Automatic train loading system and method

Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic train loading system and method. The system comprises two sets of laser correlation devices arranged in the train advancing direction at intervals, and the two sets of laser correlation devices are used for detecting the head and tail positions of carriages and electrically connected with a PLC; when the first group of detection heads arrive, the feeder is triggered to start and the tractor is triggered to pause; when the second group of detection tails leave, the feeder is triggered to stop and the tractor continues to advance; the feeding machine is located on the discharging opening and is responsible for conveying materials; the tractor communicates with the PLC and drags the carriage to move; and the upper computer monitors and controls loading. The loading step comprises the steps that a carriage head arrival signal is detected, a feeder is started, and a tractor is paused; after the head of the carriage is charged, the tractor advances at a constant speed to uniformly charge the middle section of the carriage; pausing at the tail part of the carriage, and charging the tail part; the tail leaving signal triggers to stop feeding, and the tractor continues to advance; and the steps are repeated until loading of the whole train is completed. The problems that existing train loading is high in labor cost and low in loading efficiency are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of cargo transportation and loading, in particular to an automatic train loading system and a loading method. Background Art

[0002] In the prior art, the process of loading materials into trains is as follows: a locomotive pulls an entire train (for example, 25 empty cars) and parks it within the operating range; then, the tractor pushes the first empty car to the loading position at a given speed; when the on-site personnel confirm that the empty car has accurately arrived at the loading position, they will notify the operator to start the feeder to start the loading operation; once the on-site personnel confirm that the first empty car has been loaded, they will notify the operator to stop the feeder; then, the tractor pushes the second empty car to continue moving forward, and repeats the above steps until the entire train of empty cars has been loaded.

[0003] This type of train material loading has the following problems: the loading process of each empty car requires personnel to go to the site to confirm the loading position and loading status, which has a high labor intensity. In addition, if the communication between the on-site confirmation personnel and the operators is not timely during the entire loading process, it is easy to cause material drop, uneven loading, and over-tonnage, affecting the loading quality. The entire loading process is highly dependent on manual operation, which not only has high labor costs, but also has cumbersome processes and low loading efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic train loading system, which can solve the problems of high labor cost and low loading efficiency in existing train material loading.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: the automatic train loading system includes a laser shooting device, a feeder, a tractor, a host computer and a PLC controller; Two groups of laser beam devices are installed in the unloading area of ​​the loading building, and are arranged at intervals along the direction of train travel, and are respectively used to detect the position information of the head and tail of the train carriage; the first group of laser beam devices is used to detect the arrival signal of the head of the train carriage as a trigger condition for the feeder to start and the tractor to stop; the second group of laser beam devices is used to detect the departure signal of the tail of the train carriage as a trigger condition for the feeder to stop and the tractor to continue to move; the two groups of laser beam devices are both electrically connected to the PLC controller, and are used to transmit the carriage position signals detected by each to the PLC controller; The feeder is arranged above the unloading port of the loading building, used for conveying materials into the train carriage, and is electrically connected to the PLC controller so as to receive control instructions from the PLC controller and perform loading operations; The tractor is connected to the train carriages and is used to tow multiple train carriages to move on the loading track; the tractor is communicatively connected to the PLC controller and is used to receive control instructions from the PLC controller and feedback the operating status; The host computer is connected to the PLC controller via a communication connection to monitor and control the loading process.

[0006] In the technical solution of the above-mentioned automatic loading system for trains, a more specific technical solution may also be: the spacing distance between the two groups of the laser shooting devices is the projection length of the unloading port in the driving direction, the installation positions of the first group of laser shooting devices and the second group of laser shooting devices respectively correspond to the two ends of the unloading port, and the direction from the first group of laser shooting devices to the second group of laser shooting devices is the driving direction.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a loading method of an automatic train loading system, comprising the following steps: S1. Detect the arrival signal of the carriage head: the tractor pulls the train carriage to be loaded into the unloading area of ​​the loading building. When the head of the train carriage blocks the first set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller receives the signal, triggers the feeder to start and the tractor to stop; S2, loading at the head of the carriage: the feeder starts to load the carriage head, while the tractor remains stationary. The loading time is calculated and determined based on the volume of the carriage head and the flow rate of the feeder; S3, uniform loading in the middle of the carriage: When the loading of the head of the carriage is completed, the tractor moves forward at a uniform speed, and the loading speed matches the flow speed of the feeder to ensure uniform loading in the middle of the carriage; S4, loading at the rear of the carriage: When the tractor reaches the rear of the carriage, the PLC controller calculates the pause time according to the length of the rear of the carriage and the speed of the tractor, the tractor pauses, and the feeder continues to load the rear of the carriage; S5, detecting the signal of the tail of the carriage leaving: when the tail of the train carriage leaves the second set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller receives the signal, triggering the feeder to stop and the tractor to continue moving; S6. Repeat the loading process: the tractor continues to move to the loading starting position of the next carriage and repeats the above steps until the entire train is loaded. In the technical solution of the loading method of the above-mentioned train automatic loading system, a more specific technical solution may also be: The loading time in step S2 is calculated based on the volume of the carriage head and the flow rate of the feeder, and the calculation formula is: Among them, L1 is the length of the front part of the carriage, in mm; W is the width of the carriage, in mm; H is the height of the carriage, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t1 is the loading time at the head of the carriage, in s. In some possible implementations, in step S3, the speed of the tractor moving at a constant speed is calculated as follows: Wherein, L2 represents the length of the middle section of the carriage, in mm; t2 represents the time for the tractor to move forward at a constant speed, in s; V represents the constant forward speed of the tractor, in mm / s; The calculation formula for uniform forward time is: Among them, L2 is the length of the middle part of the car, in mm; W is the width of the car, in mm; H is the height of the car, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t2 is the time for the tractor to move at a constant speed, in s.

[0008] In some possible implementations, in step S4, the calculation formula for the tractor pause time is: Among them, L3 is the length of the rear part of the carriage, in mm; W is the width of the carriage, in mm; H is the height of the carriage, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t3 is the pause time of the tractor, in s. In some possible implementations, the flow rate of the feeder is determined by the belt speed, and the calculation formula is: Among them, V 皮 Indicates the working speed of the belt conveyor, in mm / s; W 皮 Indicates the width of the belt in mm; H 皮 It indicates the height of the material on the belt in mm; Q indicates the flow rate of the feeder in mm³ / s.

[0009] Due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art: 1. The system of the present invention can automatically trigger the start and stop of the feeder and the pause and continuation of the tractor through the coordinated work of two groups of laser shooting devices, reducing human operation errors, avoiding the occurrence of material dropping, overloading, over-tonnage and the like, and improving loading efficiency and quality; during the entire loading process, there is no need for on-site job confirmation, and only one operator is required to monitor and control on the host computer to complete the loading operation, greatly saving labor costs; installing two groups of laser shooting devices in the unloading area of ​​the loading building can ensure that the feeder starts in time when the carriage arrives at the loading position, and stops in time when the rear of the carriage leaves, avoiding material waste or incomplete loading.

[0010] 2. The distance and installation position of the two sets of laser shooting devices can ensure that the correspondence between the discharge port and the carriage is accurate, so that the materials can fall into the carriage accurately, avoiding the spillage or overflow of materials due to position deviation, thereby reducing material waste.

[0011] 3. The method of the present invention avoids material accumulation or gaps by finely controlling the loading process at the head, middle and tail of the carriage, ensures uniform distribution of the loading, and improves the overall quality of loading; reduces energy and material waste by accurately controlling the loading amount and loading speed; especially in the uniform speed loading process in the middle section of the carriage, the speeds of the tractor and the feeder are matched to ensure the continuity and efficiency of loading. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the location distribution of the automatic loading system for this train.

[0013] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the automatic loading system of the train.

[0014] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Top view of the .

[0015] Explanation of the reference numerals: 1. Feeder; 2. Feeding hopper; 3. First set of laser beam-shooting devices; 4. Second set of laser beam-shooting devices; 5. Carriage; 6. PLC controller; 7. Host computer. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: Figures 1 to 3The train automatic loading system shown mainly includes a laser beam device, a feeder 1, a tractor, a PLC controller 6 and a host computer 7, wherein the laser beam device is composed of a laser transmitter and a receiver that are relatively arranged and installed on both sides of the train driving path, and the laser transmitter is responsible for emitting laser beams, and the receiver is responsible for receiving these laser beams. When a train car passes by, the transmission path of the laser beam will be blocked, and the receiver will therefore be unable to receive the laser signal, thereby triggering the corresponding detection mechanism. This setting method can accurately detect the passage of the train car and provide key location information for the train automatic loading system.

[0017] This system installs two groups of laser beam devices in the unloading area of ​​the loading building. The two groups of devices are arranged at intervals along the direction of travel of the train to detect the position information of the head and tail of the train car. Among them, the first group of laser beam devices 3 is used to detect the arrival of the head of the train car. Once the head of the train car enters its detection range and the laser beam it emits is blocked by the head of the car, the device will immediately send an arrival signal to the PLC controller 6, which will serve as a trigger condition for starting the feeder 1 and pausing the tractor, ensuring that the material can be accurately loaded into the car 5. The second group of laser beam devices 4 is used to detect the departure signal of the tail of the train car. Once the tail of the car leaves its detection range, the device will send a departure signal to the PLC controller 6, which will serve as a trigger condition for stopping the feeder 1 and allowing the tractor to continue moving, thereby ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of material loading. Both groups of laser beam devices are electrically connected to the PLC controller 6 to ensure that they can transmit the position signals of the car 5 detected by each to the PLC controller 6 for processing in real time. In order to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the system, preferably, the distance between the two sets of laser irradiation devices is the projection length of the discharge port in the driving direction, and the discharge port is the lower end outlet of the discharge funnel 2, see Figure 2 The installation positions of the first group of laser beam devices 3 and the second group of laser beam devices 4 correspond to the two ends of the discharge port respectively, and the direction from the first group of laser beam devices 3 to the second group of laser beam devices 4 is exactly consistent with the travel direction of the train, thereby ensuring that the system can accurately detect the head and tail positions of the carriage 5.

[0018] The feeder 1 is arranged above the unloading port of the loading building and is responsible for conveying materials into the train compartment. The feeder 1 is also electrically connected to the PLC controller 6 so as to receive control instructions from the PLC controller 6, such as starting or stopping the loading operation.

[0019] The tractor is connected to the train carriages and is responsible for pulling multiple train carriages to move smoothly on the loading track. A communication connection is established between the tractor and the PLC controller 6 to ensure that it can receive control instructions from the PLC controller 6 and provide real-time feedback on its operating status.

[0020] In addition, the host computer 7 is connected to the PLC controller 6 by means of communication. The PLC controller 6 communicates with the host computer 7 in real time, uploads data of the loading process and receives control instructions. The host computer 7 provides an intuitive and convenient visual monitoring and control interface for operators, which can display the loading progress, equipment operation status and alarm information, so that operators can fully understand the system operation status. At the same time, the operator can flexibly adjust the loading parameters (such as loading speed, tractor speed, etc.) through the host computer 7, and realize remote control of the system, thereby further improving the efficiency and accuracy of the loading process.

[0021] The loading method using the above train automatic loading system comprises the following steps: S1, detect the arrival signal of the head of the carriage The tractor pulls the train carriage to be loaded into the unloading area of ​​the loading building. When the head of the train carriage blocks the first set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller immediately receives a laser signal jump from 1 to 0, which indicates that the head of the carriage has reached the specified position. After receiving this signal, the PLC controller immediately triggers the feeder to start and sends a command to stop the tractor from moving forward.

[0022] S2, loading at the head of the carriage After receiving the start command, the feeder starts to load the head of the carriage at a preset flow rate. During the loading process, the tractor remains stationary. The loading time is calculated based on the volume of the head of the carriage and the flow rate of the feeder. The calculation formula is: in: L1 represents the length of the front part of the carriage, in mm; W represents the width of the carriage, in mm; H represents the height of the carriage, in mm; Q represents the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t1 represents the loading time at the head of the carriage, in seconds.

[0023] S3, uniform speed loading in the middle of the carriage When the loading of the head of the carriage is completed, the tractor moves forward at a uniform speed, and the loading speed matches the flow rate of the feeder to ensure uniform loading in the middle of the carriage. The formula for calculating the uniform forward speed of the tractor is: in: L2 represents the length of the middle section of the carriage, in mm; t2 represents the time that the tractor moves forward at a constant speed, in seconds; V represents the uniform forward speed of the tractor, in mm / s; The calculation formula for uniform forward time is: in: L2 represents the length of the middle section of the carriage, in mm; W represents the width of the carriage, in mm; H represents the height of the carriage, in mm; Q represents the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t2 represents the time that the tractor moves forward at a constant speed, in seconds.

[0024] S4, loading at the rear of the carriage When the tractor reaches the rear of the carriage, the PLC controller calculates the pause time based on the length of the rear of the carriage and the speed of the tractor. During the pause of the tractor, the feeder continues to load materials to the rear of the carriage. The calculation formula for the pause time is: in: L3 represents the length of the rear part of the carriage, in mm; W represents the width of the carriage, in mm; H represents the height of the carriage, in mm; Q represents the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t3 represents the pause time of the tractor, in seconds.

[0025] S5, detect the departure signal of the rear end of the carriage When the rear of the train car leaves the second set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller receives a laser signal jump from 0 to 1, indicating that the rear of the car has left the specified position. After receiving this signal, the PLC controller immediately triggers the feeder stop program and sends a command to make the tractor continue to move forward.

[0026] S6. Repeat the loading process The tractor continues to move to the loading starting position of the next carriage and repeats the above steps S1 to S5 until all carriages of the entire train have completed the loading operation.

[0027] The flow rate of the feeder is determined by the belt speed, and the calculation formula is: in: V 皮 Indicates the working speed of the belt conveyor in mm / s; W 皮 Indicates the width of the belt in mm; H 皮 Indicates the height of the material on the belt, in mm; Q represents the flow rate of the feeder in mm³ / s.

[0028] During the above-mentioned loading operation, since the running speed of the tractor is relatively slow, the time required for deceleration or acceleration from running to stopping and from stopping to constant speed driving is extremely short, so the error generated is relatively small and will not significantly affect the accuracy of the loading operation.

[0029] The present invention realizes automatic loading of train carriages through the coordinated work of laser shooting devices, feeders, tractors, PLC controllers and host computers. Two sets of laser shooting devices accurately detect the head and tail positions of the carriage to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of material loading; the PLC controller controls the operation of the feeder and tractor in real time according to the detection signal to ensure the continuity and uniformity of the loading process; the host computer provides an intuitive visual monitoring interface, allowing operators to grasp the system operation status in real time and flexibly adjust the loading parameters. The present invention can be applied to train carriages of different lengths and types. It only needs to be adjusted accordingly according to the actual size of the carriage and the flow rate of the feeder. By adjusting the loading time and the tractor speed, it can flexibly adapt to a variety of loading needs. The entire loading process reduces the confirmation and actual participation of on-site personnel, and only one operator is needed to complete the loading, which greatly saves labor costs; before loading each empty train, the operator only needs to set the train pause time and loading time in advance to complete the automatic loading, and the loading process of each carriage does not require on-site confirmation, and the most suitable loading speed can be tested, effectively improving the loading efficiency. The present invention not only improves the loading efficiency, but also reduces manual intervention, reduces operating errors, ensures the accuracy and reliability of the loading process, and is suitable for large-scale, high-efficiency train loading operations.

Claims

1. A train automatic loading system, characterized in that: It includes laser shooting device, feeder, tractor, host computer and PLC controller; Two groups of laser beam devices are installed in the unloading area of ​​the loading building, and are arranged at intervals along the traveling direction of the train, and are used to detect the position information of the head and tail of the train carriage respectively; the first group of laser beam devices is used to detect the arrival signal of the head of the train carriage as a trigger condition for starting the feeder and pausing the tractor; The second set of laser beam devices is used to detect the departure signal of the rear of the train carriage, which serves as a trigger condition for the feeder to stop and the tractor to continue to move forward; the two sets of laser beam devices are electrically connected to the PLC controller, and are used to transmit the carriage position signals detected by each to the PLC controller; The feeder is arranged above the unloading port of the loading building, used for conveying materials into the train carriage, and is electrically connected to the PLC controller so as to receive control instructions from the PLC controller and perform loading operations; The tractor is connected to the train carriages and is used to tow multiple train carriages to move on the loading track; the tractor is communicatively connected to the PLC controller and is used to receive control instructions from the PLC controller and feedback the operating status; The host computer is connected to the PLC controller via a communication connection to monitor and control the loading process.

2. The automatic train loading system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spacing distance between the two groups of laser shooting devices is the projection length of the unloading port in the driving direction. The installation positions of the first group of laser shooting devices and the second group of laser shooting devices correspond to the two ends of the unloading port respectively. The direction from the first group of laser shooting devices to the second group of laser shooting devices is the driving direction.

3. A loading method using the train automatic loading system according to claim 2, characterized in that The following steps are involved: S1. Detect the arrival signal of the carriage head: the tractor pulls the train carriage to be loaded into the unloading area of ​​the loading building. When the head of the train carriage blocks the first set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller receives the signal, triggers the feeder to start and the tractor to stop; S2, loading at the head of the carriage: the feeder starts to load the carriage head, while the tractor remains stationary. The loading time is calculated and determined based on the volume of the carriage head and the flow rate of the feeder; S3, uniform loading in the middle of the carriage: When the loading of the head of the carriage is completed, the tractor moves forward at a uniform speed, and the loading speed matches the flow speed of the feeder to ensure uniform loading in the middle of the carriage; S4, loading at the rear of the carriage: When the tractor reaches the rear of the carriage, the PLC controller calculates the pause time according to the length of the rear of the carriage and the speed of the tractor, the tractor pauses, and the feeder continues to load the rear of the carriage; S5, detecting the signal of the tail of the carriage leaving: when the tail of the train carriage leaves the second set of laser shooting devices, the PLC controller receives the signal, triggering the feeder to stop and the tractor to continue moving; S6. Repeat the loading process: the tractor continues to move to the loading starting position of the next carriage and repeats the above steps until the entire train is loaded.

4. The loading method of the train automatic loading system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The loading time in step S2 is calculated based on the volume of the carriage head and the flow rate of the feeder, and the calculation formula is: Among them, L1 is the length of the front part of the carriage, in mm; W is the width of the carriage, in mm; H is the height of the carriage, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t1 is the loading time at the head of the carriage, in s.

5. The loading method of the train automatic loading system according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S3, the calculation formula for the uniform forward speed of the tractor is: Wherein, L2 represents the length of the middle section of the carriage, in mm; t2 represents the time for the tractor to move forward at a constant speed, in s; V represents the constant forward speed of the tractor, in mm / s; The calculation formula for uniform forward time is: Among them, L2 is the length of the middle part of the car, in mm; W is the width of the car, in mm; H is the height of the car, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t2 is the time for the tractor to move at a constant speed, in s.

6. The loading method of the train automatic loading system according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S4, the calculation formula for the tractor suspension time is: Among them, L3 is the length of the rear part of the carriage, in mm; W is the width of the carriage, in mm; H is the height of the carriage, in mm; Q is the flow rate of the feeder loading, in mm³ / s; t3 is the pause time of the tractor, in s.

7. The loading method of the train automatic loading system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that: The flow rate of the feeder is determined by the belt speed, and the calculation formula is: Among them, V 皮 Indicates the working speed of the belt conveyor, in mm / s; W 皮 Indicates the width of the belt in mm; H 皮 It indicates the height of the material on the belt in mm; Q indicates the flow rate of the feeder in mm³ / s.

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