JP7737609B2 - Elevator dust collector - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates primarily to bucket-type elevators, and in particular to dust collection devices for elevators.

This type of elevator is well known and consists of an upper elevator case, a lower elevator case, and an intermediate elevator case located between them. Pulleys are journaled within the upper and lower elevator cases, and an endless bucket belt is stretched between the pulleys.

The elevator scoops up grains and other granular materials in a bucket in a lower elevator case, throws the granular materials in the bucket into an upper elevator case, and discharges them from a discharge port in the upper elevator case. However, while the grains are being lifted and transported, dust particles mixed in the grains become fine particles and fly up. To prevent this, a large amount of dust is generated when the granular materials are thrown. It is also known to connect one end of a dust exhaust duct to an opening in the wall of the upper elevator case and connect the other end to the exhaust chamber of a grain dryer (see Patent Document 1). It is also known to connect the upper elevator cases of multiple elevators in series with a dust exhaust duct and use a common dust collector at the end of the dust exhaust duct to centrally exhaust the dust.
Furthermore, Patent Document 2 discloses an elevator connected to a load receiving hopper, in which the opposing space (intermediate space) formed between the ascending elevator case and the descending elevator case is used as a dust exhaust duct to transport dust generated in the load receiving hopper to a dust collector through a dust exhaust pipe installed near the upper elevator case.
However, the above-mentioned patent documents all require piping such as a dust exhaust duct leading to the dust collector separate from the elevator, and the centralized dust collector is large and expensive.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 54-166681 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-335491

In consideration of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an elevator equipped with an inexpensive, space-saving dust collection device that does not require the installation of a special dust collection device or the installation of piping.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an elevator comprising an upper pulley journaled in an upper elevator case and a lower pulley journaled in a lower elevator case, with a bucket belt stretched between the upper pulley journaled in an upper elevator case and a lower pulley journaled in a lower elevator case, wherein two intermediate elevator cases are erected in parallel, through which the ascending side and the descending side of the bucket belt are inserted separately, and an intermediate space is formed between these two opposing intermediate elevator cases,
a first suction port provided on one side of the upper elevator case that communicates with the interior of the angle-shaped partition plate; a second suction port provided on one side of the upper elevator case that communicates with the interior of the angle -shaped partition plate; and a first suction port provided on one side of the upper elevator case that communicates with the interior of the angle-shaped partition plate. The first and second suction ports are connected to each other by an external duct.

The dust collection chamber may be formed by covering the intermediate space with a panel in a substantially airtight manner, with a part of the panel serving as a door.

It is recommended to install a dust collection box at the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

A lower air passage can be installed vertically from the bottom of the dust collection chamber toward the lower elevator case.

According to this invention, dust generated when granular material thrown by the bucket collides with the guide plate is guided into the dust collection chamber. Meanwhile, the upper end of a duct, whose lower end faces a dust collection chamber formed in the intermediate space, is positioned within the angled partition plate, and the dust collection chamber and the interior of the angled partition plate are connected in communication with each other by an external duct. Therefore, dust in the dust collection chamber is introduced from the external duct through the duct and into the dust collection chamber, where it is collected. This makes it possible to collect dust within the elevator without installing a large, expensive dust collection device.

The dust collection chamber is formed by covering part of the intermediate space between a pair of conventionally existing intermediate elevator cases in an almost airtight manner with a panel, eliminating the need to form a dust collection chamber outside the elevator, making it compact.

In addition, dust can be easily collected by installing a collection box at the bottom of the dust collection chamber.

Furthermore, by installing a lower air duct vertically from the dust collection chamber, it is possible to simultaneously collect dust generated inside the lower elevator case.

1 is an overall perspective view of an elevator showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the upper elevator case in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the intermediate elevator case in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the dust collection chamber in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a dust collection chamber in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a filter in the dust collection chamber. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a bucket-type elevator 1 showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an upper elevator case in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of an intermediate elevator case.
The elevator 1 comprises an upper elevator case 2, a lower elevator case 3, and an intermediate elevator case 4. An upper pulley 6 journaled by an upper shaft 5 is provided in the upper elevator case 2, and a lower pulley 10 journaled by a lower shaft 9 (see Figure 8) is provided in the lower elevator case 3, both of which are rotatable.

The intermediate elevator case 4 is located between the upper elevator case 2 and the lower elevator case 3. The intermediate elevator case 4 consists of an ascending elevator case 4a and a descending elevator case 4b that face each other in parallel. An endless bucket belt 7 stretching between the upper pulley 6 and the lower pulley is inserted into the ascending elevator case 4a and the descending elevator case 4b. A plurality of buckets 8 are attached to the bucket belt 7 at equal intervals. A motor and chain (neither shown) that drive the sprocket attached to the upper shaft 5 are located inside a safety cover 11 installed on the outside of the upper elevator case 2, allowing the bucket belt 7 to rotate between the upper and lower pulleys.

The intermediate elevator case 4 is divided into three sections vertically, with pairs of ascending and descending cases facing parallel to each other in the vertical direction. Specifically, the upper part of the intermediate elevator case 4 consists of ascending elevator case 4a1 and descending elevator case 4b1, while the lower part consists of ascending elevator case 4a3 and descending elevator case 4b3, with ascending elevator case 4a2 and descending elevator case 4b2 located between them. Joining flanges 12 are provided at the upper and lower ends of each of the ascending and descending elevator cases, and the intermediate elevator case 4 is formed by joining these flanges 12. Furthermore, the flanges 12 join the upper end of the intermediate elevator case 4 to the lower end of the upper elevator case 2, and the lower end of the intermediate elevator case 4 to the upper end of the lower elevator case 3, respectively, thereby forming the entire elevator 1 as a single unit.

A number of reinforcing stays 13 are provided in the intermediate space 14 formed between the ascending elevator case and each of the descending elevator cases in the intermediate elevator case 4, and a dust collection chamber 15 is formed in the intermediate space 14 between the lower ascending elevator case 4a3 and descending elevator case 4b3. The dust collection chamber 15 will be described below with reference to Figures 5 and 6.

A front panel 16 is provided on the front side of the dust collection chamber 15 (which in this embodiment refers to the side on which the safety cover 11 is provided), a rear panel 17 is provided on the rear side, and a top panel 18 is provided on the top side. Furthermore, a collection box 19 that can be freely inserted and removed from the front side is provided at the bottom, thereby forming the dust collection chamber 15 in a substantially airtight state. A filter shelf 20 is provided within the dust collection chamber 15, and a filter (strainer) 21 is installed by inserting it into a hole 20a provided in the filter shelf 20. The filter 21 consists of a filter cloth 21a and a retainer 21b that holds it. The flange 21c at the upper end of the retainer 21b is placed on the periphery of the hole 20a of the filter shelf 20, allowing for detachable installation (see FIG. 7). In addition, an air nozzle 22 is provided on the flange portion 21c, with its tip facing the inside of the retainer 21b, and high-pressure air from an air source not shown in the figure is intermittently sprayed to cause dust adhering to the filter cloth 21a to fall into the collection box 19.

A suction-type exhaust fan 23 is provided on the upper part of the front panel 16, and the front panel 16 between the exhaust fan 23 and the collection box 19 forms a door 16a. As a result, when the door 16a is closed, the dust collection chamber 15 is made substantially airtight . The lower end of a pipe 24 for supplying dust generated in the upper elevator case 2 to the dust collection chamber 15 faces the bottom of the dust collection chamber 15. That is, the pipe 24 penetrates the filter shelf 20 and the top panel 18 of the dust collection chamber 15, extends upward within the intermediate space 14, and is erected with its upper end facing the upper elevator case 2.

In the upper elevator case 2, directly below the upper pulley 6, a mountain-shaped partition plate 25 is provided, with its peak facing in the axial direction of the upper shaft 5. The mountain-shaped partition plate 25 is formed by extending upward on the opposing inner walls of the upper ascending elevator case 4a1 and descending elevator case 4b1 of the intermediate elevator case 4, i.e., the side wall on the intermediate space 14 side. It is sandwiched between the ascending and descending bucket belts 7 and is formed between the front wall and rear wall of the upper elevator case 2, and is isolated from the other spaces within the upper elevator case 2.

A guide plate 26 is provided above the discharge section 2a of the upper elevator case 2 to guide granular material thrown from each bucket 8 toward the discharge section 2a. The guide plate 26 is provided with its lower portion inclined toward the outside of the upper elevator case 2, and a dust collection chamber 27 is formed between the guide plate 26 and the inner wall of the upper elevator case 2. In addition, a dust collection port 27a is formed near the lower end of the guide plate 26 to introduce dust into the dust collection chamber 27. Furthermore, a first suction port 28 is provided in the front wall or rear wall of the upper elevator case 2 which forms the dust collection chamber 27, while a second suction port 29 which communicates with the interior of the angled partition plate 25 is opened in the front wall or rear wall of the upper elevator case 2 on the side where the first suction port 28 is provided (the same side as the first suction port 28), and these first suction port 28 and second suction port 29 are connected in communication by an external duct 30 provided on the front side or rear side of the upper elevator case 2 (the same side as the first suction port 28).

As described above, in this embodiment, dust generated when granular material thrown by the bucket 8 collides with the guide plate 26 inside the upper elevator case 2 is introduced into the dust collection chamber 27 through the dust suction port 27a. The suction action of the exhaust fan 23 transports the dust through the first suction port 28, external duct 30, and second suction port 29 into the angled partition plate 25, and then transports it through the duct 24 into the dust collection chamber 15. In the dust collection chamber 15, the dust is filtered by the filter 21 and then discharged outside the elevator as clean air. Dust falls from the filter 21 and is collected in the dust collection box 19.

Figure 8 shows another embodiment. In this embodiment, a lower duct 31 is provided that hangs down from the bottom of the dust collection chamber 15 into the lower elevator case 3 to remove dust generated when the bucket 8 scoops up granular material inside the lower elevator case 3. In this case, the relatively short lower duct 31 can effectively collect dust inside the lower elevator case 3. Furthermore, by combining this embodiment with the previous embodiment, dust generated inside the elevator 1 can be more completely collected.

This invention utilizes the intermediate space of an existing elevator to provide a dust collection chamber, allowing for efficient transport and collection of dust generated within the upper elevator case, making it possible to use the device as an inexpensive, space-saving dust collection device.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 elevator 2 upper elevator case 3 lower elevator case 4 intermediate elevator case 5 upper shaft 6 upper pulley 7 bucket belt 8 bucket 9 lower shaft 10 lower pulley 11 safety cover 12 flange 13 stay 14 intermediate space 15 dust collection chamber 16 front panel 17 rear panel 18 top panel 19 collection box 20 filter shelf 21 filter 22 air nozzle 23 exhaust fan 24 duct 25 angled partition plate 26 guide plate 27 dust collection chamber 28 first suction port 29 second suction port 30 external duct 31 lower duct

Claims (4)

An elevator comprising an upper pulley journaled in an upper elevator case and a lower pulley journaled in a lower elevator case, with a bucket belt stretched between them, wherein two intermediate elevator cases are erected in parallel, through which the ascending side and the descending side of the bucket belt are inserted separately, and an intermediate space is formed between these two opposing intermediate elevator cases;
a dust collection chamber formed by an inner wall of the upper elevator case; a first suction port provided on one side of the upper elevator case that communicates with the interior of the angle- shaped partition plate; and a second suction port provided on one side of the upper elevator case that communicates with the interior of the angle-shaped partition plate. The first and second suction ports are connected to each other by an external duct. 2. The dust collecting device for an elevator according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting chamber is formed by covering the intermediate space with a panel in a substantially airtight manner, and a part of the panel serves as a door. 3. A dust collecting device for an elevator according to claim 2, wherein a dust collecting box is provided at the bottom of said dust collecting chamber. 3. A dust collecting device for an elevator according to claim 2, wherein a lower air passage is vertically extended from the bottom of said dust collecting chamber toward said lower elevator case.