JPH07317995A - Mounting/demounting method for valve cap of gas container and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automate the mounting/demounting operation of a valve cap by making up the valve cap mounting/demounting device required for filling up gas such as propane and the like into a gas container out of a valve cap removing means, a valve cap mounting means and a valve cap carrying means. CONSTITUTION:The valve cap mounting/demounting device A is equipped with carrying means 10 and 20 carrying each gas container B to a valve cap removing means 1, and positions each gas container carried therein by a positioning means 11. After positioning has been performed, a remover 12 is lowered down to hold each valve cap C, removes each valve cap C out of each gas container B with the remover rotated as is, and is lifted up thereafter. After gas has been filled up, each gas container B is moved to a valve cap mounting means 2 to be positioned, and a mounting machine 22 holding each valve cap C, which is carried in by a calve cap carrying means 3, is lowered down from above to mount each valve cap C to each gas container B by rotation.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for attaching / detaching a valve cap of a gas container, and more particularly to a device for attaching / detaching a valve cap of a gas container used in a work of filling a gas container with gas.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The operation of filling a gas container with liquefied petroleum gas such as propane gas is generally carried out using an automatic gas filling device. In this apparatus, the gas container is intermittently conveyed at a constant stroke by a conveyor, and when the gas filling is completed by the gas filling apparatus, the gas container is conveyed to the discharge side.

A valve cap for protecting the valve is screwed onto the gas container. It must be removed before the gas filling and reattached after the gas filling.
Further, a seal cap is attached to the valve port to indicate that the gas is filled after the gas filling is completed. conventionally,
The above-mentioned valve cap removal and mounting work and seal cap mounting work have been performed manually by humans.

[0004]

However, as described above, if the removal and installation of the valve cap of the gas container and the work of attaching the seal cap are manually carried out by a person, several workers are required to perform only these works. It will be overwhelming. With this, it is not possible to expect high efficiency in the gas filling work.

Further, the gas container is provided with a barrel portion and a cap screwing portion which is provided at the center of the upper portion of the barrel portion and surrounds the valve with the same radius. Although the cap screwing portion has the same radius from the axial center of the body portion as described above in design, there are many cases where there is an error of about 2 mm from the center of the body portion.

An object of the present invention is to improve the efficiency of gas filling work by mechanizing the work of removing and installing the valve cap of the gas container and the work of installing the seal cap. Another object of the present invention is to enable the valve cap to be removed and attached even when the cap screwing portion is slightly displaced from the center of the body portion.

[0007]

The constitution of the present invention taken to solve the above problems is as follows. The first means is a method of attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container, which comprises the step of carrying the gas container and positioning the carried gas container at a position where the valve cap removing device can operate. Process, lowering the valve cap removing device, grasping and rotating the valve cap to remove the valve cap from the gas container, transferring the removed valve cap to the valve cap mounting device side, gas that has been transferred after filling with gas The step of positioning the container at a position where the valve cap attaching device can be operated, the step of lowering and rotating the valve cap attaching device that holds the conveyed valve cap to attach the valve cap to the gas container, This is a method of attaching and detaching the valve cap.

In the second means, in the method of attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the first means, a step of attaching a seal cap to the valve port before the step of attaching the valve cap to the gas container is included. The method of attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container.

The third means is a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container, which comprises a carrying device for carrying the gas container, a valve cap removing device, a valve cap attaching device, and a valve. A valve cap transfer device for transferring the valve cap removed by the cap removing device to the valve cap attaching device side.
The valve cap removal device is provided above the removal positioning device and the removal positioning device that positions the conveyed gas container at a position where the removal machine can operate, and descends to grab the valve cap and rotate in that state. Remover that lifts after removing the valve cap from the gas container, a mounting positioning device that positions the gas container that has been transported after being filled with gas to a position where the valve cap mounting device can operate, and a mounting positioning device And a mounting machine which is provided above the vehicle, grips the conveyed valve cap, descends onto the gas container, rotates while gripping the valve cap, mounts the valve cap on the gas container, and then ascends. , A device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container.

In the fourth means, the removing device in the valve cap attaching / detaching device of the gas container according to the third means is a holding means capable of holding and releasing the valve cap,
Rotating means for rotating the holding means in the screw loosening direction,
The mounting machine is capable of holding and releasing the valve cap, including elevating means for moving the holding means up and down, and transfer means for moving the holding means between the gas container in the fixed position and the valve cap transfer device. Holding means, a rotating means for rotating the holding means in the screw tightening direction, an elevating means for moving the holding means up and down, and a holding means for transferring the holding means to a gas container fixed to the valve cap conveyor. And a transfer means, which is a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container.

In the fifth means, the removal machine freely moves the valve cap holding means in the horizontal direction by following the position of the valve cap when gripping the valve cap attached to the gas container. A device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to a fourth means, which is provided with a means for holding the valve cap and an adjusting means for adjusting the positional deviation of the gas container.

According to the sixth means, the mounting machine can freely move the valve cap holding means in the horizontal direction by following the mounting position of the valve cap of the gas container when mounting the gripped valve cap on the gas container. To
It is a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to a fourth means, which is provided with a holding means for the valve cap and an adjusting means for adjusting the positional deviation of the gas container.

In the seventh means, in the valve cap attaching / detaching device of the gas container according to the third to sixth means, the valve cap is attached to the gas container and the seal cap is attached to the valve port in the preceding step of the device. A device for attaching / detaching a valve cap of a gas container, which is provided with a seal cap attachment device.

[0014]

According to the apparatus for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the present invention, when the liquefied gas such as propane gas is filled into the gas container by using the automatic gas filling device, the gas container is formed in the preceding step of the gas filling. It is possible to remove the valve cap from and to attach the valve cap to the gas container in a later step after filling the gas.

That is, in the device for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the third and fourth means, the empty gas container is intermittently conveyed toward the gas filling machine by the conveying device of the valve cap removing device. To do. The stopped gas container is fixed in position by the removal positioning device.
The holding means of the removing machine is moved to the upper side of the valve cap by the moving means, lowered by the lifting means, and the valve cap is held by the holding means. The valve cap is removed from the valve by rotating the holding means in the screw loosening direction by the rotating means. The holding means is raised, moved, and further lowered to release the holding by the holding means, and the valve cap is placed on the valve cap transport device. Then, the removal machine is returned to the original position.

The valve cap is conveyed to the valve cap attaching device side by the valve cap conveying device. On the other hand, the empty gas container from which the valve cap is removed is sent to the automatic gas filling device, filled with gas, and sent to the valve cap attaching device. In the valve cap attaching device, the gas container is intermittently conveyed toward the discharge side by the conveying device. Then, the stopped gas container is fixed at a predetermined position by the attachment positioning device.

The holding means of the mounting machine is moved to a position above the valve cap on the valve cap transfer device by the transfer means,
The lifting and lowering means lowers the valve cap, and the holding means holds the valve cap. Next, the holding means is raised and moved, and the holding means is positioned above the fixed gas container. The holding means is lowered by the elevating means and rotated in the screw tightening direction by the rotating means to attach the valve cap to the valve. Then, the holding of the valve cap by the holding means is released, and the mounting machine is returned to the original position.

In the device for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the fifth and sixth means, the removing machine and the mounting machine are the caps of the gas container to which the holding means is fixed by the adjusting means. Since the position can be adjusted by following the position, it is possible to deal with the displacement of the valve cap position due to the variation in the dimension of the valve cap attachment part.

In the device for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the seventh means, it is confirmed by the seal cap attaching device that the gas filling is completed in the previous step of attaching the valve cap to the valve by the valve cap attaching device. The cap seal represented can be attached to the valve of the gas container.

[0020]

The present invention will be described in more detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings. 1 is a schematic front view of a valve cap attaching / detaching device for a gas container, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the gas container valve cap attaching / detaching device shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a gas container valve cap attaching / detaching device shown in FIG. It is a side view.

Please refer to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. Reference numeral A denotes a valve cap attaching / detaching device for the gas container, which includes a valve cap removing device 1, a valve cap attaching device 2, a valve cap conveying device 3, and a seal cap attaching device 4.
Is equipped with.

The valve cap attaching / detaching device A has a gate-shaped right frame F1 and a left frame F2. At the upper part of the right frame F1 and the left frame F2, two horizontal frames F3, which are front and rear with respect to the traveling direction of the gas container B,
F3 is installed. A valve cap removing device 1 having a removing machine 12 is provided on the right side of the horizontal frames F3, F3. A valve cap attaching device 2 having an attaching machine 22 is provided on the left side. Further, the valve cap attaching / detaching device A is a supply conveyor 10 that is a device that intermittently conveys the gas container B toward an automatic gas filling machine (not shown).
And a discharge conveyor 20.

[Valve Cap Removing Device 1] FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the removing and positioning device, and FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing the structure of the removing and positioning device. Figure 4,
5 is also referred to. The valve cap removing device 1 is equipped with a removing positioning device 11 for fixing the gas container B so that the valve cap can be removed. The removal positioning device 11 is
It is provided on both sides of the supply conveyor 10 corresponding to the stop position of the gas container B.

The removal positioning device 11 has a receiving portion 111 and a pressing portion 115. The receiving portion 111 is provided on the right side of the pedestal frame F4 provided in the central portion, and the receiving rollers 112, 112 and the receiving roller 113, which are arranged side by side in two stages at substantially the same interval as the radius of the gas container B, are arranged. 113 (shown in FIG. 1).

The pressing portion 115 is provided in the central portion of the lower frame F5 which is provided below the right frame F1. An angle 116 (shown in FIG. 1) is erected on the right end of the lower frame F5, and the base of the air cylinder S1 is rotatably attached to the upper part of the lower frame F5 via a shaft pin.

A stand 117 is fixed to the left end of the lower frame F5. An arm plate 118 is rotatably attached to the table 117 via a shaft pin. To the arm plate 118, a pressing plate 119 having a cross section of “F” is fixed at a required angle. Pressing rollers 110, 110 are provided on both lower sides of the pressing plate 119. The pressing plate 119 and the rod head of the air cylinder S1 are attached so as to be rotatable via a shaft pin.

With the above structure, the air cylinder S1 of the pressing portion 115 is operated to rotate the arm plate 118 to the gas container B side, and the gas container B at the stop position is pressed by the pressing plate 119 and the pressing rollers 110, 110. Then, it can be positioned and fixed at a predetermined position by pressing it against the receiving rollers 112 and 113 of the receiving portion 111.

[Removal Machine 12] FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the essential parts showing the structure of the removal machine. Please also refer to FIG. Removal machine 12
Is provided on the right side of the horizontal frames F3, F3 corresponding to the stop position of the gas container. The horizontal frames F3 and F3 are provided in parallel at a required interval. On the upper surface of the horizontal frames F3, F3, a guide rail 120 that constitutes a transition means,
120 is laid over substantially the entire length.

On the guide rails 120, 120, sliders 122 having transition base plates 121 provided at the four corners are ...
・ It is mounted so that it can be moved back and forth. Further, an air cylinder S2 constituting a transfer means is horizontally attached to the upper surface of the right frame F1. The rod head of the air cylinder S2 is fixed to the right end of the transition base plate 121. In addition, reference numeral 123 is a transition base plate 121.
It is a stopper plate that determines the stop position of.

On the transition base plate 121, two guide tubes 124, 124 constituting a lifting means at right and left sides are arranged at required intervals.
Is provided upright, and the guide tubes 124, 124 pass through the insertion holes 127 of the transition base plate 121 and pass through the guide rods 12.
5,125 are inserted. Guide rod 125, 12
The lower end of 5 is fixed to the elevating base plate 126.

Further, the guide tube 12 of the transition base plate 121
Two air cylinders S3 and S3 (shown in FIG. 2) that constitute an elevating means are attached between Nos. 4 and 124 with the rod head facing down.
It is fixed to. An insertion hole 128 is provided at the center of the elevating base plate 126.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of the main part of the centering portion of the removing machine. At four locations around the insertion hole 128 on the lower surface of the elevating base plate 126, centering brackets 129 having a "U" -shaped cross section that constitute adjusting means for aligning and aligning the axial centers of the removal machine 12 and the valve cap C ... Is fixed.

Oval-shaped recesses 130, 130 (shown in FIG. 6) are formed on the upper and lower surfaces of the centering bracket 129 ...
Is provided. A centering base plate 131, which constitutes an adjusting means, is fitted into the inner concave portion of the centering bracket 129 ...

At four locations near the peripheral edge of the centering base plate 131, oval recesses 132, 132 are provided on the upper and lower surfaces corresponding to the centering brackets 129 ... A steel ball B1 is provided between the recesses 130, 130 of the centering bracket 129 ... And the recesses 132, 132 of the centering base plate 131.
Is rotatably interposed. With this structure, the centering base plate 131 can move in all the horizontal directions within a certain range.

A substantially cylindrical housing 133 (shown in FIG. 6) is fixed to the center of the centering base plate 131. At the center of the housing 133, a rotating body 135 that constitutes a rotating means is attached via ball bearings 134 and 134. An air passage 136 is provided inside the rotating body 135 so as to vertically penetrate therethrough, and an air pipe 137 is connected to an upper portion of the air passage 136. A rotary joint 138 is attached to the air pipe 137, and an air supply pipe 139 is connected to the rotary joint 138.

A toothed pulley 140 is fixedly attached to the outer peripheral portion of the lower portion of the rotating body 135. In addition, the centering base plate 131
A support bracket 141 is attached to the. The support bracket 141 has an air motor M that constitutes a rotating means.
Are attached via a motor bracket 142.

The rotating shaft of the air motor M has a toothed pulley 1
43 is attached. The timing belt 1 that meshes with the toothed pulley 143 and the toothed pulley 140 is provided between the toothed pulley 143 and the toothed pulley 140.
44 is wrapped around.

A cylinder 145, which constitutes a holding means, is fixed to the lower part of the rotating body 135. Cylinder 1
An air passage 146 communicating with the air passage 136 of the rotary body 135 is provided inside the air passage 45, and a piston chamber 147 having a slightly larger diameter is provided at an upper portion of the air passage 146. A piston 148 is accommodated in the piston chamber 147, and a push rod 149 is fixed to the lower portion of the piston 148.

The tip end side of the push rod 149 penetrates the insertion hole 151 of the pressing ring 150 fixed to the lower portion of the cylinder 145 and is projected to the outside. At the tip of the push rod 149, a truncated cone-shaped push cone 152 that is recessed downward is fixed. In the piston chamber 147 and the air passage 146, the piston 1
Coil spring 15 for urging in the direction of pushing up 48
3 is installed.

On the outer peripheral portion of the cylinder 145, there are provided chuck brackets 154 ... Which constitute holding means at three positions at equal angles in the circumferential direction. Chuck bracket 154 ・
Is composed of two bent plates 155 and 155 (the rear side is not visible in the figure) arranged in parallel at required intervals. The chuck bracket 154 ...
In FIG. 6, only one place is shown for convenience of explanation.

Chucks 156 are attached to the lower ends of the chuck brackets 154. The chuck 156 ... Includes the shaft pin 15 between the bending plates 155 and 155.
The upper part is rotatably attached via 7. A contact plate 158 that contacts the push cone 152 is provided above the chucks 156.

A rubber crimping body 159 for picking up the valve cap is attached to the inner surface of the lower portion of the chuck 156. It should be noted that the engaging recess 160 is formed above the contact plate 158.
Are provided, and an elastic body such as an O-ring 161 is wound around the engaging recess 160 of the other abutting plate 158 to urge the chucks 156 ... In the normal state.

According to the above structure, when the air is sent from the air pipe 139, the piston 148 is lowered against the bias of the coil spring 153, and the push rod 1 is pushed.
The push cone 152 at the tip of 49 is lowered. As a result, the contact plates 158 of the chucks 156 ... Are expanded in the clockwise direction in FIG. 6, and the lower pressure-bonding body 159 side is closed. Further, by the operation of the air motor M, the rotating body 135 and the cylinder 145, the chuck bracket 154, ..., The chuck 156 ,.

By the operation of the air cylinder S2,
The horizontal position of the chucks 156 ... Transitions from a position corresponding to the fixed gas container to a position corresponding to the mounting side of the valve cap transfer device 3 described later.
Further, by operating the air cylinders S3, S3, the rotating body 135, the cylinder 145, the chucks 156, ... Attached to the elevating base plate 126 can be lowered to a height at which the valve cap can be held and dropped.

[Valve Cap Mounting Device 2] The valve cap mounting device 2 is provided on the left side of the horizontal frames F3, F3. The valve cap attachment device 2 includes a discharge conveyor 20 that is a device that conveys the gas container B, an attachment positioning device 21, and a valve cap C attachment device 22.

The discharge conveyor 20 intermittently conveys the gas container B, which has been filled with gas, from the automatic gas filling machine toward the discharge side with one stroke in the conveying direction of the gas container B shown in FIG. Mounting positioning device 21 and mounting machine 2
2, the removal positioning device 11 and the removal device 12 of the valve cap removal device 1 are structurally the same except that the disposition directions of the removal positioning device 11 and the removal device 12 are symmetrical, and thus detailed description thereof will be omitted.

In each of the drawings, with respect to the mounting / positioning device 21, the same parts as those of the detaching / positioning device 11 have the same reference numerals (for example, 111 →
211, 115 → 215, 119 → 219, etc.), which will also be used in the description of the attachment positioning device 21 later. Further, regarding the mounting machine 22, the same parts as the respective constituent parts of the removing machine 12 are indicated by the same reference numerals.

[Valve Cap Conveying Device 3] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the valve cap conveying device. A so-called storage conveyor is used as the valve cap transporting device 3, and the valve cap C is slid while being pushed and transported. The valve cap transport device 3 is
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the horizontal frames F3 and F3 are horizontally suspended by a suspension frame F6 at the central portions thereof.

The valve cap transport device 3 has a slide base 30 which is oval in plan view. A side wall 31 is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the slide base 30 over the entire circumference. Further, a friction reducing member such as a nylon sheet (not shown) is laid on the upper surface of the slide base 30 so that the valve cap C to be placed is slippery.

Conveyor gears 32 and 33 are provided near both ends of the slide base 30 in the lengthwise direction.
A chain 34 is wound around the conveyor gears 32 and 33. On the outside of the chain 34, a required number of pushing bars 35, ...
・ ・ Is installed horizontally.

On the inside of the chain 34, the push bar 35 and the bracket 36 corresponding to the intermediate portion of the push bar 35 are provided.
.. are provided at the same intervals as the pushing bar 35. An engagement pin 37 is erected on each base metal fitting 36. An air cylinder S4 is attached to the space inside the chain 34. The rod head of the air cylinder S4 is attached to one end of a slider 39 that reciprocates along the guide rod 38. The slider 39 is provided with a swinging metal fitting 390 that engages with the engaging pin 37 only in the carrying direction and does not engage in the returning direction.

According to the above structure, the valve cap C placed on the slide base 30 by the valve cap removing device 1 is intermittently conveyed in the clockwise direction in this embodiment by the operation of the air cylinder S4. .

(Operation) The operation of the valve cap removing device 1, the valve cap conveying device 3 and the valve cap attaching device 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8. It should be noted that the series of control is performed by combining known means such as a sequencer, a timer, and a sensor. (1) The supply conveyor 10 intermittently conveys the empty gas container B toward the gas filling machine. Removal positioning device 1
By 1, the stopped gas container B is positioned and fixed at a predetermined position. (2) The air cylinder S3 is operated, and the chucks 156 ... Are lowered to a height at which the valve cap C can be held.

(3) Air is sent from the air pipe 139, and the push cone 152 at the tip of the push rod 149 goes down. As a result, the pressure-bonded body 1 under the chucks 156 ...
The 59 side closes and holds the valve cap from three sides. (4) The air motor M operates, the rotating body 135 and the chucks 156 ... Rotate in the direction of loosening the valve cap, and the valve cap C is disengaged from the gas container B.

(5) The air cylinder S3 is operated to contract the rod and raise the chucks 156. (6) The air cylinder S2 is operated to extend the rod, and the valve cap transfer device 3 is moved from the position corresponding to the gas container B.
The chucks 156 ... Are moved while holding the valve cap C to the position corresponding to the mounting side of. (7) Operate the air cylinder S3 to extend the rod,
The chucks 156 are lowered to a height at which the valve cap can be held and dropped.

(8) The push cone 152 is lifted to open the chucks 156 ... And the valve cap C is placed on the slide base 30. (9) The valve cap C on the slide base 30 is intermittently conveyed in the clockwise direction by the operation of the air cylinder S4.

(10) The empty gas container B from which the valve cap has been removed is sent to the automatic gas filling device F, filled with gas, and sent to the valve cap attaching device 2. In addition,
In actual operation, before being sent to the valve cap attaching device 2, the seal cap attaching device 4 described later attaches the seal cap to the valve.

In the valve cap attaching device 2, the removing device 1 performs a series of operations such as gripping the valve cap, moving the valve cap, lowering the valve cap, and screwing the valve cap to the gas container by rotating the valve cap. Since the order is the reverse of the order described, the description will be omitted. Then, the valve cap is attached to the valve of the gas container B.

[Seal cap mounting device 4] FIG. 9 is a view of the seal cap mounting device as seen from the gas filling device side, FIG.
0 is a view from the arrow D of FIG. 9, FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the structure of the seal cap mounting device, and FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of the valve direction adjusting device.

The seal cap mounting device 4 includes a seal cap mounting device 40, a seal cap supply device 58, and a seal cap mounting positioning device 59 for positioning the conveyed gas container at a position where the seal cap mounting device can operate. I have it.

The seal cap mounting machine 40 will be described. Of the horizontal frames F3 installed on the right frame F1 and the left frame F2, the horizontal frame F3 on the gas filling device side
A horizontal frame F7 is erected on the lower side. The seal cap mounting machine 40 is provided on the horizontal frame F7.

On the surface of the horizontal frame F7 on the side of the gas filling device, guide rails 401, 401 constituting a transfer means are vertically arranged side by side. A slider 41 is attached to the guide rails 401, 401 so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction. A base angle 42 is horizontally projected on the slider 41, and guide tubes 43, 43 are provided upright on the tip end side of the slider 41 at a required interval.

The guide rods 4 are attached to the guide tubes 43, 43.
4 and 44 are inserted through the insertion holes of the base angle 42, and an elevating base 45 is fixed to the lower end thereof. Between the guide tubes 43, 43, an air cylinder S5 is attached to the stand angle 42 with the rod head facing down. The tip of the rod head of the air cylinder S5 is a lifting base 45.
It is stuck to.

As will be described later, the elevating board 45 is a centering base plate 4 which can freely move in a horizontal direction within a certain range.
Equipped with 50. Similar to the structure shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the structure for moving the centering base plate 450 is a structure in which a steel ball is interposed between the centering bracket and the centering base plate, and detailed description thereof is omitted. To do.

On the rear surface of the horizontal frame F7, an air cylinder S6 constituting a transfer means is horizontally provided. The rod head of the air cylinder S6 is fixed to the end of the slider 41.

The fixed shaft 4 is provided below the centering base plate 450.
6 is stuck. Ball bearing 4 on fixed shaft 46
A rotary bearing 48 is attached to the fixed shaft 46
It is possible to rotate around. At the lower end of the fixed shaft 46, a truncated cylindrical centering cone 47 having a diameter gradually increasing toward the hem is fixed.

An arm 54 is attached to the rotary bearing 48 so as to be vertically movable via a vertical slide bearing SB. From the rotary bearing 48 to the bracket 48
0 is extended. A coil spring 481 (may be another elastic body such as rubber) biased in the pulling direction is interposed between the bracket 480 and the arm 54, and the arm 54 is pulled upward in the normal state. ing. 482 is a stopper for determining the stop position of the arm 54.

An angle 50 extends downward from the rotary bearing 48. At the lower end of the angle 50, a "U" -shaped adjustment stand 51 is horizontally provided (see FIGS. 9 and 12).
Air cylinders S7 and S7 are attached to both sides of the adjusting table 51 with the rod heads directed inward. The rod head is provided with holding members 52 and 53 for holding the valve neck of the gas container from the lateral direction. The sandwiching member 52 is provided with one roller, and the sandwiching member 53 is provided with two rollers in parallel.

At the position on the opposite side of the angle 50 in the rotary bearing 48, the arm 54 constituting the seal mounting means is provided obliquely downward. A coil spring 483 is interposed between the rotary bearing 48 and the lifting base 45,
As a result, even if the rotary bearing 48 rotates, the suction portion of the air cylinder, which will be described later, returns to the basic position facing the valve port of the gas container B.

At the lower end of the arm 54, a rotor 55 driven by air is provided. An air cylinder S8 is attached to the rotor 55, and the suction portion 5 that sucks the seal cap by sucking air is attached to the rod head of the air cylinder S8.
6 is provided.

The distance from the lower side of the valve port to the center of the valve port is almost the same in any gas container. Therefore, when the air cylinder S8 is rotated in the rotor 55 from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, the rotor 55 is rotated from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction in synchronization with the movement of the air cylinder S8 to engage with the lower side of the valve opening of the gas container. A centering claw 57 is provided to make the valve port and the suction portion 56 face each other.

The rotor 55 is set so as to rotate within a range of 90 degrees in which the air cylinder S8 changes from the vertical state to the horizontal state, and the suction portion 56 faces the valve port of the gas container when the air cylinder S8 is horizontal. Then, attach the seal cap to the valve port.

The seal cap supply device 58 will be described. A seal cap supply device 58, which is a supply means, is provided inside the middle part of the left frame F2. The seal cap supply device 58 has a base plate 580 horizontally fixed to the left frame F2. A supply pipe guide 581 is horizontally provided on the base plate 580. Supply pipe guide 5
81, a plurality of supply pipes 582, 583, 584 ...
Is attached so that the slide can be adjusted.

A large number of seal caps SL are housed in the supply pipes 582, 583, 584 in an overlapping manner, and the laminated body of the seal caps SL is biased upward by a coil spring, air pressure or the like. The supply pipes 582, 583, 584
A flange (not shown) is formed at the upper end of the seal cap SL so that the uppermost part of the seal cap SL is always in contact with this flange and positioned at the upper opening edge of the supply pipes 582, 583, 584. There is.

As described above, the seal cap mounting device 4
Can freely move in the horizontal direction by following the valve portion of the gas container B. For this reason, the seal cap SL
In the case of adsorbing the
There may be a case where it deviates from just above 584. In this case, even if the air cylinder S8 is operated and the rod is extended, the suction portion 5
6 does not contact the seal cap SL and the seal cap SL
Can not be adsorbed.

Therefore, before the dummy valve DV is provided on the base plate 580 and the seal cap SL is sucked, the dummy valve DV is covered with the suction portion 56 to correct the position, and the suction portion 56 supplies the supply pipes 582, 583 and 584. It is located just above.

That is, as is apparent from FIG. 10, the axis of the dummy valve DV and the supply pipes 582, 583, 584.
It is the same as the axis of. When the centering cone 47 is attached to the dummy valve DV, the centering base plate 450 follows and positions the axis. As described above, this position is the same as the axis of the supply pipes 582, 583, 584, and if the air cylinder S8 is in the vertical state and the rod is extended at that position, the suction section 56 causes the supply pipes 582, 583, 5
The seal cap SL can be reached by adsorbing the seal cap SL.

The seal cap mounting / positioning device 59 will be described below. Please refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 together.
Below the seal cap mounting machine 40, a seal cap mounting positioning device 59 for positioning the conveyed gas container B at a position where the seal cap mounting machine 40 can operate.
Is provided.

The rear portion of the horizontal frame F5 on the left frame F2 side is extended rearward from the vertical member of the left frame F2, and the extended portion is provided with a pressing portion 595 of the seal cap attachment positioning device 59. A receiving portion 591 is provided on the center side. The structures of the pressing portion 595 and the receiving portion 591 are the same as the pressing portion 115 and the receiving portion 111 of the removal positioning device 11 described above.
Since the structure is almost the same as that of (1), detailed description will be omitted.

(Operation) The operation of the seal cap mounting device 4 will be described. In addition, a series of control is a sequencer,
This is performed by combining known means such as a timer and a sensor. (1) The rod is extended by the operation of the air cylinder S6, and the slider 41 moves toward the supply pipes 582, 583, 584. (2) The rod is extended by the operation of the air cylinder S5, and the lift base 45 is lowered. As a result, the air cylinder S8
Descends vertically. (3) The rod is extended by the operation of the air cylinder S8, and the suction portion 56 provided on the rod head sucks the seal cap SL in the supply pipe 582.

(4) The rod is contracted by the operation of the air cylinder S5, and the lift base 45 moves upward. (5) The rod contracts due to the operation of the air cylinder S6, and is positioned above the gas container B positioned and fixed by the seal cap attachment positioning device 59. (6) The rod is extended by the operation of the air cylinder S5, and the lift base 45 is lowered. This makes the centering cone 47
Covers and abuts on the upper part of the valve, and centering is performed.

(7) Air cylinders S7, S of the adjusting base 51
7 is actuated and the clamps 52, 53 are crimped to both sides of the valve. At this time, when the direction of the valve port is not in the predetermined direction, the rotary bearing 48 is slightly rotated, and the arm 54 is adjusted so as to be positioned directly in front of the valve port. (8) The rotor 55 operates, the air cylinder S8 becomes horizontal, and at the same time, the centering pawl 57 contacts the lower side of the valve opening from below. At that time, the arm 54 descends according to the height below the valve port, and the height of the rod of the air cylinder S8 becomes the same as the height of the valve port (the axis of the air cylinder S8 and the axis of the valve port are aligned). .

(9) The rod is extended by the operation of the air cylinder S8, and the seal cap SL adsorbed by the adsorbing portion 56 of the rod head is attached to the valve port. (10) Then, each air cylinder operates, the seal cap mounting device 4 returns to the original state, and the above operation is repeated.
The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

[0084]

The present invention having the above-mentioned structure has the following effects. (A) According to the device for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container according to the present invention, when the liquefied petroleum gas such as propane gas is filled into the gas container by using the automatic gas filling device, the gas is used in the preceding step of gas filling. The work of removing the valve cap from the container and attaching the valve cap to the gas container in a later step after gas filling can be mechanized. Therefore, work efficiency is improved, and labor costs can be saved.

(B) In the attachment / detachment device for the valve cap of the gas container, in which the removing unit and the mounting unit are provided with the adjusting unit, the core of the holding unit is made to follow the position of the valve cap of the fixed gas container. Since it can be taken out, it is possible to deal with the positional deviation due to the variation in the dimension of the valve cap attachment part.

(C) In the device for attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container equipped with the seal cap attaching device, a seal indicating that the gas filling is completed in the previous step of attaching the valve cap to the valve with the valve cap attaching device. The cap can be attached to the valve of the gas container, further improving work efficiency.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing an embodiment of a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of a removal positioning device.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing the structure of a removal positioning device.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a main part showing the structure of a removal machine.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of a main part of a centering portion of the removing machine.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the valve cap transport device.

FIG. 9 is a view of the seal cap mounting device as viewed from the gas filling device side.

FIG. 10 is a view on arrow D of FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing the structure of a seal cap mounting device.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view of a valve direction adjusting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

A Valve Cap Removal Device 1 Valve Cap Removal Device 10 Supply Conveyor 11 Removal Positioning Device 111 Receiving Part 115 Pressing Part 12 Removing Machine 120 Guide Rail 121 Transition Base Plate 126 Elevating Base Plate 129 Centering Receiving Bracket 131 Centering Base Plate B1 Steel ball 135 Rotating body M Air motor 145 Cylinder 147 Piston chamber 148 Piston 149 Push rod 152 Push cone 154 Chuck bracket 156 Chuck 158 Contact plate 159 Crimping body 2 Valve cap mounting device 20 Discharge conveyor 21 Mounting positioning device 22 Mounting device 3 Valve cap Transport device 30 Slide base 32, 33 Conveyor gear 34 Chain 35 Pushing bar 36 Metal bracket 37 Engaging pin S4 Air cylinder 38 Guide rod 39 Eider 390 Swing fitting 4 Seal cap mounting device 40 Seal cap mounting device 401 Guide rail 41 Slider 45 Elevating base 450 Centering base plate 46 Fixed shaft 47 Centering cone SB Vertical slide bearing 54 Arm 51 Adjusting stand 52, 53 Clamping member 55 rotor S8 air cylinder 56 suction part 57 centering claw 58 seal cap supply device 59 seal cap mounting positioning device DV dummy valve S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7 air cylinder

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tadataka Sadashima 388 Kyushu Gas Giken, 1428 Nishishinmachi, Tosu City, Saga Prefecture (72) Inventor Yasushi Someya 105 Kyomachi, Kurume City, Fukuoka Bridgestone Kyushu Engineering Co., Ltd. Inside the company (72) Inventor Koji Koga, Takata-cho, Miike-gun, Fukuoka 596 Imafuku, Imafuku Limited company Taiyo Sekkei

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A method of attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container, the method comprising the steps of transporting the gas container, positioning the transported gas container at a position where a valve cap removing device can operate, and The process of removing the valve cap from the gas container by lowering the removal device and grasping and rotating the valve cap, the process of transporting the removed valve cap to the valve cap mounting device side, the gas container that has been transported after filling the gas with the valve cap Attaching and detaching the valve cap of the gas container, including the step of positioning the attachment device at a position where it can be operated, and the step of lowering and rotating the valve cap attachment device holding the transported valve cap to attach the valve cap to the gas container. Method. 2. The method of attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to claim 1, further comprising the step of attaching a seal cap to a valve port before the step of attaching the valve cap to the gas container. Method. 3. A device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container
(A) This device is a transfer device (10, 20) for transferring a gas container, a valve cap removing device (1), a valve cap attaching device (2), and a valve cap removing device (1). The valve cap removing device (1) includes a valve cap transfer device (3) for transferring the valve cap removed in step 1 to the valve cap attachment device (2) side. (12) is located above the removal positioning device (11) and the removal positioning device (11) that positions it so that it can be lowered, grab the valve cap and rotate in that state to remove the valve cap from the gas container. And the ascending / descending machine (12), the mounting device (21) that positions the gas container that has been transported after being filled with gas to a position where the mounting device (2) of the valve cap can operate, and the mounting positioning device (21). A mounting machine installed above (21) that grabs the conveyed valve cap, lowers it onto the gas container, rotates with the valve cap gripped, attaches the valve cap to the gas container, and then ascends ( 22) and a device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container, including and. 4. The apparatus for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to claim 3, wherein the removal machine has a holding means capable of holding and releasing the valve cap, and a rotating means for rotating the holding means in a screw loosening direction. And a moving means for moving the holding means between the gas container in the fixed position and the valve cap transfer device, and the mounting machine holds and releases the valve cap. Holding means, a rotating means for rotating the holding means in the screw tightening direction, an elevating means for raising and lowering the holding means, and a gas container having the holding means fixed to the valve cap conveyer. A device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container, including a transfer means for transferring. 5. The holding machine, when gripping a valve cap attached to a gas container, freely moves the valve cap holding means in the horizontal direction by following the position of the valve cap, and holds the valve cap as a holding means. The valve cap attachment / detachment device for a gas container according to claim 4, further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the positional deviation of the gas container. 6. The mounting machine, when mounting the gripped valve cap on a gas container, freely moves the valve cap holding means in the horizontal direction by following the mounting position of the valve cap of the gas container. The device for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to claim 4, further comprising adjusting means for adjusting the positional deviation between the holding means and the gas container. 7. The apparatus for attaching and detaching a valve cap of a gas container according to claim 3, further comprising a seal cap attaching device for attaching a valve cap to the gas container and attaching a seal cap to a valve port in a preceding step of the device. A device for attaching and removing the valve cap of a gas container.