Raw material transfer device

Abstract

To provide a raw material transfer device that, while simplifying the configuration for transferring raw materials from a supply section to a transport section to reduce costs, can quickly respond to different types of raw materials and different supply amounts of raw materials, suppresses the jumping of raw materials, uneven speed and uneven posture, realizes good transfer, and stabilizes the flow-down state of raw materials.SOLUTION: A raw material transfer device 1 is equipped with a straightening shutter 3 having an upper plate portion 30 configured to allow attachment of a weight 5, and a blocking plate portion 31 extending from the lower portion of the upper plate portion 30 in a direction approaching a flow-down surface 102a and blocking the raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of a supply portion 101.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a raw material transfer device for transferring raw material supplied from a supply unit to a transfer unit. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, when raw materials such as grains are supplied from a supply unit to a conveyance unit, a raw material transfer device is interposed between the supply unit and the conveyance unit (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a transfer device configured with an intermediate gutter that is slidable relative to a supply section. In the device disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the gradient of the conveying section is changed according to the size, weight, etc. of the raw material, if the gradient is made steeper, the distance between the supply section and the conveying section becomes shorter, causing the intermediate gutter to slide below the supply section and increasing the overlapping area with the supply section, whereas if the gradient is made gentler, the distance between the supply section and the conveying section becomes longer, causing the intermediate gutter to slide below the supply section and decreasing the overlapping area with the supply section.

[0004] Furthermore, in Patent Document 2, a relay gutter is installed between the supply unit and the upper part of the conveying unit. In Patent Document 2, a driving means is provided to move the relay gutter toward or away from the conveying unit, and the driving means automatically adjusts the position of the relay gutter according to the flow rate of the raw material.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 3 discloses providing a flow regulating plate made of an elastic material such as rubber in the conveying section. In Patent Document 3, the flow of the raw material flowing in the conveying section is regulated by the flow regulating plate, thereby stabilizing the flow of the raw material.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 discloses that a regulating plate is provided in the supply section to prevent the raw material from scattering.

[0007] Furthermore, Patent Document 5 discloses a technology in which a guide section that guides raw material supplied from a supply section to a conveying section is flexible, and the weight of the raw material accumulated on the guide section causes the guide section to bend downward, forming a gap between the downstream surface of the conveying section and the guide section, through which the raw material can pass. In the case of Patent Document 5, the gap widens as the amount of raw material accumulated on the guide section increases, while the gap narrows as the amount of raw material accumulated on the guide section decreases. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 56-62181 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-111434 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-116476 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-165176 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-184292 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] Incidentally, for example, an optical sorting machine that optically sorts raw materials is configured to sort foreign matter contained in the raw materials flowing through a conveying section using an optical device and remove it using an ejector device. In order to increase the sorting accuracy of the optical device and reduce the frequency of errors in removing foreign matter using the ejector device, it is preferable to transfer the raw materials from the supply section to the conveying section smoothly, that is, to transfer the raw materials without any bouncing or misalignment of the raw materials flowing through the conveying section.

[0010] When an optical sorter is introduced to a site, for example, in Patent Document 1, the gradient of the conveying section is adjusted to ensure a good transfer condition, and the intermediate trough is slid to match that gradient before operation begins. However, after operation begins, raw materials different from those supplied at the time of adjustment may be supplied, or raw materials of different sizes or shapes may be supplied due to different lots, even if they are the same raw materials. In such cases, in Patent Document 1, the operator must adjust the gradient of the conveying section and slide the intermediate trough while the machine is stopped, which places a burden on the operator.

[0011] In this regard, in Patent Document 2, the drive means automatically adjusts the position of the relay gutter to allow the raw material to flow down to the same location in the conveying section at a constant speed, eliminating the need for adjustments by an operator. However, because multiple serial processes are required, such as detecting the raw material flow rate, determining whether it matches a threshold, calculating the drive amount, issuing an operation command to the drive means, and operating the drive means, real-time responsiveness is not good when, for example, the raw material flow rate from the supply section suddenly changes, and it is thought that a good delivery state cannot be maintained from the time the flow rate changes until the position of the relay gutter is adjusted. Another problem is that the need for devices such as sensors, control devices, and actuators increases manufacturing costs.

[0012] On the other hand, in Patent Document 3, a flow control plate is provided within the conveying section, but since the flow control plate is located in the middle of the conveying section in the vertical direction, it does not function as a member for transferring raw material from the supply section to the conveying section, and therefore does not enable good transfer.

[0013] Furthermore, the regulating plate in Patent Document 4 is a member for regulating the flow of the raw material in the supply section, and is not a member for transferring the raw material to the transport section, so it does not contribute much to good transfer.

[0014] In this regard, the guide plate of Patent Document 5 is a member that delivers the raw material to the conveying section, and therefore contributes more to good delivery than those of Patent Documents 3 and 4. In addition, since the gap through which the raw material passes is changed by utilizing the flexural deformation of the guide plate, it is advantageous over the device of Patent Document 2 in that it does not require devices such as sensors, control devices, and actuators as in Patent Document 2.

[0015] However, in the case of Patent Document 5, it is difficult to design a universal guide section that provides an amount of deflection suitable for both small grain raw materials such as rice and barley grains and large grain raw materials such as corn, soybeans, and coffee beans, and as a result, it is necessary to design a guide section that takes into account the amount of deflection for each raw material.

[0016] Furthermore, in order to bend the guide section, a predetermined amount of raw material must be accumulated on top of the guide section, and after the raw material has accumulated, the guide section bends downward to form a gap. This means that a time lag occurs in suppressing the bouncing of the raw material, uneven speed, and uneven posture, making it difficult to respond.

[0017] In addition, Patent Document 5 also discloses that it is possible to adjust the amount of deflection of the guide portion and the inclination angle of the guide portion by providing a spring member or the like, but providing a spring member or the like causes the problem of the configuration becoming more complicated.

[0018] In addition, in order to reliably perform the hulling process in hullers other than optical sorters, it is necessary to transfer the raw material from the supply section to the conveying section in a good manner.

[0019] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these points, and its purpose is to simplify the configuration for transferring raw materials from the supply section to the conveying section, thereby reducing costs, while being able to quickly respond to differences in the type and amount of raw material being supplied, thereby suppressing the bouncing of the raw materials, uneven speed, and uneven posture, thereby achieving good transfer and stabilizing the flow of the raw materials. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] To achieve the above object, a first aspect can be based on a raw material transfer device that transfers raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of a supply section to a conveying section that forms an inclined raw material flow downsurface. The raw material transfer device includes a flow rectifying shutter that has an upper plate section that is rotatably supported above the raw material flow downsurface about an axis that extends in the width direction of the supply section and extends downward, and is configured to allow attachment of a weight, and a damming plate section that extends from a lower part of the upper plate section in a direction approaching the raw material flow downsurface and blocks the raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of the supply section.

[0021] With this configuration, when raw material falls from the downstream end of the supply section, it is temporarily blocked by the blocking plate. As the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate increases, the load acting on the blocking plate increases, causing the flow control shutter to rotate in the opening direction, forming a gap between the raw material flow down surface and the lower end of the blocking plate through which raw material can pass. The gap between the raw material flow down surface and the lower end of the blocking plate expands as the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate increases, and contracts as the amount of blocked material decreases. This gap changes immediately when the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate changes, resulting in a faster response speed than conventional methods using electrical drive means or deflection to change the gap. Furthermore, because the gap is controlled using the amount of raw material, manufacturing costs are lower than conventional methods using electrical drive means or spring members or the like to adjust the deflection or tilt angle.

[0022] In addition, the gap changes depending on the blocked material, so it automatically becomes suitable for different sizes of particles without having to be designed according to the size of the material particles. Similarly, if the amount of material supplied changes, the gap also changes depending on the blocked material, so it automatically becomes suitable for the amount of material supplied. Therefore, even if the type of material or amount of material supplied changes, it can quickly respond and suppress material bounce, uneven speed, and uneven posture.

[0023] In addition, a weight can be attached to the upper plate portion. Attaching a weight makes it harder for the rectifying shutter to open, and removing the weight makes it easier for it to open. The heavier the weight, the harder it is for the rectifying shutter to open, and conversely, the lighter the weight, the easier it is for the rectifying shutter to open. In this way, the opening degree of the rectifying shutter can be easily adjusted simply by attaching or removing the weight and adjusting the weight of the weight, so it can easily accommodate raw materials of different sizes, shapes, weights, etc.

[0024] The raw material that is once blocked by the blocking plate gradually flows through the gap, so the raw material is less likely to lose its position when being transferred from the supply section to the transfer section, and the raw material is also less likely to bounce when it reaches the transfer section, resulting in a smooth transfer from the supply section to the transfer section.

[0025] The raw material transfer device may further include a receiving portion positioned below the downstream end of the supply portion and above the damming plate portion, extending toward the upper plate portion and inclined downward so as to be positioned lower the closer to the upper plate portion, for receiving raw material that falls from the downstream end of the supply portion. With this configuration, the raw material that falls from the downstream end of the supply portion hits the receiving portion and is guided toward the rectifying shutter. This allows the raw material to be temporarily accumulated at the damming plate portion and then released, thereby achieving a so-called accumulation-and-flow effect, thereby stabilizing the supply of raw material.

[0026] Furthermore, the upper portion of the upper plate portion may be rotatably supported, for example, with respect to the conveying portion via a support shaft extending in the width direction of the supplying portion. This allows the rectifying shutter to be attached to the conveying portion. That is, although the supplying portion may vibrate to supply raw material, the conveying portion does not need to vibrate, so by attaching the rectifying shutter to the non-vibrating conveying portion, the rectifying shutter can be opened and closed stably as intended.

[0027] When there is no raw material on the damming plate section, the angle formed between the damming plate section and the raw material flow lower surface below the damming plate section may be set to 90 degrees or more, thereby making it possible to reliably open the rectifying shutter when a predetermined amount or more of raw material is dammed up.

[0028] The raw material transfer device may further include a weight attached to the upper plate. The weight can be attached to the upper plate so that its vertical position can be adjusted. For example, a fastening hole for fastening the weight with a fastening member is formed in the upper plate, and a vertically long slot is formed in the weight at a position corresponding to the fastening hole. The weight can then be fixed to the upper plate by inserting a common fastening member through the fastening hole and the long slot. Because the weight has a long hole, its vertical position can be easily adjusted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0029] As described above, the configuration for transferring raw materials from the supply section to the conveying section can be simplified to reduce costs, while quickly adapting to different types of raw materials and different supply amounts, suppressing the bouncing of raw materials, uneven speed, and uneven posture, achieving good transfer and stabilizing the flow of raw materials. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a color sorter equipped with a raw material transfer device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the raw material delivery device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the raw material delivery device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a view equivalent to FIG. 3, illustrating a case where less than a predetermined amount of raw material is blocked by the blocking plate portion. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a view equivalent to FIG. 3, showing a case where a predetermined amount or more of raw material is blocked by the blocking plate portion. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a rice huller according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of the preferred embodiments is essentially merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses. For example, the shape, arrangement, and size of components may be changed without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0032] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a color sorter 100 equipped with a raw material transfer device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The color sorter 100 is a device that sorts and removes defective products, such as foreign matter contained in raw materials. Raw materials that can be sorted by the color sorter 100 may be grains, such as brown rice, polished rice, soybeans, and adzuki beans, or granular materials, such as resin pellets. For example, when brown rice or polished rice is used as the raw material, grains discolored by pests, grains damaged by discoloration, immature green grains, unhulled rice, milky white grains, and foreign matter such as pebbles are collectively classified as defective products and distinguished from non-defective products. When resin pellets are used as the raw material, contaminated foreign matter is classified as defective products and distinguished from non-defective products. The color sorter 100 can remove defective products from non-defective products.

[0033] The following describes the schematic structure of the color sorter 100. The color sorter 100 includes a supply unit 101 that supplies raw materials to be sorted, an inclined chute 102 as a conveying unit, an optical sorting unit 103, and a discharge hopper 105. The supply unit 101 includes a tank 101a that stores the raw materials and a vibrating feeder 101b that supplies the raw materials to the inclined chute 102. By vibrating the vibrating feeder 101b, the raw materials in the tank 101a are sent downstream of the vibrating feeder 101b. Note that the supply unit 101 is not limited to a feeder and may be, for example, a cascade cut gate type or a rotary valve type. The width direction of the supply unit 101 is perpendicular to the flow direction of the raw materials in a plan view and corresponds to the left-right direction of the raw material transfer device 1.

[0034] The inclined chute 102 has a predetermined width wider than the width of the vibrating feeder 101b, and is disposed in an inclined state below the vibrating feeder 101b on the downstream side, allowing the raw material supplied from the vibrating feeder 101b to flow down naturally. The inclined chute 102 is equipped with a flat inclined plate portion 102b that forms an inclined raw material flow down surface (hereinafter simply referred to as the flow down surface) 102a, and side plate portions 102c that rise from both sides in the width direction of the inclined plate portion 102b. The gradient (inclination angle) of the inclined chute 102 is adjustable. Note that the inclined chute 102 may be replaced by a belt-type conveyor.

[0035] A plurality of vertically extending grooves (not shown) may be provided at intervals in the width direction on the flow-down surface 102a of the inclined chute 102. A heater (not shown) may be provided on the back surface of the inclined plate portion 102b (the surface opposite to the flow-down surface 102a) to prevent foreign matter from adhering to the flow-down surface 102a.

[0036] The optical sorting unit 103 is composed of optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c, background members 103d, 103e, and 103f, an illumination device (not shown), and other components arranged before and after the falling trajectory (shown by imaginary line L1) of the raw material falling from the downstream end of the inclined chute 102. The optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c are each composed of, for example, a CCD line sensor, and are equipped with an R element, a G element, and a B element that are sensitive to the colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue), respectively. The light reception signals of the optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c are photoelectrically converted into R signals, G signals, and B signals, and then output.

[0037] The optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c are electrically connected to the arithmetic unit 110, and the signals output from the optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c are input to the arithmetic unit 110. The arithmetic unit 110 determines whether the raw material is defective or non-defective based on the signals input from the optical detectors 103a, 103b, and 103c, and if determined to be defective, it can also determine whether the defective product is a grain discolored by pests or the like, a grain damaged by discolored rice or the like, a green immature grain, unhulled rice, a discolored grain such as a milky white grain, or a foreign object. Since the determination logic is well known, a detailed description will be omitted. However, the spectral ratios R / G and R / B are calculated from the R, G, and B values ​​obtained by performing a binarization process on the captured image, and the obtained values ​​are compared with a discriminant stored in a comparison circuit (not shown) to perform, for example, six types of determination.

[0038] The computing device 110 is electrically connected to an ejector driver 111, and an output signal from the computing device 110 is input to the ejector driver 111. That is, a signal representing the discrimination result by the computing device 110 is output to the ejector driver 111, which rejects defective products. Furthermore, the ejector driver 111 is electrically connected to an ejector device 112, and is configured to output a rejection signal to the ejector device 112. Upon receiving the rejection signal, the ejector device 112 injects compressed air toward the falling trajectory L1 of the raw material just as the defective product passes in front of it, thereby blowing away the defective product. This technique is also well known.

[0039] The discharge hopper 105 has a non-defective product collection hopper 105a and a defective product collection hopper 105b. Defective products blown away by the ejector device 112 are collected by the defective product collection hopper 105b and discharged outside the machine. Non-defective products not blown away by the ejector device 112 are collected by the non-defective product collection hopper 105a and discharged outside the machine.

[0040] In the color sorter 100 configured as described above, it is desirable to improve the sorting accuracy of the optical sorting unit 103 and reduce as much as possible the frequency of errors in foreign matter removal by the ejector device 112. For this reason, it is necessary to achieve good transfer when transferring the raw material from the vibrating feeder 101b of the supply unit 101 to the inclined chute 102. Good transfer of the raw material means a transfer in which none of the raw material flowing down the flow-down surface 102a of the inclined chute 102 bounces and none of the raw material flowing down the flow-down surface 102a maintains its proper posture.

[0041] The raw material transfer device 1 according to this embodiment is an apparatus that can achieve the above-described excellent transfer or a transfer very close to it when transferring raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of the supply section 101 to the inclined chute 102 that forms an inclined flow-down surface 102a. Specifically, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the raw material transfer device 1 includes a main body 2 attached to the inclined chute 102, a flow regulating shutter 3 for regulating the flow of raw material, a receiving section 4 that temporarily receives the raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of the supply section 101, and a weight 5 for adjusting the ease of opening the flow regulating shutter 3. The weight 5 may be provided as needed or may be omitted.

[0042] The main body 2 is a member that supports the rectifying shutter 3 and the receiving portion 4 and positions the rectifying shutter 3 and the receiving portion 4 in predetermined positions. The main body 2 includes a pair of side plates 20 disposed on both the left and right sides, and an upper connecting member 21 and a lower connecting member 22 that connect the left side plate 20 and the right side plate 20. The left and right side plates 20 extend in the vertical direction and are fixed to the left and right sides of the inclined chute 102, respectively, and extend above the side plate portions 102c of the inclined chute 102. The downstream portion of the vibrating feeder 101b is disposed between the left and right side plates 20. A gap is formed between the downstream portion of the vibrating feeder 101b and the left and right side plates 20, so that the vibration of the vibrating feeder 101b is not directly transmitted to the left and right side plates 20.

[0043] The upper connecting member 21 extends from the upper portion of the left side plate 20 to the upper portion of the right side plate 20, and is a member that connects the upper portions of the left and right side plates 20 together. The lower connecting member 22 extends from the lower portion of the left side plate 20 to the lower portion of the right side plate 20, and is a member that connects the lower portions of the left and right side plates 20 together. A support shaft 23 (only one of the support shafts is shown in FIG. 3 ) for rotatably supporting the rectifying shutter 3 is provided on the upper portions of the left and right side plates 20 so as to protrude toward the inside in the width direction of the main body 2. The left and right support shafts 23 are spaced apart from the downstream end of the vibrating feeder 101b, and are positioned with respect to the side plates 20 so that their axes are positioned on the same horizontal line extending in the width direction of the main body 2.

[0044] The rectifying shutter 3 is disposed between the left and right side plates 20 and includes an upper plate 30 constituting the upper portion of the rectifying shutter 3 and a blocking plate 31 constituting the lower portion of the rectifying shutter 3. The upper plate 30 is supported above the downflow surface 102a so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the width direction (left-right direction) of the supply section 101, and extends in the width direction as well as downward. Engaging plate portions 33 (only one of the engaging plate portions is shown in FIG. 3 ) are formed on both the left and right sides of the upper plate 30, extending along the inner surfaces of the side plates 20 of the main body 2. The left and right engaging plate portions 33 are formed with cutouts 33a that open downward. The left and right support shafts 23 can be inserted into the left and right cutouts 33a from below the cutouts 33a, respectively. By inserting the support shaft 23 into the notch 33a from below, the rectifying shutter 3 is supported by the support shaft 23 and is rotatable around the axis of the support shaft 23. The support shaft 23 may be provided on the side plate portion 102c of the inclined chute 102. In this case, the rectifying shutter 3 is rotatably supported relative to the side plate portion 102c of the inclined chute 102.

[0045] 3, when the lower end of the blocking plate 31 (described later) is in contact with the flow-down surface 102a, the horizontal distance L1 between the top of the upper plate 30 and the downstream end of the supply section 101 is compared with the horizontal distance L2 between the bottom of the upper plate 30 and the downstream end of the supply section 101, and the distance L12 is set longer than the distance L1. In other words, the upper plate 30 is inclined with respect to the vertical line, and this inclination is such that the horizontal distance from the downstream end of the supply section 101 increases the further downward the upper plate 30 goes.

[0046] The upper plate 30 is configured to allow the attachment of the weight 5. That is, the upper plate 30 is formed with fastening holes 30a for fastening the weight 5 with a fastening member 6. The fastening holes 30a are formed on both the left and right sides of the upper plate 30 and are through-holes that penetrate the upper plate 30 in the thickness direction. The fastening holes 30a are, for example, circular holes. The fastening member 6 has a bolt 6b with a screw shaft 6a and a nut 6c that screws onto the screw shaft 6a. The screw shaft 6a is inserted into the fastening hole 30a from the vibrating feeder 101b side, and therefore, a head 6d of the bolt 6b is located on the vibrating feeder 101b side.

[0047] The weight 5 is made of a plate material arranged on the opposite side of the upper plate 30 from the vibrating feeder 101b. The weight 5 has a fixed plate 50 extending along the surface of the upper plate 30 opposite the vibrating feeder 101b, and a protruding plate 51 protruding from the top of the fixed plate 50 in a direction intersecting with the upper plate 30. The fixed plate 50 has a vertically long slot 50a formed in a position corresponding to the fastening hole 30a. The vertical dimension of the slot 50a is set longer than the inner diameter of the fastening hole 30a, so that the screw shaft 6a can move within the slot 50a in the longitudinal direction of the slot 50a.

[0048] In this embodiment, two fastening holes 30a are formed spaced apart in the left-right direction, and two oblong holes 50a are also formed at the same interval as the fastening holes 30a. With the left fastening hole 30a and a portion of the left oblong hole 50a aligned in the longitudinal direction, the right fastening hole 30a and a portion of the right oblong hole 50a can be aligned in the longitudinal direction. A common screw shaft 6a is inserted through the left fastening hole 30a and the left oblong hole 50a. A nut 6c is threadedly engaged with and tightened onto this screw shaft 6a, thereby fixing the left side of the weight 5 to the left side of the upper plate 30. Similarly, a common screw shaft 6a is inserted through the right fastening hole 30a and the right oblong hole 50a. A nut 6c is threadedly engaged with and tightened onto this screw shaft 6a, thereby fixing the right side of the weight 5 to the right side of the upper plate 30. The number of fastening points for the weight 5 is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more.

[0049] Since the weight 5 has an elongated hole 50a, the weight 5 can be moved up and down relative to the screw shaft 6a by loosening the nut 6c. After moving the weight 5 to any position in the up and down direction, the weight 5 can be fixed in that position by tightening the nut 6c. In other words, in this embodiment, the weight 5 is attached to the upper plate portion 30 so that its position in the up and down direction can be adjusted. The shape and structure of the weight 5 are not particularly limited, and it may be, for example, a block-shaped or rod-shaped weight. Furthermore, the material of the weight 5 is not particularly limited.

[0050] The damming plate 31 extends from the lower part of the upper plate 30 in a direction approaching the flow-down surface 102a, and is a part for damming up the raw material that has dropped from the downstream end of the supply section 101. The damming plate 31 also extends in the left-right direction, similar to the upper plate 30. In this embodiment, the upper plate 30 and the damming plate 31 are integrally formed by bending a single plate material, but this is not limiting, and the upper plate 30 and the damming plate 31 may be formed separately and then joined together to form an integral unit.

[0051] The lower end of the blocking plate 31 extends linearly in the left-right direction along the downflow surface 102a. When there is no raw material on the blocking plate 31, the angle A formed between the blocking plate 31 and the downflow surface 102a below the blocking plate 31 is set to 90 degrees or more. The angle A may be 90 degrees or greater. The angle A can be changed by changing the length L3 of the blocking plate 31 or by changing the angle B formed between the blocking plate 31 and the upper plate 30.

[0052] Fig. 3 shows a state in which the lower end of the blocking plate portion 31 abuts against the flow-down surface 102a, i.e., the rectifying shutter 3 is in a closed state. Fig. 4 shows a case in which less than a predetermined amount of raw material is blocked by the blocking plate portion 31. Fig. 5 shows a case in which more than a predetermined amount of raw material is blocked by the blocking plate portion 31, and the rectifying shutter 3 has rotated until a gap is formed between the lower end of the blocking plate portion 31 and the flow-down surface 102a, i.e., the rectifying shutter 3 is in an open state.

[0053] The timing at which the rectifying shutter 3, which is in the closed state shown in Figures 3 and 4, changes to the open state as shown in Figure 5 can be determined by the presence or absence of the weight 5, the weight of the weight 5, and the vertical position of the weight 5. Specifically, the presence or absence of the weight 5, the weight of the weight 5, and the vertical position of the weight 5 are set so that the rectifying shutter 3 remains closed when the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate portion 31 is less than a predetermined amount. On the other hand, the presence or absence of the weight 5, the weight of the weight 5, and the vertical position of the weight 5 are set so that the rectifying shutter 3 opens when the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate portion 31 reaches or exceeds a predetermined amount. Then, while raw material is continuously supplied in an amount equal to or greater than the predetermined amount, a gap through which the raw material can pass is maintained between the lower end of the blocking plate portion 31 and the downflow surface 102a.

[0054] The receiving portion 4 is positioned below the downstream end of the supply portion 101 and above the damming plate portion 31, and extends in the left-right direction. The left and right sides of the receiving portion 4 are fixed to the left and right side plates 20, respectively. The receiving portion 4 extends in a direction approaching the upper plate portion 30, and is inclined downward so that the closer it gets to the upper plate portion 30, the lower it is positioned. The tip of the receiving portion 4 and the upper plate portion 30 face each other with a predetermined gap between them.

[0055] (Effects of the first embodiment) According to the first embodiment described above, as shown in FIG. 4, the raw material supplied from the supply unit 101 falls from the downstream end of the supply unit 101 and hits the receiving unit 4, thereby suppressing the force of the fall of the raw material and directing it to the blocking plate 31 of the rectifying shutter 3. The raw material is continuously supplied, and the raw material that falls from the downstream end of the supply unit 101 is temporarily blocked by the blocking plate 31. As shown in FIG. 5, as the amount of raw material blocked by the blocking plate 31 increases, the load acting on the blocking plate 31 by the raw material increases, causing the rectifying shutter 3 to rotate in the opening direction, and a gap is formed between the downflow surface 102a and the lower end of the blocking plate 31, allowing the raw material to pass through. At this time, because angle A is 90 degrees or more, the downflow surface 102a does not impede the rotation of the rectifying shutter 3 in the opening direction, and the rotation is smooth.

[0056] The gap between the downflow surface 102a and the lower end of the blocking plate 31 increases as the amount of material blocked by the blocking plate 31 increases, and decreases as the amount of material blocked by the blocking plate 31 decreases. This gap changes immediately when the amount of material blocked by the blocking plate 31 changes, so the response speed is faster than in conventional cases where an electrical drive means is provided or where the amount of deflection is used to change the gap. Furthermore, because the gap is controlled using the amount of material, manufacturing costs are lower than in conventional cases where an electrical drive means is provided or where a spring member or the like is provided to adjust the amount of deflection or tilt angle.

[0057] In addition, the gap between the flow-down surface 102a and the lower end of the damming plate 31 changes depending on the material blocked by the damming plate 31, so the gap automatically becomes suitable for different sizes of particles without having to be designed according to the size of the material particles. Similarly, when the amount of material supplied changes, the gap also changes depending on the blocked material, so the gap automatically becomes suitable for the amount of material supplied. Therefore, even if the type of material or amount of material supplied changes, the gap can be quickly adapted to suppress material splashing, speed fluctuations, and posture fluctuations.

[0058] Furthermore, by attaching the weight 5 to the upper plate portion 31, the force in the direction pressing the damming plate portion 31 against the downflow surface 102a of the rectifying shutter 3 increases, making it difficult for the rectifying shutter 3 to open. On the other hand, by removing the weight 5 from the upper plate portion 31, the force in the direction pressing the damming plate portion 31 against the downflow surface 102a of the rectifying shutter 3 decreases, making it easier for the rectifying shutter 3 to open. Furthermore, the heavier the weight 5 is, the more difficult it becomes for the rectifying shutter 3 to open, and conversely, the lighter the weight is, the easier it becomes for the rectifying shutter 3 to open. In this way, the opening degree of the rectifying shutter 3 can be easily adjusted just by attaching and detaching the weight 5 and adjusting the weight of the weight 5.

[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the elongated hole 50a is formed in the weight 5, so that the position of the weight 5 in the vertical direction can be adjusted. By moving the weight 5 downward, the force pressing the damming plate portion 31 against the flow-down surface 102a increases, and as a result, the rectifying shutter 3 becomes difficult to open. Conversely, by moving the weight 5 upward, the weight 5 approaches the support shaft 23, and the force pressing the damming plate portion 31 against the flow-down surface 102a decreases, and as a result, the rectifying shutter 3 becomes easier to open. In this way, the opening degree of the rectifying shutter 3 can be easily adjusted simply by adjusting the position of the weight 5 in the vertical direction.

[0060] Then, the raw material dropping from the downstream end of supply section 101 is temporarily blocked by blocking plate section 31, and then the raw material gradually flows through the gap between flow-down surface 102a and the lower end of blocking plate section 31, so that the raw material is less likely to lose its posture when being transferred from supply section 101 to inclined chute 102, and the raw material is also prevented from bouncing when it reaches inclined chute 102. Therefore, the raw material is transferred smoothly from supply section 101 to inclined chute 102.

[0061] (Embodiment 2) FIG. 6 shows a rice huller 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and this rice huller 200 is equipped with the raw material transfer device 1 of the first embodiment.

[0062] The rice huller 200 is mainly composed of a husking section 204 in which a pair of rubber husking rolls 202, 203 are rotatably arranged within a machine frame 201, a rice hopper 205 provided above the husking section 204 and a vibrating feeder 206 for adjusting the flow rate, a rice husking section 207 which stores rice as raw material and feeds it out as appropriate, and an inclined chute (conveying section) 209 which guides the rice supplied from the rice husking section 207 to the husking section 204. The inclined chute 209 has a raw material flow down surface 209a.

[0063] The husking section 204 is a type (roll type rice husker) in which a pair of husking rolls 202, 203 are rotated in opposite directions at different peripheral speeds, and rice grains are supplied to the gap between the husking rolls 202, 203, and the difference in peripheral speed between the husking rolls 202, 203 shears and breaks the rice husks to hull the rice (husking). Reference numeral 210 denotes a motor for rotating the husking roll 203, and reference numeral 211 denotes a motor for rotating the husking roll 202. The rotational force of the motors 210, 211 is transmitted to the husking rolls 202, 203 by a transmission belt or the like (not shown).

[0064] A vibrating trough 206b is vibrated by a vibrating mechanism 206a of the vibrating feeder 206. The paddy supplying section 207 supplies the paddy put into the paddy hopper 205 to the downstream side by the vibrating vibrating trough 206b.

[0065] The rice grains flowing down from the downstream end of the vibrating trough 206b are supplied to the transfer device 1. As in the first embodiment, when transferring the rice grains from the rice grain supply section 207 to the inclined chute 209, it is possible to achieve a simple and low-cost transfer, and quickly respond even if the type of raw material or the supply amount varies, thereby suppressing the bouncing of the raw material, uneven speed, and uneven posture, thereby realizing good transfer and stabilizing the flow-down state of the raw material.

[0066] The above-described embodiment is merely illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. Furthermore, all modifications and variations within the scope of equivalence of the claims are within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention can be applied to devices other than the color sorter 100 and the rice huller 200.

[0067] Furthermore, although not shown, the raw material delivery device 1 may be provided with a control device that controls the maximum opening degree of the rectifying shutter 3. For example, if the user sets the flow rate of the raw material in advance, the control device operates an actuator that regulates the opening degree of the rectifying shutter 3 so that the flow rate does not exceed the set flow rate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0068] As described above, the raw material transfer device according to the present invention can be used when various raw materials supplied from a supply unit are temporarily stored and then transferred to a transport unit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1. Raw material transfer device 3 Rectification shutter 4 Receiving part 5 weights 6a Screw shaft (fastening member) 23 Spindle 30 Upper plate part 30a fastening hole 31 Dam plate 50a slot 101 Supply section 102 Inclined chute (transport section) 102a Flow below

Claims

1. A raw material transfer device that transfers raw material that has dropped from a downstream end of a supply section to a conveying section that forms an inclined raw material flow downward surface, an upper plate portion that is supported above the raw material flow lower surface so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the width direction of the supply portion and that extends downward, and that is configured to allow a weight to be attached; A raw material transfer device characterized by comprising a straightening shutter having a damming plate portion extending from the lower part of the upper plate portion in a direction approaching the raw material flow lower surface and damming the raw material that has fallen from the downstream end of the supply portion.

2. The raw material transfer device according to claim 1, A raw material transfer device characterized by further comprising a receiving section positioned below the downstream end of the supply section and above the dam plate section, extending in a direction approaching the upper plate section and inclining downward so that the closer it gets to the upper plate section, the lower it is positioned, and receiving section that receives raw material that has fallen from the downstream end of the supply section.

3. The raw material transfer device according to claim 1, A raw material transfer device, characterized in that an upper portion of the upper plate portion is rotatably supported via a support shaft extending in the width direction of the supply portion.

4. The raw material transfer device according to claim 1, A raw material transfer device characterized in that when there is no raw material in the damming plate section, the angle between the damming plate section and the raw material flow downward surface below the damming plate section is set to be 90 degrees or more.

5. The raw material transfer device according to claim 1, Further comprising a weight attached to the upper plate portion; The weight is attached to the upper plate portion so that its position in the vertical direction can be adjusted.

6. The raw material transfer device according to claim 5, The upper plate portion is formed with a fastening hole for fastening the weight with a fastening member, The weight has a vertically long slot formed at a position corresponding to the fastening hole, A raw material delivery device characterized in that a common fastening member is inserted through the fastening hole and the elongated hole.

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