JPH06135515A - Device which stores and transfer vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To store a plural number of vessels such as drum and supply them to the next process by moving them due to their own weight. CONSTITUTION:A plural number of transfer members 1a to 1d which have an inclination angle at which vessels 2 can move due to their self-weight are provided in the up and down directions and arranged in parallel by arranging the direction of inclination alternately. The transfer members which are arranged in the up and down directions are connected by a lift device 3, and the transfer members which are arranged in parallel are connected by a traverse device 4. Each limit switch connected to a source of compressed air is provided at the predetermined position to detect the vessels or the predetermined members, and controlled pressure is transmitted to PV1, PV2 or valves V1, V2 to control the operation of the lift device and the traverse device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus which is constructed by arranging containers such as drums in series and storing them, and transferring the stored containers sequentially from the downstream side in the inclination direction for use. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Containers such as drums are stored by stacking them in an upright state or by stacking them in a horizontal state according to the property of a liquid to be filled. Further, when the containers are stored upright, they may be stacked directly or upright on a pallet.

In a filling factory whose business is to fill containers with liquid, new containers are stacked and stored, and each time they are filled, they are transferred from a storage yard to a filling yard and conveyed by a conveyor or the like. In general, the filling operation is performed while the containers are arranged on the device and the container is conveyed by the device.

[0004]

If the storage yard and the filling yard of the container are separated from each other as in the prior art, this is not preferable from the standpoint of determining the effectiveness of the factory premises, and the container of the container is not suitable for carrying out the filling operation. There is a problem that transportation becomes essential and the filling cost becomes high.

On the other hand, if the liquid to be filled is volatile and flammable, there is a risk of ignition due to sparks, and the drive motor of the conveyor and the sensor controlling this conveyor are electrically operated. There is a problem that the device cannot be used.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of storing a container and sequentially transferring the stored container and having no electric driving unit.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an apparatus for storing and transferring a container according to the present invention is a container having a predetermined length for mounting a plurality of containers arranged in series and mounted on the container. A plurality of transfer members having a predetermined inclination angle for moving in one direction by its own weight, the transfer members are arranged alternately in the inclination direction and arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction, and a plurality of rows are arranged in parallel. The transfer members arranged in the vertical direction are connected by the elevating means operated by compressed air, and the transfer members arranged in parallel are connected by the transfer means operated by compressed air.

In the above apparatus, a detection member connected to a supply source of compressed air is provided at a predetermined position, and the detection member detects a container or a predetermined member to control the operation of the elevating means and the transfer means. It is preferable.

[0009]

According to the device for storing and transferring the above-mentioned container (hereinafter referred to as "this device"), a plurality of containers can be arranged in series and stored. Further, the stored containers can be sequentially transferred from the downstream end of the apparatus to the filling step or another step.

That is, each of the plurality of transfer members is formed to have a length such that a plurality of containers can be aligned and mounted in series and a tilt angle at which the mounted containers can move due to its own weight. The transfer members are alternately arranged in a tilted direction and arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction and arranged in a plurality of rows in parallel, and the transfer members arranged above and below are connected by elevating means operated by compressed air and arranged in parallel. Since the present apparatus is configured by connecting the members by the transfer means operated by compressed air, when the container is supplied to the transfer member, the container moves to the downstream side in the inclination direction of the transfer member by its own weight. The containers that have reached the downstream end of the transfer member are supplied to the transfer member disposed above by the elevating means operated by compressed air, or arranged in parallel by the transfer means operated by compressed air. It is supplied to another transfer member.

Therefore, when the container reaches the downstream end of the apparatus, the container is stopped at this arrival position so that the plurality of containers supplied to the transfer member with the container at the top are in order. Can be arranged and stored.
Further, by sequentially ejecting the container located at the top to the next process, it is possible to move and transfer the plurality of aligned containers by their own weight.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present apparatus will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present apparatus, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the arrow EE of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a view taken along the arrow of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a view for explaining the configuration of the lifting means, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the transfer unit, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an air pipe that drives the elevating unit.

First, a schematic structure of the apparatus A will be described with reference to FIGS. In the figure, the apparatus A has four transfer members 1a to 1d having a predetermined length and a predetermined inclination angle, and these transfer members 1a to 1d are arranged in upper and lower two stages. It is arranged in parallel in two rows.

That is, the transfer member 1a to which the container 2 such as a drum can is supplied is arranged at the lower stage of one row, and the transfer member 1b is arranged above the transfer member 1a. In the other row, a transfer member 1c to which the container 2 is supplied from the transfer member 1b is arranged above, and a transfer member 1d for discharging the container 2 to the next step is arranged below the transfer member 1c. There is.

A lifting device 3 serving as an elevating means is provided adjacent to the downstream end of the transfer member 1a, and the downstream end of the transfer member 1a and the transfer member 1 are provided by this lift device 3.
It is connected to the upstream end of b. A lift device 3 is also provided on the transfer member 1c adjacent to the downstream end.

A traverse device 4 serving as a transfer means is provided adjacent to the downstream end of the transfer member 1b arranged in the upper stage, and the transfer member 1b is provided by this traverse device 4.
The downstream end of the transfer member 1c is connected to the upstream end of the transfer member 1c.

Container 2 supplied upstream of transfer member 1a
Moves to the downstream side (direction of arrow a) by its own weight, and when it reaches the downstream end of the transfer member 1a, it is placed on the lift device 3 and rises to be supplied to the upstream side of the transfer member 1b. Then, the container 2 supplied to the transfer member 1b moves to the downstream side (direction of arrow b) by its own weight, and is supplied to the transfer member 1c by the traverse device 4. Further, the container 2 supplied to the transfer member 1c moves to the downstream side (direction of arrow c), and is lowered by the lift device 3 provided at the downstream side end portion to transfer member 1c.
It is supplied to d, moves on the member 1d to the downstream side (direction of arrow d), reaches the downstream side end portion, and is discharged to the next step via the discharging portion 5 formed at the end portion.

Therefore, when an opening / closing member for opening / closing the discharging unit 5 is provided in the discharging unit 5 of the transfer member 1d, each transfer is performed by closing the opening / closing member with the container 2 in the discharging unit 5 at the front. A plurality of containers 2 can be aligned and stored in series on the transfer path constituted by the members 1a to 1d. Further, it is also possible to connect the container 2 to the next step of, for example, a filling device without providing a special opening / closing member in the discharge part 5, and arrange and store the containers with the filling device at the head.

Next, each component of the apparatus A will be described in detail. The transfer members 1a to 1d move the placed container 2 by their own weight, and are configured as roller conveyors each including a plurality of rollers 6. Also, the transfer member 1
a to 1d are configured to have a length capable of mounting a predetermined number of containers 2 and an inclination angle at which the containers 2 can move by their own weight.

In the present embodiment, an empty drum can is assumed as the container 2. Therefore, the transfer members 1a to 1d are each set to have a length of about 5 m and an inclination angle of 2 degrees. The length is sufficient to mount eight drums and the tilt angle is sufficient to move an empty drum by its own weight.

Each of the transfer members 1a to 1d is fixed to the frame 7 so as to maintain a preset tilt angle and tilt direction. That is, as shown in FIG.
a is fixed to the frame 7 in a state of being inclined in the direction of arrow a, and the transfer member 1b is in a state of being inclined in the direction of arrow b and has a height that does not interfere with the container 2 placed on the transfer member 1a. And is fixed to the frame 7. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3, the transfer members 1c and 1d are also fixed to the frame 7 while being inclined in the directions of arrows c and d, respectively.

At the downstream end of the transfer members 1a-1c,
A division supply device 8 is provided which divides the leading container 2 from the containers 2 arranged on the transfer members 1a to 1c and supplies the divided container 2 to the lift device 3 or the traverse device 4. Transfer member 1
Since the divided supply devices 8 provided in a to 1c have the same structure, the divided supply device 8 provided in the transfer member 1a will be described below as a representative.

The split supply device 8 includes a split member 10 which rotates about a pin 9 attached to the frame 7, and a split member.
It is composed of an air cylinder 11 that rotates 10. The dividing member 10 is provided with a plurality of stoppers 10a and 10b, and the stopper 10a or the stopper 10b can be projected and retracted from between the rollers 6 according to the rotation by the air cylinder 11. The stopper 10
“A” is arranged on the upstream side in the transfer direction of the container 2, and the stopper 10b is arranged on the downstream side.

Therefore, when the container 2 arrives while the dividing member 10 is rotated in the direction of the arrow e, the container 2 can be stopped by the stopper 10b. Further, as described above, when the container 2 reaches the dividing member 10, the dividing member 10 is rotated in the direction of the arrow f by the air cylinder 11, so that the following container 2 is stopped by the stopper 10a and is placed on the dividing member 10. It is possible to split one container 2 from the following container 2.

In order to control the driving of the air cylinder 11 as described above, a limit switch serving as a detection member connected to a compressed air pipe (not shown) is provided at a position corresponding to a substantially central portion of the divided member 10 of the frame 7. LS1 is provided. The LS1 is an air cylinder when it contacts the container 2.
It has a function of exerting a control pressure on a valve V1 which will be described later and is provided for driving 11.

The lift device 3 is provided adjacent to the downstream ends of the transfer members 1a and 1c in the transfer direction.
The container 2 that has moved above 1c is raised and lowered and supplied to the transfer members 1b and 1d provided above and below. Two
Since the platform lift devices 3 have the same structure, the lift device 3 for connecting the transfer members 1a and 1b will be representatively described below.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the lift device 3 is provided with a mounting member 12 on which the container 2 is mounted, an air cylinder 13 for moving the mounting member 12 up and down, and a mounting member 12 which can be moved up and down. It is configured by an elevating frame 14 to which the air cylinder 13 is attached together with the attachment.

The mounting member 12 has a length such that a plurality of rollers 6 are arranged in parallel and the container 2 can be mounted thereon.
Is rotatably mounted on a pin 12b provided on a frame 12a which is moved up and down along an elevating frame 14. pin
12b is the transfer member 1a, 1b rather than the center of the mounting conveyor 15.
It is located close to the side.

Therefore, when the container 2 is placed on the placement conveyor 15, the conveyor 15 is inclined toward the elevating frame 14 side around the pin 12b, and the container 2 can be placed in a stable state. is there. A hook-shaped locking member 12c is provided on each of the upstream side and the downstream side of the mounting conveyor 15 in the transfer direction of the container 2, and these engaging members are provided on the frame 12a or the transfer member 1b. By engaging with a non-engagement member, the rotation angle around the pin 12b of the mounting conveyor 15 can be regulated.

The frame 12a of the mounting member 12 is provided with a plurality of guide rollers 12d arranged to press the elevating frame 14 from both sides. Therefore, the mounting member
The 12 can be moved up and down by using the lifting frame 14 as a guide.

Transfer members 1a and 1b of the above-mentioned placement conveyor 15
Stand 16 that is formed higher than the height of the container 2 in the vicinity of the
Is stuck. An arm 17 is rotatably attached to the top of the stand 16 and is urged by a torsion spring (not shown) so as to always rotate toward the transfer members 1a and 1b. Limit switches LS2 and LS3 (not shown) that are operated by turning are attached.

The arm 17 is constructed from the transfer member 1a to the container 2
When the container 2 is placed on the loading conveyor 15, the container 2 rotates in a direction away from the transfer member 1a (the elevating frame 14 side) to operate the LS2, and when the container 2 is discharged to the transfer member 1b. With this discharge, the transfer member 1b is rotated to operate the LS3.

Air cylinder 13 for raising and lowering the mounting member 12
Is attached to the lower side of the elevating frame 14 and substantially at the center in the width direction. A guide unit 18 including a sprocket 18a and a plurality of guide rollers 18b is attached to the rod 13a of the air cylinder 13. A chain having one end fixed to a predetermined position of the lifting frame 14 and the other end fixed to the frame 12b of the mounting member 12 is attached to the sprocket 18a.
The guide roller 18b is in contact with a pair of guide rails 20 which are fixed in the vertical direction at the center of the elevating frame 14 in the width direction.

The elevating frame 14 supports the load of the mounting member 12 and guides the elevating and lowering. For this reason,
It is made of a material having high rigidity. Further, in the lifting frame 14, the mounting member 12 descends and the transfer member 1
LS4 and LS5 (not shown) are attached at a position facing a and a position at which the mounting member 12 rises and faces the transfer member 1b.

Next, a control system for operating the lift device 3 and the split supply device 8 will be described with reference to FIG. In the initial state of the apparatus A, the mounting member 12 constituting the lift device 3 is at the lower side, and the divided supply device 8 maintains the state of being rotated in the arrow e direction. In the above state, LS4 provided under the elevating frame 14 and LS provided on the arm 17
3 continues to operate.

In the figure, a manually operated valve 21, a valve V1 for supplying compressed air to the air cylinder 11 of the split supply device 8 and a valve V2 for supplying compressed air to the air cylinder 13 of the lift device 3 are air (not shown). It is connected to a pipe 22 connected to the compressor. Manually operated valve
When the valve 21 is operated, the pilot valves PV1 and PV for controlling the valves LS1 to LS3 and LS5 and the valves V1 and V2 from the valve 21.
2 is supplied with compressed air for control (control pressure).

In the initial state in which the LS 4 continues to operate, the container 2 that has moved on the transfer member 1a is divided into the divided supply device 8
When the LS1 detects the container 2 when it reaches the dividing member 10 of
Control pressure is transmitted from LS1 to PV1 through LS4, and V1 is operated by the control pressure transmitted from PV1. The operation of V1 causes the rod of the air cylinder 11 to rotate the retractable split member 10 in the direction of arrow f. As a result, the container 2 moves to the mounting conveyor 15 of the mounting member 12, and the subsequent container 2 on the transfer member 1a is prevented from moving by the stopper 10a and does not move to the dividing member 10.

With the movement of the container 2 to the loading conveyor 15,
LS1 becomes inactive and the supply of control pressure to PV1 is cut off. However, since PV1 is not an automatic return valve, the supply of control pressure from PV1 to V1 continues, and the dividing member 10 maintains the rotational posture in the arrow f direction.

When the arm 17 is rotated while the container 2 is moving to the mounting conveyor 15, the LS2 is actuated in accordance with this rotation, and the control pressure from the LS2 is transmitted to the V2 through the PV2 and the air. The mounting member 12 is formed by extending the rod 13a of the cylinder 13.
Raise. Although the LS 4 is deactivated by the raising of the mounting member 12, the dividing member 10 maintains the rotational posture in the arrow f direction.

When the mounting member 12 reaches the upper limit, the LS5 operates and the control pressure from the LS5 is transmitted to the PV1.
The supply of control pressure from V1 to V1 is cut off and V1 automatically returns to extend the rod of the air cylinder 11 to rotate the dividing member 10 in the direction of arrow e. Along with this rotation, the container 2 which is prevented from moving by the stopper 10a moves onto the dividing member 10.

When the mounting member 12 rises and the mounted container 2 moves to the transfer member 1b by its own weight, the arm 17 rotates during this moving process. With the rotation of the arm 17, the LS2 becomes inactive and the LS3 becomes active. Therefore, LS
The control pressure from 3 is transmitted to PV2, the control pressure from PV2 is transmitted to V2, and the rod 13a of the air cylinder 13 is pulled in to lower the mounting member 12.

By repeating the above-described series of operations in response to the detection of the container 2 by the LS1, it is possible to supply the container 2 having moved the transfer member 1a to the transfer member 1b arranged above. Similarly, it is possible to supply the container 2 having moved the transfer member 1c to the transfer member 1d arranged below.

The traverse device 4 is provided adjacent to the downstream end of the transfer member 1b in the transfer direction and the upstream end of the transfer member 1c in the transfer direction, and moves on the transfer member 1b. The container 2 is fed to a transfer member 1c which is provided in a transverse manner and arranged in parallel.

In this embodiment, since the drum 2 is assumed as the container 2, the transfer members 1a and 1b arranged in the vertical direction are arranged.
And 1c and 1d are required to be larger than the height of the drum in the height direction, and are arranged in parallel so that the level of the downstream end of the transfer member 1b and the level of the upstream end of the transfer member 1c are different. There is.

Therefore, the traverse device 4 in this embodiment is constructed so that it can traverse and ascend and descend with the container 2 placed thereon. However, the traverse device 4 does not necessarily have to be able to move up and down, and the container 2 may be simply traversed and supplied to the transfer member 1c. That is, whether or not the traverse 4 can be moved up and down is a problem that should be appropriately set depending on conditions such as the installation height of the container 2 or the apparatus A.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the traverse device 4 includes a downstream end portion of the transfer member 1b and the transfer member 1.
It is composed of a pair of rails 23 arranged to face the upstream end of c and connect the two, a traverse frame 24 traversing along the rail 23, and an air cylinder 25 for traversing the traverse frame 24. ing.

On the traverse frame 24, a mounting member 12 having substantially the same structure as the lift device 3 is provided so as to be able to move up and down along the traverse frame 24. An air cylinder 26 having a stroke corresponding to the level difference between the downstream end of the transfer member 1b and the upstream end of the transfer member 1c is attached to the traverse frame 24, and the mounting member is mounted by the air cylinder 26. It is configured to raise and lower 12. Further, the mounting member 12 is provided with a mounting conveyor 15 having a stand 16 and an arm 17.

The rail 23 is fixed to an angle member 27 fixed to the floor by a predetermined method with one side standing upright. Air cylinders 25 are arranged in parallel with the rails 23, and limit switches for detecting the traverse frame 24 are arranged at positions corresponding to the stroke limits of the cylinders 25.

The transverse frame 24 is fixed to the base frame 28 in an upright state. The base frame 28 has a plurality of wheels 28a that rotate in contact with the rails 23 and a plurality of rollers 28 that rotate in contact with the upright sides of the angle members 27.
b are provided, and these wheels 28a and rollers 28b are provided.
By rotating in contact with the rail 23 and the angle member 27, respectively,
The transverse frame 24 is constructed so as to be able to stably traverse.

Bracket at a predetermined position on the base frame 28
29 is fixed, and the rod end of the air cylinder 25 is attached to the bracket 29. Therefore, by driving the air cylinder 25, the transverse frame 24 can be moved to face the transfer member 1b or the transfer member 1c.

In the traverse device 4, the traverse frame
24 is at a position facing the transfer member 1b, and is a mounting member.
Only when 12 is descended and there is no container 2 on the placing conveyor 15, the split supply device 8 provided on the downstream side of the transfer member 1b operates. Then, when it is detected that the container 2 has moved to the mounting conveyor 15, the air cylinder 25 starts its operation to traverse the traverse frame 24 to a position facing the transfer member 1c. Next, the traverse frame 24 is transferred to the transfer member 1c.
When the air cylinder 26 starts to operate and raises the mounting member 12, the container 2 on the mounting conveyor 15 is supplied to the transfer member 1c.

When it is detected that the container 2 is supplied to the transfer member 1c, the mounting member 12 is lowered by the air cylinder 26, and the air cylinder 25 is further operated to move the traverse frame 24 to a position facing the transfer member 1b. Make it rampant.

By the traverse device 4 repeating the series of operations as described above, the container 2 moving on the transfer member 1b can be sequentially supplied to the transfer member 1c.

The container 2 supplied from the transfer member 1a to the transfer member 1d as described above is discharged from the discharge portion 5 to a predetermined next step, for example, a filling step. The operation of discharging the discharging portion 5 to the next step is not particularly limited. That is, the container 2 may be continuously supplied from the discharging unit 5 to the filling device, and when the container 2 is discharged from the filling device, the succeeding container 2 may move by its own weight. In addition to providing the divided supply device 8 with a limit switch, the continuous supply device 8 is operated according to the operation of the limit switch to divide the continuous container 2 and supply it to the next process. It may be configured to obtain.

[0055]

As described above in detail, in the apparatus for storing and transferring a container according to the present invention, a plurality of containers can be aligned and stored in series. Further, the stored containers can be sequentially transferred by their own weight according to the demand of the next process. Therefore, it is not necessary to separate the container storage yard and the work yard, and the factory site can be effectively utilized.

In particular, since the transfer member is inclined so that the container can be moved by its own weight, the power for driving the transfer member is not required, and the running cost can be reduced.

Further, the driving source of the elevating means and the driving source of the transfer means are compressed air, and the detecting member for detecting the container or other members can be operated by the compressed air. When used in a factory or the like that is filled with a liquid or the like having the above-mentioned characteristics, it has the feature that there is no risk of sparks due to electricity and the safety can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a view on arrow EE of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view on arrow of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of lifting means.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transfer device.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of an air pipe for driving an elevating means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A device for storing and transferring containers V1, V2 valves LS1 to LS5 limit switches PV1, PV2 pilot valves 1a to 1d transfer member 2 container 3 lift device 4 traverse device 5 discharge part 6 roller 7 frame 8 split supply device 9, 12b pin 10 Dividing member 10a, 10b Stopper 11, 13, 25, 26 Air cylinder 12 Mounting member 14 Lifting frame 15 Mounting conveyor 16 Stand 17 Arm 18 Guide unit 18a Sprocket 19 Chain 20 Guide rail 21 Manual operation valve 23 Rail 24 Traverse frame 28 Base frame 29 Bracket

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of transfer members having a predetermined length for mounting a plurality of containers arranged in series and a predetermined inclination angle for moving the mounted containers in one direction by its own weight, The transfer members are alternately arranged in inclined directions and are arranged in a plurality of stages in the vertical direction and in a plurality of rows in parallel, and the transfer members arranged in the vertical direction are connected by an elevating means operated by compressed air. An apparatus for storing and transferring a container, characterized in that transfer members arranged in parallel with each other are connected by transfer means operated by compressed air. 2. A detection member connected to a supply source of compressed air is provided at a predetermined position, and the detection member detects a container or a predetermined member to control the operation of the elevating means and the transfer means. An apparatus for storing and transferring the container according to claim 1.