Ship loader

Abstract

To provide a ship loader that can suppress damages to the floor and cargoes in a hold when loading cargoes into the hold.SOLUTION: Ship loader 1 is located at the end of boom 4 and is equipped with a bucket elevator 30 that receives and transports downward cargoes discharged from boom conveyor 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a ship loader. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, ship loaders are installed at quays in ports to load bulk cargo from land onto ships, and the ship loaders drop cargo from a boom conveyor into the hold of the ship. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-313527 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, if the load is dropped from too high a height, there is a risk that the impact when the load lands could damage the floor of the hold or the load.

[0005] The present disclosure has been devised in consideration of such circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a ship loader that can prevent damage to the floor and cargo inside a hold when loading cargo into the hold. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, A ship loader is provided, which is characterized by having a bucket elevator provided at the tip of the boom for receiving the load discharged from the boom conveyor and transporting it downward.

[0007] Preferably, the ship loader includes a guide member provided at the tip of the boom for guiding the load discharged from the boom conveyor toward the bucket elevator.

[0008] Preferably, the guide member has a collision plate against which loads discharged from the boom conveyor collide.

[0009] Preferably, the guide member is rotatably provided at the tip of the boom.

[0010] Preferably, the guide member is movable between a first position in which it guides loads discharged from the boom conveyor toward the bucket elevator and a second position in which it allows loads discharged from the boom conveyor to pass directly through to the bucket elevator.

[0011] Preferably, the ship loader includes an actuator for moving the guide member between the first position and the second position.

[0012] Preferably, the bucket elevator is swingably suspended from the tip of the boom.

[0013] Preferably, the charge is formed by reduced iron. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, damage to the floor and cargo inside the hold can be suppressed when loading cargo into the hold. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a ship loader according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the ship loader when the boom is raised. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the boom and boom conveyor in an extended state. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the boom and boom conveyor in a retracted state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a bucket elevator. [Figure 6]FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a state when the guide member is in a first position. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view showing a state when the guide member is in a second position. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing loading using a bucket elevator. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing loading without using a bucket elevator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0017] 1 is a schematic diagram of a ship loader according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the figure, the left side is the sea side and the right side is the land side. For convenience, the sea side is the front and the land side is the rear, and the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions are defined as shown in the figure.

[0018] A pair of rails R, one in front and one in back, extending in the left-right direction are installed on a quay Q of a port, and a ship loader 1 is provided so as to be able to travel on these rails R. The ship loader 1 is provided with a traveling platform 2 having wheels 3 capable of rolling on the rails R.

[0019] The base end of the boom 4 extending forward (towards the sea) is attached to the traveling platform 2 so as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 5. The rotation shaft 5 extends horizontally (left-right direction). Therefore, the boom 4 can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction around the rotation shaft 5.

[0020] The traveling platform 2 is provided with a tower section 5 that protrudes upward, a top pulley 6 provided at the top of the tower section 5, and a winch 7 which is a hoisting actuator for raising and lowering the boom 4. The boom 4 is also provided with a boom pulley 8. A hoisting wire 9 is paid out from the winch 7 and wound around the top pulley 6 and the boom pulley 8 in sequence, and then fixed to the top of the tower section 5. When the winch 7 takes up the wire 9, the boom 4 is raised (starting operation), and when the winch 7 releases the wire 9, the boom 4 is lowered (lowering operation). Figure 2 shows the boom 4 when it is raised.

[0021] A boom conveyor 10 is provided, which extends from the traveling platform 2 to the tip or front end of the boom 4. A supply chute 11, which drops loads from a ground conveyor (not shown), is provided on the traveling platform 2 at a position above the boom conveyor 10. The loads dropped through the supply chute 11 are supplied to the boom conveyor 10 and transported toward the tip of the boom 4, as shown by arrow a.

[0022] The cargo in this embodiment is bulk material, including reduced iron, particularly HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron). The apparent specific gravity of normal iron ore is about 2.0, whereas the apparent specific gravity of HBI is about 3.0, making HBI heavier than iron ore. HBI is made by compressing DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) for marine transportation, etc., and is therefore prone to breaking apart when subjected to impact. In addition, if the cargo is dropped into the hold H of the ship S from a position that is too high, the impact of the cargo landing may damage the floor F in the hold H and the cargo.

[0023] A driver's cab 12 for operating the ship loader 1 is provided on the traveling platform 2 facing the sea.

[0024] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the boom 4 extends horizontally along the front-rear direction. In this embodiment, the boom 4 is extendable in the longitudinal direction. That is, the boom 4 includes a boom main body 13 on the base end side that is attached to the rotating shaft 5 of the traveling platform 2, and a boom telescopic unit 14 on the tip end side that can move in and out or move back and forth from the boom main body 13 toward the sea side. The boom telescopic unit 14 is slidably inserted into the boom main body 13. The boom main body 13 is provided with the boom pulley 8 described above, and a winch 15 that is a telescopic actuator for driving the boom telescopic unit 14 to extend and retract the boom 4. The boom telescopic unit 14 is also called a shuttle boom, etc.

[0025] 3 and 4 show in an easily understandable simplified manner the extension and retraction of the boom 4 and the boom conveyor 10. Fig. 3 shows the boom 4 and the boom conveyor 10 when they are in an extended state, and Fig. 4 shows the boom 4 and the boom conveyor 10 when they are in a retracted state.

[0026] 3, the boom conveyor 10 has a base end pulley 16 located at its rearmost end and a tip pulley 17 located at its frontmost end. The base end pulley 16 is located behind the supply chute 11 on the traveling platform 2. The tip pulley 17 is located at the tip or front end of the boom extension and retraction section 14.

[0027] The boom conveyor 10 has an endless belt 18 wound around the base end pulley 16 and the tip pulley 17. The upper belt 18 is the outward path toward the tip end as indicated by arrow a, and the lower belt 18 is the return path toward the base end as indicated by arrow b.

[0028] A first bending pulley 19 for slightly bending the direction of the belt 18 is provided in the middle of the traveling platform 2 on the forward side. The first bending pulley 19 is located near the rotating shaft 5 and almost directly above it.

[0029] On the return route, a first diverting pulley 20 is provided at the rearmost end of the boom telescopic section 14. A second diverting pulley 21 is provided in the boom main body 13 at a position forward and below the first diverting pulley 20. A second bent pulley 22 is provided in the boom main body 13 at a position rearward of the first and second diverting pulleys 20, 21. A third bent pulley 23 is provided in the traveling platform 2 at a position diagonally above and rearward of the second bent pulley 22 and coaxial with the rotation shaft 5.

[0030] On the return path, the belt 18 extending rearward from the tip pulley 17 is wound around a first reversing pulley 20 and reversed forward, and then wound around a second reversing pulley 21 and reversed rearward. Then, the belt 18 is wound around the lower part of a second bending pulley 22 and bent, and then extends obliquely upward rearward from the second bending pulley 22, and then wound around an upper part of a third bending pulley 23 and bent, and then extends to the lower part of the base end pulley 16.

[0031] According to this configuration, as can be seen from Figures 3 and 4, the boom conveyor 10 can also be extended and retracted in accordance with the extension and retraction of the boom 4. That is, as shown in Figure 3, when the boom extension and retraction part 14 protrudes more from the boom body 13 in the extended state, the distance between the first diverting pulley 20 and the second diverting pulley 21 is shortened to compensate for this extension. Also, as shown in Figure 4, when the boom extension and retraction part 14 protrudes less from the boom body 13 in the retracted state, the distance between the first diverting pulley 20 and the second diverting pulley 21 is lengthened to compensate for this retraction. Therefore, regardless of the extension or retraction state, i.e., length, of the boom 4, the belt 18 can be kept in a taut state, and the boom conveyor 10 can function without any hindrance.

[0032] 1 and 5, the ship loader 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a bucket elevator 30. The bucket elevator 30 is provided at the tip or front end of the boom 4, and receives the load discharged from the boom conveyor 10 and transports it downward. The bucket elevator 30 is suspended from the tip of the boom 4 so as to be able to swing. The bucket elevator 30 has a structure similar to that of a bucket elevator provided in a normal continuous unloader.

[0033] The ship loader 1 of this embodiment also includes a guide member 31. The guide member 31 is provided at the tip of the boom 4, and guides the load discharged from the boom conveyor 10 toward the bucket elevator 30.

[0034] More specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, a triangular support member 32 that protrudes downward and supports the bucket elevator 30 is provided at the tip or front end of the boom extension and contraction section 14. A rotating shaft 33 is attached to the lower end of this support member 32. The rotating shaft 33 extends horizontally in the left-right direction. The entire bucket elevator 30 is supported so that it can rotate. In particular, the bucket elevator 30 can swing around the rotating shaft 33, as shown by arrow a.

[0035] The boom extension / retraction section 14 of the boom 4 and the bucket elevator casing 41 of the bucket elevator 30 are connected by a hydraulic cylinder 60 serving as a posture controller. By extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinder 60, as shown by the symbol a, the angle or posture of the bucket elevator 30 relative to the boom 4 can be changed.

[0036] Bucket elevator 30 extends vertically and has upper end sprocket 34 at its upper end and lower end sprocket 35 at its lower end. Upper end sprocket 34 and lower end sprocket 35 are rotatably attached to an elevator frame (not shown). This elevator frame is rotatably attached to support member 3 via pivot shaft 33.

[0037] In the standard state in which the bucket elevator 30 is suspended as shown in the figure, the elevator central axis C3 passing through the rotation centers C1, C2 of the upper sprocket 34 and the lower sprocket 35 is parallel to the up-down or vertical direction. The rotation center C1 of the upper sprocket 34 is positioned coaxially with the pivot shaft 33, and the rotation center C2 of the lower sprocket 35 is positioned directly below the rotation center C1 of the upper sprocket 34.

[0038] By extension and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 60, the elevator central axis C3 can rotate counterclockwise (or backward) in the drawing from the position in the reference state around the rotation center C1 as indicated by the symbol a up to a predetermined angle.

[0039] An endless chain 36 is wound around the upper end sprocket 34 and the lower end sprocket 35, and a plurality of buckets 37 are attached at equal intervals to the chain 36. The combination of the chain 36 and the plurality of buckets 37 is called a bucket chain 38.

[0040] The front side of bucket chain 38 is the outgoing side along which the received load is transported downward as indicated by arrow b, and the rear side of bucket chain 38 is the return side along which the empty bucket 37 after unloading the load is returned upward as indicated by arrow c.

[0041] Pressure sprockets 39, 40 are provided above and below the return path to push the chain 36 forward and increase the wrap angle of the chain 36 around the upper end sprocket 34 and the lower end sprocket 35. These pressure sprockets 39, 40 are also rotatably attached to the elevator frame.

[0042] Bucket 37 is attached to chain 36 so that its inlet or opening faces upward on the forward direction.

[0043] A bucket elevator casing 41 is provided that covers the bucket chain 38 from the front, rear, left and right. The bucket elevator casing 41 is also attached to the elevator frame. The bucket elevator casing 41 is a tubular member with a circular or rectangular cross section that extends in the vertical direction, and its upper and lower ends are open. The upper end of the bucket elevator casing 41 is at approximately the same height as the upper end of an upper reversing portion 42 of the bucket chain 38. Here, the upper reversing portion 42 of the bucket chain 38 refers to the portion of the bucket chain 38 that is wound around the upper half of the upper end sprocket 34 and where the moving direction of the bucket chain 38 is reversed from the return side to the outgoing side, or from upward to downward.

[0044] On the other hand, the lower end of bucket elevator casing 41 is located at a higher height than lower reversing portion 43 of bucket chain 38. Here, lower reversing portion 43 of bucket chain 38 refers to the portion of bucket chain 38 that is wound around the lower half of lower end sprocket 35 and where the moving direction of bucket chain 38 is reversed from the forward path to the return path, or from downward and upward to upward.

[0045] In this embodiment, the lower end of the bucket elevator casing 41 is positioned above the lower end sprocket 35 so that the entire lower end sprocket 35 and the portion of the bucket chain 38 around it are completely exposed.

[0046] The bucket elevator 30 is located below the discharge section 44 located at the front end of the boom conveyor 10. In particular, the bucket elevator 30 is arranged at a position where the bucket 37A located at the uppermost end of the forward path side of the bucket elevator 30 can smoothly receive the load discharged from the discharge section 44 of the boom conveyor 10.

[0047] The bucket elevator 30 has a drive device (not shown) that rotates and drives the upper end sprocket 34 (or the other sprockets 35, 39, 40). The drive device has an inverter motor linked to the upper end sprocket 34, and a power regeneration converter connected to the inverter motor. The rotation speed of the inverter motor is controlled by the inverter, thereby controlling the circulation speed of the bucket chain 38, and therefore the descending speed of the outgoing bucket chain 38.

[0048] The greater the flow rate of the load supplied from the boom conveyor 10 to the outbound bucket chain 38, the greater the downward force applied to the outbound bucket chain 38, and the lowering speed of the outbound bucket chain 38 tends to increase.

[0049] When the flow rate of the load supplied from the boom conveyor 10 to the bucket chain 38 is greater than a predetermined upper flow rate, the inverter motor functions like a generator to maintain the descent speed of the outbound bucket chain 38 at a constant speed and to extract regenerative power through the power regeneration converter.

[0050] On the other hand, if the flow rate of the load supplied from the boom conveyor 10 to the bucket chain 38 is less than a predetermined lower limit flow rate, there is a risk that the bucket chain 38 will stop. In this case, therefore, the bucket chain 38 is driven in a circulating manner by an inverter motor.

[0051] In this way, the descent speed of the outgoing bucket chain 38 can be prevented from becoming too fast or too slow, and the descent speed of the outgoing bucket chain 38 can be optimally controlled.

[0052] Next, the guide member 31 will be described.

[0053] FIG. 6 shows the state when the guide member 31 is in the first position, that is, the guide position P1. At this time, the guide member 31 guides the load B discharged from the boom conveyor 10 toward the bucket elevator 30.

[0054] 7 shows the state when the guide member 31 is in the second position, i.e., the retracted position P2, and at this time the guide member 31 allows the load B discharged from the boom conveyor 10 to pass directly through to the bucket elevator 30. In this manner, the guide member 31 is movable between the guide position P1 and the retracted position P2.

[0055] 6, the guide member 31 is a member that extends generally in the vertical direction when in the guide position P1, and is rotatably provided at the tip of the boom 4. The base end of the guide member 31 is rotatably attached to the front and upper corner of the boom extension and retraction section 14 via a rotation shaft 45 that extends in the left-right direction. The guide member 31 is provided forward of and opposite to the discharge section 44 of the boom conveyor 10, and is provided above the bucket elevator 30.

[0056] The guide member 31 has a frame 46 formed in a roughly ladder shape, and a collision plate 47 detachably attached to the rear surface of the frame 46 by bolts or the like. When the frame 46 is in the guide position P1, the collision plate 47 causes a load B discharged from the discharge portion 44 of the boom conveyor 10 to collide with the collision plate 47. The frame 46 has side members 48 (only the left side is shown) located on the left and right sides and extending in the vertical direction, and a plurality of cross members 49 extending in the horizontal direction and connecting the left and right side members 48. These side members 48 and cross members 49 are made of steel (L-shaped steel in this embodiment). The upper ends of the left and right side members 48 are attached to the rotating shaft 45.

[0057] The ship loader 1 of this embodiment includes an actuator that moves the guide member 31 between the guide position P1 and the retracted position P2. In this embodiment, the actuator is configured by an electric cylinder 50. A bracket 52 for connecting a cylinder rod 51 of the electric cylinder 50 is provided on a frame 46 of the guide member 31. The bracket 52 extends to a position on the base end side, i.e., above, the rotation shaft 45 of the frame 46.

[0058] A cylinder support base 53 that protrudes forward beyond the boom telescopic section 14 is provided at a corner of the front and upper end of the boom telescopic section 14. A rotating bracket 54 is rotatably attached to the upper end of the cylinder support base 53 via a rotating shaft 55. A cylinder body 56 of the electric cylinder 50 is fixedly attached to the rotating bracket 54 with the cylinder rod 51 facing rearward.

[0059] The cylinder rod 51 extends rearward from the cylinder body 56 so as to be able to retract or advance / retreat. The front end and rear end of the cylinder rod 51 are rotatably attached to the bracket 52 via a connection pin 57. The rotation shaft 55 and the connection pin 57 extend parallel to each other in the left-right direction.

[0060] In the drawing, reference numeral 58 denotes a conveyor casing that covers the boom conveyor 10 from above, below, left and right. The front and rear ends of the conveyor casing 58, particularly the front end (downstream end) shown in the drawing, are open so that the load B discharged from the discharge portion 44 of the boom conveyor 10 can be dropped.

[0061] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

[0062] As described above, the bucket elevator 30 is supported at the tip of the boom 4 (particularly the boom telescopic section 14) so ​​as to be rotatable or swingable. The bucket elevator 30 and the tip of the boom 4 are connected by a hydraulic cylinder 60. As shown in FIG. 2, when the boom 4 is raised from the horizontal position or the reference position as shown in FIG. 1, the hydraulic cylinder 60 is contracted and the bucket elevator 30 rotates about the rotation shaft 33, so that the bucket elevator 30 maintains its original vertical state. Here, the vertical state refers to a state in which the elevator central axis C3 is parallel to the up-down direction or the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 5. In this manner, the hydraulic cylinder 60 is controlled so that the bucket elevator 30 maintains the vertical state.

[0063] If the bucket elevator 30 were rigidly connected to the tip of the boom 4, the bucket elevator 30 would tilt when the boom 4 rose, and a rotational moment would act on the boom 4 due to the weight of the bucket elevator 30. This would require the rigidity of the boom 4 to be significantly strengthened, resulting in an increase in size, weight, cost, etc.

[0064] However, according to this embodiment, the bucket elevator 30 can be kept vertical even when the boom 4 is raised, so that only the vertical load of the bucket elevator 30 is applied to the boom 4. This makes it possible to minimize the need to strengthen the rigidity of the boom 4, and suppresses increases in size, weight, cost, and the like.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 2, by raising the boom 4 until the height position of the lower end of the bucket elevator 30 is higher than the ship S, the ship S can be smoothly docked at the quay Q while preventing interference with the bucket elevator 30.

[0066] As shown by the virtual lines in Figure 2, the ship S can be avoided by raising the boom 4 to a position where the bucket elevator 30 does not extend forward (towards the sea) from the quay normal line LQ and rotating the bucket elevator 30 to the rear side (towards the land).

[0067] Next, when loading cargo into the hold H of the ship S, the boom 4 is lowered to, for example, a horizontal position or a reference position as shown in FIG.

[0068] At this time, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, the position of the discharge section 44 of the boom conveyor 10 can be moved horizontally in the front-rear direction by extending and contracting the boom 4. Therefore, the loading position can be adjusted while observing the loading status of the cargo in the hold H, and the cargo in the hold H can be leveled and flattened.

[0069] Next, when loading, the hold H is initially empty or nearly empty. If the load is dropped directly onto the floor F of the hold H from the discharge portion 44 of the boom conveyor 10 in this state, the impact of the load landing may damage the floor F of the hold H and the load. In particular, the load in this embodiment is made of HBI, which is heavier (apparent specific gravity: about 3.0) than normal iron ore (apparent specific gravity: about 2.0). Therefore, the impact of the load landing is greater than that of normal iron ore, and the damage to the floor F and the load may be greater. In addition, since HBI is made by compressing DRI, it is easily broken apart by impact. If the load is cracked or crushed by impact, it will have a negative effect on the quality of the load.

[0070] Therefore, in the ship loader 1 of this embodiment, a bucket elevator 30 is provided at the tip of the boom 4 to cushion the impact when the load lands.

[0071] 6 and 8 show a state in which load B is supplied onto floor F in hold H when substantially no load B has accumulated on said floor F or when the amount of accumulated load is very small, such as at the beginning of loading. At this time, boom 4 and discharge portion 44 of boom conveyor 10 are positioned above entrance H1 of hold H, bucket elevator 30 is inserted into hold H, and the lower end of bucket elevator 30 is positioned near floor F.

[0072] The guide member 31 is positioned at the guide position P1. Meanwhile, load B is discharged or released forward from the discharge portion 44 of the boom conveyor 10. Then, load B collides with the collision plate 47 of the guide member 31, and then slides down along the collision plate 47. Below the collision plate 47, bucket 37A is waiting at the top end of the outward path side of the bucket elevator 30, and the slide-down load B is supplied into this bucket 37A.

[0073] When a load B is supplied to the bucket 37A, the weight of the load B causes the bucket elevator 30 to circulate, driving the outward side downward and the return side upward. Then, the next empty bucket 37 arrives below the collision plate 47 and receives the load B that has slid down. This operation is repeated thereafter.

[0074] In this manner, during circulation of the bucket elevator 30, the loads B guided by the guide members 31 are successively supplied to the buckets 37.

[0075] The load B loaded in the bucket 37 and descending to the lower end of the bucket elevator 30 is spilled from the bucket 37 and discharged onto the floor F when the bucket 37 is inverted from an upward to a downward orientation at the lower inversion section 43. At this time, the load B is supplied toward the floor F from a height position that is sufficiently lower than the floor F in the hold H. This makes it possible to significantly soften the impact when the load B lands. Also, damage to the floor F in the hold H and the load B can be reliably suppressed.

[0076] Thereafter, the bucket 37, which has been emptied after the load B has been discharged, is transported upward on the return path to the upper reversing section 42, where it is reversed to receive a new load B.

[0077] On the other hand, even if a certain amount of time has passed since the start of loading and a certain amount of cargo B has accumulated on the floor F of the hold H, if cargo B is dropped from a high position, there is a risk that it will break when it lands. Therefore, the loading using the bucket elevator 30 as described above is continued until the end of loading.

[0078] Incidentally, in the case of cargo B, such as ordinary iron ore, whose quality is hardly affected even if it is dropped from a high position, when hold H is empty or nearly so, loading is carried out using bucket elevator 30 as described above in order to prevent damage to floor F inside hold H.

[0079] On the other hand, when a certain amount of time has passed since the start of loading and a certain amount of cargo B has accumulated on the floor F in the hold H, cargo B will land on top of the accumulated cargo B, so there will be no damage to the floor F. Therefore, in this case, as shown in Figures 7 and 9, cargo B is directly dropped into the hold H without using the bucket elevator 30.

[0080] At this time, the guide member 31 is located at the retracted position P2. The position of the guide member 31 can be switched by, for example, an operator manually controlling the electric cylinder 50 while watching the pile-up state of the cargo B in the hold H.

[0081] In this case, the load B discharged or released forward from the discharge portion 44 of the boom conveyor 10 passes through the bucket elevator 30 without colliding with the guide member 31, and is supplied directly onto the floor F in the hold H in a parabolic curve. At this time, since a certain amount of load B has already accumulated on the floor F, the discharged load B falls onto the load B accumulated on the floor F. This makes it possible to significantly soften the impact when the load B lands, and reliably suppress damage to the floor F and load B in the hold H.

[0082] In addition, since the bucket elevator 30 is not used at this time, wear on the components of the bucket elevator 30, particularly the buckets 37 and the chains 36, can be prevented, and the lifespan of the components can be extended.

[0083] At this time, the load B does not collide with the guide member 31, so that wear of the guide member 31, particularly the collision plate 47, can be prevented, and the life of the guide member 31 can be extended.

[0084] In addition, since the collision plate 47 is detachably attached, it can be easily replaced when worn. If the cargo is ordinary iron ore or is sufficiently light, the cargo may be directly supplied without using the bucket elevator 30 even if the cargo B is not piled up on the floor F in the hold H.

[0085] In this way, according to the ship loader 1 of this embodiment, damage to the floor F and the cargo B in the hold H can be suppressed when the cargo B is supplied into the hold H.

[0086] Furthermore, since the ship loader 1 of this embodiment is provided with the guide member 31, the load B discharged from the boom conveyor 10 can be reliably supplied to the bucket elevator 30.

[0087] Furthermore, since the guide member 31 of this embodiment has the collision plate 47, the load B can be guided with a simple structure.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide member 31 can be moved to a first position (guidance position P1) where it guides the load B toward the bucket elevator 30, as well as to a second position (retraction position P2) where it allows the load B to pass directly through to the bucket elevator 30. This means that the bucket elevator 30 and the guide member 31 do not need to be used except when they are needed, thereby suppressing wear and tear on the bucket elevator 30 and the guide member 31 and extending their lifespan.

[0089] Although the embodiment of the present disclosure has been described in detail above, various other embodiments and modifications of the present disclosure are possible.

[0090] (1) For example, the guide members may be omitted, and loads may be supplied directly from the boom conveyor to the bucket elevator without being guided by the guide members.

[0091] (2) The ship loader may be of a swivel type. In this case, the boom can rotate around a vertical axis relative to the traveling platform.

[0092] (3) The actuator that drives the guide member may be configured by another actuator, for example, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric motor, or a hydraulic motor.

[0093] (4) The type of load is not limited to reduced iron and may be any type. For example, the ship loader of the present disclosure is suitable for loads that have a relatively large specific gravity or are relatively easily damaged.

[0094] (5) The bucket elevator 30 does not need to have a drive device (e.g., the inverter motor and power regeneration converter described above) that rotates the upper end sprocket 34 (or the other sprockets 35, 39, 40). In this case, the circulation drive of the bucket elevator 30 and the rotation of each of the sprockets 34, 35, 39, 40 are performed solely by the weight of the load received from the boom conveyor 10. This allows the drive device to be omitted, resulting in simplification and cost reduction.

[0095] (6) The attitude controller (hydraulic cylinder 60) for controlling the attitude of the bucket elevator 30 may be omitted. In this case, the bucket elevator 30 is simply suspended from the boom 4 so as to be freely rotatable or swingable, and is kept vertical by its own weight. This also contributes to simplification and cost reduction.

[0096] The configurations of the above-mentioned embodiments and the modified examples can be combined in part or in whole, unless there is a particular contradiction. The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and all modifications, applications, and equivalents encompassed within the concept of the present disclosure as defined by the claims are included in the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure should not be interpreted as being limited, and can be applied to any other technology that falls within the scope of the concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0097] 1 Ship Loader 4. Boom 10 Boom Conveyor 30 Bucket Elevator 31 Guide member 47 Collision plate 50 Electric Cylinder

Claims

1. A ship loader comprising a bucket elevator provided at the tip of a boom for receiving loads discharged from a boom conveyor and transporting them downward.

2. A guide member is provided at the tip of the boom to guide the load discharged from the boom conveyor toward the bucket elevator.

2. The ship loader of claim 1.

3. The guide member has a collision plate against which the load discharged from the boom conveyor collides.

3. A ship loader as claimed in claim 2.

4. The guide member is rotatably provided at the tip of the boom.

3. A ship loader as claimed in claim 2.

5. The guide member is movable between a first position where the guide member guides the load discharged from the boom conveyor toward the bucket elevator and a second position where the guide member allows the load discharged from the boom conveyor to pass directly toward the bucket elevator.

3. A ship loader as claimed in claim 2.

6. an actuator for moving the guide member between the first position and the second position; 6. A ship loader as claimed in claim 5.

7. The bucket elevator is swingably suspended from the tip of the boom.

2. The ship loader of claim 1.

8. The charge is formed by reduced iron 2. The ship loader of claim 1.

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