JPH11171302A - Empty container transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To put empty bottles from a case into a hopper without breaking them. SOLUTION: This transfer device is provided with a holding frame 30 which holds a case A whose upper face is opened and is supported rotatably through a center shaft 31, an inverting device for inverting the holding frame 30 through rotation of the center shaft 31, an opening/closing lid 33 covering the upper face of the holding frame 30, an opening/closing means for opening/closing the opening/closing lid 33, an inlet side roller conveyer 60 for carrying the case A from one side of the holding frame 30, and an outlet side roller conveyer 63 for carrying out the inverting empty case A from one side of the holding frame 30, and the opening/closing lid 30 is slowly opened by inverting the case A at the same time through inverting of the holding frame 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an empty container transfer device which is installed in a recycling facility for collecting and recycling empty containers such as empty bottles, and for putting the collected empty containers into a hopper.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the recycling of empty bottles such as glass bottles, these can be reused many times by collecting and washing them. Therefore, these empty bottles are stored in a case and transported to a recycling facility. Then, at the recycling facility, the toner is transferred from the case to the hopper, separated by color and type, washed, and regenerated so that it can be used. On the other hand, broken bottles and glass are also collected. These are separated by color to remove foreign matter,
By being crushed and then melted, it is regenerated as bottle material.

[0003] Here, the empty bottles are housed in a case whose upper surface is open. However, in order to put the empty bottles into the hopper, the empty bottles are conventionally transferred by inverting the cases.

FIG. 9 shows a conventional transfer device. In this transfer device, an arm 2 having a roller conveyor 1 on its upper surface is rotatably supported on a support shaft 4 of a support column 3, and a fall cylinder 5 for rotating the arm 2 by a fixed angle is attached to a stay 6. The arm 2 is provided with a pressing cylinder 8 for fixing the case A on the roller conveyor 1 by pressing the case A on one side plate 7.

[0005] Then, the case A conveyed by the conveyor is pressed on the arm 2 and fixed by the cylinder 8. When the tipping cylinder 5 extends, the arm 2 rotates around the support shaft 4, and the case A falls over toward the hopper H. When the empty bottle in the case A is put into the hopper H, the arm 2 returns to the original position, the empty case A is discharged, and the next case A is conveyed.

Another conventional transfer apparatus is shown in FIGS.
Shown in In this transfer device, a reversing device 1 for reversing the carried-in case A and putting empty bottles into the hopper H is provided.
0 is provided. The reversing device 10 is installed above the hopper H, has roller conveyors 12 and 13 above and below between a pair of rotating plates 11a and 11b, and the roller conveyor 1
2, 13 are provided in a downwardly inclined state. Reversing device 1
An inlet roller conveyor 14 having a downward inclination is provided on the upstream side of 0, and an outlet roller conveyor 15 driven by a chain is provided on the downstream side.

A pair of left and right guide plates 16 are mounted between the rotary plates 11a and 11b, and the upstream rotary plate 11
a is formed with an inlet 17 larger than the case A, and an outlet 18 is formed on the rotary plate 11b on the downstream side. Each of the rotating plates 11a and 11b has a pair of receiving rollers 19.
The rotating plates 11a and 11b are rotated by rotating the receiving roller 19 by a motor or by directly rotating the rotating plates 11a and 11b by a motor via a belt, a chain or the like.

The lower roller conveyor 12 is a roller longer than the width of the case A, and the upper roller conveyor 13
In this example, a short roller is arranged opposite to the case A at an interval slightly smaller than the width of the case A, and the surface of the roller is covered with rubber, and the roller is cantilevered. The lower roller conveyor 12 is located at a position higher than the lower edge of the inlet 17 and lower than the lower edge of the outlet 18, and serves as a stopper 20. The upper roller conveyor 13 is located at the entrance 1
7 is higher than the upper edge of the outlet 18 and lower than the upper edge of the outlet 18. In the figure, 21 is a guide roller, and 22 is a stop ball.

As a result, the case A is conveyed by its own weight on the entrance roller conveyor 14 inclined downward, enters the entrance 17 of the rotary plate 11a on the upstream side, transfers to the lower roller conveyor 12, and stops at the exit 20 at the stopper 20.
Abuts and stops. Then, both rotating plates 11a, 11
When b is rotated clockwise by 180 degrees, case A is inverted as shown in FIG.

[0010] Here, as the case A is turned over, the case A is turned from the upper side to the side and finally to the lower side. I will do it. When all empty bottles in Case A are discharged and Case A is completely inverted,
The upper surface of the case A is supported by the upper roller conveyor 13, and the case A exits from the outlet 18 by its own weight, and is carried out by the outlet roller conveyor 15. At this time,
The next case A is stopped by the stop ball 22 and the like of the upstream rotating plate 11a, and the rotating plate 11
When a and 11b are inverted by 180 degrees, the next case A enters from the entrance 17.

[0011]

In the conventional transfer device,
When the case is turned over, the empty bottles in the case fall at a stretch toward the hopper, so that there is a problem that the empty bottles collide and break.

In particular, in the former transfer device, the case must be inverted from the outside of the hopper to the upper side.
If the case is full of empty bottles, the empty bottles may spill out of the case in the course of turning over the case, dropping without being put into the hopper, and cracking. This limits the amount of empty bottles that can be stored in the case,
The transfer amount per operation is small, and the efficiency becomes poor. In addition, since the arm on which the case is placed is rotated around the support shaft, a limited space near the hopper needs a space that allows the rotation.

Further, in the latter transfer device, the case is inverted above the hopper by rotating the case around an axis parallel to the traveling direction, so that the empty bottle does not fall out of the hopper on the way. However, it is necessary to arrange a driving mechanism such as a receiving roller and a motor in the reversing device in a space between the roller conveyor and the hopper. However, since this space is located above the hopper, the structure for supporting the drive mechanism is complicated. Furthermore, since the case rotates around an axis parallel to the traveling direction, the case will always be inverted while being tilted. There is a risk of being carried out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an empty-container transfer device capable of reliably charging an empty container such as an empty bottle into a hopper without cracking or deformation.

[0015]

The object of the present invention is to provide a holding frame which holds a case whose upper surface is open and is rotatably supported via a central axis, and a holding frame which is rotated by the central axis. An opening / closing lid for covering the upper surface of the holding frame, opening / closing means for opening / closing the opening / closing lid, and carrying-in means for carrying the case containing the empty container from one side of the holding frame, And an unloading means for unloading the empty case from one side of the holding frame.

According to this, after the case is also turned over at the same time by turning the holding frame, the opening / closing lid is opened. Then, as the opening / closing lid opens, the empty containers fall toward the hopper, but a large amount of empty containers does not fall at once. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the fragile empty containers such as empty bottles from colliding with each other and cracking.

[0017]

1 to 6 show an empty bottle transfer apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The transfer device includes a holding frame 30 that holds the case A whose upper surface is opened, and a holding frame 30.
By rotating the central shaft 31 attached to the holding frame 30
Reversing device 32 for reversing the position, opening / closing lid 33 covering the upper surface of holding frame 30, and opening / closing means 34 for opening / closing opening / closing lid 33
And a carrying-in means 35 for carrying the case A from one side of the holding frame 30 and a carrying-out means 36 for carrying out the inverted empty case A from one side of the holding frame 30.

The carrying means 35, the holding frame 30, and the carrying means 36 are arranged in this order along the traveling direction of the case A, and the hopper H is on the side of the holding frame 30,
Below the 0, a chute 37 for dropping empty bottles into the hopper H is installed.

As shown in FIG. 7, the holding frame 30 is composed of a pair of side plates 40, an upper plate 42 having an opening 41 formed thereon, and a loading roller conveyor 43 extending below the side plates 40.
Consists of One side of the upstream side of the holding frame 30 is a case A
Is open so that the case A can enter and exit, and a back plate 44 is provided on the other side on the downstream side so that the case A can be dammed. Loading roller conveyor 43
Is a roller shaft 45 rotatably supported by both side plates 40.
, A pair of rollers 46 are rotatably mounted, and the rollers 46 are disposed apart from each other.

At approximately the center of the outer surface of both side plates 40,
The central shaft 31 is horizontally mounted in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction, and the central shafts 31 on both sides are respectively mounted on bearings 47 by bearings 48.
It is rotatably supported via. Thereby, the holding frame 30 is supported at both ends by the central axis 31 and is rotatable around the central axis 31.

The reversing device 32 has a motor 50 for rotating the central shaft 31, and one end of the central shaft 31 is connected to the motor shaft via a worm gear. By driving the motor 50, the holding frame 30 is switched between the normal posture for receiving the case A and the reversed posture. In the normal posture, the holding frame 30
The other side is in a downwardly inclined state where it is slightly lowered, and the holding frame 30 is in a horizontal state in the inverted posture. Note that a pulley may be attached to the center shaft 31 and driven by a motor via a belt or a chain.

The opening / closing lid 33 is a double-opening lid. A fixed shaft 51 fixed to the opening / closing lid 33 has a bearing 5 mounted on an upper plate 42.
2, and is provided so as to open and close the opening 41 of the upper plate 42. Note that rubber or elastic plastic may be attached to the inner surface of the opening / closing lid 33 so as not to be broken even if the empty bottle hits.

As opening / closing means 34 for opening / closing the opening / closing lid 33, a crank mechanism is used. That is, the crank 53 is fitted to one side of one fixed shaft 51, and the rod 55 of the cylinder 54 is rotatably attached to the tip of the crank 53. A crank 56 is fitted to the other side of the fixed shaft 51, and is connected to a crank 57 fitted to the other fixed shaft 51 by a connecting rod 58. As a result, when the rod 55 of the cylinder 54 extends, one of the fixed shafts 51 rotates, and the connecting rod 58 moves accordingly, and the fixed shafts 51 rotate in opposite directions. Opens. Note that the opening / closing lid 33 may be a one-sided lid, and may be opened / closed by a motor or a cylinder.

As the loading means 35, an inlet roller conveyor 60 arranged upstream of the holding frame 30 is used.
A chain driven roller or a roller having a built-in motor is mounted on the frame 61. here,
When the holding frame 30 is in the normal posture, one side of the loading roller conveyor 43 is at the same level as the entrance-side roller conveyor 60. By driving the entrance-side roller conveyor 60, the case A moves from one side of the holding frame 30 to the mounting roller conveyor 43, and then proceeds by its own weight.

As the unloading means 36, an outlet roller conveyor 62 and an extruding device 63 for extruding the case A from the holding frame 30 are used. Outlet roller conveyor 62
Has the same structure as the entrance-side roller conveyor 60.

In the extruding device 63, when the holding frame 30 is inverted, the case A is also inverted, and the case A is placed on the peripheral portion of the opening 41 on the inner surface of the upper plate 42. Is slid along the inner surface of the upper plate 42 to be transferred from one side of the holding frame 30 to the outlet roller conveyor 62. That is, the L-shaped pressing piece 64 that engages with the bottom of the case A is attached to the chain 65,
Is wound around a pair of sprockets 66, and one of the sprockets 66 is rotationally driven by a motor 67 to move the pressing piece 64 toward the downstream side. Sprocket 6
6 is attached to roller shafts 45 at both ends of the loading roller conveyor 43, and one roller shaft 45
Are connected to the motor 67. In addition, the inner surface of the upper plate 42 and the outlet-side roller conveyor 62 are at the same level, and the case A can be smoothly transferred from the holding frame 30 to the roller conveyor 62. The case A may be pushed out by a cylinder as the pushing device 63.

The inlet and outlet roller conveyors 60 and 62, the reversing device 32, the opening / closing lid 33, and the pushing device 63 are driven and controlled in accordance with a predetermined sequence by a control device such as a microcomputer. A series of operations for putting empty bottles into hopper H from A and carrying out empty case A are automatically performed.

Next, the procedure for transferring empty bottles in the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The case A containing the empty bottles is stacked on the entrance roller conveyor 60, and the case A advances by driving the entrance roller conveyor 60. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, when reaching the holding frame 30 in the normal posture, the case A is moved from the entrance side roller conveyor 60 to the loading roller conveyor 43.
Then, the vehicle advances along the slope to the other side of the holding frame 30, and comes into contact with the pressing piece 64 or the back plate 44 and stops.

When the motor 50 of the reversing device 32 is driven, the holding frame 30 starts rotating clockwise. At this time, since the opening / closing lid 33 is closed, the opening 4 of the upper plate 42 is closed.
1 is closed, and the empty bottle does not fall from the holding frame 30 even during the reversal of the case A. When the holding frame 30 is in the inverted posture, the case A is also inverted, and the upper surface of the case A is placed on the inner surface of the upper plate 42.

Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the cylinder 54 is slowly operated, the opening / closing lid 33 is gradually opened, and the empty bottle falls down along the opening / closing lid 33 little by little. The empty bottle that has fallen from the case A rolls down the hopper H along the chute 37, and the probability that the empty bottles collide with each other is reduced.

Here, if the opening / closing lid 33 is suddenly opened, the empty bottles drop at a stretch, and the danger of collision with the empty bottles increases. However, after the flipping posture, the opening / closing lid 33 is opened slowly. , The falling speed of the empty bottle can be reduced, and the risk of the empty bottle breaking can be reduced.

When all the empty bottles in the case A are put into the hopper H, the extruder 63 is operated. The sprocket 66 is rotated by the drive of the motor 67, and the pressing piece 64 moves toward the downstream side. Then, the push pieces 64 are engaged with the corners of the bottom of the inverted empty case A, and the empty case A is
2 along the inner surface of the outlet roller conveyor 6
Extrude into 2. The empty case A is transferred to the exit-side roller conveyor 62 in the inverted state, and is carried out by the driven exit-side roller conveyor 62.

When the empty case A is discharged from the holding frame 30, the opening / closing lid 33 is closed and the reversing device 32 operates.
The holding frame 30 rotates, the motor 50 is stopped based on an output signal from a limit switch or a position detection sensor or the like, and the holding frame 30 returns to the normal posture. The next case A, which has been transported by the entrance-side roller conveyor 60 and is on standby, is carried in. Thereafter, the above-described empty bottle transfer operation is repeatedly performed.

Thus, the case A in which the empty bottles are stored
Is turned over and the empty bottle is put into the hopper H,
By providing 3, the empty bottle can be dropped with less impact, and the empty bottle can be hardly broken. For example,
In the prior art, the rupture rate of empty bottles was 50%, but can be reduced to about 10%.

Further, by rotating the holding frame 30 about an axis perpendicular to the case advancing direction, the mechanism for reversing can be simplified, and the space around the hopper H can be effectively used. Further, when the case A is loaded and unloaded, if the posture of the holding frame 30 is changed so as to be inclined downward, the case A can be smoothly loaded and unloaded by its own weight, and no power is required. It also saves energy.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and many modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the present invention. The transfer device described above may be applied to transfer of empty cans and empty plastic bottles other than empty bottles.

As the loading means, the entrance roller conveyor may be inclined downward, and the case can be temporarily stopped short of the holding frame by raising and lowering the stopper pin. Similarly, the outlet roller conveyor may be inclined downward. By doing this,
There is no need to drive the roller conveyor, and costs can be reduced.

Further, since the case enters and exits from the same side with respect to the holding frame, it is possible to abolish the exit-side roller conveyor and use the entrance-side roller conveyor for carrying in and carrying out.

[0039]

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, an opening / closing lid for covering the upper surface of a holding frame holding an open-top case is provided, and when the case is inverted by inversion of the holding frame. Since the opening / closing lid is opened, the empty container can be slowly dropped toward the hopper according to the opening. Therefore, it is possible to prevent breakage or deformation of a fragile empty container or an easily deformable empty container,
The work process after loading the hopper becomes easier, and it becomes easier to recycle.

Further, since the holding frame is configured to be inverted around a central axis orthogonal to the case advancing direction, a mechanism for inverting the holding frame is simplified as compared with a structure in which the holding frame is inverted around an axis parallel to the case advancing direction. And can be efficiently arranged even in a limited space near the hopper.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention after a case is inverted.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the transfer device before the case is inverted.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the same.

7A and 7B show a holding frame body, FIG. 7A is a side sectional view, and FIG.
Is a front sectional view

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an inversion operation.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a conventional transfer device.

FIG. 10 is a front sectional view of another conventional transfer device.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 12 is a side view before inversion, also seen from the exit side.

FIG. 13 is a side view after inversion similarly viewed from the exit side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 30 holding frame 31 center axis 32 reversing device 33 opening / closing lid 43 mounting roller conveyor 50 motor 54 cylinder 60 inlet-side roller conveyor 62 outlet-side roller conveyor 64 pressing piece A case H hopper

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] December 22, 1997

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 1

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG.

[Procedure amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Figure 2

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 2

[Procedure amendment 3]

[Document name to be amended] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 5

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

FIG. 5

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An empty container transfer device for charging an empty container accommodated in a case whose upper surface is open into a hopper, wherein the holding frame body holding the case and rotatably supported via a central shaft, A reversing device that rotates a shaft to reverse the holding frame, an opening / closing lid that covers an upper surface of the holding frame,
Opening / closing means for opening / closing the opening / closing lid is provided, and the opening / closing lid is opened so that the empty container falls toward the hopper when the case is inverted by inversion of the holding frame. Empty container transfer device. 2. A carrying means for carrying in a case containing an empty container from one side of the holding frame, and a carrying out means for carrying out an inverted empty case from one side of the holding frame,
The empty container transfer device according to claim 1, wherein the holding frame is inverted in a traveling direction of the case.