JP6717340B2 - Bucket conveyor - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a bucket conveyor that conveys an object to be conveyed such as powder and granules by using a bucket that is reversed during movement.

Conventionally, an endless chain that can move around an endless circulation path supports a plurality of buckets that can store transported objects such as powder and granules, and these buckets can be moved around the circulation path along with the endless chain. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a bucket conveyor that reverses and drops an object to be conveyed from inside a bucket. In such a bucket conveyor, the bucket is assembled into a pair of left and right side plates supported by a pair of left and right endless chains and a pair of left and right side plates having a substantially U-shaped cross section between the side recesses. And a recess forming member that is formed in.

Further, as the bucket, there is a bucket configured by a flexible sheet member such as a rubber plate so that the recess forming member can be flexibly deformed. Then, in the case of the bucket in which the recess forming member is flexibly deformable in this way, when the bucket is inverted, one portion of the outer surface of the recess forming member is pushed by the protrusion to deform the recess forming member to the inner surface side of the housing recess, so that An object to be conveyed, which tends to adhere and remain, is forcibly dropped outside the bucket (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP2012-240832A

However, in the case of the bucket conveyor of Patent Document 1, when the bucket is turned over, the protrusion that abuts on one location on the outer surface of the recess forming member is in a state of abutting on the same location without displacing the abutment location on the outer surface. As it is, it is configured to move in the circumferential direction of the endless chain together with the bucket. That is, the protrusion only locally deforms one portion of the recess forming member that forms the housing recess, and does not entirely deform the portion of the recess forming member that forms the housing recess. Therefore, in the accommodating concave portion, the transported object such as the granular material remaining on the inner surface of the accommodating concave portion at a position displaced from one position deformed by being pushed by the protrusion is not deformed. However, even if the bucket is turned over, the bucket conveyor still remains in the accommodation recess, and if a new material to be conveyed such as powder or granular material is accumulated on the recess, the function of the bucket conveyor may be impaired.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent a recess forming member that forms a storage recess that can store an object to be conveyed from remaining in the storage recess of a flexibly deformable bucket. Another object of the present invention is to provide a bucket conveyor that can easily drop an object to be transported outside the bucket when the bucket is inverted.

Hereinafter, the means for solving the above problems and the effects thereof will be described.
The bucket conveyor that solves the above problems is an endless chain that is provided so as to be capable of moving in an endless circulation path, and is supported by the endless chain, and the posture is reversed while moving in an orbit together with the endless chain. A bucket for dropping the transported object housed therein, wherein the bucket has a housing recess having an opening on one surface side capable of housing the transported object, and the housing recess has a flexible recessed portion. At least one position of the drop allowable movement locus formed by a member, in which the bucket moves in a posture in which the conveyed object is allowed to fall from the accommodation recess in the movement locus of the bucket, An abutting member that abuts on the outer surface of the recess forming member of the passing bucket from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket and presses the abutting portion on the inner surface side of the accommodating recess, wherein the abutting member is The bucket is passed while displacing the contact portion of the recess forming member with respect to the outer surface from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket.

According to this configuration, when the bucket passes through the position where the contact member is arranged on the movement locus in a posture that allows the transported object to fall from the accommodation recess, the contact member causes the recess member to form the recess. Of the bucket from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket, and the contact portion is deformed by being pressed against the inner surface side of the accommodation recess. Then, the bucket passes through the position where the contact member is arranged while displacing the deformed portion, which is the contact portion with the contact member, from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket. That is, when the bucket moves along the drop allowable movement locus of the movement locus in a posture in which the transported object is allowed to fall from the accommodation depression, the depression forming member that forms the accommodation depression contacts the contact member. It deforms as a whole while displacing the deformed part due to contact. Therefore, in the bucket, the recess forming member is wholly deformed by the contact with the contact member while moving while reversing the posture of the bucket. It can be dropped without remaining.

In the bucket conveyor, the abutting member is in a direction intersecting with a moving direction when the bucket moves along the drop allowable movement locus among the movement loci and in a direction intersecting with an outer surface of the recess forming member. It is preferably displaceably arranged.

For example, when the transported object remaining in the accommodation recess is solidified, the recess forming member is less likely to be deformed toward the inner surface of the accommodation recess. Therefore, in such a case, if the contact member comes into contact with the outer surface of the recess forming member from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket, the movement of the bucket may be hindered. In this respect, according to the above configuration, in such a case, the outer surface of the recess forming member pushes the contact member away from the contact member in a direction that intersects the moving direction of the bucket and also intersects the outer surface of the recess forming member. On the other hand, on the outer surface of the recess forming member, the contact portion with the contact member is displaced from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction while being pressed by the contact member toward the inner surface side to be deformed. In other words, in this case, the abutting member that abuts the outer surface of the recess forming member from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket has the recessed portion in a state where the pushing-out force from the outer surface of the recess forming member and the pressing force on the outer surface of the recess forming member are balanced. Sliding on the outer surface of the forming member from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket. Therefore, the bucket, which moves on the drop allowable movement path in a posture in which the object to be conveyed is allowed to drop, promotes the overall deformation of the recess forming member by the contact member that slides while pressing the outer surface of the recess forming member. While passing, it passes through the position where the contact member is arranged without hindering its movement.

In the bucket conveyor, when the abutting member moves in a reversal posture movement locus in which the bucket moves in a reversing posture with the opening of the accommodating recess facing downward in the drop allowable movement locus in a direction intersecting the vertical direction. It is preferable that the bucket is arranged so as to be able to contact the outer surface of the recess forming member and to be displaceable at least in the vertical direction.

According to this configuration, when the bucket moves in the direction that intersects the vertical direction in the reversing posture with the opening of the accommodating recess facing downward in the reversing posture moving locus of the drop allowable movement locus, when the bucket moves to the outer surface of the recess forming member of the bucket. The abutting member abuts against it. Then, when the bucket further moves from that state, the contact portion of the contact member with respect to the outer surface of the recess forming member is displaced from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket including the displacement in the vertical direction, thereby forming the recess. The member deforms as a whole. Therefore, when the bucket passes through the position where the contact member is arranged in a reverse orientation in a direction intersecting the vertical direction, the bucket is not deformed by the contact member, and the recess forming member is entirely deformed. While being moved, the transported object remaining in the accommodation recess can be easily dropped from the accommodation recess with the opening facing downward.

In the bucket conveyor, a through hole or a notch groove that can be inserted above the reversing posture movement locus of the bucket so that a support shaft that is integrally displaced with the contact member can be displaced at least in the vertical direction. It is preferable that the abutting member is supported by the supporting member by arranging a supporting member having the above and engaging with the inner edge of the through hole or the notched groove by applying its own weight via the support shaft.

According to this structure, the contact member is supported by the through hole or the notch groove of the support member by its own weight so that the contact member is supported at the lowest part of the inner edge of the through hole or the notch groove of the support member. To be done. Therefore, the contact member can be arranged so as to be vertically displaceable with a simple configuration on the reversing posture movement locus in which the bucket moves in the reversing posture in the direction intersecting the vertical direction.

In the bucket conveyor, the through-hole or the notch groove has an inclined edge portion that is an upward slope from a lowermost portion of the inner edge toward the front side in the moving direction of the bucket, at a part of the inner edge thereof. Is preferred.

According to this structure, when the abutting member receives the pushing-away force from the recess forming member of the moving bucket, the support shaft inserted in the through hole or the notch groove slides on the sloped ridge portion having an upward slope. This allows displacement not only in the upward direction but also in the moving direction of the bucket. Therefore, the contact member flexibly opposes the pushing-out force from the outer surface of the recess forming member when the outer surface of the recess forming member of the moving bucket contacts from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket. It is possible to appropriately apply a pressing force for promoting the deformation of the outer surface to the inner surface side.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the recessed part formation member which forms the accommodation recessed part which can accommodate a to-be-conveyed object easily falls out of a bucket at the time of reversal of a to-be-conveyed object in which the to-be-conveyed object which tends to remain in the accommodating recessed part in a flexible deformable bucket. Can be made.

The partially broken side view which shows schematically the whole structure of one Embodiment of a bucket conveyor. The perspective view which shows the assembly state of the bucket with respect to an endless chain. The side view which shows the internal structure of the upper part of the discharge port in a bucket conveyor. FIG. 4 is a front view showing a portion taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 3. FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a portion taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 4. The side view which shows the state just before an abutting member contacts a moving bucket. The side view which shows the state immediately after the contact member contacted the moving bucket. The side view which shows the state which the bucket further moved from the state of FIG. The side view which shows the state which the bucket which moves moves the lower position of the contact member. The side view which shows the state in which the contact member was supported by the support member of the modification 1. The side view which shows the state in which the contact member was supported by the support member of the modification 2. The side view which shows the state in which the contact member was supported by the support member of the modification 3. The side view which shows the state in which the contact member was supported by the support member of the modification 4. The top view which shows some bucket conveyors provided with the contact member of a modification. The side view which shows some bucket conveyors provided with the contact member of other modifications.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the bucket conveyor will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when referring to the structure of the bucket conveyor in the front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, the direction shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bucket conveyor 11 of the present embodiment has a so-called crank-shaped conveyor case 12 whose overall side view is bent at two points in the length direction. The conveyor case 12 includes a lower case 13 having a rectangular tube shape extending in the front-rear direction, an upper case 14 having a rectangular tube shape extending in the front-rear direction at a position above and lower than the lower case 13, a lower case 13 and an upper case 14. And an intermediate case 15 in the shape of a rectangular tube extending in the up-down direction. Then, the front end of the lower case 13 and the lower end of the intermediate case 15 are flexibly connected via the lower connecting case 16, and the rear end of the upper case 14 and the upper end of the intermediate case 15 are connected via the upper connecting case 17. Are connected in a bent shape.

A drive side sprocket 18 is rotatably supported at a front end of the upper case 14 about a shaft 18a extending in the left-right direction, while a driven sprocket 19 is left and right at a rear end of the lower case 13. It is rotatably supported around a shaft 19a along the direction. A drive motor 20 is arranged on the upper surface of the upper case 14, and an output sprocket 21 is fixed to an output shaft 20a of the drive motor 20 so as to rotate synchronously with the output shaft 20a. An endless drive force transmission chain 22 is mounted between the output sprocket 21 and the drive side sprocket 18, and the drive side sprocket 18 rotates as the drive motor 20 rotates.

Further, in the conveyor case 12, an endless endless chain 23 is hung between the drive side sprocket 18 and the driven side sprocket 19. In addition, a lower intermediate sprocket 24, which makes a pair for the forward path and a path for the backward path, is rotatably supported in the lower connecting case 16 about a shaft 24a extending in the left-right direction, and is also provided in the upper connecting case 17. The pair of upper intermediate sprockets 25 are rotatably supported about a shaft 25a extending in the left-right direction. The endless chain 23 is bent and hung on each of the intermediate sprockets 24 and 25, so that the endless chain 23 is installed in the conveyor case 12 when the drive side sprocket 18 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. An endless circulation path is formed so that it can move around.

Further, the endless chain 23 is supported with a plurality of buckets 26 capable of accommodating the transported articles W (see FIG. 3) such as powder particles so as to be adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. Further, in the conveyor case 12, at the position near the rear end of the upper wall portion 13a of the lower case 13, a loading port 27 for the transported object W is formed, while it is below the drive side sprocket 18 in the upper case 14. A discharge port 28 for the transported object W is formed at the position. That is, each bucket 26 is capable of accommodating the transported object W loaded from above when passing below the loading port 27 as the endless chain 23 moves around, and thereafter the position of the drive side sprocket 18 is changed. When it is moved up to, the posture is reversed, so that the transported object W accommodated therein is dropped from the discharge port 28 downward and can be discharged (see FIG. 3 ).

As shown in FIG. 2, the endless chain 23 is composed of a pair of left and right chain members arranged in parallel in the left-right direction at regular intervals, and the plurality of buckets 26 are assembled between the pair of left and right endless chains 23. Has been. That is, in each of the endless chains 23, the link plate 29 in the link 30 composed of the pair of left and right link plates 29 facing each other has end portions with the link plate 29 of another link 30 adjacent in the series direction (front-back direction). It is rotatably connected by a connecting pin 31. Further, the bucket 26 is supported by the endless chain 23 via a support piece portion 32 that is provided to project from the link plate 29 in the horizontal direction.

In addition, between the pair of left and right link plates 29 of the endless chain 23, a tubular bush (not shown) is inserted with the connecting pin 31 so as to maintain a distance between the link plates 29 facing each other on the left and right. The roller 33 is rotatably attached to the bush. The tooth portions of the sprockets 18, 19, 24, 25 are meshed between the rollers 33 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. Therefore, in this state, the drive side sprocket 18 is driven and rotated by the drive force of the drive motor 20, so that the endless chain 23 causes the endless circulation path formed in the conveyor case 12 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. Move around to.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drive side sprocket 18 in the present embodiment has, for example, eight teeth. Therefore, the buckets 26 supported so as to be adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction on the endless chain 23, when passing through a portion where the chain bends, such as in the lower connecting case 16, as the endless chain 23 orbits, the other buckets adjacent to each other. It is inclined by 45 degrees (=360 degrees/8 points) with respect to 26.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bucket 26 cooperates with the pair of left and right side plates 35 whose inner side surfaces 34 face each other, and the both side plates 35 in a state of being assembled to the pair of side plates 35 so that the one surface side (FIG. 2 includes a recess forming member 37 that forms a housing recess 36 that is open on the upper surface side), and a fixing piece portion 38 that fixes the side plate 35 to the supporting piece portion 32 of the endless chain 23. That is, in the bucket 26, the fixing piece portion 38 attached to the side plate 35 so as to project from the outer side surface 39 of the side plate 35 in the horizontal direction is provided with the fastening member 40 including a bolt or a nut on the support piece portion 32 of the endless chain 23. Fixed through. In addition, in order to reinforce the rigidity of the bucket 26, a single reinforcing pipe 41 is provided between the side plates 35.

The recess forming member 37 is a flexible sheet member such as a rubber plate having a substantially rectangular shape, and a state in which the middle portion in the longitudinal direction is flexibly deformed so that the cross-sectional shape has a substantially U shape. Thus, it is assembled between the left and right side plates 35. That is, in the recess forming member 37 that is bent and deformed into a substantially U shape in the bucket 26, the end portions in the length direction that are the front side edge and the rear side edge of the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 are adjacent in the front-rear direction. Each of the other end portions in the length direction of the recess forming member 37, which is bent and deformed into a substantially U shape in the other bucket 26, is connected by the connecting plate 43 made of metal. Then, the left and right ends of each of the connecting plates 43 are joined to the inner side surfaces 34 of the left and right side plates 35, so that the inner surface of the recess forming member 37 flexibly deformed into a U-shape. An accommodating recess 36 that can accommodate the transported object W is formed.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the upper case 14 of the conveyor case 12, from the upstream side (the right side in FIG. 3) in the revolving movement direction of the endless chain 23 to the position in front of the drive side sprocket 18, the upper guide rail 44 is provided. However, it is installed so as to be substantially horizontal. Similarly, from the position below the drive side sprocket 18, the lower guide rail 45 extends substantially downstream of the drive side sprocket 18 toward the downstream side (the right side in FIG. 3) in the revolving movement direction of the endless chain 23. It is laid horizontally.

The upper guide rail 44 rolls each roller 33 when the endless chain 23 moves from the upper intermediate sprocket 25 on the outward path toward the drive side sprocket 18, thereby accommodating the buckets 26 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction. It is conveyed in the horizontal direction in a normal posture in which the opening 42 of 36 is directed upward. On the other hand, the lower guide rail 45 rolls each roller 33 when the endless chain 23 moves from the drive side sprocket 18 toward the upper intermediate sprocket 25 on the return path, so that the buckets adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are rolled. 26 is conveyed in the horizontal direction with the opening 42 of the accommodating recess 36 facing downward.

As shown in FIG. 3, each bucket 26 moves together with the endless chain 23 along an endless circulation path along which the endless chain 23 moves around. That is, each bucket 26 moves together with the endless chain 23 to form an endless movement locus in the conveyor case 12. Then, in the movement locus, after each bucket 26 starts to turn over above the discharge port 28, the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 is directed downward from the position P1 at which the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 is directed laterally. The object W to be conveyed is allowed to fall from the inside of the accommodating recess 36 up to the position P2 immediately before passing to the downstream side above the discharge port 28.

At this point, in the endless movement trajectory of the bucket 26, the trajectory portion from the position P1 to the position P2 shown in FIG. 3 has a posture in which the bucket 26 is allowed to drop the transported object W from the accommodation recess 36. Corresponds to the drop allowable movement locus that moves at. Further, in this drop allowable movement locus, each bucket 26 starts from the position P3 shown in FIG. 3 in which the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 is in the downward reversal posture as the meshing state between the endless chain 23 and the drive side sprocket 18 is released. Until the position P2, the sheet is conveyed in a substantially horizontal position along the lower guide rail 45 in the inverted position. In this respect, the locus portion from the position P3 to the position P2 shown in FIG. 3 of the drop allowable movement locus of the bucket 26 intersects with the vertical direction in the inverted posture in which the bucket 26 faces the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 downward. It corresponds to the reversal posture movement locus that moves in the direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the upper case 14 of the conveyor case 12, the bucket 26 is located at a position above a reversing posture moving locus in which the bucket 26 moves in a reversing posture with the opening 42 of the accommodating recess 36 facing downward, which is not shown. The plate-shaped support member 46 is fixed via the fixing member. The support member 46 is a plate piece that is hung so that its plate surface is along the moving direction (the direction indicated by the white arrow in FIG. 3) of the bucket 26 in the reversing posture moving path, and the through hole is formed in the lower part thereof. 47 is formed. The through-hole 47 has, at a part of the inner edge that is the peripheral edge of the through-hole 47, an oblique edge portion 48 that has an upward slope from the lowermost portion of the inner edge toward the front side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. That is, the through-hole 47 has an isosceles triangular shape in which the side of the oblique edge portion 48 is the longest side and the other two sides shorter than this side are equal sides.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the support member 46 is a pair of left and right plate pieces, and between the side plate 35 of the bucket 26 and the endless chain 23 in a front view from the front and a plan view from above. It is provided in the position. That is, the pair of left and right support members 46 has a left-right spacing greater than the width of the bucket 26 in the left-right direction. Both ends of one support shaft 49 are inserted into the through holes 47 formed in the left and right support members 46. As shown in FIG. 3, the support shaft 49 is a shaft member whose cross-sectional area is smaller than the opening area of the through hole 47, and the both ends thereof are inserted into the through hole 47 in the up-down direction and the front-rear direction and those directions. It is supposed to be displaceable in the direction in which

An abutting member 50, which is a roller member having an axial length shorter than the width of the bucket 26 in the left-right direction, is attached to the central portion of the support shaft 49 in the longitudinal direction so as to be displaceable integrally with the support shaft 49. ing. The abutting member 50 is rotatably attached to the support shaft 49, and is supported by the support member 46 by engaging the inner edge of the through hole 47 with its own weight via the support shaft 49. .. That is, the abutting member 50 moves in a reversing posture along the reversing posture movement locus, which is a part of the drop allowable movement locus, in a state where the support shaft 49 is located at the lowermost portion of the inner edge of the through hole 47 due to its own weight. The outer surface of the recess forming member 37 can be abutted from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. Then, when a pushing-away force is applied from the abutted bucket 26 in the vertical direction, the front-back direction, and the combined direction thereof, the bucket 26 can be displaced in that direction together with the support shaft 49. A disc-shaped retaining plate 51 is attached to both ends of the support shaft 49 in order to prevent the support shaft 49 from coming off from the through hole 47.

Therefore, next, the operation of the bucket conveyor 11 configured as described above will be described focusing on the operation when the bucket 26 contacts the contact member 50 on the movement trajectory.
Now, as shown in FIG. 3, each bucket 26, which revolves along the endless chain 23 in the endless circulation path, has a reverse position from the normal position in which the opening 42 of the accommodating recess 36 is upward to the position above the discharge port 28. The posture is reversed so that Therefore, each bucket 26 has a drop allowable movement locus from the position P1 to the position P2 including a reversal posture movement locus from the position P3 to the position P2 shown in FIG. When moving in the moving direction, the transported object W is dropped from the inside of each accommodation recess 36 and discharged from the discharge port 28 to the outside of the conveyor case 12.

At this time, if the transferred object W dropped from the accommodating recess 36 remains in the accommodating recess 36 due to adhesion or the like, then a new transferred object W is placed on the remaining transferred object W. There is a possibility that W will be accumulated and eventually impair the function of the bucket conveyor 11. Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the abutting member 50 arranged at one position on the reversing posture movement locus of the drop allowable movement locus of the bucket 26 of the bucket 26 moving in the reversing posture. By contacting the recess forming member 37 and deforming the recess forming member 37 as a whole, the object W to be conveyed, which tends to remain in the accommodating recess 36, is accelerated. The relationship between the recess forming member 37 and the contact member 50 in each bucket 26 in this case will be described below with reference to FIGS. 6 to 9.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the bucket 26 moves in the reversing posture movement locus in the reversing posture with the opening 42 of the accommodating concave portion 36 facing downward, in the movement direction indicated by the white arrow in FIGS. 6 to 9, the concave portion forming member. The contact member 50 comes into contact with the outer surface 37 a of 37. In this case, in the bucket 26, the transported object W such as powder particles remains on the inner surface 37b of the recess forming member 37 forming the housing recess 36, and the contact member 50 is arranged. When passing through the position in the moving direction indicated by the white arrow, the contact member 50 contacts the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket 26.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7, in the bucket 26, the contact portion T on the outer surface 37 a of the recess forming member 37 with the contact member 50 is pressed toward the inner surface 37 b by the contact member 50 and locally deforms. .. Therefore, the transported object W that remains attached to a portion of the inner surface 37b of the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 that is locally deformed by the pressing force from the contact member 50 promotes separation from the portion. Being dropped.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8, when the bucket 26 further moves from that state in the movement direction indicated by the white arrow, the bucket 26 is contacted with the contact member 50 at the contact point T on the outer surface 37 a of the recess forming member 37. A certain deformation point is displaced from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. That is, the contact member 50 that contacts the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 from the front side in the moving direction deforms the contact point T toward the inner surface 37b of the recess forming member 37, and the recess forming member 37. Slides on the outer surface 37a from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. Therefore, in the bucket 26, the recess forming member 37 is wholly deformed by the contact with the contact member 50 while the bucket 26 moves in the reverse position on the moving path in the reverse position. As a result, the transported object W that has adhered and remains in the accommodation recess 36 of the bucket 26 is promoted to separate from the entire inner surface 37b of the recess forming member 37, and falls without remaining in the accommodation recess 36. To be made.

By the way, when the transported object W remaining on the inner surface 37b of the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 due to adhesion or the like is solidified, the contact member 50 contacts the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 made of a flexibly deformable sheet material. Even when abutting against each other, it may be difficult to deform toward the inner surface 37b. Then, in such a case, the movement of the bucket 26 may be hindered by the contact member 50. Therefore, in the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact member 50 is formed in the recess forming member 37 that is in contact with the contact point T in the direction intersecting the moving direction of the bucket 26 and at that time. The movement of the bucket 26 is not hindered by being displaceable in the direction intersecting with the outer surface 37a.

That is, as shown in FIG. 8, as the bucket 26 moves in the direction of the white arrow, the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 causes the contact member 50 to face diagonally forward and upward, which is a combination of the upward direction and the forward direction. Push it away. Then, in response to the pushing-out force, the contact member 50 slides the support shaft 49 from the lowermost part of the inner edge of the through hole 47 to the slanted edge portion 48 and is displaced diagonally forward and upward, while the recess forming member is formed. The outer surface 37 a of the bucket 37 is slid from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. Moreover, since the contact member 50, which is a roller member, is rotatable with respect to the support shaft 49 during sliding, a pressing force balanced with the pushing-out force from the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 is applied to the recess forming member. While being applied to the outer surface 37a of 37, it rolls on the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37. Therefore, the abutting member 50 accelerates the deformation of the abutting portion T of the recess forming member 37 with the outer surface 37a to the inner surface 37b side, and does not give the bucket 26 a resistance that hinders the movement of the bucket 26. Pass in the direction of the white arrow.

In this way, the abutting member 50 slides on the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket 26 so that the contact point T with the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 moves in the vertical direction and the front-back direction. By displacing in the direction and the direction in which they are combined, the bucket 26 passes through the position where the contact member 50 is arranged while deforming the recess forming member 37 as a whole. Then, during the passage, each bucket 26 maintains the inverted posture in which the opening 42 of the accommodation recess 36 is directed downward. Therefore, the transported object W attached to the inner surface 37b of the recessed portion forming member 37 and remaining in the storage recessed portion 36 has the recessed portion forming member 37 as a whole in an inverted posture in which the opening 42 of the storage recessed portion 36 faces downward. Therefore, it can be easily dropped downward from the inside of the accommodation recess 36.

Then, as shown in FIG. 9, when the bucket 26 further moves from that state in the moving direction indicated by the white arrow, the contact member 50 of the bucket 26 separates from the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37, so The recessed portion forming member 37 having flexibility elastically returns to the original shape having a substantially U-shaped cross section. On the other hand, in the contact member 50, the support shaft 49 slides along the slanted edge portion 48 of the through hole 47 to the lowermost portion of the inner edge of the through hole 47, and at that position, the recess forming member 37 of the next bucket 26. It waits for contact with the outer surface 37a. Then, similarly, thereafter, the abutting member 50 abuts the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 of each bucket 26 passing through the position where the contact member 50 is disposed to deform the recess forming member 37 as a whole, so that each bucket 26 is deformed. The transported object W, which tends to remain in the accommodation recess 36 due to adhesion or the like, is dropped from the accommodation recess 36.

According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) When the bucket 26 moves on the drop allowable movement locus from the position P1 to the position P2 of the movement locus in a posture in which the transported object W is allowed to fall from the accommodation depression 36, The recess forming member 37 to be formed is deformed as a whole while displacing the deformed portion which is the contact portion T with the contact member 50. Therefore, while the bucket 26 moves while reversing its posture, the recess forming member 37 is wholly deformed by the contact with the contact member 50, so that the transported object stored in the storage recess 36 is transferred. W can be dropped downward without remaining in the accommodation recess 36.

(2) For example, the abutting member 50 that comes into contact with the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 in which the transported object W remaining in the accommodating recess 36 is solidified from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket 26 is the outer surface of the recess forming member 37. The push-out force from 37a and the pushing force against the outer surface 37a are balanced, and slide on the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. Therefore, the bucket 26, which moves on the drop allowable movement path of the movement path of the bucket 26 in a posture in which the falling of the transported object W is allowed, slides while pressing the outer surface 37 a of the recess forming member 37. As a result, it is possible to pass through the position where the contact member 50 is arranged, without being hindered from moving, while promoting the overall deformation of the recess forming member 37.

(3) When the bucket 26 passes through the position where the contact member 50 is arranged in a reverse posture in a substantially horizontal direction intersecting the vertical direction, the movement of the bucket 26 is not hindered by the contact member 50, and the recessed portion is formed. By moving the member 37 while deforming it as a whole, it is possible to easily drop the transported object W remaining in the housing recess 36 from the housing recess 36 with the opening 42 facing downward.

(4) The contact member 50 is supported by its own weight at the lowest part of the inner edge of the through hole 47 of the support member 46 by inserting the support shaft 49 into the through hole 47 of the support member 46. .. Therefore, on the movement trajectory of the bucket 26, the contact member 50 is vertically moved with a simple configuration on the reversal posture movement locus from the position P3 to the position P2 where the bucket 26 moves in the reversing posture in the direction intersecting the vertical direction. Can be displaceable to.

(5) When the contact member 50 contacts the recess forming member 37 of the moving bucket 26 and receives a pushing-away force from the recess forming member 37 in the moving direction, the support shaft 49 inserted into the through hole 47 rises. By sliding on the sloped beveled edge 48, the bucket 26 can be displaced not only in the upward direction but also in the moving direction of the bucket 26. Therefore, the contact member 50 is flexible against the pushing-away force from the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 when the contact member 50 contacts the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 of the moving bucket 26 from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket 26. The pressing force for urging the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 to deform toward the inner surface 37b can be appropriately applied.

The above embodiment may be modified as follows. Further, the following modified examples may be combined appropriately.
-Like the support member 46 of the modified example 1 shown in FIG. 10, the through hole 47 through which the support shaft 49 of the contact member 50 is inserted is configured by a vertically long hole having no slanted edge portion 48 at its inner edge. May be Even in this case, the contact member 50 can be arranged together with the support shaft 49 so as to be vertically displaceable.

Like the support member 46 of the modification 2 shown in FIG. 11, the through hole 47 through which the support shaft 49 of the abutting member 50 is inserted is provided with two slanted edges 48 at its inner edge. The hole may be in the shape of an isosceles triangle with the edges provided with the edges 48 being equal sides. According to this configuration, even when the bucket 26 moves in the opposite direction to the case of the embodiment, the support shaft 49 is slid on either of the two slanted edge portions 48 forming a pair so that the contact member 50 is moved. It can be displaced at least in the vertical direction by the pushing-away force of the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26.

As in the support member 46 of the modification 3 shown in FIG. 12, a cutout groove 52 that can insert the support shaft 49 of the contact member 50 is formed instead of the through hole 47, and a part of the inner edge of the cutout groove 52 is formed. The slanted edge portion 48 may be formed on. Even in this case, the abutting member 50 can be supported by engaging the abutting member 50 with the lowermost part of the inner edge of the cutout groove 52 in the supporting member 46 by applying its own weight.

-Like the support member 46 of the modification 4 shown in FIG. 13, the notch groove 52 which inserts the support shaft 49 of the contact member 50 is comprised by the longitudinal groove which does not have the slanted edge part 48 in the inner edge. Good. Even in this case, the contact member 50 can be arranged together with the support shaft 49 so as to be vertically displaceable.

As shown in FIG. 14, the contact member 50 made of a roller member may be arranged so that the axial direction intersects the moving direction of the bucket 26 obliquely in a plan view. According to this configuration, when the bucket 26 passes through the position where the contact member 50 is arranged, the contact member 50 moves from one end side to the other end side in the width direction of the recess forming member 37 with respect to the recess forming member 37. The recess forming member 37 can be easily deformed because the contact is made while shifting the contact timing.

As in the modified example shown in FIG. 15, the contact member 54 made of an elastic plate piece is cantilevered to one position (for example, the position P1) in the drop allowable movement locus of the movement locus of the bucket 26 via the fixing member 53. You may arrange in a shape. When the free end of the contact member 54 comes into contact with the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 that moves on the drop allowable movement locus from the front side in the moving direction, the contact forming member 50 causes the recess forming member 37 to move. The bucket 26 may pass through the position where the contact member 54 is arranged while being deformed as a whole. According to this configuration, in addition to the abutting member 50 made of one roller member, the abutting member 54 made of another elastic plate piece allows the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 as a whole twice. Therefore, the transported object W can be more reliably dropped from the accommodation recess 36.

Only the contact member 54 made of the elastic plate piece shown in FIG. 15 is provided on the drop allowable movement trajectory of the bucket 26, and the contact member 50 made of the roller member in the embodiment is not provided on the reversing posture movement trajectory of the bucket 26. It may be configured. In this case also, the contact member 54 causes the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26, which passes through the position where the contact member 54 is disposed, to be deformed as a whole, so that the transported object W is dropped from the accommodation recess 36. You can

The slanted edge portion 48 formed in the through hole 47 of the support member 46 or a part of the inner edge of the cutout groove 52 may be configured to extend in a curved shape instead of a straight shape.
The contact member 50 may be fixed to the support shaft 49 so as not to be rotatable but to be rotatable. Alternatively, the contact member 50 may have a configuration in which the shaft portion functioning as the support shaft 49 is projected from both end surfaces in the axial direction.

The contact member 50 may be attached to the tip of a spring member or a swing arm member that is displaceably provided at least at one position on the drop allowable movement locus in the movement locus of the bucket 26.

The contact member 50 is fixedly arranged on the drop allowable movement locus of the bucket 26 so as to come into contact with the outer surface of the recess forming member 37 of the bucket 26 that moves along the movement locus from the front side in the movement direction. Good. Also in this case, if the recess forming member 37 is made of a flexible sheet material, the bucket 26 has the contact point T on the outer surface 37a of the recess forming member 37 with the contact member 50 on the inner surface 37b side. By deforming, the contact member 50 can pass through the position where it is fixedly arranged.

11... Bucket conveyor, 23... Endless chain, 26... Bucket, 36... Receiving recess, 37... Recess forming member, 37a... Outer surface, 37b... Inner surface, 42... Opening, 46... Supporting member, 47... Through hole, 48... Oblique Edge portion, 49... Support shaft, 50... Abutting member, 52... Notch groove, 54... Abutting member, T... Abutting portion, W... Transported object.

Claims (2)

An endless chain that can be moved around an endless circulation path,
A bucket which is supported by the endless chain and whose posture is reversed during the circular movement together with the endless chain, thereby dropping the transported object housed therein,
The bucket has an accommodating recess that is open on one surface side capable of accommodating the transported object,
The accommodation recess is formed of a flexible recess forming member,
At least one location of a drop-allowable movement trajectory in which the bucket moves in a posture in which the object to be transported is allowed to fall from the accommodation recess in the movement trajectory of the bucket, the recess in the bucket passing through the location. An abutting member that abuts against the outer surface of the forming member from the front side in the moving direction of the bucket, and that abutment member that can press the abutting portion on the inner surface side of the accommodation recess is disposed,
The abutting member is provided in the bucket when the bucket moves along a reversing posture moving locus that moves in a direction that intersects the vertical direction in a reversing posture with the opening of the accommodating recess facing downward in the drop allowable movement locus. A spindle which is arranged so as to be capable of contacting the outer surface of the recess forming member and displaceable at least in the vertical direction, and which is integrally displaced with the contact member above the reversing posture movement locus of the bucket. Is slidable in at least the vertical direction and is insertable, and a part of its inner edge has a slanted edge portion that has an upward slope from the lowermost portion of the inner edge toward the front side in the moving direction of the bucket. A supporting member having a through hole or a notched groove is provided, and the abutting member engages with the inner edge of the through hole or the notched groove via the support shaft by applying its own weight to the supporting member. The bucket conveyor , which is supported by, and allows the bucket to pass while displacing a contact portion of the recess forming member with respect to the outer surface from the front side to the rear side in the moving direction of the bucket. The abutting member is arranged so as to be displaceable in a direction that intersects a moving direction when the bucket moves on the drop allowable movement locus of the movement loci and that also intersects an outer surface of the recess forming member. The bucket conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: