Feeder device

Abstract

To provide a feeder device capable of changing the outlet height of a conveyor section according to the input position of a next process device, and capable of lowering the input height of transported materials including soil and sand from a work vehicle.SOLUTION: A feeder device 100 includes: a drive shaft 11; a driven shaft 12; a conveyor unit 1 for conveying an object E on a conveyor plate 14; a conveyor driving unit 2 for driving the drive shaft 11 to rotate; and a base 3 for supporting the conveyor unit 1. The conveyor unit 1 includes: a first portion 1a located at the upstream end in the conveying direction between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 and provided with a feed unit 30; a second portion 1b following the first portion 1a and provided inclined obliquely upward; and a bent shaft portion 10 for rotatably connecting the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b. The base 3 includes an angle adjustment unit 4 for changing the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b relative to the first portion 1a of the conveyor unit 1, and a swivel unit 3a for swiveling the conveyor unit 1 around a predetermined vertical axis T.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a feeder device for receiving transported material including soil and sand and feeding it to a next process device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a feeder device for receiving earth and sand and feeding it into a crusher or the like is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] The above-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration for transporting soil and sand to a crusher by an apron feeder configured by attaching a support surface for transporting soil and sand to an endless chain circulated by a motor. The apron feeder is formed in a straight line inclined obliquely upward toward the input position of the crusher, and an input hopper for receiving soil and sand is provided at the end opposite the input position of the crusher. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-261140 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The feeder device as described in Patent Document 1 is used to transport objects to a high input position that cannot be directly input from a work vehicle such as a wheel loader. Therefore, the feeder device has an input section (hopper) located at a low position where the objects can be directly input from the work vehicle, and is configured to slope upward toward a discharge position to a next process device such as a crusher.

[0006] In such a feeder device, soil and sand may be fed into various crushers and dump trucks of different heights. In such a case, if the feeder device's feed position into the crusher or dump truck is too high, the impact at the time of feeding will be large and the soil and sand may leak out of the crusher or dump truck. For this reason, there is a demand for a feeder device that can change the outlet height of the conveyor so that the outlet height corresponds to the feed position of the next process device such as the crusher.

[0007] On the other hand, when focusing on the input section (hopper) of the feeder device, it is preferable that the input section has as large a volume as possible so that the soil and sand contained in the work vehicle such as a wheel loader can be input in a short time. If a hopper with a sufficient volume is arranged on the inclined conveying surface of the apron conveyor, the height of the hopper is inevitably large. For example, compared with the case where a hopper is arranged on a horizontal conveying surface, if a hopper with the same volume is arranged on an inclined conveying surface, the height of the hopper needs to be increased by the amount of the upward inclination of the conveying surface. Therefore, the position of the input section that receives the soil and sand from the work vehicle such as a wheel loader becomes higher, making it difficult for the work vehicle to reach it, or if the size (volume) of the hopper is reduced to lower the position of the input section, it becomes necessary to reduce the amount of soil and sand input from the work vehicle, resulting in a problem of reduced work efficiency.

[0008] This invention has been made to solve the problems described above, and one object of the invention is to provide a feeder device that can change the outlet height of the conveyor section depending on the input position of the next process equipment, and that can lower the input height of transported materials, including soil and sand, from a work vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the feeder device of the present invention is a feeder device for receiving transported materials including at least soil and sand and feeding the transported materials to a next process device, and is configured by stretching an endless chain with a transport plate attached between a drive shaft and a driven shaft, and is equipped with a conveyor section that transports the transported materials on the transport plate by circulating the endless chain, a conveyor drive section that drives the drive shaft to rotate, and a base that supports the conveyor section, and the conveyor section includes, between the drive shaft and the driven shaft, a first section that is located at the upstream end in the transport direction and has an input section that receives the transported materials, a second section that follows the first section and is inclined diagonally upward, and a bent shaft section that rotatably connects the first section and the second section, and the base is equipped with an angle adjustment section that changes the inclination angle of the second section relative to the first section, and a swivel section that swivels the conveyor section about a predetermined vertical axis.

[0010] In the feeder device according to the present invention, by configuring as described above, the inclination angle of the second section following the first section of the conveyor section can be changed in the middle of the conveyor section without changing the inclination angle of the first section in which the input section for receiving the transported object is provided. As a result, by changing the inclination angle of the second section, the outlet height of the conveyor section can be changed according to the input height of the next process device. Since the inclination angle of the second section can be changed without changing the angle of the first section, the first section can be maintained closer to the horizontal than the second section. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the inclination angle of the entire conveyor section is adjusted, for example, the height of the input section provided in the first section can be lowered, so the input height of the transported object from the work vehicle can be lowered. As described above, the outlet height of the conveyor section can be changed according to the input position of the next process device, and the input height of the transported object from the work vehicle can be lowered. In addition, by providing a swivel section on the base, the conveyor section can be swiveled to change the direction of the conveyor section, so that the transported object can be input to input targets such as multiple vehicles positioned offset in the swivel direction of the feeder device.

[0011] In the feeder device according to the above invention, preferably, the first and second parts each include a frame connected to the bent shaft, and at least the end of each frame on the bent shaft side is provided with a plurality of guide rails arranged on both the top and bottom of the endless chain and extending along the conveying direction. Here, when the second part is inclined obliquely upward with respect to the first part, a force acting in a direction away from the bent shaft acts on the endless chain due to tension at a position of the endless chain near the bent shaft. Therefore, by providing guide rails on both the top and bottom of the endless chain at least on the bent shaft side of each frame, the weight of the conveyed object can be supported while the trajectory of the endless chain can be maintained on a curved trajectory along the conveyor section.

[0012] In this case, preferably, the endless chain has a plurality of rollers arranged at intervals along the direction in which the endless chain extends, and the rollers are arranged to be able to roll between the plurality of guide rails on both the top and bottom sides of the endless chain. With this configuration, the rollers can effectively reduce the sliding resistance between the endless chain and the guide rails. As a result, the load on the conveyor drive unit when driving the endless chain can be effectively suppressed.

[0013] The feeder device according to the above invention preferably further comprises a tension adjustment mechanism having a bearing portion supporting at least one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft and adjusting the tension acting on the endless chain by moving the bearing portion, the tension adjustment mechanism being configured to maintain the tension within a predetermined allowable range in response to adjustment of the inclination angle by the angle adjustment portion. With this configuration, even if the axial distance between the drive shaft and the driven shaft changes due to a change in the inclination angle of the second section, causing the tension acting on the endless chain to fluctuate, the tension adjustment mechanism can automatically adjust the tension so that it is maintained within the allowable range.

[0014] In the feeder device according to the above invention, preferably, the tension adjustment mechanism has a biasing member for biasing the bearing portion, and is configured to adjust the tension by moving the bearing portion to a position where the biasing force of the biasing member and the tension are balanced, or has a force detection unit for detecting the force acting on the bearing portion and a bearing drive mechanism for moving the bearing portion, and is configured to adjust the tension by operating the bearing drive mechanism according to the detection result of the force detection unit. If the tension adjustment mechanism is configured to move the bearing portion to a position where the biasing force of the biasing member and the tension are balanced, the tension acting on the endless chain can be maintained with a simple configuration that does not involve control processing, etc., due to the mechanical relationship of the balance of the biasing forces. If the tension adjustment mechanism is configured to operate the bearing drive mechanism according to the detection result of the force detection unit, restrictions such as the range of adjustable tension can be reduced, and the tension acting on the endless chain can be easily maintained.

[0015] The feeder device according to the above invention preferably further includes a control unit that controls the conveyor driving unit, the angle adjustment unit, and the swivel unit, and a communication unit that receives control commands for the conveyor driving unit, the angle adjustment unit, and the swivel unit. With this configuration, the operation control of the conveyor driving unit, the angle adjustment unit, and the swivel unit can be remotely performed from outside the feeder device by communication via the communication unit. This can contribute to improving work efficiency and saving labor (reducing the number of workers).

[0016] In the feeder device according to the above invention, preferably, the first section is fixed to the base at the lowest position in the conveyor section. With this configuration, the position of the first section is lowered, so that the height at which the transported objects are fed into the feed section provided in the first section can be reduced as much as possible, or the volume of the feed section constructed at a constant feed height can be increased as much as possible. As a result, by reducing the feed height, the restriction on the reach height of a work vehicle such as a wheel loader can be alleviated, and by increasing the volume of the feed section, the amount of transported objects fed from the work vehicle can be increased, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0017] In the feeder device according to the above invention, the swivel unit is preferably disposed below the base in the vertical direction and supports the conveyor unit and the angle adjustment unit in a swivelable state via the base. With this configuration, both the conveyor unit and the angle adjustment unit can be swiveled together via the base, so that the angle of the conveyor unit can be adjusted by the angle adjustment unit even after the swivel.

[0018] In this case, the swivel unit preferably includes a swivel support unit that is installed on the ground via a foundation unit and supports the base in a state in which the base can be swiveled relative to the foundation unit, a swivel shaft that extends along a predetermined vertical axis, and a swivel drive mechanism that swivels the base supported by the swivel support unit about the swivel shaft. With this configuration, the base supported by the swivel support unit can be swiveled about the swivel shaft by the swivel drive mechanism.

[0019] In the feeder device according to the above invention, the transported object is preferably crushed stone including soil and rock blocks, and the conveyor unit is rotated by the swivel unit to feed the crushed stone to the crusher and the transport vehicle arranged around the swivel unit and shifted in the swivel direction of the swivel unit. With this configuration, in the quarry, the conveyor unit is rotated by the swivel unit to change the direction of the conveyor unit, so that the transported object can be fed to the crusher and the transport vehicle arranged shifted in the swivel direction of the feeder device. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, as described above, it is possible to provide a feeder device that can change the exit height of the conveyor section depending on the input position of the next process device and can lower the input height of the transported material from the work vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a feeder device in a first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view for explaining a structure in the vicinity of a drive shaft of a conveyor section in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view for explaining a structure in the vicinity of a driven shaft of a conveyor unit in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic arrow end view taken along the conveying direction of the conveyor section in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram for illustrating a connection portion between a first section and a second section of a conveyor section in the first embodiment, the connection portion being formed by a bent shaft portion. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining a guide rail of the endless chain in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 6A to 6C are schematic diagrams illustrating adjustment of the inclination angle of a second portion of the conveyor section in the first embodiment. [Figure 8] 3A to 3C are schematic diagrams illustrating the structure of a tension adjustment mechanism in the first embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration related to control of a feeder device in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a usage mode of the feeder device in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a second example of a usage mode of the feeder device in the first embodiment. [Figure 12] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining the turning of a conveyor section by a turning section of the feeder device in the first embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a feeder device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 14] 1A is a schematic diagram of the first and second embodiments, (B) is a schematic diagram of a first comparative example, and (C) is a schematic diagram of a second comparative example, for explaining the effects of the feeder device according to the first and second embodiments. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a first modified example of the tension adjustment mechanism. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a second modified example of the tension adjustment mechanism. [Figure 17]FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example in which a third portion is provided in the conveyor section. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] (First embodiment) The structure of a feeder apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 12. As shown in Fig. 1, the feeder apparatus 100 is a feeder apparatus for receiving an object E to be conveyed, for example, in a quarry and feeding the object E to a next process apparatus NX. In short, the object E to be conveyed is crushed stone including earth and sand and rock blocks.

[0024] The feeder device 100 is installed in front of a crusher, a dump truck, etc. when the loading height of the transported object E is too high to be directly loaded from a work vehicle 901 (see FIG. 10) such as a wheel loader when the transported object E is loaded into the crusher, the dump truck, etc. The feeder device 100 is configured to receive the transported object E at a height that allows loading from the work vehicle 901, transport the transported object E to the loading height of the next process device NX (crusher, dump truck, etc.), and deliver the transported object E to the next process device NX.

[0025] (Outline of the feeder device) As shown in FIG. 1, the feeder device 100 includes a conveyor unit 1, a conveyor drive unit 2, a base 3, and an angle adjustment unit 4 as main components. In the first embodiment, the feeder device 100 further includes a tension adjustment mechanism 5, a power control panel 6, and a hydraulic unit 7. In the following description, the direction along the conveying direction of the conveyor unit 1 in a horizontal plane (the longitudinal direction of the conveyor unit 1) is defined as the Y direction, the width direction of the conveyor unit 1 perpendicular to the Y direction in the horizontal plane (see FIG. 2) is defined as the X direction, and the up-down direction perpendicular to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the Z direction. In terms of the conveying direction (Y direction), the left side of FIG. 1 is the upstream side (inlet side) of the conveying direction, and the right side of FIG. 1 is the downstream side (outlet side) of the conveying direction.

[0026] The conveyor section 1 is configured by hanging an endless chain 13, to which a conveying plate 14 (see FIG. 4) is attached, between a driving shaft 11 and a driven shaft 12. The conveyor section 1 is configured to convey an object E on the conveying plate 14 by the circular drive of the endless chain 13. The conveyor section 1 is a chain conveyor, and in the first embodiment, is an apron conveyor in which the conveying plate 14 constituting the conveying surface is provided with a blade 14a (see FIG. 4) rising from the conveying plate 14.

[0027] The drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 are arranged substantially parallel to each other in the width direction (X direction) of the conveyor section 1. The drive shaft 11 is disposed at the downstream end of the conveyor section 1 in the conveying direction (Y direction). The driven shaft 12 is disposed at the upstream end of the conveyor section 1 in the conveying direction (Y direction).

[0028] The conveyor driving unit 2 is configured to rotate and drive the drive shaft 11 of the conveyor unit 1. In the first embodiment, the conveyor driving unit 2 is configured by an electric motor. The drive shaft 11 of the conveyor unit 1 is rotated by the driving force of the conveyor driving unit 2, and the rotation of the drive shaft 11 causes the endless chain 13 to move in a circular manner between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12. As described later, a pair of endless chains 13 (endless chains 13a and 13b, see FIG. 2) are provided.

[0029] In the first embodiment, the conveyor unit 1 includes a first portion 1a, a second portion 1b, and a bent shaft portion 10 that rotatably connects the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b between a drive shaft 11 and a driven shaft 12. In other words, the conveyor unit 1 is a single conveyor that is bendable at the bent shaft portion 10 provided at a midway position in the conveying direction.

[0030] The first portion 1a is located at the upstream end of the conveyor section 1 in the conveying direction. The first portion 1a is provided with an input section 30 that receives the conveyed object E. The first portion 1a is fixed to the base 3 at the lowest position in the conveyor section 1. In the first embodiment, the first portion 1a extends substantially horizontally. The downstream end of the first portion 1a is connected to the bent shaft section 10.

[0031] The second portion 1b follows the first portion 1a and is provided so as to be inclined obliquely upward toward the downstream side. The upstream end of the second portion 1b is connected to the bent shaft portion 10. The second portion 1b is supported by the angle adjustment portion 4 so as to be movable up and down. As a result, the second portion 1b of the conveyor unit 1 is configured so as to be able to change the inclination angle θ with the bent shaft portion 10 as the center of rotation.

[0032] In the first embodiment, the conveyor section 1 is composed of two sections, a first section 1a and a second section 1b. That is, the downstream end of the second section 1b includes an outlet section 31 (the outlet section from the feeder device 100) of the conveyor section 1. The inclination angle θ of the second section 1b can be changed within a predetermined angle range with respect to the first section 1a.

[0033] The angle adjustment unit 4 has a function of changing the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b relative to the first portion 1a of the conveyor unit 1. In the first embodiment, the angle adjustment unit 4 is configured by a hydraulic cylinder. That is, the angle adjustment unit 4 has a cylinder portion 4a installed on the base 3 and a rod portion 4b that is configured to be movable forward and backward from the cylinder portion 4a and supports the second portion 1b. The tip of the rod portion 4b is connected to the vicinity of the center in the longitudinal direction of the second portion 1b via a rotating shaft 4c. The cylinder portion 4a and the rod portion 4b are provided so as to extend along the vertical direction. The angle adjustment unit 4 changes the height of the support position of the second portion 1b according to the forward and backward movement of the rod portion 4b, thereby rotating the second portion 1b around the bending shaft portion 10.

[0034] (Structure of the Foundation) The base 3 is configured to support the conveyor unit 1. The base 3 has a frame structure formed by combining square steel etc. On this base 3, the conveyor unit 1, conveyor drive unit 2, angle adjustment unit 4, power control panel 6, hydraulic unit 7, etc. are installed.

[0035] The base 3 is provided with a swivel unit 3a that rotates the conveyor unit 1 around a predetermined vertical axis T. The feeder device 100 is configured so that the position of the outlet 31 of the conveyed object E can be changed around the predetermined vertical axis T by the swivel unit 3a. The swivel unit 3a is disposed on the lower side of the base 3. The swivel unit 3a supports the conveyor unit 1 and the angle adjustment unit 4 via the base 3 in a swivelable state. The swivel unit 3a is disposed between the input unit 30 and the outlet unit 31 in the horizontal direction, and directly below the first portion 1a of the conveyor unit 1.

[0036] The swivel unit 3a has a swivel support unit 80, a swivel shaft 81, and a swivel drive mechanism 82. The swivel support unit 80 is installed on the ground (installation surface) via a foundation unit FO, and supports the base 3 in a state in which the base 3 can swivel with respect to the foundation unit FO. The foundation unit FO has a frame structure formed by a combination of square steel and the like. The swivel shaft 81 is an axial member that extends vertically along a predetermined vertical axis T and is located at the center of rotation of the swivel unit 3a. The swivel drive mechanism 82 is configured to rotate the base 3 supported by the swivel support unit 80 around the swivel shaft 81.

[0037] As one example, the swivel support part 80 is configured with rollers provided around the swivel shaft 81 and a roller support part in a plan view. A plurality of rollers and roller support parts (at least three) are provided so as to be aligned in the swivel direction of the swivel shaft 81 in a plan view. The swivel support part 80 is installed on the lower surface of the base 3.

[0038] The pivot shaft 81 is disposed at the center of the multiple pivot support parts 80 in a plan view. As an example, the pivot shaft 81 is formed so as to extend upward from the base part FO. A predetermined vertical axis T is located at the center of the pivot shaft 81. The pivot part 3a is provided with a bearing part 81a that supports the vicinity of the upper end of the pivot shaft 81.

[0039] As an example, the swivel drive mechanism 82 is composed of a drive motor and a plurality of gears that transmit the torque of the drive motor to the swivel support part 80. External teeth 80a that mesh with the gears are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the roller support part of the swivel support part 80. The drive motor of the swivel drive mechanism 82 is a hydraulic motor. However, the drive motor of the swivel drive mechanism may be of another drive type, such as an electric type.

[0040] The configuration of the swivel part is not limited to that described above. For example, the swivel part may have a plurality of engagement holes arranged at equal angular intervals in the swivel direction of the swivel shaft, and may be configured to swivel by engaging an arm provided at the tip of the rod of the cylinder with any of the engagement holes to extend or retract the cylinder.

[0041] (Conveyor section configuration) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the vicinity of the drive shaft 11 of the conveyor unit 1. The drive shaft 11 is rotatably supported by bearings 15 at both ends in the axial direction. A pair of drive sprockets 16a, 16b that mesh with the endless chain 13 are provided on the drive shaft 11 so as to rotate integrally with the drive shaft 11. The drive sprockets 16a, 16b are provided at intervals in the axial direction of the drive shaft 11. One endless chain 13a, 13b is attached to each of the drive sprockets 16a, 16b. In FIG. 2, the endless chains 13a, 13b are not shown at the places where they overlap with the drive sprockets 16a, 16b, and are only roughly indicated by two-dot chain lines. Also, the conveyor plate 14 that overlaps with the drive shaft 11 is not shown.

[0042] The conveyor driving unit 2 rotates the driving shaft 11 via a belt-pulley type power transmission mechanism. Specifically, a circular driving belt 2d is stretched between a driving pulley 2b attached to an output shaft 2a of the conveyor driving unit 2 and a driven pulley 2c attached to one end of the driving shaft 11. As a result, the conveyor driving unit 2 rotates the driving pulley 2b to rotate the driven pulley 2c via the driving belt 2d, thereby rotating the driving shaft 11 fixed to the driven pulley 2c.

[0043] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the vicinity of the driven shaft 12 of the conveyor unit 1. The driven shaft 12 is rotatably supported at both ends in the axial direction by bearings 51 of the tension adjustment mechanism 5, which will be described later. A pair of driven sprockets 17a, 17b that mesh with the endless chain 13 are provided on the driven shaft 12 so as to rotate integrally with the driven shaft 12. The driven sprockets 17a, 17b are provided at a distance in the axial direction of the driven shaft 12. The driven sprocket 17a is connected to the driving sprocket 16a (see FIG. 2) via the endless chain 13a. The driven sprocket 17b is connected to the driving sprocket 16b (see FIG. 2) via the endless chain 13b. In FIG. 2, the endless chains 13a, 13b are omitted from the illustration at the portions overlapping with the driven sprockets 17a, 17b, and are only roughly indicated by two-dot chain lines. Moreover, the conveying plate 14 overlapping with the driven shaft 12 is omitted from the illustration.

[0044] Thus, the conveyor section 1 includes a first chain section C1 consisting of a drive sprocket 16a, an endless chain 13a, and a driven sprocket 17a, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and a second chain section C2 consisting of a drive sprocket 16b, an endless chain 13b, and a driven sprocket 17b.

[0045] A conveying plate 14 extending along the width direction (X direction) is provided between the first chain part C1 and the second chain part C2. Both ends of the conveying plate 14 in the X direction are attached to the endless chain 13a and the endless chain 13b, respectively. The conveying plate 14 has a predetermined width dimension (Y direction dimension), and a plurality of conveying plates 14 are arranged along the conveying direction around the entire circumference of the endless chains 13a, 13b. The arrangement of the conveying plates 14 forms a conveying surface between the pair of endless chains 13a, 13b for conveying the conveyed object E.

[0046] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the end surface of the first portion 1a of the conveyor unit 1 as viewed from the conveying direction. The conveying plate 14 is provided with a plate-shaped blade 14a that rises from the conveying plate 14 and extends along the X direction. At both ends of the conveying plate 14 in the X direction, side plate portions 14b that rise from the conveying plate 14 are provided. When the conveying plate 14 moves with the circulating drive of the endless chain 13, the blade 14a conveys the conveyed object E loaded in the input section 30 in the conveying direction by scraping it out. For convenience, FIG. 1 illustrates only a part of the many side plate portions 14b, and the other side plate portions 14b are omitted by being indicated by two-dot chain lines. Also, the detailed shape of the conveying plate 14 is omitted in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

[0047] The input section 30 is provided at the top of the first section 1a. The input section 30 is a hopper that receives the transported objects E. The input section 30 is formed so as to widen upward in the X direction so as to be able to accommodate a larger amount of the transported objects E. In the X direction, the width of the upper end of the input section 30 is greater than the width of the conveyor section 1.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 7, the insertion section 30 extends along the conveying direction on the first portion 1a. The length L2 of the insertion section 30 in the conveying direction is greater than half the length L1 of the first portion 1a. In the first embodiment, the length L2 of the insertion section 30 in the conveying direction is substantially equal to the entire length (L1) of the first portion 1a, and the insertion section 30 is provided from the upstream end of the first portion 1a to the bent shaft portion 10. This allows the volume of the insertion section 30 to be increased. The volume of the insertion section 30 is greater than the volume of the transported object E that the work vehicle 901 can insert at one time.

[0049] In the first embodiment, the capacity of the input section 30 is approximately twice the volume of the transported object E that the work vehicle 901 (see FIG. 10) can input at one time. Therefore, when the transported object E is input from the work vehicle 901 to the input section 30, the entire amount that can be accommodated in the work vehicle 901 can be input at once, rather than being input little by little over time. Therefore, the work vehicle 901 can be immediately directed to collect the transported object E for the next input, improving work efficiency.

[0050] (frame and guide rails) As shown in FIG. 1, the first part 1a and the second part 1b each include a frame (20a, 20b) connected to the bent shaft part 10. As shown in FIG. 5, the frame 20a of the first part 1a is provided at its downstream end with a bearing part 21a through which the bent shaft part 10 is inserted. The frame 20b of the second part 1b is provided at its upstream end with a bearing part 21b through which the bent shaft part 10 is inserted. The first part 1a (frame 20a) and the second part 1b (frame 20b) are connected to be rotatable at the bent shaft part 10 by inserting the bent shaft part 10 into the bearing part 21a of the frame 20a and the bearing part 21b of the frame 20b. The frame 20a of the first part 1a and the frame 20b of the second part 1b have the same basic structure, so the structure of the frame 20a of the first part 1a will be described as a representative.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 20a has a pair of side walls 22a, 22b arranged on both sides in the width direction (X direction) of the conveying plate 14 and the pair of endless chains 13a, 13b, and a connecting portion 23 extending in the width direction (X direction) to connect the pair of side walls to each other.

[0052] The frame 20a is provided with a plurality of guide rails 24 for guiding the endless chain 13. The guide rails 24 are installed on the pair of side walls 22a, 22b, respectively.

[0053] First, as shown in FIG. 6, for the upper side (outward path side) of the endless chain 13a, one guide rail 24 is provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13a via a bracket 25a protruding from the side wall 22a in the X direction. Returning to FIG. 4, for the lower side (return path side) of the endless chain 13a, a protrusion 26 protruding in the X direction is formed on the side wall 22a, one on each of the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13a. A guide rail 24 is provided on the lower surface of the protrusion 26 on the upper side of the endless chain 13a and on the upper surface of the protrusion 26 on the lower side of the endless chain 13a. The same is true for the endless chain 13b side (side wall 22b side). For the upper side (outward path side) of the endless chain 13b, one guide rail 24 is provided on each of the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13b via a bracket 25b from the side wall 22b. A guide rail 24 is provided on the lower surface of the upper protrusion 26 of the side wall 22b and on the upper surface of the lower protrusion 26 on the lower side (return side) of the endless chain 13b.

[0054] With this configuration, the frame 20a guides the upper side (outgoing side) and lower side (returning side) of the endless chain 13a from both the top and bottom by multiple guide rails 24 provided on the side wall 22a. The frame 20a guides the upper side (outgoing side) and lower side (returning side) of the endless chain 13b from both the top and bottom by multiple guide rails 24 provided on the side wall 22b.

[0055] Here, the endless chain 13 has a plurality of rollers 44 arranged at intervals along the direction in which the endless chain 13 extends. As shown in FIG. 6 (also see FIG. 2), the endless chain 13 has a structure in which outer links each consisting of a pair of outer plates 41 and inner links each consisting of a pair of inner plates 42 arranged inside the outer links are alternately connected by pins 43. The plurality of rollers 44 are rotatably supported between the pair of inner plates 42 by the pins 43 connecting each link. The plurality of rollers 44 are provided one for each pin 43 of the endless chain 13. The rollers 44 of the first embodiment are flanged rollers provided with a flange at the inner end in the width direction (X direction) of the conveyor section 1. And, as shown in FIG. 5, these plurality of rollers 44 are arranged between the plurality of guide rails 24 on both the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13 so as to be able to roll. The endless chains 13a and 13b come into contact with the guide rails 24 only at the rollers 44. The flanges of the rollers 44 of the endless chains 13a and 13b face the end faces of the corresponding guide rails 24 on the X1 and X2 sides in the width direction (X direction) in the X direction. The end faces of the guide rails 24 regulate the position in the width direction of the circulating portion composed of the conveying plate 14 and the endless chains 13a and 13b.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 5, the above-mentioned guide rail 24 is provided at least on the end of each of the frames 20a and 20b on the side of the bent shaft portion 10. That is, in the frame 20a of the first portion 1a, the guide rail 24 is provided along the conveying direction in a range including at least the downstream end. In the frame 20b of the second portion 1b, the guide rail 24 is provided along the conveying direction in a range including at least the upstream end. As a result, during operation of the conveyor unit 1, in the vicinity of the bent shaft portion 10 where the conveyor unit 1 is bent, the upper portion (outward path) of the endless chain 13 (13a, 13b) moves so that the rollers 44 transfer from the guide rail 24 of the frame 20a to the guide rail 24 of the frame 20b. Similarly, in the lower portion (return path) of the endless chain 13 (13a, 13b), the rollers 44 transfer from the guide rail 24 of the frame 20b to the guide rail 24 of the frame 20a. In addition, the downstream end of the guide rail 24 of the frame 20a and the upstream end of the guide rail 24 of the frame 20b are provided with bent portions 24a that are bent to widen the gap between the upper and lower guide rails 24 so that the rollers 44 do not get caught when transferring.

[0057] This configuration prevents the conveying surface from lifting up due to the tension acting on the endless chain 13 near the bent shaft portion 10. In other words, when the conveyor section 1 is bent, tension acts on the endless chain 13 in a direction that makes it straight along the line segment that connects the driving shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 at the shortest distance. This tension (Z-direction component) is supported by the guide rail 24, so that the track of the endless chain 13 (conveying surface) is bent to follow each of the frames 20a, 20b.

[0058] 5 indicates the position (tilt angle) of the second portion 1b when the tilt angle θ is changed. Even when the tilt angle θ of the frame 20b is changed, the angle of the guide rail 24 provided on the frame 20b also changes together with the frame 20b, so that the traveling direction of the endless chain 13 (conveyance surface) is restricted to the direction along the frame 20b.

[0059] In the first embodiment, the angle range α within which the inclination angle of the second portion 1b (frame 20b) can be changed is about 5 degrees. The inclination angle of the second portion 1b can be changed within a range of 20 degrees to 25 degrees with respect to the first portion 1a (horizontal direction). As shown in FIG. 7, by changing the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b, the feeder device 100 can change the height (discharge height) of the outlet portion 31 of the conveyor section 1 within a height range H0 according to the input height of the next process device NX.

[0060] (Tension adjustment mechanism) Next, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 has a bearing portion 51. The tension adjustment mechanism 5 is a so-called take-up mechanism configured to adjust the tension acting on the endless chain 13 by moving the bearing portion 51 in the Y direction. The tension adjustment mechanism 5 is provided so as to support at least one of the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12. In the first embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 is not provided on the drive shaft 11 side, and is configured so as to support the driven shaft 12 by the bearing portion 51.

[0061] In the feeder device 100 of the first embodiment, when the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b is changed as shown in FIG. 7, the center distance between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 varies slightly before and after the change. When the center distance varies, the tension acting on the endless chains 13a and 13b stretched between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 varies. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 is configured to maintain the tension of the endless chain 13 within a predetermined allowable range in response to the adjustment of the inclination angle θ by the angle adjustment unit 4. After the second portion 1b is initially set up at the initial angle, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 automatically (autonomously) moves the bearing unit 51 to maintain the tension of the endless chain 13 within the allowable range even if the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b is changed by the angle adjustment unit 4.

[0062] The tension adjustment mechanism 5 shown in Fig. 3 is composed of a pair of bearing units 5a, 5b, one each provided at one end (X1 side) and the other end (X2 side) of the shaft it supports (driven shaft 12). One bearing unit 5a rotatably supports one end of the driven shaft 12, and the other bearing unit 5b rotatably supports the other end of the driven shaft 12. The pair of bearing units 5a, 5b basically have the same structure, so only one bearing unit 5a will be described.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 8, the bearing unit 5a includes a bearing portion 51 that rotatably supports the driven shaft 12, and a bearing frame 52 that movably holds the bearing portion 51. The bearing frame 52 has a rectangular frame shape, and holds the bearing portion 51 inside the frame-shaped bearing frame 52 so that the bearing portion 51 can move linearly along the longitudinal direction (Y direction). The bearing frame 52 is provided on the base 3 (see FIG. 1) along the conveying direction (Y direction) of the first portion 1a. That is, the bearing frame 52 holds the bearing portion 51 that supports the driven shaft 12 so that the bearing portion 51 can move in a direction (Y direction) that changes the axial distance between the driven shaft 12 and the drive shaft 11. The bearing portion 51 includes a bearing 51a and a bearing block 51b to which the bearing 51a is fixed. The bearing block 51b includes a slider 51c that is provided so as to be linearly movable along the bearing frame 52.

[0064] The tension adjustment mechanism 5 has a biasing member 53 that biases the bearing 51. The biasing member 53 is made of a compression coil spring. The tension adjustment mechanism 5 also has a screw feed mechanism 54 for initial setting of the biasing force F2 by the biasing member 53. One end of the biasing member 53 abuts against the Y-direction side surface of the bearing 51, and the other end abuts against a support plate 54a of the screw feed mechanism 54. The screw feed mechanism 54 has a support plate 54a having a nut, and a screw shaft 54b that meshes with the nut of the support plate 54a. The screw shaft 54b is provided to penetrate the bearing frame 52 and the support plate 54a, and is rotatably attached to the side surface of the bearing frame 52. Note that neither the screw shaft 54b nor the support plate 54a is connected to the bearing 51. By rotating the screw shaft 54b, the support plate 54a moves forward and backward in the Y direction within the bearing frame 52.

[0065] A tensile force F1 acts on the bearing portion 51 from the driven shaft 12 it supports in a direction that reduces the center distance (to the right in FIG. 8) due to the tension of the endless chain 13. The biasing member 53 applies a biasing force F2 according to the amount of compression to the bearing portion 51 in a direction that increases the center distance (to the left in FIG. 8). The bearing portion 51 is disposed at a position where the biasing force F2 and the tensile force F1 are balanced.

[0066] In this way, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 is configured to adjust the tension by moving the bearing portion 51 to a position where the biasing force F2 of the biasing member 53 and the tension (the tensile force F1 corresponding to the tension) are balanced. Note that the biasing member 53 is adjusted to an appropriate initial compression amount by adjusting the position of the support plate 54a by the screw feed mechanism 54 during initial setup.

[0067] When the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b is changed by the angle adjustment unit 4, the tensile force F1 acting from the driven shaft 12 to the bearing unit 51 increases or decreases due to the variation in the center distance as described above. In response to this, the compression amount of the biasing member 53 increases or decreases until the changed tensile force F1 and the generated biasing force F2 are balanced. As a result, the position of the bearing unit 51 is changed to a position where the changed tensile force F1 and the biasing force F2 are balanced. In this way, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 maintains the tension of the endless chain 13 within an allowable range.

[0068] The tension of the endless chain 13 varies due to various factors, such as the weight of the transported object E fed into the conveyor section 1 and the elongation of the endless chain 13 due to aging, in addition to changes in the inclination angle θ. Therefore, taking these tension variation factors into consideration, the urging member 53 has a predetermined spring constant selected in advance so that the variable range of the generated urging force F2 can cover the tension fluctuation range (the fluctuation range of the tensile force F1).

[0069] (Configuration related to control of feeder device) As shown in FIG. 9, the feeder apparatus 100 is operated by power control by a power control panel 6 and hydraulic control by a hydraulic unit 7.

[0070] The power control panel 6 includes a control unit 6a, a communication unit 6b, and a power circuit unit 6c. The power control panel 6 is connected to the hydraulic unit 7 and the conveyor driving unit 2 by electrical wiring 6d.

[0071] The control unit 6a controls each unit of the feeder device 100. The control unit 6a is configured by a computer equipped with a processor and a storage device. The control unit 6a controls the operation of the conveyor driving unit 2. The control unit 6a controls the operation of the hydraulic unit 7. The control unit 6a controls the operation of the angle adjustment unit 4 and the swivel unit 3a via the hydraulic unit 7.

[0072] The communication unit 6b includes a wireless communication device and is capable of communicating with other devices and equipment outside the feeder apparatus 100. The power circuit unit 6c is a circuit for supplying power to each unit (control unit 6a, communication unit 6b, hydraulic unit 7, conveyor driving unit 2, etc.) of the feeder apparatus 100. The power circuit unit 6c is connected to a power cable (not shown) laid at the site of the quarry to receive power from an external power source.

[0073] The hydraulic unit 7 includes an electric hydraulic pump 7a and a hydraulic control valve 7b, and constitutes a hydraulic circuit (not shown). The hydraulic unit 7 is connected to the angle adjustment unit 4 (hydraulic cylinder) and the swivel unit 3a (drive motor of the swivel drive mechanism 82) via hydraulic piping 7c. The hydraulic pump 7a and the hydraulic control valve 7b are controlled by the control unit 6a to control the hydraulic pressure supplied to the angle adjustment unit 4 and the swivel unit 3a, and as a result, the operation of each of the angle adjustment unit 4 and the swivel unit 3a is controlled.

[0074] In the first embodiment, the feeder device 100 is configured to be remotely controllable via the communication unit 6b. That is, the communication unit 6b is configured to receive control commands for the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the swivel unit 3a. The communication unit 6b outputs the received control commands to the control unit 6a. The control unit 6a controls the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the swivel unit 3a directly or via the hydraulic unit 7 in accordance with the control commands.

[0075] In the first embodiment, the feeder device 100 includes a controller 60 for remote control. The communication unit 6b is configured to perform wireless communication with the controller 60 and receive control commands from the controller 60. The controller 60 is provided with a plurality of operation buttons 61 for receiving operation inputs. The plurality of operation buttons 61 include, for example, an up button and a down button for the inclination angle, an operation start button and a stop button for the conveyor unit 1, and an adjustment button for the turning angle of the turning unit 3a. The up button and the down button are buttons for controlling the angle adjustment unit 4. The operation start button and the stop button are buttons for controlling the conveyor driving unit 2. The controller 60 transmits a control command corresponding to the input operation button 61 to the communication unit 6b.

[0076] The communication unit 6b may be capable of communicating with the controller 60, as well as with a next process device NX such as a crusher, a work vehicle 901 that inputs the transported object E, and the like. The control unit 6a may obtain status information (such as whether the transported object E can be input) from the next process device NX (see FIG. 10) and the work vehicle 901 (see FIG. 10) via the communication unit 6b, and control the conveyor driving unit 2 according to the status information.

[0077] The communication unit 6b may be capable of communicating with a control facility (not shown) that supervises the quarry, directly or via a repeater, etc. The control unit 6a may obtain a control command from the control facility via the communication unit 6b, and control the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the swivel unit 3a according to the obtained control command.

[0078] Next, an example of the use of the feeder device 100 in a quarry will be described. Fig. 10 shows an example in which transported materials E including earth and rocks are supplied to a crusher 902 as a next process device NX at a feed point of a belt conveyor 903 used in a quarry. For convenience, the face TF side where the quarry is crushed is referred to as the front, and the side in the transport direction of the transported materials E by the belt conveyor 903 (not shown) is referred to as the rear below.

[0079] The transported objects E are mainly large rock blocks. Therefore, the transported objects E are pre-processed by a crusher 902 to break them down into pieces to a size that can be transported by belt, and then fed into a belt conveyor 903. Since a work vehicle 901 such as a wheel loader cannot reach the input height of the crusher 902, a feeder device 100 is used to transport the transported objects E to the input height of the crusher 902.

[0080] In the first embodiment, the feeder device 100 changes the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b, and the angle adjustment unit 4 can adjust the overall height of the feeder device 100 in consideration of the feeding height of the transported objects E into the crusher 902. That is, by changing the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b, the feeder device 100 can prevent the feeding height of the transported objects E into the crusher 902 from becoming too high, and can feed the transported objects E from an optimal height position.

[0081] The transported objects E generated at the working face TF are collected by a work vehicle 901 such as a wheel loader, and fed into the feeding section 30 of the feeder device 100. As shown in Fig. 4, the feeder device 100 transports the transported objects E fed into the feeding section 30 at a constant rate. The transported objects E pass through the first section 1a and the second section 1b shown in Fig. 1, and are discharged from the downstream end (exit section 31) of the conveyor section 1.

[0082] The hopper of the crusher 902, which is the next process device NX, is disposed immediately below the downstream end (exit 31) of the conveyor section 1, and the transported object E is fed into the hopper. As described above, if the transported object E is a large rock mass, the impact caused by the transported object E falling from the exit 31 (see FIG. 1) of the conveyor section 1 to the hopper of the crusher 902 becomes very large. In the first embodiment, the feeder device 100 changes the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b to bring the exit height of the conveyor section 1 closer to the feeding height (hopper height) of the crusher 902, thereby making it possible to reduce the impact (fall energy) when the transported object E is fed.

[0083] The crusher 902 crushes the transported object E received from the feeder device 100 into pieces of a desired size, and throws the pieces into the entrance of the belt conveyor 903. Then, the transported object E is transported by the belt conveyor 903.

[0084] As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 12, in a quarry, the feeder device 100 is configured to rotate the conveyor unit 1 by the swivel unit 3a, and to feed crushed stones to a crusher 902 and a transport vehicle (dump truck 904) arranged around the swivel unit 3a in a shifted manner in the swivel direction of the swivel unit 3a. In this case, the swivel unit 3a rotates the conveyor unit 1 about a predetermined vertical axis T, and positions the outlet unit 31 above the loading platform of the dump truck 904. Then, the feeder device 100 feeds the transported object E into the dump truck 904. Before feeding the transported object E after the rotation, the feeder device 100 may adjust the position of the outlet unit 31 by the angle adjustment unit 4 from a predetermined feeding height at which the transported object E is fed into the crusher 902 to a predetermined feeding height that matches the dump truck 904.

[0085] (Effects of the first embodiment) The feeder apparatus 100 of the first embodiment has the following advantages.

[0086] In the first embodiment of the feeder device 100, as described above, the conveyor section 1 includes a first section 1a located between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 at the upstream end in the conveying direction and provided with an input section 30 for receiving the conveyed object E, a second section 1b following the first section 1a and provided at an angle upwardly, and a bent shaft section 10 rotatably connecting the first section 1a and the second section 1b, and the base 3 is provided with an angle adjustment section 4 for changing the inclination angle θ of the second section 1b relative to the first section 1a of the conveyor section 1, and a swivel section 3a for swiveling the conveyor section 1 around a predetermined vertical axis T.

[0087] By configuring as described above, the inclination angle θ of the second part 1b following the first part 1a can be changed in the middle of the conveyor part 1 without changing the inclination angle θ of the first part 1a in which the input part 30 for receiving the transported object E is provided. As a result, by changing the inclination angle θ of the second part 1b, the outlet height of the conveyor part 1 can be changed according to the input height of the next process device NX. Since the inclination angle θ of the second part 1b can be changed without changing the angle of the first part 1a, the first part 1a can be maintained closer to the horizontal than the second part 1b. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which the inclination angle θ of the entire conveyor part 1 is adjusted, for example, the height of the input part 30 provided in the first part 1a can be lowered, so that the input height of the transported object E from the work vehicle 901 can be lowered. As described above, the outlet height of the conveyor part 1 can be changed according to the input position of the next process device NX, and the input height of the transported object E from the work vehicle 901 can be lowered. In addition, by providing a rotating section 3a on the base 3, the conveyor section 1 can be rotated to change the direction of the conveyor section 1, so that the transported object E can be fed to multiple vehicles or other feeding targets that are positioned offset in the rotation direction of the feeder device 100.

[0088] In the first embodiment, as described above, the first section 1a and the second section 1b each include a frame (20a, 20b) connected to the bent shaft section 10, and at least the end of each frame (20a, 20b) on the bent shaft section 10 side is provided with a plurality of guide rails 24 disposed on both the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13 and extending along the conveying direction. By providing the guide rails 24 on both the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13 at least on the bent shaft section 10 side of each frame (20a, 20b), the weight of the transported object E can be supported while the trajectory of the endless chain 13 can be maintained as a curved trajectory along the conveyor section 1.

[0089] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, as described above, the endless chain 13 has a plurality of rollers 44 arranged at intervals along the direction in which the endless chain 13 extends, and the plurality of rollers 44 are arranged to be rollable between the plurality of guide rails 24 on both the upper and lower sides of the endless chain 13. This makes it possible to effectively reduce the sliding resistance between the endless chain 13 and the guide rails 24 by the plurality of rollers 44. As a result, it is possible to effectively suppress the load applied to the conveyor driving unit 2 when driving the endless chain 13.

[0090] As described above, the first embodiment further includes a tension adjustment mechanism 5 that has bearings 51 supporting at least one of the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 and adjusts the tension acting on the endless chain 13 by moving the bearings 51, and the tension adjustment mechanism 5 is configured to maintain the tension within a predetermined allowable range in accordance with the adjustment of the inclination angle θ by the angle adjustment unit 4. As a result, even if the axial distance between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 changes due to a change in the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b, causing the tension acting on the endless chain 13 to fluctuate, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 can automatically adjust the tension so that it is maintained within the allowable range.

[0091] In the first embodiment, as described above, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 has the biasing member 53 that biases the bearing portion 51, and is configured to adjust the tension by moving the bearing portion 51 to a position where the biasing force of the biasing member 53 and the tension are balanced. As a result, the tension acting on the endless chain 13 can be maintained with a simple configuration that does not involve control processing, etc., due to the mechanical relationship of the balance of the biasing forces.

[0092] In the first embodiment, as described above, the feeder device 100 further includes a control unit 6a that controls the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the turning unit 3a, and a communication unit 6b that receives control commands for each of the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the turning unit 3a. This allows the operation of each of the conveyor driving unit 2, the angle adjustment unit 4, and the turning unit 3a to be remotely controlled from outside the feeder device 100 by communication via the communication unit 6b. This can contribute to improving work efficiency and saving labor (reducing the number of workers).

[0093] In the first embodiment, as described above, the first portion 1a is fixed to the base 3 at the lowest position in the conveyor section 1. This allows the lowering of the position of the first portion 1a to minimize the height at which the transported object E is fed into the feed section 30 provided in the first portion 1a, or allows the volume of the feed section 30 constructed at a constant feed height to be maximized. As a result, by lowering the feed height, the restriction on the reach height of the work vehicle 901 such as a wheel loader can be alleviated, and by increasing the volume of the feed section 30, the amount of transported object E fed from the work vehicle 901 can be increased, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0094] In the first embodiment, as described above, the swivel unit 3a is disposed below the base 3 in the up-down direction, and supports the conveyor unit 1 and the angle adjustment unit 4 in a swivelable state via the base 3. This allows both the conveyor unit 1 and the angle adjustment unit 4 to be swivel together via the base 3, so that the angle of the conveyor unit 1 can be adjusted by the angle adjustment unit 4 even after the swivel.

[0095] In the first embodiment, as described above, the swivel unit 3a is installed on the ground via the foundation FO, and includes a swivel support unit 80 that supports the base 3 in a state in which the base 3 can be swiveled relative to the foundation FO, a swivel shaft 81 that extends along a predetermined vertical axis T, and a swivel drive mechanism 82 that swivels the base 3 supported by the swivel support unit 80 about the swivel shaft 81. This allows the base 3 supported by the swivel support unit 80 to be swiveled about the swivel shaft 81 by the swivel drive mechanism 82.

[0096] In the first embodiment, as described above, the transported object E is crushed stone including earth and rock masses, and the conveyor unit 1 is rotated by the swivel unit 3a so that the crushed stone can be fed to the crusher 902 and the transport vehicle (dump truck 904) arranged around the swivel unit 3a and shifted in the swivel direction of the swivel unit 3a. In this way, in the quarry, the conveyor unit 1 is rotated by the swivel unit 3a to change the direction of the conveyor unit 1, so that the transported object E can be fed to the crusher 902 and the transport vehicle (dump truck 904) arranged shifted in the swivel direction of the feeder device 100.

[0097] Second embodiment Next, the structure of the feeder device 200 of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13. In the second embodiment, unlike the above-mentioned first embodiment in which the swivel unit 3a of the feeder device 100 is installed on the foundation part FO, an example will be described in which the swivel unit 3a of the feeder device 200 is not installed on the foundation part FO but is installed on the traveling mechanism 3b. In the figure, the same components as those in the above-mentioned first embodiment are shown with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment.

[0098] The feeder device 200 of the second embodiment includes a base 3. The base 3 is provided with a swivel unit 3a, a traveling mechanism 3b, and an angle adjustment unit 4. This feeder device 200 is used at a stone crushing site or the like. In short, the feeder device 200 is used to transport excavated soil and sand, which is a transported object E generated during excavation.

[0099] As described above, the swivel unit 3a is disposed between the upper base 3 and the lower traveling mechanism 3b. Therefore, the base 3 is fixed to the upper part of the traveling mechanism 3b via the swivel unit 3a.

[0100] The traveling mechanism 3b is a crawler type traveling mechanism that uses a hydraulic motor (not shown) as a drive source to circulate a pair of tracks. The feeder device 200 is a self-propelled device that can move by the traveling mechanism 3b without an external power source such as a towing vehicle. The feeder device 200 is configured so that the inclination angle of the second portion 1b of the conveyor unit 1 relative to the first portion 1a can be changed by the angle adjustment unit 4.

[0101] Further, the feeder device 200 is configured so that the conveyor unit 1 can be rotated about a predetermined vertical axis T by the rotating unit 3a.

[0102] (Effects of the second embodiment) The feeder apparatus 200 of the second embodiment has the following advantages.

[0103] In the feeder device 200 of the second embodiment, as described above, the conveyor section 1 includes a first section 1a located between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12 at the upstream end in the conveying direction and provided with an input section 30 for receiving the conveyed object E, a second section 1b following the first section 1a and provided at an inclination obliquely upward, and a bent shaft section 10 rotatably connecting the first section 1a and the second section 1b, and the base 3 is provided with an angle adjustment section 4 for changing the inclination angle θ of the second section 1b relative to the first section 1a of the conveyor section 1. As a result, similar to the first embodiment, the outlet height of the conveyor section 1 can be changed according to the input position of the next process device NX, and the input height of the conveyor object E from the work vehicle 901 can be lowered. In addition, by providing a rotating section 3a on the base 3, the conveyor section 1 can be rotated to change the direction of the conveyor section 1, so that the transported object E can be fed to multiple vehicles or other feeding targets positioned offset in the rotation direction of the feeder device 200.

[0104] (Explanation of comparison with comparative examples) Here, with reference to FIGS. 14(A) to (C), the effects of the angle adjustment unit 4 in the first and second embodiments will be described by comparing the configurations of the first and second embodiments with the configuration of a comparative example.

[0105] Fig. 14(A) is a schematic diagram of the feeder device 100 (200) according to the first and second embodiments. In Fig. 14(A), the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b is changeable, so that the outlet height of the conveyor section 1 can be changed according to the input height H1 of the next process device NX, while the top surface height H2 of the first portion 1a (the installation position of the input section 30) can be lowered by making the first portion 1a closer to horizontal. As a result, in the feeder device 100 according to the first and second embodiments, the input height is H3 when the input section 30 of a predetermined volume is provided.

[0106] FIG. 14(B) shows a comparative example in which two conveyors, a horizontal linear conveyor 301a and an inclined linear conveyor 301b, are combined, and the inclination angle of the linear conveyor 301b is made changeable. In FIG. 14(B) as well, the outlet height of the linear conveyor 301b can be changed according to the input height H1 of the next process device NX. However, in the comparative example of FIG. 14(B), in order to transfer the conveyed object E from the linear conveyor 301a to the linear conveyor 301b, the linear conveyor 301a needs to be placed at a position above the upstream end of the linear conveyor 301b. The smaller the inclination angle of the linear conveyor 301b, the higher the position of the upstream end of the linear conveyor 301b becomes, so the linear conveyor 301a is placed above the position of the upstream end of the linear conveyor 301b when the inclination angle is made the smallest. As a result, the top surface height H22 of the linear conveyor 301a (the installation position of the input section 30) becomes higher than the top surface height H2 in FIG. 14(A) (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 14(B)). If the input section 302 having the same volume as that in FIG. 14(A) is provided on the linear conveyor 301a, the input height H23 to the input section 302 will also inevitably become higher than the input height H3 in the first and second embodiments (see the two-dot chain line). For this reason, the work vehicle 901 capable of inputting the transported object E will be limited to a large one.

[0107] FIG. 14(C) shows a comparative example that includes only a single inclined linear conveyor 311 and is configured to change the inclination angle of the linear conveyor 311. In FIG. 14(C) as well, the outlet height of the linear conveyor 311 can be changed according to the input height H1 of the next process device NX. However, in the comparative example of FIG. 14(C), the conveying surface is also inclined at the upstream end of the linear conveyor 311, so the input section 312 needs to be installed on the inclined conveying surface. For this reason, assuming that the upper opening of the input section 312 is horizontal, the height H33b from the conveying surface to the upper opening at the downstream end of the input section 30 becomes significantly smaller than the height H33a from the conveying surface to the upper opening at the upstream end of the input section 30. Therefore, in the comparative example of FIG. 14(C), if an input section 312 with a volume equivalent to that of the input sections 30 and 302 shown in FIG. 14(A) and FIG. 14(B) is to be provided, the height H33a of the input section 312 becomes significantly larger. As a result, the input height H33 to the input section 312 is inevitably higher than the input height H3 in the first and second embodiments. Therefore, the work vehicle 901 capable of inputting the transported object E is limited to a large one. Furthermore, when the inclination angle of the linear conveyor 311 is changed, the angle of the upper surface of the input section 312 also changes. Therefore, there is an inconvenience that the input height and volume of the input section 312 change depending on the inclination angle.

[0108] In this way, the configuration of the feeder device 100 according to the first and second embodiments shown in FIG. 14(A) does not have the problems present in the comparative examples shown in FIG. 14(B) and FIG. 14(C), and is therefore more useful than each of the comparative examples.

[0109] [Variations] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the description of the above embodiments, and further includes all modifications (variations) within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0110] (First modified example of tension adjustment mechanism) In the above first and second embodiments, an example was shown in which the tension adjustment mechanism 5 has a biasing member 53 that biases the bearing portion 51, and is configured to adjust the tension by moving the bearing portion 51 to a position where the biasing force of the biasing member 53 and the tension are balanced; however, the tension adjustment mechanism may be configured as in the first modified example shown in FIG. 15.

[0111] A tension adjustment mechanism 105 according to a first modified example shown in FIG. 15 includes a force detection unit 106 that detects a force acting on the bearing unit 51, and a bearing drive mechanism 107 that moves the bearing unit 51. The bearing drive mechanism 107 is a linear motion mechanism that moves the bearing unit 51 linearly along the bearing frame 52. In the first modified example, the bearing drive mechanism 107 is a hydraulic cylinder. That is, the bearing drive mechanism 107 includes a cylinder unit 107a attached to the side surface of the bearing frame 52, and a rod unit 107b that is provided on the cylinder unit 107a so as to be movable forward and backward. The rod unit 107b passes through the bearing frame 52 and is attached to the bearing unit 51 via the force detection unit 106. The cylinder unit 107a is connected to the hydraulic unit 7 via a hydraulic pipe 7c. The bearing drive mechanism 107 drives the rod portion 107b in the forward direction by hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic unit 7, and applies a pressing force F3 counter to the tensile force F1 to the bearing portion 51 (via the force detection portion 106).

[0112] One side of the force detection unit 106 is fixed to the rod portion 107b, and the other side is fixed to the bearing portion 51. The force detection unit 106 is composed of a load cell or the like, and measures the magnitude of the compressive force in the movement direction (Y direction) of the bearing portion 51. The force detection unit 106 detects the magnitude of the tensile force F1 acting on the bearing portion 51, and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 6a.

[0113] The control unit 6a controls the operation of the bearing drive mechanism 107 via the hydraulic unit 7 according to the detection result of the force detection unit 106. That is, the control unit 6a controls the advancement and retreat of the rod portion 107b in the bearing drive mechanism 107 so that the tensile force F1 detected by the force detection unit 106 falls within a predetermined allowable range. Specifically, the control unit 6a feedback-controls the bearing drive mechanism 107 (hydraulic unit 7) so that the detected tensile force F1 and the pressing force F3 applied from the rod portion 107b to the bearing portion 51 coincide with each other.

[0114] With this configuration, the tension adjusting mechanism 105 according to the first modified example is configured to adjust the tension by operating the bearing driving mechanism 107 in response to the detection result of the force detecting unit 106. As a result, even if the inclination angle θ of the second portion 1b is changed by the angle adjusting unit 4 and the tensile force F1 acting on the bearing unit 51 changes due to a variation in the center distance, the pressing force F3 on the bearing unit 51 from the bearing driving mechanism 107 is controlled accordingly to balance with the tensile force F1. As a result, the tension adjusting mechanism 105 according to the first modified example automatically (autonomously) maintains the tension of the endless chain 13 within the allowable range.

[0115] (Second modified example of tension adjustment mechanism) In the first modified example, the bearing drive mechanism 107 of the tension adjustment mechanism 105 is a hydraulic cylinder, but in a tension adjustment mechanism 115 according to a second modified example shown in FIG. 16, the bearing drive mechanism 117 is configured with an electric cylinder. The bearing drive mechanism 117 includes a mechanical cylinder portion 117a and a rod portion 117b of a ball screw type or the like, and an electric motor 117c that drives the cylinder portion 117a. The force detection unit 106 is the same as in the first modified example. The electric motor 117c is connected to the power control panel 6 via an electric wiring 6d. The electric motor 117c drives the cylinder portion 117a with power supplied from the power control panel 6, and operates the rod portion 117b in the forward direction, thereby applying a pressing force F3 (via the force detection unit 106) to the bearing portion 51.

[0116] The control unit 6a controls the electric motor 117c of the bearing drive mechanism 117 according to the detection result of the force detection unit 106. That is, the control unit 6a controls the advancement and retreat of the rod portion 117b in the bearing drive mechanism 117 so that the tensile force F1 detected by the force detection unit 106 falls within a predetermined allowable range. The control unit 6a feedback-controls the bearing drive mechanism 117 (electric motor 117c) so that the detected tensile force F1 coincides with the pressing force F3 applied from the rod portion 117b to the bearing portion 51.

[0117] (Effects of the First and Second Modifications) Both the tension adjustment mechanism 105 of the first modified example and the tension adjustment mechanism 115 of the second modified example have a force detection unit 106 that detects the force acting on the bearing portion 51 and a bearing drive mechanism (107, 117) that moves the bearing portion 51, and are configured to adjust the tension by operating the bearing drive mechanism (107, 117) in accordance with the detection result of the force detection unit 106. This reduces restrictions such as the adjustable tension range, and makes it easy to maintain the tension acting on the endless chain 13. In other words, the adjustable tension range can be freely set depending on the specifications of the bearing drive mechanism (107, 117), making it easy to maintain the tension with high precision.

[0118] (Other variations) In the above first and second embodiments, the conveyor section 1 is configured with two parts, the first part 1a and the second part 1b, and the inclination angle θ of the second part 1b is adjustable via the bent shaft part 10 connecting the first part 1a and the second part 1b, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the conveyor section 1 may be configured with three or more parts. And, the bent shaft parts 10 may be provided at multiple locations on the conveyor section 1 to make the inclination angles of the multiple parts adjustable.

[0119] For example, in a modification shown in Fig. 17, the conveyor unit 121 includes, between the drive shaft 11 and the driven shaft 12, in addition to the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b, a third portion 1c following the second portion 1b. The conveyor unit 1 includes a bent shaft portion 10a that rotatably connects the first portion 1a and the second portion 1b, and a bent shaft portion 10b that rotatably connects the second portion 1b and the third portion 1c. In the modification, the feeder device 100 includes an angle adjustment portion 4 that changes the inclination angle θ1 of the second portion 1b, and an angle adjustment portion 122 that adjusts the inclination angle θ2 of the third portion 1c relative to the second portion 1b.

[0120] The conveyor section 121 according to the modified example of Fig. 17 is a so-called Z-shaped chain conveyor made up of a first section 1a, a second section 1b, and a third section 1c. The angle adjustment section 122 is a hydraulic cylinder provided on the frame 20b of the second section 1b, and rotates the frame 20c of the third section 1c up and down around the bent shaft section 10b by the advancement and retreat of the rod section. In addition, the present invention is not limited to this, and the conveyor section may be made up of four or more sections.

[0121] In the above first and second embodiments, a plurality of guide rails 24 are provided on each of the frames 20a, 20b to guide the endless chain 13 along a curved track along the frames 20a, 20b, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention does not require the provision of guide rails 24. For example, instead of providing the guide rails 24, a sprocket (idler sprocket) may be provided on the upper side of the endless chain 13 near the curved shaft portion 10, and the track of the endless chain 13 may be curved by the sprocket.

[0122] In the above first and second embodiments, an example has been shown in which the endless chain 13 has the rollers 44 between a pair of plates (the inner plate 42, the outer plate 41) (on the inner side of the chain), but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the endless chain 13 may be a side roller type chain having rollers 44 on the outer side (outer side of the chain) of the pair of plates (the inner plate 42, the outer plate 41). In this case, the rollers 44 are disposed on the outer surface of the endless chain 13, and the guide rails 24 may be disposed in accordance with the position of the rollers 44.

[0123] In the above first (second) embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism 5 is configured to maintain the tension within a predetermined allowable range according to the adjustment of the inclination angle θ by the angle adjustment unit 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, it is not necessary to provide a tension adjustment mechanism that automatically (autonomously) adjusts the tension, and a general take-up mechanism may be provided instead of the tension adjustment mechanism. At a crushing site, the adjustment of the inclination angle θ by the angle adjustment unit 4 is performed at the time of initial installation of the feeder device 200, and once the inclination angle θ is set, the inclination angle θ is not frequently changed unless there is a change in the construction site or a change in the next process device NX. Therefore, each time the inclination angle θ is adjusted, the worker may adjust the tension of the endless chain 13 by adjusting it to an appropriate bearing position using the take-up mechanism. However, in this case, since there is an increase in the number of work steps required for adjustment each time the inclination angle θ is adjusted and an increase in the workload of the worker, the configurations of the above first and second embodiments in which the tension adjustment mechanism automatically (autonomously) adjusts the tension are useful.

[0124] In the second embodiment, the base 3 is provided with the traveling mechanism 3b having a drive source, but the present invention is not limited to this. In the present invention, the base 3 does not need to be provided with the traveling mechanism 3b having a drive source. In other words, the feeder device may be capable of traveling using external power such as a towing vehicle. The traveling mechanism may be a type having crawlers (tracks) or a type having wheels (tires).

[0125] In the above first (second) embodiment, the feeder apparatus 100 (200) is provided with a communication unit 6b to enable remote control, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention does not need to provide a communication unit 6b. For example, the power control panel 6 may be provided with an operation button 61 so that an operator can directly operate the feeder apparatus 100. Alternatively, the feeder apparatus 100 may be operated by a wired controller 60. [Explanation of symbols]

[0126] 1, 121 Conveyor section 1a Part 1 1b 2nd part 2 Conveyor drive unit 3. Foundation 3a Swivel section 4, 121 Angle adjustment section 5, 105, 115 Tension adjustment mechanism 6a Control section 6b Communications Department 10, 10a, 10b bent shaft part 11 Drive shaft 12 Driven axis 13(13a, 13b) Endless chain 14 Transport plate 15 Bearing section 20a, 20b, 20c frames 24 Guide rail 30 Input section 44 Lola 51 Bearing section 53 Pressing member 80 (rotating part) rotating support part 81 (rotating part) pivot axis 82 (rotating part) swivel drive mechanism 100, 200 Feeder device 106 Force detection unit 107, 117 Bearing drive mechanism 121 Conveyor section 122 Angle adjustment section 903 Crusher E. Transported object FO foundation NX Next process equipment T given vertical axis θ Tilt angle

Claims

1. A feeder device for receiving a transported object including at least soil and sand and feeding the transported object to a next process device, a conveyor section including a drive shaft and a driven shaft, and an endless chain having a conveying plate attached thereto, the conveyor section conveying the objects on the conveying plate by the circular drive of the endless chain; A conveyor drive unit that rotates the drive shaft; a base supporting the conveyor section; the conveyor section includes a first section located at an upstream end in a conveying direction between the drive shaft and the driven shaft and provided with an input section for receiving the conveyed object, a second section following the first section and provided at an angle obliquely upward, and a bent shaft section rotatably connecting the first section and the second section, The base is provided with an angle adjustment unit that changes the inclination angle of the second portion of the conveyor section relative to the first portion, and a rotating unit that rotates the conveyor section around a predetermined vertical axis, the feeder device.

2. each of the first portion and the second portion includes a frame connected to the bending shaft portion; 2. The feeder device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of guide rails are provided on at least the end of each of the frames on the side of the bent shaft portion, the guide rails being disposed above and below the endless chain and extending along the conveying direction.

3. 3. The feeder device of claim 2, wherein the endless chain has a plurality of rollers spaced apart along the direction in which the endless chain extends, the plurality of rollers being rotatably disposed between the plurality of guide rails on both the upper and lower sides of the endless chain.

4. a tension adjustment mechanism that has a bearing portion that supports at least one of the drive shaft and the driven shaft and adjusts a tension acting on the endless chain by moving the bearing portion, The feeder apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tension adjustment mechanism is configured to maintain the tension within a predetermined tolerance range in response to adjustment of the tilt angle by the angle adjustment unit.

5. The tension adjustment mechanism includes: The tension adjusting device is configured to adjust the tension by having a biasing member that biases the bearing portion and moving the bearing portion to a position where the biasing force of the biasing member and the tension are in balance, or 5. The feeder device according to claim 4, further comprising a force detection unit that detects a force acting on the bearing portion, and a bearing drive mechanism that moves the bearing portion, and configured to adjust the tension by operating the bearing drive mechanism in accordance with a detection result of the force detection unit.

6. A control unit that controls the conveyor driving unit, the angle adjusting unit, and the rotating unit; The feeder apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a communication unit that receives control commands for the conveyor driving unit, the angle adjustment unit, and the turning unit.

7. 2. The feeder apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first portion is fixed to said base at a lowest point on said conveyor section.

8. 2. The feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the swivel unit is disposed below the base in the up-down direction and rotatably supports the conveyor unit and the angle adjustment unit via the base.

9. The swivel unit includes: A swivel support part that is installed on the ground via a foundation part and supports the base in a state in which the base can be swiveled relative to the foundation part; A pivot shaft extending along the predetermined vertical axis; 9. The feeder device according to claim 8, further comprising a rotation drive mechanism for rotating the base supported by the rotation support portion about the rotation axis.

10. The transported object is crushed stone including soil and rock blocks, The feeder device according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor section is rotated by the rotating section so that the crushed stone can be fed to a crusher and a transport vehicle arranged around the rotating section and offset in the direction of rotation of the rotating section.

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