Vertical conveyor and method for conveying a material to be conveyed by means of the vertical conveyor

Abstract

A vertical conveyor (1) which is suitable for overcoming great heights, transporting heavy loads, has a high conveying capacity and can nevertheless be operated in an energy-efficient manner is characterized in that the vertical conveying path (3) is formed by a vertical cableway (4) which has a circulating conveying cable (5), to which a plurality of conveying vehicles (8) can be releasably coupled by means of a cable clamp (9) for moving the conveying vehicles (8), in that in each case a station conveyor (20a, 20b) is then provided in the vertical conveyor (1) adjacent to a lower and upper end of the vertical cableway (4) in the region of conveying levels (2a, 2b), and each station conveyor (20a, 20b) is provided to move a conveying vehicle (8) decoupled from the conveying cable (5) along a station conveying path (21), and in that a conveying vehicle (8) can be decoupled from the conveying cable (5) by means of the cable clamp (9) of the conveying vehicle (8) during the transition from the vertical cableway (4) to one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) and can be moved further by means of the station conveyor (20a, 20b), and a conveying vehicle (8) can be coupled to the conveying cable (5) by means of the cable clamp (9) of the conveying vehicle (8) during the transition from one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) to the vertical cableway (4) and can be moved further by means of the vertical cableway (4).

Description

[0001] Vertical conveyor and method for conveying a material with the vertical conveyor

[0002] The present invention relates to a vertical conveyor for connecting two vertically separated conveyor levels. The vertical conveyor has a vertical conveyor line connecting the two conveyor levels, and the vertical conveyor is designed to transport at least one conveyor vehicle. The invention also relates to a method for conveying a material to be conveyed using such a vertical conveyor.

[0003] For the continuous transport of materials, vertical conveyors are known, which use a circulating, endless conveyor belt to overcome a large height difference. An example of such a vertical conveyor can be found in WO 2019 / 192983 A1. Such vertical conveyors are used, for example, in mines where continuous transport of lumpy materials is required. However, such vertical conveyors are not suitable for discontinuous goods transport, where a material only needs to be transported from time to time. Furthermore, a conveyor belt can only transport small materials, not large parts.

[0004] In a goods transport system, it is sometimes the case that there are essentially horizontal conveyor levels that are separated in height. The conveyor levels are connected to each other via a vertical conveyor to enable goods to be exchanged between the conveyor levels. One example of this is US 5,064,331 A, in which a linear motor is used as a vertical conveyor. However, a linear motor has the disadvantage that the conveyor height is limited due to static constraints and the operation of the linear motor is inefficient, especially with heavy loads. Apart from that, on a vertical conveyor with a linear motor on one stator of the linear motor, only one rotor can be moved. This, however, significantly limits the conveyor capacity because with such a vertical conveyor a certain quantity of goods (depending on the rotor's capacity) can be moved up or down at the same time.

[0005] There is therefore a need for a vertical conveyor that is capable of overcoming great heights, transporting heavy loads, has a high conveying capacity and can still be operated in an energy-efficient manner.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention with a vertical conveyor according to claim 1 and a method according to claim 10.

[0007] A cable car can achieve a high transport capacity because it can move a large number of conveyor vehicles simultaneously. In addition, the cable car can be designed for heavy loads and can be operated energy-efficiently because only the circulation of the conveyor cable needs to be driven. Last but not least, the cable car can also overcome great heights with simple construction means. To facilitate the loading and unloading of the conveyed goods in the area of ​​the conveyor levels, a station conveyor is provided in each area of ​​the conveyor levels to move a conveyor vehicle, which is decoupled from the cable car's haulage cable, along a station conveyor section. The station conveyors decouple loading and unloading from movement between the two conveyor levels. The conveyor vehicles can therefore also be moved at high speeds along the vertical conveyor section of the vertical cable car, which increases the transport capacity.In the area of ​​the station conveyors, the conveyor vehicles can be moved at a lower speed, which makes loading and unloading easier.

[0008] The loads that can be transported can be increased if the vertical cableway is designed with two separate haulage ropes, with a haulage rope being arranged on each side of the haulage vehicle as seen in the direction of movement of the haulage vehicle and a rope clamp being provided on each side of the haulage vehicle as seen in the direction of movement of the haulage vehicle.

[0009] Advantageously, the upper station conveyor is designed to move a conveyor vehicle, which is uncoupled from the upstream conveyor cable, along the station conveyor line of the upper station conveyor to the downstream conveyor cable, and the lower station conveyor is designed to move a conveyor vehicle, which is uncoupled from the downstream conveyor cable, along the station conveyor line of the lower station conveyor to the upstream conveyor cable. This creates a continuous operation of the conveyor vehicles with the vertical cableway and the two station conveyors. While the conveyor vehicles rotate continuously, they do not all need to be loaded with goods at all times. This also enables discontinuous goods transport between the two conveyor levels.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment, a rack is arranged on the conveyor vehicles, preferably on the cable clamp of the conveyor vehicles. At the same time, a plurality of drivable gears spaced apart from one another in a station conveying direction are rotatably mounted on a stationary component at least in sections along the station conveyor section of the upper and / or lower station conveyor, preferably along the entire station conveyor section of the upper and / or lower station conveyor. The interaction of the rack with the rotating gears creates a rack drive in the area of ​​the station conveyor that is easy to implement and also allows the movement of large loads. Such a rack drive can also be implemented in the area of ​​the transition from the vertical cableway to one of the station conveyors and / or in the area of ​​the transition from one of the station conveyors to the vertical cableway.This ensures a reliable transition between the station conveyor and the vertical cable car.

[0011] If the rope clamp can be pivoted with the rack of a conveyor vehicle around a rotational axis perpendicular to the vertical conveying direction, the orientation of the rack and thus the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle along the station conveyor line can be easily changed by pivoting the rack. This makes it particularly easy to implement the circulation of the conveyor vehicle in a station conveyor.

[0012] If the rope clamp of a conveyor vehicle can be pivoted about an axis of rotation that is normal to the vertical conveying direction and the rope clamp is pivoted by 180° in the area between the decoupling of the conveyor vehicle from the conveyor rope and the coupling of the conveyor vehicle to the conveyor rope, the rope clamp can be arranged mirror-inverted on the conveyor vehicle, which simplifies coupling and uncoupling on the descending conveyor rope and the ascending conveyor rope.

[0013] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 4, which show exemplary, schematic and non-limiting advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0014] Fig.1 and Fig.2 an embodiment of a vertical conveyor according to the invention,

[0015] Fig.3 a top view of the vertical conveyor and

[0016] Fig.4 a design of a conveyor vehicle with a pivoting rope clamp with rack.

[0017] In connection with a vertical conveyor 1 according to the invention, information such as height, top, bottom, up or down in the direction of the acting gravity are to be understood.

[0018] The invention relates to a vertical conveyor 1 for connecting two conveyor levels 2a, 2b which are separated from one another in height with a vertical conveyor section 3. In Fig.1 the upper region of the vertical conveyor 1 is shown in an advantageous embodiment and in Fig.2 the lower region of the vertical conveyor 1 in an advantageous embodiment.

[0019] The conveying planes 2a, 2b are arranged essentially horizontally, although this is not a necessary requirement. The conveying direction H in the conveying planes 2a, 2b (indicated by the arrow) is perpendicular to the vertical conveying direction V on the vertical conveyor 1, i.e., for example, horizontally or at a specific angle to the vertical conveying direction V, preferably an angle of 90° ± 45°.

[0020] According to the invention, the vertical conveyor line 3 is formed by a vertical cable car 4. The vertical cable car 4 comprises at least one revolving conveyor cable 5. The conveyor cable 5 preferably rotates on an upper cable pulley 6a and a lower cable pulley 6b, with at least one of the cable pulleys 6a, 6b being driven by a cable car drive 7, preferably comprising an electric motor. A plurality of conveyor vehicles 8 are moved by means of the revolving conveyor cable 5. For this purpose, the conveyor vehicles 8 are each detachably coupled to the conveyor cable 5 by at least one cable clamp 9.

[0021] The minimum configuration is a hoist rope 5 and a rope clamp 9 on the hoist vehicle 8. However, several rope clamps 9 on the hoist vehicle 8 can also be releasably clamped to one hoist rope 5. Several hoist ropes 5 could also be provided in the vertical cableway 4. Accordingly, several rope clamps 9 would also be provided on the hoist vehicle 8, namely at least one rope clamp 9 per hoist rope 5. Likewise, more rope sheaves 6a, 6b would then be provided accordingly. Several hoist ropes 5 and / or several rope clamps 9 per hoist rope 5 allow higher loads on the vertical cableway.

[0022] 4.

[0023] Depending on whether the conveyor vehicle 8 is coupled to the downward conveyor cable 5 or the upward conveyor cable 5, the conveyor vehicle 8 is moved downward or upward with the vertical cableway 4. This results in two opposing vertical conveyor directions V on the vertical cableway 4 and the vertical conveyor line 3.

[0024] The downward-running conveyor rope 5 is the downward-running part of a circulating conveyor rope 5 and the upward-running conveyor rope 5 is the upward-running part of a circulating conveyor rope 5.

[0025] On a conventional aerial cableway, the cable car vehicle hangs from the cable car's haulage rope using the cable clamp. The cable car vehicle thus moves beneath the haulage rope. This is obviously not possible in a vertical cable car 4, because the haulage rope 5 would otherwise have to pass through the haulage vehicle 8. In the vertical cable car 4 of the vertical conveyor 1 according to the invention, the haulage rope 5 thus runs in the direction of movement of the haulage rope.

[0026] 5, which corresponds to the vertical conveying direction V on the vertical conveying line 3, seen from the side of the conveying vehicle 8.

[0027] For reasons of symmetry, it is therefore advantageous if a hoisting cable 5 runs on both sides of the hoisting vehicle 8 and the hoisting vehicle 8 is coupled to both hoisting cables 5 via at least one cable clamp 9. In this case, too, several hoisting cables 5 could be provided on both sides. This allows heavier loads to be transported simultaneously, reduces the clamping force of the cable clamps 9 and the mechanical stress on load-bearing parts. In such a configuration, cable pulleys 6a, 6b are also provided on both sides, with the cable pulleys 6a, 6b each being driven independently of one another by a cable car drive 7. Such a configuration is shown in a plan view in Fig. 3.

[0028] A cable clamp 9 is a well-known component of a cable car and essentially consists of a spring-loaded clamp 10 that at least partially engages the haulage cable 5 and, when the cable clamp 9 is closed, clamps it by the spring force of a clamping spring 11, whereby the conveyor vehicle 8 is coupled to the haulage cable 5 and moved with the haulage cable 5 along the vertical conveyor section 3. When the cable clamp 5 is open, the conveyor vehicle 8 is uncoupled from the haulage cable 5 and the movement of the haulage cable 5 is not transmitted to the conveyor vehicle 8. The cable clamp 9 is operated via a clamp lever 12, which closes or opens the cable clamp 9 or the clamp 10 of the cable clamp 9, depending on the position.The clamp lever 12 is typically actuated in a known manner by a positive guide, such as a control link, and the movement of the conveyor vehicle 8, with a portion of the clamp lever 12 sliding along the positive guide due to the movement of the conveyor vehicle 8, thus actuating the clamp lever 12. However, the actuation can also be implemented differently. A cable clamp 9 can also accommodate multiple clamps 10 and, consequently, multiple clamp springs 11 and clamp levers 12. Such a cable clamp 9 is shown in Fig. 3.

[0029] At least one support roller 13 is usually also provided on a cable clamp 9, which rolls along a stationary support structure 24 (indicated by dashed lines in Fig. 3) when the conveyor vehicle 8 is uncoupled from the conveyor cable 5 in order to guide the conveyor vehicle 8.

[0030] The rope clamp 9 is of course connected in a suitable manner to the conveyor vehicle 8, which is only indicated in Fig.3.

[0031] At both ends of the vertical cableway 4, a station conveyor 20a, 20b connects to the vertical conveyor line 3. Each of the station conveyors 20a, 20b is designed to move a conveyor vehicle 8, which is uncoupled from the conveyor cable 5, along a station conveyor line 21 (indicated by thick dash-dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2) in a station conveyor direction S. To do this, a conveyor vehicle 8 must be uncoupled from the conveyor cable 5 by means of the cable clamp 9 when transitioning from the vertical cableway 4 to the upper or lower station conveyor 20a, 20b, and recoupled to the conveyor cable 5 by means of the cable clamp 9 when transitioning from the station conveyor 20a, 20b to the vertical cableway 4. The cable clamp 9 is also opened or closed in the area of ​​this transition.In order to facilitate the transition between a station conveyor 20a, 20b and the vertical cableway 4, the conveyor rope 5 can be guided in the region of the transition so that the conveyor rope 5 is guided away from the conveyor vehicle 8 or the rope clamp 9, for example (as shown in Fig.1 and 2).

[0032] The station conveyor 20a, 20b can, in principle, be designed in any desired manner and can also be designed differently at the top and bottom of the vertical conveyor 1. A station conveyor 20a, 20b can, for example, be designed as an electric linear motor, or as a conveyor with a revolving conveyor means, such as a chain conveyor, or as a rack and pinion drive (as in the illustrated embodiment). A design with different drive systems along the station conveyor line 21 is also conceivable in principle. For example, with a linear motor or rack and pinion drive in the essentially vertical area of ​​the station conveyor 20a, 20b and with a revolving conveyor means in the essentially horizontal area of ​​the station conveyor 20a, 20b.

[0033] A station conveyor 20a, 20b receives a conveyor vehicle 8 from one section of the conveyor cable 5 (either the upstream or downstream section of the conveyor cable) and transports the conveyor vehicle 8 to the other section of the conveyor cable 5 (either the downstream or upstream section of the conveyor cable). The station conveyor 20a, 20b thus comprises, for example, two essentially vertical sections, which connect to the vertical cableway 4 at one end and whose other ends are connected to each other by an essentially horizontal section.

[0034] With the vertical cable car 4 and the two station conveyors 20a, 20b, the conveyor vehicles 8 are thus conveyed in a circle, thus circulating in the vertical conveyor 1. This makes it possible to move a large number of conveyor vehicles 8 simultaneously on the vertical conveyor 1, with each conveyor vehicle 8 being able to transport a product 33 as required. This results in a very high conveying capacity of the vertical conveyor 1. Appropriate dimensioning, particularly of the conveyor cable 5 and the cable clamps 9, allows even large loads to be moved.

[0035] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the station conveyor 20a, 20b is designed as a rack and pinion conveyor. In the illustrated embodiment of the rack and pinion conveyor, a rack 22 is provided on the conveyor vehicle 8, preferably on the cable clamp 9 of the conveyor vehicle 8. In the area of ​​the station conveyor section 21 of the station conveyor 20a, 20b and in the area of ​​the transition between the vertical cableway 4 and the station conveyor 20a, 20b, a series of driven gears 23 are provided, spaced from one another in the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle 8. A gear 23 is driven, for example, by an electric motor. The gears 23 are arranged rotatably in the required range on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor 1. The gears 23 interact in the station conveyor 20a, 20b with a rack 22 of a conveyor vehicle 8.If the gear wheels 23 rotate, this causes the conveyor vehicle 8 to move in the direction of movement, depending on the direction of rotation of the gear wheels 23. It is advantageous if at least two gear wheels 23 are always in engagement with a rack 22 of a conveyor vehicle 8 in order to achieve the most continuous movement possible.

[0036] In the uppermost region of the station conveyor 20a (Fig. 1) and / or in the lowermost region of the station conveyor 20b (Fig. 2), i.e., in the region where a transition from one vertical conveying direction V to the opposite vertical conveying direction V takes place, a conveyor vehicle 8 can also be moved by the interaction of the rack 22 with one or more gears 23. Alternatively, an alternative drive for a conveyor vehicle 8 can be provided in the uppermost region and / or in the lowermost region, for example, in a chain conveyor or a conveyor belt.

[0037] In the case of a rack and pinion drive, a rack 22 would also have to be provided on the conveyor vehicle 8, which is aligned in the direction of the connection between the two vertical sections, for example horizontally. Alternatively, the entire cable clamp 9 with the rack 22 can be arranged on the conveyor vehicle 8 so as to be pivotable about a rotation axis 25 normal to the vertical conveying direction V of the vertical cableway 4, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. In this case, the cable clamp 9 with the rack 22 is pivoted by 90° in the uppermost area of ​​the station conveyor 20a (Fig. 1) and / or in the lowermost area of ​​the station conveyor 20b (Fig. 2), whereby the rack 22 is also pivoted by 90°. This changes the orientation of the rack 22 and also the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle 8 when its rack 22 engages with a gear 23.

[0038] Alternatively, the rack and pinion conveyor can also be designed with a stationary rack 22 in the required area, for example, at least in sections along the station conveyor line 21, and with a driven gear 23 on the conveyor vehicle 8. In this case, energy transmission, usually electrical energy, to the moving conveyor vehicle 8 may also be required in order to drive the gear 23 on the conveyor vehicle 8. The transmission of electrical energy can be adequately achieved with a sliding contact, inductively or capacitively.

[0039] After a conveyor vehicle 8 circulates on the vertical conveyor 1, the clamp 10 of the cable clamp 9 must also be correctly aligned with the ascending or descending conveyor cable 5. Therefore, the clamp 10 must be mirror-inverted on the ascending section of the conveyor cable 5 and the descending section of the conveyor cable 5.

[0040] This can be easily achieved with a rope clamp 9 that can be pivoted about the rotation axis 25. If the rope clamp 9 is pivoted by 90° at each transition to the vertical sections of the station conveyor 20a, 20b, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, this results in a mirror-inverted arrangement of the rope clamp 9 on the ascending and descending conveyor rope 5. In one embodiment of the rack and pinion conveyor with a rack 22 on the conveyor vehicle 8, the rope clamp 9 is preferably pivoted simultaneously with the rack 22.

[0041] Alternatively, it could also be provided that a conveyor vehicle 8 is rotated by 180° around the vertical axis of the conveyor vehicle 8 (which corresponds to the vertical conveying direction V) in the area of ​​the connection of the two vertical sections of a station conveyor 20a, 20b, i.e. in the area in which a transition from one vertical conveying direction V to the opposite vertical conveying direction V takes place. This also leads to a mirror-inverted arrangement of the rope clamp 9. For this purpose, for example, a turntable could be provided which picks up a conveyor vehicle 8 from the section with a rack and pinion conveyor and, after a rotation of 180°, releases the section with a rack and pinion conveyor again.

[0042] In a further alternative, two mirror-inverted rope clamps 9 could simply be provided on the conveyor vehicle 8.

[0043] Also in the case of the station conveyor 20a, 20b, it is advantageous if, viewed in the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle 8, a station conveyor 20a, 20b is provided on both sides (as indicated in Fig.3).

[0044] Fig. 4 shows an advantageous embodiment of a conveyor vehicle 8 with a pivotable arrangement of two cable clamps 9 with a rack 22 on each side of the conveyor vehicle 8. As explained above, at least one pivotable cable clamp 9 with a rack 22 is preferably provided on the conveyor vehicle 8, preferably at least one pivotable cable clamp 9 with a rack 22 on each side of the conveyor vehicle 8.

[0045] The conveying speed on the vertical cableway 4 is typically higher than the conveying speed in a station conveyor 20a, 20b, which means that the distance between the conveyor vehicles 8 on the conveying cable 5 is generally also greater than in a station conveyor 20a, 20b. The speed of the conveyor vehicles 8 can be controlled by the respective station conveyor 20a, 20b, even independently of each other, whereby a conveyor vehicle 8 can also be stopped in the area of ​​the station conveyor 20a, 20b. This makes it easier to load material onto the conveyor vehicle 8 or unload it from the conveyor vehicle 8.

[0046] A conveyor level 2a, 2b of the vertical conveyor 1 can have several platforms arranged one above the other (as in the upper conveyor level 2a in Fig. 1), with material being loaded onto the conveyor vehicle 8 or unloaded from the conveyor vehicle 8 at each platform. For loading or unloading, the conveyor vehicle 8 is positioned in the station conveyor 20a, 20b. However, the conveyor vehicle 8 could also be moving.

[0047] In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 and 2, the vertical conveyor 1 is integrated into an underground goods transport facility. The lower conveyor level 2b is arranged underground and the vertical conveyor 1 is at least partially arranged in a vertical shaft 30. The lower conveyor level 2b is provided in a tunnel 31, along which transport vehicles 32 are moved. The tunnel 31 is, for example, part of a large logistics network that connects many locations, e.g., cities. Access to this logistics network is via access points, with a vertical conveyor 1 according to the invention being arranged at at least one access point. At the upper end of the vertical conveyor 1, the upper conveyor level 2a is divided into several platforms, with goods 33 being able to be delivered to and removed from each platform as conveyed goods, e.g., by means of delivery vehicles or trucks.The upper station conveyor 2a is preferably configured to stop a conveyor vehicle 8, at least as needed, at each platform to enable loading or unloading of goods. Delivered goods 33 are transported by the vertical conveyor 1 to the lower conveyor level 2b and moved there along the tunnel 31. Discharged goods 33 come from the lower conveyor level 2b and are transported away by the vertical conveyor 1, for example, by delivery vehicles or trucks. Of course, not every conveyor vehicle 8 moving on the vertical cableway 4 needs to transport a good 33.

[0048] To convey a product 33 from the lower conveyor level 2b upwards, a conveyor vehicle 8 is brought to the level of the lower conveyor level 2b by the lower station conveyor 20b and, preferably, stopped. A transport vehicle 32 with a product 33 or only one product 33 is moved into the conveyor vehicle 8, for example by a self-propelled transport vehicle 32 or a transport vehicle conveyor (not shown). The lower station conveyor 20b then moves the conveyor vehicle 8 with the transport vehicle 32 or with the product 33 alone in the direction of the vertical cableway 4 and is transferred, as described above, to the vertical cableway 4, which moves the transport vehicle 32 or the product 33 alone upwards in the conveyor vehicle 8 coupled to the conveyor cable 5.At the top, the conveyor vehicle 8 is uncoupled from the conveyor cable 5 as described above and moved with the upper station conveyor 20a to the designated platform, where it is stopped for unloading the conveyor vehicle 8. The transport of a product 33 from top to bottom is essentially reversed.

[0049] In order to prevent vibrations of the conveyor vehicles 8 in the vertical conveyor line 3, a guide device 34, such as a guide rail, can be provided on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor 1, for example in the shaft 30 (as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). A guide part 35, such as a guide roller, is arranged on the conveyor vehicles 8, which interacts at least partially with the guide device 34 in the region of the vertical conveyor line 3 to guide the conveyor vehicle 8, for example, the guide roller rolls on the guide rail. A guide device 34 can also be provided in the region of the upper and / or lower station conveyor 20a, 20b, which interacts at least partially with a guide part 35 of the conveyor vehicle 8 to guide the conveyor vehicle 8.

Claims

Patent claims 1 . Vertical conveyor for connecting two conveyor levels (2a, 2b) separated from one another in height, wherein the vertical conveyor (1) has a vertical conveyor section (3) which connects the two conveyor levels (2a, 2b) to one another, and the vertical conveyor (1) is designed for the transport of at least one conveyor vehicle (8), characterized in that the vertical conveyor section (3) is formed by a vertical cableway (4) and the vertical cableway (4) has at least one circulating conveyor cable (5) to which a plurality of conveyor vehicles (8) can be detachably coupled by means of at least one cable clamp (9) of the respective conveyor vehicle (8), and the plurality of conveyor vehicles (8) can be moved along the vertical conveyor section (3) in a vertical conveying direction (V) with the circulating conveyor cable (5), that in the vertical conveyor (1) adjacent to a lower and upper end of the vertical cableway (4) in the region of the conveyor levels (2a, 2b) there is a station conveyor (20a,20b) is provided and each station conveyor (20a, 20b) is provided to move a conveyor vehicle (8) decoupled from the conveyor cable (5) along a station conveyor section (21), and that a conveyor vehicle (8) can be decoupled from the at least one conveyor cable (5) by means of the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicle (8) during the transition from the vertical cableway (4) to one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) and can be moved further with the station conveyor (20a, 20b), and that a conveyor vehicle (8) can be coupled to the at least one conveyor cable (5) by means of the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicle (8) during the transition from one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) to the vertical cableway (4) and can be moved further with the vertical cableway (4).

2. Vertical conveyor according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one conveyor rope (5) is arranged laterally of the conveyor vehicle (8) as seen in the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle (8) on the conveyor rope (5).

3. Vertical conveyor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vertical cableway (4) is designed with two separate conveyor cables (5), wherein a conveyor cable (5) is arranged on each side of the conveyor vehicle (8) as seen in the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle (8) and at least one cable clamp (9) is provided on each side of the conveyor vehicle (8) as seen in the direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle (8).

4. Vertical conveyor according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that an upper station conveyor (20a) is provided, a conveyor vehicle (8) uncoupled from the upwardly running conveyor rope (5) along the station conveyor section (21) of the upper Station conveyor (20a) to the descending conveyor rope (5) and a lower station conveyor (20b) is provided to move a conveyor vehicle (8) uncoupled from the descending conveyor rope (5) along the station conveyor section (21) of the lower station conveyor (20b) to the ascending conveyor rope (5).

5. Vertical conveyor according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one station conveyor (20a, 20b) is designed as a rack and pinion conveyor at least in sections along the station conveyor line (21).

6. Vertical conveyor according to claim 5, characterized in that a drivable gear wheel (22) is rotatably mounted on the conveyor vehicles (8), that a toothed rack (23) is arranged at least in sections on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) along the station conveyor section (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b), wherein the gear wheel (23) of a conveyor vehicle (8) rotates during operation of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b), and that the toothed rack (22) is in engagement with a gear wheel (23) of a conveyor vehicle (8) in the region of the toothed rack (22).

7. Vertical conveyor according to claim 5, characterized in that a toothed rack (22) is arranged on the conveyor vehicles (8), preferably on the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicles (8), that along the station conveyor section (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b) a plurality of drivable gear wheels (23) are arranged at least in sections on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) so as to be rotatably mounted, said gear wheels (23) being spaced apart from one another in a station conveyor direction (S), wherein the gear wheels (23) rotate during operation of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b), and that a toothed rack (22) of at least one conveyor vehicle (8) is in engagement with at least one gear wheel (23) in the region of the station conveyor section (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b).

8. Vertical conveyor according to claim 7, characterized in that along the entire station conveyor section (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b) on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) a plurality of gear wheels (23) spaced apart from one another in a station conveyor direction (S) and drivable are rotatably mounted.

9. Vertical conveyor according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that in the area of ​​the transition from the vertical cableway (4) to one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) and / or in the area of ​​the transition from one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) to the vertical cableway (4) on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) a plurality of a station conveying direction (S) spaced apart and drivable gear wheels (23) are rotatably mounted.

10. Vertical conveyor according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the at least one cable clamp (9) with rack (22) of a conveyor vehicle (8) is pivotable about a rotational axis (25) normal to the vertical conveying direction (V), and in that the conveyor vehicle (8) pivots the at least one cable clamp (9) with rack (22) during operation of the vertical conveyor (1) in the region of a station conveyor (20a, 20b) in order to change the orientation of the rack (22) and thus to change a direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle (8) along the station conveyor line (21).

11. Vertical conveyor according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the at least one cable clamp (9) of a conveyor vehicle (8) is pivotable about an axis of rotation (25) normal to the vertical conveying direction (V) and that the conveyor vehicle (8) pivots the at least one cable clamp (9) by 180° in the region between the decoupling of the conveyor vehicle (8) from the conveyor cable (5) and the coupling of the conveyor vehicle (8) to the conveyor cable (5).

12. A method for conveying a material to be conveyed with a vertical conveyor (1) between two vertically separated conveying planes (2a, 2b), wherein the material to be conveyed is moved in a conveyor vehicle (8) of the vertical conveyor (1) along a vertical conveying path (3), characterized in that a plurality of conveyor vehicles (8) are moved along the vertical conveying path (3) by a vertical cableway (4) with at least one circulating conveyor cable (5), by releasably coupling the plurality of conveyor vehicles (8) to the circulating at least one conveyor cable (5) with at least one cable clamp (9) of the respective conveyor vehicle (8), and by moving the plurality of conveyor vehicles (8) with the circulating at least one conveyor cable (5) along the vertical conveying path (3) in a vertical conveying direction (V),that a conveyor vehicle (8) is uncoupled from the at least one conveyor cable (5) by means of the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicle (8) during the transition from the vertical cableway (4) to a station conveyor (20a, 20b) of the vertical conveyor (1) adjoining an upper or lower end of the vertical cableway (4) and is moved further along a station conveyor line (21) with the station conveyor (20a, 20b), and that a conveyor vehicle (8) is coupled to the at least one conveyor cable (5) by means of the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicle (8) during the transition from a station conveyor (20a, 20b) of the vertical conveyor adjoining the upper or lower end of the vertical cableway (4) to the vertical cableway (4) and is moved further along the vertical cableway (4).

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that an upper station conveyor (20a) of the vertical conveyor (1) moves a conveyor vehicle (8) uncoupled from the ascending conveyor cable (5) of the vertical cable car (4) along the station conveyor section (21) of the upper station conveyor (20a) to the descending conveyor cable (5) and a lower station conveyor (20b) of the vertical conveyor (1) moves a conveyor vehicle (8) uncoupled from the descending conveyor cable (5) of the vertical cable car (4) along the station conveyor section (21) of the lower station conveyor (20b) to the ascending conveyor cable (5).

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that at least in sections along the station conveyor line (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b) on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) a rack (22) is arranged such that a gear (23) of a conveyor vehicle (8) is driven to rotate and that the gear (23) is brought into engagement with the rack (22) in order to move the conveyor vehicle (8) along the station conveyor line (S).

15. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that at least in sections along the station conveyor line (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b) on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1) a plurality of gear wheels arranged spaced apart from one another in a station conveyor direction (S) (23) are driven to rotate and that at least one rotating gear (23) is brought into engagement with a rack (22) arranged on at least one conveyor vehicle (8), preferably on the at least one cable clamp (9) of the conveyor vehicle (8), in order to move the conveyor vehicle (8) along the station conveyor line (S).

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that along the entire station conveyor section (21) of the upper and / or lower station conveyor (20a, 20b) and / or in the region of the transition from the vertical cableway (4) to one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) and / or in the region of the transition from one of the station conveyors (20a, 20b) to the vertical cableway (4) on a stationary component of the vertical conveyor (1), a plurality of gear wheels (23) arranged at a distance from one another in the station conveyor direction (S) are driven to rotate.

17. Method according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the at least one cable clamp (9) with rack (22) of a conveyor vehicle (8) is pivoted during operation of the vertical conveyor (1) in the region of a station conveyor (20a, 20b) about an axis of rotation (25) normal to the vertical conveying direction (V) in order to change the orientation of the rack (22) and thus to change a direction of movement of the conveyor vehicle (8) along the station conveyor line (21).

18. Method according to one of claims 15 to 17, characterized in that the at least one cable clamp (9) of a conveyor vehicle (8) is pivoted by 180° about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the vertical conveying direction (V) in the region between the uncoupling of the conveyor vehicle (8) from the at least one conveyor cable (5) and the coupling of the conveyor vehicle (8) to the at least one conveyor cable (5).

Images