Background of the Invention
Field of the Invention:
[0001] The present invention relates generally to apparatus for conveying bulk materials
such as mined, nonpacked coal, or ore or nonpacked cereal grain verticallyupward in
a continuous fashion and more particularly to vertical bulk conveyors of the type
including conveying means in the form of two endless conveyor belts arranged in face-to-face
overlapping relation to each other for holding bulk material therebetween and an improved
bulk feeder combined with such conveying means, and relates also to bulk delivering
apparatus utilizing such vertical bulk conveyors.
Description of the Prior Art:
[0002] For the conveying to a higher level of bulk materials. such as coal pilod in a coal
yard and ore or grain material placed in the holds of a carge vessel, a vertical conveyor
has recently been proposed which includes two conveyor belts arranged to gravel in
frace-to-fac overlapping relation to each other upwardly in a substantially vetical
direction while holding bulk material between the overlapping belt faces for continuous
vertical transportation of the bulk material.
[0003] The vertical conveyor is highly excellent as a machine for conveying bulk materials
to higher levels in that it does not necessitate any unduly large ground space for
installation and is capable of continuous conveying operation with high efficiency.
With the vertical conveyor, however, it has previously been unavoidable that its conveyor
belts are subjected in operation to more or less strains on account of the means used
to feed bulk material to be conveyed byetween the two conveyor belts. Specifically,
in the bottom, bulk feed region of the vertical conveyor, one of the two conveyor
belts is guided to travel in a substantially horizontal path so as to be fed with
bulk material thereon and, passing under the bottom turning end of the other conveyor
belt, comes into overlapping relation therewith so that the bulk material is held
between the opposing surfaces of the two conveyor belts which proceed thereafter upwardly
at the same speed. With this arrangement, however, in the region where the first conveyor
belt passes around the bottom turning end portion of the second conveyor belt, which
proceeds around the periphery of a bottom guide pulley provided therefor, the two
conveyor belts must proceed as the same angular velocity through an angle of approximately
90 degrees around the same guide pulley with their opposite side edges laid over each
other the guide pulley. Because of this, the first conveyor belt is unduly stretched
during its passage around the guide pulley and substantial reduction in service life
of such belt results.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] The present invention has for its primary object the provision of an improved vertical
conveyor of the general kind described which is designed to overcome the difficulties
previously met as described above and is capable of serving the purpose of delivering
bulk materials stored in large quantities verLically upward wiLh efficiency.
[0005] A more specific pecifie object of the present invention is to provide a vertical
conveyor of the kind described which has an extended service life, including two conveyor
belts guided substantially in symmetrical relation to each other.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bulk feeder for
use with a vertical conveyor of the kind decribed which enables the two conveyor belts
of the latter to be guided in a symmetrical relation to each other while reducing
the plan area required for the feeding of bulkmaterial to the conveyor and is thus
applicable to a vertical bulk-delivering apparatus for delivering bulk materials stored
in piles with increased efficiency.
[0007] A further object of the present invention is to provide a vertical bulk-delivering
apparatus which is capable of scooping up bulk materials efficiently for example,
from a storing yard in which coal or the like is stored deep or from the holds of
a cargo vessel in which coal, cereal grain or the like is held in bulk, and delivering
the scooped material in a vertical direction.
[0008] To attain these and other objects, the present invention is primarily featured by
a novel belt arrangement for a vertical conveyor in which the two conveyor belts are
guided at the bottom end to turn around in directions opposite to each other in substantially
symmetrical relation, bulk material to be conveyed being projected at high speed to
the belt junction, where the two conveyor belts meet each other, so as to be loaded
therebetween in a positive fashion.
[0009] As bulk loading means, any form of highspeed bulk projector of the type which principally
utilizes centrifugal force may conveniently be employed.
[0010] Such bulk projector can be made extremely small in size so as to be conveniently
attached to the bottom, bulk feed region of a vertical conveyor while enabling the
bulk receiving end thereof to be arranged in the rotary drum of a scooper unit of
the well-known rotary bucket-wheel type thereby to form a continuous vertical bulk-delivering
apparatus. Further,, according to the present invention, it is contemplated to combine
such continuous vertical delivering apparatus.with . a variety of conveyor mechanisms
in order to realize a delivering system suited to the delivering of coal, ore or the
like bulk material stored deep in a storing place or one advantageously usable in
delivering bulk materials from narrow storing places.
[0011] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a few preferred embodiments of the
invention.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0012] In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a fragmentary dia-grammatic side elevational view illustrating the principles
of a vertical conveyor usable in the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional plan view of the vertical conveyor, taken along the
line II-II in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, taken along the line
III-III in Figure 4 and illustrating one preferred form of bulk receiving structure
of a vertical conveyor embodying the present invention with the front side frame of
the bulk projector removed;
; Figure. 4 is a cross-sectional front elevation of the bulk projector, taken along
the line IV-IV in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of a vertical conveyor, showing one conventional
form of bulk feeder provided therefor;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing the essential part of a vertical
bulk-delivering apparatus which utilizes the bulk receiving structure shown in Figures
3 and 4;
Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken along the line VII-VII in Figure
8, of' a yard vertical delivering system including as a major part thereof the vertical
delivering apparatus shown in Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional front elevation of the system taken through the beam
structure thereof along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary oblique view showing part of a different form of yard vertical
delivering system;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional elevation, taken through the beam structure
along the line X-X in Figure 9, and showing the eseential part of the conveyor carrier;
Figure 11 is an enlarged plan view of the annular flange structure of the carrier;
Figure 12 is a schematic elevational view of a bulk unloading system of the vertical
delivering type;
Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 3, illustrating the bottom portion of a vertical
conveyor with a modified form of bulk receiving structure;
Figure 14 is a fragmentary side elevation of a vertical conveyor employing another
form of bulk projector; and
Figure 15 is a cross section of the projector chute, taken along the line XV-XV in
Figure 14.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
[0013] ReferrinG first to Figures 1 and 2, which illustrate the principles of a vertical
conveyor usable in the present invention, reference numeral 2 generally indicates
the vertical conveyor, which consists essentially of two endless conveyor belts generally
indicated by reference numerals 2a and 2b, respectively, and two sets of guide rollers
3 (3a, 3c, 3d; 3b, 3e, 3f) provided for the respective conveyor belts 2a and 2b. The
vertical conveyor 2 is arranged in the interior space of an appropriate casing frame
1 which extends vertically and on which the two sets of guide rollers 3 are supported.
[0014] The two endless conveyor belts 2a and 2b are arranged to proceed in face-to-face
overlapping relation to each other substantially along the center line of the vertical
space 10 defined in the casing frame 1. The edges 21 and 22 of the two conveyor belts
overlapping each other on each side thereof are held pressed against each other by
two sets of side guide rollers, 3a and 3b, which are arranged at regular intervals
on the back sides of the respective belt edges 21-22. As clearly seen in Figure 1,
the guide rollers 3a in one set are staggered vertically with respect to those 3b
in the other set so that the belt edges 21 and 22 are more or less forced into the
space between each pair of two adjacent guide rollers in one set by the adjacent one
of the guide rollers in the other set. With this arrangement, it will be noted that
a bulk holding space A of flattened tubular shape is formed between the medial portions
23-24 of the overlapping sections of conveyor belts 2a and 2b.
[0015] In operation, the overlapping conveyor sections travel upwardly at the same speed
under the drive of a pair of driving pulleys (not shown), which are arranged at the
top end of the conveyor line, and bulk material S is conveyed upwardly in a substantially
vortical direction in a state held in the bulk holding space A progressively defined
by the two conveyor belts 2a and 2b.
[0016] If desired the opposite side edges 21-22 of the two conveyor belts 2a and 2b may
be provided thereon with an interlocking structure, for example, of the labyrinth
type, in order to positively seal the bulk material between the overlapping conveyor
belts, It is to be noted, however, that the bulk holding space A defined between the
medial portions 23-24 of the two overlapping conveyor belts can be held firmly sealed
without use of any special formation on the belt edges, as shown in Figure 2, by properly
selecting the spacing of side guide rollers 3a and 3b in each set as long as the conveyor
belts have an appropriate degree of rigidity at least in the edge portions 21-22 thereof.
[0017] At the top end of the vertioal conveyor 2, the two conveyor belts 2a and 2b are turned
round in directions opposite to each other to travel downwardly to the bottom turning
ends along respective vertical paths indicated at 25 and 26 in Figure 1. The belt
paths 25-26 are each defined by a set of outer guide rollers 3c-3d or 3e-3f, which
are arranged at larger intervais to guide the adjacent descending conveyor belt on
the front and rear sides thereof.
[0018] At the end of descent, the two conveyor belts (25 and 26) are turned round symmetrically
in directions opposite to each other, for example, around a pair of bottom guide pulleys
4a and 4b of identical shape.
[0019] The sets of guide rollers 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e and 3f are all journaled on the vertical
casing frame 1.
[0020] One form of bulk projector will next be described with reference to Figures 3 and
4.
[0021] In this embodiment, the bulk projector, generally indicated.by reference numeral
5, is supported on a frame 50 separate from the casing frame, on which the vertical
conveyor described above is supported. The bulk projector 5 includes, as its major
components, two rotary discs 51a and 51b of the same diameter and an endless projector
belt 52. The rotary discs 51a and 51b serve as a guide for bulk material and that
for the projector belt 52. Specifically, the projector belt 52 passes under the rotary
discs, closely engaging about half the periphery thereof, as indicated at 521 in Figure
3, to serve in cooperation with the rotary discs to guide bulk material through the
projector. As indicated at 522 in Figure 3, the projector belt 52 is directed from
its bulk guide region 521 upwardly forward in a direction toward the belt junction
at the bottom of the vertical conveyor 2 where two conveyor belts 2a and 2b meet each
other to rise together. As shown, the bulk projector 5 is equipped with a bulk supplychute
53.
[0022] The two rotary discs 51a and 51b are arranged opposite to each other at a predetermined
spacing therebetween and, as shown, are rotatably mounted on a stationary shaft 511
through the intermediary of respective ball bearings 512-513 at locations adjacent
to the opposite ends of the stationary shaft 511. This shaft is fixedly mounted on
the projector frame 50 transversely thereof.
[0023] The projector belt 52 is turned downward around a combined guide and drive pulley
54 at the top of the upgrade belt region 522, which extends upwardly forward from
the bulk buide region 521, and, passing around a.bottom guide roller 55, arranged
under the rotary discs, returns to a rear guide pulley 56, as indicated at 523 in
Figure 3. The rear guide pulley 56 is journaled on a shaft 560 provided to the rear
of the rotary discs. Turning around the rear guide pulley 56, the projector belt 52
now proceeds in a substantially horizontal direction, as indicated at 520, to make
close contact with the lower halves of rotary discs 51a and 52b, as at 521. The drive
pulley 54 referred to above is driven by means of a drive motor 57, which is mounted
on the projector frame 50 at an appropriate location, to drive the projector belt
52 at a high speed normally in the range of from 450 m/min to 1000 m/min. Reference
numeral 58 indicates a drive belt arranged between the drive pulley 54 and the output
shaft of drive motor 57; and 59 indicates a driven pulley fixedly mounted on the shaft
of drive guide pulley 54.
[0024] The bulk supply chute 53 has a wide top opening 530 for reception of bulk material
and'opposite side plates 531 and 532 which extend downwardly along the inside of the
respective rotary discs 51a and 51b to the top surface of the horizontal region 520
of projector belt 52. The side plates are thus held at their bottom end in close contact
with the top surface of the projector belt so that any sidewise leakage of bulk material
from the chute bottom is effectively prevented. Also, the chute includes a front and
a rear wall plate, the front wall plate 533 being cut open at the bottom to form a
bulk discharge opening 534, which is connected with the chute bottom opening along
the top surface of projector belt 52.
[0025] Bulk material as thrown into the chute 53 and falling onto the horizontal region
520 of projector belt 52, which is travelling at high speed, starts to move together
with the projector belt and is held pressed against the belt surface under a substantial
centrifugal force which acts on the bulk material while the projector belt 52 is passing
beneath the rotary discs substantially around half the periphery thereof. Owing to
this, the bulk material is effectively accelerated to a speed equal to that of belt
travel, which is approximately 600 m/min, so as to be projected from the top of the
upgrade region 522 of projector belt 52 in a direction extended therefrom, as indicated
by the arrow in Figure 3. The direction in which the bulk material is projected is
such that the material, reaching the bottom junction of the two conveyor belts 2a
and 2b. Where they meet or overlap each other, acts to force the medial portions of
the conveyor belts apart from each other under the momentum or inertial effect of
its own and is packed into the space between the overlapping conveyor belts.
[0026] As the two overlapping conveyor belts are normally travelling upward at a speed of
the order of 250 m/min, the bulk material continuously thrown from the bulk projector
is conveyed upwardly in a continuous fashion in a state filled in the tubular bulk
holding space A formed between the two conveyor belts.
[0027] Referring again to Figure 3, the bottom guide pulleys 4a and 4b around which the
respective conveyor belts 2a and 2b are guided at their bottom are more or less vertically
displaced relative to each other. Namely, the bottom guide .pulley 4b for one of the
conveyor belts, 2b, which is opposite to the bulk projector 5 is disposed some distance
below the other guide pulley 4a so that the conveyor belt 2b has a portion 20 of its
front surface exposed for reception of bulk material, extending downwardly from the
junction of the two conveyor belts. It is to be noted here that the two conveyor belts
are themselves guided to turn round at the bulk receiving end of the vertical conveyer
in opposite directions in substantially symmetrical relation to each other, as described
hereinbefore.
[0028] Reference will next be had to Figure 5, which illustrates a typical form of bulk
feeder unit which has previously been under research for use in a vertical conveyor.
In this previous form of bulk feeder, one of the conveyor belts is arranged to have
a horizontally extending region 27 designed to receive and support bulk material to
be conveyed and the bulk material once laid on the horizontal belt region is subsequently
held clamped between the two conveyor belts 2c and 2d. Specifically, said one of the
two conveyor belts, 2d, is extended at the bottom rearwardly of the other conveyor
belt 2c around a bottom guide roller 4c in a state overlapping the latter 2c, which
is trained around the guide pulley 4c in direct contact therewith, to form a horizontal
bulk-receiving region 27. This arrangement, however, has involved a disadvantage that
one of the conveyor belts, 2d, forming the horizontal bulk-receiving region 27 is
unduly stretched while proceeding around the guide roller 4c radially outside of the
other conveyor belt 2c. In contrast to this, in the vertical conveyor constructed
and arranged according to the principles of the present invention, neither of its
two conveyor belts is subjected to any such-undue stretching at its bulk-receiving
bottom end.
[0029] It is to be noted that the bulk projector described hereinbefore can practically
be made small in size, with the diameter of rotary discs 51 and the width of projector
belt 52 both specified in the range of from 30 cm to 60 cm, while having a bulk projecting
capacity of the order of 60 to 150 m
3 per hour. Such compact unit can easily be mounted on an appropriately extended portion
of the casing frame provided to support the vertical conveyor, without necessitating
any separate frame as previously required therefor.
[0030] Description will next be made of some practical- applications of a vertical bulk
conveying apparatus which includes a combination of the above-described vertical conveyor
2 and bulk projector 5.
[0031] The vertical bulk conveying apparatus is so arranged that bulk material thrown into
a chute is fed under centrifugal force to the bottom of the vertical conveyor so as
to be held between the two overlapping conveyor belts and conveyed thereby upwardly
in a continuous fashion and can be made characteristically compact as an integral
combination of the vertical conveyor with the bulk projector for loading the latter.
Because of this character, the vertical conveying apparatus is advantageously usable,
in combination with a rotary bucket wheel operable to scoop up bulk material and throw
it into the bulk projector chute, to form a vertical bulk-delivering apparatus which
is capable of efficiently delivering the bulk material vertically upward in a continuous
fashion.
[0032] One specific example of such vertical bulk-delivering apparatus is illustrated in
Figure 6, in which the same .references have been used as in Figures 1 to 4 for similar
parts having the same functions.
[0033] In this embodiment, the vertical conveyor 2, which includes two endless conveyor
belts 2a and 2b guided around respective bottom guide pulleys 4a and 4b to proceed
therefrom upwardly in face-to-face relation, defining a substantially vertical conveyor
line, and is supported on the vertically extending section la, indicated by the chain-dotted
lines, of the casing frame. As shown, the frame includes an overhanging portion lb
extended laterally thereof on which is integrally carried a bulk projector unit 5,
which is comprised of a pair of rotary discs 51, a projector belt 52, a combined drive
and guide pulley 54, guide rollers 55 and 56, a bulk chute 53 and a drive source (not
shown here) associated with the drive pulley. Reference numeral 6 generally indicates
a bulk feeder, of the rotary bucket wheel type, which includes a substantially cylindrically
shaped drum support frame 60, which is also supported on the overhanging portion lb
of the conveyor casing frame sidewise of the bulk-receiving region of vertical conveyor
2 including the bulk-projector 5.
[0034] Rotatably supported on the drum support frame 60 is a rotary drum 61 which is driven
to rotate clockwise, as viewed in Figure 6, by a well-known form of drive mechanism
(not shown and described herein). A multitude of scooping buckets 62 are mounted on
the rotary drum 61 at regular intervals around the periphery thereof. Upon. rotation
of the rotary drum 61, the bulk material scooped up by the buckets 62 is thrown into
the drum support frame 60, as indicated by the arrow, through a charging port 63 formed
in the top thereof. The chute 53 of bulk projector 5 is extended at the top into the
drum support frame 60 to form a bulk inlet mouth 530 opening upwardly toward the charging
port 63 of the frame 60.
[0035] When the rotary drum 61 is rotated in the well-known manner at a location where bulk
material is piled while at the same time operating the vertical conveyor 2 and bulk
projector 5, the bulk material scooped up and thrown into the opening 63 of drum support
frame 60 successively by buckets 62 on the rotating drum 61 is continuously fed through
the chute 53 into the bulk projector 5 and loaded under the action thereof into the
vertical conveyor to be delivered vertically upward.
[0036] Such vertical delivering apparatus, including a vertical bulk conveying apparatus
and a rotary bucket wheel, is characteristically capable of serving a dual function
of scooping up bulk material continuously to feed it into a bulk projector and also
vertically delivering the fed material. Owing to this feature, the apparatus can be
advantageously employed as a bulk delivering machine unit to realize a vertical delivering
system, suited, for example, for use in a deep-storing yard where bulk material is
stored in large depths and can hardly be delivered out with any efficiency.
[0037] Referring next to Figures 7 to 11, reference numeral 7 generally indicates a vertical
delivering system for yard use, which comprises, in combination, a vertical bulk delivering
unit, generally indicated by reference numeral 71, an intermediate transfer apparatus
74, and a unit carrier provided for carrying the delivering unit 71 over the whole
area of the storing yard. The delivering unit 71 includes a vertically elongate cylindrical
frame body, in which a vertical conveyor 2 is supported, and is provided at the bottom
with a bulk projector (not shown here) and a bucket wheel type bulk scooper 6. The
intermediate transfer apparatus 74 serves to transfer the bulk material as discharged
from the vertical conveyor onto a stationary conveyor, as will be described hereinafter
in detail.
[0038] Reference numeral 9 generally indicates a storing place for bulk material which,
in the example of Figures 7 and 8, is a deep-storing yard Y
1 built on a definite lot of ground as surrounded on its opposite sides by retaining
walls 91 and 92 of substantial height.
[0039] Carrier-supporting rails R
1 and R
2 are laid parallel to each other on top of the respective retaining walls 91 and 92
and on which rails is mounted a unit carrier to travel longitudinally of the yard
Y
1 which is comprised of a travelling frame 72 including two elongate parallel beams
721 and 722 mounted on the rails in staraddling relation to the yard Y
1 and wheeled (723) travelling leg sections 724-725 mounted on the respective beams
sidewise thereof, and a trolley type unit support frame 73 mounted on the top of parallel
beams 721-722 of travelling frame 72 for movement therealong.
[0040] The unit support frame 73, which is supported itself on the yravelling frame 72,
has a body structure of annular or rectangular framework through which the vertical
casing frame 711 of delivering unit 71 extends and supports the casing frame 711 for
vertical displacement. Reference numeral 731 indicates guide means for the vertical
unit casing or frame 711; and 732 indicates a rope for raising and lowering the delivering
unit 71, which is securecd at one end to the unit support frame 73, as indicated at
733 in Figure 8, and wound at the other end around a winding drum 734 arranged on
the vertical casing frame 711 adjacent to the bottom end thereof.
[0041] As will readily be understood, the delivering unit 71, supported on the unit carrier
72-73 of the structure described above, is movable in directions longitudinal and
transverse of the storing yard Y
1 under operation of the travelling frame 72 and unit support frame 73, respectively,
and is thus capable of carrying the wheel bucket 6 to any desired location in the
yard Y
1. In addition, the single delivering unit 71 with its vertical frame 711 adapted for
vertical movement can serve by itself to deliver all the bull: material S deep-stored
between the retaining walls 91-92, as indicated in Figure 7 by the chain-dotted line,
starting with the top layer of the bulk material and progressing downward to the yard
bottom finally to deliver the bottom bulk layer, not indicated.
[0042] Arranged on one of the retaining walls, e.g., 92, in parallel with the rail R
21 is a stationary conveyor C which serves to convey the bulk material delivered up
from the yard to a predetermined collecting place.
[0043] The intermediate transfer apparatus 74 referred to hereinbefore is provided to act
between the delivering unit 71 and the stationary conveyor C.
[0044] The vertical frame 711 of delivering unit 71 is provided at the top with a bulging
chute type of bulk discharging mouth 712, through which bulk material as conveyed
to the top end of vertical conveyor 2 is discharged downwardly sideways thereof and
directed into tubular structure 741 of intermediate transfer apparatus 74, which is
telescopically extensible. The telescopic structure 741 is connected at the bottom
end with the top end of a side chute 742, which is carried by the delivering unit
support frame 73 and has a bottom discharge end opening above an intermediate belt
conveyor 743, which is provided on the travelling frame 72 along one side of the beam
721, as clearly seen in Figure 8, .and extended over the whole length thereof.
[0045] The intermediate belt conveyor 743 is operated so as to convey the bulk material
discharged from the side chute 742 to the stationary conveyor C and has a discharging
end 744 which is extended beyond the beam 721 and provided with an appropriate guide
chute 745 through which bulk material is laded onto the stationary conveyor C.
[0046] In another form of vertical yard delivering apparatus, which is illustrated in Figures
9 to 11, the unit carrier provided for transportation of the delivering unit 71 is
constructed essentially of a ground travelling frame 75 .including a beam 751 mounted
over a level land yard Y
2 in straddling relation thereto and a unit support frame 76 movable along the beam
751. The beam 751 is supported at each of its ends by a travelling leg structure 753,
which is of substantial height and, provided with carriage means 752. (It is to be
understood that the travelling frame 75, .including beam 751, is of a symmetrical
formation having the same structure at its opposite end though one end portion of
such frame is shown here.)
[0047] The ground travelling frame 75 can travel on its own .longitudinally of the yard
Y
2 along ground rails R
3 which are laid in parallel to each other on the opposite sides of the yard and on
which rails the frame 75 is mounted by means of carriages 752. Reference character
M
1 indicates a self- propelling motor mounted on the frame 75.
[0048] In this embodiment, the unit support frame 76 includes a hollow tubular body structure
760 mounted on the ground travelling frame 75 for movement along the beam 751 and
which structure 760 supports the vertical casing or frame 711 of delivering unit 71,
of the same structure as that in the embodiment previously described, while allowing
the frame 711 to move vertically and rotate about the vertical axis thereof. The beam
751 is provided along one edge of the top surface thereof with an upwardly directed
rail 754 which extends over the whole length of beam 751 and, as clearly seen in Figure
10, is also provided along the bottom beam edge diagonally opposite to the top edge
with a laterally directed rail 755 and a downwardly directed rail 756. Supported on
the upwardly directed rail 754 are running, wheels 762 which are mounted on the underside
of an integral top overhang portion of the body 760 of delivering unit support frame
76. Supported respectively on the laterally directed and downwardly directed rails
755 and 756 are running wheels 763 and 764, which are journaled vertically and horizontally,
respectively, on the extreme end portion of a bracket arm 761, which is extended laterally
from the bottom of the unit support frame 76 and upwardly bent at its extreme end
so as to surround the adjacent bottom edge of beam 751. With such supporting arrangement,
the tubular body structure 760 of unit support frame 76 is supported sidewise of the
beam 751 with the axis of its tubular hollow held substantially vertical and, upon
operation of motor means M
2 (Figure 9), is freely movable in the direction.longitudinal of the beam 751.
[0049] A hollow cylindrical guide 77 is, fitted in the cylindrical hollow in the body 760
of delivering unit support frame 76 for rotation about the axis thereof and rotatably
supported on the top surface of the frame body 760 by way of an annular flange 771
secured to the top of the tubular guide 77. Secured to the bottom of tubular guide
77 is an annular flange 772 similar to the top flange 771. As shown in the plan view
of Figure 11 on an enlarged scale, both the top and bottom flanges 771 and 772 are
provided inside thereof with four pairs of guide rollers 773 and 774 each to guideone
of the four corners of the vertical frame 711 of rectangular cross- section of the
delivering unit 71 along the adjoining edges of the frame corner. In this manner,
the vertical frame 711 is guided by the tubular guide 77 for vertical movement and
against rotation relative thereto. The tubular guide 77 for the delivering unit is
provided with a gear wheel 775 secured thereto around the periphery of the cylindrical
barrel of tubular guide 77 concentrically therewith. Mounted on the unit support frame
760 are a drive motor M
3 and a pinion 766 coupled therewith and held in mesh with the gear wheel 775 so that
the tubular guide 77 is rotatable about its axis relatively to the unit support frame
760 under the drive of motor M
3. Vertical movement of the delivering unit 71 relative to the tubular guide 77 is
obtainable, as with the case of the apparatus shown in Figures 7 and 8, by a rope
arrangement which includes a rope 777 secured at its top end to the bottom flange
772 of tubular guide 77 and a rope winder 778 provided on the bottom of the vertical
frame 711 and to which the rope 777 is secured at its bottom end.
[0050] On one side of the level land bulk-storing yard Y
2, a stationary bulk transporting conveyor (not shown) is laid in parallel therewith
in accordance with the common practice. In order that bulk material as delivered by
the delivering unit 71 from the yard may be carried to the stationary conveyor, an
intermediate transfer apparatus, generally indicate by reference numeral 78, is provided
which is connected to the bulk discharge port 712 of the delivering unit 71 (see Figure
9).
[0051] The intermediate transfer apparatus 78 includes a tubular telescopically extensible
structure 781 with its innermost tubular section 781a joined.with the bulk dis- ..
charging mouth 712 of delivering unit 71. The outermost tubular section 781b of the
telescopic structure 781 is suspended on a hanging cord 782 at a predetermined height
above an annular inlet opening 786a of an annular chute structure 786, which is fixedly
mounted on the unit support frame 76.
[0052] The hanging cord 782, fixed at one end to the outermost tubular section 781b, is
directed over two guide sheaves 783-784, mounted on one side of vertical frame 711
at the top thereof, as shown in Figure 9, to proceed downwardly along the frame and
is directed over another guide shave 785, mounted on the frame bottom, to proceed
upwardly therefrom and is secured at the other end to the bottom flange 772 of tubular
guide77, as shown in Figure 10. With this arrangement, it is to be noted that the
outermost tubular section 781b of telescopic structure 781 is held at all times at
a predetermined level of height irrespective of the vertical position of the delivering
unit 71. The outermost tubular section 781b is funnel-shaped at the bottom so as to
be loosely fitted in the annular inlet opening 786a of annular chute 786 so that,
upon rotation of the delivering unit 71, the outermost section 78lb proceeds freely
over the annular inlet opening 786a.
[0053] the annular chute 786 has a tubular body through which the vertical frame 711 of
delivering unit 71 is fitted loosely, as illustrated in Figure 9, and is so constructed
that the bulk material received in the annular inlet opening 786a is all collected
in a discharging mouth 786b at the bottom of annular chute 786 to be fed onto an intermediate
conveyor belt 787, which is arranged on the top surface of beam 751 and connected
by conventional means with the stationary conveyor previously referred to, though
not shown in this illustration.
[0054] As will be apparent from the foregoing description, in this embodiment, the bucket
wheel 6 supported on the delivering unit 71 at the bottom thereof can be brought to
any desired location in the level land yard Y
2 and bulk material as scooped up by such bucket wheel is effectively transferred onto
the stationary conveyor irrespective of the vertical and angular positioning of the
vertical frame 711 of the delivering unit. Further, in this apparatus, the delivering
unit is movable within the yard Y
2, while being held at all times vertical and this makes the apparatus particularly
suitable for use in delivering bulk material from such a small-scale yard as precluding
use of any bulky long boom. In addition, as the bulk scooping bucket wheel 6 can be
syung freely in a horizontal plane, the apparatus is capable of delivering bulk material
from any fan-shaped area ir, tne yard and thus.has an advantageous characteristic
of enabling delivering operation within any restricted yard region or compartment
to be performed with increased efficiency.
[0055] Description will next be made of a vertical bulk cargo delivering system, utilizing
the principles of the delivering unit described, with reference to Figure 12, in which.the
same references have been used as in Figures 9 to 11 for similar parts which have
the same functions.
[0056] In the system of Figure 12, as in the apparatus shown in Figures 9 to 11, the delivering
unit 71 extends through a tubular guide structure 77, which is rotatably supported
on the unit support frame 79 by way of a top and a bottom flange 771 and 772, and
is supported by the tubular guide 77 for vertical movement. Also, bulk material as
discharged from the delivering unit through its bulk discharging mouth 712 is fed
into an annular chute 786 through the intermediary of a telescopically extensible
tubular structure 781, which is held at all times at a predetermined level of height.
Though not shown in Figure 12, a hanging cord for hanging the tubular structure 781
and a rope for vertical displacement of the delivering unit are also provided in this
embodiment in quite the same manner as in the previous embodiment.
[0057] It is to be noted clearly, however, that the system of Figure 12 is distinguishable
from the apparatus shown in Figures 9 to 11 in the following points: First, in the
system of Figure 12 the unit support frame 79 is carried by a slewing beam type unloading
unit, generally indicated by reference numeral 8, at the free end of a luffing boom
82 thereof and this necessitates.a modified form of intermediate transfer apparatus
to be connected with the annular chute 786. Secondly, the vertical casing frame 711
of the delivering unit is made flexible, including a tiltably jointed lower section.
[0058] Description will now be made of the embodiment, principally centering about the distinguishing
features stated above.
[0059] Reference numeral 80 indicates a wheeled truck movable along a cargo handling site
such as a wharf or a pier of a port and on which truck a pillar 81 is mounted by way
of a rotary platform 801. The above-referred-to luffing boom 82 is fulcrumed on the
pillar 81 at 810 for luffing motion relative thereto.
[0060] A movable frame member 83 of a predetermined height is hinged at its bottom end to
the free end of the luffing boom 82. A connecting member 84 is arranged between the
top end of movable frame member 83 and a second fulcrum point 812 on the vertical
portion 811 of pillar 81. It is to be noted that the length of distance between the
first and second fulcrum points 810 and 812 on the pillar 81 is equal to the height
or vertical length of movable frame member 83. Also, the lengths of the boom 82 and
connecting member 84 are made eqaal to each other. With this arrangement, the four
members, including pillar 81, boom 82, movable frame member 83 and connecting member
84, jointly form a parallels-grammic framework and the movable frame member 83 is
held at all times vertical irrespective of the luffing angle of boom 82. The delivering
unit support frame 79 is hinged on one side thereof to the free end of boom 82 in
the same manner as the movable from member 83 and the other side of unit support frame
79 is connected with the top end of movable frame member.83 by way of a connecting
frame member 85 so that the unit support frame 79 is supported in a horizontal position.
With this arrangement, it will be apparent that the vertical casing frame 711 of delivering
unit 71 is held at all times vertical during luffing movement of the boom 82.
[0061] Provided on the luffing boom 82 is a boom conveyor 86 which extends from the free
end of boom 82 to a point at the rear of pillar 81. The discharging mouth 786b of
the above-described annular chute 786 is positioned above the feed end of boom conveyor
86 while at the discharge end of the.latter is arranged a receiving chute 871 which
is formed at the head of a second intermediate conveyor 87 and has a wide inlet opening.
The second intermediate conveyor 87 operates between the discharge end of boom conveyor
86 and a stationary conveyor C
1, which is arranged in parallel to the track on which wheeled truck 80 is mounted.
Reference numeral 88 indicates boom luffing means.
[0062] In this illustration, the delivering unit works in a bulk storing place in the form
of a hold 94 of a cargo vessel 93. As usual, the cargo hold 94 has a deck opening
95 limited in area for the capacity thereof. For bulk delivering from such storing
place, it is highly desirable that the vertical frame of the delivering unit has a
bottom section made flexible, as stated hereinbefore.
[0063] The vertical frame illustrated in Figure 12 has a bottom section 711a formed separate
from the remaining, vertical frame section 711 and pivotally connected thereto by
means of a pivot shaft 713 for tilting movement about the axis thereof. Reference
numeral 714 indicates an extensible hydraulic cylinder unit arranged between a bracket
715 secured to the vertical frame section 711 and the movable frame section 711a.
Upon extension of the cylinder unit 714, the movable section 711a of the vertical
casing frame is tilted laterally, as indicated by the chain-dotted lines, so that
the bucket wheel 6 at the bottom of the delivering unit 71 may be brought close to
any side wall surface of the cargo hold 94, as illustrated, though the delivering
unit 71 is only movable within the restricted deck opening 95 of cargo hold 94.
[0064] As the vertical frame of delivering unit 71 is flexed in the manner described, the
vertical conveyor supported therein must naturally be flexed in a similar fashion.
However, as the flexing angle, that is, the angle of tilt of the bottom frame section
711a, is at most of the order of 30 degrees, there is no danger at all of the conveyor
belts being injured to any substantial extent. By the combinatior of luffing movement
of the boom 82 with vertical movement of the delivering unit 71, the system illustrated
is capable of freely delivering bulk material out of the cargo hold through the whole
depth of material, from the top surface S
1 of material as filled in the hold to the lowest level S
2, which is close to the ship's bottom. Also, the system is capable of delivering all
the bulk material at any level in the hold with extremely high efficiency by progressively
displacing the wheeled truck structure 8 while slewing the boom 82, with the delivering
unit maintained at a definite level and the bucket wheel 6 held in a position laterally,
extended, as indicated by the chain-dotted lines in Figure 12..
[0065] Bulk material as discharged from the delivering unit 71 in a continuous fashion is
fed through the telescopically extensible tubular guide 781 and annular chute 786
onto the boom conveyor 86 and is further sent through the latter and second intermediate
conveyor 87 to the stationary to conveyor C
1, which carries the material to a land installation, not shown.
[0066] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the range of applicationof the
delivering unit 71 of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown
and described above.
[0067] Though, in these embodiments, the two overlapping conveyor belts constituting the
vertical conveyor 2 have been described as arranged so as to turn round in opposite
directions in substantially symmetrical relation to each other at the bottom end of
the substantially vertical conveyor line, modifications may be made therein, without
departing from the spirit of the present invention, to guide one or both of the endless
conveyor belts so as to be more or less flexed intermediate the ends of the conveyor
line as long as they are guided at locations immediately below the conveyor line to
turn round symmetrically in opposite directions and the flexing angle is limited to
30 degrees or thereabout. In such range of flexing angle, practinally no impairment
of the conveyor belts results.
[0068] Figures 13 and 14 illustrate further embodiments of the vertical conveyor of the
present invention which include each a bulk-receiving bottom region more or less modified
in the line of the viewpoint stated above.
[0069] For purposes of convenience in describing the embodiments of Figures 13 and 14, one
of the two endless conveyor belts, 2a, of the vertical conveyor, which is arranged
on the projector side thereof, will be referred to below as first conveyor belt and
the other conveyor belt 2b, arranged opposite to the discharge end of the projector,
as second conveyor belt. Also, the bottom guide pulleys 4a and 4b, over which the
respective conveyor belts 2a and 2b are guided at the bottom in directions opposite
to each other, will be referred to below as first and second guide pulleys, respectively.
[0070] In the apparatus illustrated in Figure 13, the first guide pulley 4a for guiding
the first conveyor belt 20 at its bottom end is arranged above the discharging end
of bulk projector 5, the first conveyor belt 2a being bent around the pulley 4a toward
the descending belt path 25.
[0071] On the other hand, the bottom end portion of the second conveyor belt 2b, arranged
opposite to the projector dis.- charging end, is passed over the adjacent side of
the first guide pulley 4a in substantially a straight line and drawn slightly forwardly
toward the bulk projector by the second guide pulley 4b, which is arranged downwardly
offset from the first guide pulley 4a. With this arrangement, the bottom end portion
of second conveyor belt 2b forms a slightly inclined bulk receiving face 20 which
is exposed to the projector discharging end. The second conveyor belt 2b is guided
at its bottom end around the second guide pulley 4b in a direction opposite to the
first conveyor belt 2a substantially in symmetrical relation thereto to enter the
descending belt path 26.
[0072] Reference will next be had to Figure 14, in which another example of bulk-receiving
end arrangement of modified design is illustrated. In this embodiment, in the groups
of inner guide rollers 3a and 3b, which define a substantially vertical conveyor line,
a few lowermost rollers are arranged in positions more or less offset successively
toward the bulk projector side, as indicated at 3'a and 3'b, so that the conveyor
line is bent forwardly at its bottom and the first guide pulley 4a, around which the
first conveyor belt 2a is guided toward its descending path 25, is arranged along
a line of extension of the bent bottom portion of the conveyor line and above the
discharging end of bulk projector 5.
[0073] On the other hand, the bottom end portion of the second conveyor belt 2b, which is
arranged opposite to the bulk projector 5, is extended from the bent bottom portion
of the conveyor line forwardly downward along the adjacent side of first guide pulley
4a substantially in a straight line. The second conveyor belt 2b thus drawn forwardly
below the first guide pulley 4a is guided to its path of descent 26 in substantially
symmetrical relation to the first conveyor belt 2a by the second guide pulley 4b,
which is downwardly offset with respect to the first guide pulley 4a. Again, in this
arrangement, the second conveyor belt 2b forms a slightly inclind bulk-receiving face
20 extending below the first guide pulley 4a.
[0074] Though, in these types of bulk-receiving arrangement, the two conveyor belts, jointly
defining a conveyor line, are flexed at a point toward the bottom end thereof, there
is no danger of the conveyor belts being injured, as with the case of the apparatus
shown in Figure 3, as the angle through which the conveyor belts arc flexed is limited
to 40 degrees or below (and is approximately 35 degrees in the embodiment of Figure
14) and the conveyor belts thus flexed are subsequently guided around the respective
end pulleys in substantially symmetrical relation to each other.
[0075] In the apparatus of Figure 13, bulk material as fed into the chute 53 of bulk projector
5 is thrown at a speed as high as approximately 600 m/min, as described hereinbefore,
in a direction toward the belt junction where the two conveyor belts meet each other,
so as to be laden therebetween under the inertial effect or momentum of the bulk material
itself. In this connection, it is to be recognized that the slightly inclined bulk-receiving
face 20 of second conveyor belt 2b, which extends downwardly from the adjacent side
of first guide pulley 4a, helps enable the bulk material thrown by the projector 5
to be received between the two conveyor belts efficiently without loss. Reference
numeral 3g indicates auxiliary guide rollers arranged on the rear side of the bulk-receiving
face region of second conveyor belt 2b to support the opposite edges thereof and each
having the same structure as inner guide rollers 3b.
[0076] In the embodiment of Figure 14, an example of curved chute type bulk projector 5
is employed which is formed as a downwardly steeply inclined chute 57 of trough-like
section (see Figure 15), which is curved at the bottom end upwardly in a circular
arc to form a bulk discharging end 58. This bulk projector 5 is supported on an appropriate
frame structure 50 in a manner such that bulk material as thrown off the discharging
end 58 is directed to the belt junction where the two conveyor belts 2a and 2b come
to join each other.
[0077] As illustrated, bulk material is supplied continuously by means of a supply conveyor
6 and thrown onto the top portion of the downwardly inclined chute 57 to rapidly slide
down therealong and, rushing out from the upwardly inclined discharging end 58 under
the effects of centrifugal force and inertia, is positively fed into the vertical
conveyor at the bottom junction of the two conveyor belts. Again, in this embodiment,
the upwardly inclined bulk-receiving region 20 of second conveyor belt 2b, the opposite
edges of which are supported by auxiliary guide rollers 3g, helps enables the bulk
material to be received by the vertical conveyor in a particularly stable and efficient
manner.
[0078] As will be apparent from the illustration of Figure 13, a vertical delivering apparatus
including a small-sized bulk projector such as shown in Figures 3 and 6 is applicable
to the systems shown in Figures 7 to 12 as well as to the 'one of Figure 6. It will
be readily understood that, when combined with a projector of the type illustrated
in Figure 14, the delivering apparatus of the present invention is usable also in
other different fields of the art.