A basket material conveying line

Abstract

The utility model relates to material conveying technical field discloses a kind of basket material conveying line including first stacker, linear chain conveyor, steering machine and second stacker in turn, and the sequential link of first stacker, linear chain conveyor, steering machine and second stacker, constructs the full automation conveying link from heat-treated basket material grabbing, linear conveying, steering adjustment to storage rack accurate storage.Compared with the combination mode of manual handling and simple conveying equipment in prior art, not only the operation link of manual direct contact high-temperature basket material is completely eliminated, the risk of high-temperature scald is avoided, but also the safety hazards such as basket material inclination and falling caused by physical difference and operation error in manual handling process are avoided, the labor cost investment is greatly reduced, and the safety and stability of transportation process are significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of material transportation technology, and in particular to a basket material transportation line. Background Technology

[0002] In the piston manufacturing industry, raw piston castings undergo heat treatment to optimize the material's microstructure and improve its mechanical properties, ultimately forming finished piston castings ready for finishing. Due to the need for strict control over the entire piston production process, heat-treated finished piston castings cannot be directly transported to the processing line. They must first be transferred to storage racks for temporary buffering. This avoids process blockages at the heat treatment furnace outlet caused by the accumulation of finished castings and allows for flexible retrieval of finished castings from the storage racks based on the scheduling of subsequent finishing orders (such as order priority and equipment load), ensuring the balanced and efficient operation of the entire production line.

[0003] However, in actual production scenarios, there is usually a fixed distance of over ten meters between the heat treatment furnace and the storage racks (the specific distance varies depending on the factory layout, equipment size, and production scale). Furthermore, piston casting molten material needs to be loaded into specialized metal crates (hereinafter referred to as crates), each crate holding 200 pieces of molten material. This not only carries considerable weight, but the surface temperature of the molten material immediately after leaving the heat treatment furnace remains high, posing stringent requirements for the safety, stability, and efficiency of the transportation process. Currently, the main method is a combination of manual handling and simple conveying equipment (ordinary roller conveyors or belt conveyors). This approach is difficult to adapt to the harsh handling environment and also hinders the improvement of automation levels in the handling process.

[0004] It is evident that existing technologies still need improvement and enhancement. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a crate transport line that can effectively connect the heat treatment furnace and the storage rack to realize the automated, efficient and safe transfer of crate materials.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A crate transport line includes a first stacker, a linear chain conveyor, a steering mechanism, and a second stacker connected in sequence. The first stacker is used to transport heat-treated crates onto the linear chain conveyor. The linear chain conveyor is used to transport the crates onto the steering mechanism, which rotates the crates horizontally by 90°. The second stacker is used to transport the crates from the steering mechanism onto a storage rack. The steering mechanism includes a base frame, a rotating frame rotatably mounted on the base frame, a first servo motor driven by the rotating frame, two first chain brackets arranged side by side on the rotating frame, a first driven wheel rotatably mounted on the front end of the first chain bracket, a first drive shaft rotatably mounted on the rear end of the first chain bracket, two first sprockets sleeved on the first drive shaft, and a first conveyor chain wound around the first driven wheel and the first sprocket. Two first conveyor chains are formed side by side on the rotating frame. The first drive shaft is driven by a first drive structure.

[0007] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the rotating frame is provided with two limiting plates located in front of the first transmission shaft, and the first conveying chain is used to convey the basket material backward so that the basket material is aligned with the limiting plates.

[0008] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a first guide rail located outside the first conveyor chain is mounted on the rotating frame.

[0009] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a vertically extending stepped rotating shaft is provided at the middle of the bottom of the rotating frame, and an adapter seat is provided on the base frame. Rolling bearings and thrust bearings that cooperate with the interior of the adapter seat are fitted on the stepped rotating shaft.

[0010] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the first drive structure includes a second servo motor, a second sprocket sleeved on the output shaft of the second servo motor, a third sprocket sleeved on the first transmission shaft, and a first transmission chain that is connected to the second sprocket and the third sprocket.

[0011] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the linear chain conveyor includes two side frames, a connecting rod connecting the two side frames, a power box disposed between the two side frames, a second chain bracket disposed on the side frame, a second driven wheel rotatably disposed on the front end of the second chain bracket, a third driven wheel rotatably disposed on the rear end of the second chain bracket, and a second conveying chain wound around the second driven wheel and the third driven wheel. The power box is used to traction the second conveying chain to circulate.

[0012] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, the power box includes a housing, a second drive shaft disposed within the housing, a fourth sprocket mounted on the second drive shaft, a guide wheel for guiding the second conveyor chain to change direction, a third servo motor, a fifth sprocket mounted on the output shaft of the third servo motor, a sixth sprocket mounted on the second drive shaft, and a second transmission chain that is connected to the fifth and sixth sprockets. The second conveyor chain meshes with the fourth sprocket for transmission.

[0013] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a horizontally extending waist-shaped groove is provided inside the box, and a threaded hole is provided on the mounting plate of the guide wheel, with the screw passing through the waist-shaped groove and connecting to the corresponding threaded hole.

[0014] As a further improvement to the above technical solution, a second guide rail located outside the second conveyor chain is mounted on the side frame.

[0015] Beneficial effects: The crate transport line provided by this utility model establishes a fully automated transport chain through the sequential connection of a first stacker crane, a linear chain conveyor, a steering mechanism, and a second stacker crane. This chain encompasses the grabbing of heat-treated crates, linear conveying, steering adjustment, and precise storage on storage racks. Compared to the existing combination of manual handling and simple conveying equipment, this method not only completely eliminates the direct contact between humans and high-temperature crates, avoiding the risk of burns, but also avoids safety hazards such as crate tilting and falling due to differences in physical strength or operational errors during manual handling. Furthermore, it significantly reduces labor costs and substantially improves the safety and stability of the transport process. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the basket material transport line for transporting piston casting molten material provided by this utility model. The basket material in the figure only schematically shows several piston casting molten materials.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between a linear chain conveyor and a steering mechanism.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the steering gear.

[0019] Figure 4 This is a top view of a linear chain conveyor.

[0020] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the guide wheel, fifth drive shaft, and seventh sprocket arranged inside the power box.

[0021] Key component symbols: 1-First stacker crane, 2-Linear chain conveyor, 21-Side frame, 22-Connecting rod, 23-Power box, 231-Box body, 232-Second drive shaft, 233-Fourth sprocket, 234-Guide wheel, 2341-Threaded hole, 235-Third servo motor, 236-Fifth sprocket, 237-Sixth sprocket, 238-Second drive chain, 239-Oval groove, 24-Second chain bracket, 25-Second driven wheel, 26-Third driven wheel, 28-Second conveyor chain, 29-Second guide rail, 3 - Steering gear, 31- Base frame, 32- Rotating frame, 331- Stepped shaft, 332- Adapter seat, 333- Rolling bearing, 334- Thrust bearing, 341- First servo motor, 342- First drive shaft, 343- First driven wheel, 344- First chain bracket, 345- First sprocket, 346- First conveyor chain, 35- Limiting plate, 36- First guide rail, 391- Second servo motor, 392- Second sprocket, 393- Third sprocket, 394- First transmission chain, 4- Second stacker, 5- Basket material. Detailed Implementation

[0022] This utility model provides a basket material transport line. To make the purpose, technical solution, and effects of this utility model clearer and more explicit, the following describes this utility model in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this utility model and are not intended to limit this utility model.

[0023] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or a specific orientational structure and operation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model. Furthermore, "first" and "second" are only for descriptive purposes and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0024] Please see Figures 1 to 5This utility model provides a crate material transport line, comprising a first stacker 1, a linear chain conveyor 2, a steering mechanism 3, and a second stacker 4 connected in sequence. The first stacker 1 is used to transport heat-treated crates 5 onto the linear chain conveyor 2. The linear chain conveyor 2 is used to transport the crates 5 onto the steering mechanism 3. The steering mechanism 3 is used to rotate the crates 90° horizontally. The second stacker 4 is used to transport the crates 5 on the steering mechanism 3 onto a storage rack. The steering mechanism 3 includes a base frame 31, a rotating frame 32 rotatably mounted on the base frame 31, and a connecting frame 3... The rotating frame 32 is driven by a first servo motor 341, two first chain brackets 344 arranged side by side on the rotating frame 32, a first driven wheel 343 rotatably mounted on the front end of the first chain bracket 344, a first drive shaft 342 rotatably mounted on the rear end of the first chain bracket 344, two first sprockets 345 sleeved on the first drive shaft 342, and a first conveyor chain 346 wound around the first driven wheel 343 and the first sprockets 345. Two first conveyor chains 346 are formed side by side on the rotating frame 32. The first drive shaft 342 is driven by a first drive structure.

[0025] After the piston casting molten material undergoes heat treatment, the high-temperature special metal crate containing the piston casting molten material is removed from the heat treatment furnace outlet. At this time, the first stacker crane 1 precisely grabs the high-temperature crate material 5 using its own sliding fork. Subsequently, the first stacker crane 1 smoothly transfers the crate material 5 to the feeding end of the linear chain conveyor 2 through its own lifting and horizontal movement system, and accurately places it on the chain conveying surface of the linear chain conveyor 2. Then, the linear chain conveyor 2 precisely conveys the crate material 5 to the feeding end of the steering mechanism 3. When the linear chain conveyor 2 delivers the crate material 5 to the rotating frame 32, the first drive structure drives the first transmission shaft 342 to rotate, the first sprocket 345 pulls and drives the two first conveyor chains 346 to run synchronously, and the first chain bracket 344 bears the weight of the first conveyor chains 346 and the crate material 5, thereby smoothly conveying the crate material 5 to the central positioning area of ​​the rotating frame 32. Then, the first conveyor chains 346 stop, completing the positioning of the crate material 5. After the crate material 5 is positioned, the first servo motor 341 starts. With its high-precision speed and angle control capabilities, the first servo motor 341 drives the entire rotating frame 32 to rotate horizontally 90° around the rotation axis of the base frame 31 (the rotation angle can be precisely adjusted according to the feeding direction of the storage rack), ensuring that the crate material 5 does not tilt or shift during the rotation. After rotating into position, the second stacker crane 4 uses its built-in sliding fork to precisely grab the crate material 5 from the steering machine 3 and move it along a preset path to the designated shelf of the storage rack, placing the crate material 5 stably, thus achieving automated buffering of the high-temperature crate material 5.

[0026] The crate transport line provided by this utility model, through the sequential connection of a first stacker crane 1, a linear chain conveyor 2, a steering machine 3, and a second stacker crane 4, constructs a fully automated transport chain from grabbing heat-treated crates, linear conveying, steering adjustment, to precise storage on the warehouse rack. Compared with the combination of manual handling and simple conveying equipment in the prior art, this not only completely eliminates the operation link of direct contact between humans and high-temperature crates, avoiding the risk of high-temperature burns, but also avoids safety hazards such as crate tilting and falling caused by differences in physical strength and operational errors during manual handling. At the same time, it significantly reduces labor costs and significantly improves the safety and stability of the transportation process. The linear chain conveyor 2 has higher high temperature resistance and load-bearing strength, and can stably adapt to the transportation needs of heat-treated crates for a long time. The steering machine 3 drives the rotating frame 32 to rotate horizontally by 90° through the first servo motor 341, and cooperates with the first conveying chain 346 on the rotating frame 32 to realize the turning and conveying of crates. This solves the problem that the existing simple conveying equipment can only convey in a straight line and cannot adapt to the differences in the spacing and layout turning needs of equipment (heat treatment furnace and storage rack) in the factory.

[0027] Specifically, the rotating frame 32 is provided with two limiting plates 35 located in front of the first drive shaft 342. The first conveying chain 346 is used to convey the basket material 5 backward, so that the basket material 5 aligns with the limiting plates 35. When the first conveying chain 346 conveys the basket material 5 backward, it will push the basket material 5 to gradually approach and eventually align with the limiting plates 35. Through the blocking and positioning effect of the limiting plates 35, the basket material 5 forms a uniform parking posture and position reference on the rotating frame 32, that is, the rear end of the basket material 5 is flush with and attached to the limiting plates 35. On the one hand, during the process of the steering machine 3 driving the rotating frame 32 to rotate 90° via the first servo motor 341, the neatly positioned basket material 5 can always maintain a stable posture and will not tilt or collide with the inner wall of the rotating frame 32 due to centrifugal force or positional deviation, thus ensuring the safety of the steering process. On the other hand, it provides a precise position reference for the subsequent sliding fork of the second stacker crane 4 to grab the basket material 5. The second stacker crane 4 can quickly and accurately complete the grabbing action based on the position of the basket material determined by the limiting plate 35, avoiding problems such as grabbing deviation and grabbing failure caused by the uncertain position of the basket material 5, and significantly improving the accuracy and efficiency of the handling process from the steering machine 3 to the storage rack.

[0028] Preferably, the rotating frame 32 is equipped with a first guide rail 36 located outside the first conveying chain 346, forming a lateral limiting and guiding structure for the basket material. During the rearward conveying process of the first conveying chain 346, the basket material will always move in contact with the inner side of the first guide rail 36. Compared to the situation without an outer guide rail, where the basket material is prone to lateral deviation due to fluctuations in conveying speed and uneven weight distribution, the first guide rail 36 provides stable lateral support and guiding constraints for the basket material, ensuring that the basket material moves strictly along the conveying direction of the first conveying chain 346. This completely eliminates the risk of the basket material shifting outward from the chain, colliding with the edge of the rotating frame 32, or detaching from the conveying path, further enhancing the positional accuracy and attitude stability of the basket material during the conveying stage of the rotating frame 32.

[0029] In this embodiment, a vertically extending stepped rotating shaft 331 is provided at the bottom center of the rotating frame 32. A transition seat 332 is provided on the base frame 31. A rolling bearing 333 and a thrust bearing 334, which mate with the interior of the transition seat 332, are fitted onto the stepped rotating shaft 331. After the rotating frame 32 carries the basket material, its overall weight is concentrated on the bottom stepped rotating shaft 331. The stepped rotating shaft 331 achieves precise positioning and assembly with the rolling bearing 333 and the thrust bearing 334 through its stepped structure. This ensures that the radial load is borne by the rolling bearing 333, and the axial load is distributed and borne by the thrust bearing 334. The two bearings have clear division of labor and work together to prevent overload damage to a single bearing due to simultaneously bearing combined radial and axial loads.

[0030] Specifically, the first drive structure includes a second servo motor 391, a second sprocket 392 mounted on the output shaft of the second servo motor 391, a third sprocket 393 mounted on the first transmission shaft 342, and a first transmission chain 394 connected to the second sprocket 392 and the third sprocket 393. The second servo motor 391 has high-precision speed control and fast response characteristics, and can accurately adjust the output speed according to the material conveying requirements. Then, through the transmission of the second sprocket 392, the first transmission chain 394, and the third sprocket 393, it drives the first transmission shaft 342 to rotate at the corresponding speed, ultimately controlling the conveying speed of the first conveying chain 346.

[0031] In this embodiment, the linear chain conveyor 2 includes two side frames 21, a connecting rod 22 connecting the two side frames 21, a power box 23 disposed between the two side frames 21, a second chain bracket 24 disposed on the side frames 21, a second driven wheel 25 rotatably disposed on the front end of the second chain bracket 24, a third driven wheel 26 rotatably disposed on the rear end of the second chain bracket 24, and a second conveying chain 28 wound around the second driven wheel 25 and the third driven wheel 26. The power box 23 is used to drive the second conveying chain 28 in cyclical motion. By synchronously driving the two second conveying chains 28, the power box 23 can ensure that the two chains maintain a completely consistent conveying speed and rhythm. The second chain bracket 24 bears the weight of the second conveying chain 28 and the basket material. This dual-chain synchronous conveying design, compared with the single-chain conveying which is prone to lateral displacement of the basket material due to uneven force, can provide balanced support and traction for the basket material, and avoid the basket material from tilting, twisting and other posture deviations due to excessive force on one side during long-distance conveying, ensuring that the basket material runs smoothly from the receiving end of the first stacker 1 to the conveying end of the steering machine 3.

[0032] It should be noted that the rigid meshing structure of the chain drive in the linear chain conveyor 2 can maintain stable power transmission efficiency in high-temperature environments. Even if the high temperature of the material surface is conducted to the chain, it will not affect its load-bearing and conveying capacity. In addition, workers can further reduce the risk of wear under high temperatures by regularly adding high-temperature grease to the chain, ensuring that the linear chain conveyor 2 can operate reliably for a long time under harsh high-temperature conditions and reducing production line downtime caused by failure of conveying components.

[0033] Specifically, the power box 23 includes a box body 231, a second drive shaft 232 disposed inside the box body 231, a fourth sprocket 233 sleeved on the second drive shaft 232, a guide wheel 234 for guiding the second conveyor chain 28 to change direction, a third servo motor 235, a fifth sprocket 236 sleeved on the output shaft of the third servo motor 235, a sixth sprocket 237 sleeved on the second drive shaft 232, and a second transmission chain 238 that is connected to the fifth sprocket 236 and the sixth sprocket 237 for transmission. The second conveyor chain 28 meshes with the fourth sprocket 233 for transmission. The power box 23 is powered by a third servo motor 235, which provides high-precision power. The fifth sprocket 236 on its output shaft drives the sixth sprocket 237 on the second drive shaft 232 via the second drive chain 238. This causes the second drive shaft 232 and its mounted fourth sprocket 233 to rotate synchronously. Finally, the seventh sprocket engages with the second conveyor chain 28, providing power to the two parallel second conveyor chains 28. The high-precision speed control of the third servo motor 235 allows for precise adjustment of the fourth sprocket 233's speed through this transmission link, ensuring that the two second conveyor chains 28 maintain a completely consistent conveying speed and start-stop rhythm. Especially during long-distance material transport, this precise synchronous control keeps the material in a stable, centered position, preventing tilting and jamming caused by speed differences between the two chains, further enhancing the stability of the linear conveying process.

[0034] Furthermore, the guide wheel 234 installed inside the power box 23 enables the second conveyor chain 28 to smoothly transition from the conveying section of the side frame 21 to the engagement section of the seventh sprocket within the limited space of the box 231. On the one hand, the reversing action of the guide wheel 234 can complete the power connection of the chain without significantly increasing the volume of the power box 23, effectively compressing the installation space of the power box 23, adapting to the scenario of dense equipment layout in the factory, and avoiding the occupation of additional production space due to the excessive size of the power box 23; on the other hand, the guide wheel 234 cooperates with the second conveyor chain 28 through rolling contact, which can convert the sliding friction of the second conveyor chain 28 when reversing direction into rolling friction, greatly reducing the frictional loss between the second conveyor chain 28 and the box 231 or other components, while avoiding stress concentration caused by forced bending of the second conveyor chain 28, extending the service life of the second conveyor chain 28, and reducing the maintenance frequency caused by wear of the second conveyor chain 28.

[0035] In actual operation, the second conveyor chain 28 may experience natural stretching or wear due to long-term heavy-load conveying and high-temperature environments, leading to a decrease in tension. To address this, the housing 231 has a laterally extending waist-shaped groove 239, and the mounting plate of the guide wheel 234 has threaded holes 2341. Screws pass through the waist-shaped groove 239 and connect to the corresponding threaded holes 2341. By adjusting the position of the guide wheel 234 through the waist-shaped groove 239, the appropriate chain tension can be restored without replacing the chain, avoiding problems such as decreased power transmission efficiency and conveying jams caused by chain slack. This ensures that the second conveyor chain 28 always maintains a stable meshing transmission state, adapting to the dynamic changes in chain tension during long-term use.

[0036] In fact, the linear chain conveyor 2 can be connected in an appropriate number according to the actual conveying distance. The side frame 21 is equipped with a second guide rail 29 located outside the second conveying chain 28. During the conveying of a long distance of tens of meters by the linear chain conveyor 2, the basket material is prone to shifting outwards from the second conveying chain 28 due to its own heavy load, fluctuations in conveying speed, or slight vibrations of the chain. The second guide rail 29, through its close contact with both sides of the basket material, can provide continuous and stable lateral support, forcibly constraining the basket material to move along the conveying direction of the second conveying chain 28.

[0037] It should be noted that the first and second stacker cranes are existing equipment that can be directly purchased from the market. Those skilled in the art can understand and design them by referring to existing patents, and will not be elaborated here.

[0038] It is understood that those skilled in the art can make equivalent substitutions or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of this utility model, and all such substitutions or changes should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A basket material transport line, characterized in that, The system includes a first stacker crane, a linear chain conveyor, a steering mechanism, and a second stacker crane connected in sequence. The first stacker crane is used to transport heat-treated crates to the linear chain conveyor. The linear chain conveyor is used to transport the crates to the steering mechanism, which rotates the crates horizontally by 90°. The second stacker crane is used to transport the crates on the steering mechanism to a storage rack. The steering mechanism includes a base frame, a rotating frame rotatably mounted on the base frame, a first servo motor driven by the rotating frame, two first chain brackets arranged side by side on the rotating frame, a first driven wheel rotatably mounted on the front end of the first chain bracket, a first drive shaft rotatably mounted on the rear end of the first chain bracket, two first sprockets sleeved on the first drive shaft, and a first conveyor chain wound around the first driven wheel and the first sprocket. Two first conveyor chains are formed side by side on the rotating frame. The first drive shaft is driven by a first drive structure.

2. The basket material transport line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating frame is provided with two limiting plates located in front of the first drive shaft. The first conveyor chain is used to convey the basket material backward so that the basket material is aligned with the limiting plates.

3. The basket material transport line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating frame is equipped with a first guide rail located outside the first conveyor chain.

4. The basket material transport line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom center of the rotating frame is provided with a vertically extending stepped rotating shaft, the base frame is provided with a transition seat, and the stepped rotating shaft is fitted with a rolling bearing and a thrust bearing that cooperate with the interior of the transition seat.

5. The basket material transport line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive structure includes a second servo motor, a second sprocket mounted on the output shaft of the second servo motor, a third sprocket mounted on the first transmission shaft, and a first transmission chain that is connected to the second sprocket and the third sprocket.

6. The basket material transport line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The linear chain conveyor includes two side frames, a connecting rod connecting the two side frames, a power box disposed between the two side frames, a second chain bracket disposed on the side frame, a second driven wheel rotatably disposed on the front end of the second chain bracket, a third driven wheel rotatably disposed on the rear end of the second chain bracket, and a second conveying chain wound around the second driven wheel and the third driven wheel. The power box is used to traction the second conveying chain to circulate.

7. The basket material transport line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The power box includes a housing, a second drive shaft disposed within the housing, a fourth sprocket mounted on the second drive shaft, a guide wheel for guiding the second conveyor chain to change direction, a third servo motor, a fifth sprocket mounted on the output shaft of the third servo motor, a sixth sprocket mounted on the second drive shaft, and a second transmission chain that is connected to the fifth and sixth sprockets. The second conveyor chain meshes with the fourth sprocket for transmission.

8. The basket material transport line according to claim 7, characterized in that, The housing has a laterally extending waist-shaped groove, and the mounting plate of the guide wheel has threaded holes. Screws pass through the waist-shaped groove and connect to the corresponding threaded holes.

9. The basket material transport line according to claim 6, characterized in that, The side frame is equipped with a second guide rail located outside the second conveyor chain.

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