Tools for inserting and removing liner outlet spouts

For a bulk container having sidewalls, end walls and a discharge outlet tube, and wherein a flexible bag liner having a self supporting spout with a tubular neck telescopically receivable in the outlet tube may be received, a tool for at least one of inserting the spout into the discharge outlet and removing the spout from the discharge outlet comprising:

• (a) a carrier shaft,
• (b) a collect at one end of the carrier shaft for engaging and releasably retaining the spout thereon, said collet extending generally axially of the carrier shaft, said collet having at least two resilient fingers telescopically insertable into the tubular neck of the spout to releasably retain the spout on the collect,
• (c) a lever arm pivotally connected adjacent one end to the carrier shaft adjacent the other end of the carrier shaft,
• (d) a fulcrum arm spaced from the pivotal connection, fixed to the lever arm, extending generally transversely to the longitudinal axis of the lever arm and having a free end constructed to bear on a wall of the container,
• (e) the lever and fulcrum arms being constructed so that when the tool is disposed in operative position in the bulk container the lever arm extends generally transversely of the carrier shaft when the free end of the fulcrum arm bears on a wall of the container, and
• (f) the carrier shaft, lever arm and fulcrum arm are constructed to move said collet generally axially relative to the container discharge outlet for at least one of inserting the spout into the discharge outlet into firm frictional engagement therewith to positively anchor and seal the liner within the container and removing the spout from the outlet for removing the liner from the container when force is applied to generally pivotally move the lever arm relative to the carrier shaft and about the free end of the fulcrum arm.