JPH04298277A - Caterpillar type moving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow movement without troubles even in a curved passage by using the moving device having caterpillars which are pressed to the side wall of a flow passage and operating on rotation of a vane wheel by the flow of the fluid in the flow passage as a driving power source. CONSTITUTION:The caterpillar 9 operating on the vane wheel 5 rotated by the flow of the fluid in the flow passage 1 are installed by being pressed to the side walls of the flow passage. A forward and backward rotating mechanism 7 transmits the rotating force of the vane wheel 5 to the caterpillars 9 in such a manner that the rotating direction can be changed. The rotation of the caterpillars 9 is reversed. Consequently, the title device movable without troubles even in the curved passage is obtd.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device used, for example, in cleaning a waterway having a curved portion.

0002

[Prior Art] Channels through which fluid flows, such as waterways and rivers for cooling and irrigation, or intake and exhaust ducts, require methods for cleaning the inside of the channels and for transporting objects. be. For example, in power plants, oil complexes, liquefied gas terminals, etc., waterways are provided to introduce seawater for various cooling purposes. However, along with seawater, a large amount of marine organisms such as shellfish, shellfish eggs, and algae flow into these waterways. As a result, a problem arises in that these marine organisms adhere to and accumulate on the walls of waterways.

[0003] Conventionally, cleaning work to remove marine organisms adhering to the walls of waterways has been carried out using only water energy as a power source, using electric wire brushes using robots or methods that do not use chemicals. A moving device using a fixed cable (Japanese Patent Application No. 1993-293837) has been proposed.

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, although the moving device is a simple device that uses the flow of fluid in the channel as a power source, it cannot move along a fixed cable such as a rope stretched in the channel. Therefore, in a flow path having a curved portion, problems such as rope entanglement are likely to occur, making it difficult to use on a curved path. The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a device that can be moved even on curved roads without trouble.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] A moving device according to the present invention includes an endless track whose power source is an impeller that is pressed against a side wall of a flow path and rotates by the flow of fluid in the flow path; The present invention includes a forward/reverse mechanism that transmits rotational force to the endless track in a switchable manner in the direction of rotation and reverses the rotation of the endless track.

[0006]

[Operation] In the present invention, since the moving device is driven by an endless track and travels within the flow path, it can move smoothly even at curved portions of the flow path, and troubles are less likely to occur. Furthermore, the endless track is driven by the rotational force of the impeller, so the device can be moved using only fluid energy as a power source.

[0007]

[Embodiment] Hereinafter, a moving device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of this embodiment, and FIG. Device 9
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the drive mechanism of the bevel gear 7n and the gear 9b.

In the figure, the apparatus of this embodiment moves within a seawater introduction channel 1 installed in a power plant or the like, and cleans the channel wall. The device 4, which is a floating structure, includes two floats 3 parallel to a waterway side wall 2, and a shaft 6 extending between the floats 3 is rotatably supported around an axis. Furthermore, the water wheel (
impeller) 5 is fixed. The water wheel 5 is rotated by the water flow of the waterway, and the endless track 9 is driven by using the rotational force as power, so that the device 4 travels. The endless track 9 is installed on both sides or one side of the device 4, and if it is installed only on one side of the device, a driven wheel is arranged on the opposite side.

The device 4 is also provided with a forward/reverse clutch mechanism 7 for reversing the direction of rotation. Therefore, when the device 4 travels and the clutch lever 8 hits the clutch operating frame 11 installed at the upstream end, the forward/reverse clutch is switched and the endless track 9 begins to rotate in the reverse direction and travels downstream. A clutch actuation frame 12 is also installed at the downstream end, and when the clutch lever 8 hits this, the forward/reverse clutch is switched and the device begins to travel upstream.

In the present invention, since the device 4 is moved by the drive of the endless track 9 which is constantly pressed against the channel wall by the spring 10, the device 4 can run smoothly even on curved sections of the channel. Further, if the brush 13 is attached to the device 4 so as to be in contact with the waterway wall, the waterway wall can be cleaned by reciprocating the device 4 as described above.

The forward/reverse clutch mechanism of this embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. In the figure, in the clutch box 7, a shaft 7a that is connected to the water wheel shaft 6 and rotates together with the water wheel 5, and a shaft 7b are arranged in parallel. Gears 7e and 7h are attached to the shaft 7a in an idling state, and a gear selection means 7j is slidably provided on the shaft 7a between the gears 7e and 7h. 7
Engagement portions for connection with the gear selection means 7j are provided on the inner surfaces of the gears e and 7h.

7e meshes with a gear 7g fixed to the shaft 7b via a gear 7f, and 7h directly meshes with a gear 7i fixed to the shaft 7b. The gear selection means 7j rotates together with the shaft 7a and is connected to a vertically arranged arm 7k. The arm 7k is connected to a pin connecting portion 7l of the Krech lever 8 and 7m separated by a predetermined distance. The gear selection means 7j moves along the shaft 7a centering on the pin joint 7l.

That is, when the clutch lever 8 comes to the position 8c after hitting the downstream end clutch actuating frame 12,
The gear selection means 7j is engaged with the gear 7h by the arm 7k, and the rotation of the shaft 7a is transmitted to the gears 7h and 7i.
Rotate the shaft 7b in the A direction. A of shaft 7b
The rotation in the direction is transmitted to the endless track drive wheel 9a via the bevel gear 7n and the gear 9b, rotating the endless track drive wheel 9a, driving the endless track 9, and moving the device 4 in the upstream direction.

Further, when the clutch lever 8 hits the upstream clutch operating frame 11 at the upstream end and reaches the position 8d, the rotation in the B direction is transmitted from the gear selection means 7j to the gears 7e, 7f, 7g, and the device 4 Start running in the direction.

[0015]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, the present invention is a moving device that travels in a flow path by driving an endless track, so it can move smoothly even in curved parts of the flow path, and troubles are less likely to occur. . Furthermore, the endless track is driven by the rotational force of the impeller, so there is an effect that the device can be moved using only fluid energy as a power source.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a moving device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the clutch box 7 and endless track 9 portion of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the drive mechanism of the bevel gear 7n and gear 9b in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Waterway 2: Channel side wall 3: Float 4: Mobile device 5: Water wheel 6: Central axis 7: Clutch box 7a, 7b: shaft 7e, 7h: Idle gear 7f, 7g, 7i: Fixed gear 7j: Gear selection means 7k: arm 7l: Pin connection part 7m: Arm support part 8: Clutch lever 9: Endless track 9a, 9c: endless track drive wheel 9b: Gear 10: Spring 11: Upstream end clutch operation frame 12: Frame for downstream end clutch operation 13: Cleaning brush

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An endless track whose power source is an impeller that is pressed against a side wall of the flow path and rotates by the flow of fluid in the flow path; An endless track type moving device comprising: a forward/reverse mechanism for transmitting transmission and reversing the rotation of the endless track.