Branching device

Abstract

To provide a branching device that improves the durability of the connecting pins and pin receivers while also enabling miniaturization of the pin receivers. [Solution] The movable girder 2b is positioned in the left-right direction by inserting a regulating roller 78 between a pair of opposing regulating walls 79. With the movable girder 2b positioned in this way, the sliding resistance between the connecting pin 8 and the sliding plate 92 can be reduced by inserting the connecting pin 8 between a pair of sliding plates 92. Therefore, the durability of the connecting pin 8 and the pin receiver 9 can be improved. In addition, since the insertion of the connecting pin 8 is received by the sliding plate 92, the pin receiver 9 can be made smaller compared to the case where a guide roller is provided on the pin receiver 9.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a branching device, and more particularly to a branching device that can improve the durability of a connecting pin and a pin receiver while miniaturizing the pin receiver.

Background Art

[0002] In a branching device that moves the movable digit in the width direction, there is a technique of connecting the digits by inserting a connecting pin provided on the movable digit into a pin receiver of the destination digit. As a technique of this kind, for example, Patent Document 1 describes a branching device in which a pressure plate 31 that receives the insertion of a locking pin 11 is provided in a locking pin receiver 20 (see FIG. 6 of Patent Document 1). In this branching device, if the relative position between the digits is displaced in the width direction when the locking pin 11 is inserted, the sliding resistance between the locking pin 11 and the pressure plate 31 increases, so the locking pin 11 and the pressure plate 31 are likely to deteriorate.

[0003] Therefore, Patent Document 1 adopts a structure in which a guide roller 22 that guides the insertion of the locking pin 11 (connecting pin) is provided in the locking pin receiver 20 (see FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1). With this structure, the sliding resistance during the insertion of the locking pin 11 can be reduced by the rotation of the guide roller 22, so the durability of the locking pin 11 and the guide roller 22 can be improved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the conventional technology described above, where a guide roller 22 is provided on the locking pin receiver 20, the locking pin receiver 20 becomes larger because space is required for the guide roller 22. In other words, the conventional technology described above has the problem that it is not possible to improve the durability of the locking pin 11 (connecting pin) and the locking pin receiver 20 while simultaneously miniaturizing the locking pin receiver 20.

[0006] This invention was made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a branching device that can miniaturize the pin receiver while improving the durability of the connecting pin and pin receiver. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve this objective, the branching device of the present invention comprises a movable girder having a vehicle travel path formed on its upper surface and capable of moving in the width direction, a terminal girder to which the movable girder is connected, a connecting pin provided on either the terminal girder or the movable girder and expanding and contracting in the direction of travel of the vehicle, and a pin receiver provided on the other girder into which the connecting pin is inserted, wherein the pin receiver comprises a pair of side walls facing each other in the width direction of the movable girder, and a pair of sliding plates attached to the pair of side walls into which the connecting pin is inserted between them, wherein the branching device of the present invention comprises a pair of restricting walls provided on the ground side on which the movable girder is installed and facing each other in the width direction of the movable girder, a restricting roller inserted between the pair of restricting walls to restrict the movement of the movable girder in the width direction, and a displacement member provided on the movable girder side that displaceably supports the restricting roller, wherein the displacement member retracts the restricting roller from between the pair of restricting walls when the movable girder moves in the width direction, and inserts the restricting roller between the pair of restricting walls when the connecting pin is inserted into the pin receiver. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The branching device according to claim 1 provides the following effects: It comprises a pair of restrictive walls provided on the ground side where the movable girder is installed and facing each other in the width direction of the movable girder, a restrictive roller inserted between the pair of restrictive walls, and a displacement member provided on the movable girder side that displaceably supports the restrictive roller. The displacement member retracts the roller from between the pair of restrictive walls when the movable girder moves in the width direction, and inserts the restrictive roller between the pair of restrictive walls when the connecting pin is inserted into the pin receiver, so that the connecting pin can be inserted between the pair of sliding plates while the movable girder is positioned in the width direction by the restrictive walls and the restrictive roller.

[0009] This reduces the sliding resistance between the connecting pin and the sliding plate, thereby improving the durability of the connecting pin and the pin receiver. Furthermore, because the sliding plate on the pin receiver accepts the insertion of the connecting pin, the pin receiver can be made smaller compared to cases where a guide roller is provided on the pin receiver.

[0010] According to the branching device of claim 2, in addition to the effects of the branching device of claim 1, the insertion of the connecting pin toward the pin receiver is started while the movable girder is moving in the width direction, so that the connection between the movable girder and the terminal girder by the connecting pin and pin receiver can be completed early. Therefore, there is an effect that a state in which vehicles can travel on the movable girder and the terminal girder can be quickly created.

[0011] According to the branching device of claim 3, in addition to the effects of the branching device of claim 2, a pin receiving surface is formed on the wall surface on the side wall that receives the connecting pin, inclined toward the outward direction in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls. Therefore, even if the insertion of the connecting pin is started while the movable girder is moving in the width direction, the insertion of the connecting pin can be guided by the pin receiving surface. Thus, there is an effect that interference of the side wall with the insertion of the connecting pin can be suppressed.

[0012] According to the branching device of claim 4, in addition to the effects of the branching device of claim 1, the insertion of the regulating roller toward the pair of regulating walls is started while the movable girder is moving in the width direction, so that the positioning of the movable girder in the width direction by the regulating walls and regulating roller can be completed early. Therefore, there is an effect that a state in which vehicles can travel on the movable girder and the end girder can be quickly created.

[0013] According to the branching device of claim 5, in addition to the effects of the branching device of claim 4, a roller receiving surface is formed on the wall surface on the receiving side of the regulating roller in the pair of regulating walls, which is inclined outward in the opposing direction of the pair of regulating walls. Therefore, even if the insertion of the regulating roller toward the pair of regulating walls is started while the movable girder is moving, the insertion of the regulating roller can be guided by the roller receiving surface. Thus, there is an effect that interference between the regulating walls and the insertion of the regulating roller can be suppressed.

[0014] The branching device according to claim 6 provides the following effects in addition to those of the branching device according to claim 1. Each of the movable girder and the terminal girder has a bottom portion on which a running path is formed on its upper surface, and a pair of wall portions rising upward from both sides in the width direction of the bottom portion. The connecting pin and pin receiver connect the wall portions of the movable girder and the terminal girder, so that when the wall portion of the movable girder attempts to tilt outward in the width direction, the wall portion of the terminal girder can follow that tilt. Therefore, there is an effect in which a step difference can be suppressed between the wall portions of the movable girder and the terminal girder. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a partially enlarged top view of a branching device in one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a partially enlarged side view of the branching device as seen in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] (a) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device along line IIIa-IIIa in Figure 2, and (b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device along line IIIb-IIIb in Figure 3(a). [Figure 4]It is a partial enlarged perspective view of a branching device with an enlarged connection part of a movable rail. [Figure 5] (a) is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device, and (b) is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device taken along line Vb-Vb in Fig. 5(a). [Figure 6] (a) is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device showing the state where the connecting pin is extended from the state of Fig. 5(a), and (b) is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device showing the state where the connecting pin is extended from the state of Fig. 5(b). [Figure 7] It is a partial enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device with part VII in Fig. 6(b) enlarged.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, referring to Fig. 1, the overall configuration of the branching device 1 will be described. Fig. 1 is a partial enlarged top view of the branching device 1. In Fig. 1, the movable rails 2a, 2b forming the branching path are shown by a two-dot chain line, and the drive rail 3 and the guide rail 4 for moving the movable rail 2c are not shown.

[0017] Also, in the following description, the longitudinal direction (the traveling direction of the vehicle) (the left-right direction in Fig. 1) of the movable rails 2a to 2c will be described as the front-rear direction of the branching device 1, and the width direction of the movable rail 2b (the up-down direction in Fig. 1) will be described as the left-right direction. Further, among the movable rail 2b, the other terminal rail side (for example, the movable rail 2c side) to be connected will be described as the front end side of the movable rail 2b, and the opposite side (the movable rail 2a side) will be described as the rear end side of the movable rail 2b.

[0018] As shown in Fig. 1, the branching device 1 is a device for changing the path of a vehicle and includes a plurality of movable rails 2a to 2c. The movable rails 2a to 2c are formed in a rectangular shape with the front-rear direction as the longitudinal direction in a top view, and a traveling path for the vehicle is formed on each upper surface of the movable rails 2a to 2c. The paths of the vehicle are formed by connecting these movable rails 2a to 2c to each other.

[0019] Although illustration is omitted, a plurality of movable digits 2a are arranged along the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1). Among these plurality of movable digits 2a, a movable digit 2b is connected to the movable digit 2a located on the foremost end side, and a fixed digit is connected to the movable digit 2a located on the rearmost end side (the left side in FIG. 1). The fixed digit is a structure that is immovably installed on the ground or the like and forms the traveling path of the vehicle in the same manner as the movable digits 2a to 2c.

[0020] The branching device 1 includes drive rails 3 extending in the left-right direction of the movable digits 2a to 2c, and the movable digits 2a to 2c can move along these drive rails 3. In a state where the movable digit 2b is connected to the movable digit 2c (the terminal digit), a linear reference path is formed. On the other hand, by moving the movable digit 2b along the drive rail 3 and connecting it to another movable digit or fixed digit (a terminal digit different from the movable digit 2c) not shown, a curved branching path is formed. The movement of the movable digits 2a to 2c along such drive rails 3 is guided by guide rails 4 extending in the left-right direction of the movable digits 2a to 2c.

[0021] Next, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a support structure for moving the movable digit 2b and a structure for locking the movement of the movable digit 2b will be described. The same structure is also provided for the movable digits 2a and 2c. FIG. 2 is a side view of the branching device 1 in the II direction view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3(a) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 taken along the line IIIa-IIIa of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 taken along the line IIIb-IIIb of FIG. 3(a).

[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, the movable digit 2b of the branching device 1 is supported by a driving device 5 via a pedestal 20. The pedestal 20 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape by joining a plurality of steel materials, and the driving device 5 is attached to the lower surface of the pedestal 20.

[0023] The drive unit 5 includes drive wheels 50 that roll on the upper surface of the drive rail 3, and a drive source (such as an electric motor or hydraulic motor) that provides driving force to the drive wheels 50. The rolling of the drive wheels 50 on the drive rail 3 (movement of the movable girder 2b) is guided by the guide device 6. The guide device 6 includes a plurality of guide rollers 60 that sandwich the guide rail 4. Since known configurations can be used for these drive unit 5 and guide device 6, a detailed explanation will be omitted, but examples of known configurations include the wheel holding part 220 and guide part 230 (bogie device) described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-106680.

[0024] The movement of the movable girder 2b along the drive rail 3 switches between the standard route and the branch route as described above (see Figure 1). After this route switching is performed, the movement of the movable girder 2b is locked by the locking device 7.

[0025] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the locking device 7 includes an arm bracket 70 attached to the lower surface of the base 20 of the movable girder 2b, and the arm brackets 70 are provided in pairs spaced apart in the left-right direction (see Figure 3(a)). A rotating shaft 71 extending in the left-right direction is spanned between the opposing pair of arm brackets 70, and the upper end of the arm 72 is pivotally supported around this rotating shaft 71.

[0026] A drive bracket 73 is fixed to the upper end of the front surface (the side facing right in Figure 2) of the arm 72, and the drive bracket 73 protrudes above the upper end (rotation axis 71) of the arm 72. Although not shown in the illustration, the drive brackets 73 are provided in pairs spaced apart in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 2), and a rotation axis 74 extending in the left-right direction is spanned between these opposing drive brackets 73.

[0027] The front end (one end) of the electric cylinder 75 is pivotally supported on the rotating shaft 74. The electric cylinder 75 is a device (driving means) that provides the driving force to rotate the arm 72. A cylinder bracket 76 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the base 20, and the rear end (other end) of the electric cylinder 75 is supported by this cylinder bracket 76. The cylinder brackets 76 are provided in pairs, spaced apart in the left-right direction (see Figure 3(a)), and the rear end portion of the electric cylinder 75 is pivotally supported between the opposing cylinder brackets 76 so as to be rotatable around the rotating shaft 77.

[0028] Figure 2 shows the electric cylinder 75 in its extended state. When the electric cylinder 75 is retracted from this state, the drive bracket 73 is pulled to the rear (left side in Figure 2) via the rotating shaft 74, causing the arm 72 to rotate around the rotating shaft 71. This rotation of the arm 72 is directed towards the front side of the movable girder 2b (right side in Figure 2).

[0029] Furthermore, when the electric cylinder 75 is shortened from the state shown in Figure 2, the rotation axis 74 rotates around the rotation axis 71 toward the rear upper side (upper left side in Figure 2). During this rotation, the front end of the electric cylinder 75 lifts up as it rotates around the rotation axis 77. When the electric cylinder 75 extends from the shortened state (returning to the state shown in Figure 2), the arm 72 and the electric cylinder 75 rotate around the rotation axes 71 and 77 in the opposite direction to when it was shortened. This rotation of the arm 72 when the electric cylinder 75 extends is directed toward the rear side of the movable girder 2b (left side in Figure 2).

[0030] A regulating roller 78 is pivotally supported on the outer circumferential surface of the lower end of the arm 72 via a bearing (not shown), and the regulating roller 78 swings back and forth as the arm 72 rotates (rotates around the rotation axis 71). The movement of the movable girder 2b in the left-right direction is locked by this regulating roller 78 and the regulating wall 79.

[0031] The regulating roller 78 (arm 72) is a component that is installed on the movable girder 2b side (and moves integrally with the movable girder 2b), while the regulating wall 79 is a component that is installed on the installation surface (on the ground side) where the drive rail 3 and guide rail 4 are laid.

[0032] The restricting walls 79 are provided in pairs below the arm bracket 70, spaced apart in the left-right direction (see Figure 3). Due to the rotation of the arm 72 described above, the restricting roller 78 is configured to be displaceable between a locked position (shown by a solid line in Figure 3(b)) where it is inserted between the opposing pairs of restricting walls 79 to restrict the left-right movement of the movable girder 2b, and an allowable position where it is retracted from between the opposing pairs of restricting walls 79 to allow the left-right movement of the movable girder 2b.

[0033] The sides of the pair of restricting walls 79 facing inward in the opposing directions (left-right direction in Figure 3) consist of a clamping surface 79a (see Figure 3(b)) that forms the rear end side (opposite the receiving opening of the restricting roller 78), a roller receiving surface 79b that extends diagonally from the front end of the clamping surface 79a (the end of the receiving opening of the restricting roller 78), and a receiving surface 79c that extends forward from the front end of the roller receiving surface 79b.

[0034] The left and right clamping surfaces 79a are parallel planes, and the distance between these clamping surfaces 79a is the same as (or slightly larger than) the outer diameter of the regulating roller 78. When the regulating roller 78 enters the locked position, it is clamped between the pair of clamping surfaces 79a, and the lateral movement of the movable girder 2b is restricted by the engagement between the regulating roller 78 and the clamping surfaces 79a (regulating wall 79). In other words, the movable girder 2b is positioned in the lateral direction by the regulating roller 78 and the regulating wall 79.

[0035] To specifically explain the method of locking the movable girder 2b using this locking device 7, for example, when moving the movable girder 2b from a straight reference path to a branched path, the insertion of the regulating roller 78 toward the space between the pair of clamping surfaces 79a (locked position) is initiated during the movement of the movable girder 2b. The same applies when changing the movable girder 2b from a branched path to a reference path.

[0036] In this way, by inserting the regulating roller 78 toward the opposing space (locked position) between the regulating walls 79 while the movable girder 2b is moving, the positioning of the movable girder 2b by the locking device 7 can be completed early. Therefore, a state in which vehicles can travel on the movable girder 2b can be quickly established.

[0037] On the other hand, when the regulating roller 78 is inserted toward the space between opposing regulating walls 79 while the movable girder 2b is moving, the regulating roller 78 will be displaced diagonally toward the space between opposing regulating walls 79 (clamping surfaces 79a) (in the direction of arrow A in Figure 3(b)), and there is a risk that the regulating walls 79 may interfere with this displacement of the regulating roller 78. Such interference is prevented by the roller receiving surface 79b and the receiving surface 79c.

[0038] The pair of roller receiving surfaces 79b are inclined so as to widen the distance between them from their rear end (upper side in Figure 3(b)) to their front end (lower side in Figure 3(b)). Furthermore, the pair of receiving surfaces 79c connected to the front end of the roller receiving surfaces 79b are parallel planes, and the distance between these two receiving surfaces 79c is wider than the distance between the pair of clamping surfaces 79a.

[0039] Thus, a roller receiving surface 79b is formed on the wall surface (front end portion of the clamping surface 79a) on the receiving side of the regulating roller 78 in the pair of regulating walls 79, inclined toward the outward direction in the opposing direction of the pair of regulating walls 79. As a result, even if the insertion of the regulating roller 78 toward the opposing regulating walls 79 is started while the movable girder 2b is moving, the insertion of the regulating roller 78 can be guided by the roller receiving surface 79b.

[0040] In other words, interference between the regulating wall 79 and the insertion of the regulating roller 78 can be suppressed, thereby preventing the insertion of the regulating roller 78 from stopping midway and suppressing damage caused by collision between the regulating roller 78 and the regulating wall 79. Furthermore, even if the position of the movable girder 2b in the left-right direction is slightly off from the predetermined position (the position where the reference path or branch path should be formed), the movable girder 2b can be positioned at the predetermined position by the rolling of the regulating roller 78 along the roller receiving surface 79b. Therefore, the movable girder 2b can be properly connected to the terminal girder at the destination.

[0041] After the movable girder 2b has been moved in the left-right direction, it is connected to the terminal girder at the destination (for example, the movable girder 2c) by the connecting pin 8 and the pin receiver 9 (see Figure 4). The configuration of these connecting pin 8 and the pin receiver 9 will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6.

[0042] Figure 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the branching device 1, showing an enlarged view of the connection portion of the movable girders 2a and 2c. Figure 5(a) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1, and Figure 5(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 along the Vb-Vb line in Figure 5(a). Figure 6(a) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 showing the state in which the connecting pin has been extended from the state in Figure 5(a), and Figure 6(b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 showing the state in which the connecting pin has been extended from the state in Figure 5(b). Note that in Figures 5(a) and 6(a), the cross-sections shown are those cut in a plane perpendicular to the left-right direction of the branching device 1, and the cross-sections shown are those cut in a plane that includes the left-right center of the connecting pin 8.

[0043] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the end of the connecting pin 8 (movable girder 2b) on the pin receiver 9 (movable girder 2c) side will be described as the front end, but the pin receiver 9 (movable girder 2c) will be described with the connecting pin 8 (movable girder 2b) side as the front end.

[0044] As shown in Figure 4, each of the movable girders 2b and 2c is formed in a U-shape, comprising a bottom portion 21 whose upper surface serves as a vehicle travel path, and a pair of wall portions 22 rising upward from both the left and right ends of the bottom portion 21. A connecting pin 8 is provided on the upper end of the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2b, and a pin receiver 9 is provided on the upper end of the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2c. In Figure 4, only one of the pair of wall portions 22 is shown, but the other wall portion 22 is also provided with a connecting pin 8 and a pin receiver 9.

[0045] A cylindrical body 23 is fixed to the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2b, and a connecting pin 8 is slidably supported on the inner circumference of this cylindrical body 23. When a driving force is applied to the connecting pin 8 from a drive source such as a hydraulic cylinder (not shown), the connecting pin 8 expands and contracts along the front-rear direction on the inner circumference of the cylindrical body 23.

[0046] The pin receiver 9 comprises a pair of side walls 90 fixed to the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2c, and the side walls 90 are provided in pairs spaced apart in the left-right direction of the movable girder 2c. The upper ends of the pair of side walls 90 are connected by an upper wall 91, and the connecting pin 8 is inserted into the rectangular cross-sectional space formed by these walls 90, 91.

[0047] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, sliding plates 92 are attached to a pair of side walls 90 of the pin receiver 9, on which the left and right sides of the connecting pin 8 slide. The sliding plates 92 are metal plates formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from the left and right, and rectangular recesses 92a are formed at the four corners of the sliding plates 92.

[0048] The recess 92a is a recess that serves as a seating surface for the head of the bolt 10, and a through hole (not shown) is formed in the center of the recess 92a. The sliding plate 92 is fixed to the side wall 90 by fastening the bolt 10 inserted into this through hole to the side wall 90.

[0049] The surface (side) of the sliding plate 92 is the sliding surface 92b on which the connecting pin 8 slides. Although not shown in the figure, the sliding surface 92b is formed in a convex arc shape towards the space between the opposing pairs of sliding plates 92 when viewed from above. The radius of curvature of this sliding surface 92b is, for example, R5000mm. The distance between the opposing pairs of sliding surfaces 92b is formed to be the same as (or slightly larger than) the dimension of the connecting pin 8 in the left-right direction.

[0050] When inserting the connecting pin 8 from the movable girder 2b (wall portion 22), the connecting pin 8 is fitted between a pair of sliding plates 92 (sliding surfaces 92b) (see Figure 6(b)). When the connecting pin 8 is inserted, a load is applied that pushes the sliding plate 92 toward the rear (right side in Figure 6) due to the sliding of the connecting pin 8 and the sliding surface 92b. A rectangular parallelepiped backing plate 94 is fixed to the side wall 90 to support this load. Since the backing plate 94 is in contact with the rear end surface of the sliding plate 92, even if the connecting pin 8 slides against the sliding plate 92 (sliding surface 92b), it is possible to suppress the application of shear load to the bolt 10 that fixes the sliding plate 92. Therefore, the durability of the bolt 10 can be improved.

[0051] Furthermore, the backing plates 94 are provided in pairs, spaced apart vertically, and these upper and lower pairs of backing plates 94 are positioned to overlap with the bolts 10 located at the four corners of the sliding plate 92 when viewed in the front-to-back direction. This effectively suppresses the shear load acting on the bolts 10 when the connecting pin 8 slides against the sliding plate 92.

[0052] A pair of left and right limit switches 11 are positioned on the lower side of the backing plate 94, and the extension and retraction of the connecting pin 8 is detected by these limit switches 11. The limit switch 11 comprises a main body case 110 fixed to the bottom surface inside the pin receiver 9, an L-shaped lever 111 whose base end is pivotally supported by the main body case 110, and a pair of rollers 112a and 112b pivotally supported at the tip of the lever 111.

[0053] The main body case 110 (limit switch 11) is positioned so as to overlap with the sliding plate 92 when viewed from above (see Figure 5(b) or Figure 6(b)). By positioning the sliding plate 92 and the main body case 110 close together in the front-to-back direction, the pin receiver 9 can be miniaturized in the front-to-back direction.

[0054] A protrusion 80 (see Figure 5(a) or Figure 6(a)) is formed on the lower surface of the connecting pin 8, projecting downwards. Of the pair of rollers 112a and 112b attached to the tip of the lever 111, one roller 112a is positioned on the displacement trajectory of the protrusion 80 in the initial state before the connecting pin 8 is inserted. Therefore, when the connecting pin 8 is extended, the protrusion 80 pushes roller 112a backward (to the right in Figure 6(a)), and when the connecting pin 8 is shortened, the protrusion 80 pushes roller 112b forward (to the left in Figure 6(a)). Based on the rotation of the lever 111 due to the pushing of rollers 112a and 112b, the connection state of the connecting pin 8 to the pin receiver 9 is detected.

[0055] In conventional art for connecting pins and pin receivers of this type, the lateral positioning of the movable girder was achieved by connecting the connecting pins and pin receivers. That is, for example, as exemplified by the technology in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-180407, the movable girder was positioned in the lateral direction by sliding the locking pin 11 against the bearing plate 31 and guide roller 22 when inserting the locking pin 11 into the locking pin receiver 20. Therefore, the sliding resistance when the locking pin 11 slides tends to be large.

[0056] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the movable girder 2b is positioned in the left-right direction by inserting a regulating roller 78 between opposing pairs of regulating walls 79 (see Figure 3). By inserting the connecting pin 8 between a pair of sliding plates 92 while the movable girder 2b is positioned in this manner (or while the movable girder 2b is positioned in the left-right direction), the sliding resistance between the connecting pin 8 and the sliding plates 92 can be reduced. Therefore, the durability of the connecting pin 8 and the pin receiver 9 can be improved. Furthermore, since the insertion of the connecting pin 8 is received by the sliding plates 92, the pin receiver 9 can be made smaller compared to the case where a guide roller is provided on the pin receiver 9.

[0057] Here, the side surface 22a of the wall section 22 facing inward in the left-right direction (see Figure 5(b) or Figure 6(b)) becomes the rolling surface on which the guide wheels provided on the vehicle roll. Therefore, when the vehicle is in motion (especially when the movable girder 2b forms a branching path), a load acts on the wall section 22 as the guide wheels push it. If the wall section 22 tilts outward in the left-right direction due to this load or vibrations such as earthquakes, the wall section 22 may interfere with other structures located to the side of the movable girders 2b and 2c (for example, the movable girder or fixed girder of the opposite lane).

[0058] In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the movable girder 2b is positioned in the left-right direction by the regulating roller 78 and the regulating wall 79 (see Figure 3), and because the sliding resistance between the connecting pin 8 and the sliding plate 92 is relatively small, the hydraulic cylinder that drives the connecting pin 8 can be made relatively small. Therefore, the left-right dimension of the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2b can be reduced, so even if the wall portion 22 tilts outward in the left-right direction due to loads when a vehicle is running, it is possible to suppress interference between the wall portion 22 and other structures on the side of the movable girder 2b.

[0059] Furthermore, unlike conventional technology, guide rollers are not provided on the pin receiver 9, and the left-right dimension of the pin receiver 9 can be reduced, so the left-right dimension of the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2c can also be reduced. Therefore, even if the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2c tilts due to loads during vehicle operation, interference between the wall portion 22 and other structures located to the side of the movable girder 2c can be suppressed.

[0060] Furthermore, since the wall portions 22 of the movable girders 2b and 2c are connected by connecting pins 8 and pin receivers 9, if the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2b attempts to tilt outward in the left-right direction, the wall portion 22 of the movable girder 2c can be made to follow that tilt. In other words, since the wall portions 22 of the movable girders 2b and 2c can be tilted simultaneously, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a step between the wall portions 22 (side surfaces 22a) of the movable girders 2b and 2c. Therefore, the guide wheels of the vehicle can roll smoothly along the side surfaces 22a of the wall portions 22, thereby improving the stability of the vehicle's running.

[0061] Here, as described above, the insertion of the regulating roller 78 between the opposing pairs of regulating walls 79 is initiated while the movable girder 2b is moving, and similarly, the extension of the connecting pin 8 is also initiated while the movable girder 2b is moving.

[0062] More specifically, the extension of the connecting pin 8 begins simultaneously with (or during) the insertion of the restricting roller 78 toward the opposing sides (locked position) of the restricting wall 79. That is, the positioning of the movable girder 2b by the restricting roller 78 and the restricting wall 79 and the connection of the movable girders 2b, 2c (wall section 22) by the connecting pin 8 and the pin receiver 9 are performed simultaneously, so that the connection of the movable girders 2a, 2b (wall section 22) can be completed early. Therefore, a state in which vehicles can travel on the movable girders 2b, 2c can be quickly created.

[0063] In this configuration, where the connecting pin 8 extends while the movable girder 2b is moving, the connecting pin 8 will be displaced diagonally toward the opposing side of the pair of side walls 90 (from the state shown by the dashed line in Figure 6(b) to the state shown by the solid line). This displacement of the connecting pin 8 is guided by the pin receiving surfaces 90b formed on the left and right wall surfaces 90a.

[0064] The detailed configuration of this pin receiving surface 90b will be explained with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the branching device 1 in part VII of Figure 6(b). In Figure 7, the connecting pin 8, which is in the process of being displaced toward the inside of the pin receiving 9 (between the opposing pair of side walls 90), is shown by a dashed line.

[0065] As shown in Figure 7, the pin receiving surface 90b is formed at the front end of the wall surface 90a of the side wall 90 (the end on the receiving side for insertion of the connecting pin 8). The pin receiving surface 90b is inclined outward in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls 90 from the rear end to the front end (from the right to the left in Figure 7). This allows the insertion of the connecting pin 8 to be guided by the pin receiving surface 90b, even if the insertion of the connecting pin 8 is started while the movable girder 2b is moving. In other words, interference of the side wall 90 with the insertion of the connecting pin 8 can be suppressed, thereby preventing the insertion of the connecting pin 8 from stopping midway and suppressing damage caused by collision between the connecting pin 8 and the side wall 90 (pin receiving 9).

[0066] Furthermore, a pin receiving surface 92c is also formed on the front end (the left end in Figure 7) of the sliding surface 92b of the pair of sliding plates 92. The pin receiving surface 92c is inclined outward in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls 90 from the rear end to the front end (from the right to the left in Figure 7), and the pin receiving surfaces 90b and 92c of the side walls 90 and the sliding plates 92 are planes located on the same plane.

[0067] Specifically, the pin receiving surface 92c of the sliding plate 92 is formed on the extension of the pin receiving surface 90b of the side wall 90, and a guided surface 81 that can slide on these pin receiving surfaces 90b and 92c is formed at the front end of the connecting pin 8. A pair of guided surfaces 81 are formed on both the left and right ends of the front surface of the connecting pin 8, and this pair of guided surfaces 81 are planes that are inclined outward in the left-right direction of the connecting pin 8 from the front end to the rear end (from the right side to the left side in Figure 7) (parallel to each pin receiving surface 90b and 92c).

[0068] Furthermore, the length L1 from the front end to the rear end of the guided surface 81 is formed to be larger than the distance L2 between the pin receiving surface 90b of the side wall 90 and the pin receiving surface 92c of the sliding plate 92. As a result, even if there is a gap between the pin receiving surfaces 90b and 92c of the side wall 90 and the sliding plate 92, the guided surface 81 can always be in contact with one or both of these pin receiving surfaces 90b and 92c. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the connecting pin 8 from getting stuck in the stepped portion between the pin receiving surfaces 90b and 92c, and thus the insertion of the connecting pin 8 can be guided smoothly.

[0069] Although the present invention has been described above based on the above embodiments, it can be easily inferred that the present invention is not limited in any way to the above embodiments, and that various modifications and improvements are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0070] In the above embodiment, an arm 72 that rotates around a rotation axis 71 was given as an example of a displacement member that displaces the regulating roller 78, but it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the arm 72 may be supported on the lower surface side of the base 20 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Also, instead of inserting the regulating roller 78 between the opposing pairs of regulating walls 79 by displacing it in the front-rear direction, the regulating roller 78 may be inserted from above the pair of regulating walls 79, for example. In this configuration, the regulating roller 78 can be pivotally supported around an axis along the front-rear direction. In other words, as long as the movable girder 2b can be positioned in the left-right direction, the displacement direction of the regulating roller 78 and the orientation of the rotation axis can be changed as appropriate.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the case was described in which the sides of the pair of restricting walls 79 facing inward in the opposing direction are composed of a clamping surface 79a, a roller receiving surface 79b, and a receiving surface 79c, but it is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the receiving surface 79c of the restricting wall 79 may be omitted, or both the roller receiving surface 79b and the receiving surface 79c of the restricting wall 79 may be omitted (the restricting wall 79 may have only a clamping surface 79a).

[0072] In the above embodiment, a case was described in which a connecting pin 8 is provided on the movable girder 2b side and a pin receiver 9 is provided on the movable girder 2c side (the terminal girder to which the movable girder 2b is connected). However, it is also possible to provide the pin receiver 9 on the movable girder 2b side and the connecting pin 8 on the movable girder 2c side.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the insertion of the regulating roller 78 between the pair of regulating walls 79 (displacement of the regulating roller 78 toward the locked position) and the insertion of the connecting pin 8 into the pin receiver 9 were described as being initiated while the movable girder 2b was moving in the left-right direction, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, their insertion may be initiated after the movement of the movable girder 2b (after the movement of the movable girder 2b has stopped).

[0074] In the above embodiment, the insertion of the connecting pin 8 into the pin receiver 9 was described as occurring simultaneously with the insertion of the regulating roller 78 between the pair of regulating walls 79 (displacement of the regulating roller 78 toward the locked position), but this is not necessarily the only case. For example, the insertion of the connecting pin 8 toward the pin receiver 9 may also be started after the regulating roller 78 has been inserted between the pair of regulating walls 79 (clamping surfaces 79a), that is, after the movable girder 2b has been positioned in the left-right direction.

[0075] In the above embodiment, the case in which the wall portions 22 of the movable girders 2b and 2c are connected by connecting pins 8 and pin receivers 9 has been described, but the embodiment is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the bottom portions 21 of the movable girders 2b and 2c may be connected by connecting pins 8 and pin receivers 9.

[0076] In the above embodiment, a case was described in which a pin receiving surface 90b is formed at the front end of the wall surface 90a of the side wall 90 (the end on the side of the receiving port for inserting the connecting pin 8), but the pin receiving surface 90b may be omitted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0077] 1. Branching device 2b Movable girder 2c Movable digit (terminal digit) 21 Bottom 22 Wall 72 Arm (Displacement Member) 78 Regulatory Roller 79 Barrier wall 79b Roller receiving surface 8 connecting pins 9-pin receiver 90 side wall 90b Pin receiving surface 92 Sliding plate

Claims

1. A branching device comprising: a movable girder having a vehicle track formed on its upper surface and capable of moving in the width direction; a terminal girder to which the movable girder is connected; a connecting pin provided on either the terminal girder or the movable girder, which expands and contracts in the direction of travel of the vehicle; and a pin receiver provided on the other girder into which the connecting pin is inserted, wherein the pin receiver comprises a pair of side walls facing each other in the width direction of the movable girder, and a pair of sliding plates attached to the pair of side walls, into which the connecting pin is inserted between them, The movable girder is provided on the ground side where it is installed and comprises a pair of restricting walls facing each other in the width direction of the movable girder, a restricting roller inserted between the pair of restricting walls to restrict the movement of the movable girder in the width direction, and a displacement member provided on the movable girder side that supports the restricting roller in a displaceable manner. The displacement member is characterized in that, when the movable girder moves in the width direction, it retracts the restricting roller from between the pair of restricting walls, and when the connecting pin is inserted into the pin receiver, it inserts the restricting roller between the pair of restricting walls.

2. The branching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insertion of the connecting pin toward the pin receiver is initiated while the movable girder is moving in the width direction.

3. The branching device according to claim 2, characterized in that a pin receiving surface is formed on the wall surface of the side wall on the side of the receiving port for the connecting pin, and the pin receiving surface is inclined toward the outward direction in the opposing direction of the pair of side walls.

4. The branching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the insertion of the restricting roller toward the pair of restricting walls is initiated while the movable girder is moving in the width direction.

5. The branching device according to claim 4, characterized in that a roller receiving surface is formed on the wall surface of the pair of restricting walls on the side of the receiving opening for the restricting roller, and the surface is inclined toward the outward direction in the opposing direction of the pair of restricting walls.

6. Each of the movable girder and the terminal girder comprises a bottom portion on which the running path is formed on its upper surface, and a pair of wall portions rising upward from both sides in the width direction of the bottom portion. The branching device according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting pin and the pin receiver connect the wall portions of the movable girder and the terminal girder to each other.

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