JPH0411990Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] "Field of industrial application" The present invention relates to a device for opening and closing a discharge port in a container having a discharge port protruding from the bottom. The present invention relates to an opening/closing device for a container outlet suitable for a system that efficiently performs a series of handling operations such as filling, mixing, storing, and discharging liquids and the like.

In this type of system, a frame with an upward receiving hopper is installed at a predetermined location in an automatically managed warehouse or other processing facility, and containers and other containers are transported from other locations using a forklift or other transportation means. The container is placed on the pedestal, and the valve at the outlet of the container is opened to receive the contents of the container and discharge it to the hopper.

``Prior art and its problems'' In the past, the discharge valve was opened and closed manually, which required manpower, and if the top of the receiving hopper and pedestal were at a high level, a ladder etc. would be used to remove it. It had the drawback of having to climb up to the position and being dangerous.

In addition, as a gas valve opening/closing device instead of a container outlet opening/closing device, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 51-15245
As disclosed in the publication, a rotating jig is attached to the gas valve in advance, a bimetal is connected to the rotating jig, a heater is provided to the bimetal, and a time switch or the like is used to energize the heater to heat the bimetal. However, there was a structure in which the deforming force of the bimetal opened the valve via the rotating jig, and when the gas burner went out, the bimetal cooled and returned to its original shape, and the gas valve closed at the same time.

However, since this gas valve opening/closing device uses a heater as the driving source, there is a risk of fire, etc., and a rotating jig must be set on the valve in advance, so it must be installed at the outlet of the container being transported from elsewhere. It has no effect at all when used to open and close valves. However, it is much more efficient to open and close the valve manually than to set a rotating jig on the valve in advance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an opening/closing device that can automatically open and close the outlet of a container by eliminating the above-mentioned drawbacks.

"Means for Solving the Problems" In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a container in which a valve is provided at the discharge port protruding from the bottom, and the discharge port is opened and closed by rotating the valve by a predetermined angle. a side part of the pedestal supporting the container that moves forward and backward toward the operating lever of the valve, and
A drive mechanism including an actuator that rotates in the opening/closing direction of the valve is provided, and an operator is provided at the tip of the drive mechanism having an engaging portion that is engaged with the operating lever in the rotation direction.

"Function" When a container is placed on a stand, when the drive mechanism is actuated by an electric signal or the like and the operating element at the tip advances to the position of the valve operating lever, the engaging part of the operating element is activated. The lever is locked in its rotational direction, and the actuator rotates the operator by a predetermined angle in one direction to operate the valve in the opening direction.

When the contents of the container are completely discharged or the contents discharged to the receiving hopper reach a fixed amount,
In response to an electrical signal or the like, the actuator rotates the operating element to rotate the operating lever in the valve closing direction, thereby closing the valve, and the driving mechanism retreats the operating element to its original position.

``Example'' An example in which the present invention is applied to a powder container will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figures 1 to 3 are the first example, in which a powder container 2 has a hopper-shaped discharge port 1 at the bottom and an opening/closing lid 21 at the top, which are interconnected at the periphery of the bottom. The legs 22 are fixed, and are transported to the position of the pedestal 3 and placed on the pedestal 3 by a transportation means such as a forklift (not shown).

A frame-shaped pedestal 3 is installed at a predetermined position, and a receiving hopper 4 is arranged in the center.

A butterfly type valve 10 is attached to the discharge port 1, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and an operating lever 11 of the valve 10 projects to the side of the discharge port 1.

A machine frame 6 is provided on the side of the pedestal 3, and a drive mechanism 5 is provided on the machine frame to advance and retreat to the position of the operating lever 11. A rotary type actuator 7 is provided to rotate in the direction, and an operator 8 is provided at the tip of the actuator 7.

In this embodiment, an air cylinder is used as the drive mechanism 5, and the operator 8 has a groove-shaped engagement portion 81 on the front surface so that the operating lever 11 is locked in the rotational direction as shown in FIG. have.

Therefore, when the container 2 is placed on the pedestal 3 in the state shown in FIG. The operating lever 11 is locked to the engaging portion 81 of the operating element 8 in its rotational direction, and then the operating element 8 is rotated by the actuator 7 to open the valve 10.

When the discharge of the internal filling is completed, the actuator 7 is actuated by an electric signal to close the valve 10, and then the operating element 8 is moved back to its original position by the drive mechanism 5.

When the container 2 is transported to another location and another container 2 is supplied onto the pedestal 3, the valve 10 of the container is opened and closed in the manner described above.

Further, the pedestal 3 has a weighing means, and when the powder or granular material in the container 2 is discharged into the quantitative receiving hopper 4, the receiving hopper 4 is moved to another position and replaced with another receiving hopper 4. In the case of a system in which the powder and granules discharged into the receiving hopper 4 reach the specified amount, the actuator 7 is activated by an electrical signal.
can be configured to close the valve 10 by activating the hopper 4, and open the valve 10 in the manner described above when the hopper 4 is replaced.

In the above embodiment, an air cylinder was used for the drive mechanism 5, but the operator 8 was moved from a predetermined position to the lever 1.
A hydraulic cylinder or other drive mechanism can be used as long as it can advance to position 1 and retreat to the original position.

``Effect of the invention'' The opening/closing device according to the present invention is different from the conventional gas valve opening/closing device described above because the operator provided at the tip of the drive mechanism is automatically set to the valve operating lever as the drive mechanism advances or retreats. In contrast, no manual labor is required, and the opening and closing of the outlet of the container can be automated.

Therefore, even when the contents of the container are to be discharged at a high position, the contents can be discharged safely and there is no risk of fire or the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway front view of an embodiment of the switchgear according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the main parts of the device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an operator in the device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. Explanation of main symbols in the figure: 1 is the discharge port, 10 is the valve, 11 is the operating lever, 2 is the container, 3 is the pedestal, 4
5 is a receiving hopper, 5 is a drive device, 6 is a machine frame, 7 is an actuator, 8 is an operator, and 81 is an engaging portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) In a container in which a valve is provided at a discharge port protruding from the bottom and the discharge port is opened and closed by rotating the valve at a predetermined angle, A drive mechanism is provided that includes an actuator that moves forward and backward toward the operation lever of the valve and rotates in the opening and closing direction of the valve, and an engagement that locks the operation lever in the rotational direction at the tip of the drive mechanism. 1. An opening/closing device for a container outlet, characterized in that it is provided with an operator having a section. (2) The opening/closing device for a container outlet according to claim 1, wherein the container is a powder container and the valve is a butterfly valve. (3) The container outlet opening/closing device according to claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, wherein the drive mechanism is an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.