WO2013057068A9

WO2013057068A9 - Mixing head-moving apparatus of pouring machine and pouring system

Info

Publication number: WO2013057068A9
Application number: PCT/EP2012/070383
Authority: WO
Inventors: Chenxi Zhang; Cheng HAO; Xiaoqiang He; Zhao Hui; Sun GANG; Huang WEIKAI
Original assignee: Bayer Intellectual Property Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-10-19
Filing date: 2012-10-15
Publication date: 2013-05-23
Also published as: CN103061215A; WO2013057068A2; WO2013057068A3

Abstract

The present invention discloses a mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine and a pouring system comprising the mixing head-moving apparatus. The mixing head-moving apparatus comprises a moveable platform, a trolley disposed on the platform and moving reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a transversely driving device disposed on the platform and the trolley and configured to drive the trolley to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a vertically driving device disposed on the trolley and configured to carry the mixing head to move reciprocatingly vertically, and a controller configured to control the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device so as to move the mixing head to a predetermined position. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine and the pouring system comprising the mixing head-moving apparatus according to the present invention can save man power and time for example when a lot of pouring sites are poured along the ballast track bed.

Description

MIXING HEAD-MOVING APPARATUS OF POURING MACHINE AND

POURING SYSETEM

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a moving apparatus for moving a mixing head of a pouring machine, particularly to a moving apparatus for moving a mixing head of polyurethane pouring machine for pouring a ballast track bed, and a pouring system having the mixing head-moving apparatus.

Background of the Invention

In recent years, along with quick growth of people's travel and cargo transportation, railway transportation is increasingly needed. Currently, railway tracks include ballast tracks and ballast-free tracks, wherein ballast tracks have advantages such as good universality in use and low construction costs and therefore are used in a broad scope.

A railway track bed usually refers to a ballast layer laid beneath sleepers and above a railway bed, serves as a basis for a track frame, mainly functions to support sleepers, distributes a massive railway vehicle load transferred from the steel rail and sleepers evenly to a surface of a railroad bed, reduces deformations of the railway bed, and ensures safety of train operation. Besides, the ballast also functions to buffer and absorb shock.

In order to meet high requirements for the ballast track and reduce shock to the ballast track bed applied by massive load of high-speed and heavy-duty trains transferred via the rails and sleepers, the ballast track bed may be cured with polyurethane glue so that the ballast stone materials forming the ballast track bed are not liable to collision, shifting, break and sandification so as to ease deformations and degradation of function of the ballast track bed, prolong repair and maintenance cycle and improve the service life.

US2007172590A discloses a method of constructing a ballast track bed which comprises ballast stone materials and polyurethane foam, wherein the polyurethane foam is prepared from a reaction mixture of isocyanate and a compound capable of reacting with the isocyanate. EP1619305 discloses a method of introducing a foaming material to ballast gaps of the ballast track bed to improve the bearing capacity of the track bed, wherein the foaming material will cure after introduction. The foaming material may be multi-component polymer such as polyurethane foam. The method is implemented by applying the polyurethane into the gaps of track ballast in a pouring manner.

Summary of the Invention

When a conventional polyurethane ballast track bed is constructed, considerable polyurethane pouring sites need to be formed on the track bed, generally 20,000-50,000 sites are formed on each kilometer of track bed. If pouring is finished for so many pouring sites with polyurethane only by virtue of man power, it is a considerable workload and needs to consume a lot of time. However, for an existing line, a polyurethane ballast track bed has only to be prepared by taking advantage of a short train outage "skylight period". Therefore, there is a need for a time and labor-consuming construction operation method.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine and a pouring system comprising the mixing head-moving apparatus. The mixing head-moving apparatus comprises a moveable platform, a trolley disposed on the platform and configured to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a transversely driving device configured to drive the trolley to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a vertically driving device disposed on the trolley and configured to carry the mixing head to move reciprocatingly vertically, and a controller configured to control the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device so as to move the mixing head to a predetermined position. The "transverse" direction refers to a direction perpendicular to a movement direction of the platform (i.e., an extension direction of the sleepers of the track).

The transversely driving device may comprise a first transversely driving portion disposed on the platform and a second transversely driving portion disposed on the trolley and configured to move transversely relative to the first transversely driving portion.

The vertically driving device may comprise a first vertically driving portion disposed on the trolley and a second vertically driving portion configured to carry the mixing head to move vertically relative to the first vertically driving portion.

Preferably, a sensor for sensing a position may be provided between the platform and the trolley to communicate with the controller.

Preferably, a sensor for sensing a position may be provided between the trolley and the vertically driving device to communicate with the controller.

The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine and the pouring system comprising the mixing head-moving apparatus according to the present invention can save man power and time for example when a lot of pouring sites are poured along the ballast track bed.

Brief Description of Drawings

Fig.l is a front view of a mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein partial components are not shown for the sake of clarity.

Fig.2 is a side view of a mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein partial components are not shown for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 3 is a top view of a mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein partial components are not shown for the sake of clarity.

Fig.4 is a perspective view of a vertically driving device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

The mixing head-moving apparatus of the pouring machine according to the present invention and a pouring system using this mixing head-moving apparatus can be applied to many occasions on which pouring sites need to be poured. The pouring system according to the present invention comprises a pouring machine which comprises a mixing head. The mixing head is mounted on the mixing head-moving apparatus and moved by the mixing head-moving apparatus to predetermined pouring positions. The materials to be poured, after being mixed in the mixing head, are injected into a pouring site via one or more material discharge pipes fixed on the mixing head.

In the following description of specific embodiments, although it takes polyurethane pouring for a ballast track bed as an example, those skilled in the art should appreciate that the description is only intended to illustrate principles of the present invention by way of examples, not to limit the protection scope and application scope of the present invention.

Fig.l is a front view of a mixing head-moving apparatus (hereunder referred to as "the moving apparatus") of a ballast track bed pouring machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig.2 and Fig.3 are a side view and a top view respectively. For the sake of clarity, partial components are omitted from these figures. Fig.4 is a perspective view of a vertically driving device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. l, a ballast track bed 1 serves as an object to be poured. A sleeper 2 is supported on the ballast track bed 1, and a steel rail 3 is fixed on the sleeper 2. The ballast track bed 1 has pouring sites marked by□,□,□,□,□ and□ in the figure. The number and positions of the pouring sites may vary with needs and are not limited to the situation shown in the figure.

The polyurethane reaction system used in the present invention is preferably but not limited to monocomponent, bicomponent or multicomponent polyurethane reaction system, and a bicomponent polyurethane reaction system is particularly preferable.

The bicomponent polyurethane reaction system includes component A dominated by isocyanate and component B dominated by polylol, amino -terminated polyether, or their mixture.

Component A includes one or more polyisocyanates. Polyisocyanates can be represented by general formula R(NCO)_n, wherein R represents an aliphatic group containing 2-18 carbon atoms, an aryl group containing 6-15 carbon atoms, an aryl aliphatic group containing 8-15 carbon atoms, n=2-4.

The polyisocyanate is preferably but not limited to vinyl diisocyanate, tetramethylene- 1 ,4-diisocyanate, hexadiisocyanate (HDI), dodecyl- 1 ,2-diisocyanate, cyclo butane- 1 ,3-diisocyanate, cyclohexane- 1 ,3-diisocyanate, cyclo hexane- 1 ,4-diisocyanate, l-isocyanate-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanate methyl cyclohexane, hexahydrotoluene-2,4- diisocyanate, hexahydrobenzene- 1 ,3-diisocyanate, hexahydrobenzene- 1 ,4-diisocyanate, perhydro-diphenylmethane-2,4-diisocyanate, perhydro-diphenylmethane-4,4-diisocyanate, phenylene- 1 ,3-diisocyanate, phenylene-l,4-diisocyanate, durene-l,4-diisocyanate, stilbene

-stilbene-l,4-diisocyanate, 3,3-dimethyl-4,4-diphenyl diisocyanate, toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI), toluene-2,6-diisocyanate (TDI), diphenylmethane-2,4'-diisocyanate (MDI), diphenylmethane-2,2'-diisocyanate (MDI), diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (MDI), naphthylene-l,5-diisocyanate (NDI), their isomers, the mixtures between them and their isomers.

The polyisocyanate can also include carbodiimide, allophanate, or isocyanate obtained from modifying isocyanate, and is preferably but not limited to diphenylmethane diisocyanate, carbodiimide modified diphenylmethane diisocyanate, their isomers, the mixtures between them and their isomers.

The polyisocyanate can also choose isocyanate prepolymer. Isocyanate prepolymer and method of preparation thereof are well known to all in the art. The NCO content of the prepolymer is preferably but not limited to 8-30 wt.%, preferably 10-28 wt.%.

Component B includes polyester polyol, polyether polyol and/or amine-terminated polyether polyol, polycarbonate polyol, polytetrahydrofuran polyol, polycaprolactone polyol, polymer polyol or their mixtures. Besides, said first reaction system can further include chain extender, filler and foaming agent.

The molecular weight of the polyether polyol is 200-8000, preferably 500-6000, and the average functionality is 2-6, preferably 2-4. The polyether polyol is preferably but not limited to poly(propylene oxide) polyol, poly(ethylene oxide) polyol, polytetrahydrofuran polyol, and their mixtures.

The amine-terminated polyether is preferably but not limited to polyether polyol terminated by primary amine and secondary amine, or their mixtures, and the functionality of the amine-terminated polyether is 2-6, preferably 2-3. The molecular weight of amine-terminated preferably is greater than or equals to 1000. The producing method of amine-terminated polyether is well known to all in the art.

The polyester polyol is produced by the reaction between dicarboxylic acid or dicarboxylic acid anhydride and polyol. The dicarboxylic acid is preferably but not limited to aliphatic carboxylic acid containing 2-12 carbon atoms, such as succinic acid, malonic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, octanedioic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, dodecylcarboxylic acid, cz^'s-butenedioic acid, trans-butenedioic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, and their mixtures. Said dicarboxylic acid anhydride is preferably but not limited to phthalic anhydride, tetrachlorophthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride, and their mixtures. Said polyol is preferably but not limited to ethanediol, diethylene glycol, 1 ,2-propylene glycol, 1 ,3-propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, 1,3-methylpropanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, 1,10-decanediol, propanetriol, trimethylolpropane, and their mixtures. The polyester polyol also includes polyester polyol produced by lactone. Polyester polyol produced by lactone is preferably but not limited to ε- caprolactone.

The polyester polyol can be prepared through known technology processes, for example, obtained from the reaction of alkene oxide and initiator in the presence of catalyst. The catalyst is preferably but not limited to alkaline hydroxide, alkaline alkoxide, antimony pentachloride, boron fluoride etherate, and their mixtures. The alkene oxide is preferably but not limited to tetrahydrofuran, oxirane, 1 ,2-epoxypropane, 1 ,2-epoxybutane, 2,3-epoxybutane, styrene oxide, and their mixtures. The initiator is preferably but not limited to polyhydroxy compounds, such as water, ethanediol, 1,2- propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, trimethylolpropane, and their mixtures.

The polycarbonate polyol is preferably but not limited to polycarbonate diol. Polycarbonate diol can be obtained from reaction of diol and dialkyl or diaryl carbonate or phosgene. Said diol is preferably but not limited to 1 ,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, diethylene glycol, triformol diol, and their mixtures. Said dialkyl or diaryl carbonate is preferably but not limited to diphenyl carbonate.

The polymer polyol is a stable dispersoid formed by solid enhanced particles in polyol liquid. Any polymer (or dispersoid) polyol known in the art can all be included in the polyol component in the present invention, including but not limited to SAN polymer polyol, PHD polymer polyol, PIPA polymer polyol. SAN polymer polyol indicates being obtained through in-situ polymerization of the mixture of acrylonitrile and styrene in basic polyol, PHD polymer polyol produced through in-situ polymerization reaction between the isocyanate mixture and diamine in basic polyol, and PIPA polymer polyol produced through in-situ polymerization of the isocyanate mixture and diol and/or diol-amine in basic polyol.

The chain extender usually choose compounds containing an active hydrogen atom with molecular weights of less than 800, and preferablely compounds containing an active hydrogen atom with molecular weights 18-400 . Compounds containing an active hydrogen atom are preferably but not limited to alkyl diol, dialkylene diol, polyalkyl polyol, and their mixtures, such as ethanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptandiol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decylene glycol, diethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, polyoxyalkylene glycol, and their mixtures. Compounds containing an active hydrogen atom can also include other grafted or unsaturated alkyl diol, and their mixtures, such as 1 ,2-propylene glycol, 2-methyl- 1,3-propylene glycol, 2,2, -dimethyl- 1,3-propylene glycol, 2-butyl-2-ethyl- 1,3-propylene glycol, 2-butene-l,4-diol, 2-butyne-l,4-diol, alkanolamine, N-alkyl dialkanolamine such as ethanolamine, 2-propanolamine, 3-amino-2,2-dimethyl propanol, N-methyldiethanolamine, N-ethyldiethanolamine, and their mixtures. Compounds containing an active hydrogen atom can also include aliphatic amine, aromatic amine, and their mixtures, such as 1 ,2-ethylenediamine, 1,3-propanediamine, 1 ,4-butanediamine, 1,6-hexanediamine, isophorone diamine, 1,4-cyclohexandiamine, Ν,Ν'-diethyl-phenylene diamine, 2,4-diaminotoluene, 2,6-diaminotoluene, and their mixtures.

Fillers can choose various inorganic fillers or organic fillers. Inorganic fillers are preferably but not limited to silicate mineral, metal oxide, metal salt, inorganic pigment, natural and synthetic fibrous mineral, nanometer material, and their mixtures, and their non-definitive examples are calcium silicate, calcium carbonate, fumed silica, nanometer zinc oxide, barite, zinc sulfide, glass particle, wollastonite. Organic fillers are preferably but not limited to crystalline paraffin, polymer polyol, particles from organic source, and suber. Inorganic fillers or organic fillers can be used separately or used mixedly. Fillers can act to enhance the strength and flame retardancy and so on of the polyurethane ballast material layer . The amount of the fillers is 0-45 wt.%, particularly preferably 0-25 wt.%, and most preferably 0-20 wt.%, based on weight of B as 100 wt.%.

The foaming agent can choose various physical foaming agents or chemical foaming agents, and is preferably but not limited to water, halohydrocarbon, hydrocarbon compounds. Halohydrocarbon is preferably but not limited to monochlorodifluoromethane, dichloromonofluoromethane, dichlorofluoromethane, trichlorofluoromethane, and their mixtures. The hydrocarbon compounds are preferably but not limited to butane, pentane, cyclopentane, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane and their mixtures. The foaming agent is particularly preferably water. The amount of the foaming agent is dependent on the density of the ballast material layer filled by the polyurethane needed to be prepared, and preferably but not limited to 0.3-4.5 wt.%, particularly preferably 0.5-3.6 wt.%>, and particularly most preferably 0.6-3.2 wt.%>, based on the weight of all the polyols (not only includes polyol as reaction components, but also includes polyol as chain extender and polyol used in other components) in the polyurethane reaction system as 100 wt.%. Component B can also include catalysts, surfactants and flame retardants.

The catalysts are preferably but not limited to amine catalyst, organic metal catalyst, and their mixture. The amine catalyst is preferably but not limited to triethylamine, tributylamine, triethylene diamine, N-ethyl morpholine, Ν,Ν,Ν ' ,N ' -tetramethyl-ethylene diamine, pentamethyldiethylene-triamine, N,N-methylaniline, Ν,Ν-dimethylaniline, and their mixtures. The organic metal catalyst is preferably but not limited to organic tin compounds, such as tin(II) acetate, tin (II) octoate, tin ethylhexoic acetate, tin laurate, dibutyltin oxide, dibutyltin dichloride, dibutyltin diacetate, dibutyltin maleate, dioctyltin diacetate, and their mixtures. The amount of said catalysts is 0.001-10 wt.% of the amount of said component B. The details of other representatives of the catalysts and the mode of action of the catalysts See Kunststoff-Handbuch, vol. VII "Polyurethane", the third edition, Carl HanserVerlag, Munich/Vienna, 1993, pages 104-110.

The surfactant can use compounds which can promote the uniformity of the raw materials and are suitable for adjusting microporous structures of foams as requirement, and is preferably but not limited to ethylene oxide derivatives of siloxane. The amount of the surfactant is 0.01-5 wt.% of the amount of said component B.

The flame retardant can be an organic flame retardant or an inorganic flame retardant. The organic flame retardant is preferably but not limited to tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP), tri(2-chloropropyl)phosphate TCPP, trichloropropyl phosphate (TDCPP), dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), triphenyl phosphate, melamine phosphate (MMP) and so on or their mixtures; the inorganic flame retardant is preferably but not limited to hydrated aluminium hydroxide, hydrated magnesium hydroxide, monoammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, ammonium chloride, boric acid, hydrated zinc borate (FB) and so on or their mixtures.

In said polyurethane reaction system, the mole ratio between NCO group and OH group is preferably but not limited to 70-130: 100, particularly preferably 90-115: 100, and OH groups are based on all OH groups contained in polyols, chain extenders, fillers and foaming agents in component B.

The intensity of the polyurethane foams in the polyurethane ballast track bed obtained by the above method is 0.02-0.5 g/cm³, preferably 0.05-0.4 g/cm³, particularly preferably 0.1-0.3 g/cm³. The hardness is 5-60 Asker C, preferably 10-40 Asker C. The breaking elongation of the polyurethane foams in the polyurethane ballast track bed is 120-400 %.

The pouring machine which can be used in the present invention is preferably but not limited to pouring machines with fixed volume ratios or pouring machine with non- fixed volume ratios. When using a pouring machine with a fixed volume ratio, the volume ratio between isocyanate dominated component A and polyol dominated component B is preferably but not limited to 3: 1, 2: 1, 1 : 1, 1 :2, 1 :3 or other fixed ratios; when using a pouring machine with a non-fixed volume ratio, the volume ratio between isocyanate dominated component A and polyol dominated component B varies between 10:100 and 100: 10.

In the present invention, a direction in which the steel rail 3 extends is called a "longitudinal" direction, namely, a movement direction of the platform 4, the direction as shown by a double-headed arrow A in Figs.2 and 3. A direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the steel rail 3 or parallel to an extension direction of the sleeper 2, or a direction perpendicular to the movement direction of the platform 4 is called a "transverse" direction, i.e., the direction shown by a double-headed arrow B in Figs. l and 3, namely, the movement direction of the trolley 6; a direction shown by a double-headed arrow C in Fig.l and Fig.2 is called a "vertical direction".

The mixing head-moving apparatus according to the present invention comprises a moveable platform 4, a trolley 6 disposed on the platform 4 and configured to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a transversely driving device configured to drive the trolley 6 to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction, a vertically driving device disposed on the trolley 6 and configured to carry the mixing head 10 to move reciprocatingly vertically, and a controller configured to control the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device so as to move the mixing head 10 to a predetermined position.

Referring to Fig.3, the platform 4 is a frame structure and comprises two transverse members 41 and two longitudinal members 42 connecting the two transverse members 41 together. The four members form an opening 9 serving as an operation space for the vertically driving device.

Referring to Fig.2 and Fig.l, posts 43 extending downwardly are formed on the transverse members 41, and wheels 5 are rotatably mounted at distal ends of the posts 43. Therefore, the platform 4 is supported on the rail steel 3 via the wheels 5 so that it, pushed or pulled by man power or driven by a motor, may move on the steel rail 3 in the longitudinal direction. It should be appreciated that the movement of the platform 4 is not necessarily a rectilinear movement, and it may be a curvilinear movement, which depends on a longitudinal shape of the steel rail 3 or the ballast track bed 1.

The trolley 6 shown in Fig.3 is a flat panel-shaped member in a "tHJ" shape and adapted to mount the vertically driving device shown in Fig.4. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the trolley 6 may be in any form adapted for mounting a specific vertically driving device. A motor 13 is mounted below the trolley 6, as shown in Fig.l, and a gear (not shown) is mounted on an output shaft of the motor 13. A rack 7 is formed on a side face of one transverse member 41 (the lower transverse member 41 as shown in the figure). The gear on the output shaft of the motor 13 engages the rack 7. When the motor 13 operates, the gear on its output shaft rotates and generates translation by engagement with the rack 7 so that the trolley 6 fixed together with the motor 13 is allowed to move transversely. The motor is configured to rotate positively or reversely by a predetermined angle in response to instructions of the controller so as to control the trolley to move reciprocatingly transversely a predetermined distance. The rack 7 serves as a first transversely driving portion disposed on the platform, and the gear of the motor 13 serves as a second transversely driving portion disposed on the trolley 6 and configured to move transversely relative to the rack 7. The two portions constitute the transversely driving device in the gear-rack form in the present invention. Preferably, in order to maintain stability of the transverse movement, the trolley 6 is supported on the transverse member 41 by using a plurality of (four as shown in Fig.3) guide wheels 8.

It should be appreciated that according to specific design requirements, the gear engaging the rack may be a gear in another power train, rather than the gear mounted on the output shaft of the motor. It also be appreciated that the guide wheels may be replaced by gears, and correspondingly the rack may be formed on an upper face of the platform rather than a side face.

Fig.4 schematically illustrates a vertically driving device in form of a cylinder mechanism, in which a cylinder 14 such as a hydraulic cylinder or an air cylinder is mounted or fixed on the trolley 6 as shown in Fig. l, a piston or a piston rod 141 configured to move reciprocatingly in the cylinder 14 is fixed together with the mixing head 10 to carry the mixing head 10. The cylinder serves as a first vertically driving portion disposed on the trolley, and the piston (or piston rod) serves as a second vertically driving portion configured to carry the mixing head to move vertically relative to the cylinder. The two portions constitute the vertically driving device in the embodiment.

As shown in Fig.4, the piston rod 141 is fixed on an elevating platform 16 to drive the elevating platform 16 to move vertically. The elevating platform 16 extends downwardly to form a fixing plate 17 on which the mixing head 10 is fixed. Two guide rods 15 are fixedly formed at corners of both ends of the elevating platform 16, and configured to extend into guide holes 61 formed at corners of both ends of the trolley 6 (as shown in Fig.3) to move up and down under the guidance of the guide hole 61, whereas the fixing plate 17 passes through the concave opening of the "tHJ" shape. The guide rods 15 and the elevating platform 17 (and its fixing plate 17) constitute a guide member which is configured to guide and ensure steadiness of the vertical movement of the mixing head 10.

The mixing head 10 of the pouring machine comprises a connecting member 11 and material discharge pipes 12 fixed on the fixing plate 17 (the connecting member 11 in Fig.4 is only illustrative). Although Fig.4 shows two material discharge pipes, one or three or more material discharge pipes can also be envisaged. Since the mixing head 10 is fixed on the piston (or piston rod), when the piston moves vertically, the mixing head 10 moves up and down along with it so that the mixing head 10 (or the material discharge pipes 12) is lowered to a predetermined pouring position, or the mixing head 10 (or the material discharge pipes 12) is raised to a position for example above the steel rail 3 so that the mixing head 10 is allowed to pass by the steel rail 3.

The elevating platform 16 shown in Fig.l and Fig.2 is located above the trolley 6, but it may be located below the trolley 6, whereupon the mixing head 11 may be directly fixed on the elevating platform 16 and the fixing plate 17 may be omitted.

It can be appreciated that when the mixing head 10 is of relatively small weight, it may be directly mounted on the piston rod 141, whereupon the guide member may be omitted.

In order to controllably drive the cylinder and the piston, the vertically driving device further comprises an electromagnetic servo module (not shown) and a sensor such as a proximity switch or a position sensor disposed at a predetermined position (e.g., two extremity positions) between the piston and the cylinder and configured to sense a position. The controller receives a signal from the senor for sensing the position and sends an instruction to the electromagnetic servo module. Responsive to the instruction from the controller, the electromagnetic servo module enables the piston to move vertically reciprocatingly within a predetermined stroke range by for example switching fluid lines.

As an alternative mode (not shown), the piston may be mounted on the trolley and serves as the first vertically driving portion; while the mixing head of the pouring machine is mounted on the cylinder (the second vertically driving portion). In this case, the cylinder carries the mixing head to move vertically.

The controller for controlling the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device may be a controller based on a microprocessor and an industrial personal computer which is known in the art, for example, a computer, an industrial personal computer, a control box, a remote controller or the like. The controller may further comprise various input and output devices such as a keyboard, a touch screen, a display and the like. Preferably, the controller may store and automatically execute a control program so as to automatically drive the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device.

Hereunder, an exemplary operation of the present invention is described with reference to Fig.1 and Fig.2. Into the controller is input in advance positions of the pouring sites□ ,□ ,□ ,□ ,□ and□ relative to a coordinate original site (for example, the position of the trolley shown in Fig.3) on the platform 4 and a position of the steel rail 3 relative to the coordinate original site on the platform. The pouring sites□ and□ on one side of the steel rail, and pouring sites□ and□ on the other side of the steel rail, and for example the pouring sites□ ,□ ,□ and□ between steel rails and free of steel rails are determined by comparing the relative positions.

Known sensor(s) for sensing the position, such as a proximity switch, a position switch or a position sensor, is used. The controller first drives the motor 13 to position the trolley 6 at the coordinate original site on the platform 4 via the gear-rack mechanism (see Fig.l). Then, by means of the position-sensing sensor(s) known in the art, such as a position sensor, a displacement sensor or an encoder disposed between the trolley 6 and the platform 4, the controller may automatically collect positional information of the trolley 6 relative to the platform, the pouring sites and the steel rails, and automatically positions the trolley 6 to the pouring sites based on the positional information.

By means of the position-sensing sensor(s) known in the art, such as a position sensor, a displacement sensor or an encoder disposed between the trolley 6 and piston rod 141 (or the guide rod 15, or the elevating platform 16, or the fixing plate 17), the controller automatically collects positional information of the mixing head 10 relative to the pouring sites, and automatically controls the electromagnetic servo module based on the informational information so as to raise or lower the mixing head 10 to a predetermined height position.

After the trolley 6 reaches the pouring site□ at one side of the steel rail and completes the pouring, the controller sends an instruction, and controls, via the electromagnetic servo module, the cylinder 14 and the piston (or the piston rod 141) to raise the mixing head to a height (a position of the dotted-line mixing head in Fig.2) at which the mixing head or the material discharge pipes on the mixing head can pass by the steel rail. Then, the controller sends a working instruction to the motor 13 to position the trolley to the pouring site□ at the other side of the steel rail. Thereafter, the controller, again via the electromagnetic servo module, lowers the mixing head to the pouring position (the position of the solid-line mixing head in Fig.2). During the processing of the pouring sites□ to□ free of the steel rail, the controller may only drive the trolley 6 to move transversely. The pouring sites□ and□ are processed in the same way as the pouring sites□ and□ . After the pouring is finished at the last pouring site□ , the controller sends an instruction to raise the mixing head to enable the mixing head or the material discharge pipes on the mixing head to pass by the steel rail, and then drives the trolley to move transversely and repositions the trolley to the position of the coordinate original site. So far, the pouring machine finishes pouring at one work station. Then, the platform 4 is moved manually or automatically along the ballast track bed 1 to next work station, and the above pouring operation is repeated.

During the above operation, the mixing head of the pouring machine may automatically finish the transverse direction and vertical movement via the moving apparatus so as to save man power and operation time, and it is particularly adapted for massive pouring processing for, for example, the ballast track bed.

The transversely driving device and the vertically driving device are described in detail with reference to the figures, but the embodiments shown in the figures are only exemplary.

For example, as an alternative mode, the transversely driving device (not shown) of the present invention may comprise a guide rail (a first transversely driving portion) transversely formed on the platform and a wheel (a second transversely driving portion) rotatably mounted on the trolley. A motor drives the wheel to rotate so that the trolley moves transversely on the platform.

As another alternative mode, the transversely driving device (not shown) of the present invention may be a cylinder mechanism, for example, a hydraulic cylinder mechanism or an air cylinder mechanism, and comprises a cylinder body (the first transversely driving portion) mounted on the platform and a piston (the second transversely driving portion) movable receiprocatingly in the cylinder body. The piston is directly or indirectly fixed together with the trolley (i.e., mounted on the trolley) and carries the trolley to move transversely. Alternatively, the cylinder body, as the second transversely driving portion, may be mounted on the trolley, and the piston, as the first transversely driving portion, is mounted on the platform. At this time, the cylinder body as the second transversely driving portion carries the trolley to move.

As another alternative mode, the transversely driving device (not shown) of the present invention may be a screw transmission mechanism and comprises a lead screw (the first transversely driving portion) rotatably mounted on the platform and a nut (the second transversely driving portion) threadedly engaging the lead screw and fixedly mounted on the trolley. When the lead screw rotates, the nut carries the trolley to move transversely on the platform.

The above gear-rack mechanism and screw mechanism may also be used to achieve vertical movement. For example, the vertically driving device may be a gear-rack mechanism (not shown) in which the gear as the first vertically driving portion is disposed on the trolley, and the rack as the second vertically driving portion may be movably mounted on the trolley in the vertical direction. The mixing head of the pouring machine is mounted on the rack. The gear engages with the rack, so when the gear rotates, the rack carries the mixing head to move vertically.

As an alternative mode (not shown), the rack may be fixed on the trolley, as the first vertically driving portion. The mixing head of the pouring machine, as above stated, is fixed on the guide member movable in the vertical direction, and the gear is rotatably mounted on the guide member and engages with the rack and serves as the second vertically driving portion. In this case, the gear is driven by a motor to rotate, and meanwhile carries, via the guide member, the mixing head to move vertically.

As another alternative mode, the vertically driving device may be a screw transmission mechanism (not shown) in which the lead screw is rotatably mounted on the trolley in the vertical direction, and serves as the first vertically driving portion. The mixing head of the pouring machine is fixed on the nut threadedly engaging the lead screw and serving as the second vertically driving portion. In this case, when the lead screw rotates, the nut carries the mixing head to move vertically.

As a further alternative mode (not shown), the nut is fixedly mounted on the trolley and serves as the first vertically driving portion; the mixing head of the pouring machine, as above stated, is fixed on the guide member, the lead screw is rotatably mounted on the guide member, the lead screw threadedly engages the nut and serves as the second vertically driving portion. In this case, when the lead screw rotates, it carries the mixing head to move vertically via the guide member.

As a further alternative mode (not shown), the nut as the first vertically driving portion is rotatably mounted on the trolley, the mixing head of the pouring machine is mounted on the lead screw threadedly engaging the nut and serving as the second vertically driving portion. In this case, when the nut rotates, the mixing head is carried by the lead screw to move vertically.

Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the above detailed description is only exemplary for illustration purpose and not intended to limit the protection scope of the present invention. As taught by the present invention, those skilled in the art, without going beyond the protection scope of the present invention, may make variations, modifications or substitution for the above embodiments according to specific situations.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine, characterized in that it comprises:

a moveable platform;

a trolley disposed on the platform and configured to move reciprocatingly in a transverse direction, the transverse direction being perpendicular to a movement direction of the platform;

a transversely driving device configured to drive the trolley to move reciprocatingly in the transverse direction;

a vertically driving device disposed on the trolley and configured to carry the mixing head of the pouring machine to move reciprocatingly vertically;

a controller configured to control the transversely driving device and the vertically driving device so as to move the mixing head of the pouring machine carried by the vertically driving device to a predetermined position.

2. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to claim

1, characterized in that the transversely driving device comprises a first transversely driving portion disposed on the platform and a second transversely driving portion disposed on the trolley and configured to move transversely relative to the first transversely driving portion.

3. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to claim

2, characterized in that, the transversely driving device is one of the following mechanisms: a gear-rack mechanism comprising a rack and a gear acting as the first transversely driving portion and the second transversely driving portion, a screw transmission mechanism comprising a lead screw and a nut acting as the first transversely driving portion and the second transversely driving portion, a cylinder mechanism comprising a cylinder body and a piston acting as the first transversely driving portion and the second transversely driving portion.

4. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to claim 1, the vertically driving device comprises a first vertically driving portion disposed on the trolley and a second vertically driving portion configured to carry the mixing head of the pouring machine to move vertically relative to the first vertically driving portion.

5. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to claim

4, characterized in that, the vertically driving device is one of the following mechanisms: a gear-rack mechanism comprising a rack and a gear acting as the first vertically driving portion and the second vertically driving portion, a screw transmission mechanism comprising a lead screw and a nut acting as the first vertically driving portion and the second vertically driving portion, a cylinder mechanism comprising a cylinder body and a piston acting as the first vertically driving portion and the second vertically driving portion.

6. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to claim

5, characterized in that, the vertically driving device further comprises a guide member disposed on the trolley in the vertical direction, the guide member is combined with the second vertically driving portion to guide vertical movement of the second vertically driving portion.

7. The mixing head-moving apparatus of a pouring machine according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, the mixing head-moving apparatus of the pouring machine further comprises a sensor provided between the platform and the trolley to sense a position and communicate with the controller.

8. The mixing head-moving apparatus a pouring machine according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, the mixing head-moving apparatus of the pouring machine further comprises a sensor provided between the trolley and the vertically driving device to sense a position and communicate with the controller.

9. A pouring system, comprising a pouring machine having a mixing head, characterized in that, the pouring system further comprises a mixing head-moving apparatus of the pouring machine according to any one of claims 1-8.

10. The pouring system according to claim 9, characterized in that the pouring system is used to prepare polyurethane ballast track bed of which a steel rail is supported on the track bed by sleepers, wherein, the controller is configured to: obtain positions of pouring sites on the track bed and the steel rail relative to a coordinate original site on the platform and determine pouring sites at both sides of the steel rail;

via a sensor provided between the platform and the trolley to sense a position, control the transversely driving device and position the trolley at the coordinate original site on the platform;

via a sensor provided between the trolley and the vertically driving device to sense a position, control the vertically driving device and lower the fixing head to the pouring site to pour;

wherein after the trolley reaches the pouring site at one side of the steel rail and completes the pouring, the controller controls the vertically driving device to raise the mixing head to a height at which the mixing head is allowed to pass by the steel rail, then, the controller controls the transversely driving device to position the trolley to a pouring site at the other side of the steel rail, thereafter, the controller controls the transversely driving device to lower the mixing head to a pouring position at the other side of the steel rail to pour.