GB2265135A

GB2265135A - Bulk material conveying equipment.

Info

Publication number: GB2265135A
Application number: GB9305609A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hartmut Grathoff
Original assignee: MAN Gutehoffnungshutte GmbH
Current assignee: MAN Gutehoffnungshutte GmbH
Priority date: 1992-03-18
Filing date: 1993-03-18
Publication date: 1993-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-18
Also published as: GB2265135B; DE4208653C2; JPH07267379A; SE9300832L; FR2689111B1; FR2689111A1; SE508126C2; GB9305609D0; SE9300832D0; DE4208653A1

Description

BULK MATERIAL CONVEYING EQUIPMENT 2265135 The present invention relates to

a bulk material conveying equipment for ship loading and/or unloading.

Constantly conveying ship-unloading equipment for bulk material at the ship end of the jib of which an unloading snout or arm is pendulatingly suspended, is described in German patent application P 41 35 467.2. A shaft structure, in which a vertical conveyor is accommodated for example a cover belt conveyor, is disposed in the interior of the arm. The lowermost part of the conveyor together with a material pick-up device represents a structural assembly mounted at the end of the arm. A base belt of the conveyor is continued by way of the jib to a throw-off point above a transfer funnel on the superstructure of the equipment. From there, the bulk material passes by way of discharge chutes onto quay conveyor belts. The drive of the base belt is disposed at the land end of the jib. The cover belt is driven separately in the region of the arm or, as is indeed known, is entrained by the driven base belt.

In the equipment described in that patent application, support rollers are arranged in several planes within the shaft structure for the support of the belts of the belt conveyor, these-belts consisting of a cover belt and the base belt. The support rollers are mounted in horizontal frames, which are suspended one below the other at suspension means. The uppermost frame is rigidly connected with the shaft structure and the lowermost frame is connected to be movable with the constructional assembly. This assembly can be pivoted, together with that portion of the conveyor which is disposed in the shaft structure, about a vertical axis with the assistance of a pivoting mechanism. It is thus possible to pick up bulk material from the entire ship hold by the material pick-up device and thus unload the load completely.

There remains scope for exploitation of the concept to create continuously conveying equipment which can be used selectably for ship unloading and ship loading device. Such equipment should preferably provide the greatest possible reduction in dust and noise nuisance.

According to the present invention there is provided bulk material conveying equipment for at least one of ship loading and ship unloading, comprising a gantry for movement along a quay, a column mounted on the gantry, a jib mounted on the column to be pivotable upwardly and downwardly and swivellable, an arm depending from the jib, a material pick-up device at the lower end of the arm, and conveying means arranged to convey material between the lower end of the arm and a region below the gantry and comprising a single belt conveyor, which extends in the arm, the jib, the column and the gantry and comprises a base belt and a cover belt co-operable to transport the material therebetween, the base belt additionally being arranged to form a conveyor extension for material transport on such quay, and belt tensioning and drive means associated with the extension.

Due to the fact that only a single belt conveyor is used, there are no belt transfer points at which dust might be produced. The omission of belt transfer points also signifies a reduction in sources of wear and may ensure careful treatment of the conveyed material.

Moreover, the drive for the single conveyor is not disposed in the gantry, column, jib or arm. Thus, a source of noise is removed and the otherwise required encapsulation of the drive is superfluous. A fixedly located drive, which may be present for the conveyor belt of a store, may serve as the drive of the belts of the unloading and loading equipment. Consequently, access for maintenance purposes may be substantially more favourable.

Since there are no transfer points as well as no belt drives within the equipment, the device can be lighter than comparable devices. In addition, there may be less power loss, because conveyed material is not moved higher than necessary and the lifting power needed during upward conveying of the material is regained during downward conveying.

In a preferred embodiment, the equipment can comprise a rail- bound gantry construction, a jib mounted to be pivotable and rockable on the gantry, a turntable, a counterweight jib, a pylon and guy cables, the jib end at the ship side having an unloading or loading snout or arm which is movable by way of piston-cylinder means and which has a cover belt conveyor arranged therein, as well as a pick-up device for the feeding of the cover belt conveyor and furthermore with conveying means extending underneath the gantry construction from the upper end of the arm to a quay conveyor belt. The unloading or loading of the ship is undertaken by a single cover belt conveyor, which begins in a carrier assembly, which is mounted to be pivotable underneath the arm,extends by way of the horizontal jib and through the tubular column, which forms a part of the gantry construction, and is continued as the quay conveyor belt but without the cover belt, the driving means and tensioning means of the belt conveyor being arranged on the quay.

The equipment can include a suspension of the vertical parts of the conveyor in such a manner that twisting about the vertical axis can be undertaken within the arm and also within the tubularcolumn.

The equipment can be deployed selectably for ship unloading and for ship loading. For that purpose, a drive of reversible direction of rotation is preferably provided for the single belt conveyor. On use for ship unloading, the pick-up device is not needed and can therefore be pivoted pushed away laterally or upwardly.

The lower part of the guide of the base belt of the conveyor, which part is situated at the lowermost end of the arm, can be adjustable within a certain range and in particular between a substantially horizontal setting and a setting directed substantially vertically downwards. This adjustability is advantageous to the extent that a uniform charging of the ship hold may thereby be achieved. The material can be thrown off horizontally or obliquely downwards laterally, so that trimming can be carried out within the hold. The surface of the bulk material should be planar as far as possible, in order to avoid displacement of the centre of gravity during voyage.

The base belt and the cover belt can at their ends be led out towards the side underneath the arm, in particular in such a manner that the space between both the belt ends forms a throat into which is thrown the material removed from the hold by the pick-up device.

A pivot bearing with a turntable, on which is mounted a rocker, which is formed by the jib, the counterweight jib, the pylon and the guy cables and which is movable by the piston-cylinder means and mounted in a rocker joint, can be arranged on an upper flange of the tubular column. The two vertical portions of the conveyor can include support rollers, disposed in several horizontal planes which lie one above the other and of which each one or two planes are at an horizontal frame, for the support in the arm and in the column. The frames can be connected together by suspension means in the arm or in the column, wherein the suspension means of the conveyor portion in the column can be connected to the turntable and the suspension means of the conveyor portion in the arm is connected in the region of the conveyor to a lowermost member of a belt structure of chains. The respective lowermost frame can be fastened to the carrier assembly, which is arranged to be pivotable below the arm, or to the lower end of the column. In the unloading version as well as in the loading version, there can be pivot mechanisms which, in the unloading version, enable pivotation of the pick-up device together with that part of the conveyor which is disposed underneath the arm, and which in the loading version enable pivotation of the direction of exit of the conveyed material.

Preferably, a movable lower part of the arm is mounted telescopically at the lower end of an upper part of the ann by, for example,axial linear bearings. The carrier assembly can be mounted to be Oivotable at this lower part of the arm by way of pivot bearing means with a pivot drive and can hang at the lower end of the suspension means at which the support roller frames of the conveyor are fastened within the arm. Hydraulic piston-cylinder units can be arranged between the lower end of the upper part of the arm and the movable lower part.

A belt structure, which is arranged in the jib at the side of the ship and fastened at chains arranged in arcuate regions between the arm and the jib on the one hand and the turntable on the other hand, can be freely movable longitudinally within the jib and supported by rollers or slide members in the jib.

For preference, staircase or ladder steps, and optionally also landings, can be provided to form accesses of the arm and the column and can be arranged at the frames in vertically extending regions of the conveyor.

Features described in German patent applications P 41 16 467.9 and P 41 25 109.1 can also be incorporated in the equipment as appropriate.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whith:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of equipment embodying the invention; is Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a jib of the equipment, at a ship end; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a portion of an arm or column of the equipment; Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 is a plan view of a frame of a belt conveyor portion within the column; is a plan view of a frame of the belt conveyor within the arm; is a sectional view of arcuate regions between the arm and jib and the column and jib; Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a constructional assembly incorporating the lower part of the belt conveyor, and a material pick-up device; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 6, showing connection of a belt structure within the jib to a belt structure, which consists of chains, in one of the arcuate regions.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 ship loading and unloading equipment which is movable along tracks on a pier. The ship to be loaded or unloaded is not illustrated. A pivotable part of the equipment rests on a tubular column 4, which is provided in a gantry construction 3. The column has an upper flange on which a pivot bearing 5 is arranged. The pivot bearing carries a turntable 6, on which a rocker, which is formed by a jib 7 at the ship end, a counterweight jib 13, a pylon 14 and required guy cables 15, is mounted in a rocker joint 17. Stroke cylinders, which serve for the raising and lowering of the rocker, are denoted bY 16.

The superstructure of the equipment, namely the jib, the counterweight jib, the pylon and the guy cables, can be pivoted out laterally with the assistance of a pivot mechanism (not illustrated).

A loading/unloading snout or arm 8, which can be moved by cylinders 18 is suspended at the ship end of the jib 7. A material pick-up device 12, which is not shown in more detail and which contains a worm rotating about a vertical axis, feed elements for the worm and an upper material transfer channel, is disposed below the arm.

A single cover belt conveyor, which consists of a base belt 1 and a cover belt 2, is arranged within the equipment. The base belt of the conveyor is continued on the quay as a quay conveyor. A drive 19 of the belt conveyor is identical with the drive of the quay conveyor. A belt- tensioning station of the quay conveyor also serves as a tensioning station of the base belt.

The belt conveyor, which in the jib at the ship end has an approximately horizontal course, is deflected near the rocker joint 17 on the superstructure of the equipment and subsequently extends vertically within the tubular column 4. This vertical portion of the conveyor can be twisted within the column through the pivot angle which the superstructure itself can execute. In order to enable the twisting, support rollers of the conveyor portion within the column are suspended in frames 23, as is described more closely in the German patent application P 41 35 674.2 by the example of a cover belt conveyor within an unloading arm.

The vertical conveying portion within the arm is also mounted to be twistable or rotatable in similar manner and German patent application P 41 35 467.2 can therefore also be referred to in this context. The assembly 10, which is disposed below the arm 8 and consists of the lower part of the belt conveyor and the pick-up device 12, is arranged at the lower end of the arm 8 by means of a pivot bearing 9 and can be moved about the vertical axis of the arm by means of a pivot drive (not illustrated).

Figs. 2, 6 and 8 illustrate how that portion of a belt structure 24, which is arranged between arcuate regions 12 above the arm 8 and the turntable 6, for the belt conveyor can move freely in longitudinal direction. The belt structure 24 for this purpose has at both sides longitudinal rails 25, which can slide to and fro. on rollers 26 mounted in the jib 7. When the jib is moved up and down about its horizontal mid- position and the arm 8 remains vertical, the chain lengths (chain belt structure 22), which are supported (or those not guided in the arc) on the rails in the form of circular arcs in the arcuate regions 21, balance each other, since the afore-mentioned portion of the belt structure 24 can move freely.

In order to facilitate maintenance of the belt conveyor and its supporting and guiding arrangements, accesses are desirable over the entire length of the conveyor. Staircase portions 27 and landings 28 in connection with the frames 23 for the mounting of the conveyor in the vertical portions, which are disposed in the arm and the column, are indicated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The accesses can be constructed in the same manner within the arm 8. However, since the smallest possible diameter is desired for this and access is less important, provision of ladders 27 may be sufficient, as indicated in Fig. 5.

These ladders 27 can consist of lengths each connected with a frame 23.

The base belt 1 and the cover belt 2 are led out towards the side underneath the arm 8 and form a throat-like opening, into which the upwardly conveyed bulk material, which has been picked up from the ship hold by the pick-up device 12, is thrown via a transfer channel. Details of such a device are described more closely in the German patent applications P 41 16 467.9 and P 41 25 109.1.

The equipment is suitable for selectable continuous unloading and continuous loading of a ship with bulk material. When the equipment is to be used for ship loading, the direction of rotation of the drive 19 of the combined quay and cover belt conveyor must be reversed so that conveying is from the quay in the direction of the ship. The desired conveying in either direction is easily accomplished for the reason that there are no belt transfer points within the equipment and between the equipment and the quay conveyor.

The pick-up device 12 is moved out of its operative position in the manner that it is pivoted away laterally or, as illustrated in dashed lines in Fig. 1, upwardly. Due to the arrangement of the belt conveyor led out laterally underneath the arm 8, the material is thrown out horizontally or obliquely to the side for the loading of the ship so that the possibility exists of trimming the load withir the hold.

The lower part of the guide of the base belt 1 below the arm 8 can be adjusted obliquely or vertically downwards during the loading operation, so that a corresponding direction of filling is possible in case of need.

To the extent that the equipment may be designed merely for ship loading, the material pick-up device of course becomes superfluous and the drive of the belt conveyor is in only one direction.

A change in length of the belt guidance arrangement, which is formed by chain links, in the arcuate region 21 of the belt conveyor between the arm 8 and the jib 7 during pendulating movement of the arm about its vertical mid-position can be balanced out in advantageous manner, as illustrated in Fig. 7. According to this, the balancing- out is effected by telescopic movability of a lower part 8a of the arm 8 with the assistance of linear bearings 29.

- 12 The constructional assembly 10 at the movable lower part 8a is drawn upwardly by the sum of the loop tension forces of the belt conveyor. If these loop tension forces are greater than the own weight of the movable lower part 8a and the assembly 10, additional forces must be exerted to counteract the loop tension forces. This is effected by hydraulic cylinders 30, the pressure medium of which stands under constant pressure in the normal operational state. When the loop tension forces change, the pressure in the hydraulic cylinders is adapted appropriately.

Claims

1. Bulk material conveying equipment for at least one of ship loading and ship unloading, comprising a gantry for movement along a quay, a column mounted on the gantry, a jib mounted on the column to be pivotable upwardly and downwardly and swivellable, an arm depending from the jib, a material pick-up device at the lower end of the arm, and conveying means arranged to convey material between the lower end of the arm and a region below the gantry and comprising a single belt conveyor, which extends in the arm, the jib, the column and the gantry and comprises a base belt and a cover belt co-operable to transport the material therebetween, the base belt additionally being arranged to form a conveyor extension for material transport on such quay, and belt tensioning and drive means associated with the extension.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim to be movable along tracks.

1 ' wherein the gantry is arranged

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising pistoncyl in der displacing means operable to move the arm relative to the jib.

4. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt conveyor is supported below the lower end of the arm by a carrier pivotably mounted on the arm.

5. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the drive means being operable to provide reversible directions of drive.

6. 'Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the jib is mounted, together with a counterweight and bracing means for the jib and counterweight, on pivot bearing means and rotary bearing means at the top of the column.

7. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising piston-cylinder displacing means operable to pivot the jib relative to the column.

8. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising guide rollers to guide the belts of the conveyor in the arm and the column, the rollers being arranged in horizontal planes one above the other in each of the arm and the column.

9. Equipment as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rollers in each of the arm and the column are mounted in a plurality of frames each respective to at least one of the planes, the frames being interconnected by suspension means.

10. Equipment as claimed in claim 9 when appended to claim 6, the suspension means for the frames in the column being connected to the rotary bearing means and the lowermost one of these frames is arranged at the lower end of the column.

11. Equipment as claimed in claim 9 when appended to claim 4, the suspension means for the frames in the arm being connected to the lowermost element of a belt guidance system in the region of the junction of the arm and the jib, and the lowermost one of these frames is arranged at the carrier.

12. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising pivot means to displace the material pick-up device and an adjacent end portion of the belt conveyor between material changing positions and material discharging positions in accordance with an intended direction of conveying by the equipment.

13. Equipment as claimed in claim 11, wherein the arm comprises an upper portion and a lower portion which is telescopically movable relative to the upper portion on guide bearings, the carrier assembly being pivotably mounted on the lower portion of the arm and connected to the associated suspension means.

14. Equipment as claimed in claim 13, comprising respective displacing drive means to move the lower portion of the arm relative to the upper portion and to pivot the carrier relative to the lower portion.

15. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising belt support means to guide the belts of the conveyor in the jib, the support means being mounted on rollable or slidable elements to be movable longitudinally of the jib.

16. Equipment as claimed in claim 15, wherein the support means is connected to chains in the region of the junctions of the column and jib and the arm and jib.

17. Equipment as claimed in any one Of claims 9 to 11, comprising access steps or stairs arranged at the frames in the column and the 10 arm.

18. Equipment as claimed in claim 17, comprising access landings arranged at the frames in column and the arm.

19. Equipment as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the material pick-up device, is mounted to be pivotable or slidable 15 laterally or upwardly.

20. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belts of the belt conveyor are arranged to define, at the lower end of the arm, a lateral intake throat for material ejected from the pick-up device.

21. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising means to displace the base belt at the lower end of the arm between a substanti a] I y horizontal setting and a substantially vertical setting.

22. Bulk material conveying equipment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.