JP2560515Y2 - Discharge auxiliary device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a discharge assisting device for reliably discharging adhering powders such as milk substitutes used for nursing calves and the like from a hopper to a conveying device such as a feeder.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Milk substitutes are used for nursing calves, piglets, foals, lambs, and goats immediately after birth. What is milk replacer?
20% vegetable oil is added to and dispersed in skim milk powder obtained by removing butterfat and milk fat used in the production of butter and cheese from mother's milk, and is dispersed in water. It is artificial breast milk (hereinafter referred to as artificial milk for convenience) and given to calves instead of breast milk.

[0003] Therefore, an automatic milk substitute supply device for supplying a predetermined amount of milk substitute with one touch has been devised and put into practical use. An automatic milk substitute supply device generally includes a hopper for filling milk substitute, a feeder using an auger disposed below the hopper, a hot water supply device, and a dissolving device for mixing and dissolving milk substitute and hot water. When the switch is turned on, the feeder is driven for a predetermined time, the milk substitute filled in the hopper is poured into a predetermined amount dissolving tank, a predetermined amount of warm water is added, and the mixture is stirred and dissolved. Artificial milk can be made.

However, the conventional automatic milk substitute feeding device is
There is a problem that it is not possible to discharge the milk substitute from the hopper in a good and reliable manner depending on the use environment, the properties of the milk replacer which is a wettable powder, and the like.

[0005]

The milk replacer is a granular powder having some adhesive properties and is made by mixing skim milk powder and vegetable oil. Depending on the usage environment such as temperature and humidity, and the content of vegetable oil contained in milk substitute, etc., such an adherent powder may have its own weight or the like at the lower end of the hopper (the powder inlet of the feeder). Part) increases in density,
The powder adheres to the wall surface, the powder is clogged, a so-called bridge is formed, and even if the powder near the feeder is discharged, the powder is not supplied to the feeder from above, and a predetermined amount of powder is not discharged, or In some cases, no powder is discharged.

[0006] Therefore, when a solution having a predetermined concentration is prepared as in a milk substitute device or the like, there is a problem that a solution whose concentration has been accurately adjusted cannot be prepared.
In many cases, unnecessary operations such as cleaning of the apparatus and discharge of the clogged powder are often increased, and improvements are desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and always provide a required amount of powder irrespective of the properties such as wettability of the powder and the use environment such as temperature and humidity. To discharge powder from a hopper to a transport device such as a feeder, and to provide a powder discharge device from a hopper that can supply powder accurately and smoothly in a powder supply device. is there.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a discharge assisting device for assisting the discharge of powder from a hopper for filling powder to a transfer device disposed below the hopper. Wherein the lower end portion of the hopper and the wall surface of the hopper are opposed to the hopper ,
A pressing member arranged pairs toward the parallel walls in the conveying direction, driving means for vertically moving alternately the pressing member along the wall surface of the hopper during operation of the conveying device, the ho
In the vicinity of the lower end of the hopper,
Moving, the powder near the wall surface orthogonal to the transport direction of the transport device
Possess a stir bar for agitating the body, the pressing member is semi-cylindrical
Having a flat surface facing the hopper wall.
And the axial direction of the semi-cylindrical column and the transfer direction of the transfer device are
A discharge assist device is provided, which is arranged to coincide with each other.

Here, in the discharge assisting device,
In the vicinity of the lower end of the hopper,
Moves up and down to scrape off powder near the corner of the hopper
It is preferred to have a scraper bar . In addition,
In the auxiliary device, the driving means is provided on a wall surface of the hopper.
Installed on the upper part, further comprising the pushing member and the driving means
It is preferable to have a shaft directly connecting Also before
The stir bar and the scraping rod are attached to the shaft.
It is preferred to attach.

Hereinafter, the powder discharge assisting device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an automatic milk substitute feeder equipped with the discharge assisting device of the present invention. The automatic milk substitute supply device 10 shown in FIG. 1 receives a substantially square truncated pyramid-shaped hopper 14, a feeder 18 using an auger 16 disposed below the hopper 14, a discharged milk substitute,
It has a dissolving tank 20 for mixing and dissolving with hot water, a hot water supply mechanism for supplying hot water from the nozzle 52 to the dissolving tank 20, and the like. Hopper 14 of such a milk substitute device 10
Is equipped with the discharge assist devices 24 and 26 of the present invention.

The milk substitute is filled in a hopper 14, supplied to a feeder 18 from here, conveyed by the feeder 18, and put into a melting tank 20. Automatic milk substitute supply device 10
In the powder supply device equipped with the discharge assisting device of the present invention, the shape of the hopper 14 is not particularly limited, and any of various ordinary types can be used. In addition, hopper 1
The size of 4 may be appropriately determined according to the transport capacity of the feeder 18 described later, the desired amount of discharged powder, the scale of the apparatus, and the like.

A feeder 18 is arranged below the hopper 14. The feeder 18 is configured by storing an auger 16 formed by winding a wire in a spiral shape in a cylindrical transport portion 32 formed below the hopper 14 of the main body 12, and is driven by a combination of a motor and a speed reducer. The auger 16 is rotated at a predetermined speed by the source 34, and the milk substitute supplied from the hopper 14 is conveyed quantitatively and supplied to the dissolving tank 20 through the outlet 36.

In a powder feeder using the discharge assisting device of the present invention, such as the automatic milk substitute feeder 10 in the illustrated example,
The feeder 18 is not limited to the one using the auger 16 in the illustrated example, and a fixed-quantity conveying device for various kinds of powder and granules such as a screw feeder using a normal screw or a belt conveyor can be used. In addition, the discharge speed of the milk substitute by the feeder 18 is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined in accordance with a desired discharge amount of the milk substitute. Further, the feeding speed of the milk substitute may be variable.

In the automatic milk substitute feeder 10 shown in the figure, when a predetermined amount of milk substitute is supplied to the dissolving tank 20, a predetermined amount of hot water is supplied from a nozzle 52 provided in the dissolving tank 20, and then, The inside of the dissolution tank 20 is stirred by the stirring blades 54 to produce artificial milk. The artificial milk adjusted in the dissolving tank 20 is supplied through a line 55 connected to the dissolving tank 20.
It is supplied to the part where calves etc. suck.

In the meantime, as described above, in an automatic milk substitute supply device or the like basically formed by a hopper and a feeder, a bridge is provided at the discharge opening (feeder entrance) of the hopper due to the weight of powder such as milk substitute. Therefore, there is a problem that a predetermined amount of powder cannot be supplied smoothly. On the other hand, the automatic milk substitute supply device 10 of the illustrated example
Has the powder discharge assisting devices 24 and 26 of the present invention for reliably supplying the milk substitute filled in the hopper 14 to the feeder 18 and simultaneously stirring the milk substitute filled in the hopper 14. Solves the above problem.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of the automatic milk substitute feeding device 10 shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a plan view thereof. In the illustrated example, the discharge assist device 24 (26) basically includes a pushing member 22 (28) disposed near the lower end of the hopper 14, a pushing drive source 38 (40), and a pushing drive source 38. And a shaft 42 (44) connecting the pushing member 38 (40) and the pushing member 22 (28). Further, the discharge assist devices 24 and 26 are disposed on opposing surfaces of the wall surface of the hopper 14, and are preferably configured to be removable.

When the feeder 18 is driven, the discharge assisting devices 24 and 26 alternately move the pushing members 22 and 28 up and down along the wall surface of the hopper 14 by pushing drive sources 38 and 40 as shown by an arrow a in the figure. Motion, that is, pushing member 2
When the pressing member 2 moves down, the pushing member 28 rises, and then when the pushing member 22 rises, the pushing member 28 alternately moves up and down so as to descend. Accordingly, the milk substitute filled in the feeder 18 is pushed by the descending pushing member to reliably supply the feeder 18 to the feeder 18, and the milk substitute filled in the hopper 14 is pushed by the pushing member rising simultaneously. Stir.

The discharge assist devices 24 and 26 according to the present invention include:
With such a configuration, the alternate movement of the push members 22 and 28 simultaneously pushes and agitates the milk substitute (powder), thereby preventing the formation of a bridge at the entrance of the feeder 18 and preventing humidity, temperature, etc. Regardless of the installation environment of the automatic milk substitute supply device 10 and the characteristics of the milk substitute such as adhesion and particle size distribution,
This enables smooth and accurate quantitative replacement of milk substitute.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the pushing member 22 (28). In FIG. 4, the x direction is the pushing member 22 (2
8) In the length direction (semi-cylindrical height direction), the y direction is a view when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the x direction. In the illustrated example, the pushing member 22 (28) has a hollow semi-cylindrical shape, and the length direction is substantially perpendicular to the vertical movement direction with the flat portion 22a (28a) facing the wall surface of the hopper 14. Shaft 4 so as to coincide with the transport direction of the feeder 18.
2 (44).

The pushing member 22 (28) has a hollow semi-cylindrical shape, its plane faces the wall surface of the hopper 14, its length direction is substantially perpendicular to the vertical movement direction, and coincides with the transport direction of the feeder 18. It is preferable to arrange them.

The size of the pushing member 22 (28) is not particularly limited, and may be appropriately determined according to the size of the hopper 14, the conveying force of the feeder 18, and the like. From the viewpoint that milk substitute can be supplied to the feeder 18 and good stirring can be performed, it is preferable that the length direction be set to a size that can cover almost the entire area in the corresponding direction of the discharge portion of the hopper 14. For example, if the discharge portion of the hopper 14 is a rectangle having a length of 25 cm and a width of 4.5 cm, the length (FIG. 4)
Arrow x direction) 18 cm, radius (arrow y direction in FIG. 4) 2.5
cm is illustrated.

Examples of the material for forming the pushing member 22 (28) include various materials which ensure sufficient corrosion resistance and hygiene for the corresponding powder such as milk replacer. A suitable example of the milk substitute device is stainless steel. Note that the shaft 42 (44) may be formed of the same material.

The pushing member 22 (28) alternately moves up and down to push and agitate the milk substitute (powder). There is no particular limitation on the stroke of this vertical movement,
What is necessary is just to determine suitably according to the conveyance capacity of the feeder 18, the size of the hopper 14, etc. In addition, the cycle is also the feeder 18.
What is necessary is just to determine suitably according to the conveyance capacity etc., for example,
One rotation of the auger 16 may move up or down, or move up (down) one time.

As the pushing drive source 38 (40) used in the discharge assist device 24 (26), various known pushing sources can be used as long as the pushing member 22 (28) can be moved up and down at a predetermined cycle and stroke. Any of the means may be used. Specific examples include a method using an air cylinder, an actuator, a rack and pinion, a link mechanism, a cam, and mechanical means for changing a rotational motion to a linear motion.

The illustrated discharge assist device 24 (26) includes:
A stir bar 58 (60) for stirring the milk substitute (powder) on the wall side of the hopper 14 on the side where the pushing member 22 (28) does not face the shaft 42 (44), and as a preferable embodiment. A scraping bar 62 (62) for stirring the milk substitute remaining in the corner of the hopper 14 is provided. In addition, scraper stick 6
2 (64) is a surface on which the discharge auxiliary device 24 (26) of the hopper 14 is arranged, the inclination of which is gentle and the amount of milk substitute movement is small.
This is a flexible rod for forcibly moving the immobile milk substitute remaining in the corners (FIGS. 3C and D) together with the vertical movement of the pushing member 22 (28). By having these, more reliable powder supply can be performed.

As described above, the powder discharge assisting device of the present invention has been described in detail. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various improvements and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. Of course it is good.

[0028]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above in detail, according to the discharge assisting device of the present invention, the characteristics of powder such as milk replacer, temperature,
Irrespective of the use environment such as humidity, the powder can always and smoothly be discharged from the hopper to a transfer device such as a feeder. Quantitative supply can be made possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of an automatic milk substitute supply device equipped with the discharge auxiliary device of the present invention.

2 is an II-II automatic milk substitute feeder shown in FIG.
It is a line schematic sectional drawing.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the automatic milk substitute feeding device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a pushing member used in the discharge assist device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automatic milk substitute supply device 12 Main body 14 Hopper 16 Auger 18 Feeder 20 Dissolution tank 22, 28 Pushing member 24, 26 Discharge auxiliary device 32 Transport unit 34 Drive source 36 Discharge port 38, 40 Pushing drive source 42, 44 Shaft 50 Adjustment knob 52 Nozzle 54 Stirrer blade 55 Line 58, 60 Stirrer bar 62, 64 Scrape bar

Claims (2)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. A discharge assisting device for assisting discharge of powder from a hopper for filling powder to a transfer device disposed below the hopper, comprising: a lower end portion of the hopper and a vicinity of a wall surface of the hopper. , opposite the hopper, a pushing member arranged pairs toward the parallel walls <br/> surface in the conveying direction of the conveying device, wherein along the wall surface of the hopper during operation of the conveying device push driving means for vertically moving the moving member alternately contact the lower end vicinity of the hopper
Move up and down together with the pushing member, and
Have a <br/> a stir bar for stirring the powder near the wall perpendicular to the conveying direction, the pressing member has a semi-cylindrical shape, before the plane portion
Face the hopper wall, and
An auxiliary discharge device, wherein the auxiliary discharge device is arranged so that the transport direction of the transport device coincides with the transport direction . 2. The discharge assisting device according to claim 1, further comprising: a pushing portion near a lower end of the hopper.
Moves up and down together with the material to remove powder near the corner of the hopper.
A discharge assisting device having a scraping bar .