GB2141115A

GB2141115A - Spiral chute for e.g. coal bunker

Info

Publication number: GB2141115A
Application number: GB08408954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Newsum
Original assignee: MATTHEW HALL PLC
Current assignee: MATTHEW HALL PLC
Priority date: 1983-06-08
Filing date: 1984-04-06
Publication date: 1984-12-12
Also published as: GB8408954D0; GB2141115B

Abstract

A spiral chute for a coal bunker includes inner and outer scroll plates (12 and 10) and a plurality of steel tray elements secured in position between said inner and outer scroll plates and providing a continuous seating surface (16) for renewable liner elements (18) made of a hard wearing material. Renewable elements (28) are also provided, and all these elements are located by steel pins (28), the base elements 18 being located at their edges towards the interior of the bunker by the upper edge of the scroll plate (12). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Chutes and bunkers The invention relates to the construction of chutes and bunkers for material handling, for example for the handling of coal.

Upstanding bunkers are frequently used for the temporary storage of coal or other materials, a closable aperture being provided at the lower end of the bunker so that the material can be fed into railway wagons or the like to be carried away when required. Such bunkers may be of upstanding cylindrical shape or may be of square or other shape in transverse section. Material is fed into the bunker from above and means are invariably provided whereby the material can be caused to flow into the bunker in as gentle a fashion as possible to minimize as much as possible the tendency for the material to become broken up and powdered. Such means have generally comprised a spiral chute supported by a framework within the bunker and closely surrounding the central axis of the bunker.

However, it has previously been known to provide a bunker with a so-called peripheral spiral chute, that is to say a spiral chute connected to or built into the outer walls of the bunker.

The invention has for its object to provide a construction of peripheral spiral chute for a material bunker which will be relatively easy to repair when, after long use, it has become worn.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a peripheral spiral chute for fitment in a material bunker, the chute including an outer scroll plate for fixing to the bunker wall, an inner scroll plate which will be secured in position, by means of a plurality of brackets secured to the bunker walls, to lie radially within the diameter of the outer scroll plate with the upper edge of the inner scroll plate substantially in line with the lower edge of the outer scroll plate, and a plurality of steel tray elements secured in position between the inner and outer scroll plates and providing a continuous inwardly inclined seating surface for the mounting of renewable liner elements made of a hard wearing material.The upper edge of the inner scroll plate will preferably project upwardly above the immediately adjacent surfaces of the steel tray elements so that there is formed an upstanding abutment surface for supporting the renewable liner elements on the inwardly inclined seating surface provided by said steel tray elements. The renewable liner elements may be located on said seating surface by means of a plurality of pins upstanding from the steel tray elements. Further renewable liner elements may be provided to line the exposed surfaces of the outer scroll plate. In this case, said further renewable liner elements may be seated on radially outer shoulder surfaces of the first mentioned liner elements.Radially outer ones of pins upstanding from the tray elements may extend completely through the first mentioned liner elements to project upwards from said shoulder surfaces to locate the further renewable liner elements in position. The outer scroll plate, and the plurality of brackets by means of which the inner scroll plate is supported may be secured to a plurality of supports which are fixed to the inner surfaces of the bunker.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a bunker having a peripheral spiral chute as described above.

The bunker may be of upstanding cylindrical shape, in which case the outer scroll plate of the chute will follow closely the contour of the wall of the bunker, or it may be of upstanding square or rectangular shape in which case the outer scroll plate and the plurality of brackets by means of which the inner scroll plate is supported will be secured to supports located at varying heights but at points midway along the walls of the bunker.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a peripheral spiral chute embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, and Figure 3 is a radial cross section through the chute, on the line 3-3 in Figure 2, drawn to a scale much larger than the scale of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the peripheral spiral chute there illustrated for fitment in a material bunker includes an outer scroll plate 10, an inner scroll plate 1 2 lying radially within the diameter of the outer scroll plate, and a plurality of steel tray elements 1 4 welded in position between the inner and outer scroll plates and providing a continuous inwardly inclined seating surface 1 6 for the mounting of renewable liner elements 1 8 (see Figure 3) made of a hard wearing material.

The outer scroll plate 10 and a plurality of brackets 20 by means of which the inner scroll plate is supported are secured to a plurality of supports 22 which are fixed to the inner surfaces of the bunker concerned. (Since the bunker which is illustrated in chain-dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2 is shown to be of rectangular shape in cross section the supports 22 will in this case be located as shown at points midway along the walls of the bunker).

As shown in Figure 3, the upper edge of the inner scroll plate 1 2 is substantially in the line with the lower edge of the outer scroll plate, and the inward inclination of the seating surface provided by the steel tray ele ments 1 4 is such that the upper edge of the inner scroll plate projects upwards above the immediately adjacent surfaces of said steel tray elements. In this way there is formed an upstanding abutment surface 24 for supporting the renewable liner elements 1 8 on the seating surface 1 6. In addition, the renewable liner elements 1 8 are located on the seating surface by means of a plurality of pins 26 upstanding from the steel tray elements.

Also as shown in Figure 3, further renewable liner elements 28 are provided to line the exposed surfaces of the outer scroll plate, said further renewable liner elements being seated on radially outer shoulder surfaces 30 of the liner elements 18. The further renewable liner elements are located in position on the shoulder surfaces 30 of the elements 1 8 by radially outer ones of the upstanding pins 26 extending completely through the elements 1 8 to project upwards from their shoulder surface's 30.

It will be understood that the renewable liner elements 1 8 are shaped to match the curvature of the inclined seating surfaces 1 6 and its helix angle, which will generally be in the region of 30 . Their radially outer surfaces match the curvature of the outer scroll plate and their radially inner surfaces match the curvature of the inner scroll plate. The further renewable liner elements are shaped to match the curvature of the outer scroll plate and the shape of the continuous seating surface provided by the shoulder surfaces 30 of the elements 1 8.It will also be seen that the liner elements are so shaped that there is a smoothly curving transition between the effective material guiding surfaces of the liner elements 1 8 and the almost vertical material guiding surfaces of the liner elements 28.

It is thought that the construction of chute described above will be a considerable advance on previously known chutes because it will be a relatively easy matter to replace the renewable liner elements when worn. However, various modifications may be made to the chute construction described and illustrated and various means may be employed for locating the renewable liner elements in position. Furthermore, it will be understood that the seating surface 1 6 provided by the steel tray elements 14 need not necessarily be downwardly inclined as viewed in transverse cross section as in Figure 3; on the contrary the surface 1 6 at any point along the length of the helix could be horizontal in transverse section or could be very slightly inclined by virtue of the tapering thickness of the elements 1 8 from their outer to their radially inner portions.

The renewable liner elements can of course be made of any suitable material, for example hard metal, ceramic, etc.

Claims

1. A peripheral spiral chute for fitment in a material bunker, the chute including an outer scroll plate for fixing to the bunker wall, an inner scroll plate which will be secured in position, by means of a plurality of brackets secured to the bunker walls, to lie radially within the diameter of the outer scroll plate with the upper edge of the inner scroll plate substantially in line with the lower edge of the outer scroll plate, and a plurality of steel tray elements secured in position between the inner and outer scroll plates and providing a continuous inwardly inclined seating surface for the mounting of renewable liner elements made of a hard wearing material.

2. A peripheral spiral chute according to claim 1, in which the upper edge of the inner scroll plate projects upwardly above the immediately adjacent surfaces of the steel tray elements so that there is formed an upstanding abutment surface for supporting the renewable liner elements on the inwardly inclined seating surface provided by said steel tray elements.

3. A peripheral spiral chute according to either one of the preceding claims, in which the renewable liner elements are located on said seating surface by means of a plurality of pins upstanding from the steel tray elements.

4. A peripheral spiral chute according to any one of the preceding claims, in which further renewable liner elements are provided to line the exposed surfaces of the outer scroll plate.

5. A peripheral spiral chute according to claim 4, in which the further renewable liner elements are seated on radially outer shoulder surfaces of the first mentioned liner elements.

6. A peripheral spiral chute according to claim 5, in which radially outer ones of pins upstanding from the tray elements extend completely through the first mentioned liner elements to project upwards from said shoulder surfaces to locate the further renewable liner elements in position.

7. A peripheral spiral chute according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the outer scroll plate and the plurality of brackets by means of which the inner scroll plate is supported, are secured to a plurality of supports which are fixed to the inner surfaces of the bunker.

8. A bunker having a peripheral spiral chute according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A bunker according to claim 8, of upstanding cylindrical shape, in which the outer scroll plate of the chute follows closely the contour of the wall of the bunker.

10. A bunker according to claim 8 of upstanding square or rectangular shape, in which the outer scroll plate and the plurality of brackets by means of which the inner scroll plate is supported are secured to supports located at varying heights but at points midway along the walls of the bunker.

11. A peripheral spiral chute constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

1 2. A bunker of upstanding cylindrical or square or rectangular shape, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.