GB2283226A

GB2283226A - Truck loading means

Info

Publication number: GB2283226A
Application number: GB9421788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Vladimir Fuks
Original assignee: BATEMAN PROJECT HOLDINGS; Bateman Project Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: BATEMAN PROJECT HOLDINGS; Bateman Project Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1993-10-29
Filing date: 1994-10-28
Publication date: 1995-05-03
Also published as: ZA948415B; GB9421788D0

Abstract

The invention provides a method of loading a moving truck comprising the steps of providing a loading hopper (12) having a loading gate, and a loading chute (10) between the loading gate and a moving truck (13), the loading chute having an upper inlet (10a) and a lower outlet (10b); opening the loading gate to discharge material into the loading chute through the inlet thereby to discharge material through the outlet of the loading chute into the truck; and moving the loading chute in the direction of the movement of the truck during the first part of such discharge operation. Preferably the chute has a holding platform 10c for part of the discharge which is discharged during movement of the chute by stationary scraper 20. Preferably the chute is provided on a pantograph arrangement (17). <IMAGE>

Description

THIS invention relates to a method of and means for loading particulate material into a moving truck or the like.

With conventional loading arrangements for loading particulate material into a moving railroad truck or the like, difficulties are experienced in depositing a full load into the truck. Particularly with material which has a relatively poor or unstable flow ability, and because of the movement of the truck during loading, it has been found that the leading end of the truck is not filled to capacity. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a novel method and means which will overcome or at least minimize the above difficulty.

According to the invention such a method comprises the steps of providing a loading hopper having a loading gate, and a loading chute between the loading gate and a moving truck, the loading chute having an upper inlet and a lower outlet, opening the loading gate to discharge material into the loading chute through the inlet, thereby to discharge material through the outlet of the loading chute into the truck; and moving at least the outlet of the loading chute in the direction of the movement of the truck during at least part of such discharge operation.

Further according to the invention movement of the loading chute is initiated when the respective front end zones of the loading chute and the underlying truck are substantially aligned. Preferably the loading chute will move at substantially the same velocity as the moving truck.

Further according to the invention the method includes the feature of retaining a portion of the material discharged from the discharge gate in a holding zone within the loading chute and discharging such material into the truck during movement of the loading chute. It is envisaged that the material will be discharged from the holding zone in the form of a holding platform by causing the platform to move in conjunction with the loading chute beneath a fixed scraper plate which sweeps material from the platform.

Still further according to the invention the loading chute is moved in the direction of the truck for a period sufficient to fill the leading zone of the truck such that the natural angle of repose of the material will extend rearwardly from the top front edge of the truck. The dimensions of the loading chute and holding platform will thus be selected such that the front loading chute will substantially align with the fixed scraper plate when movement of the loading chute is stopped. Thereafter the loading chute will remain in such advanced position while the truck continues to move until material in the loading chute has dropped below the level of the holding plate, whereafter the holding chute may be moved rearwardly towards its starting position.

Also further according to the invention the loading chute is suspended above the moving truck by means of a pantograph arrangement which includes counter-balance weights, and the method includes moving such counter-balance weights during movement of the bin to maintain a desired moment of force on the arrangement. Thus the arrangement could be one wherein the counter-balance weights will act against an actuator such as an hydraulic ram, and should the latter fail, the counter-balance weights will cause the loading chute to swing upwardly.

Also included within the scope of the invention is apparatus suitable for use in the method described herein comprising a loading chute having an inlet which is adapted to be disposed below a loading gate, and an outlet which is adapted to discharge particulate material into a moving truck, characterized in means for moving the loading chute in the direction of the moving truck during discharge.

Further according to this aspect of the invention the loading chute includes a holding platform intermediate the inlet and outlet for receiving portion of the material which passes through the loading chute.

Still further according to the invention scraper means is provided for discharging the material on the holding platform through the outlet during movement of the loading chute. In one example such scraper means could comprise a fixed scraper plate which is stationery and adapted to push material on the holding platform during movement of such platform in conjunction with the loading chute.

Yet further according to the invention the loading chute is suspended above the moving truck by means of a pantograph system which includes a counter-weight and the arrangement further includes a rope and pulley system adapted to move the counter-weight proportional to movement of the loading chute to retain the desired moment of force on the system.

In order more clearly to illustrate the invention an embodiment thereof is described hereunder purely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a loading station in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 to Figure 4 are schematic representations of various stages of a loading operation in accordance with the invention.

With reference to Figure 1, a loading station in accordance with the invention is characterized in a loading chute 10 which is disposed below a loading gate which could for example form part of a pre-loaded flask bin or hopper 12.

From an inlet zone 10a the loading chute 10 tapers towards an outlet zone lOb which will be disposed slightly above a truck 13 which is to be loaded during movement thereof through the loading station.

With conventional loading stations where the particulate material 14 to be loaded has a relatively poor flowability, it is generally not possible to fill the front zone of the moving truck 13 unless the speed thereof is drastically reduced. The arrangement of the invention overcomes this difficulty by moving the loading chute 10 in conjunction with the moving truck 13 during at least a portion of the loading cycle. Although variations are possible it is envisaged that the loading chute 10 will be moved as the front lOb of the outlet therefrom is a small distance behind the front 13a of the truck 13. With such an arrangement the movement of the loading chute 10 will be at substantially the same speed as the moving truck 13 so that their respective leading ends lOb, 13a, remain in such alignment until the front zone of the truck 13 has been filled.The distance which the front end 10b of the loading chute 10 trails behind the front end 1 3a of the truck 13 will be determined by the angle of repose of the material and will be such that the angle of repose extends rearwardly from the top front corner of the truck so that the front end of the truck can be filled to capacity without any overflow of material over the front end of the truck.

Means for moving the loading chute 10 could for example include wheels 1 5 and guide rails 16, the latter being carried by a pantograph arrangement 1 7 for suspending the loading chute 10 between the loading gate 11 and the truck 13.

The pantograph arrangement 17 is balanced by means of counter-weights 1 7a and in order to maintain a desired moment of force on the system, it is envisaged that the counter-weights 1 7a will move in a direction opposite to that of the loading chute 10 by a proportional but lesser distance, preferably half such distance, by means of an hydraulic ram 21 which also operates a rope and pulley system shown schematically at 18, 19. The rope and pulley system acts positively to move the loading chute 1 0. Variations are possible but in the arrangement illustrated a first rope 1 8a passes from an anchor over a pulley 1 9b which is rotatably mounted on the counter-weight 17a, over a pulley 1 9a over a further pulley 1 9c which is rotatably mounted on the slide 16 to an anchor. The rope 19b passes from an anchor over the pulley 1 9b and over the pulley 1 9c to an anchor opposed to that of the rope 1 boa. Thus extension of the ram 21 to move the counter-weight 1 7a, will tension the rope 1 8b which will cause movement of the loading chute 10 in the direction of movement of the truck 13. On the other hand, contraction of the ram 21 will tension the rope 18a and cause movement of the chute 10 in a reverse direction opposed to that of the truck 1 3. The counter-weights 1 7a will act to ensure that the loading chute 10 will be moved upwardly out of harms way should the system fail.

A further feature of the invention comprises the provision of a holding platform 10c intermediate the inlet 10a and outlet 10b of the loading chute 10, such platform lOc being adapted to receive a portion of the particulate material 14 which is discharged into the loading chute 10 and to discharge such particulate material 14 during movement of the loading chute 10 in conjunction with the truck 13. Means for discharging material from the holding platform 10c comprises a fixed scraper plate 20 which sweeps progressively across the platform 10c as the loading chute 10 moves in conjunction with the truck 13.

With reference to Figures 2 to 4 the loading of a moving truck 13 by means of the arrangement of the invention takes place as follows. When the leading edge 13a of the truck 13 reaches a predetermined position relative to the leading edge 10b of the loading chute 10, the loading gate 11 is opened to discharge a predetermined load of material 14 into the loading chute 10.

Where the flowability of the particulate material 14 is relatively poor or unstable, the gate 11 can be opened when the leading edge 13a of the truck 13 has not yet reached the leading edge 10b of the loading chute 10. The truck 13 then continues to move while the particulate material 14 flows into the loading chute 10 and as soon as the leading end 13a of the truck 13 is a short distance beyond the leading edge 10b of the loading chute 10, the latter will begin to move in the direction of the moving truck 13. Preferably the loading chute 10 will move at the same velocity as the moving truck 13, but variations are possible in this regard depending on characteristics of the material.The distance which the leading end 13a of the truck 13 is beyond that of the leading end 10b of the loading chute 10 will depend on the angle of repose of the particulate material 14 and will be chosen so that the particulate material 14 does not overflow the front end 13a of the moving truck 13. As the loading chute 10 moves in conjunction with the truck 13, particulate material 14 will continue to fill the leading zone of the truck 13 as material is pushed off the holding platform 10c by the fixed scraper plate 20. Once the leading end zone of the truck 13 is completely filled, material will have accumulated in the loading chute 10 which can then be held stationary for a period of time while the moving truck 13 continues to move out from below it and material is pulled rearwardly to fill the remainder of the truck 13.During this period also the loading chute 10 can be drawn rearwardly towards its starting position in preparation for a repeat of the cycle.

With the arrangement of the invention it will be possible substantially to fill a moving truck with a particulate material, even where the latter has a relatively poor or unstable flowability. It will generally also be possible to increase the speed of a truck through a loading station without sacrificing the efficiency of the filling operation.

Doubtless variations in detail of the invention are possible without departing from the principles which are disclosed in the consistory clauses. The method and the loading chute of the invention can be used in cases where the particulate material to be loaded is pre-weighted in a flask and thereafter discharged in the truck, and also with the arrangement wherein the truck is "flood loaded", i.e. wherein material is loaded until the truck is suitably filled.

Claims

1. A method of loading a moving truck comprising the steps of providing a loading hopper having a loading gate, and a loading chute between the loading gate and the moving truck, the loading chute having an upper inlet and a lower outlet; opening the loading gate to discharge material into the loading chute through the inlet thereby to discharge material through the outlet of the loading chute into the truck; and moving at least the outlet of the loading chute in the direction of the movement of the truck during at least part of such discharge operation.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein movement of the loading chute is initiated when the respective front end zones of the loading chute and the underlying truck are substantially aligned.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the loading chute will move at substantially the same velocity as the moving truck.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 including the step of retaining a portion of the material discharged from the discharge gate in a holding zone and discharging such material into the truck during movement of the loading chute.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the material is discharged from the holding zone which is in the form of a holding platform, by causing the platform to move in conjunction with the loading chute beneath a fixed scrapper plate which sweeps material from the platform.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the loading chute is moved in the direction of the truck for a period sufficient to fill the leading zone of the truck such that the natural angle of repose of the material will extend rearwardly from the top front edge of the truck.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the loading chute is moved in the direction of the truck for a period sufficient to fill the leading zone of the truck, and thereafter the loading chute is held in its advanced position while the truck continues to move until material in the loading chute has dropped below the level of the holding platform, whereafter the holding chute may be moved rearwardly towards its starting position.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the loading chute is suspended above the moving truck by means of pantograph arrangement which includes counter-balance weights, and the method includes the step of moving such counter-balance weights during movement of the bin to maintain the desired moment of force on the arrangement.

9. A method of loading a moving truck substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. A loading chute suitable for use with the method claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 comprising an inlet which is adapted to be disposed below a loading gate, and an outlet which is adapted to discharge particulate material into a moving truck, characterized in means for moving the loading chute in the direction of the moving truck during discharge.

11. The loading chute according to claim 10 including a holding platform intermediate the inlet and outlet for receiving portion of the material which passes through the loading chute.

12. The loading chute according to claim 10 wherein scraper means is provided for discharging the material on the holding platform through the outlet during movement of the loading chute.

13. The loading chute according to claim 12 wherein the scraper means comprises a fixed scraper plate which is stationery and adapted to push material on the holding platform during movement of such platform in conjunction with the loading chute.

14. The loading chute according to any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein the loading chute is suspended above the moving truck by means of a pantograph system which includes a counter weight and the arrangement further includes a rope and pulley system adapted to move the counter-weight proportional to movement of the loading chute to retain the desired moment of force on the system.

15. A loading chute substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.