AU2011310298B2

AU2011310298B2 - Apparatus for the Coupling and Decoupling of a Tripper of a Stacker Reclaimer and method therefor

Info

Publication number: AU2011310298B2
Application number: AU2011310298A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Takeshi Kamono; Takashi Nakano; Akihiro Tamura; Tetsuhiro Uesugi
Original assignee: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd; Kawasaki Jukogyo KK
Current assignee: Kawasaki Motors Ltd
Priority date: 2010-09-29
Filing date: 2011-09-28
Publication date: 2013-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 2031-09-28
Also published as: AU2011310298A1; CN103108820B; KR20130069769A; JP5739633B2; JP2012071973A; WO2012042863A1; KR101498399B1; CN103108820A

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is a stacker/reclaimer (1) that is formed from connecting a tripper (6) and that hoistably and rotatably supports a boom (5) at a traveling girder (3) that travels over rails (2). The stacker/reclaimer is provided with: a connector (70) that separably connects the tripper (6) to the traveling girder (3); a tripper holding means (for example, a storm anchor (63)) that holds the tripper at an anchoring position; and a tripper holding detection means (for example, a limit switch (63a)) that detects that the tripper (6) is being held by the tripper holding means. The operation of separating the connector (70) can be performed only when the held state of the tripper (6) is detected. As a result, the tripper (6) can be safely and reliably separated from and then reconnected to the traveling girder (3) without relying on visual confirmation by a worker.

Description

Description Title of Invention: APPARATUS FOR THE COUPLING AND DECOUPLING OF A TRIPPER OF A STACKER-RECLAIMER AND METHOD THEREFOR Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for the coupling and decoupling of a tripper used in a stacking operation in a stacker-reclaimer configured to double as a stacker to stack a bulk material load (e.g., coal) into a stockpile in a yard and a reclaimer to unpile and remove the bulk material load from the stockpile. Background Art [0002] Heretofore, for example, in a loading/unloading facility in a quay or in an ironworks, it has been conventionally practiced to stack carried-in bulk material (e.g., mineral ore, coal, et cetera) into a stockpile in a yard for storage thereof, and there is a well-known so-called stacker-reclaimer that doubles as a stacker used in such a stacking operation and a reclaimer for removing a bulk material load. A typical stacker-reclaimer includes a travelling structure configured to move on rails extending along a yard, a rotary frame which is rotatably mounted on the travelling structure and a luffable boom supported on the rotary frame. And, attached to the extremity of the boom is a bucket wheel or the like. [0003] In addition, there is laid between the rails a conveyor for carrying-in or carrying-out of bulk material. And, a tripper is provided whereby the belt of the conveyor is pulled up in an obliquely upward direction so as to cause the bulk material load to drop down from the upper end of the conveyor belt. Coupled to the travelling structure, the tripper serves to transfer the bulk material load onto a boom conveyor, and the bulk material load thus transferred is conveyed in a direction towards the forward end of the boom from which the bulk material load is made to fall down onto a yard so that the bulk material load builds up into a trapezoidal or triangular stockpile. [0004] On the other hand, during a removal operation, the bulk material load is unpiled and removed from the stockpile by the bucket wheel or the like attached at the forward end of the boom, and then conveyed now in a direction towards the base end of the boom by the boom conveyor and therefrom dropped into an underlying hopper. The lower end of the hopper is located overlying the carrying-in or carrying-out conveyor, and the bulk material load is discharged to the outside by the conveyor. [0005] If the tripper, despite the fact that it is placed out of service during such a removal operation, remains coupled to the travelling structure and is towed thereby, this may cause the possibility that the region around the upper end of the belt conveyor in the tripper will interfere with the boom. To cope with this, the range within which the boom is permitted to luff and the range within which the boom is permitted to rotate are generally restricted with a view to preventing such interference. This, however, will result in drop in workability. [0006] In addition, it also has been practiced to decouple the tripper, not in use during a removal operation, from the travelling structure. However, the coupling to/decoupling from the travelling structure is time-consuming. And, in spite of the transfer of such a heavy load, the actual condition is that avoidance of the collision depends entirely on visual confirmation by the operator. Therefore, there is the possibility that collision will take place due to operator's tiredness and weather. [0007] In contrast to this, according to, for example, Japanese Patent No. 4352360, it is arranged that a long coupling frame is provided extendedly from a travelling structure towards a tripper. The coupling frame is extended to under a wheeled platform frame of the tripper, and the wheeled platform frame is coupled to the coupling frame selectively at either one of two positions that are separated from each other in the longitudinal direction of the coupling frame. That is, when not in use, the tripper is coupled to the travelling structure at a refuge position situated away as far as possible from the boom. [0008] If the tripper is coupled to the travelling structure selectively at either one of two positions in the way as described above, this means that the positional relationship between the travelling structure and the tripper is fixed. This makes it possible to avoid an accidental collision and it also becomes possible to effect positional switching through remote control by mutual movement of the tripper and the travelling structure for a corresponding distance to the interval between the two positions. Summary of Invention Technical Problem [0009] However, the problem is that, in order to couple, as in the aforesaid prior art example, the tripper to the travelling structure at a refuge position at a distance away from the boom, it is required that the coupling frame, provided extendedly from the travelling structure towards the tripper, should be made considerably long in length. Since this type of coupling frame requires a reasonable strength and rigidity, this considerably increases the travelling structure in its weight, thereby resulting in an increase in power consumption.

-J [0010] Bearing in mind the above, an object of the present invention is accordingly that, in the stacker-reclaimer, the tripper is configured coupleably to/decouleably from the travelling structure so as not to cause an increase in the weight of the travelling structure, unlike the foregoing prior art example. And another object of the present invention is that coupling and decoupling of the tripper is safely reliably accomplished without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. Solution to Problem [0011] The present invention for accomplishing the aforesaid object is intended for an apparatus for, in a stacker-reclaimer which is configured such that a boom is supported, in a luffable and rotatable manner, on a travelling structure operative to move on rails and a tripper is coupled to the travelling structure, effecting coupling and decoupling of the tripper and the traveling structure. [0012] And, there are provided in the present invention: a travelling-structure-position detector for detecting the position of the travelling structure on the rails; a coupling device for effecting separable coupling of the tripper to the travelling structure; a tripper holding member for holding the tripper at a mooring position on the rails; and a tripper-holding detector for detecting the holding of the tripper by the tripper holding member. It may be arranged that either the mooring position is determined beforehand or it is selected arbitrarily. [0013] By the aforesaid arrangement, it is made possible to stack a bulk material load if the travelling structure of the stacker-reclaimer is made to move on the rail with the tripper remaining attached thereto. On the other hand, it is made possible that the tripper, which may possibly interfere with the movement of the boom at the time of removal of bulk material, is decoupled from the travelling structure and held at the mooring position. In this case, first of all, the travelling structure is set in motion while detecting the position of the travelling structure on the rails with the aid of the travelling-structure-position detector, and the tripper coupled to the travelling structure is positioned at the mooring position. [0014] Then, the tripper is held at the mooring position by the tripper holding member. When this is done, the holding of the tripper is now detected by the tripper- holding detector, whereby it becomes possible to permit a decoupling operation of the coupling device according to the result of such detection. To sum up, decoupling of the tripper from the travelling structure can be safely reliably carried out without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. If the tripper becomes decoupled from the travelling structure in the way as described above, there occurs no interference with the movement of the boom. [0015] On the other hand, in the absence of detection of the holding of the tripper, the tripper is not decoupled from the travelling structure. Stated in another way, when decoupled from the travelling structure, the tripper is held at the mooring position without fail and its position will never change at all. Therefore, even when thereafter performing a coupling operation on the tripper based on the result of detection of the position of the travelling structure on the rails, it is possible to avoid an accidental collision without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. [0016] Preferably, it may be arranged that there is provided a tripper-decoupling prohibitor for prohibiting the decoupling of the tripper from the travelling structure by preventing the coupling device from executing a decoupling operation in the absence of detection of the holding of the tripper. By this arrangement, even in the case where the operator erroneously operates the coupling device although the tripper is not held at the mooring position, the coupling device will never perform its decoupling operation. [0017] In addition, it may be arranged that there is provided a boom-position detector for detecting the luffing position and the rotating position of the boom, whereby, only when the boom-position detector detects that the boom is positioned at a predetermined position out of interference with the tripper, the tripper-decoupling prohibitor permits the coupling device to execute a decoupling operation. This relieves any worries about interference with the boom at the time of decoupling of the tripper and about interference immediately thereafter. [0018] Furthermore, it may be arranged that the travelling structure with the tripper decoupled therefrom is permitted entry to within a predetermined distance from the mooring position if the boom-position detector detects that the boom is positioned at the predetermined position, and that the coupling to the tripper is prohibited by preventing the travelling structure from entry to within the predetermined distance if the boom is detected not to be positioned at the predetermined position. This prevents interference with the boom also at the time of coupling of the tripper. [0019] It may be arranged that the coupling device includes a catch part which is provided in either one of the travelling structure and the tripper; an engaging member which is provided in the other one of the travelling structure and the tripper and which is moved by an actuator so as to engage and disengage with the catch part; and a guiding part which, in such an adjacency state that the distance between the travelling structure and the tripper is equal to or less than a predetermined value, is abuttable against the engaging member and which guides the engaging member to the catch part. By this arrangement, when the travelling structure and the tripper are adjacent to each other, the engaging member comes into abutment against the guiding part, thereby being guided to the catch part. [0020] Preferably, it may be arranged that there is provided an adjacency-state detector for detection of the adjacency state between the travelling structure and the tripper; and a stop controller for bringing the travelling structure making its approaching motion to the mooring position to a temporary stop in the presence of detection of the adjacency state by the adjacency-state detector. By this arrangement, the travelling structure is brought to a temporal halt when detected adjacent to the tripper, and thereafter the coupling device is operated to thereby allow the engaging member to abut with the guiding part. [0021] In addition, it may be arranged that the travelling-structure-position detector includes a revolving-angle sensor for detecting the revolving angle of wheels of the travelling structure and a detecting sensor for detecting detection objects arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of the rails. By this arrangement, it is made possible to continuously detect the position of the travelling structure based on signals from the rotation-angle sensor, and it is also made possible to remove, based on signals from the detecting sensor, errors accumulated in the course of such continuous positional detection. Therefore, the position of the travelling structure can be detected at a high accuracy. [0022] Furthermore, it may be arranged that the tripper includes a memory device for storing positions of the tripper and a power supply source for operating the memory device. As a result of this arrangement, even when the tripper is decoupled from the travelling structure while it is held at any mooring position on the rails, the position where the tripper is moored is stored by the memory device, whereby it is made possible to detect a relative position of the tripper to the travelling structure. Advantageous Effects of Invention [0023] As has been described above, according to the present invention, the condition that the tripper is held at the mooring position at the time of decoupling from the travelling structure in the stacker reclaimer is detected by the tripper-holding detector, whereby it is made possible to safely reliably accomplish decoupling of the tripper from the travelling structure without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. In addition, since it is not until the holding of the tripper at the mooring position is confirmed that the tripper is decoupled from the travelling structure, there is no need to worry about the change of position of the tripper, and it becomes possible to avoid an accidental collision at the time of subsequent recoupling of the tripper to the travelling structure. To sum up, coupling of the tripper with the travelling structure is also accomplished safely reliably without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. Brief Description of Drawings [0024] In the drawing figures: FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an entire configuration of a stacker-reclaimer according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top plan view, as viewed from above, which shows, in an enlarged manner, a part in the vicinity of where the travelling structure and the tripper in the stacker-reclaimer of FIG. 1 are coupled together; FIG. 3A is a side view showing a configuration of a coupling device for the travelling structure and the tripper, and describes a coupling state; FIG. 3B is a corresponding view to FIG. 3A, and describes a decoupling state; FIG. 4 is a side view showing a configuration of an adjacency-state detector; FIG. 5 is a function block diagram of a control system of the stacker-reclaimer; FIG. 6A is an explanation diagram in regard to luffing motion interlock and rotating motion interlock of the boom of the boom; FIG 6B is another explanation diagram in regard to luffing motion interlock and rotating motion interlock of the boom; FIG. 6C is still another explanation diagram in regard to lufling motion interlock and rotating motion interlock of the boom; FIG. 7A is an explanation diagram in regard to traveling motion interlock of the travelling girder; FIG. 7B is another explanation diagram in regard to traveling motion interlock of the travelling girder; FIG. 7C is still another explanation diagram in regard to traveling motion interlock of the travelling girder; FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in relation to the decoupling of the tripper; FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in a first stage in relation to the coupling of the tripper; FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure in a second stage in relation to the coupling of the tripper; FIG. 11 A is a corresponding diagram to FIG. 3A, and shows a coupling operation of the coupling device, and describes a state that the convex part of a movable hook is guided after abutment with the guiding part of a fixed hook; FIG. 11B is a corresponding diagram to FIG. 11A, and describes a coupling state that the convex part of the movable hook is engaged into the concave part of the fixed hook; and FIG. 12 is a corresponding diagram to FIG. 5 in relation to another embodiment in which the tripper is provided, in its storm anchor, with an actuator. Description of Embodiments [0025] Hereinafter, with reference to the drawing figures, a description will be given regarding to preferred embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an illustration showing an entire arrangement of a stacker-reclaimer 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The stacker-reclaimer 1 is equipment that doubles as a stacker for stacking coal (bulk material load) transported by a conveyor into a stockpile and a reclaimer for unpiling and removing the coal from the stockpile, for example, in a coal feedstock yard of an ironworks. [0026]< Entire Structure > The stacker-reclaimer 1 according to the present embodiment has a conventional basic structure well known in the art, and comprises a travelling girder 3 (a travelling structure) which reciprocates on a pair of rails 2 laid along a coal feedstock yard so as to extend in the horizontal direction in FIG. 1. In addition, for convenience of description, the direction in which the rails 2 extend is referred to as the "forward-rearward direction", the left-hand side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "forward side", and the right-hand side of FIG. 1 is referred to as the "rearward-side". [0027] The travelling girder 3 includes a wheeled platform 30 to which a travelling unit 31 having a plurality of wheels is attached and a rail clamp 32 operative to clamp the rails 2 so as to immovably retain the wheeled platform 30 at a stop. In addition, supported rotatably around a vertical axis line Z on the wheeled platform 30 is a rotary tower 4, and there are provided, adjacent to the rotary tower 4, -0 an operator's cab 33 for the operator to execute operations, a passageway, steps et cetera. [0028] A boom 5 is supported, in a luffable manner, on the rotary tower 4. And, the boom 5 is made luffable and rotatable with respect to the travelling girder 3. In addition, the boom 5 is equipped, at its extremity (the left-hand end in the figure), with a bucket wheel 50, whereby it is made possible to continuously unpile and remove coal from the stockpile. In order to maintain balance with the weight of the bucket wheel 50 and that of the boom 5, there is provided a counterbalance weight 52 which is mounted to an arm 51 extending across the rotary tower 4 to the opposite side of the boom 5. [0029] Furthermore, a boom conveyor 53 is arranged which extends for almost the entire longitudinal length of the boom 5, whereby it is made possible to transport coal unpiled and removed by the bucket wheel 50 from the extremity to the base end of the boom 5. If the boom conveyor 53 is reversely moved, this makes it possible to transport coal, carried in from the outside, from the base end to the extremity of the boom 5 from which the coal falls down onto a yard. [0030] That is, there is laid, between a pair of the rails 2, a belt conveyor 20 used during stacking and removing operations. Although not diagrammatically shown in detail, for example, two belt conveyors 20 are laid (but, it suffices even if a single belt conveyor is laid) in the present embodiment, wherein one of the two belt conveyors 20 is used for both the stacking operation and the removing operation, whereas the other belt conveyor 20 is used exclusively for the removing operation. And there is disposed a tripper 6 so that the belt of the belt conveyor 20 for the stacking and removing operations is lifted obliquely upward to thereby transfer the coal from its upper end onto the boom conveyor 53. [0031] The tripper 6 includes a wheeled platform frame 60 located adjacent to the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3 and runnably placed on the rails 2 and an inclined frame 61 supported above the wheeled platform frame 60 so that the belt of the belt conveyor 20 is guided in an oblique upward direction by means of rollers et cetera. And, as shown in the figure, the tripper 6 is shaped like a wedge as a whole when viewed from the side. The wheeled platform 60 is provided with a plurality of wheels 62, and there is also provided a storm anchor 63 (a tripper holding member) for firmly fixing the wheeled platform 60 to ground so that the wheeled platform is held fast there. [0032] On the other hand, the inclined frame 61 rises up from the rearward to the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 (i.e., from the right-hand to the left-hand end in the figure) and goes beyond the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 and further extends in an obliquely upward direction. The belt of the belt conveyor 20 turns around at the upper end of the inclined frame 61 and is folded back to extend downward. Thereafter, the conveyor belt is folded back by the rollers disposed in the lower side of the wheeled platform frame 60 so that it again moves forward. [0033] And, there is disposed, at the upper end of the inclined frame 61, a chute 64 for reception of the coal falling down from on the belt of the belt conveyor 20 which has reversed its direction of motion as described above. With the tripper 6 attached to the travelling girder 3 as shown in the figure, the chute 64 is located in the vicinity of the base end of the boom 5, more specifically, it overlies the base end of the boom conveyor 53 on the base end side thereof [0034] As a result of this, at the time of carrying-in of coal from the outside, the coal transported by the belt conveyor 20 in the way as described above is dropped down towards the base end of the boom conveyor 53 via the chute 64. Then the coal is conveyed by the boom conveyor 53 towards the extremity of the boom 5 and then dropped down onto a yard so that it is stacked into a trapezoidal stockpile. On the other hand, at the time of a removal operation, coal is removed from the stockpile by the bucket wheel 50 and transported now towards the base end of the boom 5 by the boom conveyor 53. Then, the coal is dropped down into the underlying hopper 54. And, the coal thus dropped is brought out by the belt conveyor 20 underlying the travelling girder 3. [0035] In the present embodiment, it is arranged that the tripper 6 is attached to and towed by the travelling girder 3 so that they travel on the rails 2 as a single body. That is, the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3 is provided with an extended part extending towards the tripper 6 located behind the wheeled platform 30, and its rearward end and the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 of the tripper 6 are separatably coupled together by a coupling unit 7 (described hereinafter) at a coupling position indicated by sign S in FIG. 1. [0036] When the coupling position is viewed, in an enlarged manner, from above as shown in FIG. 2, there is provided, between the rearward end of the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3 and the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 of the tripper 6, a pair of coupling units 7 respectively separately situated on the right-hand and the left-hand sides. The coupling unit 7 includes, other than a coupling device 70 (hereinafter described), a buffering device 75 for absorbing shock during coupling. In addition, the coupling unit 7 includes an adjacency state detector made up of a limit switch 77 and a sensor rod 78, as an adjacency-state detector for detecting, prior to coupling performance by the coupling device 70, the condition that the travelling girder 3 and the tripper 6 - IV have come near to each other to such an extent that there is left, between them, an extremely small clearance gap equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, from 30 to 50 centimeters). [0037] More specifically, as viewed sideways (see FIGS. 3A, 3B), the coupling device 70 is equipped with a fixed hook 71 mounted on the wheeled platform frame 60 of the tripper 6, a movable hook (an engaging member) which is mounted on the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3 such that it can vertically swing and an electric cylinder 73 which drives the movable hook 72 to vertically swing for engagement and disengagement with the fixed hook 71. As shown in FIG. 2, the fixed hook 71 is attached to the forward end of a cylindrical supporting part 60a extending in a front direction from the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 and still extending further forward from there. [0038] There is formed, in the upper side of the fixed hook 71, more specifically, somewhat behind the longitudinal middle part thereof, a concave part 71(a catch part). And, during coupling as shown in FIG. 3A, the concave part 71a catches a convex part 72a formed in the forward end of the movable hook 72. On the other hand, if the electric cylinder 73 performs a decoupling operation as shown in FIG. 3B so that its rod 73a contracts, then the movable hook 72 is pulled up to swing upward, whereby the convex part 72a at its forward end is disengaged from the convex part 71 (at the time of decoupling). Such coupling and decoupling performance by the coupling device 70 is detected with the aid of the limit switch 74. [0039] Additionally, formed in the upper side of the fixed hook 71 is a flat surface 71b situated nearer to the forward end than the concave part 71a and almost evenly extending in the forward-rearward direction. And, as will be described with reference to FIG. 10, when the rod 73a of the electric cylinder 73 elongates in the aforesaid adjacency state during coupling performance by the coupling device 70, the convex part 72a of the forward end of the movable hook 72 which has swung downward will come into abutment with the flat surface 71b. The flat surface 71b serves as a guiding part to guide the convex part 72a of the movable hook 72 towards the convex part 72a behind and continuous with the flat surface 7 1b. Therefore, the flat surface 7 lb will be thereafter referred to as the "guiding part 71b". [0040] In addition, as shown by way of example in the figure, the electric cylinder 73 is swingably supported on the rearward end of an L-shaped strut 30a first extending upward from the rearward end of the wheeled platform 30 of the traveling girder 3 and then bending and extending backward. With elongation and contraction motion of the rod 73a, the electric cylinder 73 drives the movable hook 72 suspended from the lower end of the rod 73a to vertically swing. However, such a suspension position is displaced back and forth as the movable hook 72 swing. To cope with this, it is arranged that the electric cylinder 73 and the rod 73a are also made to swing correspondingly to such a displacement. [0041] As shown in FIG. 4, accommodated in the coupling device 70 is the buffering device 75 for absorbing and reducing potential shock produced during coupling. The buffering device 75, as shown by way of example in the figure, is formed by mounting of a plurality of ring-shaped buffering materials 75b placed one upon the other in the forward-rearward direction and made of, for example, urethane, to a cylindrical supporting part 75a extending backward from the rearward end of the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3. There is provided a strut 76 which is oriented so as to face towards the rearward side of the buffering material 75b and which extends forward from the forward end of the wheeled platform frame 60 of the tripper 6, whereby, at the time of occurrence of a collision, the buffering material 75b is compressed in the forward-rearward direction, thereby absorbing shock. [0042] The strut 76 is provided, at its forward end, an abutment plate 76a, and it is arranged that, when the coupling device 70 is in a coupling state (see FIG. 3A), there is defined, between the abutment plate 76a and the buffering material 75b situated ahead of and opposite to the abutment plate 76a, a slight clearance gap (for example, equal to or less than 5 centimeters). In addition, the interval between the buffering material 75b and the abutment plate 76a in the adjacency state prior to coupling, is extremely small, i.e., about from 30 to 50 centimeters. And, the limit switch 77 serving as a detector for detection of the adjacency state is disposed on the lower side of the buffering device 75. [0043] To sum up, as shown in FIG. 4, the limit switch 77 is mounted, through a bracket 75c extending downward, to the supporting part 75a of the buffering device 75. On the other hand, a rectangular supporting frame 76b, which hangs down within a predetermined range relative to the forward-rearward direction, is mounted to the strut 76, and a sensor rod 78 is supported so as to stretch out forward on the lower end side of the supporting frame 76b. The sensor rod 78 is positioned so that its forward end comes into contact with the limit switch 77 in the adjacency state as descried above. [0044] In other words, as shown in FIG. 4, the length of the sensor rod 78 is determined correspondingly to the interval between the supporting part 75a of the buffering device 75 and the strut 76 in the adjacency state as described above. The forward end of the sensor rod 78b is formed into an inclined shape that becomes more projected towards its upper side and, upon entry to the adjacency state as described in the figure, comes into contact with the limit switch 77 so that the limit switch 77 is placed in the ON state. [0045] Referring now back to FIG. 2, in order that, at the time of coupling and decoupling with the wheeled platform frame 60 of the tripper 6 by the aforesaid operations of the coupling device 70, the travelling girder 3 may be operated and controlled while visually confirming the operations of the coupling device 70 et cetera, there is provided, at the rearward end of the wheeled platform 30 of the travelling girder 3, an in situ operating box 34 with a consol panel for, in addition to the coupling device 70, a travelling unit 31, a rail clamp 32 et cetera. [0046] The in situ operating box 34 exemplarily shown in the figure is disposed along a passageway 35 for the operator, and a connector 36a for establishing connection with a system on the side of the tripper 6 is provided to the distal end of a communications cable 36 extending obliquely rearward from the in situ operating box 34. In addition, the passageway 35 is arranged for establishing connection to a corridor 65 on the side of the tripper 6. [0047]< Operating Movement of Stacker-Reclaimer > FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram schematically representative of a control system for the stacker-reclaimer 1 of the present embodiment, and shows, by way of example, a case in which the travelling girder 3 contains a controller 90. As shown in the diagram, the controller 90 is input with at least signals, namely, a signal from a boom luffing angle sensor 91 used for detection of the luffing angle of the boom 5, a signal from a boom rotating angle sensor 92 used for detection of the rotating angle of the boom 5, a signal from a wheel revolving angle sensor 93 used for detection of the revolving angle of the wheels of the travelling unit 31, a signal from a detecting sensor 94 used for detection of the targets (not shown) as detection objects, the targets being disposed on the rails 2 at predetermined intervals, an on-off signal from the limit switch (LS) 74 of the coupling device 70 and an on-off signal from an adjacency-state detector, i.e., the limit switch 77. [0048] In addition, upon reception of signals from the operating cab 33 and the console panel of the in situ operating box 31, the controller 90 outputs actuating signals to a drive circuit 95 for the rotary tower 4, the boom 5, the travelling unit 31, et cetera, to thereby control the travelling movement of the travelling girder 3 and the luflfmg movement and the rotating movement of the boom 5. In addition to these output signals, the controller 90 also outputs actuating signals to a brake 95 of the travelling girder 3 as well as to the rail clamp 32. Further, the controller 90 outputs an actuating signal to the electric cylinder 73 (Act.) of the coupling device 70 for execution of coupling and decoupling movements thereof Furthermore, also from the side of the tripper 6 connected by the connector 36a to the controller 90, the controller 90 is input, from a limit switch 63a (a tripper-holding detector), with an on/off signal representative of the operating state of the storm anchor 63. [0049] For example, when stacking coal into a stockpile in the yard by means of the stacker-reclaimer 1 in the way as described above, the tripper 6 is towed while remaining coupled to the travelling girder 3, and the boom 5 is raised/lowered and rotated so that the coal is dropped down onto the yard. In this case, in order to avoid interference with the tripper 6, the rotation of the boom 5 is restricted, that is, the rotating angle of the boom 5 is set to be around plus/minus 105-110 degrees, in which setting the position, at which the boom 5 extends forward in a direction directly opposite to the tripper 6 (i.e., the position where the rotating angle is at 0 degrees), serves as a reference. [0050] On the other hand, when unpiling and removing coal stacked into a stockpile, the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3. Then, the tripper 6 is held at a predetermined mooring position on the rails 2. The travelling girder 3 independently runs on the rails 2, concurrently with which the boom 5 is raised/lowered and rotated so that the coal is unpiled and removed from the stockpile by use of the bucket wheel 50 attached to the forward end of the boom 5. Thus, it is made possible to almost freely luff and rotate the boom 5 as long as the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3 and held at a mooring position situated away therefrom by more than a predetermined distance. [0051] However, it should be noted that the travelling girder 3 is never allowed to approach the mooring position while the boom 5 is being raised/lowered or pivoted to a considerable extent, and the luffing movement and the rotating movement of the boom 5 are restricted at a certain place not away from the mooring position by more than a predetermined distance. For this reason, there is provided, between the luffing and the rotating movement of the boom 5 and the travelling movement of the travelling girder 3, an interlock. [0052] As schematically shown, by way of example, in FIG. 6A, as long as the travelling girder 3 stays in a regular service zone safely away from the tripper 6 (for example, from 80 to 100 meters), the boom 5 can be raised/lowered and rotated almost freely, with the exclusion of its mechanical limitations and, in addition, the travelling girder 3 is also free to move up to a regular service limit which is a border of the regular service zone. On the other hand, if, as shown in FIG. 6B, the - 1-t travelling girder 3 overruns the regular service limit and approaches the mooring position of the tripper 6, neither the luffing movement nor the rotating movement of the boom 5 is inhibited, and its luflfmg and rotating angles are each limited to around zero degrees. [0053] In addition, if, as shown in FIG. 6C, the luffing and the rotating angles of the boom 5 is not at around zero degrees on the outside of the regular service zone, the traveling girder 3 is not allowed to enter a no-entry zone, and if not within the no-entry zone, the boom 5 is inhibited to rotate in a direction of zero degrees and, in addition, the travelling girder 3 is inhibited to move so as to approach the tripper 6. In other words, in this instance, the traveling girder 3 is made to move so as to move away from the tripper 6, and once the travelling girder 3 returns to the regular service zone the boom 5 is rotated in a direction of zero degrees. [0054] Furthermore, as schematically shown, by way of example, in FIG. 7A, if both the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 are at around zero degrees, there are almost no limitations to the movement of the travelling girder 3. That is, the travelling girder 3 is allowed to move, of course, in the regular service zone as well as in the no-entry zone. However, it is arranged that, if the distance to the tripper 6 retained at the mooring position becomes, for example, about 2-3 meters, the operation of moving the travelling girder 3 by control from the operating cab 33 is inhibited, and only the control from the in situ operating box 34 is permitted. [0055] In addition, if, as shown in FIG. 7B, neither the luflfmg angle nor the rotating angle of the boom 5 is not at around zero degrees, then the travelling girder 3 is free to approach the tripper 6 up to the regular service limit, but ahead of which there is limitation so that the traveling girder 3 is not allowed entry to the no-entry zone. If the rotating angle of the boom 5 is equal to or in excess of plus/minus 90 degrees, then the travelling girder 3 is allowed to move past the regular service zone up to short of the no-entry zone, because the counterbalance weight 52 is on the opposite side to the tripper 6. However, on the outside of the regular service zone, the boom 5 cannot be rotated for an amount equal to or less than plus/minus 90 degrees, as shown in FIG. 6C, because the counterbalance weight 52 comes to lie on the side of the tripper 6. [0056] In this instance, the travelling girder 3 is allowed to move in a direction moving away from the tripper 6, but in the condition where, as shown in FIG. 7C, the boom 5 is oriented upward and therefore there is the possibility that the counterbalance weight 52 may interfere with the tripper 6, the travelling girder 3 is not even allowed to move in a direction moving away from the tripper 6. In this - IJ instance, it is required that the boom 5 be operated to move downward so that the lufing angle thereof changes to around zero degrees. [0057] There is provided an interlock as described above. Therefore, for example, when the travelling girder 3 is made to approach the mooring position for coupling to the tripper 6, the controller 90 allows the travelling girder 3 to move to the mooring position after it is confirmed that the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 each have changed to around 0 degrees. Likewise, also when the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3, the controller 90 confirms that the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 each have changed to around 0 degrees. And, as will be described hereinafter, after it is confirmed that the tripper 6 is also held by the storm anchor 63 at the mooring position, the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3. [0058]< Tripper's Coupling and Decoupling > Hereinafter, by making reference to FIGS. 8 through 10, a detailed description will be given in regard to the coupling and the decoupling of the tripper 6 in the stacker-reclaimer 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure conducted by the controller 90 at the time of decoupling of the tripper 6, and FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a control procedure conducted by the controller 90 at the time of coupling of the tripper 6. In addition, FIG. 10 shows operations of the coupling device 70 at the time of coupling of the tripper 6. [0059] In the first place, at the time of decoupling of the tripper 6 from the travelling girder 3, the operator manipulates a control stick on the console panel in the operator's cab 33 so that the boom 5 is operated until its luffing and rotating angles each change to around zero degrees. In addition, the travelling girder 3 is made to run rearward to the tripper mooring position. At this time, the controller 90 detects the position of the boom 5 based on signals from the boom luffing angle sensor 91 and the boom rotating angle sensor 92. Additionally, the controller 90 detects the position of the travelling girder 3 based on signals from the wheel revolving angle sensor 93 and the detecting sensor 94, whereby the controller 90 determines whether or not the tripper 6 is positioned at the mooring position. [0060] That is, the position of the travelling girder 3 is continuously detected based on signals from the wheel revolving angle sensor 93 and errors accumulated in the course of these calculations are eliminated based on signals from the detecting sensor 94, whereby the accuracy of detecting the position of the travelling girder 3 is at an extremely high level. The wheel revolving angle sensor 93, - IV the detecting sensor 94 and the location arithmetic unit of the controller 90 together constitute a traveling-structure-position detector. [0061] And, if, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, both the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 are at around zero degrees and the tripper 6 is staying at the mooring position ("YES" in step SA1), the controller 90 turns on a lamp (mounted in the touch panel (the console panel) of the operator's cab 33) indicative of permission for a coupling/decoupling operation (step SA2). Upon confirmation of the turning-on of this lamp, the operator leaves the operator's cab 33 and moves to the vicinity of the in situ operating box 34 where the operator operates the storm anchor 63 of the tripper 6. [0062] As a result of this, the tripper 6 is held fast in the mooring position by the storm anchor 63, and the limit switch 63a (the tripper-holding detector) for detection of the operation of the storm anchor 63 is switched on so that its signal is transmitted via the communications cable 36 to the controller 90. Upon detection that the tripper 6 is now held by the storm anchor 63 ("YES" in step SA3), this allows the coupling device 70 to execute its decoupling operation. In addition, it may be arranged that the in situ operating box 34 displays an indication of some sort. [0063] Thereafter, the operator pulls out the connector 36a of the communications cable 36 in the vicinity of the in situ operating box 34 and then performs a decoupling operation on the coupling device 70 from the console panel of the in situ operating box 34 ("YES" in step SA4). Upon receipt of this, the controller 90 outputs an actuating signal to the electric cylinder 73 to place the coupling device 70 in a decoupling operation (step SA5). In other words, the movable hook 72 of the coupling device 70 is lifted (FIG. 3B) and the convex part 72a at the forward end of the movable hook 72 is decoupled away from the concave part 71 a of the fixed hook 71. Along with this, the limit switch 74 turns off and its signal is transmitted to the controller 90. [0064] Subsequently, the operator manipulates the console panel of the in situ operating box 74 so that the travelling girder 3 is made to move in a direction moving away from the tripper 6 after the rail clamp 32 is released. As a result of this, the limit switch 77 turns off if the travelling girder 3 is no longer in the adjacency state with respect to the tripper 6. In addition, the controller 90 detects the position of the travelling girder 3 based on signals from the wheel revolving angle sensor 93 and the detecting sensor 94 and determines whether or not the travelling girder 3 is now at a predetermined distance (for example, 2-3 meters) away from the mooring position (step SA6). If the decision is - _L / "YES", then the controller 90 brings the travelling girder 3 to a temporary stop while enabling the travelling girder 3 to run by manipulation from the operator's cab 33 (step SA7). [0065] With that, the operator returns to the operator's cab 33 and then drives the travelling girder 3. The controller 90 detects the position of the travelling girder 3 based on signals from the wheel revolving angle sensor 93 and the detecting sensor 94. And if it is detected that the travelling girder 3 has entered the regular service zone ("YES" in step SA8), then the controller 90 turns on a tripper decoupling lamp in the touch panel of the operator's cab 33 (step SA9). When this is done, the decoupling of the tripper 6 is now completed. [0066] Next, based on the flowcharts (FIGS. 9, 10) and also referring to FIGS. 11 A, B, a description will be given in regard to a control procedure at the time when the tripper 6, decoupled from the travelling girder 3 in the way as described above, is recoupled to the travelling girder 3. During this recoupling operation, the operator first manipulates the console panel in the operator's cab 33 so that the travelling girder 3 travels to the vicinity of the border (the regular service limit) in the regular service zone and the boom 5 is operated until both the luffimg angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 become around zero degrees. The controller 90 turns on the coupling and decoupling lamp indicative of permission for a coupling/decoupling operation and mounted in the touch panel (the console panel) (step SB2) if both the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 are at around zero degrees as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 ("YES" in step SB1). [0067] Upon confirmation of the turning-on of the lamp, the operator drives the travelling girder 3 to move so as to further approach the mooring position where the tripper 6 is being moored. At this time, based on signals from the wheel revolving angle sensor 93 and the detecting sensor 94, the controller 90 detects the position of the travelling girder 3 and brings the travelling girder 3 to a temporary stop (step SB4) if the travelling girder 3 arrives at the regular service limit ("YES" in step SB3). Thereafter, the controller 90 again brings the travelling girder 3 to a temporary stop if the travelling girder 3 further approaches the tripper mooring position to such an extent that the distance from the tripper 6 becomes a predetermined distance, for example, 2-3 meters ("YES" in step SB5), and prevents its running operation from being executed from the operator's cab 33 (step SB6). [0068] At this time, the travelling girder 3 is secured by the rail clamp 32, so that the operator leaves the operator's cab 33 and moves to the in situ operating box 34. There, the operator operates to release the rail clamp 32 and thereafter drive the travelling girder 3 at a slow speed so that the travelling - 10 girder 3 further approaches the tripper mooring position. Along with this, when the distance between the travelling girder 3 and the tripper 6 becomes a predetermined distance so that they are in the adjacency state, the limit switch 77 is placed in the ON state by the sensor rod 78. Upon receipt of a signal from the limit switch 77, the controller 90 detects that the travelling girder 3 and the tripper 6 are being in the adjacency state with each other ("YES" in step SB7), and brings the travelling girder 3 to a temporary stop (step SB8). [0069] With the travelling girder 3 brought to a halt in the way as described above, the operator operates the console panel of the in situ operating box 34 so that the coupling device 70 can perform a coupling operation, as shown in step SB9 of the flowchart of FIG. 10. In response to this, the controller 90 outputs an actuating signal to the electric cylinder 73 of the coupling device 70 so that the coupling device 70 performs a coupling operation (step SB 10). In other words, as shown in FIG. 11 A, the rod of the electric cylinder 73 elongates ("YES" in step SB11) and the movable hook 72 is lowered so that the convex part 72a at its forward end becomes abutted with the guiding part 71b of the fixed hook 71. [0070] If, in this state, the operator drives the travelling girder 3 to move at slow speed so as to further approach the tripper 6, then the convex part 72a at the forward end of the movable hook 72 slides over the guiding part 71b to finally engage into the concave part 71a of the fixed hook 71, as shown in FIG. 11 B. That is to say, the coupling device 70 completes its coupling operation ("YES" in step SB 12) and the limit switch 74 is placed in the ON state, and upon receipt of a signal indicative of this ON state, the controller 90 acknowledges completion of the coupling operation and brings the travelling girder 3 to a stop (step SB 13). [0071] Stated in another way, it is arranged that the travelling girder 3 is automatically brought to a stop in the adjacency state immediately before coupling to the tripper 6, whereby it is made possible to enable the operator to safely and reliably effect coupling of the tripper 6 just by having the coupling device 70 perform a coupling operation after the travelling girder 3 is brought to a temporary stop. [0072] Upon completion of the coupling of the tripper 6 in the way as described above, the operator establishes connection of the connector 36a of the communications cable 36 in the vicinity of the in situ operating box 34 ("YES" in step SB14), which is followed by release of the storm anchor 63. As a result of this, the limit switch 63a of the storm anchor 63 is placed in the OFF state ("YES" in step SB15), and upon receipt of a signal indicative of that state, the controller 90 turns on the tripper - I[j/ coupling lamp (step SB 16). Thus, the tripper 6 is released from the hold state in the mooring position and drawn by the travelling girder 3 for movement on the rails 2. [0073] In addition, the procedure of the step SA3 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8 implements the function of the tripper-holding detector capable of such detection that the tripper 6 is held by the storm anchor 63. In addition, the procedure of the steps SA3-5 implements the function of the tripper decoupling prohibitor capable of such prohibition that decoupling of the tripper 6 by means of the coupling device 70 is prevented in the absence of detection of the holding of the tripper 6. In the present embodiment, the coupling device 70 is allowed to execute a decoupling operation if, in step SA1, the boom 5 is detected to position at a predetermined position out of interference with the tripper 6, i.e., somewhere around zero degrees. [0074] On the other hand, the procedure of the step SB 1 shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 implements the following function of the tripper-coupling prohibitor: the travelling girder 3 is allowed entry to within a predetermined distance (a no-entry zone) from the tripper mooring position if the boom 5 is positioned at the aforesaid predetermined position, and otherwise the travelling girder 3 is prevented entry to the no-entry zone and its coupling to the tripper 6 is prohibited. In addition, the procedure of the step SB8 implements the stop controller for such control that the travelling girder 3 is brought to a temporary stop in the presence of detection of the adjacency state. [0075] And, since the control procedure shown in the flowcharts of FIG. 8-10 is embodied by execution of predetermined control programs by the controller 90, the controller 90 in the present embodiment is provided, in the form of software, with controller units corresponding to the tripper holding detector, the tripper-decoupling prohibitor, the tripper-coupling prohibitor and the stop controller, respectively. [0076] In accordance with the above-described stacker-reclaimer 1 of the present embodiment, in the first place, when coal is stacked into a stockpile, the tripper 6 is coupled to and towed by the travelling girder 6, whereby the coal thus transferred onto the boom conveyor 53 is made to fall down from the forward end side of the boom 5 into a yard so that the coal is stacked into a stockpile. On the other hand, when unpiling and removing coal from the stockpile by use of the bucket wheel 50, the tripper 6, which may get in the way of the movement of the boom 5, is decoupled from the travelling girder 3 and held at the mooring position. [0077] In other words, if the storm anchor 63 is actuated, with the tripper 6 positioned at the mooring position, this tripper-hold state is detected based on a signal from the limit switch 63a. Therefore, by placing the coupling device 70 in operation to execute a decoupling operation in response to such a detection result, it becomes possible to safely and reliably accomplish decoupling of the tripper 6 without relying on visual confirmation by the operator. [0078] On the other hand, in the absence of detection of the holding of the tripper 6 by the storm anchor 63, the coupling device 70 is prevented from execution of a decoupling movement. Therefore, the tripper 6 cannot be decoupled from the travelling girder 3. Stated in another way, whenever the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3, it is held at the mooring position without fail and its position will never change at all. [0079] Therefore, when subsequently recoupled to the travelling girder 3, it is made possible to avoid occurrence of an accidental collision based on the detection result of the position of the travelling girder 3 on the rails 2 and it is also made possible to safely and reliably perform coupling of the tripper 6 without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. [0080] In addition, at the time of decoupling and coupling of the tripper 6, the operation of the coupling device 70 is allowed, provided that the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 of the travelling girder 3 are each at around zero degrees. And in this condition, there is no possibility of interference of the boom 5 with the tripper 6. [0081]< Other Embodiments > It will be appreciated that the description of the aforesaid embodiment is given for example purposes only and therefore is in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention, its applications or uses. For example, according to the aforesaid embodiment, it is arranged that, when the tripper 6 is held fast at the mooring position by the storm anchor 63, a decoupling operation by the coupling device 70 is permitted, which, however, is not considered limitative. Alternatively, it may be arranged that the operator is just informed of such a state that the tripper 6 is being held by the storm anchor 63. [0082] In addition, at the time of coupling and decoupling of the tripper 6, the luffing angle and the rotating angle of the boom 5 of the travelling girder 3 are not necessary at around zero degrees. For example, it may suffice if the rotating angle of the boom 5 falls within a wider range such as within plus/minus 30 degrees as along as the luffing angle of the boom 5 is at around zero degrees. [0083] In addition, according to the foregoing embodiment, the storm anchor 63 of the tripper 6 is one of the type that is manually operated; however, it may be arranged that the storm anchor 63 is operated from the in situ operating box 34 of the travelling girder 3. To this end, the tripper 6 is equipped with a microcomputer 66 as shown by way of example in FIG. 12 so that an actuator 63b (Act.) mounted in the storm anchor 63 is made to operate. The microcomputer 66 is communicable with the controller 90 of the travelling girder 3 via the communications cable 36. [0084] Furthermore, according to the foregoing embodiment, it is arranged that the tripper 6 is held at the predetermined mooring position and then decoupled from the travelling girder 3, which arrangement, however, is not considered limitative. Alternatively, the tripper 6 may be held at a arbitrarily selected mooring position on the rails 2. In this case, the tripper holding member is not the storm anchor 63 and instead, it may be arranged that there is employed a mechanism like the rail clump 32 of the travelling girder 3 which is operative to clamp the rails 2. [0085] In addition, in that case, it may be arranged that the tripper 6 is equipped with a memory device for storage of the position of the tripper 6 and a battery (a power supply source) for operating the memory device. As a result of this arrangement, even when the tripper 6 is decoupled from the travelling girder 3 while being held at any mooring position on the rails 2, the position where the tripper 6 is moored is stored in the memory device, whereby it is made possible to detect a relative position to the travelling girder 3. As the memory device, the inner storage device of the microcomputer 66 shown in FIG. 12 may be available. [0086] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the description has been given in regard to the stacker-reclaimer 1 adapted to stack and remove coal in a coal material yard in an ironworks, which, of course, should not be considered limitative. For example, the present invention is applicable to stacker-reclaimers for stacking and removing various types of bulk materials, such as mineral ore and other like materials, in a quay or a rock quarry. Industrial Applicability [0087] By the stacker-reclaimers configured according to the present invention, it is made possible to execute coupling and decoupling of the tripper without relaying on visual confirmation by the operator. Therefore, the present invention is safe and reliable and extremely useful because there is less influence due to operator's tiredness and bad weather. Reference Signs List [0088] 1: stacker-reclaimer 2: rail 3: travelling girder (travelling structure) 5: boom 6: tripper 63: storm anchor (tripper holding member) 63a: limit switch (tripper-holding detector) 66: microcomputer (memory device) 7: coupling unit 70: coupling device 71a: concave part (catch part) of the fixed hook 71b: guiding part of the fixed hook 72: movable hook (engaging member) 73: electric cylinder (actuator) 77: limit switch (adjacency-state detector) 90: controller (tripper-holding detector, tripper-decoupling prohibitor, tripper-coupling prohibitor and stop controller means) 91: boom luffing angle sensor (boom-position detector) 92: boom rotating angle sensor (boom-position detector) 93: wheel revolving angle sensor (travelling-structure-position detector) 94: detecting sensor (travelling-structure-position detector)

Claims

1. In a stacker-reclaimer which is configured such that a boom is supported, in a luffable and rotatable manner, on a travelling structure operative to move on rails and a tripper is coupled to said travelling structure, a tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus comprising: a travelling-structure-position detector for detecting the position of said travelling structure on said rails; a coupling device for effecting separable coupling of said tripper to said travelling structure; a tripper holding member for holding said tripper at a mooring position on said rails; and a tripper-holding detector for detecting the holding of said tripper by said tripperholding member.

2. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: tripper-decoupling prohibitor for prohibiting the decoupling of said tripper from said travelling structure by preventing said coupling device from executing a decoupling operation in the absence of detection of the holding of said tripper.

3. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising: boom-position detector for detecting the luffing position and the rotating position of said boom, whereby, if said boom-position detector detects that said boom is positioned at a predetermined position out of interference with said tripper, said tripper-decoupling prohibitor permits said coupling device to execute a decoupling operation.

4. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: tripper-coupling prohibitor for permitting entry of said travelling structure with said tripper decoupled therefrom to within a predetermined distance from said mooring position if said boom position detector detects that said boom is positioned at said predetermined position, and for prohibiting the coupling to said tripper by preventing said travelling structure from entry to within said predetermined distance if said boom is detected not to be positioned at said predetermined position.

5. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said coupling deviceincluding: a catchpart which is provided in either one of said travelling structure and said tripper; an engaging member which is provided in the other one of said travelling structure and said tripper and which is moved by an actuator so as to engage and disengage with said catchpart; and a guiding part which, in such an adjacency state that the distance between said travelling structure and said tripper is equal to or less than a predetermined value, is abuttable against said engaging member and which guides said engaging member to said catchpart.

6. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further comprising: adjacency-state detector for detection of said adjacency state between said travelling structure and said tripper; and stop controller for bringing said travelling structure making its approaching motion to said mooring position to a temporary stop in the presence of detection of said adjacency state by said adjacency-state detector.

7. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said travelling-structure-position detector including: a revolving-angle sensor for detecting the revolving angle of wheels of said travelling structure; and a detecting sensor for detecting detection objects arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction of said rails.

8. The tripper coupling/decoupling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said tripper including: a memory device for storing positions of said tripper; and a power supply source for operating said memory device.

9. In a stacker-reclaimer which is configured such that a boom is supported, in a luffable and rotatable manner, on a travelling structure operative to move on rails and a tripper is coupled to said travelling structure, a method of coupling and decoupling said tripper to and from said travelling structure, the method comprising: providing a tripper-holding detector for detection that said tripper is held at a mooring position on said rails; first, setting said travelling structure in motion while detecting the position of said travelling structure on said rails, and then positioning said tripper coupled to said travelling structure at said mooring position; and subsequently, holding said tripper at said mooring position, keeping said tripper coupled to said said travelling structure until said holding of said tripper at said mooring position is detected by said tripper-holding detector, and decpupling said tripper from said travelling structure if said holding of said tripper at said mooring position is detected by said tripper-holding detector.

10. The tripper coupling/decoupling method as set forth in claim 9 further comprising: providing boom-position detector for detecting the lufling position and the rotating position of said boom; and decoupling said tripper from said travelling structure after said boom-position detector detects that said boom is positioned at a predetermined position out of interference with said tripper.

11. The tripper coupling/decoupling method as set forth in claim 10 comprising: after said boom-position detector detects that said boom is positioned at said predetermined position, setting said travelling structure with said tripper decoupled therefrom in motion in a direction towards said mooring position for entry to within a predetermined distance from said mooring station.