An automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader.

Abstract

This invention discloses an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader, including a belt conveyor and several discharge hoppers located above the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor consists of a conveying base and a conveyor belt located within the conveying base. A feeding pipe is bolted to the lower end of each discharge hopper, and two symmetrical linkage valves are located at the lower end of the feeding pipe. Both linkage valves are rotatably connected to the side wall of the feeding pipe via valve brackets fixed to both sides. The linkage valves are connected to a hydraulic control unit. An anti-clogging and unblocking mechanism consisting of an airflow nozzle and a high-frequency vibrator is provided on the discharge hopper. The airflow nozzle is fixed to the inner wall of the discharge hopper, and the high-frequency vibrator is fixed to the outer wall of the discharge hopper. A material flow monitoring system is provided on the discharge hopper and the guide chute. This invention belongs to the technical field of port bulk cargo handling equipment, specifically an automated material distribution device integrating hydraulic intelligent control, real-time material flow monitoring, anti-clogging and unblocking, and dust suppression functions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of port bulk cargo handling equipment, specifically referring to an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track ship loader. Background Technology

[0002] Arc-track ship loaders have become core loading equipment in bulk cargo terminals due to their wide operating range and strong adaptability to wharves. However, existing multi-hopper material distribution systems have the following significant drawbacks:

[0003] 1. Uneven material flow distribution: Traditional multi-bucket distribution schemes lack a precise material flow adjustment mechanism, and the material flow difference between each discharge point can reach more than 20%, resulting in serious uneven loading in the ship's hold and affecting the safety of ship navigation; at the same time, the material flow is greatly affected by the material characteristics (humidity, particle size), which can easily lead to material interruption or congestion, resulting in low loading efficiency.

[0004] 2. Significant clogging problem: The discharge hoppers mostly adopt a cone structure. When full of material, due to the compaction of its own weight, the arch effect and the friction of the side walls, powdery or sticky materials are very easy to clog at the bottom discharge port, requiring manual cleaning, which not only increases labor intensity but also causes operation interruption.

[0005] 3. Poor conveying stability: The conveyor belt is prone to deviation during operation, and the material is easily spilled when falling from the discharge hopper into the belt, resulting in material waste and environmental dust pollution; at the same time, the valve opening and closing process is not stable enough, affecting the accuracy of material flow control.

[0006] 4. Lack of monitoring and feedback: The lack of real-time monitoring of material flow status makes it impossible to dynamically adjust the valve opening according to the actual discharge situation, resulting in lag in material flow control and further exacerbating the problem of uneven distribution.

[0007] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, this invention proposes an automated material distribution device that integrates intelligent hydraulic control, real-time material flow monitoring, anti-blockage and dust suppression functions, thus completely resolving the pain points of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader. By adjusting the valve opening through a hydraulic control unit and cooperating with the real-time feedback of the material flow monitoring system, the device achieves precise and stable control of the material flow at each discharge point. At the same time, the device solves the problem of clogging in the discharge hopper through an anti-blocking and unblocking mechanism, thereby improving the stability and environmental friendliness of the conveying process and increasing the efficiency of ship loading operations.

[0009] The technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: The present invention proposes an automated material distribution device for an arc track type ship loader, including a belt conveyor and several discharge hoppers located above the belt conveyor. Each discharge hopper is distributed along the direction of the belt conveyor. The belt conveyor consists of a conveying base and a conveying belt located inside the conveying base. The lower end of each discharge hopper is fixedly connected to a feeding pipe by bolts, and the lower end of the feeding pipe is provided with two symmetrical linkage valves. Both linkage valves are rotatably connected to the side wall of the feeding pipe through valve frames fixedly connected on both sides. At the same time, the linkage valves are connected to a hydraulic control unit, which controls the opening and closing of the two linkage valves to achieve precise and flexible adjustment of the discharge flow rate and ensure uniform and stable material flow at each discharge point.

[0010] Several support rods are fixed to the upper ends of both sides of the conveyor base along the extension direction, and guide troughs extending along the direction of the conveyor belt are fixed on both support rods. At the same time, the two guide troughs are located between the conveyor belt and the feeding pipe and are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the feeding pipe to guide and collect the material on the conveyor belt, avoid material spillage, and improve conveying efficiency.

[0011] The discharge hopper is equipped with an anti-clogging and unblocking mechanism consisting of an airflow nozzle and a high-frequency vibrator. The airflow nozzle is fixed to the inner wall of the discharge hopper, and the high-frequency vibrator is fixed to the outer wall of the discharge hopper. Through the dual action of airflow purging and high-frequency vibration, the material on the inner wall of the discharge hopper is prevented from adhering, bridging and blocking, thus ensuring smooth discharge.

[0012] The discharge hopper and guide chute are equipped with a material flow monitoring system to monitor the material discharge situation, collect material flow and level data in real time, provide feedback signals for hydraulic valve adjustment, and form intelligent closed-loop control.

[0013] The hydraulic control unit includes a bracket fixed on the conveying base and a hydraulic cylinder rotatably connected to the bracket. The output end of the hydraulic cylinder is rotatably connected to both sides of the lower end of the linkage valve. By extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinder, the linkage valve can be rotated and opened, providing a stable driving force in a hydraulic drive mode to ensure smooth valve opening and closing action and rapid response.

[0014] Furthermore, one end of the two valve frames rotatably connected to the feeding pipe is fixed with a follower support wheel, and the two follower support wheels are in contact and can rotate relative to each other, reducing the frictional resistance of valve rotation and improving the stability and coaxiality of the linkage valve when it is opened and closed.

[0015] Furthermore, crossbars and fixed rods are evenly distributed on the upper ends of both sides of the conveyor base. The crossbars are parallel to the conveyor belt above it, and the fixed rods are perpendicular to the crossbars with their upper ends bent toward the feeding pipe. A horizontal upper conveyor roller is rotatably connected to the crossbar, and upper conveyor rollers with inclined arrangement are provided on both sides of the upper conveyor roller and rotatably connected to the fixed rod. The three sets of upper conveyor rollers are attached to the upper end of the inner side of the conveyor belt and arranged in a V-shape, so that the conveyor belt forms a V-shaped conveying surface, preventing materials from falling to both sides and improving the belt load-bearing capacity and conveying stability.

[0016] Furthermore, belt guides are evenly distributed on the conveyor base below the conveyor belt along the direction of the conveyor belt extension, and two symmetrical lower conveyor rollers are rotatably connected to the upper end of the belt guides. The lower conveyor rollers are located below the conveyor belt and are in contact with the bottom of the conveyor belt to correct the belt position in real time, avoid belt deviation and wear, and extend the belt service life.

[0017] Furthermore, dust suppression components are provided on the guide troughs on both sides of the feeding pipe. The dust suppression components consist of connecting rods fixed to the inner walls of the two guide troughs and rubber baffles fixed to the connecting rods by bolts. The lower end of the rubber baffles is movably set to flexibly block the opening of the guide troughs, suppressing dust overflow and meeting the port's environmental protection operation requirements.

[0018] Preferably, the side wall of the cone at the bottom of the discharge hopper is set at 65°, the airflow nozzle is made of stainless steel and is located 500mm from the bottom of the discharge hopper, pointing at 45° towards the center of the bottom of the discharge hopper, the high-frequency vibrator is located 300mm from the bottom of the discharge hopper, and the airflow nozzle is fixed with an air nozzle flange at the outer end of the side wall of the discharge hopper for connection with an external air tank. This optimizes the structural angle of the discharge hopper and the positions of the blowing and vibration, maximizes the anti-clogging and unblocking effect, and ensures a durable structure and reliable connection.

[0019] Preferably, the material flow monitoring system includes a non-contact microwave flow sensor fixed on the inner wall of the feed chute and an array of material level sensors disposed on the inner wall of the feed pipe. The non-contact microwave flow sensor is provided in two sets and symmetrically disposed below the feed pipe, and the array of material level sensors is provided in four sets and symmetrically disposed on the inner wall of the feed pipe. The system provides dual monitoring of flow rate and material level, providing comprehensive and accurate data that is not affected by dusty environments and is suitable for bulk material handling conditions.

[0020] Preferably, the array-type level sensor is set at a horizontal downward tilt of 20~30° to reduce direct impact and adhesion of materials, and to ensure detection accuracy and sensor lifespan.

[0021] Preferably, all hydraulic cylinders are equipped with magnetostrictive displacement sensors to provide real-time feedback on the actual stroke of the cylinder, thereby achieving precise closed-loop control of the valve opening.

[0022] The beneficial effects achieved by the present invention using the above structure are as follows:

[0023] 1. By adopting hydraulic closed-loop control and real-time material flow monitoring, the opening of each discharge valve can be automatically adjusted according to the actual conveying status, so that the discharge volume of multiple discharge hoppers is consistent, fundamentally solving the problems of uneven discharge and fluctuating material flow in traditional equipment, making the loading operation more stable.

[0024] 2. The dual anti-clogging structure combining airflow purging and high-frequency vibration, along with the optimized discharge hopper angle, effectively prevents materials from adhering, bridging, and clogging inside the hopper, significantly reducing the frequency of manual unclogging, improving the equipment's continuous operation capability, and reducing on-site safety risks.

[0025] 3. The V-shaped idler structure, combined with the belt straightener, can prevent materials from spilling to both sides and can correct the belt position in real time, avoiding belt deviation, wear and tear, significantly improving the stability of belt conveyor operation and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0026] 4. Flexible rubber baffles are installed at the material guide chute, which, together with the enclosed feeding structure, can effectively suppress dust spillage during the loading process, improve the on-site working environment, and meet the port's environmental protection operation standards.

[0027] 5. The entire system can achieve fully automated operation of material flow monitoring, valve adjustment, and anti-blockage and unblocking processes without frequent manual intervention, reducing operational intensity, improving loading efficiency, and making it more suitable for modern port intelligent operation scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a multi-point schematic diagram of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a side view of the structure of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the discharge hopper and linkage valve of the automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0033] Figure 6 for Figure 5Internal diagram of the structure;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the linkage valve and material flow monitoring system components of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0035] Figure 8 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the installation of the anti-blockage and unblocking mechanism component of an automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader proposed in this invention.

[0036] The components include: 1. Belt conveyor; 2. Discharge hopper; 3. Conveying base; 4. Conveying belt; 5. Linkage valve; 6. Valve frame; 7. Hydraulic control unit; 8. Support rod; 9. Guide chute; 10. Anti-blocking and unblocking mechanism; 11. Airflow nozzle; 12. High-frequency vibrator; 13. Material flow monitoring system; 14. Bracket; 15. Hydraulic cylinder; 16. Follow-up support wheel; 17. Crossbar; 18. Fixed rod; 19. Upper conveying roller; 20. Belt guide; 21. Lower conveying roller; 22. Dust suppression component; 23. Connecting rod; 24. Rubber baffle; 25. Air nozzle flange; 26. Non-contact microwave flow sensor; 27. Array-type material level sensor; 28. Feeding pipe.

[0037] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] See Figures 1-8 The present invention proposes an automated material distribution device for an arc track ship loader, which is installed on the conveying mechanism of the arc track ship loader. The material is continuously conveyed by the belt conveyor 1 and discharged at multiple points through the discharge hopper 2 and the feeding pipe 28. The material flow is adjusted by the hydraulically driven linkage valve 5. Combined with the functions of material flow monitoring, anti-blockage and unblocking, belt deviation correction and dust suppression, the device achieves automated and stable operation.

[0040] The belt conveyor 1 consists of a conveyor base 3 and a conveyor belt 4, providing the foundation for material conveying for the entire machine. Horizontal bars 17 and fixed bars 18 are evenly distributed on the upper ends of both sides of the conveyor base 3 along the conveying direction. Horizontal upper conveyor rollers 19 are installed on the horizontal bars 17, and inclined upper conveyor rollers 19 are installed on the fixed bars 18. The three sets of upper conveyor rollers 19 are attached to the upper inner side of the conveyor belt 4 to form a V-shaped structure, allowing the belt to naturally form a trough during operation and preventing material spillage. On the conveyor base 3 below the conveyor belt 4, belt guides 20 are evenly distributed along the belt extension direction. Symmetrical lower conveyor rollers 21 are installed on the upper end of the guides and are attached to the bottom of the belt to correct the belt position in real time and prevent deviation.

[0041] The upper ends of both sides of the conveyor base 3 are fixed with support rods 8 to guide the material trough 9. The material trough 9 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the feeding pipe 28, located between the conveyor belt 4 and the feeding pipe 28. It guides and collects the material on the belt to prevent the material from spilling. The inner wall of the material trough 9 is equipped with a dust suppression component 22, which consists of a connecting rod 23 and a rubber baffle 24. The lower end of the rubber baffle 24 is movably set to flexibly block dust and achieve dust suppression and environmental protection.

[0042] Several discharge hoppers 2 are arranged above the belt conveyor 1 along the conveying direction. The lower end of the discharge hopper 2 is connected to the feeding pipe 28 by bolts. Two sets of symmetrical linkage valves 5 are set at the lower end of the feeding pipe 28. The valves are rotatably connected to the side wall of the feeding pipe 28 by valve frame 6. Follow-up support wheel 16 is installed at the connection end of the valve frame 6 and the feeding pipe 28. The two sets of support wheels are in close contact with each other and can rotate relative to each other, reducing rotation resistance and improving the stability of valve operation.

[0043] The linkage valve 5 is driven by the hydraulic control unit 7, which includes a bracket 14 and a hydraulic cylinder 15. One end of the hydraulic cylinder 15 is rotatably connected to the bracket 14, and the other end is rotatably connected to both sides of the lower end of the linkage valve 5. The valve is rotated and opened by the extension and retraction of the cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder 15 is equipped with a magnetostrictive displacement sensor (such as the MTS R series) to provide real-time feedback on the cylinder stroke and achieve precise control of the valve opening.

[0044] The discharge hopper 2 is equipped with an anti-blocking and unblocking mechanism 10, which consists of an airflow nozzle 11 and a high-frequency vibrator 12. The bottom conical sidewall of the discharge hopper 2 is set at 65°. The airflow nozzle 11 is made of stainless steel and is installed at a distance of 500mm from the bottom of the hopper, pointing at the center of the bottom of the hopper at 45°. The outer end is connected to an external air tank through an air nozzle flange 25 to realize airflow purging and arch breaking. The high-frequency vibrator 12 (which can be OLI / MVE300-3) is installed on the outer wall at a distance of 300mm from the bottom of the hopper to prevent material adhesion and bridging by vibration.

[0045] A material flow monitoring system 13 is installed on the discharge hopper 2 and the guide trough 9, including a non-contact microwave flow sensor 26 and an array-type material level sensor 27. The flow sensor (which can be a MONITOR SFD-2 microwave solid flow switch from Beijing Kang Ansen Instruments) is symmetrically installed on the inner wall of the guide trough 9 below the feed pipe 28 to detect the material flow in real time. The array-type material level sensor 27 (which can be a Fanyi SC series) is symmetrically installed on the inner wall of the feed pipe 28 and is arranged at a downward tilt of 20~30° to reduce material impact and adhesion. It detects the material level height in real time, and the monitoring signal is uploaded to the control system to form a closed loop with the hydraulic control unit to automatically adjust the valve opening and achieve uniform distribution of material flow at each discharge point.

[0046] Working process: The material is conveyed to the bottom of the discharge hopper 2 by the conveyor belt 4. The material flow monitoring system 13 collects the flow rate and material level signals in real time and transmits them to the control system. According to the set parameters, the control system instructs the hydraulic control unit 7 to adjust the opening of the linkage valve 5 to achieve uniform distribution of material flow at each discharge point. The anti-blockage and unblocking mechanism 10 is activated on a timed or as-needed basis. The combination of airflow purging and high-frequency vibration prevents material blockage. The dust suppression component 22 blocks dust from overflowing. The belt guide 20 cooperates with the V-shaped conveyor roller 19 to ensure stable operation of the conveyor belt.

[0047] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader, comprising a belt conveyor (1) and a plurality of discharge hoppers (2) disposed above the belt conveyor (1), wherein each discharge hopper (2) is distributed along the direction of extension of the belt conveyor (1), the belt conveyor (1) comprising a conveying base (3) and a conveyor belt (4) disposed within the conveying base (3), characterized in that: The lower end of the discharge hopper (2) is fixedly connected to the feeding pipe (28) by bolts, and the lower end of the feeding pipe (28) is provided with two symmetrical linkage valves (5). The two linkage valves (5) are rotatably connected to the side wall of the feeding pipe (28) through valve brackets (6) fixedly connected on both sides. At the same time, the linkage valves (5) are connected to a hydraulic control unit (7), and the opening and closing of the two linkage valves (5) are controlled by the hydraulic control unit (7). Several support rods (8) are fixed on the upper ends of both sides of the conveying base (3) along the extension direction, and guide grooves (9) extending along the direction of the conveying belt (4) are fixed on both sides of the support rods (8). At the same time, the two guide grooves (9) are located between the conveying belt (4) and the feeding pipe (28) and are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the feeding pipe (28). The discharge hopper (2) is provided with an anti-blocking and unblocking mechanism (10) consisting of an airflow nozzle (11) and a high-frequency vibrator (12), wherein the airflow nozzle (11) is fixed on the inner wall of the discharge hopper (2) and the high-frequency vibrator (12) is fixed on the outer wall of the discharge hopper (2); The discharge hopper (2) and the guide chute (9) are equipped with a material flow monitoring system (13) for monitoring the discharge of materials.

2. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hydraulic control unit (7) includes a bracket (14) fixed on the conveying base (3) and a hydraulic cylinder (15) rotatably connected to the bracket (14). The output end of the hydraulic cylinder (15) is rotatably connected to both sides of the lower end of the linkage valve (5). By extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinder (15), the linkage valve (5) can be rotated and opened.

3. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the valve frame (6) and the feed pipe (28) is fixed with a follower support wheel (16), and the two follower support wheels (16) are in contact and can rotate relative to each other, which can improve the stability of the linkage valve (5) when it is opened and closed.

4. An automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The upper ends of both sides of the conveyor base (3) are evenly distributed with crossbars (17) and fixed rods (18). The crossbars (17) are parallel to the upper part of the conveyor belt (4). The fixed rods (18) are perpendicular to the crossbars (17) and the upper end of the fixed rods (18) bends toward the feeding pipe (28). A horizontal upper conveyor roller (19) is rotatably connected to the crossbars (17). The upper conveyor rollers (19) are inclined on both sides and rotatably connected to the fixed rods (18). The three sets of upper conveyor rollers (19) are attached to the upper end of the inner side of the conveyor belt (4) and are arranged in a V-shape.

5. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 4, characterized in that: The conveyor base (3) below the conveyor belt (4) is evenly distributed with belt guides (20) along the direction of the conveyor belt (4), and the upper end of the belt guide (20) is rotatably connected with two symmetrical lower conveyor rollers (21). The lower conveyor rollers (21) are located below the conveyor belt (4) and are in contact with the bottom of the conveyor belt (4).

6. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 1, characterized in that: Dust suppression components (22) are provided on the guide troughs (9) on both sides of the feeding pipe (28). The dust suppression components (22) consist of connecting rods (23) fixed on the inner walls of the two guide troughs (9) and rubber baffles (24) fixed on the connecting rods (23) by bolts. The lower end of the rubber baffles (24) is movably set.

7. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom conical hopper of the discharge hopper (2) is set at 65°. The airflow nozzle (11) is made of stainless steel and is located 500mm from the bottom of the discharge hopper (2) at 45° (pointing to the center of the bottom of the discharge hopper (2). The high-frequency vibrator (12) is located 300mm from the bottom of the discharge hopper (2). The airflow nozzle (11) passes through the outer end of the side wall of the discharge hopper (2) and is fixed with an air nozzle flange (25) for connecting with an external air bag.

8. The automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material flow monitoring system (13) includes a non-contact microwave flow sensor (26) fixed on the inner wall of the guide trough (9) and an array-type material level sensor (27) set on the inner wall of the feeding pipe (28). The non-contact microwave flow sensor (26) is provided in two sets and symmetrically arranged below the feeding pipe (28). The array-type material level sensor (27) is provided in four sets and symmetrically arranged on the inner wall of the feeding pipe (28).

9. An automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 8, characterized in that: The array-type level sensor (27) is set at a horizontal downward tilt of 20~30° to reduce material impact and adhesion.

10. An automated material distribution device for a circular arc track type ship loader according to claim 2, characterized in that: The hydraulic cylinders (15) are all equipped with magnetostrictive displacement sensors to provide real-time feedback on the actual stroke of the cylinder.

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