A method and apparatus for separating single bamboo strips using a lifting chain.

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of bamboo processing technology, and particularly relates to a method and apparatus for separating single bamboo strips using a lifting chain. The apparatus includes a mounting plate, a chain disposed on the mounting plate for upward conveying of bamboo strips, a transverse frame unit disposed on the chain for supporting the bamboo strips, and a protruding plate unit disposed on the mounting plate for pushing down the upper bamboo strip and a single, curved bamboo strip with upturned ends, which are conveyed by blocking the ends of the bamboo strips. In the above method, the chain is driven intermittently.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of bamboo processing technology, and in particular relates to a method and apparatus for separating single bamboo strips using a lifting chain. Background Technology

[0002] Commonly available bamboo strips are generally long and narrow, with a fan-shaped cross-section. A common method for preparing bamboo strips is as follows: first, the bamboo is cut into sections; then, the sections are split lengthwise and divided evenly in the ring direction; finally, the nodes are removed.

[0003] Generally, bamboo strips are 1-2m long and 2-5cm wide. After further flattening and cutting, they can be made into flat, thin strips, which are essential for the preparation of most bamboo products such as bamboo baskets and bamboo mats.

[0004] On the other hand, before bamboo strips undergo flattening, cutting, or other operations, they are generally conveyed along their width. The main purpose of this conveying operation is to separate a pile of bamboo strips so that each strip can enter the flattening or cutting station one by one. Otherwise, if two bamboo strips enter the cutting station's feed inlet together, they are likely to get stuck, causing accidents such as material jams.

[0005] Furthermore, a conveyor chain refers to a chain structure that combines material lifting and forward transport functions. Accordingly, the structure of a conveyor chain includes at least a chain body and a baffle plate, the latter pushing the material upwards and forwards. When separating a pile of bamboo strips one by one, the conveyor chain structure also needs to provide sufficient and appropriate separation between the bamboo strips, ensuring that two or more stacked bamboo strips are not on the same baffle plate at the latest at the discharge position of the conveyor chain structure.

[0006] For example, Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN217436796U and authorization announcement date of 2022.09.16 discloses a chain assembly structure for conveying bamboo strips, including a bearing seat, a gear rod, a chain unit, a pusher plate unit, and a baffle plate unit.

[0007] The advantages of the chain assembly structure in this utility model patent are as follows: the chain assembly structure itself is the placement part of the pile of bamboo pieces, and multiple pairs of pusher plate units and baffle plate units can hook a bamboo piece from the pile of bamboo pieces and carry out the conveying operation one by one, eliminating the need for the upstream bamboo piece storage and feeding structure.

[0008] However, this chain assembly structure still has at least the following shortcomings in actual use: The pusher plate unit and the baffle plate unit together form a direct action structure that pushes the bamboo strips forward. When faced with two bamboo strips that are accidentally stacked, this structure is relatively poor at separating and transporting them one by one. The harmful phenomenon of two bamboo strips falling out together occurs from time to time, which needs to be avoided. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides a lifting chain type single bamboo strip separation device, the technical problem to be solved is: how to more fully and thoroughly separate two accidentally stacked bamboo strips before discharge, so as to ensure the discharge method of single strip falling.

[0010] The present invention also provides a method of using the above-mentioned device for conveying bamboo strips upwards in a single manner, and then discharging them downwards.

[0011] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above problems is: a lifting chain type single bamboo strip separation device, the structure of which includes an installation upright plate, a chain disposed on the installation upright plate and used for conveying bamboo strips upward, a transverse frame unit disposed on the chain and used for supporting bamboo strips, and a protruding plate unit disposed on the installation upright plate and used to push down the upper bamboo strip and the single bamboo strip with curved ends that are conveyed upward by blocking the position of the bamboo strip ends.

[0012] A further preferred technical solution is that the chain includes at least one inclined section for conveying bamboo strips upward, and the protruding plate unit is used to push the upper bamboo strips and curved bamboo strips downward on the inclined section.

[0013] A further preferred technical solution is that: the number of chains is at least 2; the mounting plate is also provided with at least 2 gears located on the upper and lower sides of the protruding plate unit, respectively, for driving a single chain.

[0014] A further preferred technical solution is that the transverse frame unit includes a transverse connecting plate disposed on the chain, and an anti-fall tilting block disposed at one end on the transverse connecting plate and tilted upward at the other end to prevent the lower bamboo strips from falling.

[0015] A further preferred technical solution is that the protruding plate unit includes an installation plate disposed on the mounting plate and having at least one inclined edge, and a plurality of protruding plates disposed on the inclined edge and used to push the upper bamboo strips and curved bamboo strips down.

[0016] A further preferred technical solution is that the mounting plate is in the shape of a right trapezoid, and the protruding plate is in the shape of a triangle.

[0017] A further preferred technical solution is that the protruding plate unit also includes a supplementary movable plate disposed on the mounting plate, which is rectangular or elliptical in shape and is used to push the upper bamboo strips and curved bamboo strips down by horizontally covering the uppermost protruding plate.

[0018] A further preferred technical solution is that the transverse frame unit further includes a reinforcing plate disposed on one side of the transverse connecting plate, and a connecting block disposed on the reinforcing plate and used to support the anti-fall tilting block.

[0019] A further preferred technical solution includes: a horizontal base plate for stacking bamboo strips disposed on the mounting plate and used to support the bamboo strips; an inclined plate disposed on the horizontal base plate for stacking bamboo strips and used to gather the bamboo strips; and two longitudinal baffles disposed at both ends of the inclined plate and used to block the bamboo strips.

[0020] A method for using a lifting chain-type single bamboo strip separation device, wherein the chain is driven intermittently.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this invention include at least the following: First, it has an active pushing function, which can push the upper bamboo strips down fully and appropriately, greatly reducing the probability of two bamboo strips falling down and being discharged at the same time. Secondly, the curved bamboo strips with upturned ends and defects will have a larger deformation range and greater elastic energy storage strength when passing through the protruding plate unit, causing them to bounce significantly and fall back into the bamboo strip pile, ensuring that defective bamboo strips will not be discharged normally. Third, the horizontal frame unit has appropriate blocking and anti-fall strength, ensuring that the lower bamboo strips are not easy to fall, while the upper bamboo strips are easy to fall and fall back into the bamboo strip pile. Fourth, the intermittent drive device can shake off the upper bamboo strips in a timely and highly successful manner, reducing the workload and wear rate of the protruding plate unit; Fifth, the above method of use can also shake a single, unqualified curved bamboo strip from its ineffective state of hanging down at both ends to the desired state of upturned ends, ensuring that the pushing and falling operation of the protruding plate unit is effective. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the position of the horizontal frame unit in this invention.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the transverse frame unit in this invention.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the protruding plate unit in this invention.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the position and shape of the supplementary movable plate in this invention.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the position and shape of the guide plate and the horizontal base plate for stacking materials in this invention.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the lower and upper bamboo strips in this invention.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the shape of the bent bamboo strip in this invention.

[0030] The meanings of the markings in the diagram are as follows: Bamboo strip a, lower bamboo strip a-1, upper bamboo strip a-2, curved bamboo strip a-3, larger crossing distance L1, smaller crossing distance L2; Mounting upright plate 11, guide plate 12, drive belt 13; Chain 1, Inclined section 1-1, Horizontal frame unit 2, Protruding plate unit 3, Gear 4, Horizontal base plate for stacking 5, Inclined plate 6, Length baffle 7; Horizontal connecting plate 201, anti-fall tilting block 202, reinforcing plate 203, connecting block 204, reinforcing block 205; Mounting plate 301, protruding plate 302, supplementary movable plate 303. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0032] like Figures 1-8 As shown, a lifting chain-type single bamboo strip separation device includes an installation plate 11, a chain 1 disposed on the installation plate 11 for conveying bamboo strip a upward, a transverse frame unit 2 disposed on the chain 1 for supporting bamboo strip a, and a protruding plate unit 3 disposed on the installation plate 11 for pushing down the upper bamboo strip a-2 and the single-strip curved bamboo strip a-3 with upturned ends, which are conveyed by blocking the end position of bamboo strip a.

[0033] In this embodiment, the chain 1 is used to transport bamboo strips a upwards. That is, the pile of bamboo strips a is first placed on one side of the mounting plate 11, and then each bamboo strip "flips over" the mounting plate 11 and falls down to the other side to discharge, thus completing the first loading operation in the bamboo strip processing flow.

[0034] The main function of the horizontal frame unit 2 is as follows: First, it protrudes from the chain 1 and moves in and out of the bamboo strip pile to "grab and hook" several bamboo strips, providing the necessary foundation for subsequent bamboo strip separation and transportation operations. Second, it provides sufficient anti-falling barrier effect for the lower layer of bamboo strips a-1, so that when a single bamboo strip is transported, it is not easy for the single bamboo strip to accidentally fall back into the bamboo strip pile. Third, minimize or eliminate the aforementioned blocking effect on the upper bamboo strip a-2, so that if the upper bamboo strip a-2 exists, it will easily fall back into the bamboo strip pile, thus ensuring the ultimate goal of single-strip transportation.

[0035] Furthermore, the main functions of the protruding plate unit 3 include: First, on the inclined upward transport path of bamboo strip a, a blocking effect is provided for bamboo strip a. This blocking effect can push most of the upper bamboo strip a-2 down and fall back into the bamboo strip pile. Second, the strength of the above-mentioned blocking and pushing effect is lower than the blocking and anti-falling effect of the horizontal frame unit 2 on the lower bamboo strip a-1, ensuring that the lower bamboo strip a-1 and the bamboo strip that is originally transported as a single piece will not fall accidentally. Third, when transporting single bamboo strips, the unqualified bent bamboo strips a-3 with upturned ends have a larger deformation and more energy storage when crossing the protruding plate unit 3 compared to qualified bamboo strips with a relatively smaller bending range. Therefore, after completely crossing the protruding plate unit 3, the former has a much larger bounce amplitude than the latter, making it relatively easy to fall back into the bamboo strip pile. This ultimately achieves the outstanding advantage that the unqualified bent bamboo strips a-3 will not enter the subsequent bamboo processing steps.

[0036] On the other hand, when an unqualified bent bamboo strip a-3 passes through the protruding plate unit 3 with both ends hanging down, its deformation and bounce amplitude are not much different from those of a qualified bamboo strip. Therefore, the device does not easily "detect" it and make it fall back into the bamboo strip pile.

[0037] Therefore, the height of the protruding plate unit 3 needs to be relatively large, significantly higher than the lowest point of the chain 1, to ensure that the unqualified bent bamboo strips a-3 with drooping ends have switched to the desired state of upturned ends before touching the protruding plate unit 3.

[0038] It is important to note that the unqualified bent bamboo strip a-3 typically exhibits an upward curve at both ends on the transverse frame unit 2. A state where both ends droop and the middle is higher is inherently unstable, resulting in a higher center of gravity for the bamboo strip compared to the former. This unstable bent bamboo strip a-3 generally swings on its own before being transported upwards to the protruding plate unit 3, eventually returning to its relatively stable upward-curving state on the transverse frame unit 2. This is crucial.

[0039] During its own oscillation, the bent bamboo strip a-3 may also pass over the transverse frame unit 2 and fall directly back into the bamboo strip pile, which is more efficient and can greatly reduce the workload and wear rate of the protruding plate unit 3.

[0040] Therefore, after the device has been used for a period of time, the bamboo chip pile needs to be recycled. At this time, most of the bamboo chips in the pile are substandard materials that are excessively bent. This ensures that no unusable bent waste materials will appear in the subsequent processes of bamboo processing, which is very practical and efficient.

[0041] The chain 1 includes at least one inclined section 1-1 for conveying bamboo strips a upward, and the protruding plate unit 3 is used to push the upper bamboo strips a-2 and the curved bamboo strips a-3 downward on the inclined section 1-1.

[0042] In this embodiment, the angle between the inclined section 1-1 and the horizontal plane is 60-80°. Its inclination should not be too large or too small, and needs to be adjusted adaptively based on the fact that the lower bamboo strip a-1 is less likely to fall off the horizontal frame unit 2, while the upper bamboo strip a-2 is more likely to fall off the horizontal frame unit 2. Even when two batches of bamboo strips a of different sizes and / or weights are being fed individually, the inclination of the inclined section 1-1 needs to be adjusted.

[0043] Correspondingly, the upward protrusion of the protruding plate unit 3 on the inclined section 1-1 also needs to be adjusted, with the aim of making the lower bamboo strip a-1 less likely to fall off the horizontal frame unit 2 and the upper bamboo strip a-2 more likely to fall off the horizontal frame unit 2.

[0044] Therefore, the protruding plate unit 3 is installed on the mounting plate 11 by screwing or magnetic fixing, and welding is not recommended.

[0045] The number of chains 1 is at least 2; the mounting plate 11 is also provided with at least 2 gears 4 located on the upper and lower sides of the protruding plate unit 3, respectively, for driving a single chain 1.

[0046] In this embodiment, there are two chains 1, on which 10-20 horizontal frame units 2 are evenly spaced. The two ends of the latter are screwed to the two chains 1 respectively, forming a transport area for transporting bamboo strips a at an upward angle. There are two protruding plate units 3, located on both sides of the transport area.

[0047] The chain 1 has three gears 4, one of which is higher than the protruding plate unit 3 and the other two are lower than the protruding plate unit 3. The outline of the chain 1 is triangular.

[0048] Furthermore, the gear 4 can be screwed in itself, making the adjustment of the tilt angle of the tilting section 1-1 as simple and convenient as possible. On the other hand, the chain 1 can also adjust the tilt angle of the tilting section 1-1 by increasing or decreasing the number of its chain links.

[0049] The horizontal frame unit 2 includes a horizontal connecting plate 201 disposed on the chain 1, and an anti-fall tilting block 202 disposed on the horizontal connecting plate 201 at one end and tilted upward at the other end to prevent the lower bamboo strip a-1 from falling.

[0050] In this embodiment, the two ends of the transverse connecting plate 201 are respectively screwed with two corresponding chain links on the chain 1 to avoid the transverse connecting plate 201 itself from twisting.

[0051] In the vertical section of the horizontal connecting plate 201, it is parallel to the chain 1. The anti-fall tilting block 202 and the chain 1 form an obtuse angle structure to fully block the lower bamboo strip a-1 and hardly block the upper bamboo strip a-2.

[0052] In addition, 2-3 anti-fall tilting blocks 202 are provided on the transverse connecting plate 201.

[0053] The protruding plate unit 3 includes a mounting plate 301 disposed on the mounting upright plate 11 and having at least one inclined edge, and a plurality of protruding plates 302 disposed on the inclined edge and used to push the upper bamboo strip a-2 and the curved bamboo strip a-3 down.

[0054] In this embodiment, the length of the bamboo strip a is greater than that of the transverse connecting plate 201. Each bamboo strip a needs to bend and deform by itself to pass over all the protruding plates 302, that is, the inclined upward transport path of the bamboo strip a passes through all the protruding plates 302, so as to obtain a sufficient and appropriate pushing and falling effect on the upper bamboo strip a-2 and the bent bamboo strip a-3.

[0055] Correspondingly, the mounting plate 11 is provided with screws for fixing the mounting plate 301, and the mounting plate 301 is provided with a row of mounting holes for selectively inserting the screws, so that the protrusion of the protruding plate 302 on the above-mentioned transportation path is adjustable, ensuring that each batch of bamboo strips a, which is relatively wide, thin, light, or heavy, can obtain sufficient and appropriate pushing and falling strength on the protruding plate 302.

[0056] For example, when a batch of bamboo strips a that need to be separated and transported individually is relatively heavy, the protruding plate unit 3 can be pulled outward appropriately on the mounting plate 11, that is, the mounting plate 301 can be brought closer to the chain 1.

[0057] The mounting plate 301 is in the shape of a right trapezoid, and the protruding plate 302 is in the shape of a triangle.

[0058] In this embodiment, one of the three sides of the protruding plate 302 is used to connect with the mounting plate 301, and the lower side of the other two sides is the direct position of the bamboo strip a being pushed and pressed down, where the wear rate is relatively the fastest.

[0059] On the other hand, the side of the protruding plate 302 near the chain 1 will also be worn by the bamboo strip a bending and scratching. A wear-resistant coating can be applied to the two locations mentioned above.

[0060] The protruding plate unit 3 also includes a supplementary movable plate 303, which is disposed on the mounting plate 301 and is rectangular or elliptical in shape, and is used to push the upper bamboo strip a-2 and the curved bamboo strip a-3 down by horizontally covering the uppermost protruding plate 302.

[0061] In this embodiment, the main function of the supplementary movable plate 303 is: Instead of the uppermost protruding plate 302, or at a position above the uppermost protruding plate 302, a blocking force significantly greater than that of the protruding plate 302 is provided to prevent the upper bamboo strip a-2 and the curved bamboo strip a-3 from accidentally passing through all the protruding plates 302 below, so that they will be pushed down by the supplementary movable plate 303.

[0062] The pushing strength mentioned above mainly depends on the length of the lateral projection of the bamboo strip transport path onto the protruding plate 302 and the supplementary movable plate 303, i.e., the larger overpass distance L1 and the smaller overpass distance L2. Generally, the length of L1 is 5-8cm and the length of L2 is 2-3cm.

[0063] In addition, the supplementary movable plate 303 is elliptical in shape with its major axis in the horizontal direction. It is screwed or magnetically fixed to the mounting plate 301 and can be adjusted laterally, thus effectively adjusting the larger overpass distance L1.

[0064] The horizontal frame unit 2 also includes a reinforcing plate 203 on one side of the horizontal connecting plate 201, and a connecting block 204 on the reinforcing plate 203 for supporting the anti-fall tilting block 202.

[0065] In this embodiment, the transverse connecting plate 201 and the reinforcing plate 203 together form an L-shaped frame structure, that is, the reinforcing plate 203 is perpendicular to the chain 1, and the connecting block 204 together with the anti-fall tilting block 202 and the reinforcing plate 203 form a closed triangular frame structure, so that the transverse frame unit 2 has sufficient support strength.

[0066] The reason why the aforementioned support strength and the bolted installation strength of the transverse frame unit 2 itself need to be relatively large is that the bending stress generated by the passive pushing and bending of the bamboo strip a by the protruding plate unit 3 needs to be directly supported by the transverse frame unit 2. Otherwise, the transverse frame unit 2 will easily break and fall off the chain 1.

[0067] The device also includes a horizontal base plate 5 for stacking materials, which is disposed on the mounting plate 11 and is used to support the bamboo strips a; an inclined plate 6, which is disposed on the horizontal base plate 5 and is used to gather the bamboo strips a; and two longitudinal baffles 7, which are respectively disposed at both ends of the inclined plate 6 and are used to block the bamboo strips a.

[0068] In this embodiment, the horizontal base plate 5, the inclined plate 6, and the inclined section 1-1 together form an inverted trapezoidal "hopper" structure for stacking bamboo strips a. Each horizontal frame unit 2 can obtain 1-2 bamboo strips a each time it passes through this location, ensuring a continuous and effective upward transport of bamboo strips.

[0069] The function of the two length-direction baffles 7 is to prevent unnecessary lateral displacement of the bamboo strip a, so that the midpoint of the horizontal frame unit 2 and the bamboo strip a are aligned as much as possible.

[0070] Furthermore, one of the length-direction baffles 7 also serves as a blocking and protective plate for the drive motor and drive belt 13, which is both practical and safe.

[0071] A method for using a lifting chain-type single bamboo strip separation device, wherein the chain 1 is driven intermittently.

[0072] In this embodiment, the drive motor is a common stepper motor, thus achieving the intermittent driving effect described above. The chain 1, along with the bamboo strip a, ultimately performs a rhythmic upward transport motion. The main function of this motion is: First, most of the upper bamboo strips a-2 are shaken off before they touch the protruding plate unit 3, greatly reducing the workload and wear rate of the protruding plate unit 3. Second, completely avoid the extreme case of stacking three or more bamboo strips a on the same horizontal frame unit 2; Third, when transporting a single bent bamboo strip a-3 with both ends drooping and the middle protruding, shake it frequently so that it swings to an effective state where both ends are upturned and the protruding plate unit 3 can push it down. Fourth, the single curved bamboo strip a-3 being transported is shaken and dropped directly, since its stability on the horizontal frame unit 2 is far lower than that of a relatively straight, qualified bamboo strip on the horizontal frame unit 2.

[0073] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. These are non-inventive modifications and are protected by patent law as long as they fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lifting chain-type single bamboo strip separation device, comprising an installation vertical plate (11), characterized in that: It also includes a chain (1) set on the mounting plate (11) for conveying bamboo strips (a) upwards, a transverse frame unit (2) set on the chain (1) for supporting bamboo strips (a), and a protruding plate unit (3) set on the mounting plate (11) for pushing down the upper bamboo strip (a-2) and the single-strip curved bamboo strip (a-3) with upturned ends, by blocking the position of the bamboo strip (a) of the two stacked bamboo strips. In the method of using the lifting chain-type single bamboo strip separation device, the chain (1) is driven intermittently. The curved bamboo strips (a-3) with upturned ends and defects undergo greater deformation and have greater elastic energy storage when passing through the protruding plate unit (3), causing them to bounce significantly and fall back into the bamboo strip pile, thus ensuring that defective bamboo strips are not discharged normally. The above method of use can also shake a single, unqualified curved bamboo strip (a-3) from its ineffective state of hanging down at both ends to the desired state of upturned ends, ensuring that the pushing and falling operation of the protruding plate unit (3) is effective. The chain (1) includes at least one inclined section (1-1) for conveying bamboo strips (a) upwards, and the protruding plate unit (3) is used to push the upper bamboo strips (a-2) and the curved bamboo strips (a-3) downwards on the inclined section (1-1). The number of chains (1) is at least 2; the mounting plate (11) is also provided with at least 2 gears (4) located on the upper and lower sides of the protruding plate unit (3) respectively, and used to drive a single chain (1). The horizontal frame unit (2) includes a horizontal connecting plate (201) disposed on the chain (1) and an anti-fall tilting block (202) disposed on the horizontal connecting plate (201) and tilted upward at the other end to block the lower bamboo strip (a-1). The protruding plate unit (3) includes a mounting plate (301) disposed on the mounting upright plate (11) and having at least one inclined edge, and a plurality of protruding plates (302) disposed on the inclined edge and used to push the upper bamboo strip (a-2) and the curved bamboo strip (a-3) down. The mounting plate (301) is in the shape of a right trapezoid, and the protruding plate (302) is in the shape of a triangle. The protruding plate unit (3) also includes a supplementary movable plate (303) disposed on the mounting plate (301) and having a rectangular or elliptical shape, which is used to push the upper bamboo strip (a-2) and the curved bamboo strip (a-3) down by laterally covering the uppermost protruding plate (302). The height of the protruding plate unit (3) is higher than the lowest point of the chain (1), ensuring that the unqualified bent bamboo strips (a-3) hanging down at both ends have switched to the desired state of upturned ends before touching the protruding plate unit (3).

2. The lifting chain type single bamboo strip separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal frame unit (2) also includes a reinforcing plate (203) disposed on one side of the horizontal connecting plate (201), and a connecting block (204) disposed on the reinforcing plate (203) and used to support the anti-fall tilting block (202).

3. The lifting chain type single bamboo strip separation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a horizontal base plate (5) for stacking materials, which is set on the installation plate (11) and used to support the bamboo strips (a); an inclined plate (6) for gathering the bamboo strips (a), which is set on the horizontal base plate (5); and two longitudinal baffles (7) respectively set at both ends of the inclined plate (6) for blocking the bamboo strips (a).

Images