BETHLEHEM, PA — A combination Bulk Bag and Manual Dump Batching System from Flexicon weighs bulk materials that are discharged from bulk bags and/or manually dumped from sacks, boxes and other containers, and empties the batch into mobile storage bins.

The sanitary system consists of a bulk bag unloading frame, two hoppers, and two flexible screw conveyors that feed a central gain-in-weight hopper under automated control.

A programmable controller with manual start button activates either of the flexible screw conveyors to load the first ingredient into the central weigh hopper at maximum feed rate. Load cells supporting the hopper transmit weight gain information to the controller, which steps-down the feed rate to dribble prior to reaching the target weight. In the same manner, the controller starts and stops the second conveyor to load the second ingredient

into the weigh hopper, and then activates the hopper's slide gate valve to discharge the batch into mobile storage bins.

The unloader features a SPOUT-LOCK^® clamp ring that forms a high-integrity seal between the clean side of the bag spout and the clean side of the equipment. To promote total evacuation of material, a TELE-TUBE^® telescoping tube maintains constant downward pressure on the clamp ring and bag spout, elongating the bag as it empties, while FLOW-FLEXER^® bag activators raise and lower bottom edges of the bag into a steep "V" shape, directing material into the bag outlet spout.

Immediately above the clamp ring is a POWER-CINCHER^® flow control valve employing a series of curved, articulated rods that cinch the bag spout concentrically, allowing dust-free retying and removal of partially-empty bags.

A removable bag-lifting frame with bag strap hooks and fork tubes allows loading of the lifting frame with bag intact, onto a cradle at the top of the unloader frame posts.

The flexible screw conveyors are said to handle a variety free- and non-free-flowing bulk materials including products that pack, cake, smear or easily degrade, with no separation of blended products.

Material contact surfaces of the system are of stainless steel finished to sanitary standards, with the exception of the polymer conveyor tubes which are removable for rapid, thorough wash down.

The floor hopper is available with a containment hood including integral dust collection for clean, safe handling of dusty materials.