JPS5856687B2 - Plant for pneumatic transport of container contents by pipeline - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to pneumatically operated transportation systems, and more particularly to a plant for pneumatic transportation of contents in containers by pipeline.

A plant constructed according to the invention has a relatively large diameter (
It is most suitable for use in transporting containers (1 m or more) by pipeline, in which a plurality of containers having ring seals at their ends are moved simultaneously in a row.

In this text, the term "container" includes not only a single container but also a series of containers, where the ring seals of a series of containers are the ring seals attached to the front and rear containers of the series. It is used in a general sense to include containers that are in the form of containers.

Plants are known for the pneumatic transport of contents in containers having ring seals at both ends by means of pipelines.

This pipeline consists of sections each having a gate structure at its end in the direction of movement of the container.

In the pneumatic transport of contents in containers by pipeline, containers may be placed in certain portions of the route to prevent emergencies such as two or more containers arriving simultaneously at a loading/unloading station or on a steep slope. The problem arises of stabilizing the distribution state of .

It is expected that the flow of containers will become steady after the containers pass through the gate.

A gate in the closed state blocks the cross-sectional area of the pipeline, whereas a gate in the open state allows containers to pass freely.

In the known plast, 1 which communicates with the pipeline
A branch pipe is provided a certain gap away from the gate,
This gap is selected such that only one container is accommodated in the pipeline between the branch pipe and the gate.

The free end of said one branch tube can be selectively communicated with the atmosphere via an air blowing device or a valve device.

In known plants, a further branch pipe communicating with the pipeline is provided at a distance upstream or in front of said branch pipe.

This further branch pipe can communicate with the atmosphere or with the previously mentioned branch pipe via a valve.

In this known plant, the operation for stabilizing the flow rate of containers separates a container that moves a certain length of the path as a leading container from another container that follows after the first container has been captured by a gate. It is done by

This operation is carried out by supplying air into said one branch pipe which has been opened beforehand upstream of said gate.

Thus, with the proper positioning of the vessels from time to time (which, as will be explained below, this was not the norm in hitherto known plants), a pressure drop occurs at the ring seal of the leading vessel, and this pressure drop The container is then dispensed from said section of the conduit via an open gate.

However, in prior art plants, the point at which one of the leading containers moving through this section is captured must be set with relatively high accuracy; e.g.) The situation in which the leading container of a section fails to fully enter the section of the pipeline between the gate and one of the branch pipes and the subsequent container follows closely behind is not prevented.

Therefore, due to the suction action in the area between the rear ring seal of the leading container and the front ring seal of the trailing container, the container after the leading container begins to move, and the trailing container, due to the given momentum, It passes through the section of the branch pipe and follows the lead container away.

Furthermore, in prior art plants, a situation is inevitable in which two adjacent containers likewise reach the gate and the first or leading one is captured in close proximity to the gate.

In such a situation, the front ring seal of the other or subsequent vessel will come to rest in the section of the pipeline to which one branch pipe is connected, so that when transport air begins to flow into this branch pipe, There is a risk that subsequent containers will be delivered after the first container.

Thus, prior art plants are almost always rated to receive containers one at a time, rather than being subject to situations where the principle of disconnecting containers one at a time from each section of the pipeline is not maintained. This is not acceptable if the vessel size and mass are significantly large in view of the damage to parts of the plant, such as the loading/unloading stations of the plant being converted.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages.

The present invention relates to a plant for pneumatically transporting the contents of a container by a pipeline, in which each part of the pipeline has a structure in which one container is continuously delivered from one part of the pipeline to a subsequent part. Its purpose is to provide.

This object is achieved by a plant for the pneumatic transport of containerized loads by means of a pipeline consisting of a trough with a ring seal at its end, said trough communicating with an air blowing device and It is similar to a single branch pipe with a gate installed at a distance in the direction of flow, i.e. on the downstream side, which gate is spaced a certain distance in front of it and has one end in selective communication with the atmosphere and another air blowing device. another branch pipe having one end communicating with said section of the pipeline and disposed in front of said one branch pipe at a certain distance apart, the other end of said another branch pipe being In the plant according to the invention, a portion of each section of the pipeline is in selective communication with the atmosphere and said one branch pipe, the length of which is substantially equal to the gap between the ring seals of each vessel. having a cross-sectional dimension exceeding the cross-sectional area of the line body, and having a guide track for the vessels, a portion of said pipeline being disposed in front of the gate at a distance slightly shorter than the length of each vessel; The branch pipe communicates with a portion of the pipeline within a portion of its length.

The structure disclosed herein provides much more relaxed requirements regarding the accuracy of capturing containers in front of the gate, while at the same time preventing the possibility of more than one container being delivered from the gate at once. Ru.

This ensures that one piece can be delivered continuously from one part of the container pipeline to the next part.

Therefore, the flow rate of containers in the plant is stabilized,
This greatly reduces the possibility of an emergency situation.

It is desirable that one branch pipe communicates with a portion within a distance equivalent to the diameter of the thick meridian portion of the pipeline through the valve.

According to this construction, when the valve is closed, the container moving behind the leading container caught in front of the gate is activated by the air compressed in the section between its front ring seal and this valve. It will be braked.

In this way, the plant configured according to the present invention ensures reliability in the continuous delivery of containers one by one from one site to the next, i.e., reduces the flow rate of containers through gates in the pipeline. This is for stabilization.

The plant constructed according to the invention has a very simple structure, which further enhances the reliability of its performance.

Furthermore, the plant disclosed herein has a sufficiently high throughput due to its inherent ability to be able to supply containers ready to be handled by the loading/unloading station in front of this station at any point in its operation. Capable of transporting loads.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

In the drawing, a plant is disclosed for the transport of loads and loads in containers 2 by pipelines 1 (FIG. 1).

Each container 2 has sealing rings 3 at both ends thereof.

The plant also comprises loading/unloading stations 4 interconnected by pipelines 1.

The plant also has an air blowing device 5 for producing a conveying air stream.

In this embodiment, this air blowing device 5 is located adjacent to and in communication with one loading/unloading station (the station on the left in the figure).

The air blowing device mentioned above may be of any type suitable for the purpose and known per se, and will not be described in detail herein so as not to interfere with the essence of the invention.

Pipeline 1 consists of section 6.

One such section 6 is shown in FIG. 1 as adjoining two loading/unloading stations 4 at both ends thereof.

This part 6 communicates with the air blowing device 5.

A gate 7, in the form of a sliding gate in this example, is attached to the end of each section 6 in the flow direction of the container.

This gate 7 allows free flow of the vessel 2 within the pipeline 1 when opened, and when closed allows the vessel 2 to flow freely through the pipeline 1.
completely interrupts the container 20 and produces a braking action on the container 20 in front or upstream thereof, so that the container can be continuously delivered towards the loading/unloading station.

According to the invention, the sections 60 of length substantially equal to the distance between the ring seals 3 of each container 2 are connected to the pipeline 1
has a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the main body.

In this example, the cross-sectional shape of this section 8 is an ellipse that is elongated in the vertical direction, as shown in FIG.

The lower inner surface of this section 8 has the inner surface shape of the main body of the pipeline 1.

The section 8 is further provided with guide tracks 9 (FIG. 2) through which each container 2 can pass successively.

The sections 8 are spaced apart in front of the gate 7, that is, on the upstream side, by a distance slightly shorter than the length of each container 2.

The plant has a branch pipe 10 whose one end communicates with section 8 of pipeline 1 .

This branch pipe 10 is provided with a valve 11 for closing this branch pipe at the moment of the start of continuous outflow from the section 8 of the container 2.

The other end of the branch pipe 10 can selectively communicate with the atmosphere and another air blowing device, which may be the same as the air blowing device 5 in this example.

Please note the following points.

That is, in this embodiment, the other end of the branch pipe 10 is bifurcated into two pipe portions 12 and 13 at its curved portion.

Pipe line 12 communicates branch pipe 10 with the atmosphere via valve 14 .

The line 13 has a valve 15 and another branch pipe 16 and the pipeline 1
The branch pipe 10 is connected to the air blowing device 5 via.

This other branch pipe 16 is arranged at a certain distance in front of the branch pipe 10, that is, on the upstream side.

The branch pipe 16 has one end in communication with the pipeline 1 and the other end in communication with the atmosphere, i.e. in some cases the other end of the branch pipe 16 can communicate with the pipe line 13 and thus with the atmosphere. It communicates with the conduit 12.

The plant further has a path sensor or pick-up 17.18.19 for producing a signal when the container 2 passes.

This signal is transmitted to gate 7 and valve 11 by means of known and suitable devices which will not be described in detail in this text so as not to interfere with the essence of the invention.
, 14, 15 correspondingly.

The sensors 17 are arranged downstream from the gate 7 at intervals not shorter than the length of the container 2.

The sensor 18 is located immediately behind or downstream of the section 8;
The sensor 19 is arranged in front or upstream of the further branch pipe 16 by a distance equal to the distance traveled by the container 2 during the complete passage of the following container through the gate 7.

If a section 6 of the pipeline does not have at least one loading/unloading station 4 behind the gate 7, the conduit 12 communicates with the pipeline 1 downstream of this gate 7 and also has a continuous section. 6, it is possible to communicate with the atmosphere.

Consider the modified embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.

This plant consists of the same major equipment and components as the plant illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 1, and is labeled with the same reference numbers, with additional equipment and components being numbered sequentially.

In the plant shown in FIG. 3, the pipeline 1 also has a section 6 having a gate 7 at its end, and a section 8 upstream of the gate 7 having a larger cross-sectional area than the main body of the pipeline 10.
has.

A branch pipe 10 communicates with this section 8 and is provided with a valve 11.

The opposite end of the branch pipe 10 can communicate with the atmosphere and with a further air blowing device 20 having an inlet end and an outlet end; for this purpose the branch pipe 10 further includes two conduits 21 and 2.
It is divided into two shapes.

Line 21 connects branch pipe 10 to the atmosphere via valve 23 .

A line 22 connects the branch pipe 10 via a valve 24 with a further air blowing device 20 .

A further branch pipe 16 communicates with the atmosphere via a valve 25 and via the atmosphere with a branch pipe 10 which also communicates with the atmosphere via a line 21.
can be selectively communicated with.

The suction end of the air blowing device 20 communicates with the loading/unloading station via a valve 26.

The operation of the plant shown in FIG. It is characterized by the corresponding position or state of.

Container 2 moves within pipeline 1 in the direction indicated by arrow A.

Assume that gate 7 and valve 15 are closed and valves 11 and 14 are open.

The relative state of this gate 7 and the valves 11, 14, 15 corresponds to the operating stage (2) to be carried out.

The leading container 2 (the container on the right in FIG. 1) passes through the section 8 and closes the gate 7 due to the air compressed between the sealing ring 3 at the front of said container 2 and the closed gate 7. Captured in front.

The air flow provided by the air blowing device 2 flows through the pipeline 1, the section 8, the branch pipe 10, the opened valve 11. valve 14
It flows out into the atmosphere through the pipe 12 which is open.

As soon as the container 2 begins to leave the section 8, the sensor 18 responds.

In response to the signal sent by this sensor 18, the valve 11
is closed, valve 15 is opened, valve 14 remains open, and gate 7 remains closed.

Switching of this system consisting of gate 7 and valves IL14, 15 marks the start of operating stage (2).

The air flow from the air blowing device 5 then flows through the branch pipe 16 and the valve 1.
5 flows out into the atmosphere through the open line 13 and the open line 12 with the valve 14 open.

At this time, each container 2 moving along the section 6 between the branch pipes 10 and 16 is effectively braked by the compression of the air in front of it;
Container 2 moving in pipeline 1 on the upstream side of branch pipe 16
will continue its movement.

If the loading/unloading station 4 is ready to receive successive containers 2 and there are no moving containers 2 in the area between the sensor 19 and the gate 7, the sensor 19 is activated first and then the branch pipe 16 is This means that sufficient time has elapsed to capture the container 2 in the area between it and the gate 7.

In this case, gate 7 opens and valve 11 also opens, but valve 14
The closed valve 15 remains open.

The relative operation of this air switching device corresponds to the operating stage (3) of this plant.

In this operating stage, the air flow from the air blowing device 5 flows into the section 8 via the branch line 16, the line 13 with the open valve 15, and the branch line 10 with the open valve 11.

As a result, a drop in propulsion pressure occurs in the frontmost sealing ring 3 of the container 2 captured just before the gate 7, which container 2 passes through the opening gate 7 to the loading/unloading station 4.
Start exercising towards.

According to the present invention, since the distance from the gate 7 to the section 8 is slightly shorter than the length of the container 2 at the relative position when it has reached the closed gate 7, the container 2 that first arrived at the same time as the gate 7 opens. It should be pointed out that only 1 container is delivered in any case.

This method of sending out the container 2 at the same time when the gate 7 is open (i.e., the method of sending out one container) is such that one of the following containers immediately follows the first container, and the gate 7 is closed. It is maintained even if it reaches 7.

In a real plant, such a situation is very possible, taking into account the acceptable differences between the factors of the vessels, i.e. their mass, speed, etc.

In such a case, i.e. two subsequent containers arrive at the closed gate 7 immediately following the leading container and the valve 11 is closed.
When the leading container 2 stops just before the gate 7 which has opened, the rear seal 3 of this leading container and especially the trailing container 2
The pressure drop occurs exclusively in the front ring seal 3 of the leading vessel 2, since the front seal 3 is located in a section 8 having a cross-sectional area larger than the cross-sectional area of the main body of the pipeline 1.

This condition allows the propulsion air flow to pass freely against the front seal 3 of the leading container 2, creating a pressure drop in this area and producing the above-mentioned delivery action of the leading container 2.

Said container 2, which is idle just before the gate 7, now passes through the open gate 1 along the open pipeline 1 and activates the sensor 17 (in practice, this sensor 17 is used for loading/unloading). (located within the loading/unloading station 4).

The signal sent by the sensor 17 thus activated causes the gate 7 and the valve 15 to close, the valve 14 to open, and the valve 11 to remain open.

In this way, the gate 7 and the valves IL14, 15 are returned to their respective positions corresponding to the unplanted operating stage (2).

The aforementioned operating cycle of the plant is then repeated.

According to the present invention, since the length of each section 60 of the pipeline 1 having a cross section larger than the cross section of the main body of the pipeline 10 is substantially equal to the interval between the ring seals of each container 2, the gate 7 Simultaneously with the opening, only the leading container 2 of the containers moving along the section 6 of the pipeline 10 is delivered (unless this leading container has completely entered the area between the gate 7 and one of the branch pipes 10). Even if the first container is not present), the subsequent container 2 immediately follows the first container.

As already mentioned, such conditions can also occur in real plants, especially when transporting containers of relatively large size and mass.

Even in such a state, delivery of one container 2 is ensured by opening the valve 11 and allowing the propulsion air flow to flow through the valve to section 8 of the pipeline 10 and opening the leading container 2. This creates a pressure drop at the front seal 3 of this container sufficient to allow it to be delivered through the gate 7 which has been opened, but such a pressure drop occurs at the ring seal 3 of the container 2 following the leading container and of other subsequent containers 2. This is because no significant pressure drop occurs.

The operation of the plant according to the modification according to the invention shown in FIG. 3 is also similar to that described above, with a series of similar operating stages
It has ■ and ■.

In the operating stage (2), the gate 7 and the valves 23, 25 and 26 are closed, but the valves 11 and 24 are opened, and the air blowing device 5,
The air flow supplied by 20 propels the container 2 over the entire journey of the pipeline 10 section 6.

At the same time that the leading container 2 activates the sensor 18, the valve 1
1 is closed, valves 23 and 25 are opened and the operating stage (3) of the plant begins.

Upon discharging the air flow supplied by the air blowing device 5 into the atmosphere, the container 2 is connected to one branch pipe 1 in the pipeline 1.
0 and the other branch pipe 16.

The starting of the operating stage in this example is also possible under the same conditions as described for the starting of operating stage 1 in the plant illustrated in FIG.

This condition thus means that the loading/unloading station 4 behind the gate 7 is ready to receive a series of containers 2 and that between the sensor 19 and the gate 7 there are no containers moving in the pipeline 1, i.e. This is the case when a sufficient amount of time has elapsed after the sensor 19 was activated.

At the start of this operation stage (2), the gate 7 is opened and the valves 11 and 26 are opened.
is also open, indicated by valve 24 closing.

The container γ captured in front of the gate γ is propelled by the air flow supplied by the air blowing device 20 through the gate 7 and reaches the loading/unloading station 4 where it is detected by the sensor 1 on the way.
Activate 7.

The signal sent by sensor 1T is connected to gate I and valve 23.
, 26 are closed and valves 11, 24, and 25 are opened to return the plant to operating stage (3).

Thus, the operating cycle starts again from operating stage (2).

If in a very long plant the transport pipeline 1 has to be divided into several sections 6, loading/
The unloading station 4 can be replaced by a partition or locking station of any suitable construction, which is known per se.

In accordance with the present invention, a pilot model of the plant was constructed and tested which demonstrated the operability of the principles implemented in the present plant.

In a series of tests, an operation was repeated in which containers were continuously delivered from one part of the pipeline to a later part, including cases in which a subsequent container actually engaged with a leading container.

These components of the present technology lead to many modifications to plants for pneumatic transport of encased loads by pipeline without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; It should be understood that this is described in the text by way of example only.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a pneumatic transportation plant by a pipeline for a load in a container according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the line of Fig. 1.
An enlarged sectional view of -■ and FIG. 3 are diagrams showing a modification of the plant in which the valley portion communicates with two air blowing devices. 1... Pipeline, 2... Container, 3
...Ring seal, 6...Pipeline section, 1...Gate, 8...Section 6, 9... Guide track, 10...
...branch pipe, 11...valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A pipeline consisting of a section in which each part communicates with an air blowing device and has a gate attached at one end in the direction of movement of the container, and is provided at intervals in front of the gate, a branch pipe having one end in communication with the section of the pipeline and the other end in selective communication with the atmosphere and an air blowing device; Another branch pipe is provided at a certain interval in front of the one branch pipe, the other end of which selectively communicates with the atmosphere and the one branch pipe, and ring seals are provided at both ends by the pipeline. In a plant for pneumatically transporting loads in vessels, said section of each section of the pipeline having a length substantially equal to the spacing between the ring seals of each vessel has a cross-section larger than the cross-section of the pipeline body. having dimensions and having a guide trunk for the container;
The section is spaced in front of the gate by a length slightly less than the length of the valley vessel, and the one branch pipe communicates with a section of the pipeline within the section; A plant characterized in that when a branch pipe is in communication with the air blowing device, the entire range of the section of the pipeline is in communication with the air blowing device. 2. The pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that said one pipeline communicates with said section of the pipeline within its section having an enlarged cross-sectional area of one valve. plant.