Multiphase sliding floor for continuous material movement
AssigneesWestern Waste Industries et al., American Carrier Equipment, Inc.
InventorsJames M. Hamilton, Phillip J. Sweet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus, and a related method, for controlling a moving floor having multiple sliding slats, to produce a practically continuous load-moving force on a load carried on the apparatus. The slats are reciprocated back and forth by hydraulic cylinders, each of which controls a group of slats that are moved together. At any given time, a majority of slats are moving together in the desired direction, and carry a load in this direction at a nearly uniform velocity. The remainder of the slats are moved in a reverse direction, but at a speed that is a multiple of the forward speed of the majority of the slats. Each group of slats is moved through a forward stroke at a relatively low speed; then through a backward stroke at a higher speed.
Claims24
A system for moving a load supported by a floor, comprising:
- a plurality of elongated floor slats movable in a direction parallel to the slats;
- and
- means for moving the slats in a reciprocating manner such that, at any instant during operation of the system, a majority of the slats are moving in a desired direction at a predetermined speed, and a minority of the slats are moving in the opposite direction at a higher speed, whereby, the load supported by the floor will tend to move in the direction of the majority of slower moving slats;
- and wherein
- the slats are arranged in a plurality (N) of groups, which are interlaced such that no group contains adjacent slats;
- the means for moving the slats includes a plurality (N) of individually controllable actuators for controlling the movement of each of the groups;
- (N-1) of the groups of slats are moved in the desired direction at the same time, while the remaining one of the groups is moved in the reverse direction at (N-1) times the speed of the (N-1) majority of the groups;
- as each group moving in the desired direction reaches the end of its travel in that direction, it is selected as the group to be moved in the reverse direction;
- each of the individually controllable actuators includes a hydraulic cylinder and an associated valve;
- and
- the means for moving the slats also includes means for controlling the valves in a sequence such that, at any time, fluid from (N-1) cylinders moving the (N'1) groups in the desired direction is communicated with the one remaining cylinder to move one group of slats in the reverse direction.
Moving floor apparatus, for moving a load in a desired direction across the floor on which it is supported, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of elongated floor slats, mounted for sliding and reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to the slats;
- a smaller plurality (N) of hydraulic cylinders each coupled to a group of the slats, to move the group of slats together in either direction, wherein each group contains an approximately equal number of non-adjacent slats;
- a hydraulic system having a high-pressure line and a low-pressure line;
- a plurality (N) of cylinder control valves, one associated with each cylinder, each valve having a first position in which a first end of the cylinder is connected to the high-pressure line and a second position in which the same end of the cylinder is connected to the low-pressure line;
- a return line communicating with the second end of each of the cylinders and connectable to the hydraulic system;
- and
- control means for switching the cylinder valves in such a manner that, at any instant during normal operation of the apparatus, a majority of the cylinders has high pressure applied to one end of each cylinder, to move a majority of the groups of slats in the desired direction in staggered positions, and a minority of the cylinders receives at the other end substantially all of the fluid flow from the majority of the cylinders, whereby the minority of the cylinders are activated at a higher speed than the majority, in the numerical ratio of majority to minority.
Moving floor apparatus, for moving a load in a desired direction across the floor on which it is supported, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of elongated floor slats, mounted for sliding and reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to the slats;
- a smaller plurality (N) of hydraulic cylinders each coupled to a group of the slats, to move the group of slats together in either direction, wherein each group contains an approximately equal number of non-adjacent slats;
- a hydraulic system having a high-pressure line and a low-pressure line;
- a flow splitter connected in the high-pressure line to divide the flow substantially equally to a majority of the cylinders;
- a plurality (N) of cylinder control valves, one associated with each cylinder, each valve having a first position in which a first end of the cylinder is connected to the flow splitter and a second position in which the same end of the cylinder is connected to the low-pressure line;
- a return line communicating with the second end of each of the cylinders and connectable to the hydraulic system;
- and
- control means for switching the cylinder valves in such a manner that, at any instant during normal operation of the apparatus, a majority of the cylinders has high pressure applied to one end of each cylinder, to move a majority of the groups of slats in the desired direction in staggered positions, and a minority of the cylinders receives at the other end substantially all of the fluid flow from the majority of the cylinders, whereby the minority of the cylinders are activated at a higher speed than the majority, in the numerical ratio of majority to minority.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.