Feeding equipment

Abstract

To provide a material supply facility capable of concurrently performing operation of the facility and work in an area by a worker while securing safety of the worker.SOLUTION: A material supply facility 1 comprises: a storage area 3 for temporarily storing a steel material; a sending-out area 4 for sending out a steel material to a next process; and a transfer device 5 for transferring a steel material W in the storage area 3 to the sending-out area 4. As the storage area 3, a first storage area 3A and a second storage area 3B are provided on opposite sides of the sending-out area 4, and the first storage area 3A and the second storage area 3B are provided with gates 46, 48 comprising lock mechanism parts, respectively. A control part 55 for managing the gates executes lock release of the gates with respect to an entrance request signal into one of the storage areas when the objective storage area is not the area where the transfer device 5 operates.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a feeding equipment for supplying steel materials to a next process.

Background Art

[0002] There is a feeding equipment that includes a storage area for temporarily storing steel materials such as steel bars, and a delivery area for delivering steel materials to the next process. In this feeding equipment, the steel materials in the storage area are transferred to a trolley in the delivery area using a device that collectively transfers a plurality of steel materials (for example, see Patent Document 1 below), and are delivered (supplied) to the next process.

[0003] In such feeding equipment, when the steel materials are conveyed to the storage area by means of a building crane, operations such as unhooking by workers are required in the storage area. However, the storage area of the feeding equipment where workers enter overlaps with the area where the transfer device travels. Therefore, when a worker enters the storage area to perform operations, it is necessary to temporarily suspend the operation of the feeding equipment to protect the worker.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Against the background described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a feeding equipment that can enable the operation of the equipment and the in-area work by workers to be performed in parallel while ensuring the safety of workers.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] Thus, the feeding equipment according to the first aspect of the present invention is defined as follows. That is, a storage area for temporarily storing steel materials, A feeding area for sending the aforementioned steel material to the next process, A transfer device for transferring steel materials from the storage area to the dispensing area, A safety fence surrounds the area in which the transfer device travels and restricts entry into the area, A material supplying facility equipped with, The aforementioned storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, located on opposite sides of the aforementioned dispensing area, and gates equipped with a locking mechanism that allows workers to enter when the lock is released are provided in the first and second storage areas. The control unit that manages the gates, in response to an entry request signal to any storage area, unlocks the gate to the target storage area if the target storage area is not an area where the transfer device operates.

[0007] According to the first phase of material supply equipment as defined in this manner, the first storage area and the second storage area are clearly separated, and the movement of the transfer device operating in any storage area (e.g., the first storage area) does not overlap with other storage areas (e.g., the second storage area), thus avoiding contact between the transfer device and workers. In other words, with the first phase of material supply equipment, the operation of the equipment in any storage area and the work of workers in other storage areas can be carried out in parallel while ensuring the safety of workers.

[0008] Here, a stopper device may be further provided near the first and second storage areas. More specifically, a stopper device having a movable stopper piece that, when the stopper piece is in the entry restriction position, abuts against the transfer device to restrict the transfer device's entry into the storage area may be further provided. The control unit may be configured to unlock the gate to any storage area in response to an entry request signal to any storage area if the target storage area is not an area in which the transfer device operates, and the stopper piece of a stopper device provided near the target storage area is in the entry restriction position (second aspect).

[0009] In this way, the entry of the transfer device into the worker area (the storage area for which entry was requested) is prevented by mechanical contact with the stopper piece, thereby further enhancing worker safety. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the schematic overall configuration of a material supplying system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view of the transfer device. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is a side view of the transfer device. [Figure 4] This diagram shows the steel material holding section of the stocker and transfer device. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the stopper device installed on the second storage area side, along with its surrounding area. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of the electrical system related to worker access control in the material supply facility. [Figure 7] This diagram shows an example of the access control flow for the same material supply facility. [Figure 8] This figure shows an example of an entry management flow different from that shown in Figure 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic overall configuration of a material supply equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a material supply equipment that supplies multiple long steel materials W, such as steel bars, to the next process in a bundle, and comprises a storage area 3, a dispensing area 4, and a transfer device 5.

[0012] Storage area 3 is an area for temporarily storing steel materials sent from the previous process. Steel materials are transported to storage area 3 using a building crane (not shown in the diagram), and the steel materials W are transported to storage area 3 from a steel material storage area 8 located separately from the material supply equipment 1. A stocker 10 is installed in the storage area 3 for collectively storing a plurality of steel materials. As shown in Fig. 4(A), the stocker 10 is provided with holding frame portions 11 having a substantially U-shaped cross section that opens upward at a plurality of positions in the longitudinal direction, and the plurality of steel materials W conveyed to the storage area 3 by a building crane are collectively stored in the stocker 10. When storing the steel material W conveyed by the building crane in the stocker 10, operations such as unhooking are performed by an operator within the storage area 3.

[0013] In the present embodiment, a first storage area 3A and a second storage area 3B are provided as the storage area 3. The first storage area 3A and the second storage area 3B are respectively provided on opposite sides with the delivery area 4 interposed therebetween.

[0014] The delivery area 4 is an area for delivering the steel material W to the next step 9. In the delivery area 4, conveying rails 13, 13 extending toward the next step 9 and a carriage 14 moving along the rails 13, 13 are provided. The carriage 14 is provided with a holding frame portion having a substantially U-shaped cross section that opens upward, which is substantially the same as that of the stocker 10, and is capable of accommodating the steel material W transferred from the stocker 10 by the transfer device 5.

[0015] The transfer device 5 travels along traveling rails 17, 17 through the first storage area 3A, the second storage area 3B, and the delivery area 4, and transfers the steel material W in the storage areas 3A, 3B to the carriage 14 in the delivery area 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the transfer device 5 includes a hanging beam 18 for horizontally holding the steel material W, hoist cranes 19, 19 for lifting and lowering the hanging beam 18, and a horizontally long girder member 20 on which the hoist cranes 19, 19 are disposed.

[0016] The suspension beam 18 extends laterally, with both end portions thereof coupled to connecting arms 21, 21 so as to be able to move up and down. The suspension beam 18 has a plurality of steel material holding portions 24 arranged at predetermined intervals in the lateral direction. As shown in FIG. 4(B), the steel material holding portion 24 includes a pair of vertical arms 25A, 25B extending downward from the suspension beam 18, and a lateral arm 26 that extends in the lateral (horizontal) direction at the lower end portion of one vertical arm 25A and is rotatable around the axis of the vertical arm 25A. As shown in FIG. 4(B), the steel material holding portion 24 can accommodate the steel material W therein in a state of being opened downward. Further, by rotating the lateral arm 26 from this state and engaging the distal end portion of the lateral arm 26 with the other vertical arm 25B, the downward opening portion is brought into a closed state, and as shown in FIG. 4(C), the steel material W can be held and lifted.

[0017] In FIG. 2, a leg member 28 is integrally joined to the end portion on the right side of the drawing of the beam member 20 of the transfer device 5, and a wheel 29 is provided at the lower end portion of the leg member 28. The wheel 29 is enabled to travel on a traveling rail 17 provided on a building floor G by a driving force from a traveling drive device not shown in the drawing. Further, a saddle portion 30 is integrally joined to the end portion on the left side in FIG. 2 of the beam member 20, and a wheel 31 is provided on the saddle portion 30. The wheel 31 is enabled to travel on a traveling rail 17 provided on the upper surface of a support column 32 by a driving force from a traveling drive device not shown in the drawing.

[0018] According to the material feeding equipment 1 configured as described above, for example, when the steel material in the first storage area 3A is designated as the steel material to be delivered to a subsequent process, as shown in FIG. 1, the transfer device 5 moves in the first storage area 3A along the traveling rails 17, 17, and recovers the steel material W in the stocker 10. Thereafter, the transfer device 5 moves to a position directly above the carriage 14 of the delivery area 4, and transfers the recovered steel material W into the carriage 14. In this embodiment, since the first storage area 3A and the second storage area 3B are clearly separated, the movement path of the transfer device 5 operating in any storage area (e.g., the first storage area 3A) does not overlap with other storage areas (e.g., the second storage area 3B) during a series of transfer operations.

[0019] Next, the stopper devices will be described. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, stopper devices 36 are provided near the storage area 3A and the second storage area 3B to mechanically contact the transfer device 5 and restrict its movement. As shown in Figure 1, the stopper devices 36A and 36B provided near the first storage area 3A restrict the transfer device 5 from entering the first storage area 3A. In addition, the stopper devices 36C and 36D provided near the second storage area 3B restrict the transfer device 5 from entering the second storage area 3B.

[0020] Figure 5 shows a stopper device 36C located near the second storage area 3B, along with its surrounding area. The stopper device 36C is installed embedded in the building floor G and comprises a stopper piece 37C that can mechanically contact a part of the transfer device 5, and a drive unit 38C that moves the stopper piece 37C around an axis 39C. The stopper piece 37C is movable between an entry restriction position and an unrestricted position. The stopper piece 37C protrudes from the floor surface at the entry restriction position (see Figure 5(B)) and mechanically contacts a portion of the transfer device 5 (the contact portion 41), thereby restricting the transfer device 5 from entering the second storage area 3B. At the non-restricted position (see Figure 5(A)), the stopper piece 37C is lower than the contact portion 41, allowing the transfer device 5 to enter the second storage area 3B.

[0021] In the same figure, 40C is a detection sensor that detects when the stopper piece 37C is in the entry restriction position. The drive unit 38C and the detection sensor 40C are connected to the control unit 55, which will be described later.

[0022] The above explanation uses the stopper device 36C as an example, but the other stopper devices 36A installed on the building floor G, and the other stopper devices 36B and 36D installed on the upper ends of the support columns 32, basically have the same configuration as the stopper device 36C. In the following description, the stopper pieces, drive units, and detection sensors corresponding to each stopper device 36A, 36B, 36C, and 36D are referred to as stopper pieces 37A, 37B, 37C, and 37D, drive units 38A, 38B, 38C, and 38D, and detection sensors 40A, 40B, 40C, and 40D, respectively.

[0023] Next, we will explain the entry management of workers in material supply facility 1. As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, a safety fence 45 is provided to prevent workers from entering the area on which the transfer device 5 travels. The safety fence 45 is provided with a first gate 46 for workers to enter the first storage area 3A and a second gate 48 for workers to enter the second storage area 3B. These gates 46 and 48 are equipped with locking mechanisms 46a and 48a (see Figure 6) that can be switched between a locked state (closed state) and an unlocked state (open state). In addition, operation boxes 46b and 48b for switching the gate locking mechanism are provided near each gate. Operation box 46b is equipped with an entry request button 46c and a reset button 46d for gate 46 (see Figure 6). Operation box 48b is equipped with an entry request button 48c and a reset button 48d for gate 48.

[0024] Figure 6 is a block diagram of the electrical system related to worker entry management in the material supply facility 1. The control unit 55 shown in the figure manages the equipment related to worker entry management. This control unit 55 may also be included in the main unit control unit of the material supply facility 1. As shown in the figure, the control unit 55 is connected to the entry request buttons 46c, 48c and reset buttons 46d, 46d for each gate, detection sensors 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D for detecting the entry restriction position in each stopper device, the main unit control unit 56, the drive units 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D for each stopper device, and the locking mechanism units 46a, 48a. Under normal circumstances, the control unit 55 locks the gates 46, 48 to restrict the entry of workers. Here, the drive units 38A, 38B, 38C, 38D and locking mechanism units 46a, 48a of each stopper device are equipped with a dual power supply circuit (two identical circuits are provided). If an abnormality occurs in one of the circuits, the main unit control unit 56 controls the power supply to the main power circuit to be cut off. This prevents the loss of safety functions due to a single fault and allows for the detection of a single fault before the next safety function is activated.

[0025] Figure 7 shows an example of the flow when the entry request button 48c is operated and an entry request signal to the second storage area 3B is output. When the control unit 55 receives the entry request signal (step S001), it determines whether the second storage area 3B is the operating area of ​​the transfer device 5 based on the operating area information from the main unit control unit 56 (which may also be travel position information of the transfer device 5 that can identify the area where the transfer device 5 is located) (step S002). If the second storage area 3B is an operational area (Yes), the gate 48 leading to the second storage area 3B is kept locked to restrict worker entry (step S010). On the other hand, if the operating area is the first storage area 3A (No), the gate 48 is unlocked, allowing the worker to enter the second storage area 3B (step S005).

[0026] According to this embodiment, the first storage area 3A and the second storage area 3B are clearly separated, and the movement path of the transfer device 5 operating in the first storage area 3A does not overlap with the other storage area (second storage area 3B). Therefore, as shown in the flow chart of Figure 7, in response to an entry request signal to any storage area (for example, the second storage area 3B), the gate is unlocked on the condition that the target storage area is not the operating area of ​​the transfer device 5. This ensures the safety of workers while allowing the operation of equipment in any storage area (for example, the first storage area 3A) and the work of workers in other storage areas (for example, the second storage area 3B) to be carried out in parallel. Furthermore, if the reset button 48d (see Figure 6) is operated after the worker has finished their work in the second storage area 3B, the request to enter the second storage area 3B will be reset, and the gate 48 will return to the locked state.

[0027] Figure 8 shows an example of a different flow from Figure 7 when the entry request button 48c is operated and an entry request signal to the second storage area 3B is output. In this flow of Figure 8, the conditions for unlocking the gate are that the target storage area is not within the operating area of ​​the transfer device 5, and that the stopper piece of the stopper device located near the target storage area is in the entry restriction position. In the flow chart of Figure 8, if the second storage area 3B is not an operational area in step S002 (No), the stopper pieces of the stopper devices 36C and 36D on the second storage area 3B side are moved to the entry restriction position (step S003). In step S004, based on the output signals from the detection sensors 40C and 40D, if it is detected that the stopper pieces 37C and 37D are in the entry restriction position (Yes), the gate 48 is unlocked, and workers are allowed to enter the second storage area 3B (step S005).

[0028] According to the flow chart in Figure 8, the entry of the transfer device 5 into the worker area (second storage area 3B) is prevented by mechanical contact with the stopper pieces 37C and 37D, thereby further enhancing worker safety.

[0029] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, this is merely an example. For example, the above embodiment was an example in which a first storage area and a second storage area were provided on opposite sides of the dispensing area as the storage area, but in some cases the first storage area and / or the second storage area can be further divided into multiple areas and the operation control of the transfer device can be performed, and the present invention can be configured in various modified forms without departing from its spirit. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0030] 1 Material feeding equipment 3. Storage Area 3A First storage area 3B Second storage area 4. Dispatch Area 5 Transfer equipment 36A, 36B, 36C, 36D Stopper device 37A, 37B, 37C, 37D Stopper piece 46. ​​The First Gate 46a Locking mechanism 48. The Second Gate 48a Locking mechanism 55 Control Unit W Steel material

Claims

1. A storage area for temporarily storing steel materials, A feeding area for sending the aforementioned steel material to the next process, A transfer device for transferring steel materials from the storage area to the dispensing area, A safety fence surrounds the area in which the transfer device travels and restricts entry into the area, A material supplying facility equipped with, The aforementioned storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, located on opposite sides of the aforementioned dispensing area, and gates equipped with a locking mechanism that allows workers to enter when the lock is released are provided in the first and second storage areas. A material supply device that, in response to an entry request signal to any storage area, unlocks the gate to the target storage area if the target storage area is not an area where the transfer device operates.

2. Near the first storage area and the second storage area, A stopper device is further provided, which has a movable stopper piece that, when the stopper piece is in the entry restriction position, abuts against the transfer device to restrict the transfer device's entry into the storage area. The material supply equipment according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, in response to an entry request signal to any storage area, unlocks the gate of the target storage area if the target storage area is not an area in which the transfer device operates and the stopper piece of a stopper device provided near the target storage area is in the entry restriction position.

Images