GB2167372A

GB2167372A - Conveyors and gantries

Info

Publication number: GB2167372A
Application number: GB08528197A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alain Frayard
Original assignee: Someral P H B
Current assignee: Someral P H B
Priority date: 1984-11-23
Filing date: 1985-11-15
Publication date: 1986-05-29
Also published as: IT8554073V0; DE3540038A1; IT1182700B; AU4997685A; IT8567985A0; JPS61197326A; NL8503062A; FR2573735A1; FR2573735B1; GB8528197D0

Abstract

Loose goods are loaded onto ships by an endless conveying strip (7), which is supported by supporting stations (8), rolling on a loading jib extending transversely above the ship, and linked together by flexible connections (13) limiting their maximum spearation, the run of supporting stations ending in a trolley (15) at which the path of the strip is temporarily reversed at 16 to tip goods off the strip, the strip then passing by way of 17 to the extremity (18) of the loading jib, the position of the trolley (15) along the jib being adjustable and a collecting spout for the goods to be tipped being provided which is moved by the same means as those controlling the tipping trolley (15). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Conveyors and gantries The present invention relates to conveyors and to gantries and is exemplified by a new gantry for the loading onto ships of bulk and loose goods in which the product is conveyed by a conveying strip supported by trolleys or stations rolling on a metallic loading jib, running transversely above the ship.

Gantries for this purpose are well known and, in the case of ships of average tonnage, work satisfactorily, with two main types of adjustment being provided for adapting the useful length of the jib to the width of the ship.

The first solution consists of placing a tipping trolley at a given point on the length of the strip, whose purpose is to lift the strip at this point so as to create a slope for tipping the product. This solution presents the disadvantage of keeping the jib at its maximum length while only a fraction thereof is effectively used, and the supporting stations and the conveying strip must travel on the total length. Furthermore, this sytem of tipping trolley implying a slanting strip, it follows that the jib itself cannot be tilted further, otherwise the total slanting would exceed the maximum angle beyond which the product would no longer be conveyed by the strip.

A second solution consists of using a telescopic loading jib, one portion of which slides lengthwise into another so as to provide the supporting stations with a travel channel with the appropriate length for each loading operation. The previous disadvantages are eliminated, but on the other hand it becomes necessary to leave enough space at the back of the jib's structure for allowing the sliding portion to retract, which of course creates a serious problem of bulkiness.

The present invention provides a conveyor adapted for the transport of material over a variable distance, comprising an endless conveying member, upstream and downstream end stations defining opposed ends of the run of the endless conveying member, a plurality of mobile support stations for said conveying member between said end stations, an elongate support member along which said support stations are mobile, means for limiting the maximum separation between said support stations along the support member, an unloading station providing means for reversing the path of the endless conveying members to dump material off the conveying member and means for re-reversing the path of the endless conveying member toward the downstream end station, and means for varying the position of the unloading station between said end stations.

The invention includes a gantry having a jib forming the support member for such a conveyor.

According to preferred aspects of the invention, the conveying strip, of a constant length, is supported by a series of identical supporting stations linked together by flexible connections of constant length, the first of these stations-the one situated on the forefront of the loading jib-being connected to a trolley acting as tipping trolley, also mounted so as to roll on the travel channel of the supporting stations, the conveying strip following the tipping trolley going through a reversing station connected to the said trolley, then going through a stationary station mounted at the extremity of the jib, so that, by moving the tipping trolley, the distances between the supporting stations are modified and consequently also the active length of the strip, the variations of the said active length as against the constant total length being compensated by the travel of the reversing station.

We thus have a device whose conveyor is entirely horizontal, with a variable active length on the whole length of the jib whose dimensions nevertheless remain constant.

The invention will be illustrated by the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general view of a gantry according to the present invention, Figure 2 outlines the system according to the present invention, in the completely unfolded state, Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2, but shown the jib in the retracted state, Figure 4 illustrates more in detail the tipping trolley and its accessory elements.

Looking first to Figure 1, one can see that the gantry according to the present invention is composed on one hand of a supporting structure 1, shown here as stationary, but which can naturally be rendered mobile on rails along a wharf 2, and of a loading jib, which can be made to swivel around a vertical axle 4 and also lifted more or less around a horizontal axle 5, by the usual means.

The length of jib 3 is at least equal to the width of a ship 6, in view of loading onto this ship some loose goods conveyed by a conveying strip as schematically outlined in 7, and which can carry the goods onto a loading device with an adjustable height, between a forward position AV and a backward position AR.

The present invention concerns the particular means for achieving the travel between the forward and backward positions of the tipping point of the conveying strip 7.

To this effect, and considering also Figures 2 and 3, one can see that the upper segment 7a of the conveying strip 7 is supported by trolleys each indicated by the general reference 8, and composed of a conventional frame 9 supported by wheels 10, rolling on a travel channel 11 situated within the loading jib 3.

The strip 7a is itself supported by a set of rolls schematically indicated as 12, and spaced out for each trolley so as to form a concave zone which the conveying strip will fit into. Such a construction is quite conventional and does not require further description.

According to the present invention, the trolleys 8 are connected together by flexible connections 13, whose length is constant between each trolley, the rear trolley being connected by this connection 13 to a stationary point 14 of the jib, whereas the front trolley is linked by the connection 13 to a tipping trolley 15 rolling on the same travel channel 11 and bearing two sets of reversing rolls, 16 and 17 respectively, which move together with the trolley 15, while a set of reversing rolls 18 is mounted stationary at the forefront of the jib 3, so as to reverse backward the lower portion of the conveying strip 7.

When the trolley 15 has reached its extreme forward position, that is the forward extremity of the loading jib 3, it creates a maximum traction on the connections 13, in such a manner that the trolleys 8 are completely unfolded away from each other, on the whole length of the jib 3. That is the forward unloading position.

Conversely, if the trolley 15 moves towards the rear of the jib 3, as shown on picture 3, it will move the trolleys towards each other, the connections 13 being then completely slackened when the trolley reaches its extreme rear position.

In this case, the belt 7 will keep a constant length, the travel L from the extreme forward position to the position shown on Figure 3 being equal to the reverse part 7c of the belt or of the trolley 15.

In practice, as shown in Figure 4, the trolley 15 is actually controlled in its movements by a conveying system as represented by chain 19, which also controls through a trolley 20 the chute 21, in which the product conveyed by strip 7a is tipped, and then is poured into the spout 22 at the extremity corresponding to the position of the rolls 16.

The trolley 15 actually plays the role of a zero gradient tipping trolley, which eliminates the above mentioned disadvantage of an excessive slope applied to the conveying strip in the case of a tipping trolley, thus enabling the jib 3 to be lifted to a higher angle than was possible with the previous systems.

Furthermore, thanks to the retractable character of the stations, it is now possible to modify the active length of the strip 7a, thus eliminating the supporting stations at the front of the strip 7a, as in the previously described example.

Lastly, of course, the loading jib 3 is of constant length, which eliminates the problems of cumbersomeness also mentioned previously.

Among the advantages of such a system, besides those resulting from the above described points, one must mention the possibility of loading ships of all tonnages, not only very large ships for which the total length of the jib is used, but also small size barges, which previous systems did not permit to load along the wharves, because of the very length of the tipping trolley or of the telescopic portion of the loading jib.

The present invention thus presents a very beneficial solution to the problems encountered with this type of equipment.

Claims

1. A conveyor adapted for the transport of material over a variable distance, comprising an endless conveying member, upstream and downstream end stations defining opposed ends of the run of the endless conveying member, a plurality of mobile support stations for said conveying member between said end stations, an elongate support member along which said support stations are mobile, means for limiting the maximum separation between said support stations along the support member, an unloading station providing means for reversing the path of the endless conveying members to dump material off the conveying member and means for re-reversing the path of the endless conveying members toward downstream end station, and means for varying the position of the unloading station between said end stations.

2. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support stations are pulled towards the unloading station by movement of the conveying member.

3. A conveyor as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the suport stations are linked by inelastic flexible members.

4. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claims wherein the maximum separation between each supporting station is the same.

5. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the length of the support member is fixed.

6. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising means for receiving material tipped from the conveying member and means for adjusting the position of said receiving means to maintain the receiving means below said means for reversing the path of the conveying means.

7. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the unloading station is provided by a trolley supported for rolling motion along the support member.

8. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each support station is provided by a trolley supported for rolling motion along the support member.

9. A conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the conveying member is an endless belt or strip.

10. A conveyor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A gantry for the loading of material comprising a loading jib comprising a conveyor as claimed in any preceding claim, the jib serving as said support member.

12. Gantry for the loading of bulk and loose goods onto ships, of a type in which the product is conveyed by a conveying strip supported by supporting stations rolling on a loading jib unfolding transversely above the ship, characterized in that the conveying strip is of constant length, the supporting stations being linked together by flexible connections of constant length, the supporting station situated at the forefront being connected at the front to a positively moved trolley and of such a nature as to convey a movement of traction or pressure on the whole of the supporting stations, so as to maintain behind the trolley the necessary and sufficient active length of the conveying strip, the non-active length of the conveying strip being compensated by a set of reversing rolls mounted respectively on the said tipping trolley and on the extremity of the loading jib, the collection spout for the goods to be tipped onto the ship being activated by the same means as those controlling the tipping trolley.