Bucket belt structure for elevators

Abstract

To provide a bucket belt structure 1 for elevators that is highly durable, inexpensive, requires infrequent replacement, and is easy to assemble and disassemble. [Solution] The elevator bucket belt structure 1 comprises a bucket belt 2, connectors 4a and 4b provided at both ends of the bucket belt 2 in the longitudinal direction, and buckets 3a and 3b arranged on the surface of the bucket belt 2 between the connectors 4a and 4b. The buckets 3a and 3b are arranged continuously in front of and behind the connector 4 in the direction of travel F when both ends of the bucket belt 2 in the longitudinal direction are connected in a ring, respectively. The bucket spacing D2 on the side sandwiching the connector 4 is larger than the bucket spacing D1 of the other continuous buckets 3, and only bucket 3b is made of a material with higher wear resistance than bucket 3a.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a bucket belt structure for an elevator, particularly to the bucket belt structure of a bucket elevator used in a circulating grain dryer or the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a bucket belt structure for transporting sand, for example, there is one in which plastic buckets and buckets made of wear-resistant materials are attached to an endless belt at a ratio of several of the former to one of the latter and at equal intervals from each other (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Generally, the bucket belt structure for an elevator used in a circulating grain dryer or the like is transported from the factory to the site in separate packages for the elevator body and the bucket belt, and assembled at the installation site. For this reason, from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is preferable that the interval between the buckets at the belt connection part (connector) is larger. However, if the interval between the buckets at the belt connection part is made larger than the interval between the other buckets, the buckets behind the belt connection part in the belt traveling direction will scoop up more grains from the state where more grains have accumulated at the bottom of the elevator than the other buckets, increasing the load during operation. For this reason, the buckets and the belt are significantly worn, resulting in problems such as an increase in the replacement frequency and an increase in the parts cost.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such points, and its object is to provide a bucket belt structure for an elevator that is highly durable, inexpensive, has a low replacement frequency, and is easy to assemble and disassemble. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the following solutions were implemented for the bucket belt structure of elevators.

[0007] The first invention provides a bucket belt structure for an elevator in which both longitudinal ends are connectable to each other in an annular shape, comprising: a flexible belt; connectors provided at both longitudinal ends of the flexible belt; and first and second buckets arranged on the surface of the flexible belt between the connectors at each end, wherein the first and second buckets are arranged continuously in front of and behind the connectors in the direction of travel when both longitudinal ends of the flexible belt are connected in an annular shape, the bucket spacing on the side sandwiching the connectors is larger than the bucket spacing of other continuous buckets, and only the second bucket is made of a material with higher wear resistance than the first bucket.

[0008] In other words, in the first invention, the first and second buckets are arranged continuously in front of and behind the connector in the direction of travel when the longitudinal ends of the flexible belt are connected in a ring, and the bucket spacing on the side where each bucket sandwiches the connector is larger than the bucket spacing of the other buckets, making it easy to assemble and disassemble the bucket belt structure. Furthermore, since only the second bucket, which experiences increased load at this time, is made of a highly wear-resistant material, it is possible to suppress the increase in bucket replacement frequency and parts cost due to wear and replacement of only the second bucket, thus providing a bucket belt structure that is highly durable, inexpensive, requires infrequent replacement, and is easy to assemble and disassemble.

[0009] In the second invention, in the first invention, the first bucket includes a bucket made of resin, and the second bucket includes a bucket made of metal.

[0010] In the second invention, in the first invention, the first bucket is made of resin and only the second bucket is made of metal. This allows the first bucket to be manufactured lightly and inexpensively, and the second bucket to be manufactured inexpensively. Therefore, a bucket belt structure that is lightweight, highly durable, inexpensive, and easy to assemble and disassemble can be provided.

[0011] In the third invention, in the first or second invention, the second bucket has a larger capacity than the first bucket.

[0012] In the first or second invention, since the second bucket has a larger capacity than the first bucket, the load on subsequent buckets can be reduced by an amount equivalent to the capacity difference. This suppresses the increase in bucket replacement frequency and parts costs due to wear and replacement of the buckets, and provides a highly durable, inexpensive bucket belt structure that requires infrequent replacement. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a bucket belt structure for elevators that is highly durable, inexpensive, requires infrequent replacement, and is easy to assemble and disassemble. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0014] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a bucket belt structure for an elevator (before assembly) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing a bucket belt structure for an elevator (after assembly) according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the structure of a resin bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the structure of a metal bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a bucket belt structure for an elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6]Figure 6 is another diagram illustrating the operation of a bucket belt structure for an elevator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a diagram corresponding to Figure 4, showing another structure of a metal bucket according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows a bucket elevator in which a bucket belt structure for elevators according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative.

[0016] (Bucket belt structure) The bucket belt structure 1 for elevators (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as bucket belt structure 1) is used in a bucket elevator 11. For example, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a part of a bucket elevator 11 used in a circulating grain dryer. As shown in Figure 8, the bucket elevator 11 has drive and free-moving wheels 12a and 12b arranged at the top and bottom of the housing, and the bucket belt structure 1 for elevators, stretched between the two wheels 12a and 12b, scoops up the grain supplied from the hopper 13 at the bottom and takes it out through the outlet 14 at the top for circulation. In the following, corresponding components will be denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and for example, the wheel 12 may be used as a general term to refer to both wheels 12a and 12b.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a bucket belt structure 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a flexible bucket belt 2, connection tools 4a and 4b provided at both longitudinal ends of the bucket belt 2, and buckets 3a and 3b arranged at equal intervals on the surface of the bucket belt 2 between the connection tools 4a and 4b. That is, on the surface of the bucket belt 2, in the traveling direction F, between the front connection tool 4b and the rear connection tool 4a, one bucket 3b, N buckets 3a, 3a, ···, 3a are arranged in order at equal intervals of the bucket interval D1. However, N is an integer of 1 or more. Further, the connection tools 4a and 4b at both ends are connectable to each other so that the bucket belt 2 forms a loop.

[0018] In the assembled bucket belt structure 1 in which the connection tools 4a and 4b at both ends of the bucket belt 2 are connected to each other, as shown in FIG. 2, in the traveling direction F, the buckets 3a and 3b are arranged immediately before and immediately after the connection tool 4, respectively. That is, the bucket 3a is arranged before the connection tool 4 in the traveling direction F, and the bucket 3b is arranged continuously after the connection tool 4 in the traveling direction F. And the bucket interval D2 formed on the side of the connection tool 4 of both buckets 3a and 3b is made larger than the bucket interval D1 formed by other consecutive buckets 3. That is, the length of the gap between the buckets formed on the side of the connection tool 4 of both buckets 3a and 3b is larger than the length of the gap between the buckets formed by other consecutive buckets 3.

[0019] Also, the only bucket 3b is made of a material with higher wear resistance than the other buckets 3a. In the bucket belt structure 1 according to the present embodiment, the material of the bucket 3a is resinous, and the material of the bucket 3b is metallic, but the material of the bucket is not limited thereto.

[0020] (Bucket Belt) The bucket belt 2 is stretched across the upper and lower wheels 12 of the bucket lifter 11 and can be made of any material that can convert and transmit the rotational motion of the driven wheels 12 into the lifting motion of the bucket 3 attached to the bucket belt 2. Furthermore, the material of the bucket belt 2 is preferably flexible for smooth lifting and lowering of the bucket 3, i.e., quiet operation, motion transmission efficiency, and durability, but is not limited to this. For example, a bucket lifter belt with a polyester core and a cover rubber having abrasion resistance and heat resistance can be used.

[0021] (Connector) The connectors 4a and 4b include a pair of rectangular flat plates, and as shown in Figure 2, in the assembly of the bucket belt structure 1, the surfaces of the bucket belt 2 opposite to the surface on which the buckets 3 are attached can be brought into close contact with each other in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel F and fixed with bolts. The connectors 4 can be any type as long as they can connect both ends of the bucket belt 2 in a ring shape. That is, the connectors 4 can be any type as long as they allow the buckets 3 to move up and down when the bucket belt 2, with the buckets 3 attached to the surface of the ring-shaped connectors 11, is stretched over the upper and lower wheels 12 of the bucket lifter 11. The material of the connectors 4 is preferably metal, but not limited to metal, as it is capable of firmly connecting both ends of the bucket belt 2 against the weight of multiple buckets 3 lifting grain.

[0022] (bucket) As described above, bucket 3 comprises a resin bucket 3a and a metal bucket 3b. Figures 3 and 4 show a perspective view (A) and a side view (B) of the resin bucket 3a, and a perspective view (A) and a side view (B) of the metal bucket 3b, respectively.

[0023] (Resin bucket) As shown in Figure 3, the resin bucket 3a is a container body with a rectangular opening at the top, and consists of a rear portion 3a2 that is attached to the surface of the bucket belt 2, a bottom portion 3a3 that extends diagonally upward from below the rear portion 3a2 towards the front, and two side portions 3a1 that are roughly isosceles trapezoidal in shape. The bucket 3a also has an inner central rib 3a5 that roughly divides the container body into left and right halves when viewed from the front. The material of the bucket 3a includes, but is not limited to, polyamide (PA6). The bucket 3a is attached to the bucket belt 2 by bolts 3a6 and nuts 3a7 through holes 3a4 provided in the rear portion 3a2.

[0024] (Metal bucket) As shown in Figure 4, the metal bucket 3b is a container body with a rectangular opening at the top, and consists of a rear portion 3b2 that is attached to the bucket belt 2, a bottom portion 3b3 that extends straight diagonally upward from below the rear portion 3b2 towards the front, and two side portions 3b1 that are roughly inverted triangular in shape. The material of the bucket 3b includes, but is not limited to, iron, stainless steel, or aluminum. The front front portion of the bottom portion 3b3 is equipped with a resin or rubber plate 3b5 that is attached with screws and extends forward, protruding between the two side portions 3b1, and is replaceable when worn. The bucket 3b is attached to the bucket belt 2 by bolts 3b6 and nuts 3b7 through holes 3b4 provided in the rear portion 3b2. At this time, a metallic collar 3b8 may be used between the bolts 3b6 and nuts 3b7. Using a collar 3b8 is preferable because it prevents the grain from being caught between the bucket belt 2 and the rear portion 3b2 of the bucket, which can cause the grain to crack or be crushed.

[0025] Bucket 3b may have a larger capacity than bucket 3a, as shown in Figure 7. Specifically, bucket 3b in Figure 7 differs from bucket 3b in Figure 4 in that its bottom portion 3b3 extends straight horizontally from below the rear portion 3b2 towards the front, and then has a front end portion 3b9 that extends diagonally upward towards the front, and both side portions 3b1 have a roughly rectangular shape, thus increasing its capacity. The front end portion 3b9 is also equipped with a resin or rubber plate 3b5 that extends forward between both side portions 3b1, attached with screws and replaceable when worn. Because bucket 3b has a larger capacity than bucket 3a, this difference in capacity reduces the amount of grain scooped by the subsequent bucket 3a, thus reducing the load.

[0026] (Operation of the bucket belt structure for elevators) Next, the operation of the bucket belt structure 1 for the elevator according to this embodiment will be explained using Figures 5 and 6. Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the operation of buckets 3a and 3b, where (A) is a partial view including the bottom surface of the housing of the bucket elevator 11, and (B) is a diagram showing the spacing between each bucket.

[0027] As shown by arrow S in Figure 5, grain C is supplied from hopper 13 into the casing of bucket elevator 11. As the bucket belt structure 1 rotates in the direction of travel F, buckets 3a and 3b positioned on bucket belt 2 scoop up the grain C accumulated on the bottom surface of the bucket elevator 11 casing. At this time, as shown in Figure 5(B), the amount of grain C scooped up by the resin bucket 3a on the bottom surface of the bucket elevator 11 casing is proportional to the bucket spacing D1 between it and the preceding bucket 3a or 3b.

[0028] Figure 6 shows the case where a metal bucket 3b scoops up grain C accumulated on the bottom surface of the bucket elevator 11 housing. As shown in Figure 6(B), the amount of grain C scooped up by the metal bucket 3b is proportional to the bucket spacing D2 between bucket 3b and bucket 3a immediately in front of the connector 4, because bucket 3b is positioned immediately behind the connector 4.

[0029] Bucket 3b is subjected to greater wear force because, since the bucket spacing D2 is larger than the bucket spacing D1, it picks up a larger amount of grain C compared to bucket 3a. On the other hand, because the metal bucket 3b has higher wear resistance than the resin bucket 3a, the wear rate can be suppressed, so even if it is subjected to greater wear force, the effort required for replacement and the cost of parts do not increase.

[0030] Furthermore, since the bucket belt structure 1 has only one bucket 3b made of metal and all the other buckets 3a made of resin, it can be manufactured at low cost and the overall weight increase can be suppressed, thus suppressing the increase in power output during operation of the bucket lifter 11.

[0031] Furthermore, in the bucket belt structure 1, the bucket spacing D2 between buckets 3a and 3b adjacent to the connector 4 of the bucket belt 2 is larger than the other bucket spacing D1, which makes it easy to fasten (assemble) and disassemble the connector 4 using an impact driver or the like.

[0032] (summary) According to the bucket belt structure 1 for elevators of this embodiment, the first bucket 3a and the second bucket 3b are arranged continuously in front of and behind the connector 4 in the direction of travel F when the longitudinal ends of the bucket belt 2 are connected in a ring, and the bucket spacing D2 formed by each bucket 3a and 3b on the side sandwiching the connector 4 is larger than the other bucket spacing D1, so the bucket belt structure 1 is easy to assemble and disassemble. Furthermore, since only the second bucket 3b, which experiences increased load at this time, is made of metal, a material with high wear resistance, it is possible to suppress the increase in bucket replacement frequency and parts cost due to wear and replacement of only the second bucket 3b, thus providing a bucket belt structure that is highly durable, inexpensive, requires infrequent replacement, and is easy to assemble and disassemble.

[0033] Furthermore, in the elevator bucket belt structure 1, the first bucket 3a is made of resin, and only the second bucket 3b is made of metal. As a result, the first bucket 3a can be manufactured lightly and inexpensively, and the second bucket 3b can be manufactured inexpensively. Therefore, a lightweight, highly durable, inexpensive bucket belt structure that is easy to assemble and disassemble can be provided.

[0034] Furthermore, in the elevator bucket belt structure 1, by using a second bucket 3b with a larger capacity than the first bucket 3a, the load on the subsequent bucket 3a can be reduced by an amount equivalent to the capacity difference. This suppresses the increase in bucket replacement frequency and parts costs due to wear and replacement of the bucket 3a, thereby providing a highly durable, inexpensive bucket belt structure with infrequent replacement.

[0035] Thus, according to the elevator bucket belt structure 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to provide an elevator bucket belt structure that is highly durable, inexpensive, requires infrequent replacement, and is easy to assemble and disassemble.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but includes various modifications to the embodiments described above, without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1. Bucket belt structure for elevators 2 Bucket belt 3 buckets 3a First bucket 3b Second bucket 4, 4a, 4b Connectors D1, D2 Bucket Spacing F Direction of travel

Claims

1. A bucket belt structure for an elevator, in which both ends in the longitudinal direction are connected to each other in a ring shape, Flexible belt and, Each of the connecting devices provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the flexible belt, The flexible belt comprises first and second buckets positioned on the surface of the flexible belt between the connectors at each end, The first and second buckets are arranged consecutively in front of and behind the connector in the direction of travel when the longitudinal ends of the flexible belt are connected in a ring, respectively, the bucket spacing on the side sandwiching the connector is greater than the bucket spacing of other consecutive buckets, and only the second bucket is made of a material with higher wear resistance than the first bucket, in a bucket belt structure for an elevator.

2. The first bucket includes a bucket made of resin, The elevator bucket belt structure according to claim 1, wherein the second bucket includes a bucket made of metal.

3. The elevator bucket belt structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second bucket has a larger capacity than the first bucket.

Images