Composite container and method of handling fluent materials

Claim 3

In combination with the steps defined in claim 1, the step of subsequently effecting movement in said fluent material within the bag.

Claim 4

In combination with the steps defined in claim 1, the step of subsequently discharging said fluent material from the bag by exhausting the material from the lower part of the bag.

Claim 5

Method as defined in claim 3 wherein said bag is collapsed as said material is discharged.

Claim 6

Method as defined in claim 4 wherein said bag is collapsed by forcing a gas under pressure into the space within the shell and outside of the bag.

Claim 7

Method as defined in claim 3 wherein said material is discharged from the bottom of the bag upwardly and through the top of the bag and through one of said passageways.

Claim 8

Apparatus for handling nongaseous fluent material comprising: a rigid shell formed with at least one opening in a wall thereof; a bag having a flexible wall and insertable into said shell in collapsed condition through said opening and being shaped, when distended, to engage the internal surface of said shell for support thereby, said bag being formed with an edge portion defining an inlet opening; conduit means adapted to be mounted on the shell at an opening therein and having coupling means for connection through a source of inflation gas for distending the bag and, subsequently, for filling said bag, said conduit means providing at least two separate passageways of which one is adapted for connection to a source of said fluent material and the other passageway is in direct communication with an upper part of said bag when distended; guide means fixed to said conduit means and shaped to engage and position the bottom of said bag within the shell; means sealing said bag edge to said conduit means; and means for discharging gas from the space between the shell and said bag.

Claim 9

Apparatus for handling nongaseous fluent material comprising: a rigid shell formed with at least one opening in a wall thereof; a bag having a flexible wall and insertable into said shell in collapsed condition through said opening and being shaped, when distended, to engage the internal surface of said shell for support thereby, said bag being formed with an edge portion defining an inlet opening; conduit means adapted to be mounted on the shell at an opening therein and having coupling means for connection through a source of inflation gas for distending the bag and, subsequently, for filling said bag, said conduit means providing at least two separate passageways of which one is adapted for connection to a source of said fluent material and the other passageway is in direct communication with an upper part of said bag when distended; guide means fixed to said conduit means and shaped to engage and position the bottom of said bag within the shell; means sealing said bag edge to said conduit means; and means for discharging gas from the space between the shell and said bag.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 which includes means for admitting gas into the space between the shell and the bag while discharging the fluent material from the bag, whereby said bag can be collapsed during said discharge.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said conduit means includes a pair of tubes having different diameters, the larger diameter tube having lateral openings at axially spaced locations and the interior thereof being in communication with one of said passageways and the smaller diameter tube forming at least a part of the other passageway.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said conduit means includes a pair of tubes, one of said tubes being formed so as to be housed within the other, said other tube having axially spaced openings in communication with the interior of the bag.

Claim 13

In combination with apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said shell is gastight and in sealed relation to said conduit means: pressure-responsive means for flowing air between said shell and the ambient atmosphere in response to a pressure differential between said space and the atmosphere.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said conduit means is formed with a passageway shaped for insertion therethrough of a material conditioning device into the bag for contact with said material.

Claim 15

In combination with apparatus as defined in claim 7, means for injecting a gas into said material at a lower part of the bag from a source outside of the shell.

Claim 16

In combination with apparatus as defined in claim 7, a device for circulating said material, said device including means for continuously withdrawing some of said material from the bag to a point outside of the shell, and means for returning the withdrawn material into the bag.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein one of said passages includes a dip tube and said conduit means comprises a member extending transversely to said dip tube and in sealed relation to said bag edge portion, said dip tube having communication through said member, and the other passageway extends through said member and is in direct communication with an upper part of said bag, whereby the bag may be filled with or exhausted of inflation gas.