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Title:
AN APPARATUS FOR STORING ROLLING MATERIAL IN A PILE AND RECLAIMING FROM THE PILE
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2009/150301
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
The invention relates to an apparatus for stacking rolling material, such as e.g. wood chips, bark or grain into a pile (10) and reclaiming from the pile (10) to a material-discharging conveyor (20) located below the storing point, which apparatus comprises a center column (30) that supports a stacker boom (40) and a reclaimer boom (50), an equalizing hopper (60), at least one conveyor (25) located in the equalizing hopper (60) for transmitting the material being discharged to the discharging conveyor (20). A characteristic feature of the apparatus is that the center column (30) is supported directly through the equalizing hopper (60) onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation.

Inventors:
KOKKO PEKKA (FI)
OHVO HEIKKI (FI)
Application Number:
PCT/FI2009/050495
Publication Date:
December 17, 2009
Filing Date:
June 10, 2009
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
ANDRITZ OY (FI)
KOKKO PEKKA (FI)
OHVO HEIKKI (FI)
International Classes:
B65G65/46; B65G65/28
Domestic Patent References:
WO2003086912A12003-10-23
Foreign References:
EP0090981A21983-10-12
US3794387A1974-02-26
DE9212512U11992-12-24
US6095742A2000-08-01
DE19750773A11998-05-14
Other References:
None
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
ANDRITZ OY (P.O. Box 500, Kotka, FI)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

1. An apparatus for stacking rolling material, such as e.g. wood chips, bark or grain onto a pile (10) and discharging from the pile (10) to a discharging con- veyor (20) located below the storing point, which apparatus comprises a center column (30), where a stacker boom (40) and reclaimer boom (50) are supported, an equalizing hopper (60), at least one conveyor (25) in the equalizing hopper (60) for transferring material being reclaimed to a discharging conveyor (20), characterized in that the center column (30) is supported directly through the equalizing hopper (60) onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , characterized in that at least one conveyor (25) is arranged beside the center column (30) twhich is supported onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's foundation, at least by one side.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , or 2, characterized in that the conveyors (25) are arranged beside the center column (30) which is supported onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's foundation, by the same side.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the center column (30) is supported onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation between at least two conveyors (25).

5. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor (25) is a screw conveyor.

6. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the center column is supported by means of lateral supports (70) onto the walls of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the lateral supports (70) are arranged in the walls of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation as close to the bottom level of the storage point as possible.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the center column (30) is supported by means of support walls (80) onto the bottom and walls of the equalizing hopper's (60) foundation.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the equalizing hopper (60) is symmetrical.

10. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the center column (30) has an underground cross section that is essentially quadratic.

1 1. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the center column's (30) cross section above the ground level is essentially circular.

12. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the construction of the center column (30) above the ground level is essentially made of steel.

13. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an emergency exit from the foundations below the equalizing hopper (60) passes through the center of the center column (30) upwards and out of the center column (30).

14. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the emergency exit from the foundations below the equalizing hopper

(60) into the center column passes through the support wall (80) as a passage inside the wall.

Description:

AN APPARATUS FOR STORING ROLLING MATERIAL IN A PILE AND RECLAIMING FROM THE PILE

The present invention relates to an apparatus for storing rolling material in an open storage pile and more specifically to an apparatus for stacking and reclaiming material, i.e. to a stacker/reclaimer. Most preferably the invention relates to storing of wood chips, but it is applicable for storing other granular material such as wood bark, coal, corn or fine-grained material.

Storage piles are needed for homogenizing the material and on the other hand for blending possibilities. The stacker/reclaimer for this kind of storage pile comprises e.g. a center column, a stacker conveyor and a reclaimer conveyor. The center column supports concentrically the upper stacker conveyor and the lower reclaimer conveyor. The stacker conveyor adds loose material in the pile, while the reclaimer conveyor conveys the material from the pile towards the slewing center of the stacker/reclaimer. In the slewing center the material to be discharged is transferred to an underground conveyor removing the material. Thus, the stacker/reclaimer is rotatable and creates an arched pile around itself.

In prior art stacker/reclaimers the center column is support with inclined, massive steel and concrete supports onto an equalizing hopper or onto the ground surface. Additionally, the concrete construction of the center column extends up to the slewing hinge. This kind of construction is heavy and expensive to build, as all the forces of the center column, also vertical, must be supported with in- dined supports.

In known solutions, with a typical reclaiming capacity of 500-2500 i-m 3 /h (=loose cubic meters per hour, e.g. chips), the depth of the equalizing hopper's foundation has to be approximately 6 meters due to the construction of the stacker/reclaimer. A deep equalizing hopper often causes difficulties. In many places water is met closer to the ground surface, which makes digging the tunnel and the equalizing hopper difficult and expensive. Even if groundwater

would not cause a problem, making a deep equalizing hopper and a tunnel is in every case expensive with massive earth-moving work. In addition, the support of the center column requires a large amount of steel and it is challenging in constructional view, and expensive to build.

The present invention provides a solution for the above problems. A totally novel type of equalizing hopper and center column of a stacker/reclaimer has been developed. According to the present invention, the center column of the stacker/reclaimer is supported directly to the bottom the equalizing hopper foundation between or beside the conveyors through the equalizing hopper, whereby vertical forces can be directed directly to the ground. This allows using significantly simpler and lighter support constructions than in prior art solutions. The base plate of the foundation, on which the center column is supported, is dimensioned so thick that it can carry the vertical loads and so wide that it can transmit the vertical loads to the ground. In accordance with the conditions (size of the storage, load bearing capacity of the ground etc.) the plate can easily be built adequately wide. Lateral support is arranged onto the walls of the equalizing hopper's foundation. Further, in accordance with the invention the center column is supported againts lateral loads on an upper level, in the vicinity of the bottom level of the storage place, i.e. close to the ground level to the walls of the equalizing hopper's foundation with lateral support beams and intermittent walls made of concrete and steel. Symmetrical constructions lead to symmetrical loadings of the walls. The wall surfaces, in turn, together with the bottom plate, contribute to the stabilization of the foundation to be solid in relation to the surrounding ground. This kind of construction according to the invention is also significantly easier to implement, due to its simplicity and its forms that are constructionally clear and advantageous.

In the solution according to the invention, the number of conveyors that transfer the reclaimed material from the reclaimer conveyor to the discharging underground conveyor can be one or more, preferably two. These conveyors can be screw conveyors or other conveyors suitable for the purpose.

The solution according to the invention allows building the equalizing hopper symmetrical, with optimal dimensions. Symmetricity, in turn, is advantageous in view of the strength of the structures and additionally it allows using similar con- veyors and components. Under the ground surface the form of the center column is essentially quadrangular, preferably square, whereby it is easier and cheaper to construct. The part of the center column that is above ground level is, after the transfer zone, according to the invention constructed of steel, with an essentially circular cross section. The support according to the invention al- lows building the equalizing hopper low, even down to approximately 4.5 meters, whereby the problems of prior art are avoided.

Additional advantages of the invention include e.g. the following:

- The linear and simple forms of the center column and the hopper are ad- vantageous for concrete constructions.

- Varying the thickness and size of the foundation's base plate allows managing with small constructional changes in the support of stacker/reclaimers of different size and with the requirements of grounds with different load-bearing capacities. - Due to symmetrical foundation of the equalizing hopper, the lateral support of the center column can be located advantageously to the walls and upper edge of the foundation.

- The equalizing hopper and the conveyors can freely be installed from above downwards to the foundation. - The conveyors, such as screws and driving components can easily be lifted up due to the open construction.

In the following, the invention is disclosed in more detail with reference to the appended figures, of which

Fig. 1 illustrates a prior art center column of a stacker/reclaimer and the support thereof,

Fig. 2 illustrates the center column of the stacker/reclaimer according to the invention and the support thereof in partial cross section (in side view), and

Fig. 3 illustrates an equalizing hopper according to the invention from above.

Figure 1 illustrates a prior art stacker/reclaimer. The center column 30 of the stacker/reclaimer is supported onto walls of the equalizing hopper 75 / onto the ground surface with concrete and steel constructions (stems) 76. The center column has a circular shape. Conveyors are arranged below the center column for transferring reclaimed material to a discharge conveyor. The equalizing hopper is rectangular in shape and with a maximum discharging capacity of ap- proximately 2500i-m3/h it is mounted on a foundation approximately 6 meters deep.

Figure 2 illustrates a solution according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, with an apparatus for stacking rolling material, such as wood chips, in a pile 10 and reclaiming from the pile 10 to a discharging conveyor 20 below the storing point. The stacker/reclaimer comprises a center column 30, whereon a stacker boom 40 and a reclaimer boom 50 are supported. Further the apparatus comprises an equalizing hopper 60 having at least one conveyor 25, preferably a screw conveyor, but some other kind of conveyor can also be used, for trans- ferring reclaimed material to the conveyor 20. The center column 30 is supported vertically directly onto the bottom of the equalizing hopper's 60 foundation through the equalizing hopper beside the conveyor 25 or between the conveyors 25. The number of the conveyors, e.g. screw conveyors 25 can be one or more, preferably two, beside or between which the center column is sup- ported onto the bottom plate of the foundation. Alternatively, the conveyors 25 can be arranged into the equalizing hopper 60 also beside the center column 30 at one or more sides. Also, in the solution according to the invention, the lateral

support of the center column 30 is effected with supports 70 and support walls 80 onto the walls of the equalizing hopper's 60 foundation as close to the bottom level of the storing point (ground surface) as possible, i.e. at the uppermost possible point in relation to the base plate for achieving maximum firmness.

Figure 3 illustrates a detail of figure 2 from above. Figure 3 illustrates an equalizing hopper 60 according to the invention. In the figure the center column 30 is supported between two screw conveyors 25 and by means of lateral supports 70 onto the walls of the equalizing hopper's foundation, as well as by means in- termittent walls 80 parallel to the screw conveyors onto the base plate and end walls of the foundation. The conveyors 25 transfer the reclaimed material to an underground discharging conveyor 20. The equalizing hopper 60 is symmetrical. In the figure the center column 30 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention has an underground cross section that is essentially a square and a cross section above the ground surface that is essentially circular. En emergency exit at the end of the discharging conveyor tunnel and below the equalizing hopper 60 is arranged via a vertical shaft passing through the center of the center column 30 to the working platform of the stacker. Entrance inside the center column 30 is arranged on the bottom level by means of a passage through the center wall construction of the center column, whereby the solution does not endanger the firmness of the center column.

Although the above description relates to an embodiment of the invention that is in the light of present knowledge considered the most preferable, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention can be modified in many different ways within the broadest possible scope defined by the appended claims alone.