JP5692895B2 - Molten metal distribution vehicle - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a molten metal hot water supply vehicle, and more particularly to a technique for supplying molten metal to a holding furnace of a casting apparatus by injection of pressurized gas.

    Conventionally, a forklift is used as a vehicle for supplying (distributing) molten metal such as molten aluminum to a holding furnace of a casting apparatus. Then, the molten metal in the hot water supply container is supplied to the holding furnace by raising and lowering or tilting the fork while holding the hot water supply container on the fork provided in the front part of the forklift.

  However, since a special license is required to handle forklifts, there is a problem that workers are limited. In addition, this kind of hot water distribution work requires a certain amount of work experience because it is necessary to simultaneously perform the forklift traveling operation in addition to the fork lifting and tilting operation as described above. Therefore, even in this respect, there is a problem that the worker is limited. In addition, a huge hot water supply container is held in front of the forklift, and the operator's view is obstructed by the hot water supply container during traveling and hot water distribution work. It was. In particular, in this type of hot water distribution work, since it is necessary to lift a container for hot water supply of several tons with a fork and then tilt it, a slight operation error may cause a major accident.

  On the other hand, as another hot water supply vehicle, a vehicle equipped with a pressurized hot water supply container in the front part of a forklift is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 1 below). In this way, when the molten metal held inside is supplied to the outside (holding furnace) through the nozzle by injecting the pressurized gas into the inside of the hot water supply container, the hot water supply container is several meters with a fork. Since it does not need to be lifted up and tilted, it is superior in terms of safety compared to the tilting type described above.

JP 2002-316225 A

  However, since this type of hot water supply vehicle is also a forklift, a license is required for operation as in the tilting type. Moreover, since the hot water distribution operation is not changed at all in a state where the hot water supply container is held in the front part of the forklift, the point of poor visibility is not improved.

  Also, if hot water distribution is to be performed with a hot water distribution vehicle equipped with this type of hot water distribution container, the hot water distribution vehicle 101 that has traveled on a predetermined passage 100 is shown on the left side (holding the passage 100), as shown in FIG. It is necessary to move around from the side opposite to the furnace 102) and move the hot water distribution container 103 held in the front part to a position facing the holding furnace 102 from the front (track indicated by solid line arrow in FIG. 7). . This is because the hot water supply nozzle 104 is held in a state of protruding toward the front side of the hot water supply vehicle 101 (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1 above). Thus, since the operator needs to move the hot water distribution vehicle 101 closer to the holding furnace 102 in a state where the forward view is blocked by the hot water distribution container 103, a slight operation error may cause a contact accident. There is. In addition, after the hot water supply operation, naturally, the hot water supply vehicle 101 needs to be retracted and returned to the original passage 100. If the operation becomes complicated and the number of troublesome operations increases in this way, an operation error is likely to occur and the risk of an accident increases. In addition, the hot water distribution vehicle cannot be used in a location where the hot water distribution nozzle 104 of the hot water distribution container 103 cannot be largely moved in order to approach the holding furnace 102 in consideration of peripheral equipment (the use location is limited). ) There is a defect.

  It seems that the above-mentioned problem can be solved by installing the hot water supply nozzle 104 in a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the hot water supply vehicle 101, for example. In order to avoid interference with equipment, it is necessary to increase the width of the passage 100 by the amount of the hot water supply nozzle 104 protruding in the vehicle width direction. This causes a problem that the hot water distribution vehicle cannot be used at a location where the space (dimension in the width direction) of the passage 100 cannot be secured due to a balance with peripheral equipment, as described above.

  In view of the above circumstances, it is a technique to be solved by the present invention to provide a molten metal hot water supply vehicle that can be operated easily and safely by anyone and can be used regardless of the size of equipment space. As an objective.

The solution to the above problem is achieved by the molten metal hot water vehicle according to the first aspect of the present invention. That is, this hot water distribution vehicle travels through a predetermined passage in a factory where a plurality of casting apparatuses are disposed, conveys a hot water distribution container holding molten metal therein to a holding furnace of the casting apparatus, and distributes it. A molten metal hot water supply vehicle that supplies molten metal to a holding furnace through a hot water supply nozzle provided in the hot water supply container by injecting pressurized gas into the hot water container, A towed vehicle connected to the rear of the tow vehicle and mounted with a hot water supply container, the towed vehicle having a rotating mechanism for rotating the placed hot water distribution container around a vertical axis The pressurized gas injection device further includes a connection portion with an external power source, connects the external power source to the connection portion, and receives power supply from the external power source, thereby driving the rotation mechanism and injecting the pressurized gas. Characterized by the point that can be activated.
Moreover, the solution of the said subject is achieved also by the molten metal hot water supply vehicle which concerns on the 2nd side surface of this invention. That is, this hot water distribution vehicle travels through a predetermined passage in a factory where a plurality of casting apparatuses are disposed, conveys a hot water distribution container holding molten metal therein to a holding furnace of the casting apparatus, and distributes it. A molten metal hot water supply vehicle that supplies molten metal to a holding furnace through a hot water supply nozzle provided in the hot water supply container by injecting pressurized gas into the hot water container, A towed vehicle that is connected to the rear of the tow vehicle via a joint portion and on which a hot water supply container is placed, and the towed vehicle rotates the placed hot water supply container around a vertical axis. It has a rotation mechanism, between whether one牽 pull vehicle and coordinating the heated water container placed on the towed vehicle, by rotating the distribution hot water nozzle provided in the distribution hot water container with rotation mechanism It is characterized by the fact that a space of a size that can arrange a nozzle for hot water supply is provided.

  In this way, the hot water distribution vehicle is composed of a tow vehicle and a towed vehicle connected to the rear of the towed vehicle, and is transported in a state where a hot water supply container is placed on the towed vehicle. As compared with the prior art, the operator's forward visibility is improved, and thus the safety can be remarkably enhanced. In addition, since the towed vehicle is provided with a rotating mechanism that rotates the placed hot water distribution container around the vertical axis, the hot water distributing vehicle is stopped at the side of the holding furnace, and the rotating mechanism is at this position. By driving the nozzle and turning the nozzle provided in the hot water distribution container to the upper position of the holding furnace, the hot water can be supplied to the holding furnace without using a forklift. In addition, hot water distribution can be performed by turning the nozzle by a rotating mechanism in a state where the hot water distribution vehicle is placed sideways on the holding furnace, so the hot water distribution vehicle is provided in the factory for the hot water distribution work to the holding furnace. It is only necessary to travel forward on the predetermined passage, and it is not necessary to turn around the hot water supply vehicle and change its direction as in the prior art. Further, the hot water distribution vehicle can be advanced as it is in a state where the nozzle is returned to the original position (for example, a position along the front-rear direction of the towing vehicle) without retreating the hot water distribution vehicle even after the hot water distribution. Thus, hot water distribution can be performed only by the forward and stop operations of the hot water distribution vehicle and the driving operation of the rotation mechanism, so that the operation becomes very simple as compared with the conventional case and operation errors can be reduced. Therefore, even a person who does not have a license for a forklift and has little work experience can perform hot water supply work easily and safely.

  In addition, according to the hot water distribution vehicle according to the present invention, as long as the hot water supply nozzle travels in a state where the hot water supply nozzle faces the towing vehicle side (a state oriented in the direction along the vehicle front-rear direction), the passage width is Since it is sufficient to be the same or slightly larger than the width dimension of the vehicle or towed vehicle, it is smooth without interfering with the surrounding facilities even in places where casting equipment is dense and passage space is not available in the width direction. The hot water distribution vehicle (hot water distribution container) can be placed next to the target holding furnace.

  In this case, the molten metal hot water supply vehicle according to the present invention further includes a connection portion with an external power source, and connects the external power source to the connection portion to receive power supply from the external power source, thereby driving the rotation mechanism. And a pressurized gas injection device that injects pressurized gas can be activated.

  An external power supply can usually be connected to an external power supply when the vehicle is stopped. Therefore, the container is rotated and the nozzle is placed on the holding furnace only when the vehicle is stopped and hot water is needed. It is possible to inject a pressurized gas and supply molten metal into the holding furnace (perform hot water distribution). In other words, it is possible to reliably avoid a situation in which, due to an operator's operation error during traveling or the like, the nozzle for hot water supply is accidentally swung to interfere with peripheral equipment, or the molten metal is accidentally discharged to the outside. Thereby, the safety | security at the time of work can further be improved. In addition, an external power source can provide a higher output (factory supply voltage is usually 200 V) than when a battery is mounted on a towing vehicle, and can be driven for a long time. Moreover, since it is not necessary to mount a battery, the hot water distribution vehicle can be reduced in weight compared to the case where the battery is mounted. From the above, it is suitable for transporting and rotating heavy objects such as hot water distribution containers. Furthermore, by receiving power supply from an external power supply, the number of types of electrical components that can be used is increased compared to batteries. In other words, general-purpose products that can be used in factory equipment can be used, so the rotation mechanism It is possible to manufacture a hot water distribution vehicle including a low cost.

  Moreover, when receiving power supply from an external power source as described above, the hot water distribution vehicle according to the present invention further includes a stop position detection device that detects the stop position of the towed vehicle, and connects the external power source to the connection portion. Thus, when the stop position detection device is operated, and the stop position detection device detects that the towed vehicle is stopped at the hot water supply possible position, the rotation mechanism and the pressurized gas injection device can be started, If it is detected that the hot water supply is disengaged and stopped, neither the rotation mechanism nor the pressurized gas injection device may be activated.

  This is a so-called interlocking safety device that prevents molten metal from being accidentally supplied (discharged) from the hot water supply container when the conditions for hot water supply work are not met. The activation of each electrical component is controlled. Here, first, since the stop position detection device is operated by supplying power from the external power supply, the detection device does not operate unless the hot water supply vehicle is stopped and the external power supply is not connected to the connection portion. In addition, when the detection device does not operate, the rotation mechanism is naturally not driven, and the pressurized gas injection device is not activated. And secondly, in the state where the stop position detection device is operated, when the detection device detects that the towed vehicle is stopped at the hot water supply possible position, the rotation mechanism and the pressurized gas injection device are When it is possible to start and it is detected that it has deviated from the hot water distribution possible position and stopped, both are stopped so that the towed vehicle stops at a position where at least the molten metal cannot be supplied to the holding furnace. In this case, the hot water supply nozzle cannot be swung to the holding furnace, and the pressurized gas cannot be injected into the hot water supply container. In this way, the operation (operation) in which the hot water supply nozzle is swung to the holding furnace to perform the hot water supply is provided with a double interlock, so that the operator may make a mistake in the operation, or When an appropriate operation is not performed, the function relating to the hot water supply operation can be stopped. Thereby, the molten metal leak and interference with surrounding facilities can be avoided, and the safety during operation can be further enhanced.

  The above configuration is an interlock to prevent improper operation until the hot water distribution vehicle arrives at the target holding furnace and performs hot water distribution. An interlock may be provided to prevent an inappropriate operation until the operation is performed. Specifically, since the rotation mechanism and the pressurized gas injection device are activated by receiving power supply from an external power source, they are not activated if the connection state between the external power source and the connection portion is eliminated. Therefore, an interlock for preventing the vehicle from running with an external power supply connected may be provided as an interlock after the hot water supply. Or you may make it provide the interlock for preventing it from running | running, without returning the nozzle for hot water supply to the original position (it is the state which protruded from the channel | path). Of these, the latter interlock cannot electrically detect the position of the hot water supply nozzle in a state in which the connection with the external power source is eliminated. A mechanism to mechanically lock the drive key is provided, and if the nozzle for hot water supply does not return to its original position, a mechanical interlock is provided so that these switches and keys cannot be used. Good.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle that can be operated easily and safely by anyone and can be used regardless of the size of the equipment space.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a hot water and hot water distribution system using a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a molten metal hot water vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle. It is a principal part top view for demonstrating notionally the operation | movement at the time of hot water distribution of a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle. It is the figure which looked at the stop position detection device from the front side of the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle. It is a figure which illustrates notionally the removal | desorption operation | work of the upper cover part of the hot water supply container in an upper cover removal | desorption station. It is a principal part top view for demonstrating the operation | movement at the time of hot water distribution of the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle which concerns on a prior art.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the supply of molten metal as a casting material from the melting furnace (takes out the hot water) and distributes the supplied molten metal to the holding furnace of each casting apparatus. A case where the hot water distribution vehicle according to the present invention is applied to the system will be described as an example. In the following description, the vertical direction is simply referred to as the vertical direction unless otherwise specified.

  FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a hot water and hot water distribution system using a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, this hot water and hot water distribution system is adjacent to a hot water station 10 for performing hot water work in the melting furnace 11, and this hot water station 10 via a communication passage 12. A hot water supply station 20 for performing hot water supply work on the holding furnace 22 (regardless of whether it is in the same building or the same site). And the hot water was discharged at the hot water station 10 by the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 that can travel across the passage 13 in the hot water station 10 and the passage 23 in the hot water station 20 through the communication passage 12. Molten metal is supplied (hot water supply) to a holding furnace 22 of a casting apparatus 21 disposed in the hot water supply station 20.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 includes a tow vehicle 31 and a towed vehicle 33 that is connected to the rear of the tow vehicle 31 and on which a hot water distribution container 32 is placed. In addition, the tow vehicle 31 and the towed vehicle 33 are connected to each other via a joint portion 34 so that the towed vehicle 33 can be tilted with respect to the towed vehicle 31 in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction. It can be towed and run.

  Among these, the tow vehicle 31 is, for example, a connection portion 35 with an external power source 24 (see FIG. 4) disposed in the vicinity of each holding furnace 22 and a pressurized gas (for example, pressurized air) for a hot water supply container. 32 has a pressurized gas injection device 36 for injecting into the interior of 32, and a control panel 37. In this embodiment, the connecting portion 35 is attached to the right side surface portion of the control panel 37 on the holding furnace 22 side when viewed from above the passage 23 in the hot water distribution station 20. The pressurized gas injection device 36 includes a compressor 38 and a pressure adjusting device 39 that adjusts the gas compressed by the compressor 38 to a predetermined pressure. The compressor 38 and the pressure adjustment device 39 are connected via an air distribution pipe such as a hose 40 so that the gas pressurized by the compressor 38 can be fed to the pressure adjustment device 39.

  The towed vehicle 33 has a rotating mechanism 41 that rotates the hot water distribution container 32 around the vertical axis. The rotation mechanism 41 includes a base 42 fixed to the frame portion of the towed vehicle 33, a turntable 43 that rotates relative to the base 42 about the vertical axis, and a motor (not shown) that applies a rotational driving force to the turntable 43. Is omitted). Among these, as shown in FIG. 2, the turntable 43 also serves as a placement table on which the hot water distribution container 32 is placed, and the turntable 43 has a plurality of holding portions protruding upward from the upper surface of the turntable 43. It is possible to hold the hot water supply container 32 placed on the container. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, by driving the motor of the rotation mechanism 41, the rotation base 43 does not move up and down with respect to the base portion 42 (the frame portion of the towed vehicle 33), but around the vertical axis. It is designed to rotate relative to each other. Thus, the hot water supply nozzle 44 of the hot water supply container 32 to be described later is configured to be able to turn at least 90 ° clockwise from a state where the hot water supply nozzle 44 is oriented along the front-rear direction of the towing vehicle 31.

  The hot water distribution container 32 placed on the turntable 43 includes a bottomed tube portion 45 for holding molten metal therein, and an upper lid portion 46 for closing the upper end opening of the bottomed tube portion 45. Have A hot water supply nozzle 44 for supplying the molten metal held in the bottomed cylindrical portion 45 to the holding furnace 22 is attached to the upper lid portion 46. The hot water supply nozzle 44 has a shape extending from the upper portion of the upper lid portion 46 to the outer diameter side thereof, and the lower end portion thereof is inserted into the bottomed cylindrical portion 45 and the outer diameter side thereof. The ends are oriented toward the towing vehicle 31 except during hot water distribution (running). The upper lid portion 46 and the pressure adjusting device 39 provided on the towing vehicle 31 are connected by an air distribution pipe such as a hose 47, and pressurized gas adjusted to a predetermined pressure is supplied into the hot water distribution container 32. It has come to be.

  In this embodiment, the upper lid portion 46 is detachably attached to the bottomed tubular portion 45. For example, the upper lid portion 46 is attached and detached at the upper lid desorption station 14 provided in the tap water station 10. It has come to be. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, a robot arm 15 for holding and removing the upper lid portion 46 is installed at the upper lid attaching / detaching station 14. For removing the upper lid 46 from the hot water distribution container 32 of the hot water vehicle 30, and then running in the hot water station 10 with the upper lid 46 removed, for hot water distribution of the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 that has finished the hot water operation. An upper lid portion 46 is attached to the container 32.

  The hot water distribution vehicle 30 further includes a stop position detection device 50 that detects a stop position of the towed vehicle 33. In this illustrated example, as shown in FIG. 5, the optical sensor 51 includes a plurality of optical sensors 51 provided on the tow vehicle 31 side, and one or a plurality of corresponding reflectors 52 provided on the holding furnace 22 side. The As shown in FIG. 4, when the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 is stopped at a predetermined position where the molten metal in the hot water distribution container 32 can be supplied to the opening 25 of the holding furnace 22, The stop position of the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is determined so that the sensor 51 and the reflection plate 52 face each other in the vehicle width direction, and the optical sensor 51 can receive the reflected light from the reflection plate 52. The attachment position of the reflecting plate 52 is set.

  In this embodiment, the stop position detecting device 50 and the control panel 37 are provided with an interlock relating to a hot water supply operation. That is, the control panel 37 is started by connecting the external power supply 24 to the connection portion 35, and then the optical sensor 51 constituting the stop position detection device 50 is operated. At this time, the control panel 37 is electrically connected to the optical sensor 51, and is also electrically connected to the motor of the rotating mechanism 41 and the pressurized gas injection device 36 to be interlocked. When it is detected by the optical sensor 51 that the towed vehicle 33 is stopped at the hot water supply possible position, a rotation drive operation (for example, by an operator) (for example, according to a command from the control panel 37 that receives the result) The corresponding button pressing operation) becomes effective. In other words, the rotation mechanism 41 and the pressurized gas injection device 36 can be activated by the operator's operation. On the other hand, when it is detected that the hot water supply is disengaged from the position where it is possible to stop the hot water supply, the rotation driving operation (for example, the operation of pressing the corresponding button) by the operator is invalid according to the command from the control panel 37 receiving the result It becomes. In other words, even if the operator performs a regular operation, if the hot water distribution container 32 is not positioned at the hot water distribution available position, both the rotating mechanism 41 and the pressurized gas injection device 36 are activated. I can't do that.

  Further, a plurality of the optical sensors 51 described above are arranged, and a combination with the reflecting plate 52 corresponding to the plurality of optical sensors 51 identifies which holding furnace 22 is located on the side at the time of detection. That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of optical sensors 51 are arranged along the vertical direction, and one or a plurality of reflectors 52 are stopped at a corresponding position (a hot water distribution possible position is stopped). In such a case, it is disposed at a position facing the optical sensor 51 in the vehicle width direction. Here, one or a plurality of reflectors 52 are arranged in a different arrangement manner for each holding furnace 22. This arrangement mode is input to the control panel 37 in advance. Then, all the optical sensors 51 are operated to detect reflected light only at a position where the reflecting plate 52 is located, and the reflecting plate 52 for each holding furnace 22 in which the combination of the detected optical sensors 51 is input in advance. Thus, it is possible to obtain information on which holding furnace 22 the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is currently located on the side.

  Further, in this embodiment, the QR code 53 is attached to one side of the towed vehicle 33 and the holding furnace 22, and the QR reader 54 is attached to the other side, and the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is placed at the hot water supply available position. Is stopped, the QR reader 53 reads the information of the QR code 53. Here, information regarding the type of molten metal filled in the hot water distribution container 32 is input to the QR code 53. By reading this information with the QR reader 54, the molten metal to be distributed in the future is read. The type can be identified. Therefore, by combining with the position recognition system using the combination of the plurality of optical sensors 51 and the reflecting plate 52 described above, the material to be supplied to the holding furnace 22 in front of the present is placed inside the hot water supply container 32. It is possible to identify whether or not the molten metal is held. Therefore, based on the identification result, when the material (molten metal) held in the hot water distribution container 32 is not a material to be distributed, a subsequent hot water supply operation ( Button operation) is disabled. The series of determination and identification operations is performed by the control panel 37 mounted on the towing vehicle 31. The QR code 53 and the QR reader 54 can be arranged other than those described above. For example, the QR code 53 is provided in the hot water supply container 32 and the QR reader 54 is provided on the towed vehicle 33 side. When the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 stops at a possible position, or when the hot water supply nozzle 44 is turned to the hot water available position, the above information input to the QR code 53 is read by the QR reader 54. Also good.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the interlock for preventing the misoperation after hot water supply is provided. Specifically, a mechanical interlock is provided on the control panel 37 to prevent the vehicle from running with the external power supply 24 inserted. For example, when the connection portion 35 of the external power supply 24 is provided inside the control panel 37 of the tow vehicle 31 and the door of the control panel 37 is opened with the drive key of the tow vehicle 31, a mechanical engagement is previously placed in the insertion port of this key. If the connecting means between the external power supply 24 and the connecting portion 35 is not canceled first, the locking state between the locking means and the driving key is maintained, so that the driving key cannot be removed. It has become. Therefore, the drive key can be removed only after the connection with the external power source 24 is released first. Similarly, the hot water supply nozzle 44 is provided with a mechanical interlock for preventing the hot water supply nozzle 44 from running while being rotated toward the holding furnace 22. Specifically, a mechanism for mechanically locking the drive key is provided, and for example, when the hot water supply nozzle 44 returns to the original position (position extending toward the towing vehicle 31), the mechanical lock is provided. On the other hand, in the state where it is forgotten to return from the position at the time of hot water distribution, the mechanical lock is maintained, and as a result, the drive key cannot be removed.

  Further, below the turntable 43 on which the hot water distribution container 32 is placed (more precisely, between the base portion 42 of the rotation mechanism 41 located below the turntable 43 and the frame portion of the towed vehicle 33). Are provided with a plurality of load cells as weight measuring means 55. This weight measuring means 55 is electrically connected to the control panel 37, and when an instruction is received from the control panel 37, an object (here, a hot water supply container 32 including molten metal) located above the weight measuring means 55 is provided. And the weight of the rotation mechanism 41) can be measured. In addition, it is preferable that the said weight measurement operation | work is performed by button operation provided in the control panel 37 by the operator, for example. At this time, a dedicated button for weight measurement may be provided, or a button that is always pressed during hot water distribution work may be used as a button for sending a weight measurement command. For example, since the weight measurement is performed before and after the hot water supply, as described later, after the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is stopped at the hot water supply available position and the external power source 24 and the connecting portion 35 are connected, the operation preparation button The weight measurement command is sent when the hot water is pressed, and after the hot water supply operation is completed, the weight is automatically again set when the power off switch is pressed or when the hot water nozzle 44 is returned to the original position. A measurement command may be sent. Thereby, the weight of the hot water distribution container 32 containing molten metal can be measured reliably and automatically before and after the hot water distribution operation, and the amount of hot water distribution can be calculated from the difference. In addition, the data regarding the calculated hot water distribution amount is transmitted to the hot water amount management unit by performing data communication with the hot water amount management unit 56 by a wireless communication unit provided on the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 side (a dashed line arrow in FIG. 1). Sent. Therefore, at this time, by transmitting information related to the holding furnace 22 as described above, the amount of hot water used per time used for each holding furnace 22 (casting apparatus 21) can be managed.

  Further, in this embodiment, the amount of discharged hot water at the hot water station 10 is managed by the weight measuring means 55 and the hot water amount managing means 56. Specifically, when the upper lid removal station 14 in the hot water discharge station 10 stops at a predetermined position (upper lid removal position) P2 before hot water discharge, an external power source (not shown) is connected to the connecting portion 35. And the weight of the hot water distribution container 32 before hot water discharge is measured by button operation as mentioned above. Then, the hot metal from the melting furnace 11 is finished, and the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 that has returned to the upper lid removal station 14 is stopped at a predetermined position (upper lid mounting position) P4 after the hot water is supplied and connected to an external power source. The weight of the hot water distribution container 32 after hot water is measured by operating the buttons as described above. Thereby, the weight of the hot water distribution container 32 containing the molten metal can be measured before and after the hot water operation, and the amount of hot water discharged per time is calculated by sending the weight data to the hot water amount management means 56 and calculating the difference between them. Can be done. Thus, the weight measurement means 55 provided below the turntable (mounting table) on which the hot water supply container 32 is placed, and the weight data measured before and after the hot water supply or the hot water distribution by the weight measurement means 55. Based on the hot water amount management means 56 that calculates and manages the amount of change in the amount of hot water in the hot water distribution container 32, a hot water amount management system is formed.

  Hereinafter, an example of the hot water supply and hot water supply work when the molten metal hot water supply vehicle having the above-described configuration is used will be described.

  First, a molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 on which a hot water supply container 32 that has been supplied with molten metal at the hot water supply station 10 is placed is run along a passage 23 in the hot water distribution station 20 to require hot water distribution. The hot water distribution container 32 is transported toward the holding furnace 22. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when it arrives in the vicinity of the target holding furnace 22, the hot water distribution container 32 is laid on the holding furnace 22 so that the hot water distribution container 32 and the holding furnace 22 are approximately in the vehicle width direction. The towed vehicle 33 is stopped at a position P1 facing the vehicle. At this time, the operator stops the towed vehicle 33 at the predetermined position (hot water distribution possible position) P <b> 1 by stopping the towed vehicle 31 according to the mark (here, the stop line) shown on the passage 23. Can do. By stopping at an accurate position as described above, the stop position detection device 50 is configured together, and the optical sensor 51 provided on the tow vehicle 31 side and the reflection plate 52 provided on the holding furnace 22 side are connected to the vehicle. Opposite the width direction.

  In this state, the external power supply 24 on the holding furnace 22 side is connected to the connection portion 35 of the towing vehicle 31 to supply power from the external power supply 24 to the control panel 37, and then the operation provided in the control panel 37. When the operator pushes the preparation button, the optical sensor 51 is activated. At this time, as described above, the optical sensor 51 is in a position where the reflected light from the corresponding reflecting plate 52 can be detected, and at this time, the QR code 53 attached to the towed vehicle 33 side is attached to the holding furnace 22. If it is read by the QR reader 54 attached to the side and there is no material error described above, the interlock by the control panel 37 does not operate (can be released). As a result, the subsequent rotation driving operation (in this case, the corresponding button operation) by the operator becomes effective. Therefore, after this, when the operator presses the compressor start button, the gas is compressed by the compressor 38, and when the rotary button is pressed, the turntable 43 of the towed vehicle 33 is moved to the base 42 (the frame portion of the towed vehicle 33). ) Is rotated about the vertical axis, and the hot water distribution container 32 held on the turntable 43 is axially rotated. As a result, the hot water supply nozzle 44 attached to the upper lid portion 46 of the hot water supply container 32 is pivoted by a predetermined angle (from the position indicated by the two-dot chain line to the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4), and the holding furnace 22. The tip of the hot water supply nozzle 44 is disposed above the opening 25. Finally, by pressing the valve opening button for pressurized air, the air pressurized by the compressor 38 is injected into the hot water distribution container 32 through the pressure adjusting device 39, and the hot water distribution container 32 is heated. Press. Thereby, the liquid level of the molten metal held inside the hot water distribution container 32 is pushed down, and the molten metal is discharged to the outside through the hot water distribution nozzle 44 to perform hot water distribution. In this way, when the hot water distribution is completed, the rotation button is pressed to return the hot water supply nozzle 44 to the original position (the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 4), and then the power off switch is pressed. In addition, the connection state between the external power supply 24 and the connection portion 35 is eliminated. Thereby, the mechanical interlock after the hot water distribution described above is released, and traveling (forward operation) by the tow vehicle 31 becomes possible.

  In this way, after a predetermined hot water supply operation is performed around one or a plurality of holding furnaces 22, the hot water supply station 20 moves to the hot water supply station 10 via the communication passage 12. When the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 travels through the passage 13 in the hot water supply station 10 and stops at the upper lid removal position P2 in the upper lid removal station 14, the robot arm 15 is driven and the upper lid of the hot water distribution container 32 is driven. Remove the part 46. And the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 which mounted the hot water distribution container 32 of the state which removed the upper cover part 46 is continuously driven along the channel | path 13, and as shown in FIG. At P3, the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is stopped. Here, the inside of the hot water supply container 32 in a state where the upper lid portion 46 is removed and opened upward is evacuated using a predetermined pulling jig, whereby the molten metal in the melting furnace 11 is transferred to the hot water supply container. 32 is filled. When the hot water discharge operation is completed in this way, the forward movement of the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is started and the vehicle 13 is continuously run on the passage 13. Then, the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 is stopped again at the upper lid attachment position P4 in the upper lid desorption station 14. Here, the robot arm 15 rotates around the axis, and the upper lid portion 46 removed at the upper lid removal position P2 is attached to the upper end opening of the bottomed cylindrical portion 45 again. In this way, after the molten metal is replenished and returned to a state where pressurized hot water distribution is possible, the molten metal is moved again to the hot water distribution station 20 and hot water is distributed to the required holding furnace 22. In addition, by providing a mechanism for further raising and lowering the rotating mechanism 41 in the towed vehicle 33, for example, even when the upper lid portion 46 is fixed (even when the upper lid portion 46 is attached so as not to be removable), the hot water discharge operation is performed. Is possible.

  As described above, the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 includes the tow vehicle 31 and the towed vehicle 33 connected to the rear of the tow vehicle 31, and the hot water distribution container 32 is placed on the towed vehicle 33. Since the sheet is conveyed in a state, the operator's front view is improved as compared with the conventional case, and the safety can be remarkably increased. Further, by providing the towed vehicle 33 with a rotating mechanism 41 that rotates the placed hot water distribution container 32 around the vertical axis, the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 is moved over the passage 23 in the hot water distribution station 20. It is only necessary to travel forward and stop at the side of the holding furnace 22, and the rotating mechanism 41 is driven at this stop position so that the hot water supply nozzle 44 provided in the hot water supply container 32 is placed above the holding furnace 22. Hot water distribution can be performed only by an operation for turning to a position and injecting pressurized gas. Further, the hot water distribution nozzles 44 can be moved forward as they are returned to their original positions without retreating the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 even after the hot water distribution. In this way, hot water distribution can be performed only by the forward and stop operations of the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 and the drive operation of the rotation mechanism 41, so that the operation becomes much simpler than before and operation errors are reduced. Can do. Therefore, even a person who does not have a license for a forklift and has little work experience can perform hot water supply work easily and safely.

  Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the passage 23 is configured so that the holding furnace 22 is always located on one side of the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 (right hand side in the traveling direction in the figure). Therefore, the operator only needs to perform the same operation at all times including the turning operation of the hot water supply nozzle 44. Thereby, an operator's operation mistake can be decreased further and the operativity and safety | security can be improved further. Further, with respect to the functions required of the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30, for example, the rotation direction of the turntable 43 (the turning range of the hot water supply nozzle 44) can be limited. Both the vehicle 30 side and the holding furnace 22 side need only be provided with detection means (light sensor 51, reflector 52) corresponding to only one side thereof. Therefore, a significant cost reduction can be achieved.

  In addition, as described above, since the pressurized hot water supply operation by the molten metal hot water supply vehicle 30 can be performed only by a button operation, even an inexperienced operator can perform hot water supply work easily and reliably. be able to.

  In addition, since the upper lid portion 46 is configured to be removable and the hot water discharge operation from the melting furnace 11 is performed in a state where the upper lid portion 46 is removed before the hot water is discharged, A series of operations up to the hot water distribution can be performed easily and safely without using a conventional forklift.

  Further, the optical sensor 51 constituting the stop position detection device 50 constitutes an interlock before hot water supply, so that it stops at a position other than the hot water supply available position, and when power supply is received, the interlock is activated and the hot water supply is provided. Since the operation cannot be performed, for example, the above-described hot water supply vehicle 30 can be used without any problem even when an external power source is connected to drive the robot arm 15 (removal of the upper cover 46) or to measure the weight in the upper cover detaching station 14. .

  As mentioned above, although one embodiment of the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle according to the present invention has been described, the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle and the hot water distribution system using the hot water distribution vehicle are not limited to the above-described exemplary embodiments. Any form may be taken within the scope of the invention.

  For example, you may make it reduce the time lag from a pressurization start to hot water supply using an electric regulator for the pressure regulator 39 which comprises the pressurized gas injection | pouring apparatus 36. FIG. As a countermeasure against molten metal leakage due to an increase in the internal pressure of the hot water distribution container 32 when the molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 is running, a method of returning the inside of the hot water distribution container 32 to normal pressure when the hot water distribution is completed can be considered. In the case of taking, if there is little remaining molten metal in the hot water distribution container 32, a considerable time is required from the start of pressurization by the pressurized gas injection device 36 to the start of hot water supply, which is not preferable in terms of work efficiency. Therefore, an electric regulator is used as the pressure adjusting device 39, and control is performed so as to inject the pressurized gas into the hot water distribution container 32 while changing the pressure of the pressurized gas in several stages. Save time. Specifically, the pressurized gas was injected while measuring the internal pressure of the hot water distribution container 32, and in the state where the internal pressure was still low, the pressurized gas adjusted to a high pressure was injected, and the internal pressure increased to the vicinity of the hot water distribution pressure. By injecting the pressurized gas adjusted to a relatively low pressure at the time, it is possible to ensure both reduction of working time and safety.

  Moreover, although the case where the optical sensor 51 was provided in the tow vehicle 31 side and the reflecting plate 52 was provided in the holding furnace 22 side was illustrated as the stop position detection apparatus 50 in the said embodiment, of course, a structure other than this is taken. It is also possible. For example, by using detection means such as a distance sensor, the stop position detection device 50 can be configured with only detection means provided on the tow vehicle 31 side. Further, the apparatus for detecting the position relative to the holding furnace 22 is not limited to the apparatus for detecting whether or not the stop position is stopped at a predetermined position, and the stop position detecting apparatus 50 may be used.

  Moreover, although the said embodiment demonstrated the case where the hot water distribution vehicle which concerns on this invention was applied with respect to a hot water supply and hot water distribution system, this invention is applied only to other systems, for example, the hot water distribution system in the hot water distribution station 20. You may apply the hot water distribution vehicle which concerns on.

  Of course, other specific forms can be adopted for matters other than the above as long as the technical significance of the present invention is not lost.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Hot water supply station 11 Melting furnace 12 Communication passage 13 Passage 14 Upper lid removal | desorption station 15 Robot arm 20 Hot water distribution station 21 Casting apparatus 22 Holding furnace 23 Passage 24 External power source 30 Molten metal hot water distribution vehicle 30 Hot water distribution vehicle 31 Towing vehicle 32 For hot water distribution Container 33 Towed vehicle 35 Connecting portion 36 Pressurized gas injection device 37 Control panel 38 Compressor 39 Pressure adjusting device 41 Rotating mechanism 43 Rotating table 44 Nozzle for hot water supply 46 Upper lid portion 50 Stop position detecting device 51 Optical sensor 52 Reflecting plate 53 QR Code 54 QR reader 55 Weight measuring means 56 Hot water quantity managing means 100 Passage 101 Hot water supply vehicle 102 Holding furnace 103 Hot water supply container 104 Hot water supply nozzle P1 Hot water supply possible position P2 Upper lid removal position P3 Hot water outlet possible position P4 Upper lid attachment position

Claims (3)

Travels through a predetermined passage in a factory where a plurality of casting apparatuses are disposed, transports a hot water distribution container holding molten metal therein to a holding furnace of the casting apparatus, and enters the hot water distribution container. A molten metal hot water supply vehicle for supplying the molten metal to the holding furnace through a hot water supply nozzle provided in the hot water supply container by injecting a pressurized gas,
A towed vehicle and a towed vehicle connected to the rear of the towed vehicle and on which the hot water supply container is placed. The towed vehicle moves the placed hot water supply container around a vertical axis. And a rotation mechanism for rotating the
A connection part with an external power supply is further provided, and the external power supply is connected to the connection part to receive power supply from the external power supply, thereby driving the rotating mechanism and injecting the pressurized gas. A molten metal hot water supply vehicle capable of starting a pressurized gas injection device . Further comprising a stop position detection device for detecting the stop position of the towed vehicle, by connecting the external power source to the connection portion, the stop position detection device is operated,
When it is detected by the stop position detection device that the towed vehicle is stopped at a hot water supply possible position, the rotation mechanism and the pressurized gas injection device can be activated, and are separated from the hot water supply possible position and stopped. 2. The molten metal hot water supply vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein neither the rotating mechanism nor the pressurized gas injection device is activated when it is detected . Travels through a predetermined passage in a factory where a plurality of casting apparatuses are disposed, transports a hot water distribution container holding molten metal therein to a holding furnace of the casting apparatus, and enters the hot water distribution container. A molten metal hot water supply vehicle for supplying the molten metal to the holding furnace through a hot water supply nozzle provided in the hot water supply container by injecting a pressurized gas,
A tow vehicle; and a towed vehicle connected to a rear of the tow vehicle via a joint portion, on which the hot water supply container is placed, the towed vehicle being placed on the hot water supply in the placed state between the container has a rotation mechanism for rotating about the vertical axis, or one prior Symbol towing vehicle mounted on the towed vehicle and has been the distribution hot water container, the distribution hot water container in said rotating mechanism A molten metal hot water distribution vehicle is provided with a space of a size capable of arranging the hot water distribution nozzle by rotating the hot water distribution nozzle provided on the surface.

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