Incline device

Abstract

To provide an incline device that ensures sufficient workability without narrowing work space.SOLUTION: An incline device comprises a work truck 2 disposed on a rail member 13 laid on an incline plane so as to be movable along the rail member in the inclination direction, a plurality of engagement parts 131 provided at prescribed intervals in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 13, and a driving cylinder member 24 having one end connected to the work truck 2 and the other end detachably engaged with one of the engagement parts 131 to move the work truck 2 along the rail member 13 with expansion or contraction of the cylinder member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an incline device, and more particularly to an incline device that can be suitably used for work such as replacing a penstock at a hydroelectric power station. [Background technology]

[0002] Incline devices are used for applications such as constructing structures on slopes by installing a work platform with a crane or the like installed on the work platform, with the platform being movable along the slope so that the platform is horizontal. For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, the work platform can be driven by meshing a pinion on the work platform with a rack track installed on the slope, or as shown in Patent Document 2, one end of a wire rope attached to a pulley is connected to the work platform, and the wire rope is wound up with a winch to move the work platform up the slope. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2004-36693 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 11-158842 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in a structure where a work cart is placed directly above a penstock for work such as replacing a penstock, if the work cart is driven using a conventional rack and pinion or wire rope, the rack frame and wire rope will narrow the working space for a crane or other device installed on the work cart, impairing workability.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS The present invention is devised to solve such problems, and has an object to provide an incline device that does not narrow the working space and ensures sufficient workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a rail member (13) laid on an inclined surface, and a work platform (2) that is driven to move in the inclined direction along the rail member (13). A transport cart (3) is disposed on the rail member (13) below the work cart (2) so as to be movable in an inclined direction along the rail member (13). The work cart (2) is provided with sheaves (41, 42) at the left and right positions in the width direction, and a balance arm (47) is provided which can swing around a fulcrum (471) at the center of the width direction of the work cart (2). A pair of wire ropes (51, 52) extending from a hoisting device (5) are suspended from the sheaves (41, 42) on the left and right sides of the work cart (2), respectively, and are then returned to the work cart (2) via sheaves (43, 44) provided on the transport cart (3) and are connected to ends (472, 473) of the balance arm (47) which are located on the left and right sides opposite the sheaves (41, 42) from which the wire ropes (51, 52) are suspended.

[0009] According to the second invention, even if the amounts of wire ropes paid out or wound up by the winding device of a pair of wire ropes become unbalanced when they are paid out or wound up, the balance arm simply tilts by that amount, and since the fulcrum is located in the center of the width of the work cart, no torsional force acts on the work cart.

[0010] The reference characters in parentheses indicate, for reference, the correspondence with specific means described in the embodiments described later. Effect of the Invention

[0011] As described above, according to the incline apparatus of the present invention, the working space is not narrowed, and sufficient workability is ensured. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an overall side view of the incline device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an overall plan view of the incline device. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the front end portion of the work platform, showing a portion A in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a connecting structure between the work platform and the transport platform. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the winch from one side. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the winch from the other side. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the incline device, showing the arrangement of a control panel, sensors, etc., in a state where the work cart and the transport cart are separated from each other. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] It should be noted that the embodiment described below is merely an example, and various design improvements made by those skilled in the art without departing from the gist of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0014] In this embodiment, a case will be described in which the incline device is used for replacing a penstock at a hydroelectric power plant. Fig. 1 is an overall side view of the incline device, and Fig. 2 is an overall plan view thereof. Left and right legs 11, 12 of the same height are positioned in the gaps between three inclined penstocks P1 to P3 (see Fig. 3), and a stand 1 with both legs 11, 12 connected is installed on the central penstock P2, and rail members 13 are provided on the left and right legs 11, 12, respectively, which extend in the longitudinal direction at an angle along the penstocks P1 to P3.

[0015] The incline device is equipped with a work platform 2 with a jib crane 21 mounted on it, and a transport platform 3 located below it, which transports the penstock P4 or the like cut off to a predetermined length and placed on the platform. The work platform 2 is substantially in the shape of a right-angled triangle in side view (Fig. 1) and substantially rectangular in plan view (Fig. 2), and is placed on the rail member 13 via wheels 23 attached to an inclined bottom beam 22 (Fig. 3). The jib crane 21, with its arm (jib) 211 extended long to the side, is mounted on the substantially horizontal platform, as shown in Fig. 1. The penstock P4 or the like of a predetermined length can be hoisted and moved by a hoisting device 212 (Fig. 1) attached to the tip of the rotating jib 211.

[0016] Here, Fig. 4 shows an enlarged view of the front end portion (part A in Fig. 1) of the work platform 2. In Fig. 4, the base end of a hydraulic cylinder 24 serving as a drive cylinder member is connected to both sides (only one is shown) of the front end of the work platform 2 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. The tip of a rod 241 of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is connected to a number of locking holes 131 serving as locking portions provided at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction of the rail member 13 by a pin 242 which can be inserted or removed manually or automatically.

[0017] The rod 241 of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended, and in this state the tip of the rod is pin-connected to an appropriate locking hole 131, and then the rod 241 is contracted, whereby the entire work cart 2 is pulled and moved obliquely upward. By repeating the process of releasing the pin connection, extending the rod 241, re-connecting the pin, and contracting the rod 241, the work cart 2 can be moved obliquely upward in a measured manner along the rail member 13. Note that by repeating the process of releasing the pin connection, contracting the rod 241, re-connecting the pin, and extending the rod 241, the work cart 2 can also be moved obliquely downward in a measured manner along the rail member 13.

[0018] In Fig. 4, an arm-shaped runaway prevention member 25 is connected to the rear end of a stay 231 that holds a pair of front wheels 23 so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction. A triangular locking claw 251 is formed at the tip of the runaway prevention member 25 facing the base 1 below, while the rod tip of an operating cylinder 252 provided on the bottom beam 22 of the work cart 2 is connected to the rear of the tip of the runaway prevention member 25, and by extending the rod, the runaway prevention member 25 is rotated downward (from the state shown by the chain line in Fig. 4 to the state shown by the solid line), and the locking claw 251 engages with a part of the base 1, preventing the work cart 2 from running away (falling).

[0019] One end of a jack member 26 is connected to the front end of the work cart 2, and the tip of the jack member 26 can also be pin-connected to an appropriate locking hole 131 to prevent the work cart 2 from running away. When the pin connection at the tip of the rod 241 of the hydraulic cylinder 24 described above is released, the tip locking claw 251 of the runaway prevention member 25 is brought into an engaged state, and the tip of the jack member 26 is pin-connected to the locking hole 131 to reliably prevent the work cart 2 from running away (falling). Note that the jack member 26 is not necessarily required to be provided.

[0020] The transport cart 3, like the work cart 2, forms a substantially right-angled triangle in side view (Fig. 1) and a substantially square in plan view (Fig. 2), and is placed on the rail member 13 via wheels 32 attached to an inclined bottom beam 31 (Fig. 5). A penstock P4 cut to a predetermined length can be placed on the substantially horizontal platform of the transport cart 3. In this transport cart 3, an arm-shaped anti-runaway member 33 similar to that provided on the work cart 2 is provided at the rear end of the stay that holds the front wheels 32 (see Fig. 9), and an emergency brake 34 is provided at the middle position of the bottom beam 31 so as to clamp a plate installed along the rail member 13 from both sides (see Figs. 9 and 5).

[0021] Such a transport cart 3 is connected to the work cart 2 so as to be movable toward and away from it by a pair of sheaves 41, 42 (FIG. 2) provided on the underside of the bottom beam 22 of the work cart 2 at the left and right positions in the width direction of the cart, and a pair of wire ropes 51, 52 stretched between a pair of sheaves 43, 44 provided on the left and right positions in the width direction of the cart at the front end of the bottom beam 31 of the transport cart 3. The connection structure is described in detail in FIG.

[0022] A pair of sheaves 41, 42 of the work platform 2 are provided at symmetrical positions with respect to the center line ?1 in the width direction of the platform, and a balance arm 47, which is an isosceles triangle in plan view, is provided between these sheaves 41, 42. The balance arm 47 can swing in a plane along the bottom beam 22 (Fig. 1) of the work platform 2 around its central fulcrum 471, and the fulcrum 471 is located on the center line ?1. A pair of sheaves 43, 44 of the transport platform 3 are provided at symmetrical positions with respect to the center line ?2 in the width direction of the platform, and are located inside the sheaves 41, 42, and the center line ?2 coincides with the center line ?1. Here, the sheaves 43, 44 are configured by stacking pulley bodies of the same diameter that can rotate independently of each other vertically (perpendicular to the paper surface of Fig. 6).

[0023] A pair of wire ropes 51, 52 extending from a winch 5 (see FIG. 7) serving as a hoisting device, the details of which will be described later, pass through guides 511, 521, respectively, and extend parallel to the left and right rail members 13 to the work cart 2, where they are suspended by sheaves 41, 42, respectively, and then turn back toward the transport cart 3. One of the wire ropes 51 that has been turned back toward the transport cart 3 is hung on the upper pulley bodies of the left and right sheaves 43, 44, and returns again toward the work cart 2, and is connected via a load sensor 45 to one end 472 of a balance arm 47 located on the left-right opposite side in the width direction to the sheave 41 on which the wire rope 51 is suspended. In addition, the other wire rope 52 that has been folded back toward the transport cart 3 is hung around the lower pulley bodies (not shown) of the left and right sheaves 43, 44 and returns toward the work cart 2 again, and is connected via a load sensor 46 to the other end 473 of the balance arm 47, which is located on the opposite side in the width direction to the sheave 42 on which the wire rope 52 is suspended.

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the winch 5 from one side, and FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the winch 5 from the other side. The winch 5 is provided with a pair of drums 53, 54 of the same diameter at the front and rear, and the pair of wire ropes 51, 52 are wound around the drums 53, 54 in opposite directions and pulled out. The flange gears 531, 541 fixed to one end of each drum 53, 54 mesh with each other, and the rotating shaft of one drum 54 is connected to a drive motor 56 via a reducer 55. When the drum 54 is rotated forward (arrow in FIG. 7) by the drive motor 56, the drum 53 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the wire ropes 51, 52 are reeled out in the same amount from each drum 53, 54. When the drum 54 is rotated in the reverse direction and the drum 53 is rotated forward by the drive motor 56, the wire ropes 51, 52 are both reeled up in the same amount. An emergency hydraulic brake 57 is attached to the drum 54. If a further gear is inserted between the flange gears 531, 541 of both drums 53, 54, it is possible to rotate both drums 53, 54 in the same direction.

[0025] 6, when the pair of wire ropes 51, 52 are paid out, the transport vehicle 3 descends along the rail member 13 which is tilted by its own weight so as to move away from the work vehicle 2. Conversely, when the wire ropes 51, 52 are wound up, the transport vehicle 3 rises against its own weight along the rail member 13 which is tilted so as to approach the work vehicle 2.

[0026] If for some reason the amounts of the pair of wire ropes 51, 52 being paid out or wound up become unbalanced, the balance arm 47 will tilt accordingly, but since its fulcrum 471 is at the center of the work platform 2, no torsional force will act on the work platform 2. Even if one of the wire ropes 51, 52 breaks for some reason, the balance arm 47 will rotate to a position along the center line, so in this case too, no torsional force will act on the work platform 2.

[0027] 9 shows the layout of the control panel, sensors, etc. A work cart control panel 61 is provided at the front end of the platform of the work cart 2, and controls the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 24 and the runaway prevention member 25 to move the work cart 2. The operation of the hydraulic cylinder 24 and the runaway prevention member 25 is monitored by monitoring televisions 62 and 63, respectively.

[0028] A winch control panel 64 is provided at the rear end of the platform of the work cart 2, and controls the forward and reverse rotation of each drum 53, 54 of the winch 5 to move the transport cart 3 up and down. An upper limit stop photoelectric sensor 65 and an upper limit deceleration photoelectric sensor 66 are provided on the work cart 2 so as to follow a predetermined distance along the rail member 13 from its rear end, and a lower limit stop photoelectric sensor 67 and a lower limit deceleration photoelectric sensor 68 are provided on the lower end of the rail member 13. These photoelectric sensors 65 to 68 and reflectors 311, 312 provided on the lower surfaces of both ends of the bottom beam 31 of the transport cart 3 prevent the transport cart 3 from approaching excessively close to the movable cart 2 or the lower end of the rail when the transport cart 3 is being raised or lowered.

[0029] When the load sensors 45, 46 provided on the wire ropes 51, 52 detect an excessive load, the load on the transporting platform 3 is deemed excessive and the operation of the winch 5 is stopped. On the other hand, when the load detected by the load sensors 45, 46 is too small or becomes zero, it is determined that the wire ropes 51, 52 have become loose or have been cut, and in this case too, the operation of the winch 5 is stopped. A speed detection encoder is attached to the rear wheels 32 of the transporting platform 3, and when the detected speed becomes excessive, it is determined that the transporting platform 3 has started to fall due to the breakage of both wire ropes 51, 52, etc., and the emergency brake 34 is activated. The emergency brake 34 is designed to operate with the power turned off.

[0030] A transport cart control panel 69 is provided at the front end of the platform of the transport cart 3, where the runaway prevention member 33 and the emergency brake 34 can be operated.

[0031] (Other embodiments) In the above embodiment, the case has been described where the incline apparatus of the present invention is used for the replacement work of a penstock at a hydroelectric power plant, but the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to this.

[0032] In the above embodiment, the locking holes 131 do not need to be formed directly on the rail member 13, but may be formed in another member at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal direction along the rail member 13. Also, it is not necessarily required that the locking holes 131 are for attaching and detaching the pins 242, and another locking structure may be used.

[0033] The sheaves 43, 44 of the transporting carriage 3 do not necessarily have to be provided as a pair on the left and right, but may be provided as one in the center.

[0034] In the above embodiment, the work cart is moved lengthwise by a hydraulic cylinder, but when used in combination with a transport cart that is moved by a wire rope laid between the work cart, the movement drive structure of the work cart is not particularly limited. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1...frame, 13...rail member, 131...locking portion, 2...work cart, 24...hydraulic cylinder (driving cylinder member), 3...transport cart, 41, 42...sheave, 43, 44...sheave, 47...balance arm, 471...fulcrum, 472, 473...end portion, 5...winch (hoisting device), 51, 52...wire rope.

Claims

[Claim 1] An incline device comprising: a work cart which is mounted on a rail member laid on an inclined surface and is driven to move in the inclined direction along the rail member; and a transport cart which is disposed on the rail member below the work cart and is capable of moving in the inclined direction along the rail member; the work cart is provided with sheaves on the left and right sides in its width direction, and a balance arm which can swing around the width centre of the work cart as a fulcrum; and a pair of wire ropes extending from a hoisting device are suspended on the left and right sheaves of the work cart, respectively, and then returned to the work cart via sheaves provided on the transport cart, and the wire ropes are connected to the ends of the balance arms which are located on the opposite left and right sides in the width direction from the sheaves on which they are suspended.

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