GB2133452A - A container for transport along a pneumatic conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

The container has a lockable pivoting lid 7 and a clamp 13, for securing the container contents during transit, pivotable about journals 12 located in slots 11 in intermediate walls adjacent the container side walls and a clamp locking mechanism actuated automatically when the lid is closed. The locking mechanism comprises a toothed segment 17 capable of limited movement and connected via a system of pivotally interconnected levers 18, 19 to the lid 7 and via a tie 24 with a spindle 25 which also carries a lever 27 with a toothed member 28 engageable with the toothed segment 17 during transportation and a through-slot 29 engageable by a roller 30 mounted on the clamp 13. When roller 30 engages slot 29 lever 27 is pivoted downwards, so that when the lid 7 is lowered, levers 18, 19 move toothed segment 17 horizontally to engage tooth 28, and then downwardly to press the clamp 13 onto the container contents. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A container for transport along a pneumatic conveyor The present invention relates to containers for transporting items along pipe-lines of pneumatic conveyers.

It is most expedient to use containers in accordance with the present invention for transporting books in libraries. It is possible to use such containers for transporting other items requiring especially careful handling.

The present invention provides a container for transporting piece goods along the pipe-lines of a pneumatic conveyer, comprising a body with a cover connected thereto so that it can turn and locked relative thereto in the course of transportation, and intermediate walls secured near its butt walls parallelly thereto and having slots accommodating journals of a member pressing goods, which member is mounted in the body so that it can turn in the direction of turning of the cover and has at least one mechanism locking it in the course of transportation, in which the mechanism locking the member pressing the goods comprises a toothed segment mounted in the body in a plane parallel to the intermediate wall and capable of a limited movement in the plane in mutually perpendicular directions, for which purpose it is connected via a system of pivotally interconnected levers to the cover and via a tie to an axle secured on the intermediate wall and mounting also a lever with a toothed member engaging the toothed segment in the course of transportation of piece goods and having a through slot made near the toothed member to accommodate a roller mounted on the pressing member in such a manner that its geometrical axis is parallel to the axes of the journals of the pressing member, an additional slot accommodating the roller and a horizontal slot accommodating the axle of a pivot interconnecting the adjacent levers of said system of levers being made in the intermediate wall parallelly to the slot accommodating the journals of the pressing member.

It is expedient to use a longitudinal slot made in the tie at the point of its connection with the axle and a stop secured on the intermediate wall and interacting with the toothed segment portion disposed near the bottom of the container for limiting displacement of the toothed segment.

This limitation of displacement of the toothed segment is very simpie in design.

A container in accordance with the present invention makes it possible to load and unload items without extracting the container from the pipe-line. Besides, it is possible to lock the items automatically with a predetermined force upon closing of the cover. All this reduces the time necessary for loading and unloading the container, makes it easier for the operator to control the operation, and increases the output of the pneumatic conveyor.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a part-sectioned side view of a container for transporting items; Figure 2 is a part-sectioned top view of the container; Figure 3 is a section on line Ill-Ill in Figure 1, with the cover closed; Figure 4 is similar to Figure 3, but with the cover open; Figure 5 is a section on line V-V in Figure 1; and Figure 6 is a section on line VI--VI in Figure 5.

The illustrated container for transporting items along the pipe-lines of a pneumatic conveyor comprises a body 1 shaped as a parallelepiped and formed by side walls 2 and 3, a bottom 4, and butt walls 5 and 6. From the top the container is closed with a cover 7 connected to the side wall 2 by means of pivots having horizontal axles 8.

Secured in the body 1 near its butt walls 5 and 6 and parallel thereto are intermediate walls 9 and 10, respectively. Made in the walls 9 and 10 are substantially vertical (according to the drawing) slots 11 (Figure 3) used to accommodate journals 12 of a member 13 for pressing items 14 (Figure 1). The pressing member 13 is mounted so that it can turn in the direction of turning of the cover 7 and is shaped as a plate having a coating 1 5 made from an elastic material. The pressing member 1 3 has two mechanisms 1 6 (Figure 3) for locking it in the course of transportation of the items 14 in a container. These mechanisms are made absolutely identical and, therefore, whatever is later said with respect to one of them, equally concerns the other one as well.

Each locking mechanism 1 6 comprises a toothed segment 1 7 mounted in the body 1 parallel to the intermediate wall 9 and capable of a limited displacement in this plane in mutually perpendicular directions, for which purpose it is connected via a lever system comprising levers 1 8 and 1 9 interconnected by a pivot whose axle 20 is disposed in a horizontal slot 21 made in the intermediate wall and providing for displacement of the toothed segment 1 7 in the vertical (according to the drawing) direction.The free end portion of the lever 1 8 is connected to the toothed segment 1 7 by means of a pivot with an axle 22, whereas the free end portion of the lever 1 9 is connected to the cover 7 by means of a pivot with an axle 23. The toothed member 17 is connected via a tie 24 rigidly connected thereto to an axle 25 secured to the intermediate wall 9.

Made in the tie 24 is a longitudinal slot 26 allowing for displacement of the toothed segment 17 in the horizontal (according to the drawing) direction and, at the same time, limiting the displacement.

Mounted on the axle 25 is also a lever 27 whose free end portion has a toothed member 28 and a through-slot 29 (Figure 4) made therein, the toothed member 28 engaging the toothed segment 1 7 and the through-slot 29 being used for accommodating a roller 30 mounted on the pressing member 1 3. The roller 30 is mounted on the pressing member 13 in such a manner that its geometrical axis is parallel to the geometrical axes of the journals 12 of the pressing member 13. To move the roller 30 during turning of the lever 27, a slot 31 substantially parallel to the slot 11 is made in the intermediate wall 9.

The lever 27 mounts a stop 32 disposed near the axle 25 of its turning, and the intermediate wall 9 mounts a stop 33 comprising a body 34 accommodating a spring-loaded rod 35 interacting with the stop 32 when the cover 7 is open to hold the lever 27 in the upper position after its toothed member 28 is disengaged from the toothed segment 1 7.

The axte 25 also mounts a lever 36 (Figures 5, 6) whose free end portion is coupled with the journal 12 of the pressing member 13. This connection of the pressing member 13 with the axle 25 ensures stabilization of its position in space while it is being lowered or raised.

To provide a greater rigidity to the axles 25, additional intermediate walls 37 are mounted in the body 1 parallel to the intermediate walls 9, 10 and in such a manner that the lever 36 are disposed between them and the respective butt walls 9 and 10.

To lock the pressing member 1 3 relative to the cover 7 when the cover is in the open position, use is made of a pin 38 provided on the cover 7 and a slot 39 made in the pressing member 13, which interact with each other when the cover 7 is in its open position.

In order to limit the displacement of the toothed segment 1 7 in the vertical downward (according to the drawing) direction, use is made of a stop 40 secured on the intermediate wall 9.

For moving along a pipe-line (not shown) of the pneumatic conveyer the container is provided with a truck comprising sealing cups 41 which carry wheels 42 and a bumper 43.

To provide for a better access to the content of the container when the cover 7 is opened, the levers 1 8 have longitudinal slots 44 made therein, allowing the cover 7 to be turned through a big angle when it is being opened.

The above-described container for transporting items along the pipe-lines of the pneumatic conveyer functions as follows.

At the terminal station of the pneumatic conveyor (not shown) the container is in its initial position: the cover 7 is opened, the member 13 pressing the items 14 is lifted, and they are both fixed with respect to each other with the aid of the pin 38 provided on the cover 7 and disposed in the slots 39 made in the member 13 pressing the items. Besides the lever 27 is held in the lifted position with the aid of the spring-loaded rod 35 interacting with the stop 32 on the lever 27.

The operator either manually or with the aid of a manipulator places the items 14 (for example, books) into the container, which during the whole operation of loading and closing is in the receiving trough of the station (not shown).

Then, the operator lowers the pressing member 13 onto the items 14, whereupon the pin 38 falls out of the slot 39 and onto the pressing member 1 3. The latter moves down, the journals 12 move in the slots 11, and the levers 36 connected with the journals 12 turn relative to the axles 25 counter-clockwise (according to the drawing).

While the pressing member 13 is being lowered the rollers 30 mounted thereon get into the slots 29 of the lever 27 and, during their further movement down and while sliding in the said slots 29, move together with the levers 27 downwards to enter the slots 31 in the intermediate walls 9, 1 0 and slide along them.

While the levers 27 are moving, the stops 32 overcome the force created by the springs 45 of the rods 35 and release themselves from the rods.

The pressing member 13 is placed on the items 14, whereas the toothed members 28 of the lever 27 are positioned opposite the toothed segments 17.

The next moment the operator lowers the cover 7 by turning it clockwise on the axles 8.

When the cover 7 is being lowered, the levers 18 move relative to the axles 20 over the length of the longitudinal slot 44 in each of the levers 1 8.

Then, while the cover 7 is still being lowered, the levers 1 8 coupled with the levers 1 9 by means of pivots with the axles 20 turns counter-clockwise relative to the axles 23 of the pivots connecting the levers 1 8 with the cover 7, whereby the axles 20 move in the horizontal slots 21 of the intermediate walls 9 to the right (according to the drawing).Then, the levers 1 8 together with the toothed members 1 7 first move translationally to the right over a distance limited by the length of the slots 26 in the ties 24 and towards the toothed members 28 of the levers 27, whereby the latter engage the toothed segments 1 7. The translational movement of the toothed segments 1 7 to the right is provided with the aid of the stops 40 which, when the cover 7 is being lowered, interact with the portion of the toothed segments 1 7 disposed the closest to the bottom 4 of the container, as well as the horizontal slots 21 in the intermediate walls 9 until the toothed segments 1 7 come off the stops 40. By having released themselves from the limiting action of the stops 40, the toothed segments 1 7 engaged with the toothed members 28 of the levers 27 and (representing together with the latter one rotating pair) move downward, turn counter ciockwise on the axles 25, and force the rollers 30 together with the levers 27 and, consequently the pressing member 13, to follow them. This downward movement of the above-mentioned rotating pair takes place until the levers 1 8 and 1 9 carrying the toothed segments 17 engaged with the toothed members 28 of the levers 27 take such a position that they thrust against one another. The cover 7 is closed, the latch 46 is actuated, and the cover 7 is locked in the closed position. The latch 46 may be of any design suitable for the purpose.

When the container arrives at its destination and is to be unloaded, the cover 7 is opened in the reverse order.

Claims (3)

Claims

1. A container for transporting items along a pipe-line of a pneumatic conveyer, comprising a body with a cover connected thereto capable of turning and of being locked relative thereto during transportation the body having intermediate walls which are mounted near and parallel to its butt walls and have slots accommodating journals of a member for pressing items in the container, the pressing member being mounted in the body so as to be capable of turning in the direction of turning of the cover and being provided with at least one mechanism for locking it during transportation, the locking mechanism comprising a toothed segment mounted in the body in a plane parallel to the intermediate wall and capable of limited movement in the said plane in mutually perpendicular directions, for which purpose it is connected via a system of pivotally interconnected levers to the cover and via a tie to an axle mounted on the intermediate wall and also mounting a lever with a toothed member engaging the toothed segment during transportation and having a through-slot near the toothed member and accommodating a roller mounted on the pressing member in such a manner that its geometrical axis is parallel to the axes of the journals of the pressing member, an additional through-slot accommodating the axes of a pivot interconnecting adjacent levers of the said system of levers being made in the intermediate wall parallel to the slot accommodating the journals of the pressing member.

2. A container as ciaimed in claim 1, in which, to limit the movement of the toothed segment, use is made of a longitudinal slot made in the tie at the point of its connection with the axle and of a stop mounted on the intermediate wall and interacting with the toothed segment portion disposed near the bottom of the container.

3. A containerfortransporting items along a pipe-line of a pneumatic conveyor, substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.