A ring-shaped material dispensing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons

Abstract

This application discloses a circular material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons. From top to bottom, it includes a feeding mechanism, a loading mechanism, a distributing mechanism, and a discharging mechanism connected in sequence. These mechanisms are uniformly controlled by a control unit. The loading mechanism is equipped with a centrifugal feeding unit for conveying circular materials and a slide connected to the discharge end of the centrifugal feeding unit. The distributing mechanism includes a feeding disc containing a lever and a drive unit for rotating the feeding disc. The end of the slide is connected to the feeding disc, and the lever rotates with the feeding disc to push the material out of the slide and onto the lever. The inlet end of the discharging mechanism is located below the feeding disc. This application enables automated operation of storing, feeding, loading, distributing, conveying, and dispersing circular materials onto the track, eliminating the need for fastener assembly on the bulk material wagon. It is suitable for bulk materials such as railway fastener nuts and washers that are large in size and require high efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of track engineering technology, and in particular to a ring-shaped material distribution device for railway fastener bulk material wagons. Background Technology

[0002] Railway fastener unloading cars are large-scale maintenance machines that automatically distribute fasteners onto railway lines, replacing manual installation, reducing the workload of railway line workers, and lowering safety risks associated with railway operations. The unloading cars use onboard devices to distribute fasteners onto the railway line, including devices for distributing gauge plates, elastic clips, rubber pads, and washers and nuts.

[0003] Railway fastener bulk material cars operate on both straight and curved tracks. Straight tracks have sleeper spacing deviations, as do curved tracks, and the bulk material inlet on the car may laterally offset from the placement point on the track. If operations are performed according to a fixed bulk material operation rhythm and inlet position, fasteners may not be placed in the designated location, severely affecting operational efficiency. Patent (CN110316559A) "A Method and System for Classifying and Conveying Sleeper Fasteners" describes a method where five types of fasteners are gripped by a robotic arm, placed sequentially on an installation base, and then conveyed to a designated location via a conveyor belt for bulk material placement. Patent (CN105155371B) "An Automatic Unloading Vehicle for Railway Fasteners and Its Operation Method" also describes storing several types of fasteners in a fastener box, transferring them to a car, and then conveying them off the car via an onboard conveyor device for bulk placement on the railway line. The patent (CN111703448A) "An Automated Railway Fastener Bulk Cart" describes a work vehicle for bulk handling of railway fastener sets. It realizes the bulk handling of fastener sets through storage, loading, picking, feeding and distributing. It assembles a set of fasteners and then distributes them on the track.

[0004] Currently, the standard operating procedure for transporting and distributing loose railway fasteners involves assembling several fasteners into sets before transporting and distributing them. However, there is no specific description of how to achieve this distributing process on curved tracks. Existing technology includes patents for automated assembly equipment for nuts and washers. For example, (CN2551390Y) "Automatic Equipment for Inserting Washers into Screws" uses a vibratory feeder to feed screws and different washers, and a mechanism assembles several washers onto the screws, achieving automated assembly. Both vibratory feeders and centrifugal feeders can screen and transport parts. Vibratory feeders are more widely used for feeding smaller parts, but for larger parts like railway fasteners with high conveying efficiency requirements, only centrifugal feeders can be used. Vibratory feeders are too inefficient for larger parts and cannot meet the required efficiency. (CN206967020U) "An Automatic Assembly Device for Screws and Washers" also uses a vibratory feeder to feed screws and washers, but it is only suitable for smaller parts and not for feeding larger railway fastener nuts and washers that require high efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a circular material distribution device for railway fastener bulk material cars. This invention is based on the individual distribution of each fastener, eliminating the need for fastener assembly on the bulk material car. It is an automated operation device that can store, supply, load, distribute, and transport circular materials such as washers and nuts onto the track one by one, without requiring manual operation. Furthermore, this invention also incorporates a material outlet offset mechanism and a servo motor speed control mechanism to adapt to bulk material distribution operations on straight lines and curves.

[0006] The technical solution provided by this invention is as follows:

[0007] A ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons includes, from top to bottom, a feeding mechanism, a loading mechanism, a distributing mechanism, and a discharging mechanism connected in sequence. The feeding mechanism, loading mechanism, distributing mechanism, and discharging mechanism are uniformly controlled by a control unit. The feeding mechanism has an inverted conical structure. The loading mechanism is equipped with a centrifugal feeding unit for conveying ring-shaped materials and a slide rail connected to the discharge end of the centrifugal feeding unit. The distributing mechanism includes a material-distributing disc containing a lever and a drive unit for rotating the material-distributing disc. The end of the slide rail is connected to the material-distributing disc. The lever rotates with the material-distributing disc to displace the material in the slide rail and onto the lever. The inlet end of the discharging mechanism is located below the material-distributing disc.

[0008] Preferably, the discharge mechanism includes a discharge offset unit and a second drive unit for driving the discharge offset unit.

[0009] Preferably, the discharge offset unit includes a feed cylinder, a discharge cylinder, and a flexible connecting pipe located between the feed cylinder and the discharge cylinder. The second drive unit is connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder to change the discharge position of the discharge cylinder.

[0010] Preferably, the second drive unit includes an electric cylinder and a connecting rod, with one end of the connecting rod connected to the electric cylinder and the other end connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder.

[0011] Preferably, the feeding mechanism includes a hopper, a vibrator, and an opening / closing door. The hopper has an inverted conical structure. The vibrator is installed on the outer wall of the hopper. The opening / closing door is installed at the outlet of the hopper and is connected to a cylinder for controlling its opening and closing. The cylinder is connected to a control unit.

[0012] Preferably, the centrifugal feeding unit is equipped with a sensor that can detect the discharge status, and the sensor is connected to the control unit.

[0013] Preferably, a vibrator is installed at the lower end of the slide to ensure the feeding speed.

[0014] Preferably, the slide is a semi-enclosed arc-shaped structure, and the slide is composed of a square tube with an opening, which is set along the length of the slide.

[0015] Preferably, the end of the chute is provided with a second sensor capable of detecting the material discharge status, and the second sensor is connected to the control unit.

[0016] Preferably, the drive unit includes a servo motor.

[0017] This application has the following advantages over the prior art:

[0018] The circular material distribution device for railway fastener bulk wagons disclosed in this application, through the arrangement of a feeding mechanism, a loading mechanism, a distributing mechanism, and a discharging mechanism, can automate the storage, feeding, loading, distributing, conveying, and distributing of circular materials onto the track one by one. It can completely replace manual material distribution, and the operating speed can reach 180 pieces / min, meeting the efficiency requirements of existing railway fastener bulk material distribution operations. Unlike several sets of fastener bulk materials, the circular material distribution device distributes materials independently, achieving a similar effect to the complete sets, but reducing the assembly process and complexity of the device, thereby improving its reliability. Furthermore, the circular material distribution device for railway fastener bulk wagons disclosed in this application can handle both straight and curved railway lines, meeting the fastener bulk material distribution needs of the entire railway line, thus offering wider adaptability and better meeting practical requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the feeding mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slide structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the material distribution mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the material discharge mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure label:

[0027] 1. Feeding mechanism; 11. Hopper; 12. Vibrator; 13. Opening and closing door; 14. Cylinder; 2. Loading mechanism; 21. Centrifugal feeding unit; 22. Slide rail; 23. Sensor 1; 24. Straight vibrator; 25. Sensor 2; 3. Distributing mechanism; 31. Lever; 32. Distributing disc; 33. Drive unit 1; 4. Discharge mechanism; 41. Discharge offset unit; 411. Feed cylinder; 412. Discharge cylinder; 413. Flexible connecting pipe; 42. Drive unit 2; 421. Electric cylinder; 422. Connecting rod. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] like Figure 1-6As shown, this embodiment of the invention provides a ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material cars, which includes a feeding mechanism 1, a loading mechanism 2, a distributing mechanism 3 and a discharging mechanism 4 connected in sequence from top to bottom. The feeding mechanism 1, the loading mechanism 2, the distributing mechanism 3 and the discharging mechanism 4 are uniformly controlled by a control unit.

[0030] In this embodiment, the ring-shaped materials are taken as nuts and washers. The feeding mechanism 1 has an inverted conical structure. The feeding mechanism 1 is mainly used to store nuts and washers and supply them to the feeding mechanism 2. The feeding mechanism 2 transports the scattered nuts and washers supplied by the feeding mechanism 1 in a neat arrangement according to the required placement posture and at a certain speed from the discharge port. The feeding mechanism 2 is equipped with a centrifugal feeding unit 21 for conveying ring-shaped materials and a slide 22 connected to the discharge end of the centrifugal feeding unit 21. The centrifugal feeding unit 21 is equipped with a sensor 23 that can detect the discharge status. The sensor 23 is connected to the control unit. When there is no material or the material is not moving, the sensor 23 will feed back a signal to the system to form a closed-loop control, which can realize the functions of automatic material replenishment when there is no material and alarm for abnormal material jamming. The distributing mechanism 3 distributes the nuts and washers transported by the feeding mechanism 2 one by one. The material is sorted out and conveyed to the discharge mechanism 4. The sorting mechanism 3 includes a sorting disc 32 containing a lever 31 and a drive unit 33 for rotating the sorting disc 32. The drive unit 33 includes a servo motor. The end of the slide 22 is connected to the sorting disc 32. The lever 31 rotates with the sorting disc 32 to push out the material in the slide 22 and put it on the lever 31. The material then moves with the sorting disc 32 to the discharge mechanism 4. The sorting speed is adjustable by precisely controlling the rotation speed of the sorting disc 32 to adapt to the needs of adjustable speed of bulk material operation due to changes in sleeper spacing. The feeding end of the discharge mechanism 4 is located below the sorting disc 32. The discharge mechanism 4 adjusts the discharge position of the nut and washer by moving laterally. When the bulk material outlet on the curved line deviates laterally from the line, the discharge position is adjusted so that the nut and washer fall to the designated position on the line.

[0031] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 2 uses a centrifugal feeding unit 21 (generally including a centrifugal feeder) for feeding operations. The centrifugal feeding unit 21 is widely used in automated production lines, mainly for feeding small parts. Combined with a vibrator, it allows parts to be neatly arranged and transported out of the chute according to the required posture and speed. The centrifugal feeding unit 21 used in this embodiment for the railway fastener bulk material handling device is for feeding railway fastener nuts and washers. The weight, size, and operating conditions of individual materials differ from those of commonly used materials. Because the nuts and washers are relatively heavy and made of steel, the main and auxiliary discs of the centrifugal feeding unit 21 are made of wear-resistant, non-steel materials to ensure the service life of the centrifugal feeding unit 21 and reduce noise generated by mutual impact during operation. The centrifugal feeding unit 21 transports the nuts and washers into the chute 22. The cross-sectional dimensions of the chute 22 are designed according to the size and shape of different conveyed parts to ensure that the posture and arrangement of the conveyed parts are not changed within the chute 22, allowing for smooth movement.

[0032] In this embodiment, the discharge mechanism 4 includes a discharge offset unit 41 and a second drive unit 42 for driving the discharge offset unit 41. The discharge offset unit 41 includes a feed cylinder 411, a discharge cylinder 412, and a flexible connecting pipe 413 located between the feed cylinder 411 and the discharge cylinder 412. The flexible connecting pipe 413 is telescopic and flexible, ensuring that the discharge offset unit 41 is flexible and movable. The second drive unit 42 is connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder 412 to change the discharge position of the discharge cylinder 412. The second drive unit 42 includes an electric cylinder 421 and a connecting rod 422. One end of the connecting rod 422 is connected to the electric cylinder 421, and the other end is connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder 412. The discharge position of the discharge cylinder 412 is changed by controlling the extension and retraction stroke of the electric cylinder 421. The stroke of the electric cylinder 421 is controlled by a stepper motor, which can precisely control the discharge position of the discharge cylinder 412.

[0033] In this embodiment, the feeding mechanism 1 includes a hopper 11, a vibrator 12, and an opening / closing gate 13. The hopper 11 has an inverted cone shape, which facilitates manual loading from the top and allows for easy control of the feeding amount at the bottom. The amount of fasteners (nuts or washers) after the hopper 11 is full can meet the long-distance operation requirements of the railway line, eliminating the need for repeated manual replenishment during operation. The vibrator 12 is installed on the outer wall of the hopper 11. The vibrator 12 can accelerate the movement of the fasteners towards the discharge port, preventing the fasteners from squeezing each other and causing material jamming. The opening / closing gate is located at the discharge port of the hopper 11 and is connected to a cylinder 14 for controlling its opening and closing. The cylinder 14 is connected to the control unit. When the control unit receives a material shortage signal, the cylinder 14 controls the opening / closing gate to open and feed material. After feeding is completed, the cylinder 14 controls the opening / closing gate to close and stop feeding. The material shortage signal is sensed by a sensor and fed back to the control unit. The control unit transmits a signal to the cylinder solenoid valve to control the opening and closing of the cylinder 14.

[0034] In this embodiment, a linear vibrator 24 is installed at the lower end of the slide 22 to ensure the feeding speed. The linear vibrator 24 provides the driving force in the feeding direction, enabling the nut and washer to move forward within the slide 22 at the required speed. The forward movement speed can be adjusted by adjusting the vibration frequency of the linear vibrator 24. The slide 22 has a semi-enclosed arc-shaped structure, which facilitates observation of the material conveying within the slide 22. The slide 22 is composed of a square tube with an opening, which is set along the length of the slide 22. A sensor 25 is installed at the end of the slide 22 to detect the material discharge. The sensor 25 is connected to the control unit. When the slide 22 is empty, the sensor 25 will send a feedback signal to the system to achieve real-time monitoring.

[0035] The circular material distribution device for railway fastener bulk wagons in this embodiment, through the arrangement of a feeding mechanism 1, a loading mechanism 2, a distributing mechanism 3, and a discharging mechanism 4, can automate the storage, feeding, loading, distributing, conveying, and distributing of circular materials onto the track one by one. It can completely replace manual material distribution, and the operating speed can reach 180 pieces / min, meeting the efficiency requirements of existing railway fastener bulk material distribution operations. Unlike several sets of fastener bulk materials, the circular material distribution device distributes materials independently, achieving a similar effect to the complete sets, but reducing the assembly process and complexity of the device, thereby improving its reliability. Furthermore, this circular material distribution device for railway fastener bulk wagons can handle both straight and curved railway lines, meeting the fastener bulk material distribution needs of the entire railway line, making it more adaptable and better suited to practical requirements.

[0036] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons, characterized in that, From top to bottom, the system includes a feeding mechanism (1), a loading mechanism (2), a distributing mechanism (3), and a discharging mechanism (4) connected in sequence. The feeding mechanism (1), loading mechanism (2), distributing mechanism (3), and discharging mechanism (4) are controlled by a control unit. The loading mechanism (2) is equipped with a centrifugal feeding unit (21) for conveying ring-shaped materials and a slide (22) connected to the discharge end of the centrifugal feeding unit (21). The distributing mechanism (3) includes a feeding disc (32) containing a lever (31) and a drive unit (33) for rotating the feeding disc (32). The end of the slide (22) is connected to the feeding disc (32). The lever (31) rotates with the feeding disc (32) to push out the material in the slide (22) and put it onto the lever (31). The feeding end of the discharging mechanism (4) is located below the feeding disc (32). The discharge mechanism (4) includes a discharge offset unit (41) and a second drive unit (42) for driving the discharge offset unit (41) to work. The discharge offset unit (41) includes a feed cylinder (411), a discharge cylinder (412) and a flexible connecting pipe (413) located between the feed cylinder (411) and the discharge cylinder (412). The drive unit (42) is connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder (412) to change the discharge position of the discharge cylinder (412).

2. The circular material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second drive unit (42) includes an electric cylinder (421) and a connecting rod (422). One end of the connecting rod (422) is connected to the electric cylinder (421), and the other end is connected to the outer wall of the discharge cylinder (412).

3. The circular material handling device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The feeding mechanism (1) includes a hopper (11), a vibrator (12) and an opening and closing door (13). The hopper (11) has an inverted cone shape. The vibrator (12) is installed on the outer wall of the hopper (11). The opening and closing door (13) is installed at the outlet of the hopper (11) and is connected to a cylinder (14) for controlling its opening and closing. The cylinder (14) is connected to a control unit.

4. The ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The centrifugal feeding unit (21) is equipped with a sensor (23) that can detect the discharge status, and the sensor (23) is connected to the control unit.

5. The circular material handling device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The lower end of the slide (22) is equipped with a straight vibrator (24) to ensure the feeding speed.

6. The circular material handling device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The slide (22) is a semi-enclosed arc structure. The slide (22) is composed of a square tube with an opening, and the opening is set along the length of the slide (22).

7. The circular material handling device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The end of the slide (22) is provided with a sensor two (25) that can detect the material discharge status, and the sensor two (25) is connected to the control unit.

8. The ring-shaped material dispersing device for railway fastener bulk material wagons according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The drive unit (33) includes a servo motor.

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