A follower plate device for sealing and evacuating a container that has a cylindrical inner contour and contains a particularly paste-like liquid. The device comprises a seal arranged on a periphery of the device and designed so as to be able to be inserted into the cylindrical inner contour of the container such that it seals around the periphery, and marking the boundary between an outer side of the device and an inner side of the device, and a line extending through from the inner side to the outer side of the follower plate device, arranged on the outer side for connecting to a line connection leading further to an evacuation pump. The follower plate device further comprises a replaceable open-pored porous component through which the line is guided.

The invention relates to device (2), for evacuating a container (4) that contains a pasty liquid (6), for avoiding air inclusions or bubbles in the liquid (18) while the container (4) is being filled with the liquid (18), for eliminating air between the material surface (6) of the liquid (18) contained in the container (4) and a follower plate (10) until said follower plate contacts the liquid surface (6) during the insertion of the follower plate (10) into the container (4) before removal of the liquid (18), comprising a cover assembly, which is designed to close an opening of a container (4) in a vacuum-tight manner and which has a connection device (14), which is arranged on the outside of the cover assembly and which is designed for connecting an evacuation pump (29), and comprising a collapse avoidance apparatus (22), which is designed to surround at least one region of the outer faces of walls of the container (4) by means of a seal (24) surrounding the region and to connect to the wall outer face (26) in a vacuum-tight manner and to form a vacuum-tight collapse avoidance chamber (28) together with the wall outer face (26), which collapse avoidance chamber has a connection device (14), which is designed for connecting an evacuation pump (29), such that, when the collapse avoidance chamber (28) is evacuated, the vacuum therein acts on the wall outer face (26).

To provide a viscous material supply device facilitating removal operation of viscous material that could be adhered to a platen, a covering sheet used in the viscous material supply device, and a viscous material supply method. A viscous material supply device can include a tank provided with a storage space storing viscous material; a piston slidably inserted into the tank, and is provided with a pressing surface that presses the viscous material and a suction passage through which the viscous material inside the tank flows by pressing force of the pressing surface; and a covering sheet including a covering part covering the pressing surface in the piston and a communication hole communicating with the suction passage.

An apparatus for forcing a viscous material to flow from a storage container. This apparatus having a follower plate configured to be inserted into an open-end of the storage container; a sealing element located around the outer periphery of the follower plate; a pump assembly that includes a pump, an air motor, and a pipe in fluid communication with the follower plate; a support stand comprising a base, a crossbar; and two or more cylinders and rods; one or more control systems; and a safety mechanism configured to reversibly allow or prevent the air pressure from being supplied to the air motor depending upon the position of the follower plate either outside or inside the storage container. The sealing element is configured to provide a leak-proof seal with the storage container when the follower plate is located inside the storage container.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10, 110) for the conveying of viscous material from a drum-like container (12), which has a container bottom (14) and a circumferential container wall (18) extending from the container bottom (14) to an upper rim (16) of the container, which is open at the upper rim (16) of the container, the apparatus having, for closing of the container (12), a follower plate (26) having a material outlet (28) attached to a conveyor pump (30), wherein the follower plate (26) can be moved up and down in the container (12) while being in sealing contact against an inside face of the container wall (18) turned toward it, and having a lifting device (22) for raising and lowering of the follower plate (26), wherein the lifting device (22) has a drive unit. According to the invention, a protective device (32, 132) having a protective member (34, 134) is provided, which is disposed in such a way with respect to the follower plate (26) and the container (12) that, upon introduction of the follower plate (26) into the container (12), it annularly surrounds on the one hand the follower plate (26) and on the other hand the container (12) in the region of the upper rim (16) of the container. The protective device (32, 132) additionally has at least one switch (52, 152, 154) for switching-off of the drive unit upon an at least partial exposure of the upper rim (16) of the container by the protective member (34, 134) during the introduction of the follower plate (26) into the container (12).

A follower plate and an apparatus that uses the follower plate to force a viscous material to flow from a storage container. The follower plate includes a cylindrical outer body, a sealing element, and a material saving insert in which a plurality of ribs forms annular concentric slots having a length (L) that runs from the outer edge of the insert to an inner hub. Each slot further exhibits a width (w) that remains substantially the same along its length (L). Each slot further comprises a depth that is variable and tapers along its length (L), such that the depth of the slot approximate to the outer edge (d.sub.o) is less than the depth of the slot approximate to the inner hub (d.sub.i). The width and depth of the slots are configured so that any viscous material that has not been dispensed from the storage container resides within the slots.

A fluid transfer apparatus for transferring fluid from a bulk storage container to a secondary container, such as from a pail to a cartridge. The apparatus may include a vertical press and a modular follower plate. The modular follower plate may be affixed to the vertical press such that the vertical press can be operated to force the modular follower plate progressively farther down into the bulk storage container. The modular follower plate may include a secondary container seat upon which a secondary container is fitted for filling. The modular follower plate may include a through-hole that allows fluid disposed below the modular follower plate to be forced upwardly into the secondary container as the modular follower plate is press downwardly into the fluid with the bulk storage container. The modular follower plate may include a circumferential seal that engages the inner surface of the bulk storage container.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for the conveying of viscous material from a drum-like container (12), which has a container bottom (14) and a circumferential container wall (18), extending from the container bottom (14) to a container upper side (16) and is open at the container upper side (16), with, for closing of the container (12), a follower plate (20) having a material outlet (26) attached to a conveyor pump (40), wherein the follower plate (20) is provided with an annularly circumferential wiper ring (28), wherein the wiper ring (28) has a radially outwardly extending contacting part (34) for contact against an inside face (36), turned toward the follower plate (20), of the container wall (18), and wherein the contacting part (34) can be pressurized with a variable pressing force for pressing against the inside face (36) of the container wall (18). According to the invention, it is provided that the follower plate (20) is mounted by means of at least one vertically extending retaining rod (58) on a horizontally extending crosspiece (52), which is mounted on or close to a first end (54) on a lifting device (50) for raising and lowering of the crosspiece (52), while its second end (56) is free.

A fluid pressure-feed device includes a main tank and a sub tank. The sub tank is connected integrally with an upper portion of a main follower plate that applies pressurizing force to a urethane adhesive inside the main tank. A drum pump is provided in an upper portion of a sub follower plate provided in the sub tank. While the urethane adhesive is flowing into the sub tank from the main tank, the urethane adhesive is fed under pressure from the sub tank to a fluid passage by actuation of the drum pump. While the main tank is being replaced, the urethane adhesive inside the sub tank is fed under pressure to the fluid passage by the drum pump.

A method for conveying viscous material out of a barrel-like container open towards the top and having a bottom and a circumferential wall extending from bottom to top, uses a device having a follower plate for closing the container. The plate has a circumferential wiper ring having a radially outwardly protruding contact portion for contacting an inner container wall face facing the plate. A variable pressing force can be applied to press the contact portion against the inner face. The plate, following a decreasing material level and resting on the material surface, is moved bottomward, and, after the container is emptied, is moved away from the bottom, and the contact portion is pressed sealingly against the inner face while the plate moves bottomward. The sealing effect between the wiper ring and the container wall is suspended during plate movement away from the bottom by reducing the pressing force.