a time in the compaction box for receiving a next load of peat moss.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein said step c) comprises wrapping a first layer of film about the compressed bloc.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein said step d) comprises measuring the height and the weight of the compacted bloc.