EP1465822A1

EP1465822A1 - Arrangement for loading of material

Info

Publication number: EP1465822A1
Application number: EP02751944A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jerker Hagman
Original assignee: Norba AB
Current assignee: Norba AB
Priority date: 2001-08-06
Filing date: 2002-07-30
Publication date: 2004-10-13
Also published as: SE0102662D0; NO327964B1; SE521586C2; NO20040335L; SE0102662L; WO2003013985A1

Abstract

Arrangement for loading of material comprising a first (1) and a second (2) hydraulically controlled lifting means, where the arrangement comprises a first (10) and a second (11) proportional valve for control of each lifting means (1, 2) and also a control unit (13) for controlling the proportional valves (10, 11) which control unit comprises (13) a detection means (14) for detection of the lifting height of the lifting means (1, 2), a calculation means (15) which is arranged to process the signal that is transmitted from the detection means (14) and also a control means (16) which is arranged to control the proportional valves (10, 11) using the acquired information from the calculation means (15).

Description

Arrangement for loading of material

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an arrangement for loading of material comprising a first and a second hydraulically controlled lifting means.

BACKGROUND ART

The increasing environmental awareness has made waste sorting more common. Raw materials that are suited for recycling, for example plastics, paper and aluminium, are re-cycled at an increasing degree from different waste fractions.

In order to retrieve, transport and otherwise handle sorted waste and recyclable material, especially adapted goods vehicles are needed, usually equipped with some form of loading unit. Such goods vehicles should be equipped with a loading space or a waste container with separate loading volumes for different material fractions.

In order to load, for example, sorted waste or recycling material it is previously known with different arrangements for separate loading of such fractions in the loading bin aboard a goods vehicle. Such an arrangement usually comprises a loading means working with hydraulics comprising a vessel lift and an emptying cradle. The loading means may move between different positions by means of hydraulic pistons and is equipped with gripping devices which may seize the waste vessel that shall be emptied into the loading bin.

As the sorting increases, it becomes more common that there are several fractions of waste to collect at each loading site. A need has thus arisen to empty several vessels at a time. This has been solved by equipping the loading means with several lifting means. There are, however, problems associated with these earlier designs.

The different fractions that are present in the vessels that shall be are most surely containing different amounts, and thus the vessels are of different sizes. Due to, among other things, this, it would be desirable to design a loading means with lifting means that may be manoeuvred separate from each other.

US 4 305 693 describes an arrangement comprising a loading means comprising two hydraulically propelled lifting means which may be manoeuvred separately. This has been achieved by arranging a hydraulic flow distributor on the loading means.

A device according to US 4 305 693 certainly solves the problem mentioned above, but the device thus designed becomes complex, with many components. Thus the consumption of time and material in the manufacturing process increases.

Another problem associated with the usage of hydraulic flow distributors for separate manoeuvring of several lifting means is that a flow distributor is not capable of reducing an initial vertical difference that exists between the lifting means. It can not reduce a vertical difference that arises during the operation of the lifting means, either.

There is thus a need for designing an arrangement for loading material comprising a loading means with several separately manoeuvrable lifting means, which arrangement comprises less components. Further, there is a need for an arrangement for said use, which arrangement may reduce an initially existing or later arisen vertical difference between the lifting means. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The purpose of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems. This is achieved by the arrangement comprising a first and a second proportional valve for control of each lifting means and also a control unit for controlling the proportional valves, which control unit comprises a detection means for detection of the lifting height of the lifting means, a calculation means which is arranged to process the signal that is transmitted from the detection means and also a control means which is arranged to control the proportional valves using the acquired information from the calculation means.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arrangement also comprises a shifting means which enables separate use of each of the lifting means, or both together.

According to a another preferred embodiment, the arrangement is arranged in such a way that the control signal from the control means is a function of the difference between the input signals from the detection means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows an arrangement according to the invention.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Figure 1 shows an arrangement according to the invention. The arrangement is provided with a first and a second hydraulically controlled lifting means 1 ,

2. The lifting means 1 , 2 are arranged to lift those vessels containing different fractions of waste which shall be emptied, preferably into the interior of a goods vehicle. The lifting means 1 , 2 consists of the following details: Facing the surroundings, the lifting means are each provided with a lifting protection

3, 4 that protects the moving parts of the lifting means. The lifting protections 3, 4 are arranged on the right respective left side of the cavity in the arrangement which is intended to be placed over one ore more loading doors on a goods vehicle. Behind each lifting protection 3, 4 is a cylinder 5, 6, arranged for each lifting means 1 , 2. The cylinders 5, 6 are each one arranged to lift a lifting cradle 7, 8. The lifting cradles 7, 8 are intended to carry those vessels which have a contents that shall be loaded into a goods vehicle.

On the lifting protection 3, 4 are manoeuvring panels 9, 10 which are intended to be used by an operator in order to control the loading arrangement.

The manoeuvring of the hydraulically controlled lifting means 1 , 2 is carried out by means of two separated electrical hydraulic proportional valves 11 , 12, which control each cylinder 5, 6 on respective lifting side of the lifting means 1 , 2. A proportional valve is a valve at which the hydraulic outflow is proportional to the electrical input signal.

The valves are in turn controlled by a control unit 13. The control unit 13 is provided with a detection means 14 for detection of the lifting height of the lifting means, a calculation 15 means which is arranged to process the signal that is transmitted from the detection means and also a control means 16 which is arranged to control the proportional valves 11 , 12 using the acquired information from the calculation means 15. The detection means 14 may be two position indicators which measure the lifting height of each lifting means 1 , 2, such as potentiometers or inductive sensing means. The calculation means 15 and the control means 16 consist of conventional components which are well-known to the skilled person. They may by way of example constitute one unit such as a micro computer.

When running, the control system 13 transmits a variable output signal in order to adjust the velocity of the lifting means 1 , 2. Via a switch 17 or sensor, the control system 13 detects if the lifting means 1 , 2 shall be run isolated or in parallel. During parallel control, the two lifting means 1 , 2 are manoeuvred together at the desired velocity. In order to move the two lifting means 1 ,2 in parallel, irrespective of the weight of the load, the lifting height on each side is input as a feedback signal, by means of the detection means 14, to the calculation means 15 of the control system. The control means 16 which is connected to the calculation means 15 then knows if it shall increase or decrease the output signal to respective proportional valve 11 , 12 in order to correct and reduce the vertical difference. The initial velocity for the lifting means 1 , 2 is chosen from the manoeuvring panel 9, 10 as a desired input value to the control unit 13.

The design shown of an arrangement according to the invention is only an example of how the arrangement may be designed, and shall not be regarded upon as limiting for the invention. The lifting means have here, by way of example, been provided with lifting protections. It is, however, possible to dispense with these lifting protections within the scope of the invention

Claims

1. Arrangement for loading of material comprising a first (1) and a second (2) hydraulically controlled lifting means characterized in in that the arrangement comprises a first (10) and a second (11) proportional valve for control of each lifting means (1), (2) and also a control unit (13) for controlling the proportional valves, (10), (11) which control unit comprises (13) a detection means (14) for detection of the lifting height of the lifting means (1), (2), a calculation means (15) which is arranged to process the signal that is transmitted from the detection means (14) and also a control means (16) which is arranged to control the proportional valves (10), (11) using the acquired information from the calculation means (15).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a shifting means (17) which enables separate use of each of the lifting means, or both together.

3. Arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control signal from the control means is a function of the difference between the input signals from the detection means.