GB2604551A - Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk - Google Patents

Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2604551A
GB2604551A GB2208630.0A GB202208630A GB2604551A GB 2604551 A GB2604551 A GB 2604551A GB 202208630 A GB202208630 A GB 202208630A GB 2604551 A GB2604551 A GB 2604551A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
base
hopper
chute
objects
upstream end
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB2208630.0A
Other versions
GB2604551B (en
GB202208630D0 (en
Inventor
Hanley James
Hanley John
Hanley Sean
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Lr Trading Entpr Ltd
Original Assignee
Lr Trading Entpr Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lr Trading Entpr Ltd filed Critical Lr Trading Entpr Ltd
Priority to GB2318527.5A priority Critical patent/GB2623903A/en
Publication of GB202208630D0 publication Critical patent/GB202208630D0/en
Publication of GB2604551A publication Critical patent/GB2604551A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2604551B publication Critical patent/GB2604551B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G11/00—Chutes
    • B65G11/20—Auxiliary devices, e.g. for deflecting, controlling speed of, or agitating articles or solids
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
    • B65B25/02—Packaging agricultural or horticultural products
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B67/00—Apparatus or devices facilitating manual packaging operations; Sack holders
    • B65B67/12—Sack holders, i.e. stands or frames with means for supporting sacks in the open condition to facilitate filling with articles or materials
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G19/00—Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over a supporting surface or underlying material, e.g. endless scraper conveyors
    • B65G19/04—Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over a supporting surface or underlying material, e.g. endless scraper conveyors for moving bulk material in open troughs or channels
    • B65G19/12—Conveyors comprising an impeller or a series of impellers carried by an endless traction element and arranged to move articles or materials over a supporting surface or underlying material, e.g. endless scraper conveyors for moving bulk material in open troughs or channels the impellers being plates having an area substantially smaller than that of the trough of channel cross-section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1492—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a feeding conveyor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles
    • B65G2201/0282—Wooden articles, e.g. logs, trunks or planks

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Agronomy & Crop Science (AREA)
  • Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to feeding apparatus for feeding objects to a receiving area, especially irregularly shaped objects, such as logs and/or split logs to a receiving area. The apparatus comprises a hopper for the objects, the hopper having a base, inclined upwardly from a lower upstream end to an upper downstream end and terminating at the upper downstream end in a discharge outlet, a conveyor extending along the base and configured for urging the objects along the base to the discharge outlet, a drive for driving the conveyor at a controlled rate for controlling the rate at which the objects are discharged through the discharge outlet, and a delivery chute inclining downwardly from an upper upstream end communicating with the discharge outlet of the hopper, to a lower downstream end for delivering the objects to the receiving area at the controlled rate.

Claims (65)

Claims
1. Apparatus for feeding objects to a receiving area, the apparatus comprising a hopper for the objects, the hopper having a base, inclined upwardly from a lower upstream end to an upper downstream end and terminating at the upper downstream end in a discharge outlet, a conveyor extending along the base and configured for urging the objects along the base to the discharge outlet, a drive for driving the conveyor at a controlled rate for controlling the rate at which the objects are discharged through the discharge outlet, and a delivery chute inclining downwardly from an upper upstream end communicating with the discharge outlet of the hopper, to a lower downstream end for delivering the objects to the receiving area at the controlled rate.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the conveyor extends the length of the base.
3. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 or 2 wherein the conveyor comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart conveying slats extending substantially transversely relative to the chute, the slats being operably connected to the drive for urging the slats along the base of the hopper in a direction from the lower upstream end to the upper downstream end of the base.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the slats extend substantially the width of the base.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 wherein the slats are slidable along the base.
6. Apparatus according to claims 3, 4 or 5 wherein the depth of each slat extending above the base is less than or equal to 8mm.
7. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 6 wherein the slats are equally spaced apart longitudinally along the base.
8. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the slats are carried upon at least one endless transmission element.
9. Apparatus according to any of claims 3 to 8 wherein the slats are carried upon a pair of spaced apart transmission elements.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the transmission elements may be located adjacent respective opposite sides of the base.
11. Apparatus according to either of claims 9 or 10 wherein the transmission element(s) comprise an endless chain or chains.
12. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the slats are secured to the top of each transmission element.
13. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 12 wherein the slats are shaped to accommodate the transmission element(s) such that the slats abut the base and the transmission elements are raised off the base.
14. Apparatus according to any of claims 9 to 13 wherein the lower upstream end of the base coincides with a lowest most part of the hopper.
15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the hopper comprises an upstream end wall, and a pair of spaced apart side walls extending in a downstream direction from the upstream end wall.
16. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the side walls converge downwardly to the base.
17. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the side walls of the hopper incline inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal in the range of 40° to 80°.
18. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the side walls of the hopper incline inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal in the range of 50° to 70°.
19. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the side walls of the hopper incline inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal of approximately 60°.
20. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the end wall inclines downwardly and inwardly towards the base.
21. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the upstream end wall of the hopper inclines inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal in the range of 45° to 90°.
22. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the upstream end wall of the hopper inclines inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal in the range of 50° to 70°.
23. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the upstream end wall of the hopper may incline inwardly downwardly to the base at an angle to the horizontal of 60°.
24. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the side walls define with the base the discharge outlet adjacent the upper downstream end of the base.
25. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein an interface is provided for inputting a control signal for controlling the drive.
26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the interface is located towards the downstream end of the delivery chute.
27. Apparatus according to claims 25 or 26 wherein the interface is configured for receiving an input signal for selecting the operational speed of the drive for in turn selecting the delivery rate of the objects from the hopper through the discharge outlet.
28. Apparatus according to claims 26, 26 or 27 wherein the interface is configured for inputting a signal to operate the drive in an active operational mode, and a deactivated non-operation mode.
29. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a pair of guide shields are provided on opposite sides of the delivery chute for guiding the objects along the delivery chute.
30. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein the guide shields are located towards the upper upstream end of the delivery chute.
31. Apparatus according to claims 29 or 30 wherein the guide shields converge in a generally downward direction towards the delivery chute.
32. Apparatus according to any of claims 29 to 31 wherein downstream ends of the respective guide shields converge in a direction in a generally inwardly downstream direction.
33. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the delivery chute comprises a plurality of transversely spaced apart elongated longitudinally extending chute bars extending from the upper upstream end of the delivery chute to the lower downstream end thereof.
34. Apparatus according to claim 33 wherein the chute bars are configured for slidably accommodating the objects from the upstream end of the delivery chute to the downstream end thereof.
35. Apparatus according to claims 33 or 34 wherein the chute bars terminate at the downstream end of the delivery chute in a delivery plate for delivering the objects to the receiving area.
36. Apparatus according to claims 33, 34 or 35 wherein the chute bars are splayed outwardly from the upper upstream end to the lower downstream end.
37. Apparatus according to any of claims 33 to 36 wherein the respective outermost chute bars range from a distance of approximately 400mm at the upper upstream end of the chute to a distance of approximately 900mm at the lower downstream end.
38. Apparatus according to any of claims 33 to 37 wherein there is provided gaps between the chute bars.
39. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a damper is provided on the delivery chute between the upstream and downstream ends thereof.
40. Apparatus according to claim 39 wherein he damper comprises at least one damping member extending downwardly from an upper mounting element towards the chute.
41. Apparatus according to claims 39 or 40 wherein there is provided a plurality of damping members extending from the upper mounting element.
42. Apparatus according to claims 39, 40 or 41 wherein the at least one damping member is flexible.
43. Apparatus according to any of claims 39 to 42 wherein the damping member(s) comprise an elongate main body with a narrower tip which may extend partially through the gap between respective chute bars.
44. Apparatus according to any of claims 39 to 43 wherein the damping member(s) is formed from a plastics material.
45. Apparatus according to any of claims 39 to 44 wherein the one or more damping members are mounted upon an L-shaped mounting bar which in turn are mounted upon the upper mounting element.
46. Apparatus according to claim 45 wherein the damping member(s) is mounted from a horizontal member of the L-shaped mounting bar and a vertical member of the L- shaped mounting bar is provided with a movable weight.
47. Apparatus according to claim 46 wherein movement of the weight is allowed by a plurality of bores and a pin to enable its positioning along the vertical member.
48. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the downstream end of the delivery chute comprise a receiving platform for receiving and presenting the objects delivered thereto.
49. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein at least one bag support is provided for supporting a bag depending downwardly therefrom with an open mouth of the bag facing upwardly for receiving the objects.
50. Apparatus according to claim 49 wherein the bag support is mounted adjacent the receiving platform.
51. Apparatus according to claims 49 or 50 wherein there is provided at least two bag supports.
52. Apparatus according to claims 49, 50 or 51 wherein the bag support(s) are mounted on a plurality of horizontally spaced mounts.
53. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the interface is configured for receiving signals inputted manually.
54. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the base of the hopper inclines upwardly from the lower upstream end to the upper downstream end at an angle to the horizontal in the range 20° to 60°.
55. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the base of the hopper inclines upwardly from the lower upstream end to the upper downstream end at an angle to the horizontal in the range 35° to 50°.
56. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the base of the hopper inclines upwardly from the lower upstream end to the upper downstream end at an angle of approximately 40°.
57. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the drive comprises a hydraulically powered drive motor.
58. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the drive motor is configured to drive the conveyor through a gearbox.
59. Apparatus according to claim 58 wherein the gearbox provides a drive ratio.
60. Apparatus according to claim 59 wherein the drive ratio is in the range of 5:1 to 2:1.
61. Apparatus according to claims 59 or 60 wherein the drive ratio is 3.8:1.
62. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the drive comprises a hydraulic power pack module.
63. Apparatus according to claim 62 wherein the hydraulic power pack module may comprise a pump, a motor, a hydraulic fluid tank and a relief valve.
64. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein a secondary chute is provided.
65. Apparatus according to claim 64 wherein the secondary chute is provided beneath the delivery chute.
GB2208630.0A 2019-11-12 2019-11-12 Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk Active GB2604551B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB2318527.5A GB2623903A (en) 2019-11-12 2019-11-12 Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/GB2019/053201 WO2021094701A1 (en) 2019-11-12 2019-11-12 Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB202208630D0 GB202208630D0 (en) 2022-07-27
GB2604551A true GB2604551A (en) 2022-09-07
GB2604551B GB2604551B (en) 2024-01-17

Family

ID=68887430

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB2208630.0A Active GB2604551B (en) 2019-11-12 2019-11-12 Feeding apparatus for objects in bulk

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2604551B (en)
WO (1) WO2021094701A1 (en)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3724656A (en) * 1971-04-07 1973-04-03 Pneumatic Scale Corp Separating and sorting apparatus
US4450778A (en) * 1982-03-22 1984-05-29 Massey-Ferguson Services N.V. Sugar cane billet planter
US20020060129A1 (en) * 2000-11-03 2002-05-23 Cooper Clayton C. Apparatus and method for feeding and separating items
CN106697877A (en) * 2017-01-11 2017-05-24 常熟市时新热能设备有限公司 Automatic unscrambler for plate sheets

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3724656A (en) * 1971-04-07 1973-04-03 Pneumatic Scale Corp Separating and sorting apparatus
US4450778A (en) * 1982-03-22 1984-05-29 Massey-Ferguson Services N.V. Sugar cane billet planter
US20020060129A1 (en) * 2000-11-03 2002-05-23 Cooper Clayton C. Apparatus and method for feeding and separating items
CN106697877A (en) * 2017-01-11 2017-05-24 常熟市时新热能设备有限公司 Automatic unscrambler for plate sheets

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2604551B (en) 2024-01-17
WO2021094701A1 (en) 2021-05-20
GB202208630D0 (en) 2022-07-27

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Free format text: REGISTERED BETWEEN 20231130 AND 20231206