JPH0518336Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Field of industrial application) This invention is a method for temporarily storing box-shaped workpieces, such as engine crankcases and cylinder heads, for processing in the next process. The present invention relates to a work stocker which sequentially dispenses works as needed.

(Prior Art) When manufacturing engines, cast materials such as crankcases (or cylinder blocks) and cylinder heads made at foundries are subjected to various machining processes, starting with the process of creating processing standards. It is fed to the machining line. The number of castings sent out from a foundry and the number of castings accepted into a machining line are generally different (a particularly notable example is when a large number of castings are delivered at once by truck transport from a distant factory). ), temporarily store a considerable quantity of casting materials,
Equipment is required to sequentially feed the materials to the machining line according to the requirements of the same line. This type of storage and discharging equipment usually occupies a considerable amount of space, and if space is limited, installation may be difficult and may sometimes interfere with the smooth operation of the machining line. .

(Problem to be solved by the invention) This invention temporarily stores a considerable amount of box-shaped workpieces, such as casting materials, in a narrow space, and sequentially delivers them to the next process as needed. The object of the present invention is to provide a work stocker with a simple structure and low cost that allows for the following.

(Means for solving the problem) The present invention was devised to achieve the above object, and includes a pair of link chains installed in parallel,
A large number of wheel conveyors connected at both ends to corresponding links of each link chain, arranged at a predetermined pitch in the direction of travel of the link chain, and extending laterally, and at least two wheel conveyors. A plurality of roughly box-shaped workpieces are installed across the conveyor and arranged in parallel in the length direction of the conveyor, and wheel conveyors that support the workpieces are placed laterally between each other, and each end is connected to the above-mentioned link. The workpiece is connected to the chain and can move together with the wheel conveyor in the direction of movement of the link chain, and guides the workpiece as it moves laterally on the wheel conveyor, and also guides the workpiece in the direction of movement of the link chain. A guide rod for positioning the workpiece, an actuator for discharging the workpiece disposed at the end of the link chain in the traveling direction and extending and contracting in the lateral direction, and driven by the actuator and juxtaposed on the wheel conveyor. A feeding member for laterally pushing one piece of the workpiece, and a chain drive device for moving the link chain forward by a set number of links when all the works lined up at the end on the advancing direction side have been delivered. The gist of this book is a work stock that is characterized by the following:

(Operation) According to the present invention, between a pair of link chains,
A large number of wheel conveyors connected at both ends to corresponding links and extending laterally are installed in parallel, and at least two
Since a plurality of workpieces are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor across two wheel conveyors, a large number of workpieces can be temporarily stored in a narrow space. In addition, an actuator is installed at the front end of the link chain in the moving direction (of course, this refers to the moving direction of the working side with the workpiece placed on it, and does not mean the moving direction of the return side). The configuration is such that the workpieces are delivered to the next process by horizontally feeding only one workpiece, and when all the workpieces in the front row have been delivered, the link chain is advanced by the set number of links, and the next workpiece row is delivered. Since it is constructed so that it can be moved to the front row, that is, to the payout waiting position, a simple and inexpensive device having both the storage function and the payout function described above is provided.

(Example) The following example will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The reference numeral 10 in the figure generally indicates a work stocker, and the work stocker includes a pair of left and right link chains 12a and 12b that are arranged substantially parallel to each other with appropriate intervals. The link chains 12a and 12b are of a structure well known per se, and are similar to the drive sprocket wheels 14a and 14b on a common shaft (only a portion of which is shown in dashed lines to avoid cluttering the drawing). They are respectively suspended between driven sprockets 16a and 16b on a common shaft and driven simultaneously and at substantially the same angular velocity. That is, a large-diameter deceleration sprocket wheel 18 is connected to the drive sprocket 14a, a small-diameter deceleration sprocket wheel 22 is fixed to the output shaft of the drive motor 20, and a drive chain 24 is connected between both sprocket wheels 18 and 22. is suspended to constitute a chain drive device, and when the operator closes the push button switch 26, the motor 20 rotates via the controller 28, and the link chains 12a and 12b set in advance are rotated. Both link chains are driven forward in the direction of movement shown by arrow A by an amount corresponding to the number. In the illustrated embodiment, link chain 12
A set of three links a and 12b forms a unit for supporting and transporting a workpiece W such as an engine crankcase. As shown in the central part of FIG. 1 with the workpiece W removed, and as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in enlarged side and front views, front and rear outer links P
, Q, and an intermediate inner link R are set as one set, and the links P and Q are connected to both ends of a so-called wheel conveyor 34 in which respective numbers of rollers or wheels 30 are rotatably arranged in parallel in a groove-shaped frame member 32. The parts are connected via mounting fittings 36 and 38, respectively. Further, as best shown in FIG. 2, the intermediate link R has a plurality of wheels (three in the illustrated case, but two may be installed) mounted on a set of wheel conveyors 34. Both ends of a T-shaped guide rod 40 for aligning four or more workpieces W (which may be four or more) in a substantially straight line are connected by a mounting bracket 42. It is obvious that the number of links in a set of link chains that support the workpiece W can be arbitrarily selected depending on the size of each link in the link chain and the size and shape of the workpiece W.

On the other hand, an actuator 44, which is shown as a pneumatic response device in this embodiment, is disposed near the front ends of the link chains 12a and 12b in the direction of movement, and the piston shaft of the actuator 44 is provided with a piston shaft.
A feeding member 46 is fixed. The feeding member 46 engages with each of the plurality of workpieces W and transports the workpieces W.
An engaging member 50 is provided for pushing the material to a conveyor or other conveying means 48 for the next process and discharging the material. In the direction in which the piston shaft of the actuator 44 extends, that is, in the direction of discharging the workpiece W shown by arrow B, each engaging member 50 is fixed on the feeding member 46 to push the workpiece W, and the piston shaft of the actuator 44 In the direction in which the cylinder contracts into the cylinder, that is, in the opposite direction to the arrow B, when it comes into contact with the work W, a spring (not shown) is overcome and rotates, and the cylinder has a structure well known in the art, in which it simply slides along the side of the work. . The actuator 44 is actuated by compressed air stored in a compressed air source 52 and is actuated by a solenoid valve 54.
When the solenoid valve 56 is energized and the solenoid valve 56 is deenergized, its piston shaft extends in the direction of arrow B. Conversely, when the solenoid valve 56 is energized and the solenoid valve 54 is deenergized, , the piston shaft is designed to contract. (Of course, the solenoid valves 54 and 56 can also be configured as one valve device.)
By connecting a movable contact to either fixed contact u or v, the contact can be selectively energized. Note that the member indicated by the dashed line in FIGS. 2 and 3 and designated by the reference numeral 60 is a support member for receiving the weight of a large number of works W acting on the link chains 12a and 12b via the wheel conveyor 34. It may be a simple beam as shown in the figure, or it may be a link chain 12a, using a row of rollers.
The link chain 12a, 12b may be moved easily while supporting the load.
The guide rod 40 may be supported by being disposed in the middle of the guide rod 12b.

In the above configuration, three workpieces W such as engine crankcases are stacked in each row on the workpiece stocker 10 by an appropriate conveyance means (not shown). When the workpiece W is required in the next process, when the operator changes the movable contact of the switch 58 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the contact u, the solenoid valve 54 is energized and the solenoid valve 56 is deenergized. There, the actuator 44 is connected from the compressed air source 52 via the solenoid valve 54.
Compressed air is supplied to the inside, the piston shaft is extended, and the feeding member 46 moves to the right by one workpiece in the direction of arrow B, and each engaging member 50 moves the workpieces W in the front row to the right at the same time. be done. As a result, the rightmost work W
is delivered to the conveying means 48 for the next process. Next, when the operator connects the movable contact of the switch 58 to the contact v as shown in FIG.
is deenergized and the solenoid valve 56 is energized, so that compressed air is supplied from the compressed air source 52 to the actuator 44 via the solenoid valve 56, and the piston shaft and thus the feed member 46 move to the left to the illustrated position. On this occasion,
The engaging member 50 moves to the left while slidingly contacting the side surfaces of the two works W remaining in the front row, and the works W are not moved. Similarly, when all the workpieces W in the front row have been sequentially delivered in accordance with the demands of the next process, when the operator closes the push button switch 26, the motor 20 is driven via the controller 28, and the deceleration sprocket is activated. Sprocket wheels 14a and 14 for driving the link chain are connected via the wheel 22, drive chain 24 and sprocket wheel 18.
b rotates the link chains 12a and 12b by the set number of links, and the workpiece W mounted in the second row in FIG. 1 moves forward to the front row.

By repeating the same operation, the works W loaded on the work stocker 10 are sequentially delivered as necessary. According to this configuration,
In a narrow space limited by a pair of link chains 12a and 12b, a plurality of workpieces W are arranged vertically and horizontally.
can be mounted, so space can be used effectively to store a large number of works W.
Moreover, the workpiece W can be smoothly delivered as necessary. The workpiece stocker 10 has a simple structure because it forms a support floor for the workpiece W using a pair of simple link chains 12a and 12b and a simple wheel conveyor 34 horizontally suspended between each link chain. It is cheap. Further, guide rods are arranged laterally between the wheel conveyors 34 that support the workpieces W, and have both ends connected to the link chains 12a and 12b so that they can move together with the wheel conveyors in the direction of movement of the link chains. By establishing 40,
There is an advantage that the work W is stably guided when the work W moves laterally along the wheel conveyor 34, and when the work W is mounted on the wheel conveyor 34 and the link chain 12.
There is an advantage that the workpiece W is correctly positioned in the direction of movement of the link chain when moving in the direction of movement of the links a and 12b. Furthermore, there is an advantage that the workpiece W can be smoothly delivered by intermittent driving of the actuator 44 and the link chains 12a and 12b, which are inexpensive and reliable, such as a pneumatic response device. Note that it is clear that the number of links in the link chain supporting one row of workpieces can be arbitrarily changed depending on the size, shape, etc. of the workpieces W, and furthermore, the actuator 44 may be any actuator other than a pneumatic response device. It is obvious that the following can be adopted. Further, the engagement member 50 does not need to come into contact with the left end surface of the workpiece W as shown in the figure, and for example, a protrusion on the side surface of the workpiece W can be used. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable not only to production lines for engine crankcases and cylinder heads, but also to any product having a shape suitable for efficient mounting on a work stocker that has a roughly box shape, that is, a rectangular planar shape. It can be widely used for storage and dispensing equipment for workpieces.

(Effect of the invention) As described above, the work stocker according to the invention includes a pair of link chains arranged in parallel, both ends of which are connected to the corresponding links of each link chain, and which extends in the direction of movement of the link chains. A large number of wheel conveyors arranged at a predetermined pitch and extending laterally, and a plurality of wheel conveyors installed across at least two wheel conveyors and arranged in parallel in the length direction of the same conveyors. A box-shaped workpiece and a wheel conveyor supporting the workpiece are arranged in a lateral direction, and both ends of each are connected to the link chain so that the workpiece can move together with the wheel conveyor in the traveling direction of the link chain, and a guide rod that guides the work when it moves laterally on the wheel conveyor and positions the work in relation to the moving direction of the link chain, and a guide rod disposed at the end of the link chain on the traveling direction side. an actuator for discharging works that extends and contracts in the horizontal direction; a feeding member that is driven by the actuator and pushes horizontally one workpiece placed side by side on the wheel conveyor; It is characterized by being equipped with a chain drive device that moves the link chain forward by a set number of links when all the workpieces arranged side by side at the end are taken out, so that a large number of workpieces can be stored by effectively utilizing a narrow space. Moreover, it is possible to provide a work stocker that has a simple structure, is inexpensive, and is less likely to break down, which can be dispensed at any time as needed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
This figure is a partial side view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a front view showing the manner in which the link chain and wheel conveyor in FIG. 2 are connected. 10... Work stock, 12a and 12b...
... Link chain, 14a and 14b ... Drive sprocket wheel, 16a and 16b ... Driven sprocket car, 20 ... Drive motor, 34 ... Wheel conveyor, 40 ... Guide rod, 44 ... Actuator, 46 ... Feeding member , 50... engaging member, 52... compressed air source, 54 and 56... solenoid valve.

Claims (1)

[Utility Model Claims] (a) a pair of link chains arranged in parallel; (b) a number of wheel conveyors, each connected at both ends to a corresponding link of each link chain, arranged at a predetermined pitch in the direction of travel of the link chains and extending laterally; (c) a roughly box-shaped workpiece mounted across at least two wheel conveyors and arranged in parallel along the length of the conveyors; (d) guide rods arranged laterally between the wheel conveyors supporting the workpieces, each connected at both ends to the link chains, capable of moving together with the wheel conveyors in the direction of travel of the link chains, and which guide the workpiece as it moves laterally on the wheel conveyors and position the workpiece in relation to the direction of travel of the link chains; (e) an actuator for discharging the workpiece, arranged at the end of the link chain in the direction of travel and extending and retracting laterally; (f) A work stacker comprising: (a) a feed member driven by the actuator for pushing each workpiece arranged side by side on the wheel conveyor by one piece; and (g) a chain drive device for advancing the link chain by a set number of links when all of the works arranged side by side at the end on the traveling direction side have been discharged.