EP1329396B1 - Conveying system for a store with vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a conveyor system for magazines of vehicles according to the preamble of claim 1.

1 Introduction 1.1 problem statement

In automatically operated magazines of cable transport systems with automatically detachable clamp or even fixed, detachable from the rope clamp the vehicles are transported in the magazine by means of a conveyor system until all vehicles are in the magazine. Since the vehicle is mounted on its terminal rolling to the environment, such as rails, the transport system attacks on the terminal or other, fixed to the vehicle part, such as on the suspension, or on the vehicle itself.

The system of rails in automatic magazines forms a closed circuit consisting generally of straight parts and curve parts (meander shape). In order to keep the size of the magazine as small as possible, the conveyor system of the magazine is regulated so that the vehicles are as close to one another as possible. This results in the problem that the vehicles in the straight parts are to be arranged relatively close together, while they must have in the curve parts a greater distance from each other, since the point of storage on the environment (clamp with track) a circle with a larger radius describes as the outermost point of the vehicle on the inside of the curve.

One solution would be the operation of, in terms of travel speeds, different systems in the straight part and in the curve part. However, these systems must be well matched. Especially when transferring the vehicle from the straight part to the curve part and vice versa, there is a risk of discontinuities in the movement sequence.

Due to the different magazine sizes and designs, the transport system must always be adapted. For each project that includes a magazine, this results in a one-off production of the conveyor system, resulting in time delays and cost increases.

1.2 General description of the invention

The present invention relates to a system for transporting vehicles of a cable transport system with automatically detachable clamp in an automatically operated magazine. The conveyor system should allow a very compact design by a smaller distance of the driving equipment in the straight part as in the curves.

The system should be uniform throughout the magazine and form a single closed circuit, thus comprising the straight parts and the cam parts.

This task is performed in a conveyor system according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

The vehicles are thus moved by segments, which in turn are connected to a continuously moving at a constant speed in one direction moving chain. The speed of these segments respectively the chain corresponds to that in the curves.

The problem of cornering is again solved by a distance control. The movement of the vehicles in the straight part is interrupted at intervals, by the shape of the individual segments is changed so that driving is not possible.

The time interval of the interruption is so great that in the curve part of the vehicles is transported to a sufficiently large distance to the following vehicle. If this is the case, the following vehicle can be introduced into the curve. The speed control here is due to the fact that the averaged over a period of time in the straight part is less than in the curve part. Since the speed of the segments is relatively low, one can speak here of a sudden transition from one interval to another. In the FIG. 5 The illustrated graphic illustrates the regulation of the vehicle distance by means of the transport intervals:

In this way, it is achieved that the number of vehicles passing through each level in the magazine per unit time is always the same.

1.3 Advantages of the invention

In automated ropeways with automatically operated magazines, the vehicles can be transported within the magazine with only a single conveyor system, which transports the vehicles in both the straight pieces and in the curved pieces, ensuring the sufficient distance of the vehicles from each other in the curves and the Distance in the straight pieces can be kept low.

The system therefore requires only a single drive.

The transition from the straight part to the curve part happens fluently without discontinuities in the sequence of movements.

The system is easily adaptable to different sizes of magazines.

Certain elements of this conveyor system can be prefabricated in large numbers and used in each magazine.

Any repair work is easier to carry out, since possibly only parts have to be replaced.

2 Technical description 2.1 Known technology

In the solution developed by the applicant himself, in the curves another, more rapid, compared to the straight part, conveyor chain takes over the transport of the vehicles ( Italian Patent No. 1,218,525 , registered on 16.11.1987).

In DE1130369 a conveyor system is described according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

2.2 Novelty of the invention

The real novelty of the invention is that for the transport of vehicles in the track system of a magazine only a single conveyor system is necessary and that the solution of the cornering is not in the curve, but in the form of intermittent interruptions of onward transport in the straight part.

Figur 1

teilweise eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemässen Fördersystem in Eingriffsstellung,

Figur 2

eine Draufsicht von Figur 1,

Figur 3

teilweise eine Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemässen Fördersystems in Freigabestellung,

Figur 4

eine Draufsicht von Figur 2, und

Figur 5

eine graphische Darstellung der Abstandsregelung von Fahrzeugen längs einer geraden und einer gekrümmten Strecke.

Further features and details of the conveyor system according to the present invention will become apparent from the claims and from the following description of a preferred, illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiment. Show it,

FIG. 1

partly a side view of a conveyor system according to the invention in the engaged position,

FIG. 2

a top view of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3

partly a side view of a conveyor system according to the invention in the release position,

FIG. 4

a top view of FIG. 2 , and

FIG. 5

a graphical representation of the distance control of vehicles along a straight and a curved path.

2.3 Functional Description

Within an automatically operated magazine, terminals 9/10 of cable-drawn vehicles, which are rollingly mounted on rails 11 of the magazine, are transported on via a conveyor system 2). The conveyor system consists of a chain 16 to which fasteners 14/19 are attached at regular intervals. At each of these fasteners a driver 6/8 is articulated via a rotary joint 15/20, each of which at the upper end, rotatably mounted, carries a deflection roller 5/7. These deflection rollers are mounted with respect to an axis of symmetry 12 of the driver from one driver to the next alternately right and left.

Fig. 1 and 2 show a in FIG. 5 outgoing transport interval. In this case, the drivers are 6/8 in the engaged position. The driver 6/8 are held by a tension spring 22/23 in its driving position and a stop 13/18 stops caused by the tension spring rotational movement of the driver 6/8. By moving the chain and thus the driver in the conveying direction X, the terminal of the vehicle is moved.

Fig. 3 and 4 show a break interval. Along the conveyor system are ramps 1/2/3/4. These are analogous to the deflection rollers also with respect to the axis of symmetry of the driver alternately right and left thereof and arranged exactly on the trajectory of the deflection rollers such that the end edges of a ramp and the following are in line. If a deflection roller passes a ramp, it is deflected, whereby the driver is rotated about the pivot in such a way that the driver passes over the clamp and thus the further transport is interrupted. Due to the alternating arrangement of the ramps and the deflection rollers, this process is repeated only with every second driver. The vehicles move so only at intervals.

There are no ramps in the curves, so the vehicles are transported without interruption.

The same arrangement as described above is also in the opposite direction. Point symmetrical to the intersection of the axis of symmetry 17/24 and the axis of symmetry of the drivers are also arranged driver and deflection rollers, which fulfill the same function described above during conveying movement in the opposite direction.

Claims (6)

1. Conveying system for depots of vehicles, in particular cable-drawn vehicles, said system comprising a track (11) along which the vehicles can be moved in a predetermined direction, and a conveying device (16) which extends, at least in part, parallel to said track (11) and has entrainment means (6, 8), which can be engaged in the vehicles, for shifting the latter along the track (11), wherein said entrainment means (6, 8) are constituted by resiliently compliant components (6, 8) which interact, at predetermined sections along the track (11), with cams (1, 2, 3, 4) which are fixed to said track and which bring said components (6, 8) from a position of engagement on the vehicle into a position of release in which the conveying device (16) is uncoupled from the vehicle, wherein the conveying device is a circulating chain (16), and wherein said circulating chain (16) has a plurality of brackets (14) on each of which there is articulated a component which consists of a swinging arm (6, 8) which carries, at one end, a deflecting roller (5, 7) which interacts with the cam (1, 2, 3, 4) and is pressed, by a spring (22, 23) which is stretched between the swinging arm (6, 8) and the bracket (14), against the cam (1, 2, 3, 4) in such a way that the other end of said swinging arm (6, 8) is brought out of engagement with the vehicle by the lift of the cam, characterised in that the deflecting rollers (5, 7) are articulated on the swinging arm (6, 8) on one or other side alternately in relation to a vertical plane which is located through a longitudinal central axis of said swinging arm (6, 8), and that the cams (1, 2, 3, 4) are disposed alternately in relation to a plane of symmetry constituted by a plane of swinging of said swinging arm (6, 8).
2. Conveying system according to claim 1, characterised in that there is provided, on each bracket (14), a stop (18) against which that part of the swinging arm which lies between the point of articulation and the deflecting roller (5, 7) comes to rest as a result of the spring (22, 23), when the vehicle is in the position of entrainment, in such a way that said swinging arm (6, 8) is inclined in the direction of conveyance.
3. Conveying system according to claim 2, characterised in that the swinging arm (6, 8) is inclined in one or other direction in an alternating manner.
4. Conveying system according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the cams are constituted by ramps (1, 2, 3, 4).
5. Conveying system according to the preceding claims, characterised in that the entrainment component acts upon the grip (9, 10) of a cable-drawn vehicle.
6. Conveying system according to claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the entrainment component acts upon the suspension or upon other parts which are located fixedly on the vehicle.

Images