Axle transfer device and mobile device

Abstract

To effectively transfer an axle to a place different from a ground rail.SOLUTION: A conveyance carriage 2 for conveying an axle W is traveled in a direction orthogonal to a ground rail R1 between a first stop position on an end part of the ground rail R1 and a second stop position different from the ground rail R1. The transfer device 1 installed at a position facing the end part of the ground rail R1 slides a fork part 12 for holding the axle W between an advance position P11 on the end part of the ground rail R1 and a retreat position P12 retreated from the advance position P11, and further lifts the fork part 12 up and down. The axle W is transferred to a place different from the ground rail R1 from the ground rail R1 by sequentially operating the conveyance carriage 2 and the transfer device 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an axle transfer device for transferring an axle to a location different from a ground rail, and a moving device.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in an inspection and repair operation (hereinafter abbreviated as "inspection and repair") for inspecting and repairing railway vehicles, the bogie separated from the car body is disassembled, and the parts are stored in a parts storage location. The bogie includes axles that support the car body via bearings. Since the axles are heavy objects weighing 1 t to 2 t, they are transferred to a location different from the ground rail using a crane or a forklift.

[0003] Also, for example, a railway vehicle wheel axle unmanned transport vehicle provided with a pair of left and right forks on a bogie equipped with rotatable running wheels, which can be lifted and lowered, slid back and forth, and adjusted in interval, is run unmanned along a magnetic tape induction line, and a technique for transferring the axle to a location different from the ground rail has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] When transferring an axle using a crane or a forklift, operation by a qualified person and work assistance are required, and the work efficiency is poor. On the other hand, if a railway vehicle wheel axle unmanned transport vehicle is used, the axle can be transferred without operation by a qualified person and work assistance. However, in the technique of transferring an axle using a railway vehicle wheel axle unmanned transport device, it is necessary to individually align the forks with the axle and align the axle with the parts storage location, and the positioning control is complicated, and the axle cannot be transferred efficiently.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and in a wheel axle transfer device for transferring a wheel axle to a location different from a ground rail, it is an object of the present invention to provide a wheel axle transfer device and a moving device that can efficiently transfer a wheel axle to a location different from the ground rail without manual intervention.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present invention includes: (1) a ground rail for loading or unloading a wheel axle, a moving device disposed at a position facing an end of the ground rail, and a transport carriage that travels in a direction orthogonal to the ground rail and transports the wheel axle, the transport carriage stopping at a first stop position on the end of the ground rail or a second stop position that is a location different from the ground rail. The moving device includes a fork portion for holding the wheel axle, a front-rear slide mechanism for sliding the fork portion back and forth with respect to the end of the ground rail, the front-rear slide mechanism stopping the fork portion at a forward position on the end of the ground rail or a retracted position that is retracted from the forward position, and a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the fork portion. By operating the moving device and the transport carriage in sequence, the wheel axle is transferred to a location different from the ground rail.

[0008] In the axle transfer device having the above configuration, when the transport cart stops at the first stop position, the end of the ground rail, the transport cart, and the moving device are uniquely aligned. As a result, the axle on the ground rail or the transport cart and the fork portion of the moving device are aligned, and the moving device moves the fork portion forward or backward with respect to the end of the ground rail, and further raises and lowers the fork portion, so that the axle can be transferred between the ground rail and the transport cart. Further, when the transport cart stops at the second stop position, alignment is performed between the transport cart and another location of the ground rail, and the axle can be transferred between the transport cart stopped at the second stop position and another location of the ground rail. Therefore, according to the axle transfer device having the above configuration, without individually aligning the fork portion with the axle or aligning the axle with another location of the ground rail, by simply operating the transport cart and the moving device in sequence, the axle can be efficiently transferred between the ground rail and another location without manual intervention.

[0009] (2) In the axle transfer device described in (1), the axle has an axle penetrated by a pair of wheels, and the axial end portions of the axle protrude outside the pair of wheels. The front and rear slide mechanism slides the fork portion through a main body portion to which the fork portion is slidably attached in the vertical direction. The fork portion has a connecting body slidably connected to the main body portion, and a pair of arms joined to the connecting body and supporting the axial end portion of the axle from below. It is preferable that the total length of the portion where the connecting body is connected to the main body portion is longer than the total length of the pair of arms.

[0010] In the axle transfer device having the above configuration, even when a load of an axle, which is a heavy object of 1t to 2t, acts on a pair of arms, the connecting body is difficult to come off from the main body portion, so that the moving device can stably move the axle between the ground rail and the transport cart.

[0011] (3) In the axle transfer device described in (1) or (2), it preferably has a mounting member that can be attached to a rotating member rotatably held on the axle, the fork portion is provided above the axle held by the fork portion, and has a mounting frame to which the mounting member is detachably attached.

[0012] The axle transfer device having the above configuration supports the rotating member of the axle using the mounting member, so when the transfer device raises and lowers the axle, it can prevent the axle from falling off the fork portion due to the tendency of the rotating member to rotate under its own weight.

[0013] (4) In the axle transfer device described in any one of (1) to (3), the transport cart has a first wheel and a second wheel that roll along a first travel path on the moving device side, and a third wheel and a fourth wheel that roll along a second travel path on the side opposite to the moving device, the ground rail is provided inside a rail groove formed across the second travel path to between the first travel path and the second travel path, and it is preferable that one or more auxiliary wheels are arranged between the third wheel and the fourth wheel of the transport cart.

[0014] The axle transfer device having the above configuration, for example, when the transport cart passes through a step formed between the running surface of the second travel path and the ground rail, or a clearance formed between the second travel path and the ground rail, the auxiliary wheels support the transport cart. Therefore, it can prevent the transport cart from tilting due to the step or clearance, and the axle from being displaced on the transport cart or falling off the transport cart.

[0015] (5) In the axle transfer device described in any one of (1) to (4), it preferably has an interlock device disposed at a position facing the moving device across the travel path of the transport cart to prevent entry into the travel path, and a travel control device that permits the travel of the transport cart when the interlock device prevents entry into the travel path and does not permit the travel of the transport cart when the interlock device does not prevent entry into the travel path.

[0016] The axle transfer device having the above configuration can prevent the transport cart from traveling from the second stop position to the first stop position or from the first stop position to the second stop position, for example, when an operator is near the transfer device, thus ensuring safety.

[0017] (6) In the axle transfer device according to any one of (1) to (5) above, the transport cart has a pallet on which the axle is mounted via a pallet, and has a pallet moving mechanism for moving the pallet in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transport cart. It is preferable to drive the pallet moving mechanism when the transport cart is stopped at the second stop position.

[0018] The axle transfer device having the above configuration can align the pallet moving mechanism with the axle with respect to the transfer destination when the transport cart stops at the second stop position, and can automatically load the pallet onto the transport cart or unload the pallet from the transport cart.

[0019] (7) A transfer device arranged at a position facing a ground rail laid on the ground, having a fork portion for holding an axle, and a front-rear slide mechanism for sliding the fork portion back and forth with respect to an end portion of the ground rail, the front-rear slide mechanism stopping the fork portion at a forward position on the end portion of the ground rail or at a backward position retreated from the forward position, and a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the fork portion. By operating the fork portion in sequence, the axle is transferred between the ground rail and a transport cart stopped on the end portion of the ground rail.

[0020] The mobile device having the above configuration slides the fork portion between a forward position on the end of the ground rail and a retracted position retracted from the forward position. The mobile device is arranged at a position facing the end of the ground rail, and the transport cart stops on the end of the ground rail. Therefore, the mobile device can efficiently transfer the axle between the ground rail and the transport cart without manual intervention by operating the fork portion in sequence, without aligning the fork portion with the axle carried into the end of the ground rail or aligning the axle held by the fork portion with the transport cart individually.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, in an axle transfer device for transferring an axle to a place different from the ground rail, it is possible to realize a technique that enables easy positioning when transferring the axle and can efficiently transfer the axle.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, a wheel axle transfer device and a mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The wheel axle transfer device of this embodiment is applied to, for example, a bogie inspection line facility, and includes a transport cart for transporting a wheel axle and a mobile device for moving the wheel axle between a ground rail and the transport cart.

[0024] <Schematic Configuration of Wheel Axle Transfer Device> FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wheel axle transfer device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wheel axle transfer device 100 includes a ground rail R1, a guide rail R2, a mobile device 1, a transport cart 2, an interlock device 4, and an operation panel 5. The wheel axle transfer device 100 is configured to transfer the wheel axle W between the ground rail R1 and the parts storage location by operating the mobile device 1 and the transport cart 2 that perform certain operations in sequence.

[0025] The ground rail R1 is a track rail for loading or unloading the wheel axle W. The guide rail R2 is laid along a direction orthogonal to the ground rail R1 and is a rail for guiding the transport cart 2. The ground rail R1 is provided between a first traveling path D1 on which the wheels on the mobile device 1 side of the transport cart 2 travel and a second traveling path D2 on which the wheels on the side opposite to the mobile device 1 of the transport cart travel. More specifically, it is provided up to in front of the first traveling path D1 and is laid across the second traveling path D2.

[0026] The transport cart 2 is a device on which the wheel axle W is mounted via a pallet 6 and for transporting the wheel axle W. The transport cart 2 travels in the left - right direction in the figure along the guide rail R2 and stops at a first stop position indicated by a two - dot chain line in the figure or a second stop position indicated by a solid line in the figure. The first stop position is a position where the transport cart 2 stops on the end of the ground rail R1. The second stop position is a position where the transport cart 2 stops at a location different from the ground rail R1. In this embodiment, the second stop position is the parts storage location. The configuration of the transport cart 2 will be described later.

[0027] The moving device 1 is arranged to face the end of the ground rail R1 and is a device for moving the axle W between the ground rail R1 and the carrier cart 2. The moving device 1 has a function of advancing or retracting the fork portion 12 that holds the axle W, and a function of raising and lowering the fork portion 12. The configuration of the moving device 1 will be described later.

[0028] The interlock device 4 is disposed at a position facing the moving device 1 via the traveling paths (the first traveling path D1 and the second traveling path D2) of the carrier cart 2, and is a device for preventing an operator from entering the traveling path of the carrier cart 2. The interlock device 4 is configured by detachably attaching a barrier reel 43 and interlock plugs 44 and 45 provided at both ends of the barrier reel 43 to a pair of support columns 41 and 42, respectively.

[0029] The operation panel 5 is a device for operating the axle transfer device 100. The operation panel 5 includes an operation remote control 51. The operation panel 5 can detect a state in which the barrier reel 43 is attached to the support columns 41 and 42 and a state in which the interlock plugs 44 and 45 are attached to the support columns 41 and 42. When the operation panel 5 detects that the barrier reel 43 and the interlock plugs 44 and 45 are all attached to the support columns 41 and 42, it determines that the interlock device 4 is in a locking mode for preventing entry into the conveyance path. On the other hand, when the operation panel 5 detects that at least one of the barrier reel 43 and the interlock plugs 44 and 45 is removed from the support columns 41 and 42, it determines that the interlock device 4 is in an unlocking mode that does not prevent entry into the conveyance path. Further, when the interlock plug 45 is removed, the operation panel 5 enables the use of the operation remote control 51, and when the interlock plug 45 is not removed, the operation panel 5 disables the use of the operation remote control 51.

[0030] <Regarding the configuration of the moving device> The configuration of the mobile device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 is a side view of the mobile device 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mobile device 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of the mobile device 1. The mobile device 1 includes a base portion 13, a main body portion 11, a fork portion 12, a lifting mechanism 14, and a front-rear sliding mechanism 15.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, the base portion 13 is fixed to the ground such that a pair of base frames 131, 131 are disposed on an extension line extending the end of the ground rail R1. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the main body portion 11 is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape by welding six frames. The main body portion 11 is slidably held by the base frames 131, 131.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 2, the fork portion 12 is attached to the side of the main body portion 11 on the ground rail R1 side so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the fork portion 12 includes a connecting body 121 and a pair of arms 122, 122.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the wheel axle W is provided such that an axle Wb penetrates a pair of wheels Wa, Wa, and the axial end portions Wb1, Wb2 of the axle Wb protrude outside the wheels Wa, Wa. The connecting body 121 is configured by connecting a pair of vertical beams to two horizontal beams. The structure of the connecting body 121 is not limited to this, and the number of vertical and horizontal beams may be different from this form, or the connecting body 121 may be configured by a single plate. The connecting body 121 has a width similar to that of the axle Wb.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of arms 122, 122 are joined to the lower portion of the connecting body 121 so as to protrude toward the ground rail R1 side. The pair of arms 122, 122 are disposed outside the pair of base frames 131, 131 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that the pair of arms 122, 122 do not interfere with the base frames 131, 131 when the main body portion 11 slides along the base frames 131, 131. Further, the pair of arms 122, 122 are disposed at an interval that can hold the axial end portions Wb1, Wb2 of the wheel axle W.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, at the tip ends of a pair of arms 122, 122, a holding member 127 for holding shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2 is attached. As shown in FIG. 2, the holding member 127 has a surface in contact with the shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2 formed in a V shape in order to align the axle Wb with the fork portion 12 and prevent the wheel shaft W from dropping.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4, on both the left and right sides of the main body portion 11, a pair of masts 111, 111 for guiding the fork portion 12 in the vertical direction are provided. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fork portion 12 has cam followers 124, 125 and a roller follower 126 attached to a connecting body 121 via a roller base 123, and the cam followers 124, 125 and the roller follower 126 roll along the mast 111, thereby sliding vertically with low sliding resistance with respect to the main body portion 11.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the fork portion 12 is provided with a mounting frame 128 above the wheel shaft W held by the fork portion 12. The mounting frame 128 includes a mounting portion 128a to which a suspension tool 19 attached to a gear box Wc (see FIGS. 13 etc. described later) rotatably held by the axle Wb of the wheel shaft W is detachably attached. In order to correspond to a plurality of types of wheel shafts W, as shown in FIG. 2, the mounting frame 128 is provided with a plurality of mounting portions 128a. Note that the gear box is an example of a "rotating member".

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the elevating mechanism 14 is disposed at the upper part of the main body portion 11 and elevates the fork portion 12 with respect to the main body portion 11.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, in the elevator mechanism 14, a lift motor 141 is disposed near the upper center of the main body 11, and a lift drive gear 142 is connected to the lift motor 141. The main body 11 rotatably supports a front gear shaft 145 and a rear gear shaft 150 on the front side (ground rail R1 side) and the rear side (opposite side to the ground rail R1) of the lift motor 141. The lift driven gear 143 is integrally attached to the front gear shaft 145. A chain 144 is wound around the lift drive gear 142 and the lift driven gear 143, and the front gear shaft 145 is rotated in accordance with the rotation of the lift motor 141.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, front lift gears 146 and rear lift gears 147 are integrally attached to both ends of the front gear shaft 145 and the rear gear shaft 150, respectively. A lift chain 148 is wound around the front lift gear 146 and the rear lift gear 147. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, one end of the lift chain 148 is coupled to the fork portion 12, and the other end is coupled to the counterweight 149, and the fork portion 12 moves up and down in accordance with the rotation of the front gear shaft 145 (lift motor 141).

[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, the front-rear slide mechanism 15 is disposed at the lower part of the main body 11 and slides the fork portion 12 in the horizontal direction. The front-rear slide mechanism 15 stops the fork portion 12 at the forward position P11 (see FIG. 13 described later) on the end of the ground rail R1 or the backward position P12 (see FIG. 13 described later) retracted from the forward position. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the front-rear slide mechanism 15. FIG. 6 is a side view of the front-rear slide mechanism 15. FIG. 7 is a front view of the front-rear slide mechanism 15.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 5, linear guide rails 158 are respectively fixed to the upper surfaces of a pair of base frames 131, 131 of the front-rear slide mechanism 15. As shown in FIG. 6, a linear block 159 is slidably engaged with the linear guide rail 158 and fixed to the lower surface of the main body 11.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the front and rear slide mechanism 15, a slide motor 151 is disposed near the lower center of the main body 11, and a drive gear 152 for sliding is connected to the slide motor 151. The main body 11 pivotally supports a pinion shaft 155 rotatably. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, a driven gear 153 for sliding is integrally attached to the pinion shaft 155. A chain (not shown) is wound around the drive gear 152 for sliding and the driven gear 153 for sliding, and the pinion shaft 155 rotates in response to the rotation of the slide motor 151.

[0044] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, pinions 156, 156 are integrally attached to both ends of the pinion shaft 155. The pinions 156, 156 are respectively engaged with pinion racks 157, 157 fixed to the base frames 131, 131, and a thrust is applied to the main body 11 in response to the rotation of the pinion shaft 155 (slide motor 151).

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, a front stopper member 133 and a rear stopper member 134 are disposed on the base portion 13. A front contact member 113 and a rear contact member 114 are attached to the lower surface of the main body 11. The main body 11 is restricted from making a forward movement of sliding toward the end of the ground rail R1 when the front contact member 113 is locked to the front stopper member 133. Further, the main body 11 is restricted from making a backward movement of sliding toward the side opposite to the end of the ground rail R1 when the rear contact member 114 is locked to the rear stopper member 134.

[0046] The moving device 1 detects the vertical position of the fork portion 12 by means of the limit switch 18 for detecting the lifting state shown in FIG. 3. Further, the moving device 1 detects the front-rear position of the fork portion 12 (main body portion 11) by means of the limit switch 16 for detecting the front-rear slide state shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the moving device 1 has a lift motor 141, a slide motor 151, a limit switch 18 for detecting the lifting state, and a limit switch 16 for detecting the front-rear slide state, which are connected to the operation panel 5 via a moving device cable carrier (registered trademark) 17 provided below the main body portion 11.

[0047] <Regarding the configuration of the transport cart> The configuration of the transport cart 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 11. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the transport cart 2. FIG. 9 is a side view of the transport cart 2. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the transport cart 2. FIG. 11 is a front view of the transport cart 2. In FIG. 8, for ease of viewing the drawing, the rollers 317A and 317B are shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8, the transport cart 2 has a pair of drive wheels 22A and 22B and a pair of driven wheels 23A and 23B attached to the cart frame 21. The drive wheel 22A is an example of the "first wheel". The driven wheel 23A is an example of the "second wheel". The drive wheel 22B is an example of the "third wheel". The driven wheel 23B is an example of the "fourth wheel". Two auxiliary wheels 24 are arranged between the drive wheel 22B and the driven wheel 23B. Note that the number of the auxiliary wheels 24 may be one or three or more.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 10, the pair of drive wheels 22A and 22B are connected to drive wheel shafts 27A and 27B via couplings 26A and 26B to a traveling motor 25 fixed to the cart frame 21. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the transport cart 2 includes a plurality of cam followers 33 that roll along the guide rail R2 and is linearly reciprocated in accordance with the rotation of the traveling motor 25.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 8, the transport cart 2 is provided with a pallet moving mechanism 31 for mounting or discharging the pallet 6 onto or from the transport cart 2. The pallet moving mechanism 31 includes a pallet transfer motor 311, a first pallet transfer drive gear 312, a second pallet transfer driven gear 313, a pallet transfer gear shaft 315, a pair of pallet transfer transmission gears 316A and 316B, a first roller conveyor 317A, and a second roller conveyor 317B.

[0051] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B are devices that automatically mount or discharge the pallet 6 onto or from the transport cart 2 by rotating a plurality of rollers synchronously. The first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B are respectively disposed on the cart frame 21 so as to arrange a plurality of rollers in parallel in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transport cart 2.

[0052] The pallet transfer motor 311 is disposed between the first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B and is connected to the first pallet transfer drive gear 312. The pallet transfer gear shaft 315 is installed between the first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B. The pair of pallet transfer transmission gears 316A and 316B are integrally attached to both ends of the pallet transfer gear shaft 315 and rotate in response to the rotation of the pallet transfer motor 311.

[0053] The first roller conveyor 317A has sprockets provided on the roller shafts of the respective rollers, and transmission chains are wound around these sprockets and the pallet transfer transmission gear 316A. Also, the second roller conveyor 317B has sprockets provided on the roller shafts of the respective rollers, and transmission chains are wound around these sprockets and the pallet transfer transmission gear 316B. Therefore, the first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B can rotate the respective rollers synchronously in the same direction in response to the rotation of the pair of pallet transfer transmission gears 316A and 316B (pallet transfer motor 311) and move the pallet 6 in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transport cart 2.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 8, the transport cart 2 is provided with a movement restricting member 35 for restricting the movement of the pallet 6 on the side opposite to the loading port of the pallet 6, and it is possible to prevent the pallet 6 from falling off the transport cart 2 when the pallet 6 is loaded. Further, the position of the pallet 6 is detected by a pallet position detecting limit switch 37 in the transport cart 2. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the pallet 6 is positioned with respect to the transport cart 2 by the movement restricting member 35 and the pallet position detecting limit switch 37.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the position of the transport cart 2 is detected by a cart position detecting limit switch 8 provided along the guide rail R2. As shown in FIG. 1, the cart position detecting limit switch 8 includes a limit switch 8A for detecting the first stop position and a limit switch 8B for detecting the second stop position.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 10, the transport cart 2, the traveling motor 25, the pallet transfer motor 311, the pallet position detecting limit switch 37, and the cart position detecting limit switch 8 are connected to the operation panel 5 via a cable bearer 3 for the transport cart provided on the side of the guide rail R2.

[0057] <Regarding the configuration of the pallet> As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the pallet 6 includes a pair of clamp portions 61 that clamp a pair of wheels Wa, Wa constituting the axle W. As shown in FIG. 9, the clamp portions 61 are arranged at the same interval as the rail interval of the ground rail R1, and are arranged almost directly above the ground rail R1 when the transport cart 2 stops at the first stop position. As shown in FIG. 10, the clamp portions 61 have an inclination on the clamp surfaces 61A and 61B, and are configured to automatically adjust the position of the axle Wb with respect to the pallet 6 (transport cart 2) for axles W having different diameters of the wheels Wa.

[0058] <Regarding the control configuration> Figure 12 is a control block diagram. The operation panel 5 includes an operation remote control 51, a control board 52, an operation unit 53, and a communication interface (hereinafter referred to as "communication IF") 54. The operation unit 53 is provided inside the housing of the operation panel 5 and can be operated only by the administrator and not by the operator. On the other hand, the operation remote control 51 is provided outside the housing of the operation panel 5 and can be operated not only by the administrator but also by the operator.

[0059] The operation unit 53 includes switches for receiving various operations such as a position adjustment switch and a power-on switch. The communication IF 54 includes hardware for controlling communication with an external device. The control board 52 is a well-known microcomputer and includes a CPU 56 and a memory 57. Various programs and data are stored in the memory 57. The memory 57 is also used as a temporary storage area. The CPU 56 reads out the programs stored in the memory 57 and executes various processes while reading and writing data to the memory 57.

[0060] The control board 52 is communicably connected to the lift motor 141, the slide motor 151, the limit switch 18 for detecting the lifting state, and the limit switch 16 for detecting the front-back slide state via the communication IF 54. Further, the control board 52 is communicably connected to the traveling motor 25, the pallet transfer motor 311, the limit switch 37 for detecting the pallet position, and the limit switch 8 for detecting the trolley position via the communication IF 54. Furthermore, the control board 52 controls the operation of the transport trolley 2 via the communication IF 54. Also, the control board 52 is connected to the interlock device 4 via the communication IF 54.

[0061] When the control board 52 receives an instruction via the operation unit 53 or the operation remote control 51, it receives detection signals from the limit switch 18 for detecting the lifting state, the limit switch 16 for detecting the front-back slide state, the limit switch 37 for detecting the pallet position, and the limit switch 8 for detecting the carriage position. Based on the received detection signals, the control board 52 controls the operations of the transport carriage 2 and the moving device 1 (fork unit 12), thereby causing the wheel axle transfer device 100 to execute the operation corresponding to the received instruction. In addition, the control board 52 has a function of detecting whether the interlock device 4 is preventing the transport carriage 2 from entering the travel path and permitting the travel of the transport carriage 2 based on the detection result.

[0062] <Description of the operation of the wheel axle transfer device> Subsequently, the operation of the wheel axle transfer device 100 will be described separately for the warehousing operation of transferring the wheel axle W carried into the end of the ground rail R1 to the parts storage location and the shipping operation of transferring the wheel axle W from the parts storage location to the ground rail R1. The parts storage location is an example of "a location different from the ground rail R1".

[0063] <Warehousing operation> FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the warehousing operation. The operation of the wheel axle transfer device 100 is basically performed mainly by the CPU 56. For the sake of convenience of explanation, the wheel axle transfer device 100, the moving device 1, and the transport carriage 2 may be mainly described.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 13(a), before the warehousing operation, the wheel axle transfer device 100 retracts the moving device 1 to the retracted position P12 of the fork unit 12, and further lowers the fork unit 12 to the original position P21 which is the lower limit of the lifting range. In addition, the transport carriage 2 is stopped at the second stop position. In this state, an operator, for example, removes the interlock plug 44 of the interlock device 4 and removes the barrier reel 43 from the support column 42 to set the interlock device 4 to the unlocking mode. Then, the operator manually pushes the wheel axle W waiting on the ground rail R1 and carries it to the end of the ground rail R1.

[0065] When the wheel axle transfer device 100 determines that the interlock device 4 is in the unlocking mode, it stops the power supply to the carrier cart 2 and does not permit the carrier cart 2 to travel.

[0066] When the wheel axle W is carried into the end of the ground rail R1 and the interlock device 4 is set to the locking mode, the moving device 1 drives the slide motor 151 and advances the fork portion 12 from the retracted position P12 to the advanced position P11 while the fork portion 12 is arranged at the original position P21 as shown in Fig. 13(b). Thereby, the holding members 127 provided on the pair of arms 122 are arranged below the shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2 of the wheel axle W. Note that it may be detected by a limit switch or the like that the wheel axle W has been carried into the ground rail R1, and the fork portion 12 may be automatically advanced.

[0067] For example, when the operator confirms that the fork portion 12 has stopped at the advanced position P11, the operator removes the interlock plug 45 to enable the operation remote controller 51 to be used. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 13(c), the operator raises the fork portion 12 from the original position P21 to the detachment / attachment position P22 where the lifting tool 19 is detached from / attached to the wheel axle W arranged on the ground rail R1 by using the operation remote controller 51. At this time, the wheel axle W moves with the shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2 following the V-shaped surfaces of the holding members 127, and the axle Wb is automatically aligned with the fork portion 12.

[0068] The operator removes the interlock plug 44 of the interlock device 4, removes the barrier reel 43 from the support column 42, and sets the interlock device 4 to the unlocking mode. Then, the operator attaches one end of the lifting tool 19 to the gear box Wc of the axle W held by the fork portion 12, and attaches the other end of the lifting tool 19 to the attachment portion 128a of the fork portion 12. The operator adjusts the length of the lifting tool 19 so as to lift the gear box Wc. Thereby, the axle W is supported by the lifting tool 19 so that the gear box Wc does not rotate, and it is possible to prevent the gear box Wc from rotating and falling from the fork portion 12 when the fork portion 12 moves up and down. During the period when the interlock device 4 is in the unlocking mode, power is not supplied to the transport cart 2, and the safety of the operator attaching the lifting tool 19 is ensured.

[0069] After the operator finishes attaching the lifting tool 19, the operator attaches the barrier reel 43 and the interlock plugs 44 and 45 of the interlock device 4 to the support columns 41 and 42. Thereby, the unlocking mode is switched to the locking mode.

[0070] Then, as shown in FIG. 13(d), the moving device 1 drives the lift motor 141 and raises the fork portion 12 from the detachment position P22 to the upper limit position P23 where the axle W is lifted above the transport cart 2.

[0071] When the lifting / lowering state detection limit switch 18 detects that the fork portion 12 has risen to the upper limit position P23, the axle transfer device 100 supplies power to the traveling motor 25 of the transport cart 2 and causes the transport cart 2 to travel from the second stop position to the first stop position.

[0072] In addition, when either the barrier reel 43 or the interlock plugs 44, 45 are removed, the axle transfer device 100 determines that the interlock device 4 is in the unlocking mode. In this case, the axle transfer device 100 does not supply power to the traveling motor 25 of the transport cart 2 and does not cause the transport cart 2 to travel. In this way, the axle transfer device 100 causes the transport cart 2 to travel only when the interlock device 4 prevents entry into the travel path (when in the locked mode), so that it is possible to avoid the transport cart 2 from traveling while the operator is in the travel path.

[0073] Here, before the axle transfer device 100 travels from the second stop position to the first stop position, it determines whether or not an empty pallet 6 is mounted on the transport cart 2 based on the detection signal of the pallet position detection limit switch 37. For example, when the axle transfer device 100 determines that the transport cart 2 is not carrying the empty pallet 6, it drives the pallet transfer motor 311 of the transport cart 2 and synchronously rotates the rollers of the first and second roller conveyors 317A, 317B. As a result, the pallet 6 is transferred to the transport cart 2 according to the rotation of the rollers. When the axle transfer device 100 detects that the pallet 6 has stopped on the transport cart 2 using the pallet position detection limit switch 37, it stops the power supply to the pallet transfer motor 311. Thereby, the empty pallet 6 is mounted on the transport cart 2.

[0074] The pallet 6 mounted on the transport cart 2 is aligned with the transport cart 2 by the movement restricting member 35 and the pallet position detection limit switch 37. Therefore, the clamp portion 61 of the pallet 6 is uniquely aligned with the transport cart 2.

[0075] The axle transfer device 100 accurately stops the transport cart 2 at the first stop position using the cart position detection limit switch 8. Therefore, for the transport cart 2 stopped at the first stop position, the clamp portion 61 of the pallet 6 is disposed almost directly above the ground rail R1.

[0076] As shown in Fig. 13(e), the moving device 1 drives the lift motor 141 to lower the fork portion 12 from the upper limit position P23 to the position immediately before the wheel axle W is clamped by the clamping portion 61. The operator removes the interlock plug 45 to enable the use of the operation remote control 51. The operator uses the operation remote control 51 to lower the fork portion 12 to the clamping position P24. Since the clamping portion 61 is disposed substantially directly above the ground rail R1, the moving device 1 can place the wheel Wa of the wheel axle W on the clamping portion 61 simply by lowering the fork portion 12.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 10, the clamping surfaces 61A and 61B of the clamping portion 61 that contact the wheel Wa are provided in an inclined manner. Therefore, even if the diameter of the wheel Wa varies from product to product, the wheel axle W is clamped by the clamping portion 61 in a state where the axle Wb is aligned with respect to the forward position P11 following the inclination of the clamping surfaces 61A and 61B.

[0078] As shown in Fig. 13(e), when the wheel axle W is clamped by the clamping portion 61, the operator removes the interlock plug 44, removes the barrier reel 43 from the support column 42, and releases the interlock. The operator enters the traveling path of the transport cart 2 and removes the lifting tool 19 from the attachment portion 128a and the gear box Wc.

[0079] Then, the moving device 1 drives the lift motor 141 on the condition that the interlock device 4 prevents entry into the traveling path (i.e., in the locked mode), and lowers the fork portion 12 from the clamping position P24 to the release position P25 where the fork portion 12 releases the wheel axle W, as shown in Fig. 13(f).

[0080] As shown in Fig. 13(g), the moving device 1 drives the slide motor 151 to retract the fork portion 12 from the forward position P11 to the retracted position P12.

[0081] When the front-rear slide state detection limit switch 16 detects that the fork portion 12 has retracted to the retracted position P12, the transport cart 2 travels from the first stop position to the second stop position.

[0082] When the carriage position detection limit switch 8 detects that the transport carriage 2 has stopped at the second stop position, the transport carriage 2 drives the pallet transfer motor 311 to synchronously rotate the rollers of the first roller conveyor 317A and the second roller conveyor 317B. Thereby, the pallet 6 on which the axle W is placed is discharged from the transport carriage 2 to the parts storage location.

[0083] As shown in Fig. 13(h), when the transport carriage 2 travels from the first stop position to the second stop position, the moving device 1 drives the lift motor 141 to lower the fork portion 12 from the open position P25 to the original position P21. Note that if the transport carriage 2 is moving to a location other than the first stop position, the moving device 1 may lower the fork portion 12 to the original position P21 before the transport carriage 2 arrives at the second stop position.

[0084] Incidentally, as shown in Fig. 1, the ground rail R1 is laid in front of the first travel path D1 across the second travel path D2. And as shown in Fig. 9, the ground rail R1 is installed inside the rail groove 112, and there may be a step or a clearance C between the ground rail R1 and the second travel path D2. When the driven wheel 23B passes through the step or the clearance C, the transport carriage 2 may tilt, and the axle W mounted on the transport carriage 2 may fall off the transport carriage 2 or the pallet 6 may be displaced.

[0085] However, in the transport carriage 2 of this embodiment, when the driven wheel 23B passes through the step or the clearance C formed between the ground rail R1 and the running surface of the second travel path D2, the auxiliary wheel 24 disposed between the driving wheel 22B and the driven wheel 23B supports the transport carriage 2. Thereby, the tilt of the transport carriage 2 is suppressed, and it is difficult for the axle W mounted on the transport carriage 2 to fall off the transport carriage 2 or for the pallet 6 to be displaced.

[0086] Note that as shown in Fig. 1, the transport carriage 2 is prevented from traveling beyond the first stop position or the second stop position by the wheel stoppers 9A and 9B disposed on the first and second travel paths D1 and D2.

[0087] <Shipping operation> FIG. 14 is a diagram for explaining the shipping operation. The shipping operation may basically be performed in the reverse procedure of the receiving operation.

[0088] Briefly described, before the shipping operation, as shown in FIG. 14(a), the transfer device 1 retracts the fork portion 12 to the retracted position P12 and further lowers it to the original position P21. Also, the transport cart 2 is stopped at the second position. The transport cart 2 is carrying the pallet 6 that clamps the axle W using the pallet moving mechanism 31.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 14(b), when the transport cart 2 travels from the second stop position to the first stop position, the transfer device 1 raises the fork portion 12 to the open position P25 while keeping the fork portion 12 retracted to the retracted position P12.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 14(c), the transfer device 1 advances the fork portion 12 arranged at the open position P25 from the retracted position P12 to the forward position P11 and inserts the pair of arms 122, 122 between the shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2 of the axle Wb and the pallet 6. Thereby, the fork portion 12 arranges the holding member 127 below the shaft end portions Wb1, Wb2.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 14(d), the transfer device 1 raises the fork portion 12 to the clamping position P24 while keeping the fork portion 12 arranged at the forward position P11. The operator attaches the lifting tool 19 to the gear box Wc of the axle W and the mounting portion 128a of the fork portion 12 and supports the gear box Wc so as not to rotate.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 14(e), with the fork portion 12 of the moving device 1 arranged at the forward position P11, the fork portion 12 is raised to the upper limit position P23, and the axle W is lifted from the clamping portion 61 of the pallet 6. In this state, the carrier cart 2 travels from the first stop position to the second stop position. At the second stop position, the carrier cart 2 drives the pallet moving mechanism 31 to discharge the empty pallet 6 to the component storage location.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 14(f), after the carrier cart 2 travels from the first stop position to the second stop position, the moving device 1 lowers the fork portion 12 from the upper limit position P23 to the detachment position P22, and places the axle W on the end of the ground rail R1. In this state, the operator removes the lifting tool 19 from the axle W and the fork portion 12.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 14(g), the moving device 1 lowers the fork portion 12 from the detachment position P22 to the original position P21. Then, as shown in FIG. 14(h), the moving device 1 retracts the fork portion 12 from the forward position P11 to the retracted position P12. The operator rolls the axle W transferred from the carrier cart 2 to the ground rail R1 and removes it from the end of the ground rail R1.

[0095] <Function and Effect> As described above, the axle transfer device 100 of the present embodiment includes a ground rail R1 for loading or unloading an axle W, a moving device 1 disposed at a position facing the end of the ground rail R1, and a transport carriage 2 that travels in a direction orthogonal to the ground rail R1 and transports the axle W. The transport carriage 2 stops at a first stop position on the end of the ground rail R1 or a second stop position at a location different from the ground rail R1. The moving device 1 includes a fork portion 12 for holding the axle W and a front-back slide mechanism 15 for sliding the fork portion 12 back and forth with respect to the end of the ground rail R1. The front-back slide mechanism 15 stops the fork portion 12 at a forward position P11 on the end of the ground rail R1 or a backward position P12 that is retracted from the forward position P11. The moving device 1 also includes a lifting mechanism 14 for raising and lowering the fork portion 12. By operating the moving device 1 and the transport carriage 2 in sequence, the axle W is transferred between the ground rail R1 and another location (parts storage location). This is the characteristic of the present embodiment.

[0096] When the transport carriage 2 stops at the first stop position in such an axle transfer device 100, the end of the ground rail R1, the transport carriage 2, and the moving device 1 are uniquely aligned. As a result, the axle W on the ground rail R1 or the transport carriage 2 and the fork portion 12 of the moving device 1 are aligned. The moving device 1 moves the fork portion 12 forward or backward with respect to the end of the ground rail R1, and further raises and lowers the fork portion 12, so that the axle W can be transferred between the ground rail R1 and the transport carriage 2. Also, when the transport carriage 2 stops at the second stop position, alignment is performed between the transport carriage 2 and a location different from the ground rail R1 (parts storage location), and the axle W can be transferred between the transport carriage 2 that stops at the second stop position and a location different from the ground rail R1 (parts storage location). Therefore, according to the axle transfer device 100 of the present embodiment, without individually aligning the fork portion 12 with respect to the axle W or aligning the axle W with respect to a location different from the ground rail R1 (parts storage location), by simply operating the transport carriage 2 and the moving device 1 in sequence, the axle W can be efficiently transferred between the ground rail R1 and another location (parts storage location) without manual intervention.

[0097] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various applications are possible. For example, the axle transfer device 100 may be applied to facilities other than the axle inspection facility, such as conveying machinery equipment.

[0098] In the above embodiment, the control board 52 of the operation panel 5 controls the operations of the carrier cart 2 and the moving device 1. However, when a control device is provided for each of the carrier cart 2 and the moving device 1, and an instruction for warehousing or shipping is received via the operation panel 5, the control devices of the carrier cart 2 and the moving device 1 may cooperate to transfer the axle W.

[0099] The shape of the fork portion 12 may be different from that of the above embodiment. However, by using the fork portion 12 in which the total length A of the portion where the connecting body 121 is connected to the main body portion 11 is longer than the total length B of the pair of arms 122, 122 as in the above embodiment, even when a load of the axle W, which is a heavy object of 1 t to 2 t, acts on the pair of arms 122, 122, the connecting body 121 is less likely to come off from the main body portion 11, and the moving device 1 can stably move the axle W between the ground rail R1 and the carrier cart 2.

[0100] Also, the attachment frame 128 may not be provided on the fork portion 12, and the axle W may not be supported by the lifting tool 19. However, as in the above embodiment, since the fork portion 12 has the attachment frame 128 to which the lifting tool 19 is detachably attached above the axle W held by the fork portion 12, when the moving device 1 raises and lowers the axle W, it is possible to prevent the axle W from falling off the fork portion 12 due to the tendency of the gear box Wc to rotate by its own weight.

[0101] Also, the auxiliary wheels 24 may not be provided. However, as in the present embodiment, by disposing the auxiliary wheels 24 between the drive wheel 22B and the driven wheel 23B disposed on the side opposite to the moving device 2 of the carrier cart 2, for example, when the driven wheel 23B of the carrier cart 2 passes through a step formed between the running surface and the ground rail R1 or a clearance C formed between the running surface and the ground rail R1, the auxiliary wheels 24 support the carrier cart 2, and it is possible to prevent the axle W from being displaced on the carrier cart 2 or falling off the carrier cart 2.

[0102] Also, the interlock device 4 may not be provided. However, as in this embodiment, when the interlock device 4 is disposed at a position facing the moving device 1 across the traveling path of the carrier cart 2 and the interlock device 4 prevents entry into the traveling path, the traveling of the carrier cart 2 is permitted, and when the interlock device 4 does not prevent entry into the traveling path, the traveling of the carrier cart 2 is not permitted. For example, when an operator is near the moving device 1, it is possible to prevent the carrier cart 2 from traveling from the second stop position to the first stop position or from the first stop position to the second stop position, thereby ensuring safety.

[0103] Also, the pallet moving mechanism 31 may not be provided on the carrier cart 2. However, when the carrier cart 2 is provided with the pallet moving mechanism 31 and the pallet moving mechanism 31 is driven when the carrier cart 2 is stopped at the second stop position, when the carrier cart 2 stops at the second stop position, the pallet moving mechanism 31 aligns the wheel axle W with the conveyance destination (parts storage location), and automatically, the pallet 6 can be loaded onto the carrier cart 2 or unloaded from the carrier cart 2.

[0104] The wheel axle W may be directly mounted on the carrier cart 2 without using the pallet 6.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0105] 1 Moving device 2 Carrier cart 12 Fork portion 14 Lifting mechanism 15 Front - rear slide mechanism 100 Wheel axle transfer device R1 Ground rail W Wheel axle

Claims

1. An above-ground rail for loading or unloading a wheel axle, A moving device disposed at a position facing an end of the above-ground rail, A transport carriage that travels in a direction orthogonal to the above-ground rail and transports the wheel axle, the transport carriage stopping at a first stop position on the end of the above-ground rail or at a second stop position at a location different from the above-ground rail, having, The moving device, A fork portion for holding the wheel axle, A front-back slide mechanism for sliding the fork portion back and forth with respect to the end of the above-ground rail, the front-back slide mechanism stopping the fork portion at a forward position on the end of the above-ground rail or at a retracted position retracted from the forward position, A lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the fork portion, having, By operating the moving device and the transport carriage in sequence, transferring the wheel axle to a location different from the above-ground rail, A wheel axle transfer device characterized by the above.

2. In the wheel axle transfer device according to Claim 1, In the wheel axle, the axle penetrates a pair of wheels, and the axial ends of the axle protrude outside the pair of wheels, The front-back slide mechanism slides the fork portion via a main body portion to which the fork portion is slidably attached in the vertical direction, The fork portion, A connecting body slidably connected to the main body portion, A pair of arms joined to the connecting body and supporting the axial end of the axle from below, having, The total length of the portion where the connecting body is connected to the main body portion is longer than the total length of the pair of arms, A wheel axle transfer device characterized by the above.

3. In the wheel axle transfer device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, Having a mounting member that can be mounted on a rotating member rotatably held by the wheel axle, The fork portion is provided above the wheel axle held by the fork portion and has a mounting frame to which the mounting member is detachably attached, A wheel axle transfer device characterized by the above.

4. In the wheel axle transfer device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, The transport carriage has a first wheel and a second wheel that roll along a first travel path on the moving device side, and a third wheel and a fourth wheel that roll along a second travel path on the side opposite to the moving device, The above-ground rail is provided inside a rail groove formed across the second travel path to between the first travel path and the second travel path, The transfer cart is provided with one or more auxiliary wheels between the third wheel and the fourth wheel. A wheel axle transfer device characterized by the above.

5. In the wheel axle transfer device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, an interlock device disposed at a position facing the moving device across the traveling path of the transfer cart to prevent entry into the traveling path; a travel control device that permits the transfer cart to travel when the interlock device prevents entry into the traveling path and does not permit the transfer cart to travel when the interlock device does not prevent entry into the traveling path; characterized by having a wheel axle transfer device.

6. In the wheel axle transfer device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, the transfer cart has a pallet on which the wheel axle is mounted, and has a pallet moving mechanism for moving the pallet in a direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the transfer cart, and driving the pallet moving mechanism when the transfer cart is stopped at the second stop position. A wheel axle transfer device characterized by the above.

7. A moving device disposed at a position facing a ground rail laid on the ground, a fork portion for holding a wheel axle, a front-rear slide mechanism for sliding the fork portion back and forth with respect to an end portion of the ground rail, the front-rear slide mechanism stopping the fork portion at a forward position on the end portion of the ground rail or at a retracted position retracted from the forward position, a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the fork portion, characterized by having transferring the wheel axle between the ground rail and a transfer cart stopped on the end portion of the ground rail by operating the fork portion in sequence. A moving device characterized by the above.

Images