Device for cleaning the inside of a silo

Abstract

A device for the internal cleaning of a silo comprises a carriage movable along a guide rail, on which at least one cleaning device is arranged. The guide rail has a first hollow profile (21) with a first end and a second end, the second end of which is arranged in a second hollow profile (22). A first limiting element (213) is arranged at the second end of the first hollow profile (21). A second limiting element (223) is arranged on the second hollow profile (22). A resilient element (24) is arranged between the two limiting elements (213, 223) in the second hollow profile (22).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for cleaning the interior of a silo. State of the art

[0002] Storage silos for granules, such as feed silos and food silos, require regular cleaning to prevent contamination of the silage material with germs. This is the only way to avoid health problems caused by spoiled and contaminated feed and food. Until now, cleaning devices have been used for this purpose, which are inserted into the silo through the top opening. This requires considerable physical effort or even the use of cranes and cherry pickers.

[0003] DE 102 56 560 B4 and EP 1 724 031 B1 disclose improved silo cleaning devices for feed silos, which can be inserted into the silo through an access hatch in the conical hopper or the lower portion of the silo. This facilitates the insertion and removal of the silo cleaning device and reduces the time required for the entire silo cleaning process. The described devices comprise a carriage with a cleaning arm that can be moved along a guide rail and rotated about it.

[0004] Due to their larger dimensions, grain silos require silo cleaning devices with very long cleaning arms. To keep the pressure on the guide rail as low as possible, devices for cleaning the interior of large silos are known from DE 10 2009 035 046 B4 and DE 10 2011 120 825 B4. Each of these devices has two cleaning arms that move synchronously to compensate for the pressure exerted on the guide rail when a cleaning fluid is sprayed.

[0005] To enable the trolley to rotate around the guide rail, it must be equipped with a powerful motor. This motor accounts for a significant portion of the trolley's weight. Since the motor must be manually attached to the guide rail when the cleaning device is inserted into the silo interior, it is desirable to reduce the trolley's weight. Therefore, DE 10 2014 114 145 B4 presents a silo cleaning device with a guide rail that rotates around its longitudinal axis, allowing the trolley to rotate along with the guide rail. The motor for rotating the guide rail is located at the base of the device, allowing the trolley to be designed significantly lighter than previous devices for cleaning the interior of silos.

[0006] However, all such devices still suffer from the problem that the guide rail must be laboriously assembled manually and attached to the silo's interior ceiling. This is particularly complicated by the varying heights of different silos, so that the guide rail must usually be assembled from several hollow profiles of the appropriate length. A large number of hollow profiles must be kept on hand for different silo heights. Therefore, one object of the invention is to provide a device for cleaning the interior of a silo whose guide rod can be used for a wide variety of different silo heights without having to manually connect many hollow profiles. Disclosure of the invention

[0007] This object is achieved by a device for cleaning the inside of a silo, which device has a carriage which can be moved along a guide rail and on which at least one cleaning device is arranged. The guide rail has a first hollow profile with a first end and a second end. The second end of this is arranged in a second hollow profile. The two hollow profiles are preferably each made of a light metal. A first limiting element is arranged at the second end of the first hollow profile. A second limiting element is arranged on the second hollow profile. A resilient element is arranged between the two limiting elements in the second hollow profile. The resilient element is in particular a spiral spring.

[0008] This guide rail can be installed in silos of different heights. To do so, the first end of the first hollow profile is pressed indirectly against the silo ceiling. The first hollow profile is pushed into the second hollow profile, compressing the spring element. When the second end of the second hollow profile is then indirectly supported on the silo floor, the guide rail is clamped between the silo ceiling and the silo floor by the spring force of the spring element.

[0009] The first hollow profile is preferably shorter than the second hollow profile. This allows the first hollow profile to be completely recessed into the second hollow profile.

[0010] A ceiling support element is preferably arranged at the first end of the first hollow profile in order to support the guide rail on the ceiling of a silo. The second end of the second hollow profile is preferably connected to a floor support element via a third hollow profile, which in particular consists of a light metal, in order to support the guide rail on the floor of a silo. In principle, it would also be possible to connect the second hollow profile directly to the floor support element. However, the use of the third hollow profile is advantageous in order to enable a rough adjustment of the guide rail to the silo height by selecting a suitable third hollow profile and then only achieve a fine adjustment by moving the first hollow profile in the second hollow profile.

[0011] The ceiling support element preferably has a tip. This allows the ceiling support element to be supported on a ceiling surface of the silo. It also preferably has an adapter disc. This allows the ceiling support element to be supported in a filling pipe of the silo. Some silo types have a central filling pipe in their ceiling. This can advantageously be contacted using the adapter disc. Other silo types have a lateral filling pipe in their ceiling. The central area of ​​the silo ceiling in such silos is a horizontal surface or a cone. There, the guide rail can advantageously be supported by means of the tip.

[0012] The floor support element preferably has a circular frame. This makes it possible to place it on a flat silo floor, for example, in a grain silo, or to attach it to a conical silo floor, for example, in a feed silo. For this purpose, the frame, in particular, has several fastening elements.

[0013] By supporting the floor support element in the conical area of ​​a silo floor, components of the device are prevented from having to rest on the lowest point of the silo floor and thus being exposed to heavy contamination.

[0014] Preferably, the ceiling support element is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the guide rail, and the third hollow profile is mounted in the floor support element so that it can rotate about the longitudinal axis of the guide rail. This allows the hollow profiles to rotate together between the ceiling support element and the floor element. This allows the carriage to be rotated about the longitudinal arch of the guide rail without requiring a rotary motor on the carriage. Rather, in this embodiment of the device, a rotary motor is preferably arranged on the floor support element.

[0015] The limiting elements are preferably connected to each other by a fastening cable. This prevents the two hollow profiles from separating during transport of the guide rail. The fastening cable runs, in particular, through the spring element.

[0016] At the first end of the second hollow profile, an eyelet is preferably arranged through which a winch cable of the trolley is guided. This allows the trolley to be moved along the second and third hollow profiles of the guide rail using a winch. The tensile force of the winch can act via the eyelet on the second and third hollow profiles and on the ground support element without causing any undesired movement of the guide rail. Attaching the winch cable to the first hollow profile, however, would not be possible, as any force acting there would affect the resilient element and compress it.

[0017] The carriage preferably has several, particularly preferably two, booms, at each end of which at least one cleaning device is arranged. Synchronous movement of the booms allows pressure relief when spraying cleaning fluid from the cleaning devices. The cleaning devices are, in particular, nozzles that can be connected to a cleaning fluid source located outside the silo by means of cleaning fluid lines suspended from the guide rail. The device according to the invention can thus be connected to a conventional high-pressure cleaner, which is usually present on farms anyway. Short description of the drawings

[0018] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following descriptions. Fig. 1a shows an isometric view of a device for cleaning the interior of a silo according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. Figure 1b shows another isometric view of the device according to Fig. 1a. Fig. 2a shows a transparent isometric view of the guide rail of a device for cleaning the inside of a silo according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2b shows a cross-sectional view of the guide rail according to Fig. 2a. Fig. 2c shows another cross-sectional view of the guide rail according to Fig. 2a, in which the guide rail is opposite to the illustration in Fig. 2b is rotated 90° around its longitudinal axis. Embodiment of the invention

[0019] In the Fig. 1a-b shows a device 1 according to an embodiment of the invention for cleaning the interior of a silo (not shown). The device 1 comprises a guide rail 2, a ceiling support element 3, a floor support element 4, and a carriage 5 movable along the guide rail.

[0020] The guide rail is detailed in the Fig. 2a-c. It comprises a first hollow profile 21 with a first end 211 and a second end 212. Its length is, for example, 130 cm, and its sides are, for example, 35 cm each. A first limiting element 213 in the form of a block, for example, 8 cm long, is glued into the second end 212 such that it partially protrudes from it. A first adapter element 214 is glued into the first end 211 and connects the first hollow profile 21 to the ceiling fastening element 3.

[0021] The first hollow profile is inserted with its second end 211 into the first end 221 of a second hollow profile 22. This has, for example, a length of 150 cm and side lengths of 40 cm each. At the second end 222 of the second hollow profile, a second limiting element 223 in the form of a block, for example 8 cm long, is glued into the second end 222 such that it partially protrudes from it and connects to a second adapter element 224, which is also, for example, 8 cm long. The second adapter element 224 connects the second hollow profile 22 to a third hollow profile 23, whose side lengths correspond to those of the second hollow profile 22.

[0022] Between the two limiting elements 213, 223, a resilient element 24 in the form of a spiral spring, for example, 100 cm long in the resting or relaxed state, is arranged in the second hollow profile 22. A fastening cable 25 runs through the resilient element 24 and is attached at each of its two ends to one of the two limiting elements 213, 223. An annular eyelet 26 is arranged at the first end 221 of the second hollow profile 22 on one of its outer sides.

[0023] The ceiling support element 3 has an adapter disc 31 designed to engage with an outlet opening of a silo's filling pipe. Its diameter is, for example, 75 cm. Furthermore, it has a tip 32 at its end. This is secured to the ceiling support element 3 by means of a fastening screw 33 and can easily be replaced with a differently dimensioned tip 32.

[0024] The third hollow profile 23 is connected to the base fastening element 4 at its end facing away from the second hollow profile 22. This element has an annular frame 41 with three fastening elements 42a-c for support on a conical silo base. Furthermore, it has a rotary motor 43 by means of which the third hollow profile 23 can be rotated about its longitudinal axis. This also allows the entire guide rail 2 to be rotated about its longitudinal axis.

[0025] The carriage 5 has a cable winch 51. This is connected to the eyelet 26 by a winch cable 511. This enables the carriage to be moved along the guide rail 2 by operating the winch 51. Two booms 52a-b are connected to the carriage. Each boom 52a-b is connected to a carriage runner by a boom connection 521a-b. By moving the runner along the carriage 5, a synchronous movement of the two booms 52a-b is possible. The booms 52a-b are telescopic. At the end of each boom 52a-b is a cleaning device 522a-b, which in this case is designed as a cleaning nozzle, which can be supplied with cleaning fluid from outside the silo by means of a cleaning fluid line 523a-b via a common cleaning fluid connection 54. Each cleaning device 522a-b is movably connected to its respective boom 52a-b via a joint.

[0026] To position the device 1 in a silo, the floor fastening element 4 is either placed on a horizontal silo floor or fastened to the sloping areas of a conical silo floor using the fastening elements 42a-c. A third hollow profile 23 of a length suitable for the silo is connected to the two further hollow profiles 21, 22, which are firmly connected to one another by the fastening cable 25. The guide rail 2 thus obtained is inserted into a central filling pipe of the silo using the adapter disc 31 or supported on a surface of its ceiling using the tip 32. The third hollow profile is then fixed in the floor fastening element 4. The first hollow profile 21 is partially pushed into the second hollow profile 22 against the spring force of the spring element 24. The ceiling fastening element 3 now presses against the silo ceiling and holds the guide rail securely in position.The carriage 5 can now be suspended from the guide rail 2 and connected to the eyelet 26 via the winch cable 511. The cleaning agent lines 523a-b are connected to a high-pressure cleaning agent source located outside the silo via the cleaning agent connection 54. The device 1 can now be put into operation for cleaning the interior of a silo. After the silo cleaning process is complete, it can be easily removed from the silo again. List of reference symbols 1 device for cleaning the inside of a silo 2 guide rails 21 first hollow profile 211 first end of the first hollow profile 212 second end of the second hollow profile 213 first boundary element 214 first adapter element 22 second hollow profile 221 first end of the second hollow profile 222 second end of the second hollow profile 223 second boundary element 224 second adapter element 23 third hollow profile 24 spring element 25 fastening rope 26 eyelet 3 Ceiling support element 31 adapter disc 32 lace 33 Fixing screw 4 Ground support element 41 frames 42a-c Fasteners 43 rotary motor 5 cars 51 cable winch 511 winch rope 52a-b boom 521a-b boom connection 522a-b Cleaning devices 523a-b cleaning agent lines 54 Cleaning agent connection

Claims

[1] Device (1) for cleaning the inside of a silo, comprising a carriage (5) movable along a guide rail (2) on which at least one cleaning device (522a-b) is arranged, characterized by that the guide rail (2) has a first hollow profile (21) with a first end (211) and a second end (212), which is arranged with its second end (212) in a second hollow profile (22), wherein a first limiting element (213) is arranged at the second end (212) of the first hollow profile (21), a second limiting element (223) is arranged on the second hollow profile (22) and a resilient element (24) is arranged between the two limiting elements (213, 223) in the second hollow profile (22). [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the first hollow profile (21) is shorter than the second hollow profile (22). [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat a ceiling support element (3) is arranged at the first end (211) of the first hollow profile (21) and the second end (222) of the second hollow profile (22) is connected to a floor support element (4) via a third hollow profile (23). [4] Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that the ceiling support element (3) has an adapter disc (31). [5] Device (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by that the ceiling support element (3) has a tip (32). [6] Device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized by that the ground support element (4) has a circular frame (41). [7] Device (1) according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by that the ceiling support element (3) is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the guide rail (2) and the third hollow profile (23) is rotatably mounted in the floor support element (4) about the longitudinal axis of the guide rail (2). [8] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the limiting elements (213, 223) are connected to one another by means of a fastening cable (25). [9] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that an eyelet (26) is arranged at the first end (221) of the second hollow profile (22), through which a winch cable (511) of the carriage (5) is guided. [10] Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that the carriage (5) has a plurality of arms (52a-b), at the ends of which at least one cleaning device (522a-b) is arranged.

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