Water sprayer for water truck

Abstract

The present invention provides a water spraying device for a water truck that has a wide range of motion for the water cannon, allowing water to be sprayed from the appropriate position and in the appropriate direction towards the target object. [Solution] The water discharge device B comprises a support column 3 mounted on a base so as to be rotatable via a swivel table, a boom 4 attached to the support column 3 so as to be able to move up and down, a water cannon 5 attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a water pipe 6 connected to the water cannon 5. The water cannon 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4 and comprises a gun body 5a extending downward from the tip of the boom 4, and a water nozzle 5b connected to the lower end of the gun body 5a so as to be able to rotate in the vertical direction. Furthermore, a parallel link mechanism is formed with the boom 4 and the water pipe 5 as link links.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a water discharge device equipped on a sprinkler truck.

Background Art

[0002] A sprinkler truck (sometimes also called a "water discharge truck") is used, for example, to spray or discharge water at places where dust is likely to occur, such as roads, parks, construction sites, within a steelworks, racecourses, etc., to suppress dust, or to spray or discharge water onto equipment within factories such as steelworks for cooling or cleaning the equipment.

[0003] Some sprinkler trucks have a water discharge device mounted in front of the cab (for example, the following Patent Documents 1 and 2). The water discharge device includes a control box attached to a base in front of the cab, a swivel box installed on the control box so as to be capable of swiveling movement, and a water discharge gun attached to the swivel box so as to be capable of lifting and lowering movement. By the swiveling movement of the swivel box and the lifting and lowering movement of the water discharge gun, the position in the swiveling direction and the vertical direction of the water discharge gun are adjusted to set the water discharge direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In configurations where the water cannon's rotational position and vertical orientation are adjusted to set the water discharge direction, the water cannon's range of motion is often limited, making it difficult to discharge water from the appropriate position and in the appropriate direction to the target object. For example, it may not be possible to discharge water horizontally or diagonally downwards from a high position toward the target object, or to discharge water horizontally or diagonally upwards from a low position toward the target object, especially from a position lower than the base, making it easy for blind spots to appear in the water discharge range.

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a water spraying device for a water truck that has a wide range of motion for the water cannon and can spray water from an appropriate position and in an appropriate direction toward the target object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a water spraying device for a water spraying vehicle, comprising a support column mounted on a base provided on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable, a boom attached to the support column so as to be able to move up and down, a water cannon attached to the boom, and water piping connected to the water cannon, wherein the water cannon is attached to the tip of the boom and comprises a gun body portion extending downward from the tip of the boom, and a water nozzle portion connected to the lower end of the gun body portion so as to be able to rotate up and down. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a water spraying device for a water truck that has a wide range of motion for the water cannon and can spray water from an appropriate position and in an appropriate direction toward the target object. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a view of the water truck's cabin and the water discharge device according to the embodiment, seen from the side of the vehicle. [Figure 2] This is a view of the water truck's cabin and the water discharge device according to this embodiment, seen from the front of the vehicle. [Figure 3] This is a view of the water truck's cabin and the water discharge device according to this embodiment, seen from above the vehicle. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the water discharge device according to the embodiment, taken from an oblique front angle. [Figure 5] This is a view from above of the water discharge device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the water discharge device according to the embodiment, as seen from the front. [Figure 7] These diagrams show the position of the water cannon when spraying water in front of a vehicle. Figure 7(a) shows the water cannon at its upper height position, Figure 7(b) shows the boom lowered to reduce the height of the water cannon, and Figure 7(c) shows the boom lowered to its lower limit to reduce the height of the water cannon. [Figure 8] This figure shows the water cannon in its low position, with the water nozzle rotated upwards. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the cabin tilted forward towards the front of the vehicle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] Figures 1 to 3 show the cabin A of a water truck and the water discharge device B according to this embodiment. Cabin A is shown schematically, and the portion of the water truck rearward from cabin A is omitted from the illustration. As is well known, an external engine type or PTO type water pump, a water storage tank, and other equipment and devices are mounted on the rear side of cabin A. In this embodiment, the water discharge device B is mounted on a base 1 provided at the front lower part of cabin A. The base 1 is attached to the front of the vehicle body by appropriate means.

[0012] The water discharge device B comprises a support column 3 mounted on a base 1 so as to be rotatable via a slewing table 2, a boom 4 attached to the support column 3 so as to be able to move up and down, a water cannon 5 attached to the tip of the boom 4, and water piping 6 connected to the water cannon 5. The slewing table 2 is driven to rotate by an appropriate driving means, such as a hydraulic motor.

[0013] As shown in Figure 4, the support column 3 consists of a lower portion 3a fixed to the slewing table 2 on the base 1, and an upper portion 3b that is tiltably connected to the upper part of the lower portion 3a by a pivot 3c. The upper portion 3b is normally locked to the lower portion 3a by a pin lock 3d and a screw lock 3e to prevent tilting. Inside the support column 3, there is a drive mechanism, such as an air cylinder (not shown), that drives the tilting of the upper portion 3b. After releasing the locks by the pin lock 3d and screw lock 3e, when the air cylinder is driven, the upper portion 3b tilts by a predetermined range toward the boom 4 with the pivot 3c as the tilting fulcrum. In addition, the boom 4 moves in the downward direction along with the tilting of the upper portion 3b.

[0014] The boom 4 is pivotally connected to the base of the lower portion 3a of the support column 3 by a pivot 4a so as to be able to move up and down, and is driven up and down by an appropriate driving means, for example, hydraulic cylinders 4b pivotally attached to the upper portion 3b of the support column 3 and the boom 4, respectively.

[0015] The water cannon 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4 and comprises a gun body 5a extending downward from the tip of the boom 4, and a water nozzle 5b rotatably connected in the vertical direction to the lower end of the gun body 5a. In this embodiment, the gun body 5a consists of a first rotational drive unit 5a1 attached to the tip of the boom 4, a cylindrical portion 5a2 rotatably connected to the first rotational drive unit 5a1, and a second rotational drive unit 5a3 connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion 5a2. The base end of the water nozzle 5b is rotatably connected to the second rotational drive unit 5a3. The first rotational drive unit 5a1 is equipped with an electric motor 5a11, and the internal mechanism of the first rotational drive unit 5a1 rotates around a rotational axis X1 oriented in the vertical direction by the drive of the electric motor 5a11. This rotation of the first rotational drive unit 5a1 causes the cylindrical portion 5a2 to rotate around the rotational axis X1. Furthermore, the second rotation drive unit 5a3 is also equipped with an electric motor 5a31, and the internal mechanism of the second rotation drive unit 5a3 rotates around a rotation center axis X2 that is perpendicular to the rotation center axis X1 (oriented horizontally) by the drive of the electric motor 5a31. This rotation of the second rotation drive unit 5a3 causes the water discharge nozzle unit 5b to rotate around the rotation center axis X2.

[0016] Furthermore, the water discharge device B of this embodiment includes a parallel link mechanism that maintains the posture of the water discharge gun 5 with respect to the pitching movement of the boom 4. This parallel link mechanism is configured with the boom 4 and the water pipe 6 as link joints.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the water pipe 6 has a longitudinal pipe 6a arranged along the longitudinal direction of the boom 4, and a first connecting pipe 6b and a second connecting pipe 6c connected to the longitudinal pipe 6a. In this embodiment, both ends of the longitudinal pipe 6a are formed in an elbow-like bent shape on the boom 4 side, and the first connecting pipe 6b and the second connecting pipe 6c are each composed of an elbow-type swivel joint. One end of the first connecting pipe 6b is rotatably connected to one end of the longitudinal pipe 6a in the direction of the pitching movement of the boom 4 (rotating connection portion 6b1). Also, the other end of the first connecting pipe 6b is connected to the first rotation driving portion 5a1 of the gun main body portion 5a and is pivotally supported in the direction of the pitching movement of the boom 4 by a pivot 4c provided at the tip of the boom 4 (rotating shaft support portion 6b2). One end of the second connecting pipe 6c is rotatably connected to the other end of the longitudinal pipe 6a in the direction of the pitching movement of the boom 4 (rotating connection portion 6c1). Also, the other end of the second connecting pipe 6c is rotatably connected to the end of the fixed-side water pipe 6d leading to a water pump mounted on the rear side of the cab A by an elbow-type swivel joint 6e (see FIGS. 1 and 2) in the direction of the turning movement of the boom 4. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the member denoted by reference numeral 6f is a sprinkler nozzle branched and connected to the fixed-side water pipe 6d.

[0018] In a projection view of the boom 4 seen from the side, a line connecting the center of the pivot 4a which is the fulcrum of the up-and-down movement of the boom 4, the center of the pivot connection portion 6c1 between one end of the second connection pipe 6c and the other end of the longitudinal pipe 6a, the center of the pivot connection portion 6b1 between one end of the first connection pipe 6b and one end of the longitudinal pipe 6a, and the center of the pivot support portion 6b2 (center of the pivot 4c) of the other end of the first connection pipe 6b and the first rotation drive portion 5a1 of the gun main body portion 5a forms a parallelogram. That is, the pivot 4a, the pivot connection portion 6c1, the pivot connection portion 6b1, and the pivot support portion 6b2 respectively constitute the duals (rotary duals) of the above parallel link mechanism, and the former two are the fixed-side duals and the latter two are the movable-side duals.

[0019] The swivel movement of the support column 3 and the boom 4 and the up-and-down movement of the boom 4, as well as the rotation of the gun main body portion 5a of the water discharge gun 5 and the rotation of the water discharge nozzle portion 5b, can be remotely operated from inside the cabin A using operating means such as an operation panel provided inside the cabin A. During normal driving of the vehicle, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the boom 4 is moved up to the upper limit and the support column 3 and the boom 4 are oriented toward the side of the vehicle. Incidentally, the hydraulic power used for the swivel movement of the support column 3 and the boom 4 and the up-and-down movement of the boom 4 is supplied from a hydraulic pump equipped on the vehicle, and the electric power used for the rotation of the gun main body portion 5a and the water discharge nozzle portion 5b of the water discharge gun 5 is supplied from a battery or other power sources equipped on the vehicle.

[0020] FIG. 7 shows the posture of the water discharge device B when discharging water in front of the vehicle. In FIG. 7(a), from the state during normal driving shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the support column 3 and the boom 4 are swiveled toward the front side of the vehicle, the water discharge gun 5 is oriented toward the front of the vehicle, and the water discharge nozzle portion 5b is rotated downward to a horizontal posture (a posture in which the water discharge port at the tip is oriented in the horizontal direction). The gun main body portion 5a is in an up-and-down posture in which the rotation center axis X1 of the first rotation drive portion 5a1 shown in FIG. 4 is oriented in the vertical direction (the vertical direction). FIG. 7(b) shows a state in which the boom 4 is moved downward from the state shown in FIG. 7(a) to lower the height position of the water discharge gun 5, and FIG. 7(c) shows a state in which the boom 4 is moved downward to the lower limit from the state shown in FIG. 7(a) to lower the height position of the water discharge gun 5 to the lower limit.

[0021] In this embodiment, the water discharge device B has a water cannon 5 attached to the tip of the boom 4, so the height of the water cannon 5 can be adjusted over a wide range {the range shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c)} by raising and lowering the boom 4. Moreover, since the water cannon 5 has a configuration in which the gun body 5a extends downward from the tip of the boom 4, as shown in Figure 7(c), the height of the water cannon 5 can be adjusted by lowering the boom 4 so that the base end of the water discharge nozzle 5b, which is connected to the lower end of the gun body 5a (second rotation drive unit 5a3), is lower than the base 1. This makes it possible to discharge water from a lower position than conventional devices.

[0022] Furthermore, since the water nozzle 5b of the water cannon 5 can be rotated vertically relative to the gun body 5a, the direction of water discharge in the vertical direction can be appropriately adjusted by rotating the water nozzle 5b at each height position of the water cannon 5. For example, as shown in Figure 8, when the water nozzle 5b is rotated upward at the low position of the water cannon 5 shown in Figure 7(c), water can be discharged upward from the low position.

[0023] By combining the adjustment of the height of the water cannon 5 by the luffing and tilting operation of the boom 4 and the adjustment of the water discharge direction in the vertical direction by the rotation operation of the water discharge nozzle 5b, an appropriate water discharge posture can be achieved depending on the various objects to be sprayed. For example, in a steel mill, water can be sprayed onto coke from the high position of the water cannon 5 shown in Figure 7(a) to prevent coke scattering and extinguish spontaneous combustion, or water can be sprayed onto high-level parts of equipment to clean them. Also, water can be sprayed onto low-level parts of equipment, etc., from the low position of the water cannon 5 shown in Figure 7(c) to clean them. In particular, by setting the position and posture of the water cannon 5 to the configuration shown in Figure 8 and spraying water upward from the low position toward low-level parts of equipment, etc., it becomes possible to effectively clean the underside of the low-level parts.

[0024] Furthermore, since the water discharge device B of this embodiment is equipped with the parallel link mechanism described above, as shown in Figures 7(a) to 7(c), the water cannon 5 always maintains a constant posture even when the boom 4 moves up and down. That is, in Figure 7, the gun body 5a of the water cannon 5 is in an up-and-down position with the pivot axis X1 of the first rotation drive unit 5a1 facing up and down, and the water nozzle 5b of the water cannon 5 is in a horizontal position with the water outlet at its tip facing horizontal. However, no matter where the boom 4 is moved up and down, the posture of the water cannon 5 does not change. In this way, since the water nozzle 5b always maintains a constant posture (horizontal posture), it becomes easy to remotely set the water nozzle 5b of the water cannon 5 to an appropriate height position relative to the object to be sprayed with water by moving the boom 4 up and down. Then, by raising and lowering the boom 4, the water nozzle 5b of the water cannon 5 is set to an appropriate height position. In that state, water is discharged horizontally from the water nozzle 5b, or the water nozzle 5b is rotated upward to discharge water diagonally upward, or the water nozzle 5b is rotated downward to discharge water diagonally downward. Furthermore, by adding the operation of rotating the gun body 5a around the pivot axis X1 to these operations, and rotating the water nozzle 5b around the pivot axis X1, it becomes possible to discharge water from a more appropriate direction to the target object.

[0025] The above description of the operation relates to the direction of the elevation movement of boom 4, but if boom 4 is rotated, the above operation can be performed at each position of the boom 4's rotation.

[0026] Furthermore, by rotating the boom 4 so that it faces the side of the vehicle, and by lowering the boom 4, and then rotating the gun body 5a so that the water nozzle 5b faces the rear of the vehicle, water can also be sprayed towards the rear of the vehicle.

[0027] Figure 9 shows the cabin A tilted forward for vehicle maintenance, etc. With the support column 3 and boom 4 facing forward, the locks provided by the pin lock 3d and screw lock 3e are released, and the air cylinder is driven, causing the upper portion 3b of the support column 3 to tilt forward by a predetermined range, using the pivot 3c as the pivot point. In addition, the boom 4 also moves downward toward the front of the vehicle as the upper portion 3b tilts. In this state, when the cabin A is tilted forward, interference between the cabin A and the support column 3 is avoided because the upper portion 3a of the support column 3 is tilted forward relative to the tilt movement of the cabin A. The air cylinder is driven by compressed air supplied from an air tank equipped on the vehicle, or by compressed air supplied from a work air compressor equipped at the maintenance site.

[0028] In this embodiment, the water discharge device B is mounted in front of the cabin A, but the water discharge device B can also be mounted at the rear of the vehicle or at other locations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] A Cabin B Water spray device 1 base 2. Rotating Table 3 Support section 3a Lower part 3b Upper part 3c Axis 4 Boom 4a Axis 4b Hydraulic Cylinder 4c Axis 5. Water cannon 5a Gun body 5a1 First drive unit 5a2 Cylinder part 5a3 Second drive unit 5b Water discharge nozzle section 6. Water Piping 6a Longitudinal pipe 6b First connecting pipe 6b1 Rotating connection 6b2 Rotary shaft support 6c Second connecting pipe 6c1 Rotating connection 6d Fixed water piping leading to the water pump mounted on the rear side of the cabin. 6e Swivel Joint

Claims

1. A water spraying device for a water truck, comprising a support column mounted on a base provided on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable, a boom attached to the support column so as to be able to move up and down, a water cannon attached to the boom, and water piping connected to the water cannon, The water cannon comprises a gun body attached to the tip of the boom and extending downward from the tip of the boom, and a water nozzle connected to the lower end of the gun body so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The gun body comprises a first rotation drive unit attached to the tip of the boom and having a rotational central axis oriented in the vertical direction, a cylindrical portion connected to the first rotation drive unit and driven to rotate around the rotational central axis of the first rotation drive unit, and a second rotation drive unit connected to the lower end of the cylindrical portion and having a rotational central axis perpendicular to the rotational central axis of the first rotation drive unit, and the water discharge nozzle portion having its base end connected to the second rotation drive unit and driven to rotate in the vertical direction with the rotational central axis of the second rotation drive unit as the pivot point, the water discharge device of a water truck.

2. A water spraying device for a water truck, comprising a support column mounted on a base provided on the vehicle body so as to be rotatable, a boom attached to the support column so as to be able to move up and down, a water cannon attached to the boom, and water piping connected to the water cannon, The water cannon comprises a gun body attached to the tip of the boom and extending downward from the tip of the boom, and a water nozzle connected to the lower end of the gun body so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The water spraying device for a water truck is further characterized by having a parallel link mechanism that maintains the posture of the water gun in response to the up-and-down movement of the boom.

3. The water spraying device for a water truck according to claim 2, wherein the parallel link mechanism is configured such that the boom and the water piping are linked together.

4. The water piping comprises a longitudinal pipe arranged along the longitudinal direction of the boom, and a first connecting pipe and a second connecting pipe connected to the longitudinal pipe. One end of the first connecting pipe is rotatably connected to one end of the longitudinal pipe in the direction of the boom's raising and lowering movement, and the other end of the first connecting pipe is connected to the gun body and pivotally supported on a pivot provided at the tip of the boom in the direction of the boom's raising and lowering movement. One end of the second connecting pipe is rotatably connected to the other end of the longitudinal pipe in the direction of the boom's luffing movement, and the other end of the second connecting pipe is rotatably connected to the end of the water piping leading to a water supply source mounted on the vehicle body in the direction of the boom's slewing movement. The sprinkler watering device according to claim 3, wherein the pivot point for the luffing movement of the boom, the pivot connection between one end of the second connecting pipe and the other end of the longitudinal pipe, the pivot connection between one end of the first connecting pipe and one end of the longitudinal pipe, and the pivot support between the other end of the first connecting pipe and the pivot each constitute a pair of the parallel link mechanism.

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