JP3158685B2 - Storage and weighing device for various powders - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing and weighing various kinds of powder and granules, and more particularly to an apparatus for storing and weighing various kinds of coffee beans in a coffee plant or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 schematically shows a system of a coffee bean manufacturing process including a device for storing and measuring green coffee beans in a conventionally used coffee factory, and FIG. 'A cross-sectional view is shown in FIG.

[0005] The configuration and operation of the present apparatus and peripheral devices will be described in order of processes including a pre-process and a post-process with reference to FIG.

[0004] First, a process of supplying green beans to a storage tank / weighing device will be described. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 1 denotes a cutting hopper from which green coffee beans are fed. Reference numeral 2 denotes a cleaner (oscillating node) for carefully selecting the green beans fed by the hopper 1 by vibration. 3 is a rocker valve (rotary feeder),
4 is a roots blower, 5 is a pipe, and 6 is a green bean separator. An air flow is formed in the pipe 5 by the roots blower 4 in the direction of the green bean separator. When the rocker valve 3 is opened, the green beans selected by the cleaner 2 are supplied into the piping, and are pneumatically transported (pressurized) to the green bean separator 6 on the air flow. The transportation of the raw beans selected above to the storage tank / weighing device is completed.

[0005] Next, the step of storing in a raw bean silo will be described. In FIG. 5, 6 is a green bean separator, 7 is an automatic distributor (distributor) driven by a motor (not shown), and 8 is a silo. As shown in FIG. 6, the inside of the silo 8 is radially sectioned (12 sections in the embodiment) to form a group silo. The automatic distributor 7 moves the outlet to one of the desired sections of the silo 8 by motor drive before the green beans are supplied from the green beans separator 6 by air flow. Thereby, the green beans are distributed to one of the sections of the silo 8. Thus, the storage of the raw beans in the silo 8 is completed.

Next, the measurement and commercialization of green beans will be described. In FIG. 5, 9 is an automatic cut gate for cutting green beans operated by an air cylinder (not shown), 10 is a load cell (not shown), and has
1 is a raw bean supply hopper, 12 is a rotary valve for cutting out green beans, 13 is a roots blower, 14 is a pipe, and 15 is a roaster. The green beans stored in the designated section of the silo 8 are weighed by a load cell of a green beans automatic blending scale 10 for each variety in order to prepare a desired blend of coffee beans, and after being blended in a predetermined ratio, Green Bean Service Hopper 1
1 is supplied. By opening the rotary valve 12, the mixed green beans ride on the airflow supplied into the pipe 14 in the direction of the roaster 15 by the roots blower 13 and are supplied to the roaster 15. Then, the green beans blended in a desired ratio are baked by the roaster 15 and made into a product. Thus, all the processes up to the commercialization of the coffee beans are completed.

[0007] In the conventional storage and weighing device as described above, the green bean separator 6 and the automatic distributor 7 must be installed above the silo 8.
In order to apply to an existing coffee factory with a low ceiling due to the air circulation device, etc., the roof above the installation location of the device must be raised or the height of the silo 8 must be lowered, and in both cases It was inconvenient and difficult to apply.

[0008] In view of the above problems, the applicant of the present invention has disclosed
In Japanese Patent No. 18553, a group silo provided with a plurality of silos is employed in place of the conventional silo 8 internally divided, and raw beans are supplied to each silo of the group silo only with piping and a branch valve.
In addition, by measuring and blending the green beans in each silo with a movable automatic weighing cart, the green beans separator 6 and the automatic distributor 7 which were conventionally required are unnecessary, and the apparatus is integrated and made compact. FIG. 7 shows this apparatus. In the figure, the parts from the green bean hopper 1 to the pipe 5 and the parts from the green bean service hopper 11 to the roaster 15 are the same as those of the above-mentioned conventional type. 16 is a round automatic bifurcated branch valve driven by an air cylinder (not shown), 17 is a square round bifurcated branch valve driven by an air cylinder (not shown), and 18 is a plurality of silos. This is a group silo. In this device, No. 1 to No. The ten silos up to ten constitute a group silo 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a green bean cutting cutter gate driven by an air cylinder (not shown). Reference numeral 20 denotes an automatic weighing truck, and reference numeral 21 denotes a track for moving the truck. The automatic weighing cart 20 is a group silo N
o. No. 1 to No. It is configured to be movable on a track 21 laid in the direction in which the silos are juxtaposed so as to move to the respective cutter gates 19 up to 10 and receive the green beans cut out from the silos.

The green beans pneumatically transported to the round automatic bifurcated branch valve 16 by the air flow in the pipe 5 are no. No. 1 to No. 5 and no. 6 to No. 6
The destination is branched when it is supplied up to 10, and further the destination is branched to each silo by four square automatic bifurcated branch valves 17 provided in each group. Thereby, the green beans are stored in the desired silo. Thereafter, the automatic weighing cart 20 is moved to the cutter gate 19 of each silo so that the green beans having a desired blending ratio are obtained, and the green beans of each variety are weighed and blended. The path 2 of the automatic weighing truck 20 from the round branch valve 16
Up to 1 constitutes the device.

As described above, the use of a storage tank / weighing device having a group silo in which a plurality of silos are juxtaposed and a movable weighing truck lowers the limit height of the building to be installed as compared with the above-described conventional device. Has a big effect that it becomes possible
The present invention can be applied to existing low-height buildings, such as coffee factories.

On the contrary, if the silo of the present apparatus is in the same building, there is an effect that it is possible to replace the silo with one having a larger capacity than the conventional apparatus.

However, in the above-mentioned storage tank and measuring device,
At the time of supply and discharge of coffee beans at each stage, dust is scattered, or foreign matter is mixed in between them, various types of coffee beans are scattered to the outside, causing loss of coffee beans, Not only is production cost undesired, but there is also the risk of quality degradation.

[0013]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has the effects of the above-described conventional devices, and at the same time, contains dust, scatters materials outside, or uses foreign materials as materials. For example, it is an object of the present invention to provide a storage / measuring device for various kinds of powder and granules which is not mixed into coffee beans or causes loss of coffee beans.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects of the present invention are as follows: a plurality of silos for storing powder and granules; a gate means capable of opening and closing the outlets of these silos; A weighing hopper to be provided, first lid means for covering an upper opening of the weighing hopper, and a material formed on the first lid means which is connected to each of the outlets with sealing properties. The receiving port, the first lid means, and the upper peripheral edge of the weighing hopper are joined together with sealing properties, and the first membrane member made of a flexible material and the total weight of the weighing hopper are reduced. Weighing means for weighing, a gate means capable of opening and closing the discharge port of the weighing hopper, and a vibrating conveyor disposed below the weighing hopper, and between the trough of the vibrating conveyor and the weighing hopper. And is discharged from the weighing hopper. A guide means for introducing a material onto the trough of the vibrating conveyor, and a sealable connection between a peripheral edge of an upper end of the guide means and a discharge port of the weighing hopper, made of a flexible material. A second membrane member, a second lid means for closing an upper opening of the trough, a material inlet means formed in the second lid means, and a lower edge portion of the material inlet means and the guide means. This is achieved by a storage / measuring device for various kinds of powders and granules comprising a third membrane member made of a flexible material, which is connected with a sealing property therebetween.

[0015]

In a factory where silos for storing powdered and granular materials such as various coffee beans are juxtaposed, a weighing hopper is provided below these outlets. Weighing is performed by a weighing means, for example, a load cell, but various types of coffee beans are weighed at each stage according to the type and the mixing ratio to be mixed, and the gate means provided at this outlet is opened to open the lower part. It is discharged onto the trough of the vibrating conveyor via the guide means. Various coffee beans mixed at a predetermined mixing ratio are supplied onto the trough of the vibrating conveyor, and are transported in a predetermined direction by the vibration of the vibrating conveyor. The upper opening of the weighing hopper is covered by a lid means, but a gap between this edge and the upper edge of the weighing hopper is sealed by a first membrane member. Since the outlet between the outlet and the guide means and the outlet of the guide means and the material inlet of the trough of the vibrating conveyor are connected via the second and third membrane members, respectively, a plurality of uppermost plural members are provided. Through the cutting of various materials from the silo and the guiding means from the weighing hopper, when cutting into the trough of the vibrating conveyor, the powder particles, for example, dust adhering to coffee beans do not scatter outside.
Also, no foreign matter or dust is mixed in from the outside, and various kinds of high-quality granules, for example, mixed coffee beans, are discharged from the vibrating conveyor.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A storage and weighing apparatus for coffee beans according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In the figure, silos 3 each having a substantially square cross section and supported on the ground by a frame F are shown.
Silo group 3 consisting of 1, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36
A vibration conveyor 37 is disposed above the lower silo 31. At the bottom of the vibration conveyor 37, outlets 38, 39, 40, respectively provided with gate means corresponding to the upper openings of the lower silos 31 to 36, are provided.
Reference numerals 41, 42 and 43 are provided, and a material supply hopper 44 is provided above the right end in the figure of the trough, where various materials are received and supplied to the trough of the vibrating conveyor 37. Is transported to the left in the figure by this vibration, and a specific type of beans is supplied to any of the silos 31 to 36. At least a well-known gate is provided, and a predetermined type of coffee beans is supplied to each of the silos 31 to 36 by selectively opening and closing the gate. The outlets 38 to 43 are connected to the supply pipes b of the silos 31 to 36 via a canvas a having a sealing property.

The outlets of the silos 31 to 36 are provided with closed cut gates 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56, which are electrically controlled remotely. The material conducting holes formed corresponding to each of the fixing plates 59 are joined with sealing properties. The closed cut gates 51 to 56 and the fixed plate 59 are connected by welding or bolting, but each gap is provided with a sealing property by caulking or the like. A bellows-shaped canvas 58 is attached to the periphery of the fixed plate 59, while the canvas 58 is fixed to the outer periphery of the upper end of the measuring hopper 57.

In this embodiment, the weighing hopper 57 is
It has an elongated shape according to the number of the sealed cut gates 51 to 56 of 1 to 36, but the whole is supported via a load cell without being explicitly indicated on the frame 60, and the total weight thereof is weighed. Is configured. Weighing hopper 57
A material discharge guide body 61 having a rectangular cross section is fixed to the peripheral wall of the peripheral portion of the discharge port portion, so that the discharge port portion of the weighing hopper 57 is located in the guide body 61. Although not shown, the discharge port can be opened and closed by a gate under automatic control. The periphery of the lower end of the guide body 61 is formed by a bellows-shaped canvas 62.
The upper edges of the two divided hoppers 64, 65, 66, 67 are fixed to a frame T which integrates them, and the outlets 71, 72, 7 of these divided hoppers 64, 65, 66, 67 are integrated.
Numerals 3 and 74 are joined to each other via a bellows-shaped canvas so that a material conducting port formed in a cover member Q covering the upper opening of the trough of the vibrating conveyor 68 has a sealing property.
The vibrating conveyor 68 has a known structure, and its driving unit is
Although shown as 9, an eccentric shaft drive is applied in this embodiment. A material discharge port 80 is formed at the left end of the vibrating conveyor 68 in the drawing, and a bucket lifter 75 is provided below the material discharge port 80. This is configured to be conveyed to the next step at a predetermined timing. Have been. The drive unit 69 is supported on the ground by an anti-vibration spring M.

[0020] A storage tank for coffee beans according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The weighing device is configured as described above. Next, this operation will be described.

Each of the silos 31 to 36 has various coffee beans,
For example, mocha, loose coffee beans, etc. are stored. When any of these closed cut gates 51 to 56 is opened, the corresponding type of coffee beans is discharged to the weighing hopper 57. Although not shown, the weighing hopper 57
The load cell that weighs the total weight of the coffee beans is connected to a computer, and when the set weight of this type of coffee beans set is reached, the closed cut of the silo that automatically stores this type of coffee beans The gates 51 to 56 are closed, and then the closed cut gates 51 to 5 provided at the outlet of the silo for storing other types of coffee beans.
6 is opened and closed, and the next kind of coffee beans
7 which is set in the computer
When the set weight is reached, the closed cut gates 51 to 51
56 is closed.

As described above, when the third, fourth,... Types of coffee beans sequentially reach their set weights, the desired blending ratio is obtained, and all of the various types of coffee beans are obtained. Is weighed by the weighing hopper 57, the gate located in the guide body 61 is opened and discharged to the lower divided hoppers 64-67. At this time, the material is received on the trough of the vibrating conveyor 68 at almost four divided positions, so that the material is not locally loaded, and therefore, the vibrating conveyor 68 is always in the position.
Is driven, and the trough is vibrating, but the vibration state does not become uneven in the longitudinal direction, always receives the material discharged from above with a uniform amplitude and a vibration angle, and in the figure, It is transferred to the left by vibration and discharged into the bucket lifter 75.

Although the total weight of the weighing hopper 57 is still weighed by the load cell, when the weighing hopper 57 becomes empty, that is, when the empty weight of the hopper is detected, the gate is closed. Then, the above-mentioned weighing operation is automatically performed.

As described above, each coffee bean material is supplied from each of the silos 31 to 36 to the measuring hopper 57. Since the bellows-like canvas 58 is provided, the coffee bean material is cut by gravity. In addition, at this time, good mixed coffee beans with good selectivity are weighed by the weighing hopper 57 without scattering dust to the outside, mixing dust from outside with coffee beans, or mixing foreign matters. Then, when this gate is opened, it is supplied to the lower divided hoppers 64-67.
Since a bellows-shaped canvas is connected between the lower end of the weighing hopper 57 and the weighing hopper 57,
In addition, no dust is scattered outside, no dust is mixed in from outside, and no foreign matter is mixed in. Therefore, high-quality mixed beans are supplied to the vibrating conveyor 68. In this case, too, the material passage opening formed in the lid closing the upper opening of the trough and the divided hoppers 64-
67 are connected via a bellows-shaped canvas, so that they are not obstructed by vibration and also do not scatter dust to the outside. Is not mixed, and no foreign matter is mixed. As described above, various types of coffee beans having a predetermined mixture ratio can be supplied to the bucket lifter 75 while maintaining high quality.

FIGS. 2 to 4 show a device for storing and measuring coffee beans according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Silos 31 to 36 in the embodiment, lower divided hopper 6
The vibration conveyors 4 to 67 and the vibration conveyors (not shown) arranged below the same have the same configuration.

That is, according to the present embodiment, the weighing hopper 8
1 comprises two hoppers 82 and 83, as shown in FIG. 3, which are integrated at their upper edges. Further, the lower peripheral wall is integrated with a frame 84 having a rectangular cross section, and a frame 86 through an upper frame 85.
It is suspended on the upper wall. In addition, as shown in FIG.
Two corners are movably supported in the vertical direction by leaf springs 91, 92, 93, 94. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the frame 86 is opposed to the boundary between the hoppers 82, 83. A fulcrum 87 is implanted at the upper edge of the hopper 82 and receives the total weight via a weight transmitting member fixed to the upper frame 85 in order to weigh the total weight of the hoppers 82 and 83. With respect to the fulcrum 87 of the lever 89, the weight is applied to a load cell 88 provided on the opposite side to the weight transmitting member. That is, in this embodiment, the load cell receives a tensile load. The load cell gravity detection signal is supplied to a computer (not shown). A tension load is applied to the other end of the lever 89 to the load cell 88, and a weight 90 for adjusting the tension is attached to the lever 89 in an adjustable manner. Also, the discharge openings 95 of the hoppers 82 and 83,
A gate device 97 for opening and closing the 96 is provided below this, and is configured so that these discharge openings 95 and 96 can be opened and closed at the same time.

In this embodiment, since the weighing hopper is provided in two sections, it can be evenly supplied to the lower divided hopper in terms of material load. One vibrating conveyor can be more evenly loaded to discharge the coffee bean material. Other functions and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is, of course, not limited to these, and various modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the storage / measuring device for coffee beans has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applicable to other storage / measuring devices for granules such as corn and beans in a feed plant. The present invention is also applicable.

In the above embodiment, four divided hoppers are provided below the weighing hopper. However, the four divided hoppers may be omitted, and the divided hoppers may be supplied directly into the trough of the vibrating conveyor through some guide means. You may. Also in this case, of course, the lower edge is connected to the material introduction port of the trough by a bellows-shaped canvas.

A well-known partition plate may be provided in the trough of the vibrating conveyor so that the thickness of the material is regulated and the material is discharged into the bucket lifter 75.

[0032]

As described above, according to the storage / measuring device for various materials according to the present invention, dust can be scattered to the outside or dust and foreign matter can be scattered from the outside while exerting the effects of the device of the prior art shown in FIG. Can be supplied to the next step without loss of quality without mixing it into various powdery materials.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a coffee bean storage tank according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
It is a front view of a weighing device.

FIG. 2 shows a coffee bean storage tank according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
It is a front view of a weighing device.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a front view of a conventional coffee bean storage / measuring device.

6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A 'in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a front view of another conventional coffee bean storage / measuring device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 51 Closed Cut Gate 52 Closed Cut Gate 53 Closed Cut Gate 54 Closed Cut Gate 55 Closed Cut Gate 56 Closed Cut Gate 57 Weighing Hopper 58 Canvas 62 Canvas 64 Split Hopper 65 Split Hopper 66 Split Hopper 67 Split Hopper 68 Vibrating conveyor 80 Material outlet 81 Weighing hopper Q Lid member

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01G 19/24-19/38

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of silos for storing powder and granules, and gate means capable of opening and closing the outlets of these silos, respectively.
A weighing hopper disposed below the outlets of the plurality of silos, first lid means for covering an upper opening of the weighing hopper, and each of the outlets is coupled with a sealing property; A material receiving port formed in the first lid means and an upper end peripheral portion of the first lid means and the weighing hopper are joined with sealing properties, and the first material is made of a flexible material.
A membrane member, weighing means for weighing the total weight of the weighing hopper, a gate means capable of opening and closing a discharge port of the weighing hopper, a vibrating conveyor disposed below the weighing hopper, A guide means disposed between the trough of the vibrating conveyor and the weighing hopper, for introducing a material discharged from the weighing hopper onto the trough of the vibrating conveyor, and an upper peripheral edge of the guide means; A second membrane member made of a flexible material, which is connected to the discharge port of the weighing hopper with sealing properties, a second lid means for closing an upper opening of the trough, and the second lid means; And a third film member made of a flexible material, wherein the third film member is made of a flexible material and has a sealing property between the material introduction means and the lower edge portion of the guide means. Body storage and weighing device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said guide means comprises a plurality of hoppers, and discharge ports of said hoppers are connected to corresponding material introduction ports of said material introduction means via said third membrane member. Storage / measuring device for various powders.