JP4202909B2 - Mobile zinc cathode stripping system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of metal production and extraction, and more particularly to zinc extraction and production.

  Zinc is generally refined by electrolysis. In a typical process, several plate-like cathodes are inserted into the electrolytic cell. The electrolytic cell contains a chemical solution containing zinc. An electric field is applied to the electrolytic cell, and zinc is deposited on the cathode up to a height where the cathode is submerged in the electrolytic cell. Zinc forms a sheet (thin plate) or count on the cathode. The upper edge of the zinc plate lies in the “melting line” of the cathode, and the cathode is submerged in the zinc solution below the line. In order to collect the zinc deposited on the cathode, it is necessary to separate the zinc sheet from the cathode.

  This removal is typically performed by a zinc sheet stripping machine. The electrode is removed from the bath and brought to a zinc sheet stripping machine, which peels the zinc sheet from the cathode. The cathode is then returned to the cell and again subjected to the electrolysis process. Meanwhile, the removed zinc sheet is collected and stored.

  This zinc stripping machine will eventually cause physical damage to the cathode and become unsuitable for continuous use in the electrolysis process. In the electrolytic process, the cathode can be used over and over again, so it is very economical if the life of the cathode is long. As the number of times that the cathode needs to be changed increases, it becomes costly to the producer. Thus, corrosion, soot and other damage to the cathode is a permanent challenge for zinc manufacturers.

  Further, the electrolysis process is performed by applying a current between a cathode and an anode paired in the electrolytic cell. It is the electrical potential between the cathode and the anode that deposits zinc on the cathode. Such electroplating is most efficient when the cathode and anode are clean and free of surface impurities. For example, contamination on the surface of the cathode affects the current and prevents zinc from being plated on the cathode in the dirty area. Thus, zinc manufacturers also have the challenge of effectively keeping the cathode clean.

  Another challenge for zinc manufacturers and their employees is the tremendous noise that arises when extracting zinc from the cathode. The cathode itself, the zinc sheet removed from the cathode, and the machine used to remove the zinc sheet are all metals. Therefore, a large amount of sound is produced when they repeatedly contact each other.

  Some zinc extraction plants have fixed facilities to remove zinc from the cathode. Such fixed equipment is often used in large plants where the cost of large fixed equipment is justified. Also, typically, if the space available for the zinc extraction process is large, a fixed installation will be appropriate. In a fixed installation, the cathode is typically fed to the input end of a fixed stripping installation and moved through various parts of the machine, during which the zinc sheet is stripped and the cathode is Carried to the output end of the fixed installation.

  However, it may be uneconomical to have a fixed zinc sheet removal facility. There are also cases where zinc manufacturers are confronted with a floor area that is so limited that it eliminates the use of fixed equipment. In this case, it is preferred to have a moving zinc stripping system that can move between various different groups of cells and that can be used to strip the cathode adjacent to such cells.

  Canadian Patent 2,178,776 discloses a mobile automatic cathode stopping system. The system includes a support frame that supports a plurality of cathodes. The cathodes are suspended vertically parallel to each other. The apparatus further includes a stripping mechanism. The stripping mechanism includes a carriage framework mounted for linear motion along the support frame. The stripping mechanism includes a single pivotable stripping arm assembly. The assembly is pushed under the zinc sheet at the top corner of the sheet with a pair of stripping knives each on the front and back surfaces of the cathode. In doing so, the knife moves in an arc along the cathode under the zinc sheet. In this way, the zinc sheet is peeled off from the cathode, and the zinc sheet is dropped by gravity. The zinc sheet is then transferred into the receiving bin, and when the bin is full, the stack is moved to another location for lifting and removal by a lifted truck. A jet spray head is provided on the carriage. The carriage carries the stripping arm assembly. The purpose of this jet spray is to spray water on the zinc sheet and the aluminum cathode for cleaning after the zinc sheet has been peeled off. The jet spray head is suspended on the cathode and sprays water downward at an angle of 45 degrees.

  However, this system disclosed in Canadian Patent No. 2,178,776 has several deficiencies. First, each side of the cathode is stripped by a single knife that travels the entire length of the cathode in the vertical direction. Such a stripping method (stripping method) corrodes the aluminum cathode unnecessarily and thus limits its lifetime.

  Secondly, water spray by itself is not particularly effective in cleaning the cathode. This is particularly true for the impurities stuck to the cathode. Such dirt tends to stick even if water flows over them. Thirdly, due to the properties of the peeled sheet storage bins, the apparatus is cumbersome and difficult to use.

  US Pat. No. 5,269,897 discloses an apparatus for removing zinc deposited by electrolysis on an aluminum plate. The facility includes a coated cathode storage zone, a scraping zone, and a zinc-free cathode storage zone. The cathode continuously moves from one zone to the next. The scraping zone includes a horizontal piercer (penetrator) that operates in a horizontal direction, and the horizontal piercer separates the upper edge of the deposited zinc sheet from the cathode. The scraping zone also includes a scraping device that works vertically to remove the entire zinc sheet. The upper edges are separated by a horizontal piercer initially inserted under the zinc sheet. Next, the head of the piercer is adjusted so that it no longer leans on the cathode when the remaining part of the upper edge is separated, and the contact between the piercer and the cathode is reduced to the cathode. Reduce damage.

  However, this invention discloses a fixed installation in which the cathode is carried via a stripping device. Thus, the equipment disclosed in US Pat. No. 5,269,897 is unsuitable for use when space is limited or when the cost of fixed equipment is not justified.

  Therefore, what is desired is a mobile zinc stripping machine that is effective in stripping zinc sheets from the cathode. The machine of the present invention preferably acts to minimize damage to the cathode during operation. Also, the machine of the present invention is preferably constructed to be highly space efficient, reduce noise generated during the zinc stripping process, and effectively clean the stripped cathode. Yes.

That is, according to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode,
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the movable base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
At least one power source coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the stripping assembly;
The stripping assembly includes a horizontal stripper movable across the cathode of the cathode support frame to separate the upper edge of the zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the horizontal stripper comprising the zinc sheet and the Immediately after being inserted between the cathodes, the stripping assembly is biased away from the cathodes so that the stripping assembly is substantially aligned with the direction of the horizontal piercer to complete the removal of the sheet from each of the cathodes. look including a scraping device which can be moved in a vertical direction,
A bottom-up stacker assembly coupled to the base frame; and a sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the bottom-up stacker assembly, the sheet carrier after the zinc sheet is peeled off, The bottom-up stacker assembly is arranged to receive sheets, and the bottom-up stacker assembly is adapted to form a stack of zinc sheets carried by the sheet carrier, wherein the at least one power source is the bottom-up stacker assembly and the bottom stacker assembly. An apparatus is provided that is operatively connected to a sheet carrier .

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode, comprising:
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the movable base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
A bottom-up stacker assembly coupled to the base frame;
A sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the stacker assembly, wherein the sheet carrier is arranged to receive the zinc sheet when the zinc sheet is peeled off, and the stacker assembly is the sheet carrier. A stack is formed from the conveyed zinc sheet,
An apparatus is provided that includes at least one power source coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the strip assembly, the seat carrier, and the stacker assembly.

According to another aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode, comprising:
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
At least one cathode cleaner movably coupled to the base frame, wherein the cathode cleaner is capable of cleaning each cathode supported by the cathode support frame and the cathode support frame and each of the above. Movable along the cathode,
At least one power source coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the stripping assembly ;
The stripping assembly includes a horizontal stripper that is movable across the cathode of the cathode support frame to separate the upper edge of the zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the horizontal stripper including the zinc sheet and Immediately after being inserted between the cathodes, it is biased away from the cathodes, and the stripping assembly is oriented in the direction of the horizontal piercer to complete the removal of the sheet from each of the cathodes. Including a scraping device movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the
The at least one brush is coupled to the scraping device, and an apparatus is provided wherein the at least one brush is arranged to clean the cathodes when the zinc sheets are peeled off .

  In order to facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred form of cathode used in accordance with the present invention is shown. The cathode 10 includes an aluminum plate 12, a support bar 14, and a transport hook 16. The aluminum plate 12 is preferably 50 to 60 inches long, 30 to 32 inches wide, and 0.25 inches thick. The plate 12 is immersed in the electrolytic cell, and zinc sheets 17 are formed on both surfaces of the plate 12.

  The cathode 10 includes a dielectric region 18. Since the dielectric is electrically neutral, zinc does not adhere to the dielectric region 18. Plate 12 has side edges 20, 22 and a bottom edge 24. In a preferred form of cathode, the side edges 20, 22 are covered with a dielectric, but the bottom edge 24 is not covered. Thus, the bottom edge 24 is coated with zinc during the electrolysis process, but the side edges 20, 22 are not coated with zinc. As a result, the entire zinc sheet is V-shaped. The zinc sheet 17 covers the flat front and back surfaces of the sheet 12 and the bottom edge 24, but does not cover the side edges 20 and 22.

  2 to 6, the first step in peeling the zinc sheet 17 from the cathode 10 is to remove some cathodes 10 from the electrolytic cell and place the cathodes on the cathode support frame 26. It is. The cathode support frame 26 is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled. In a preferred embodiment, the cathode support frame 26 comprises a continuous notched beam on one side of the device and a series of spaced upright beams 30 on the other side. The beam 30 has a saddle and a notch thereon. With this structure, a number of cathodes 10 are side loaded into the cathode support frame 26 through the space between the upright beams 30.

  The notched beam 28 and the upright beam 30 are coupled to a base frame 31. The base frame 31 functions as a base for all components of the apparatus described herein.

  In order to load the cathode 10 into the cathode support frame 26, a grabber (not shown) for lifting the cathode 10 from the electrolytic cell is used. The grabber grips the transport hook 16 of each cathode 10. Preferably, the cathode 10 is loaded on the cathode support frame 26 in groups of 15 pieces.

  The notches of the notch beam 28 and the upright beam 30 are sized and spaced so that one end of the support bar 14 sits firmly within the notch of the notch beam 28. In this way, each cathode 10 is held in a normal position.

  In the preferred embodiment, there are 30 cathode slots (elongated holes) in the cathode support frame 26. When the cathode 10 is loaded into the cathode support frame 26, preferably the cathode 10 is loaded every second slot. If the cathode support frame 26 already contains a stripped cathode 10, a new cathode 10 that is just stripped can be loaded into the cathode support frame 26 and immediately thereafter the stripped electrode 10 is immediately Can be removed. In this way, loading the cathode 10 in every second slot of the cathode support frame 26 takes into account the effective use of the machine and the labor used to load and remove the cathode 10 from the cathode support frame 26. is there. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other forms of cathode support frame 26 are encompassed by the present invention. What is needed is to provide a cathode support frame 26 that is sized, shaped and arranged to properly support the cathode during stripping.

  Next, the cathode 10 is stripped by the stripping assembly 32. The stripping assembly 32 includes a lateral stripper 34 and a vertical scraping device 36. The horizontal stripper 34 is carried by a stripper carriage 38 and the scraping device 36 is carried by a scraping device carriage 39. Both carriages 38 and 39 are attached to two carriage rails 40 and 42 coupled to the base frame 31.

  It can be seen that the carriages 38, 39 can be mounted on one carriage rail or on two or more carriage rails. However, two carriage rails are preferred. This is because such a configuration does not use up too much space while balancing the need for sufficient stability with respect to the carriage 38.

  The stripper 34 and the scraping device 36 are carried by a carriage assembly that moves them appropriately. However, the two carriage configurations (carriages 38 and 39 as carriage assemblies) are preferred over a single carriage. This is because if one considers that the stripper 34 and scraping device 36 are separate (ie, the scraping device 36 tracks the stripper), it takes into account a small device.

  The stripping assembly 32 operates as follows. The carriage 38 moves along the cathode support frame 26 to a position adjacent to each suspended cathode, where the horizontal stripper 34 and the scraping device 36 peel each shade 10 in turn. For each cathode 10, the first stage of stripping is performed by a horizontal stripper 34.

  The design of the horizontal stripper is described with reference to FIGS.

  First, referring to FIGS. 8-12, the horizontal stripper is composed of two equal horizontal arms with reference numbers 224 and 225. The horizontal arm is attached so that it can be displaced along the table 226 in the longitudinal direction. These arms are connected to the rear working hydraulic cylinder 227. The forward ends of these arms are wedge-shaped stripper heads 228 that form a tapered vertical edge 229. The stripper 34 is disposed at a position facing one of the cathodes in the cathode support frame 26, and one arm 224 and 225 is disposed on each of the front and back surfaces of the cathode 10. The stripper 34 is arranged so that the tapered edges 229 of the arms 224 and 225 are at the height of the upper edge of the zinc sheet 17 fixed to the cathode 10.

  As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the rod of the cylinder 227 is connected to the lateral head 230, and the end of the lateral head 230 is connected to the arms 224 and 225. The head has a lower protrusion 231, and the lower protrusion 231 can be displaced along a longitudinal channel (groove) formed in the table 226. The table 226 also has a fixed longitudinal guide 233 and a freely rotating rear roller 234 to guide the arms 224, 225 in the longitudinal displacement.

  As shown in FIGS. 8, 9, and 12, two horizontal push rods (push bars) that drive the arms 224 and 225 to each other are provided at the front portion of the table 226. Each of these push rods 235 consists of a rod 235 with one end 236 connected to a fixed point. On the other hand, the other end has a roller 237 that freely rotates, and the roller 237 is supported by an adjacent arm. When the cylinder 238 acts on the rod 235, the arms 224 and 225 come close to each other by the action of the cylinder.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 8, 9, 14 and 15, the table 226 forms an enlarged portion at the front thereof. There, an offset or slot (slot) 239 is created, starting from the top surface, to which a support 240 is attached. The support 240 is formed of a flat part having a width substantially the same as the width of the slot but slightly shorter. Therefore, this part is limited at its top by two lateral dividers 241 with a length greater than the width of the support 240. The support 240 has two opposing blind drill holes 242 starting from the lateral side. The blind drill hole 242 accommodates a compression spring 243 that is supported on the thin wall of the slot 239. These function as centering elements for the support 240.

  There are two middle slots 244 on the top surface of the support 240. Each intermediate slot 244 opens into one of the longitudinal sides of the support 240. These two intermediate slots 244 are slightly different in phase in the longitudinal direction of the support 240. Each of these slots 244 has a centralizer 245. Each centralizer is a flat part having a rectangular outer shape and a width substantially equal to the width of the slot 244 but a short length. The centralizer 245 has a blind drill hole starting from the outward facing side, which houses the compression spring 247. The compression spring 247 is supported on the opposing wall of the slot 244. Centralizer 245 also has a drill hole 248 between these large surfaces. The drill hole 248 is for attaching a free rotating roller 249 (FIGS. 10 and 11), and the roller 249 adjusts the separation of the arms 224 and 225 as described below.

  The position of the centralizer 245 is adjusted by the threaded rod 250. The rod 250 passes through an opening 251 formed on the side of the support 240 and protrudes outward through a hole or opening formed in a wall defining a table slot 239. A cylinder 238 is attached to the end of the divider 241 of the support 240, and the cylinder 238 acts on the rod 235 to move the arm.

  As seen in FIGS. 11 and 13, the lower surfaces of the arms 224 and 225 and the adjacent sides have an offset or recessed step 252 that houses the free rotating roller 249. The offset 252 forms a vertical wall 253 of these offsets as a rotation trajectory of the roller 249. This offset 252 changes the width along the cross-section 254 and causes the edge 229 to cause a phase shift by a distance equal to the separation distance between the rollers 249 and 249 in axial movement. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the roller 249 operates on the trajectory of the opposing arm.

  In this configuration, with respect to the arms 224, 225 acting on the cathode, these two arms begin to displace from the position shown in FIG. Until the arm is located on the front and back surfaces of the rate, the cylinder 238 is not operated and the arm is displaced. The cylinder 238 is then actuated and the arms 224 and 225 move together and the edge 229 holds the cathode front and back surfaces. The maximum separation distance between arms 224 and 225 is adjusted by threaded rod 250. At this position, the arm advances and the arm side 229 begins to scrape the zinc sheet deposited on the cathode 10. During this process, when the roller 249 reaches the inclined portion 254 of the track 253 supporting the roller, the arms 224 and 225 are slightly separated, and the front side portion 229 of these arms is no longer on the surface of the cathode 10. No longer exists. Thus, the roller 249 functions as a moving or biasing element that moves or biases (biases) the head 228 away from the cathode immediately after the edge 229 enters under the zinc sheet 229. From this moment, the arm proceeds rapidly and the zinc sheet is separated without scratching the cathode surface. The progress of the arm can be adjusted at will, but at some instant while the arm is moving along the cathode, a spring 247 is used to press the component 245 and force the arms 224 and 225 to separate. Thus, the operation of the cinder 238 can be omitted.

  Because of the springs 243 and 247, the arms 224 and 225 on the cathode automatically return to the center even if these blades begin to deflect off the cathode.

  Using this device with the arms 224, 225 toward the center and moving the arms in close proximity to each other, the correct action is taken on the cathode to remove the top of the zinc deposit and prevent corrosion or degradation of the cathode.

  Once the upper edges 56, 58 of the zinc sheet 17 are released from the plate 12, the horizontal stripper 34 moves to its original position. Then, the carriage 38 moves along the cathode support frame 26, and the horizontal stripper 34 acts on the next cathode 10. On the other hand, the scraping device 36 is carried by a carriage 39 with a horizontal stripper 34.

  When the carriage 39 is moved to the position of the device 36 just above the cathode 10 already processed by the horizontal stripper 34, the scraping device 36 is then activated and completely zinced from the cathode 10 as will be described below. The sheet 17 is removed.

  This process is shown in detail in FIG. The upper edges 56 and 58 of the zinc sheet 17 are already bent away from the plate 12. Next, the scraping device 36 moves downward as shown to create a wide gap.

  The scraping device 36 includes two scraping (scraping) arms 60 and 62, and two scraping heads 64 and 66, one for each of the front and back surfaces of the zinc sheet. When the scraping arms 60 and 62 move downward, the tips of the scraping heads 64 and 66 enter under the separated upper edges 56 and 58 of the zinc sheet 17. As the scraping arms 60 and 62 move further downward, the scraping heads 64 and 66 contact the inner portion of the zinc sheet 17 and forcibly separate the zinc sheet 17 from the plate 12. The scraping arms 60 and 62 move downward until all the zinc sheets 17 are peeled off from the plate 12.

  The scraping heads 64, 66 are preferably arranged so that they do not lean against the plate 12 as they travel downwards, i.e. do not contact the plate 12. This arrangement significantly reduces the risk of the plate 12 being physically damaged by scratches or nicks. This arrangement is made possible by the fact that the upper edges 56, 58 are already separated from the plate 12 by the horizontal stripper 34, forming a wide gap. In this way, the scraping heads 64, 66 engage with the zinc sheet 17 without having to contact the plate 12, and peel off the zinc sheet 17.

  In a preferred embodiment, the scraping heads 64, 66 have rounded edges (blades) 68, 70 for contacting the zinc sheet 17 to minimize zinc sheet tearing and the like. Moreover, it is preferable to have stainless steel brushes 72 and 74 attached to the scraping heads 64 and 66 inside the heads 64 and 66. The stainless steel brushes 72 and 74 are dimensioned, shaped and arranged so as to brush the cathode when the scraping heads 64 and 66 move downward and peel off the zinc sheet 17. . The brushes 72 and 74 follow the edges 68 and 70 of the heads 64 and 66 to brush the plate 12 when the zinc sheet 17 is peeled off. When the scraping device 36 is lifted again to peel off the next cathode 10, the brushes 72, 74 brush the plate 12 again. Preferably, the brushes 72, 74 are arranged such that each one of the brushes 72, 74 applies a brush to one surface of the plate 12.

  The scraping heads 64 and 66 preferably extend along the entire width of the plate 12. This has two gains. First, if the force works evenly across the zinc sheet 17, stripping is most effectively accomplished, reducing the possibility of sheet tearing and buckling. Second, the brushes 72, 74 mounted inside the heads 64, 66 can extend completely across the plate 12, thus cleaning the plate 12 more completely. Furthermore, it is understood that the wedge-shaped force that peels the zinc sheet 17 gives a force to be placed on the brush, and a good cleaning contact occurs.

  While the scraping assembly described above is preferred for certain reasons, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that other scraping assemblies may be used within the scope of the present invention. Importantly, the apparatus includes a stripping assembly 32 that is movably coupled to the base frame 31 and that is effective for stripping the zinc sheet 17 from the cathode 10. The stripping assembly 32 is movable relative to the floor 76 on which the apparatus is installed and the cathode support frame 26 so that the stripping assembly strips the cathode 10 when they are on the cathode support frame 26. .

  The zinc sheet 17 is peeled off from the cathode 10 and then dropped on the sheet carrier 78. The sheet carrier 78 is disposed so as to accommodate the zinc sheet 17 when the zinc sheet 17 is peeled off. The sheet carrier 78 preferably includes a conveyor belt 80 operably coupled to a pair of drive shafts 82 that drive the conveyor belt 80 by rotation.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the peeled zinc sheet 17 preferably has a “V-shaped” or “taco” shape. When the sheet 17 contacts the conveyor belt 80, the sheet 17 is typically tilted sideways by the movement of the conveyor belt 80 and conveyed to the stacker assembly 84. The stacker assembly 84 is coupled to the base frame 31.

  As the conveyor belt 80 transports the sheets 17 to the stacker assembly 84, the sheets 17 are preferably flattened and prepared for stacking by passing under the pinch rollers 86. The pinch roller 86 is coupled to the base frame 31 and is disposed at the end of the conveyor belt 80 and immediately above the conveyor belt 80. The pinch roller 86 causes the zinc sheet 17 to transition to the stacker assembly 84, while at the same time flattening the zinc sheet 17 as it is conveyed to the stacker assembly 84 by the conveyor belt 80 (ie, the V-shaped zinc sheet Close “V”).

  While this structure for the sheet carrier 78 is preferred, it is recognized that this structure is not required for the present invention. Rather, the sheet carrier 78 for transporting the zinc sheet 17 to the stacker assembly 84 may be any sheet carrier 78 that is arranged to receive the zinc sheet 17 when the zinc sheet 17 is peeled.

  The stacker assembly 84 is preferably a bottom-up stacker assembly, that is, a stacker assembly adapted to form the stack 88 by a method of stacking from below. This method preferably takes into account floor space savings, so the footprint of the device is small. In the top-down stacking method, it is necessary to transport the zinc sheets 17 to the top of the stacked ones. This requires the use of a larger floor area because the conveyor belt 80 needs to be further extended to carry the sheets diagonally upward to the top of the stack. In contrast, when using a bottom-up stacking scheme, the zinc sheet 17 need only be transported to the bottom of the stack 88, thus reducing the required length of the conveyor belt 80 and reducing the total footprint of the stripping device. Get smaller.

  In a preferred embodiment, the stacking assembly comprises a stack catcher in the form of a pair of arms 90, 92 that have hook portions 94, 96 for gripping the stack 88 from below. The stacking assembly also preferably includes a lifting mechanism 98 coupled to the base frame 31 and the arms 90,92.

  In order to perform bottom-up stacking, the arms 90 and 92 grip the stack 88 lifted by the lifting mechanism 98. Next, the additional zinc sheet 17 is conveyed by the conveyor belt 80 to the stacker assembly 84, and then the stack 88 is placed on the additional zinc sheet 17 by lowering the lifting mechanism 98. The arms 90, 92 are opened, discharging the stack 88 onto the additional zinc sheet 17, and again, the arms 90, 92 are closed under the additional zinc sheet 17. In this way, an additional zinc sheet 17 is added to the stack 88.

  It is recognized that this stacking method seems to be less noisy than the top-down stacking method. In top-down stackers, additional sheets are often dropped with noise on the existing stack. In contrast, in the preferred embodiment, the stack is placed on an additional zinc sheet (not dropped), and then the stack including the recently added sheet is lifted again.

  Also, the arms 90 and 92 are preferably rotatably coupled to the base frame 31 via a rotatable stacker shaft 100, most preferably. The rotatable stacker shaft 100 functions as a stack rotator together with the arms 90 and 92. The stack rotator can rotate the stack up to about 180 degrees about a vertical axis in a plane substantially parallel to the floor 76. In a preferred embodiment, the rotatable stacker shaft 100 is coupled to the base frame 31 at a point on the stack 88 such that when the shaft 100 rotates, the stack 88 is in a plane generally parallel to the floor 76. Rotate.

Typically, the stack 88 tends to have an uneven height across its width as more sheets 17 are added to the stack 88. In particular, the side of the stack 88 where the closed end of the sheet 17 is located becomes a different height from the side of the open end as more sheets are added. One reason for this is that zinc tends to flow slightly to the bottom of the cathode 10 during the electrolysis process. Therefore, as the sheet 17 is added to the stack 88, it becomes increasingly unbalanced and unstable. However, by rotating the stack 88 when the stack 88 is half completed, the stack 88 can be balanced and become more stable. For this reason, the apparatus preferably includes a stack rotator, and most preferably includes the stack rotator described above.

  The apparatus also preferably includes a stack removal station 102 coupled to the base frame. In the preferred embodiment, the arms 90, 92 can reciprocate along the base frame 31 to the stack removal station 102 to move the completed stack 88 to the stack removal station 102.

  The stack 88 is placed at the stack removal station 102 and the stack 88 is removed to give space to the next stack. In a preferred embodiment, the stack removal station has a first lift truck access and a second lift truck access. Most preferably, the first and second lift truck accesses comprise first and second pairs of holes 104, 106 to accommodate lift truck forks. If floor space is limited, the presence of two lift truck accesses increases the flexibility of loading. That is, in a narrow space, there is a possibility that the lift truck cannot afford to approach the first lift truck access. However, providing a second lift truck access creates another route that allows the lift truck to reach the stack 88 to be removed. The two pairs of holes 104, 106 are most preferably arranged substantially perpendicular to each other. As a result, the lift truck can approach the stack 88 from the end of the device and the side of the device.

  The stack 88 typically has wide and narrow dimensions due to the shape of the sheet 17 when viewed in plan view. For more stability, the lift truck preferably lifts the stack 88 with a wide dimension across the fork and a narrow dimension parallel to the fork. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the arms 90, 92 are between a first position where the use of the first pair of holes 104 is facilitated and a second position where the use of the second pair of holes 106 is facilitated. , The stack is supposed to rotate. In this case, the second position is angularly displaced from the first position. The first position and the second position are most preferably displaced from each other by about 90 degrees.

  In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus further includes a scale 110 operably coupled to the stack removal station 102 to sense the weight of the stack 88. Most preferably, the stack removal station 102 includes a platform 112 that is positioned below the platform 112 such that gravity acting on the stack 88 is transmitted to the scale 110.

  Having a scale 110 is useful for quality control purposes, and the zinc producer will know what the weight change of the stack 88 will be. For inventory control purposes, the producer can know how much zinc is being manufactured and how much zinc is in stock. Therefore, it is most preferred that the scale 110 be connected to the producer's inventory quality control computer database to efficiently provide the producer with the necessary information.

  In order to move the stripping device, preferably the movable base frame 31 includes a set of wheels 116 coupled to the base frame, said wheels 116 arranged to support the base frame on the floor. Has been. Most preferably, at least two of the wheels 116 are connectable to an output source, such as a hydraulic or power source, for moving the device.

  Most preferably, the device operates automatically. If necessary or desired, the device is controlled by at least one or more controllers. The controller is preferably a programmable logic on-troller 112 of the type that can be used to operate an industrial machine.

  Also preferably, the moving part of the device is powered by at least one power source (including multiple power sources). Most preferably, the power source is a hydraulic pump 120. The hydraulic pump 120 is operatively connected to the stripping assembly, stacking assembly, sheet carrier, and stack rotator and is therefore powered. The hydraulic pump 120 may be used to power the wheel 116.

  Although the above embodiments of the present invention have been described in great detail for a complete disclosure of the present invention, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this can be done. Some of these variations have been discussed above. For example, the power source may be a power source such as an electric motor other than the hydraulic pump. What is considered most important in the present invention is to provide a mobile zinc stripping device. The mobile zinc stripping device is preferably floor area efficient, reduces wear on the cathode being peeled, and provides a means for effectively cleaning the cathode.

1 is a side view of an exemplary cathode used in connection with the present invention. FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile zinc stripping device. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile zinc stripping device. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile zinc stripping device viewed from the end of a cathode support frame. FIG. 1 is an end view of a preferred embodiment of a mobile zinc stripping device viewed from the end of a stacker assembly. FIG. FIG. 5 is a rear view of the stacker assembly without details of the device for clarity. The scraping device in operation is shown. It is a top view of a horizontal stripper. It is the IX-IX line longitudinal cross-sectional view of the horizontal stripper of FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 8. It is the XI-XI line cross-sectional view of FIG. It is the XII-XII sectional view taken on the line of FIG. It is a top view of the arm of a horizontal stripper. It is a partial top view of the horizontal type stripper table from which the arm of the stripper was removed. It is the XV-XV sectional view taken on the line of FIG.

Claims (33)

An apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode,
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the movable base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
At least one power source coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the stripping assembly;
The stripping assembly includes a horizontal stripper movable across the cathode of the cathode support frame to separate the upper edge of the zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the horizontal stripper comprising the zinc sheet and the Immediately after being inserted between the cathodes, it is biased away from the cathodes, and the stripping assembly is substantially aligned with the direction of the horizontal stripper to complete the removal of the sheet from each of the cathodes. look including a scraping device which can be moved in a vertical direction,
A bottom-up stacker assembly coupled to the base frame; and a sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the bottom-up stacker assembly, the sheet carrier after the zinc sheet is peeled off, The bottom-up stacker assembly is arranged to receive sheets, and the bottom-up stacker assembly is adapted to form a stack of zinc sheets carried by the sheet carrier, wherein the at least one power source is the bottom-up stacker assembly and the bottom stacker assembly. An apparatus operably connected to a sheet carrier . The apparatus of claim 1.
The stripping assembly is movable along the cathode support frame to a position adjacent to each cathode supported by the cathode support frame. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The movable base frame includes a set of wheels disposed on the base frame for supporting the base frame on the floor. The apparatus of claim 3.
The apparatus wherein the set of wheels includes at least two wheels, the at least two wheels being connectable to a mobile power source for powering the at least two wheels. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The horizontal stripper includes a first stripper head corresponding to the first side surface of the cathode and a second stripper head corresponding to the second side surface of the cathode, and the first stripper head is carried on the first stripper arm. The second stripper head is carried on a second stripper arm, and the stripper is disposed immediately after the first and second stripper heads are inserted between the sheet and the cathode. 2. A device characterized in that the two stripper heads comprise a biasing element arranged to be biased away from the cathode. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
The stripping assembly further includes a carriage assembly that carries the horizontal stripper and the scraping device, the carriage assembly being movably coupled to the base frame, and the horizontal type when the cathode is on the cathode support frame. The apparatus is characterized in that the carriage assembly is movable relative to the cathode support frame and the floor such that a stripper and the scraping device peel off the cathode. The apparatus of claim 6.
The stripping assembly further includes at least one carriage rail coupled to the base frame and extending along the cathode support frame, the at least one carriage rail carrying a carriage assembly. apparatus. The apparatus of claim 1 .
The bottom-up stacker assembly includes a stack glass spar having a pair of arms for gripping the stack, and the base frame and the pair of pairs for lifting the stack and placing the stack on the zinc sheet. And a lifting mechanism coupled to the arm. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
A stacker assembly coupled to the base frame; and a sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the stack assembly. The sheet carrier accommodates the zinc sheet after the zinc sheet is peeled off. The stacker assembly is adapted to form a stack of zinc sheets carried by the sheet carrier, the stacker assembly for rotating the stack in a plane substantially parallel to the floor. And a stack rotator, wherein at least one power supply is operatively connected to the stacker assembly, the sheet carrier and the stack rotator. The apparatus of claim 9 .
The stack rotator is adapted to rotate the stack about 180 degrees about a vertical stacking axis. The apparatus of claim 10 .
The stack rotator includes a stack glass spar that is rotatably coupled to a base frame, and the stack spar is arranged so as to be able to grip the stack and rotate the stack in a plane substantially parallel to the floor. Features device. The apparatus of claim 11 .
The stack glass sper includes a pair of arms, and each of the arms has a hook portion for gripping the stack. The apparatus of claim 1 .
A stack removal station, wherein the bottom-up stagger assembly includes a stack glass spar coupled to the base frame for horizontal movement along the base frame, the stack removal station comprising the stack glass spar Is arranged to move the stack from the bottom-up stacker assembly to the stack removal station, and the apparatus is operatively coupled to the stack removal station to sense the weight of the stack. The apparatus further comprising: The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,
A stacker assembly coupled to the base frame; and a sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the stacker assembly, wherein the sheet carrier accommodates the zinc sheet after the zinc sheet is peeled off. The stacker assembly is adapted to form a stack of the zinc sheets carried by the sheet carrier, the apparatus further comprising a stack removal station, wherein the stacker assembly is attached to the base frame. A stack glass sperm coupled to the base frame for horizontal movement along the stack frame, so that the stack glass spar can move the stack from the stacker assembly to the stack removal station. Arranged Is, the stack removing station apparatus characterized by and a first lift truck access and second lift truck access. An apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode,
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the movable base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
A bottom-up stacker assembly coupled to the base frame;
A sheet carrier for transporting the zinc sheet to the stacker assembly, wherein the sheet carrier is arranged to receive the zinc sheet when the zinc sheet is peeled off, and the stacker assembly is the sheet carrier. A stack is formed from the conveyed zinc sheet,
An apparatus comprising: at least one power supply coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the strip assembly, the seat carrier, and the stacker assembly. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
The bottom-up stacker assembly includes a stack glass spar and a lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism is coupled to the base frame and the stack glass spar. The lifting mechanism lifts the stack and is transported to the bottom-up stacker assembly. An apparatus characterized in that the stack is placed on an additional zinc sheet. The apparatus of claim 16 .
The stack glass sper comprises a pair of arms, each of the arms having a hook portion for gripping the stack. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
The stripping assembly includes a horizontal stripper that is movable across the cathode of the cathode support frame to separate the upper edge of the zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the horizontal stripper including the zinc sheet and Immediately after being inserted between the cathodes, it is biased away from the cathodes, and the stripping assembly is oriented in the direction of the horizontal piercer to complete the removal of the sheet from each of the cathodes. A device comprising a scraping device movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the device. The apparatus of claim 18 .
The bottom-up stripping assembly further includes a carriage assembly that conveys the horizontal stripper and the scraping device. The carriage assembly is movably coupled to the base frame, and the carriage assembly includes the horizontal stripper and the scraping device. And moveable with respect to the cathode support frame and the floor so as to peel off each cathode supported on the cathode support frame. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
The bottom-up stacker assembly further includes a stack glass spar coupled to the base frame, the stack glass spar being movable along the base frame in a direction substantially parallel to the floor, The removal station is arranged such that the stack glass spar can move the stack from the bottom-up stacker assembly and has a first lift track access and a second lift access. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
The bottom-up stacker assembly further includes a stack glass spar coupled to the base frame, the stack glass spar being movable along the base frame in a direction substantially parallel to the floor, A removal station is arranged to allow the stack glass spar to move the stack from the stacker assembly;
The apparatus further comprises a scale operably connected to the stack removal station for sensing the weight of the stack. An apparatus for peeling a zinc sheet from a cathode,
A movable base frame for moving the device along the floor;
A cathode support frame coupled to the base frame,
The cathode support frame is dimensioned, shaped and arranged to support the cathode when peeled,
A stripping assembly for stripping the zinc sheet from the cathode, the stripping assembly being movably coupled to the base frame and each cathode having the stripping assembly supported by a cathode support frame; Is movable with respect to the cathode support frame so that the
At least one cathode cleaner movably coupled to the base frame, wherein the cathode cleaner allows the cathode cleaner to brush each cathode supported by the cathode support frame; and Movable along each cathode,
At least one power source coupled to the base frame and operatively connected to the stripping assembly ;
The stripping assembly includes a horizontal stripper that is movable across the cathode of the cathode support frame to separate the upper edge of the zinc sheet from each of the cathodes, the horizontal stripper including the zinc sheet and Immediately after being inserted between the cathodes, it is biased away from the cathodes, and the stripping assembly is oriented in the direction of the horizontal piercer to complete the removal of the sheet from each of the cathodes. Including a scraping device movable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the
The apparatus, wherein the at least one brush is coupled to the scraping device, and wherein the at least one brush is arranged to clean the cathodes when the zinc sheets are peeled off . The apparatus of claim 22 .
The cathode cleaner comprises at least one brush. The apparatus of claim 22 .
The cathode cleaner includes a first brush and a second brush, and the first brush is coupled to the scraping device and arranged to clean one side of each cathode, and the second brush Is connected to the scraping device and arranged to clean the other side of each cathode. 25. The apparatus of claim 24 .
The scraping device includes a first scraping head corresponding to the first side surface of the cathode and a second scraping head corresponding to the second side surface of the cathode, and the cathode cleaner is attached to the first scraping head. A first brush and a second brush attached to the second scraping head. The apparatus of claim 13 .
The stack removal station comprises a platform, and the scale is disposed below the platform so that the force of the stack on the platform is transmitted to the scale. The apparatus of claim 21 .
The stack removal station comprises a platform, and the scale is disposed below the platform so that the force of the stack on the platform is transmitted to the scale. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
The stack glass spar is angularly displaced from the first position such that the stack is disposed at a first position that facilitates use of the first lift truck access at the stack removal station and the second An apparatus that is rotatably coupled to the base frame such that the stack is positioned in a second position that facilitates use of lift truck access. 30. The apparatus of claim 28 .
Apparatus for receiving a fork of a lift truck with a fork, wherein the first and second lift truck accesses are each provided with a pair of holes in the stack removal station. 30. The apparatus of claim 29 .
The first lift truck access and the second lift truck access are disposed substantially perpendicular to each other. The apparatus of claim 21 .
The stack glass spar is angularly displaced from the first position such that the stack is disposed at a first position that facilitates use of the first lift truck access at the stack removal station and the second An apparatus that is rotatably coupled to the base frame such that the stack is positioned in a second position that facilitates use of lift truck access. 32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein
Apparatus for receiving a fork of a lift truck with a fork, wherein the first and second lift truck accesses are each provided with a pair of holes in the stack removal station. The apparatus of claim 32 .
The first lift truck access and the second lift truck access are disposed substantially perpendicular to each other.

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