JPH0412016Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea] (Industrial application field) The present invention relates to a conveying device.

The conveying device has a pair of sprockets facing each other, one sprocket is connected to a rotational drive source, the other sprocket is free to rotate, an endless chain is stretched across both sprockets, and the endless chain is fully connected. Some have a plurality of hoppers attached at predetermined intervals around the circumference.
In this conveyance device, a rotary drive source is rotated in one direction to drive an endless chain, and each hopper sequentially receives a continuously supplied object to be conveyed and conveys it to a predetermined conveyance position by each hopper. .

However, in such a conveying device, multiple hoppers are attached around the entire circumference of the endless chain, and space must be secured for each of the hoppers to move forward and backward, and it is difficult to operate within a limited space. However, there were cases where such a conveying device could not be used.

Therefore, in order to reduce the space used, by attaching only one hopper to the endless chain and changing the direction of rotation of the rotary drive source depending on the reciprocating motion, the hopper can be moved reciprocally and the space required for the reciprocating motion can be reduced. I can think of things that can be covered with just one. Since such a conveying device has one hopper, when a predetermined amount of objects are stored in the hopper, or when the hopper is not in the object storage position, for example, When transporting an object, etc., the supply of the object to the hopper is stopped.

By the way, when feeding objects into the hopper, a so-called chute is generally used, and the objects are continuously fed into the hopper through the chute. In order to stop this, the supply means that supplies the objects to the chute must be stopped. Therefore, at the time when the supply means is stopped, the objects on the chute continue to be fed into the hopper, and the objects can be accommodated in the hopper by a predetermined amount without falling out of the hopper. for,
The capacity of the objects to be transported on the chute must be considered in advance, and the capacity must be set smaller than the predetermined capacity of the objects to be accommodated in the hopper by that amount.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, the objects to be transported by such a transport device are powders, solids, etc., and especially when the objects to be transported are tangible solids, It is difficult to keep the volume of objects fed into the hopper per unit time constant through the chute, and it is almost impossible to keep the density of objects stored in the hopper constant. . For this reason, depending on the set capacity in the hopper at the time the supply means is stopped, the objects to be conveyed may fall out of the hopper, and if the set capacity is made small from a safety standpoint, the objects to be conveyed by the hopper may fall out at once. This results in the problem that the amount of energy must be reduced.

In particular, such problems must be considered important when the above-mentioned transport device is used in a closed space where the grinding process, inspection process, etc. in nuclear fuel production are performed, and where humans cannot easily enter and exit. This is considered to be an issue that should be improved from the viewpoint of supply control of conveyed objects.

The present invention has been developed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to improve the accuracy of controlling the supply of objects into the hopper.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a columnar shape having a storage space for objects to be transported inside, and has a columnar shape on one end side circumferential surface for inserting objects to be transported. a main body forming an input port for the purpose of transporting the material and a discharge port for discharging the transported material on the peripheral surface of the other end; a shutter for opening and closing the input port; a biasing means for urging the shutter in a direction in which the input port is closed; a transport hopper that moves the shutter in a direction in which the input port is opened against the urging means when facing the input port; a detection mechanism that detects that a capacity has been accommodated; and a detection mechanism that moves the transport hopper between the input port and the discharge port, and moves the transport hopper toward the discharge port in conjunction with the detection from the detection mechanism. and a hopper driving means for driving the hopper.

(Function) According to the above configuration, when the transport hopper faces the input port, the shutter opens the input port against the urging force of the urging means, so that when the conveyed object is thrown into the transport hopper from the input port, the shutter opens the input port against the urging force of the urging means. I can do it. When a predetermined capacity of objects to be transported is accommodated in the transport hopper, the detection mechanism detects this, and in conjunction with the detection, the hopper driving means moves the transport hopper toward the discharge port. Along with this, the shutter closes the input port by the urging means.

In this way, it is possible to reliably and sequentially transport the objects to be transported in an accurate capacity.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In the nuclear fuel manufacturing process, the grinding process in which sintered bodies (hereinafter referred to as pellets) made of fuel materials such as uranium-235 are ground into a cylindrical shape, and the next process, the inspection process, are carried out in a closed space because they affect the human body. The closed space is kept as small as possible to ensure airtightness. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a conveying device according to the present invention that conveys pellets P from the grinding process to the inspection process in such a closed space. 1 is a base, and the base 1 has a main body 2.
is fixed. The main body 2 has a cylindrical shape, and extends in the vertical direction to effectively utilize the inside of the closed space. An input port 3 for inputting pellets P is opened at the lower end side circumferential surface of the main body 2, and a discharge port 4 is opened at the upper end side circumferential surface of the main body 2. A chute 5 is connected to the peripheral edge of the input port 3 from the outside of the main body 2.
The pellets P from the grinding process are continuously led to the input port 3 through the grinding process. At the periphery of the discharge port 4, there is a main body 2.
A discharge chute 6 is provided on the outside,
Its discharge side faces the conveyor 7. The conveyor 7 is rotatably provided with respect to the discharge chute 6, and when the discharge side of the discharge chute 6 faces the conveyance surface of the conveyor 7, the end of the conveyor 7 in the conveyance direction faces the next inspection process. 8 is a conveyor turning motor, 9 is a conveyor turning drive transmission gear mechanism, and 10 is a conveyor driving motor.
Further, a protrusion 26 is provided at the lower end of the peripheral edge of the discharge port 4 in the main body 2 .

The main body 2 is provided with a shutter 11 for opening and closing the input port 3, and the shutter 11 consists of a flat shutter portion 11a and a protrusion 11b provided at one end side of the shutter portion 11a. ing. The shutter portion 11a is guided by a pair of guides 12 so as to be vertically displaceable, and the shutter portion 11a opens and closes the slot 3 by the displacement movement (see FIG. 3). The protrusion 11b projects into the main body 2 through a long hole 13 formed in the main body 2 in the vertical direction. At the lower end of the protrusion 11b,
A guide rod 14 extending downward is installed inside the main body 2, and the guide rod 14 is guided by a bearing 15 fixed to the inner surface of the main body 2. The guide rod 14 is attached between the bearing 15 and the protrusion 11b. A spring 16 is interposed as a force means, and the spring 1
6, the shutter 11 has its shutter portion 11a
is biased in the direction of closing the input port 3.

Next, to explain the hopper driving means for moving the conveyance hopper, which will be described later, there is a pair of sprockets 1 on the sides of the main body 2 facing each other in the vertical direction.
A motor 19 is connected to one sprocket 17, and the other sprocket 18 is rotatable, and an endless chain 2 is connected to both sprockets 17 and 18.
0 is crossed. A long hole 21 is formed in the main body 2 facing the endless chain 20, and a support member 22 extending inside the main body 2 is horizontally connected to the endless chain 20 via the long hole 21.

A hopper 23 having a collection opening 23a above is placed on the support member 22 extending into the main body 2, and its tip (the right end in FIG. 2) protrudes beyond the support member 22. The distal end surface of the hopper 22 (the right end surface in FIG. 4) and the lower end surface of the distal end of the hopper 23 are connected via a hinge 24. When no external force acts on the hopper 23, the hopper 23
Since its center of gravity is on the support member 22 side and is guided by the inner periphery of the main body 2, the hopper 23 is maintained with the collection opening 23a facing upward. A protrusion 25 is provided at the tip of the hopper 23 as shown in FIG. 4, and the protrusion 25 can come into contact with the protrusion 26 as the hopper 23 is displaced upward. (See Figure 4). This hoppa 2
A light emitting element and a light receiving element are provided facing each other on the inner wall of the hopper 23, and a detection mechanism consisting of these two elements detects whether or not a predetermined capacity of pellets P is accommodated in the hopper 23. When it is detected that a predetermined capacity of pellets P is accommodated in the hopper 23, the motor 19 is activated by the detection signal.
is rotated, and the hopper 23 is raised from the storage position via the endless chain 20 and the support member 22. Of course, in place of the light emitting/light receiving element described above, a detection mechanism may be used that detects the weight when a predetermined volume of pellets P are accommodated in the hopper 23.

A limit switch or the like is provided at each of the storage position where the hopper 23 receives the pellets P from the input port 3 and the discharge position where the pellet P in the hopper 23 is discharged from the discharge port 4. The motor 19 is also controlled by the detection. That is, when the limit switch in the storage position is activated, the limit switch stops the rotation of the motor 19, and when the limit switch in the ejection position is activated, the rotation of the motor 19 is stopped, and then the motor 19 is reversed and the hopper 23 is rotated. lower.

Therefore, in the case of the conveying device having the above configuration,
When the hopper 23 is in the storage position as shown in FIG.
Supplied within 3 days. When a predetermined capacity of pellets P is accommodated in the hopper 23 by supplying the pellets P, a detection mechanism (not shown) detects the predetermined capacity. Upon this detection, the motor 19 is driven, and the hopper 23 begins to move upward. Along with this, the shutter 11 is also displaced upward due to the biasing force of the spring 16.
The shutter 11 immediately closes the input port 3. Therefore, the supply of pellets P into the main body 2 is cut off.

As the hopper 23 continues to rise inside the main body 2, the protrusion 25 provided on the hopper 23 comes into contact with the protrusion 26 provided on the inner circumference of the main body 2, and as the hopper 23 further rises, the hopper 23 rotates clockwise in FIG. 4 based on the action of the hinge 24 using the tip of the support member 22 as a fulcrum. This results in
The pellets P in the hopper 23 are discharged to the discharge chute 6, and the pellets P are discharged to the conveyor 7 by the discharge chute 6. The conveyor 7 conveys the pellets P to the next inspection step.

Once the pellets P have been discharged, the rotation of the motor 19 is reversed and the support member 22 begins to descend. Accordingly, due to the weight of the hopper 23, the hopper 23 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 4 with the tip of the support member 22 as a fulcrum and the action of the hinge 24, and the hopper 23 is seated on the support member 22. In this state, the hopper 23 is lowered as the motor 19 rotates.

When the collection opening 23a of the hopper 23 faces the input port 3, the tip of the lower end surface of the hopper 23 is connected to the shutter 11.
The shutter 11 contacts the protrusion 11b of the hopper 2.
3 is pushed downward against the spring 16. Therefore, the shutter 11 begins to open the input port 3, and when the hopper 23 reaches the storage position and stops, the input port 3 becomes completely open. As a result, pellets P are supplied into the hopper 23 again.

(Effects of the invention) As described above, in the present invention, the supply of the object to be transported from the input port is stopped by the shutter that operates in accordance with the displacement movement of the hopper, so the supply means for supplying the object to be transported to the chute. There is no need to control the amount of objects to be transported in the chute, and it is also no longer necessary to set the storage capacity of objects to be accommodated in the hopper to be small in advance in consideration of the objects to be transported in the chute. Therefore, it is possible to improve the accuracy of controlling the supply of objects into the hopper with a simple configuration, and it is possible to reliably transport objects within a closed space without any trouble.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a conveying device according to the present invention;
2 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of the shutter mechanism with the chute omitted, and FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between the hopper and the support member. 2...Body, 3...Inlet, 4...Outlet, 1
1...Shutter, 16...Spring, 17,18...
Sprocket, 19...Motor, 20...Endless chain, 22...Support member, 23...Hopper, 23a...Recovery opening.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] It has a columnar shape with a storage space for objects to be transported inside, and an input port for inserting objects to be transported is formed on the circumferential surface of one end, and an input port for inserting objects to be transported is formed on the surrounding surface of the other end. a main body forming a discharge port for discharging materials; a shutter provided on the main body so as to be displaceable in the extension direction of the main body and along the circumferential surface for opening and closing the input port; a biasing means that biases the shutter in a direction in which the mouth is closed; and a biasing means that is displaced within the main body in the extending direction of the main body, and when the collection opening faces the input port, the shutter is biased by the biasing means. a transport hopper that moves the input port in a direction in which the input port is open; a detection mechanism that detects that a predetermined amount of the transported object is loaded into the transport hopper through the input port; hopper driving means for moving the transport hopper between the input port and the discharge port and moving the transport hopper toward the discharge port in conjunction with detection from the detection mechanism.