Grain lifting device

Abstract

To provide a grain lifting device capable of filling a flexible container bag with grain at an accurate weight.SOLUTION: A grain lifting device is a device for lifting grain and discharging it into a bagging device of a flexible container bag. The grain lifting device comprises: grain lifting means for conveying an introduced grain upward; a discharge pipe for discharging the lifted grain to a bagging device; and a control part for controlling at least a closing operation of a discharge shutter provided in the discharge pipe. The control part closes the discharge shutter at a timing corresponding to the grain filling speed, so that filling of grain into the flexible container bag stops at a predetermined amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a grain lifting device for lifting input grains and discharging them into a bagging device for flexible container bags, and more particularly to a grain lifting device that can fill flexible container bags with grains by accurate weight. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, bag-shaped structures called flexible container bags have been used to pack and transport powdery and granular materials such as grains and soil. Speaking specifically of grains, small farms typically use 30 kg grain-specific packing bags, but from the perspective of processing efficiency, there are also systems that use large flexible container bags with a capacity of around 1 ton. However, these large grain lifting machines have a weighing machine located below the flexible container bag, a large hopper above the flexible container bag, and an elevator that drops the lifted grain into the bag, resulting in an overall height of nearly 4 to 5 meters.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a grain lifting and weighing machine that includes a vertical grain lifting cylinder with a grain lifting means such as a bucket built in, a supply hopper located on the back side of the grain lifting cylinder for receiving grains such as rice, a storage tank for temporarily storing the lifted grains, and a weighing machine installed below the storage tank.

[0004] This type of grain lifting and weighing machine is often used in combination with a rice polishing machine, a sorting machine, etc. For example, when grains (cleaned grains) sorted by a sorting machine are weighed and packed into bags, the grains (cleaned grains) sorted by the sorting machine are supplied to a supply hopper, and the grains (cleaned grains) supplied from this supply hopper into the grain lifting cylinder are transferred by a grain lifting means to an upper storage tank where they are temporarily stored. To pack the grains into bags, the bags are placed on a weighing machine, and a shutter attached to the discharge pipe of the storage tank is controlled to open and close depending on the weight of the packed grains measured by the weighing machine, thereby weighing and packing a predetermined amount of grain into bags.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 proposes a hopper device capable of weighing and bagging one ton of unhulled rice. This hopper device has a weighing hopper installed below the drop opening of an accumulation hopper, which is suspended via a load cell as weighing means, and a bucket conveyor installed behind the accumulation hopper as grain lifting means. When packing unhulled rice into bags, the unhulled rice is supplied to a supply hopper installed below the bucket conveyor, and then lifted into the accumulation hopper by the bucket conveyor and temporarily stored in the accumulation hopper. The device controls the opening and closing of a shutter installed on the discharge pipe of the accumulation hopper, measures the weight of the unhulled rice supplied from the accumulation hopper to the weighing hopper with a load cell, and closes the shutter installed on the discharge pipe of the weighing hopper when the set weight is reached. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-198521 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-155591 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] In the devices disclosed in the patent documents, the shutter closes when the weight of the packed grains measured by a weighing machine reaches a set weight. However, the weight of the falling grains that have passed the shutter but have not yet been put into the bag at the time the shutter closes is not reflected in the measurement value of the weighing machine, so the weight of the grains finally packed into the bag is heavier than the set weight. It is possible to reduce the set weight in advance by taking into account the weight of the falling grains, but the weight of the falling grains changes depending on the filling speed of the grains and is not always constant, making it difficult to fill the flexible container bag with grains at an accurate weight.

[0008] The present invention has been made in light of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a grain lifting device that can fill a flexible container bag with grains by accurate weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To solve the above problems, a grain lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a grain lifting device for lifting grains and discharging them into a bagging device for flexible container bags. The grain lifting device includes a grain lifting means for transporting input grains upward, a discharge pipe for discharging the lifted grains into the bagging device, and a control unit for controlling at least the closing operation of a discharge shutter provided on the discharge pipe. The control unit closes the discharge shutter at a timing corresponding to the grain filling speed so that the filling of the flexible container bags with grains stops at a predetermined amount.

[0010] In the present invention, the bagging device may include a weighing device that weighs the amount of grains to be filled into the flexible container bag and outputs a signal representing the amount. The control unit may calculate the filling speed of the grains into the flexible container bag based on the signal representing the filling amount from the weighing device, and close the discharge shutter at a timing corresponding to the filling speed so that the filling of the grains into the flexible container bag stops at a predetermined amount.

[0011] In the present invention, the discharge shutter is preferably provided at the tip of the discharge pipe.

[0012] The grain lifting device according to the present invention may further include a sub-delivery passage branching from the discharge pipe and a storage hopper for storing the grains that have passed through the sub-delivery passage. When the control unit closes the discharge shutter, it may also close a storage shutter provided between the storage hopper and the grain lifting cylinder, so that the grains that have passed through the sub-delivery passage are temporarily stored in the storage hopper.

[0013] In the present invention, the discharge shutter and the storage shutter are preferably connected to a common shutter lever and opened in conjunction with each other in response to the operation of the shutter lever.

[0014] The grain lifting device according to the present invention may further include a straightening plate provided on the slope of the discharge pipe for directing a portion of the grains lifted by the lifting means and sliding down the slope toward the side of the slope, and a sampling outlet provided on the inner surface of the discharge pipe for taking in the grains guided by the straightening plate. The grains taken in by the sampling outlet may then be supplied to an automatic sampler. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a grain lifting device 1 according to a first embodiment, together with a post-processing device 3. FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the grain lifting device 1 according to the first embodiment is discharging grains to a subsequent processing device 3. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the grain lifting device 1 according to the first embodiment stops discharging grains to a subsequent processing device 3. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a discharge shutter 141 and a storage shutter 131 and the opening and closing operations thereof. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of a branched cylinder 18. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an autosampler 4. [Figure 7] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the grain lifting device 1 according to the second embodiment is discharging grains to a subsequent processing device 3. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the grain lifting device 1 according to the second embodiment stops discharging grains to a subsequent processing device 3. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment, the present invention will be described as being applied to a grain lifting device 1 that lifts grains continuously supplied from a sorting machine (details not shown), which is an example of a pre-processing device 2, and discharges the lifted grains to a bagging device, which is an example of a post-processing device 3. The bagging device bags the grains from the grain lifting device 1 into flexible container bags H.

[0017] [First embodiment] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of the grain lifting device 1 according to the first embodiment, together with the subsequent processing device 3. FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the configuration of the grain lifting device 1, with FIG. 2 showing the state in which grains are being discharged to the subsequent processing device 3 and FIG. 3 showing the state in which discharge of grains to the subsequent processing device 3 has stopped. The grain lifting device 1 includes a vertical grain lifting cylinder 11 incorporating a grain lifting means 10, a branching cylinder 18, a supply hopper 12 provided at the bottom of the grain lifting cylinder 11 to receive grains discharged from a sorting machine or other preceding processing device 2, a storage hopper 13 disposed adjacent to the grain lifting cylinder 11, and a discharge pipe 14 connected to the branching cylinder 18 and discharging grains lifted by the grain lifting means 10 toward the subsequent processing device 3. The grain lifting device 1 further includes a control unit 15 that controls the shutter closing operation, which will be described later.

[0018] The grain lifting means 10 transports grains placed in a supply hopper 12 upward. The supply hopper 12 is connected to the bottom of the grain lifting cylinder 11, and the grains placed in the supply hopper 12 are supplied to the bottom of the grain lifting cylinder 11. Inside the grain lifting cylinder 11, for example, a bucket conveyor 101 is provided as the grain lifting means 10. This bucket conveyor 101 is composed of an endless belt 104 stretched over pulleys 102 and 103 arranged above and below the grain lifting cylinder 11, and multiple buckets 105 attached to this endless belt 104. The endless belt 104 is rotated by a motor (not shown), and the grains supplied to the bottom of the grain lifting cylinder 11 via the supply hopper 12 from the upstream processing device 2 are scooped up by the buckets 105 and discharged into a branch cylinder 18 connected to the top of the grain lifting cylinder 11.

[0019] The branching cylinder 18 is connected to the top of the grain lifting cylinder 11 and receives the grains scooped up and discharged by the grain lifting means 10, allowing them to fall downstream and distributing them to either the discharge pipe 14, the storage hopper 13, or the auto-sampler 4. A main delivery flow path A to the discharge pipe 14 and a sub-delivery flow path B to the storage hopper 13 branch off from the branching cylinder 18. The branching cylinder 18 also has a sampling discharge port 185 for taking in grains to be collected by the auto-sampler 4.

[0020] The grains scooped up and discharged by the grain lifting means 10 slide down the upper inclined surface 181. The grains fall from the lower end of the upper inclined surface 181 to the lower inclined surface 182, and are discharged into the discharge pipe 14 which forms the main discharge flow path A connected to the lower end of the lower inclined surface 182. The main discharge flow path A is a flow path for sending the grains lifted by the grain lifting means 10 to the downstream processing device 3.

[0021] The discharge pipe 14 is a pipe extending diagonally downward from the branch cylinder 18, and the grains from the branch cylinder 18 slide down inside the discharge pipe 14 towards the tip. A discharge shutter 141 is provided at the tip of the discharge pipe 14. When open, the discharge shutter 141 allows the grains to be discharged to the subsequent processing device 3, and when closed, it blocks the flow of grains and stops the discharge of grains to the subsequent processing device 3. The discharge shutter 141 may be configured as a slide shutter, for example, using a cylinder (or partial cylinder) that slides along the longitudinal direction of the discharge pipe 14 as a shutter plate 143.

[0022] The grains discharged from the tip of the discharge pipe 14 and filled into a flexible container bag H installed in a bagging device as a subsequent processing device 3 are weighed by a weighing machine 16 to a predetermined filling amount. The weighing machine 16 weighs the filling amount of grains filled into the flexible container bag H and outputs a signal a representing the measured filling amount. The signal a from the weighing machine 16 is input to the control unit 15.

[0023] An opening 183 is provided in the branching cylinder 18 at the step between the upper inclined surface 181 and the lower inclined surface 182, and an auxiliary delivery flow path B branches off from the opening 183. The auxiliary delivery flow path B is a flow path for sending the grains lifted by the lifting means 10 to the storage hopper 13, and connects the opening 183 of the branching cylinder 18 to the storage hopper 13. When the grains are being discharged to the subsequent processing device 3 (Fig. 2), no grains are supplied to the storage hopper 13, but when the discharge shutter 141 at the tip of the discharge pipe 14 is closed to stop the discharge of grains to the subsequent processing device 3 and the inside of the discharge pipe 14 is filled with grains (Fig. 3), further lifted grains are supplied to the storage hopper 13 via the opening 183 and the auxiliary delivery flow path B.

[0024] A storage shutter 131 is provided at the bottom of the storage hopper 13. When the storage shutter 131 is open, the storage hopper 13 and the lower end of the grain lifting cylinder 11 are connected, and the grains in the storage hopper 13 are dumped into the bottom of the grain lifting cylinder 11 and lifted by the grain lifting means 10 together with grains dumped into the supply hopper 12 by the pre-processing device 2. On the other hand, when the storage shutter 131 is closed, the storage hopper 13 and the grain lifting cylinder 11 are isolated, and the grains fed to the storage hopper 13 are temporarily stored in the storage hopper 13 until the storage shutter 131 is opened. Note that the grains stored in the storage hopper 13 may be dumped into the grain lifting cylinder 11 via the supply hopper 12 rather than directly into the grain lifting cylinder 11. That is, the lower part of the storage hopper 13 and the supply hopper 12 may be connected, and the storage shutter 131 may be provided at the boundary between them.

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 and their opening and closing operations. The discharge shutter 141 includes a coil spring 142 and a shutter plate 143. One end of the coil spring 142 is attached to the tip of the discharge pipe 14, and the other end is attached to the shutter plate 143. The coil spring 142 biases the shutter plate 143 with its contractile force in a direction that closes the discharge shutter 141. The shutter plate 143 is connected to the shutter lever 17 via a link wire 174. The storage shutter 131 includes a coil spring 132 and a shutter plate 133. One end of the coil spring 132 is attached to a non-movable part near the storage shutter 131, and the other end is connected to one end of the link wire 174. The other end of the link wire 174 is connected to the shutter lever 17 through a through-hole 134 provided in the shutter plate 133. Additionally, an engaging member 135 having a larger diameter than the through-hole 134 is attached to the link wire 174 near the coil spring 132. The shutter plate 133 is biased by its own weight in a direction that closes the storage shutter 131. In this way, the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 are both connected to the shutter lever 17, and open and close in conjunction with the movement of the shutter lever 17. The shutter lever 17 is guided so that its movable direction is the up and down direction. Then, the shutter plate 143 of the discharge shutter 141 opens and closes with the movement of the shutter lever 17.

[0026] Next, the opening and closing operations of the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 configured as described above will be described. FIG. 4(a) shows the initial state in which both shutters are closed. To open the shutters from this closed state, the operator pulls the shutter lever 17 downward. Then, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the shutter plate 143 of the discharge shutter 141 is pulled and slides via the link wire 174, and the discharge shutter 141 enters an open state. Furthermore, for the storage shutter 131, the engagement member 135 attached to the link wire 174 is pulled up and engages with the through-hole 134 of the shutter plate 133, lifting the shutter plate 133. It is assumed that the attachment position of the engagement member 135 is adjusted so that the shutter plate 133 opens appropriately. As a result, the storage shutter 131 also enters an open state by pulling the shutter lever 17. When the shutter lever 17 is pulled to a predetermined position, the locking rod 172 is inserted into and engaged with the engagement hole 171 provided at the base of the shutter lever 17. This prevents the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 from returning to a position where they are in a closed state, and maintains the open state of the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131. Note that a biasing force is applied to the locking rod 172 by a spring or the like (not shown) toward the shutter lever 17, and when the shutter lever 17 is pulled to a predetermined position where the engagement hole 171 faces the locking rod 172, the biasing force causes the locking rod 172 to be inserted into the engagement hole 171.

[0027] Furthermore, when closing, the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 are closed in conjunction with each other under the control of the control unit 15. The control unit 15 outputs a signal b to the drive means 173 to close each shutter. The drive means 173 is realized, for example, by a solenoid. Based on this signal b, the drive means 173 is activated to pull the lock rod 172 out of the engagement hole 171, as shown in FIG. 4(c). Then, as shown in FIG. 4(d), the coil spring 142 contracts, and the shutter plate 143 of the discharge shutter 141 moves in the closing direction. Also, the coil spring 132 contracts and pulls down the position of the engagement member 135. As a result, the shutter plate 133 loses support from the engagement member 135 and descends under its own weight, thereby closing the storage shutter 131. As shown in FIG. 4(d), when the shutter plate 133 is in the lowered state, the engagement member 135 does not engage with the through-hole 134. In this way, the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 are closed in conjunction with each other. As the locking rod 172 is pulled out of the engaging hole 171 and the coil springs 132 and 142 contract, the shutter lever 17 is pulled up via the link wire 174 to a position where the engaging hole 171 does not face the locking rod 172. The discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 remain closed until the shutter lever 17 is pulled again.

[0028] The control unit 15 outputs a signal b that controls the closing operation of the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 based on a signal a from the weighing machine 16. At this time, the control unit 15 calculates the filling speed of the grains into the flexible container bag H based on the signal a that indicates the filling amount from the weighing machine 16, and outputs a signal b to the drive means 173 instructing the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131 to close at a timing corresponding to the filling speed so that the filling of the grains into the flexible container bag H stops at a predetermined amount. The filling speed of the grains into the flexible container bag H can be calculated from the amount of change per unit time in the weighed filling amount. The control unit 15 should output the signal b at an earlier timing as the filling speed increases. For example, the control unit 15 may constantly calculate, based on the filling speed, an expected overfilling amount that is expected to be filled into the flexible container bag H after the shutter is closed when the shutter is closed at that filling speed, and output signal b to the driving means 173 at the timing when the filling amount reaches a weight obtained by subtracting the expected overfilling amount from a predetermined amount (the weight to be filled into the flexible container bag H). Note that the relationship between the filling speed and the timing of outputting signal b (or the relationship between the filling speed and the expected overfilling amount in the above example) may be calibrated in advance so that the final filling amount into the flexible container bag H is constant regardless of the filling speed.

[0029] In this way, the grain lifting device 1 of this embodiment can fill grains into the flexible container bag H accurately to the desired weight by closing the discharge shutter 141 at a timing according to the filling speed.

[0030] As described above, the control unit 15 may be configured to output a signal b for closing the shutter based on the signal a from the weighing machine 16, or based on the operation of the operation panel by the operator.

[0031] The control unit 15 calculates the remaining time until the filling of the flexible container bag H to a predetermined weight is completed based on the filling speed into the flexible container bag H, and displays the remaining time on the display panel, thereby enabling the operator to easily grasp the progress of the bagging work.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the branching cylinder 18. As shown in FIG. 5, a straightening plate 184 is provided on the upper inclined surface 181 of the branching cylinder 18 to guide some of the grains that slide down to the side of the inclined surface. Furthermore, a sampling outlet 185 is provided on the inner surface of the upper inclined surface 181 at a position where the grains are guided by the straightening plate 184, for extracting some of the grains to be bagged and supplying them to the auto-sampler 4. A sampling shutter 186 is provided at the sampling outlet 185. The sampling shutter 186 is normally closed, and upon receiving a signal from the weighing machine 16, it opens for a certain period of time and takes in some of the grains guided by the straightening plate 184. The signal from the weighing machine 16 is preferably supplied when the amount of grains filled in the flexible container bag H reaches a predetermined weight. The signal from the weighing machine 16 may be supplied once per filling amount into one flexible container bag H (for example, when it reaches half of the specified weight), or multiple times per filling amount into one flexible container bag H (for example, for each weight obtained by dividing the specified weight by a specified number of equal parts).

[0033] 6, the autosampler 4 is equipped with a turntable 42 on which a plurality of sample containers 41 are placed, and this turntable 42 is controlled to rotate intermittently. The sample containers 41 are, for example, cup-shaped containers, and recesses 43 for positioning the sample containers 41 are formed in the turntable 42, and the sample containers 41 are positioned by the recesses 43 in a circular arrangement at equal intervals on the turntable 42. A sampling pipe 187 is provided between the sampling outlet 185 and the autosampler 4 to supply the sample (grain) taken into the sampling outlet 185 to the sample container 41 at a predetermined position.

[0034] In this embodiment, the straightening plate 184 is disposed at an angle to the inclination direction of the upper inclined surface 181, and blocks some of the sliding down grains while guiding them towards the sampling discharge port 185. The position and height of the straightening plate 184 are determined so that grains are discharged to the full extent of the opening of the sampling discharge port 185 (that is, from the entire opening from the bottom to the top). Specifically, the straightening plate 184 should be provided so that the height at which the grains blocked by the straightening plate 184 overcome the straightening plate 184 is higher than the height of the opening of the sampling discharge port 185. As a result, the sampling discharge port 185 can sample a fixed amount regardless of the flow rate of the grains sliding down the upper inclined surface 181 of the branching cylinder 18.

[0035] 2 and 3, the operation of the grain lifting device 1 of the first embodiment of the present invention when bagging grains will be described. As shown in FIG. 2, during bagging work into flexible container bags H, the discharge shutter 141 is held in an open position. The storage shutter 131 is also held in an open position. Therefore, if grains are present in the storage hopper 13 or new grains are added, they are supplied into the grain lifting cylinder 11. Grains are also supplied from the pre-processing device 2 into the grain lifting cylinder 11 via the supply hopper 12. The grains supplied into the grain lifting cylinder 11 are then scooped up by the bucket 105 and transported to the top of the grain lifting cylinder 11 by the rotation of the bucket conveyor 101. The grains discharged from the bucket 105 at the top of the grain lifting cylinder 11 are supplied via the branch cylinder 18 to the discharge pipe 14, and the grains pass through the discharge pipe 14 and are filled into flexible container bags H installed in a bagging device as the post-processing device 3.

[0036] When the discharge shutter 141 is to be closed, the control unit 15 outputs a signal b, and in response to this signal b, the drive means 173 (solenoid) is activated, pulling the lock rod 172 out of the engagement hole 171 of the shutter lever 17. When the engagement hole 171 and the lock rod 172 are disengaged, the discharge shutter 141 is closed by the biasing force of the coil spring 142. As the engagement between the engagement hole 171 and the lock rod 172 is disengaged, the position of the engagement member 135 is lowered by the biasing force of the coil spring 132 in conjunction with the closing operation of the discharge shutter 141, and the storage shutter 131 is also closed. As shown in Figure 3, when the storage shutter 131 is closed, the grains lifted by the lifting device 1 and returned to the storage hopper 13 via the sub-delivery flow path B are temporarily stored in the storage hopper 13.

[0037] When the flexible container bags H installed in the bagging device, which is the subsequent processing device 3, have reached a predetermined amount and are being replaced with another flexible container bag H, there is a demand for the sorting machine, which is the subsequent processing device 2, to continue working without interruption. Therefore, the discharge shutter 141 closes the discharge outlet of the discharge pipe 14, and simultaneously the storage shutter 131 is closed to temporarily store the grains in the storage hopper 13. Of course, in this case, it is conceivable to repeat the return flow without closing the storage shutter 131, but repeated return flow increases the risk of damage to the returned grains. While the discharge shutter 141 is closed to stop filling the flexible container bags H, the grains are temporarily stored in the storage hopper 13.

[0038] As a result, even if the bucket conveyor 101 is operated continuously without being stopped to continue lifting grains, the grains are returned to the storage hopper 13 via the secondary discharge flow path B and accumulate in the storage hopper 13, so that the grains that continue to be supplied by the bucket conveyor 101 will not flow back into the grain lifting cylinder 11 until the flexible container bag H is replaced, thereby reducing damage to the grains.

[0039] When the bagging operation is resumed after the flexible container bag H has been replaced, the operator pulls the shutter lever 17, which opens the discharge shutter 141 and the storage shutter 131. As a result, the grains stored in the storage hopper 13 are supplied from the opened storage shutter 131 to the lifting cylinder 11, and the grains in the storage hopper 13, together with the grains supplied to the lifting cylinder 11 from the pre-processing device 2 via the supply hopper 12, are lifted by the bucket conveyor 101 in the lifting cylinder 11 and filled into the flexible container bag H via the discharge pipe 14.

[0040] As described above, when multiple bags are packed consecutively, once the amount of grains filled in the flexible container bag H reaches a predetermined amount and one bagging operation is completed, it is necessary to replace the flexible container bag H installed in the bagging device. At this time, the bagging device, which serves as the downstream processing device 3, must suspend its operation, while the upstream processing device 2, such as a sorter, which supplies grain to the lifting device 1, continues to operate. As a result, grains are continuously supplied to the lifting device 1, and the lifting device 1 also continues to lift grains. However, when the amount of grains supplied to the flexible container bag H approaches a predetermined amount and the control unit 15 closes the discharge shutter 141, grains begin to accumulate in the discharge pipe 14. As grains accumulate in the discharge pipe 14, any grains exceeding the capacity of the discharge pipe 14 overflow from the opening 183 and are returned to the storage hopper 13 via the secondary delivery flow path B. Therefore, the grains that have filled the discharge pipe 14 will not flow back into the grain lifting cylinder 11.

[0041] Therefore, it is possible to avoid problems such as the grain lifting cylinder 11 becoming clogged and causing the grain lifting device 1 to stop, and it is also possible to operate continuously without stopping the operation of the bucket conveyor 101 and the sorting machine as the pre-processing device 2 every time the flexible container bag H is replaced, which improves work efficiency.

[0042] Second Embodiment Next, a grain lifting device 1A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8. Figures 7 and 8 are schematic cross-sectional views showing the configuration of the grain lifting device 1A, with Figure 7 showing the state in which grains are being discharged to the subsequent processing device 3 and Figure 8 showing the state in which discharge of grains to the subsequent processing device 3 has been stopped. Note that Figures 7 and 8 omit the configuration for controlling the opening and closing of each shutter (controller 15, shutter lever 17, link wire 174, etc.). Furthermore, since the second embodiment is substantially the same as the first embodiment except for the discharge shutter, parts having the same functions as the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and explanations of overlapping parts will be omitted, with only the different parts being explained.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 7, in the grain lifting device 1A according to the second embodiment, a discharge shutter that switches whether or not grains are discharged to the subsequent processing device 3 is realized by a switching shutter 188 arranged at the branching portion of the branching cylinder 18. This switching shutter 188 is pivotally supported at the branching portion within the discharge pipe 14, and by opening one of the main delivery flow path A and the auxiliary delivery flow path B and closing the other, the discharge destination of grains sliding down the slope of the discharge pipe 14 is switched between the subsequent processing device 3 via the main delivery flow path A and the storage hopper 13 via the auxiliary delivery flow path B. When focusing on opening and closing the main delivery flow path A, the switching shutter 188 functions as a discharge shutter in the present invention.

[0044] The storage shutter 131 opens and closes in conjunction with the opening and closing of the main discharge path A by the switching shutter 188. That is, as shown in FIG. 7, when the switching shutter 188 opens the main discharge path A, the storage shutter 131 is opened. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, when the switching shutter 188 closes the main discharge path A, the storage shutter 131 is closed. The opening of the main discharge path A by the switching shutter 188 and the opening of the storage shutter 131 may be configured to be performed in conjunction with the operation of the shutter lever 17. Also, as in the first embodiment, the closing of the main discharge path A by the switching shutter 188 and the closing of the storage shutter 131 may be performed under the control of the control unit 15 based on a signal a representing the filling amount from the weighing machine 16, such that the switching shutter 188 closes the main discharge path A at a timing corresponding to the filling speed so that the filling of grains into the flexible container bag H stops at a predetermined amount, and the storage shutter 131 is closed in conjunction with this.

[0045] During bagging, as shown in Figure 7, the switching shutter 188 keeps the main discharge path A open, and the grains lifted by the lifting cylinder 11 are filled from the main discharge path A into the flexible container bag H on the weighing machine 16. When the weight of the grains in the flexible container bag H approaches the set weight, as shown in Figure 8, the switching shutter 188 switches the discharge destination of the grains to the storage hopper 13, and the storage shutter 131 closes, returning the grains from the auxiliary discharge path B to the storage hopper 13. At this time, because the storage shutter 131 is closed, the grains lifted into the discharge pipe 14 by the bucket conveyor 101 and returned to the storage hopper 13 from the auxiliary discharge path B accumulate in the storage hopper 13 and do not flow back into the lifting cylinder 11.

[0046] After the bagging operation is completed, the flexible container bag H on the weighing machine 16 is replaced, the switching shutter 188 is rotated to open the main discharge path A, and the storage shutter 131 is pulled up to fully open the opening of the storage hopper 13. Filling of grains into the flexible container bag H via the main discharge path A is resumed. The grains supplied to the supply hopper 12 are supplied into the grain lifting cylinder 11, and the grains that had accumulated in the storage hopper 13 are returned to the grain lifting cylinder 11. The grains supplied to the grain lifting cylinder 11 from the supply hopper 12 and storage hopper 13 are lifted by the bucket conveyor 101 and supplied to the discharge pipe 14, and then filled into the flexible container bag H on the weighing machine 16 via the main discharge path A.

[0047] As described above, in this second embodiment, the grain lifting device 1 can fill grains into flexible container bags accurately according to the desired weight by having the switching shutter 188 close the main discharge flow path A at a timing corresponding to the filling speed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1, 1A grain frying device 10 Grain frying means 11 Grain frying cylinder 12 Feeding hopper 13 Storage hopper 131 Storage shutter 14 Discharge pipe 141 Discharge shutter 15 Control Unit 17 Shutter lever 18 Branched cylinder 188 Switching Shutter 2. Pre-processing equipment 3 Post-processing equipment A Main delivery channel B Sub-outlet channel H Flexible Container Bag

Claims

1. A grain lifting device for lifting grains and discharging them into a bagging device for flexible container bags, The grain lifting device is A grain lifting means for conveying the input grains upward; a discharge pipe through which the grains lifted by the lifting means are discharged to the bagging device; a control unit that controls at least a closing operation of a discharge shutter provided in the discharge pipe; Equipped with The grain lifting device is characterized in that the control unit closes the discharge shutter at a timing corresponding to the grain filling speed so that the filling of grains into the flexible container bag stops at a predetermined amount.

2. The bagging device includes a weighing means for measuring the amount of grains to be filled into the flexible container bag and outputting a signal representing the amount of grains filled, The grain lifting device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control unit calculates the filling speed of grains into the flexible container bag based on a signal representing the filling amount from the weighing means, and closes the discharge shutter at a timing corresponding to the filling speed so that the filling of grains into the flexible container bag stops at a predetermined amount.

3. The grain lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge shutter is provided at the tip of the discharge pipe.

4. The grain lifting device is a secondary delivery flow path branching from the discharge pipe; a storage hopper for storing the grains that have passed through the auxiliary delivery passage; Furthermore, The grain lifting device described in claim 1, characterized in that when the control unit closes the discharge shutter, it also closes the storage shutter located between the storage hopper and the grain lifting cylinder body, so that the grain that has passed through the secondary discharge flow path is temporarily stored in the storage hopper.

5. The grain lifting device according to claim 4, characterized in that the discharge shutter and the storage shutter are connected to a common shutter lever and open in conjunction with each other in response to operation of the shutter lever.

6. a straightening plate provided on the slope of the discharge pipe, which guides a portion of the grains lifted by the lifting means and sliding down the slope to the side of the slope; a sampling outlet provided on the inner surface of the discharge pipe for taking in the grains guided by the straightening plate; Furthermore, 2. The grain lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the grains taken into the sampling outlet are supplied to an automatic sampler.

Images