GB1604315A

GB1604315A - Distribution system

Info

Publication number: GB1604315A
Application number: GB2415678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-05-30
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-12-09

Description

(54) DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM (71) I, BARRIE HERBERT, a British subject of Unity Road, Lowmoor Industrial Estate, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 7LE do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent be granted to me and the method by which it is to be performed be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to a distribution system for distributing material and more particularly concerns a distribution system for distributing slurries such as concrete.

According to one aspect of the present invention a distribution system for distributing material to selected positions within a defined area comprises a pair of longitudinal support rails extending at each side of said defined area, at least one transverse beam structure movable longitudinally along said support rails, a main hopper for delivering material to said selected positions, said main hopper being movable along said one or each transverse beam structure, at least a skip support rail disposed above said transverse beam structure for supporting one or more feed skips, whereby the or each feed skip can be moved along said support rail and positioned to feed material to said main hopper and a delivery system for delivering material to be distributed to said one or more feed skips.

Conveniently the skip support rail extends longitudinally of defined area parallel to said longitudinal support rails. If desired two parallel skip rails can be provided each having a feed skip.

The distribution system according to the present invention enables material to be supplied to a skip via a delivery system which may comprise a conveyor and/or chute arrangement. Material delivered to the skip can then be transported thereby to a desired position above a transverse beam structure and a hopper on said transverse beam structure located below the skip whereby the material may be discharged into the hopper. The hopper can then be moved transversely of the transverse beam structure to the desired position and in addition the transverse beam structure can, of course, be moved along the longitudinal support rails. Thus material can be disco buted to any position within the defined area.

It is appreciated that such a distribution could be achieved using single transverse beams which could be moved to a delivery system at one end of said defined area in order to charge the hopper. Such a system would not, however, have the flexibility of the system according to the resent invention which provides for re atively rapid delivery of material via the one or more skips and also permits a plurality of transverse beam structures to be employed which would not be possible if the transverse beam structure had to be moved to the delivery system for charging with material to be distributed.

Conveniently the or each hopper provided on said transverse beam structure is associated with lifting means. Thus where, for example, the system is employed for distributing concrete not only can the concrete slurry be delivered to the desired position but also the lifting means can be used to remove the concrete products.

To this end it will be appreciated that the transverse beam structure can be a conventional crane arrangement in which the crane trolley which runs on said transverse beam structure is also provided with a hopper.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of part of a distribution system according to the invention; and Figure 2 is an end elevation of the system shown in figure 1.

The system comprises a pair of longitudinal support rails 10 upon which a transverse beam structure 11 can run. The transverse beam structure 11 comprises a pair of transverse beams 12 connected between supporting arms 13 which can run on the support rails 10.

A crane trolley 14, which is shown schematically in figure 1, is adapted to run along the transverse beams 12 and can thus be disposed at any position within the area defined by the longitudinal support rails 10.

The trolley 14 carries a lifing mechanism (not shown in figure 1) and also carries a hopper 15 having doors at its lower end (not shown).

Whilst only one transverse beam structure 11 is shown m figure 1 it will be appreciated that where a relatively large area Is required to be serviced by the distribution system then a plurality of such transverse beam structures can be provided.

In order to deliver material to be distributed to the or each hopper 15 a pair of feed skips 16 are provided each skip being arranged to run on a single overhead sup port rail 17. The support rails 17 are arranged parallel to and at a level higher than the longitudinal support rails 10.

The delivery system for material to be distributed comprises conveyor 18 and a chute arrangement 19 which incorporates gate means (not shown) whereby material delivered by conveyor 18 can be directed to either skip 16.

Thus when it is desired to charge a hopper 15 a skip 16 can be loaded with material via the chute arrangement 19 and the skip 16 moves along its support beam to a position above the transverse beam structure 11. The trolley 14 can then be moved along the beam structure until the hopper 15 is disposed below the skip 16 and the material can then be discharged into the hopper 15.

In order to facilitate charging of the hop pers 15 it is desirable that the trolley 14 and the skips 16 be provided with co-operating sensor devices (not shown) so that the skips can be stopped automatically when they reach the appropriate position adjacent the transverse beam structure 11 and also the trolleys 14 can be stopped automatically when they reach a position in which the hopper 15 is disposed directly below a skip 16.

Thus the skips 16 may be provided with sensing means for stopping them when said sensing means contacts a movable flag-type arrangement on the transverse beam structure 11. In this way any one of a number of beam structures 11 may call for material by raising the flag and this will automatically stop a loaded skip 16 in the desired position relative to the appropriate beam structure 11. It is then necessary to locate the trolley 14 in the desired position beneath the skip 16 and this can be done by provided cooperating sensing means on the skip 16 and trolley 14 so that as the trolley 14 moves along the beams 12 the cooperating sensing means will cause it to stop in the appropriate position. If desired the cooperating sensing means may also actuate the doors with the skip 16 to charge the hopper 15 with material.

The use of two skips 16 is preferred since one skip can be delivering material whilst the other skip is returned to the delivery system for charging.

In figure 2 a crane arrangement 20 is shown on the trolley 14. It will be appreciated that, if desired, more than one such crane arrangement 20 can be provided, e.g.

another crane arrangement can be provided on the opposite side of the trolley 14.

It will be appreciated that the distribution system according to the invention is particularly convenient for use in distributing a material such as concrete to any position within a defined area, such as for delivering concrete to a plurality of concrete moulds.

The system is particularly flexible and provides for rapid and automatic charging of the hoppers 15. Furthermore by virtue of the provision of the crane arrangements the distribution system can also be employed for removing products such as moulded concrete products.

The feed skip or skips may be of the type described and claimed in my co-pending application no. 24155/78 (Serial No.

1 586 408) of even date.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A distribution system for distributing material to selected positions within a defined area comprising a pair of longitudi- nal support rails extending at each side of said defined area, at least one transverse beam structure movable longitudinally along said support rails, a main hopper movable along said one or each transverse beam structure, at least a skip support rail disposed above said transverse beam structure for supporting one or more feed skips whereby the or each said feed skip cane moved along said support rail and positioned to feed material to said main hopper, and a delivery system for delivering material to be distributed to said one or more feed skips.

2. A distribution system according to claim 1 in which the skip support rail extends longitudinally of defined area parallel to said longitudinal support rails.

3. A distribution system according to claim 2 in which two parallel skip rails can be provided each having a feed skip.

4. A distribution system according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the or each hopper provided on said transverse beam structure is associated with lifting means.

5. A distribution system according to any of claims 1 to 4 in which said transverse beam structure and said feed skip are associated with first cooperating sensing means to detect the relative positions thereof.

6. A distribution system according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which the main hopper and the feed skip are associated with second cooperating sensing means to detect

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. defined by the longitudinal support rails 10. The trolley 14 carries a lifing mechanism (not shown in figure 1) and also carries a hopper 15 having doors at its lower end (not shown). Whilst only one transverse beam structure 11 is shown m figure 1 it will be appreciated that where a relatively large area Is required to be serviced by the distribution system then a plurality of such transverse beam structures can be provided. In order to deliver material to be distributed to the or each hopper 15 a pair of feed skips 16 are provided each skip being arranged to run on a single overhead sup port rail 17. The support rails 17 are arranged parallel to and at a level higher than the longitudinal support rails 10. The delivery system for material to be distributed comprises conveyor 18 and a chute arrangement 19 which incorporates gate means (not shown) whereby material delivered by conveyor 18 can be directed to either skip 16. Thus when it is desired to charge a hopper 15 a skip 16 can be loaded with material via the chute arrangement 19 and the skip 16 moves along its support beam to a position above the transverse beam structure 11. The trolley 14 can then be moved along the beam structure until the hopper 15 is disposed below the skip 16 and the material can then be discharged into the hopper 15. In order to facilitate charging of the hop pers 15 it is desirable that the trolley 14 and the skips 16 be provided with co-operating sensor devices (not shown) so that the skips can be stopped automatically when they reach the appropriate position adjacent the transverse beam structure 11 and also the trolleys 14 can be stopped automatically when they reach a position in which the hopper 15 is disposed directly below a skip 16. Thus the skips 16 may be provided with sensing means for stopping them when said sensing means contacts a movable flag-type arrangement on the transverse beam structure 11. In this way any one of a number of beam structures 11 may call for material by raising the flag and this will automatically stop a loaded skip 16 in the desired position relative to the appropriate beam structure 11. It is then necessary to locate the trolley 14 in the desired position beneath the skip 16 and this can be done by provided cooperating sensing means on the skip 16 and trolley 14 so that as the trolley 14 moves along the beams 12 the cooperating sensing means will cause it to stop in the appropriate position. If desired the cooperating sensing means may also actuate the doors with the skip 16 to charge the hopper 15 with material. The use of two skips 16 is preferred since one skip can be delivering material whilst the other skip is returned to the delivery system for charging. In figure 2 a crane arrangement 20 is shown on the trolley 14. It will be appreciated that, if desired, more than one such crane arrangement 20 can be provided, e.g. another crane arrangement can be provided on the opposite side of the trolley 14. It will be appreciated that the distribution system according to the invention is particularly convenient for use in distributing a material such as concrete to any position within a defined area, such as for delivering concrete to a plurality of concrete moulds. The system is particularly flexible and provides for rapid and automatic charging of the hoppers 15. Furthermore by virtue of the provision of the crane arrangements the distribution system can also be employed for removing products such as moulded concrete products. The feed skip or skips may be of the type described and claimed in my co-pending application no. 24155/78 (Serial No.

1 586 408) of even date.

the relative position thereof.

7. A distribution system according to any of claims 1 to 6 in which the second co-operating sensing means are arranged so as to cause automatically the discharge of the contents of the feed skip into the hopper.

8. A distribution system substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.