JPH07232825A - Sorting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sort an object to be conveyed by smoothly pushing out the object to be conveyed which is provided with a protrusion at the bottom of it in a slat type sorting device. CONSTITUTION:In a sorting device, a shovel member 21 provided with a slanted surface which is inclined downward toward the inner side is arranged at the end of a clearance G between slats 2. Under such a constitution, even if a projected object 8 at the bottom of an object to be conveyed 4 is inserted between the slats 2, the projected object 8 is picked up by the shovel member 21 as the object to be conveyed 4 is moved, and then pushed upward. Thus the projected object 8 of the object to be conveyed 4 is fed to a sorting chute 7 passing over a frame cover 10, etc., adjacent to the conveying surface of the sorting device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a slat type in which a moving shoe is moved along a slat to push the conveyed articles on the slats at predetermined positions laterally in the conveying direction for sorting. It relates to a sorting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, a slat type sorting apparatus as shown in FIG. 5 is known as a sorting apparatus suitable for sorting articles having various outer shapes. This slat type sorting apparatus includes a pair of endless chains 1 arranged on both sides of a conveyor frame (not shown), a large number of slats 2 arranged between the chains 1 and arranged in parallel with each other, Moving shoe 3 attached to slat 2
It is mainly composed of and. In such a configuration, when the chain 1 is driven, the slats 2 attached to the chain 1 are also cyclically driven, and the transported object 4 placed on the slats 2 is driven.
Are conveyed in the direction of arrow A.

As shown in FIG. 6, the movable shoe 3 is a slider 5 which is a sliding portion mounted around the slat 2 so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction of the slat 2.
And a shoe cap 6 which is a pushing portion which is attached to the upper portion thereof and pushes the conveyed article 4 on the slat 2. This moving shoe 3 can move laterally in the conveying direction along with the movement of the slats 2 at a predetermined sorting position, so that the conveyed goods 4 on the slats 2 are arranged beside the conveyor frame. It can be sent to a predetermined sorting chute 7.

[0004]

In the conventional general slat type sorting apparatus as described above, the moving shoes 3 on the slats 2 are prevented from coming into contact with the moving shoes 3 on the adjacent slats 2 between the slats 2. A constant gap G is formed. Therefore, when the bottom surface of the conveyed product 4 has irregularities, or when metal fittings such as bolts and nuts project downward from the bottom of the case of the conveyed goods 4 and extend downward, such convex portions and metal fittings are used. Kind of like (hereinafter, referred to as “protrusion”) may enter between the slats 2.

In this case, when the moving shoe 3 is moved laterally in the conveying direction in order to send the conveyed object 4 to the sorting chute 5, the protrusion 8 connects the slat 2 and the chain 1 as shown in FIG. There is a risk that the link plate 9 or the frame cover 10 may be caught and the conveyed product 4 may not be smoothly delivered to the sorting chute 7.

Further, as understood from FIG. 6, the bottom surface 11 of the shoe cap 6 of the movable shoe 3 is a plane which is substantially parallel to the top surface 11 of the slat 2,
In order to minimize friction with the slat 2, a certain gap is formed between the shoe cap 6 and the slat 2. Therefore, as shown in part B of FIG. 5, when the conveyed product 4 is inclined and pushed laterally in the conveying direction during sorting, the corners of the conveyed product 4 have already moved to the sorting side. It may interfere with the shoe 3 ′ and cut into between the shoe cap 6 and the slat 2 (C portion in FIG. 6). Even in such a case, smooth sorting is hindered.

In view of such circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a slat type sorting device which can smoothly and reliably deliver a conveyed product to a sorting chute.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is directed to an endless chain and a plurality of chains attached to the chain and arranged in parallel with each other at a constant interval. Of the slat and a movable shoe movable along the longitudinal direction of the slat, and the slats are configured to push the conveyed object placed on the slat to the side in the conveying direction by the movable shoe. A shovel having an inclined surface, which is arranged at the longitudinal ends of a gap formed between them and can scoop out an object arranged in the gap from the gap when the object is moved toward the end. It is characterized by having a member.

Further, it is preferable to provide a knife edge at a predetermined position of the shovel member.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, at a position adjacent to the side of the conveying surface formed by the slats,
It is characterized in that an inclined surface is provided which is inclined upward from the position lower than the conveying surface toward the outside.

On the other hand, in the invention according to claim 4, the moving shoe has a sliding portion slidably attached to the slats in the longitudinal direction of the slats, and slats integrally provided on the sliding portions. And a pushing portion for pushing the upper conveyed article, the front edge portion of the pushing portion extends toward the opposite side beyond the conveyed article supporting surface of the slat. .

[0012]

In the sorting apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the transported object placed on the slat is pushed by the moving shoe to move laterally, the protrusions on the bottom surface of the transported object enter between the slats. However, the protrusions are scooped up by the shovel member and pushed up as the transported object moves. As a result, the protrusion of the conveyed product can be smoothly transferred to the sorting chute by overcoming the frame cover or the like arranged adjacent to the conveying surface of the sorting device.

Further, if a knife edge is provided at an appropriate position of the shovel, even if a shovel member is caught by a loop-shaped string or the like that hangs down from a conveyed product during sorting, the string or the like can be cut by the knife edge.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the protrusion of the conveyed product that has entered between the slats is pushed upward by the slope provided at the laterally adjacent position of the conveyed surface as the conveyed product moves. Therefore, also in this case, the conveyed product is smoothly delivered to the sorting chute.

Further, when the front edge portion of the pushing portion of the moving shoe is extended beyond the object supporting surface of the slats to the opposite side thereof, the space between the pushing portion and the slats is further increased. The gap is covered up. Therefore, even when the conveyed product is pushed by the moving shoe and rotates to interfere with the succeeding moving shoe, the conveyed product does not bite between the succeeding moving shoe and the slat.

[0016]

The present invention will be described with reference to the following examples.

1 to 3 show the essential parts of a sorting apparatus which is a first embodiment of the present invention. This sorter is a slat type sorter similar to that described in the section of the prior art. Therefore, referring also to FIG. 5, this sorting device is provided with a pair of endless chains 1
Basically, a large number of slats 2 are provided between the chains 1 and a moving shoe 3 attached to each slat 2.

Each chain 1 is a pair of front and rear sprockets (not shown) provided at the front (downstream in the transport direction) end and the rear (upstream in the transport direction) end of a conveyor frame (not shown). It is wrapped in between. The front sprocket is connected to a drive motor, and by driving this drive motor, the chain 1 can be circularly driven.

The slats 2 are arranged in parallel with each other with a constant interval. In this embodiment, a link plate 9 is fixed to each end surface of each slat 2, and the lower portion of the link plate 9 is connected to the chain 1 to connect the slat 2 and the chain 1. The upper edge portion of the link plate 9 does not hinder the lateral delivery of the conveyed article 4 on the slat 2, and the upper surface (conveyed article supporting surface) 1 of the slat 2 is provided.
It is located at or slightly below 2.
It should be noted that the terms "upper" and "lower" used for convenience in the present specification are based on the upper and lower sides when the slat 2 is located on the conveying surface side, and "left" and "right" are The transport direction is the standard.

1 and 2, reference numeral 13 is a running wheel and reference numeral 14 is a guide wheel. The traveling wheel 13 rolls on guide rails 15 formed integrally with the frame covers 10 on both sides of the conveyor frame. The guide wheel 14 moves along the inner surface of the frame cover 10 and comes into contact with the frame cover 10 when the link plate 9 swings laterally to prevent further swinging.

As shown in FIG. 3, the moving shoe 3 is a slider 5 having a substantially cylindrical shape which is slidably fitted in the slat 2.
And a shoe cap 6 attached to the upper part thereof. A guide pin 16 and a guide wheel 17 are provided below the slider 5, which are guided by guide rails 18a and 18b arranged between the slat group on the conveying surface side and the slat group on the return side. It is supposed to be done. Guide rail 18a,
18b has a chain 1 on each side of the conveyor frame
There is a straight guide rail 18a arranged in parallel with the guide rail 18a for sorting, and a guide rail 18b for sorting which extends obliquely from one straight guide rail 18a to the other straight guide rail 18a at the sorting position. 16
The moving shoe 3 can be moved from the right side to the left side, or vice versa, by switching the guide rails through which the etc. pass from straight ahead to sorting.

Further, frame covers 10 for covering the link plates 9 and the sprockets are attached to the left and right sides of the conveyor frame. The upper surface 19 of the frame cover 10 is a smooth flat surface, and is substantially the same as the transportation surface of the sorting device, that is, the upper surface 12 of the slat 2 located on the transportation side, in order to smoothly discharge the transported objects 4 to the side. It is located in the plane. Further, since the upper surface 19 of the frame cover 10 is substantially in the same plane as the upper surface 20 of the inlet portion of the sorting chute 7 arranged on the side portion of the conveyor frame, it also functions as the inlet portion of the sorting chute 7.

Further, according to the present invention, the adjacent slats 2 are
Excavator members 21 are arranged at the left and right end portions of the gaps G having a constant width. The shovel member 21 scoops up the protrusions 8 on the bottom surface of the conveyed object 4 between the slats 2 and takes them out from between the slats 2 to surely transfer them to the upper surface 19 of the frame cover 10. is there.

In this embodiment, the shovel member 21
Is formed by bending an extension portion 22 obtained by extending the front side portion of each link plate 9 in the traveling direction. From the upper edge portion of the extension portion 22 of the link plate 9, the extension portion 2 is formed.
2 extends obliquely downward toward the center of the gap G between the slats 2 facing each other. This shovel member 21 is
The length is set so as not to interfere with the moving shoe 3, and its width (length in the front-rear direction) is the gap G between the slats 2 as much as possible.
Is equal to the width of. Further, the upper end of the shovel member 21, that is, the upper edge of the extension portion 22 of the link plate 9, is
When the link plate 9 is located on the conveying surface side, the height is substantially the same as the upper surface 19 of the frame cover 10,
It is positioned. Furthermore, it is preferable that the slope 23 of the shovel member 21 be as smooth as possible.

Most of the bottom surface 11 of the shoe cap 6 of the movable shoe 3 is arranged with a certain gap from the upper surface 12 of the slat 2 as in the conventional case, but the front edge portion of the shoe cap 6 is formed. (Front edge in the slat traveling direction)
24 projects forward from the front edge of the slat 3 to which the moving shoe 3 is attached, and extends below the upper surface 12 of the slat 2.

The operation of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure will be described below.

First, in the case of sorting a normal conveyed product 4 having a flat bottom surface, it is exactly the same as the conventional case, and when the conveyed product 4 placed on the slat 2 reaches a predetermined sorting position, the conveyed product 4 is conveyed. The guide rail 1 with which the guide pin 16 and the guide wheel 17 of the movable shoe 3 located on the side of 4 are engaged.
Switch 8a and 18b from straight-through to diagonal sorting,
The moving shoe 3 is sequentially moved to the other side. This allows
The conveyed object 4 is pushed laterally in the conveying direction by the shoe cap 6 of the moving shoe 3, and is pushed from above the slat 2 to the frame cover 1
It is sent to a predetermined sorting chute 7 over 0.

On the other hand, there is a protrusion 8 on the bottom surface of the conveyed product 4,
When the protrusion 8 is fitted in the gap G between the slats 2, the moving shoe 3 is moved laterally in the transport direction to push the transport object 4, and in the conventional case, the frame cover 1
There was a possibility of being caught on the edge of 0 (see FIG. 7).
However, in the present invention, since the shovel member 21 is provided, the presence of such protrusions 8 does not pose a problem. That is, when the conveyed product 4 is pushed by the moving shoe 3 and moved laterally in the conveying direction, as shown in FIG.
The protrusion 8 located between the slats 2 is the shovel member 2
When the article 4 is placed on the slope 23 of No. 1 and the transported object 4 further moves, the protrusion 8 rises along the slope 23. Then, when the protrusion 8 reaches the upper end of the shovel member 21, the protrusion 8 moves onto the frame cover 10 arranged at the adjacent position,
As it is, it is smoothly sent to the sorting chute 7.

It should be noted that when the conveyed article 4 is dragging a packing string or the like in a loop shape, this may enter the gap G between the slats 2 and be caught by the shovel member 21.
Such a situation can be dealt with by providing a knife edge 25 at an appropriate position of the shovel member 21 and cutting a hooked loop-shaped cord or the like when the conveyed product is extruded. The knife edge 25 may be formed on a plate-like member 26 fixed to the shovel member 21 by welding or the like as in the illustrated embodiment, but it may be formed at an appropriate position on the edge of the shovel member 21 (for example, in FIG. 1). (Position of reference numeral 27),
Similar effects can be achieved.

Further, as shown in part B of FIG.
When the moving shoe 3 ′ rearward of the moving shoe 3 ′ is located on the sorting side, the corner portion of the conveyed product 4 may interfere with the moving shoe 3 ′ during sorting. In this case, since the front edge portion 24 of the shoe cap 6 of the movable shoe 3 covers the gap between the slat 2 and the shoe cap 6, there is almost no possibility that the corner portion of the conveyed product 4 will enter the gap. . Therefore,
Even if the corner of the conveyed product 4 interferes with the succeeding moving shoe 3, the conveyed product 4 slips through the front side of the moving shoe 3 and is smoothly delivered to the sorting chute 7. Incidentally, when there is a possibility that the conveyed article 4 interferes with the preceding moving shoe 3, it is desirable that the trailing edge portion of the shoe cap 6 also extends downward like the leading edge portion.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, but the above embodiment can be variously modified or modified.

For example, in the above embodiment, the shovel member 2
1 is provided on the extension portion 22 on the front side in the traveling direction of the link plate 9, but it may be disposed on the rear side in the traveling direction of the link plate 9 as long as it is disposed in the gap G between the slats 2.

The shovel member 21 is formed by bending the link plate 9, but it is attached to the link plate 9 by welding or the like, or is attached to the slat 2 itself, or a slat or a link. It may be directly attached to the chain 1 separately from the plate 9.

Furthermore, although the slope 23 of the shovel member 21 is a flat surface in the above embodiment, it may be curved in a convex or concave shape. In particular, it is effective to bend the lower end portion of the shovel member 21 downward so that the protrusion 8 can be smoothly mounted on the slope 23 of the shovel member 21.

Further, the sorting device in the above-mentioned embodiment is a double-sided sorting type in which sorting chutes 7 are arranged on both left and right sides. The member 21 may be provided.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the essential parts showing the second embodiment of the present invention. The basic configuration of the sorting apparatus of this embodiment is the same as that of the conventional configuration and that of the first embodiment, and the same or corresponding parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
In the sorting apparatus of this embodiment, the link plate 9 is not provided with the extension portion 22 and is not provided with the shovel member 21. Therefore, the portion facing the gap between the slats 2 is wide open. On the other hand, unlike the first embodiment, the upper portion 30 of the frame cover 10 is bent downward toward the slat 2 side, and the upper surface 31 is an inclined surface.

In such a structure, when the protrusion 8 of the conveyed object 4 enters between the slats 2, when the conveyed object 4 is moved laterally in the conveying direction during sorting, the protrusion 8 moves between the link plates 9. After passing through, it is placed on the slope 31 of the frame cover 10, lifted along the slope 31 as it is, and sent to the adjacent sorting chute 7. Therefore, the sorting apparatus according to the second embodiment also has the shovel member 21.
The same effect as that of the first embodiment in which the projection 8 is scooped up by the above is obtained, but the slope 31 is formed by the frame cover 1.
Since it is formed continuously in the longitudinal direction of 0, there is no problem at all such that the string hanging from the conveyed product 4 is caught.

The slope 31 need not be formed over the entire length of the frame cover 10, but may be formed at least in a portion adjacent to the sorting chute 7.

[0039]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the transported object placed on the slat is pushed by the moving shoe and moves laterally, the protrusions on the bottom surface of the transported object are With the movement, the slopes adjacent to the shovel member or the conveying surface are scooped up and pushed upward, so that even a conveyed object having a protrusion can be smoothly delivered to the sorting chute.

In the case of using the shovel member, if the shovel member is provided with a knife edge, the string or the like dragged by the conveyed object can be cut, and the conveyed object is smoothly discharged without being caught by the shovel member. be able to.

Further, by extending the front edge of the moving shoe, it is possible to prevent the conveyed product from biting into the succeeding moving shoe.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to smoothly carry out the sorting operation of the conveyed articles, and the labor required for the maintenance management of the sorting apparatus can be greatly reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a sorting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, which is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the sorting device as viewed along the line II-II in FIG. 1, showing a frame cover and guide rails omitted.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an embodiment of a moving shoe in the sorting apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1, showing the sorting apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a sorting state of conveyed products in a general sorting device.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing the shape of a moving shoe in a conventional sorting device.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a protrusion of a conveyed product is caught on a frame cover in a conventional sorting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Chain, 2 ... Slat, 3 ... Moving shoe, 4 ... Transported object, 5 ... Slider (sliding part), 6 ... Shoe cap (pushing part), 7 ... Sorting chute, 8 ... Projection, 9 ...
Link plate, 10 ... Frame cover, 12 ... Slat upper surface (transported object support surface), 21 ... Shovel member, 22
... extension of link plate, 23 ... slope of shovel member, 24 ... front edge of shoe cap, 25 ... knife edge, 31 ... slope of frame cover.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A chain (1) stretched endlessly
And a plurality of slats (2) attached to the chain (1) and arranged in parallel at regular intervals,
A movable shoe (3) movable along the longitudinal direction of the slat (2), and the transported object (4) placed on the slat (2) is moved by the movable shoe (3) in the transport direction. In a sorting device adapted to push out laterally, an object (8) arranged at the longitudinal end of the gap (G) formed between the slats (3) and arranged in the gap (G). ) Is provided with a shovel member (21) having a slope (23) from which the object (8) can be scooped out of the gap (G) when moved toward the end. . 2. The sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a knife edge (25) is provided at a predetermined position of the shovel member (21). 3. A chain (1) stretched endlessly
And a plurality of slats (2) attached to the chain (1) and arranged in parallel at regular intervals,
A movable shoe (3) movable along the longitudinal direction of the slat (2), and the transported object (4) placed on the slat (2) is moved by the movable shoe (3) in the transport direction. In a sorting device adapted to be pushed out to the side, at a position adjacent to the lateral side of the conveying surface formed by the slats (2), a slope inclined upward from the position lower than the conveying surface toward the outside. (31) is provided, The sorting device characterized by the above-mentioned. 4. A chain (1) stretched endlessly.
And a plurality of slats (2) attached to the chain (1) and arranged in parallel at regular intervals,
A movable shoe (3) movable along the longitudinal direction of the slat (2), and the transported object (4) placed on the slat (2) is moved by the movable shoe (3) in the transport direction. In a sorting device adapted to push out laterally, the moving shoe (3) has a sliding part (5) slidably attached to the slats (2) in the longitudinal direction of the slats (2). And a pushing portion (6) which is provided integrally with the sliding portion (5) and pushes the conveyed article (4) on the slat (2), and a front edge of the pushing portion (6) The part (24) is the transported object support surface (12) of the slat (2).
A sorting device characterized in that it extends toward the opposite side over the.