Patent Application
20070065261
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of transportation, and more particularly, to apparatuses, methods and systems for densifying and transporting bulk materials.
2. Related Art
Various vehicles, including trains and trucks, are commonly used to transport bulk materials such as powder, grain, sawdust and wood chips, for example. For such vehicles, it is desirable to maximize the amount of bulk materials that are transported per trip while staying within legally permissible size and weight limits for the vehicle. For example, various laws and regulations constrain the maximum weight of cargo that may be hauled by a tractor and semi-trailer assembly along a public roadway. In addition, regulations also restrict the maximum size of the semi-trailer(s) that may be hauled by one tractor.
Thus, various attempts have been made to maximize the load-carrying capacity of vehicles designed for transporting bulk materials. Transportation systems are often built to the maximum sizes in length, height and depth permissible by law. For instance, wood chips and other wood residuals are typically hauled in tractor-towable trailers with containers which are specially designed to maximize the amount of wood chips that are transported. First, the trailers typically use cargo containers which are made of fastened-together aluminum strips, rather than steel, to reduce the overall weight of the trailers, in order to preserve as much of the permissible weight limit as possible for carrying wood chips and wood residue. Second, container capacity is increased by including a lowered drop bed portion adjacent the wheels of a trailer in order to increase the height of the trailer. Furthermore, first and second trailers with respective containers mounted thereon may be assembled together to be hauled in tandem behind a tractor. Trailer assemblies of this design may be called B-Trains or SuperTrains, with the first and second trailers being referred to as “A-box” and “B-box” respectively. Such trailers are manufactured, for instance, by TY-CROP Manufacturing Ltd. of Rosedale, British Columbia, Canada, VOX 1X0, phone number 604-794-7078.
Despite the aforementioned attempts to increase carrying capacity, in some cases it remains possible to load a maximally-sized transportation system completely full in terms of volume without reaching the maximum weight limits which are legally permissible to transport. That is, it is possible for a vehicle to “volume out” before “weighing out”. This problem is especially acute in the case of relatively light and/or irregularly-shaped bulk materials, such as wood chips. Such loads may retain air spaces in between bulk material particles loaded into a container. It is desirable to overcome this problem to increase the carrying capacity of such transportation systems.
Various shakers and vibrators have been used in the past attempt to vibrate loads in order to reduce air spaces between bulk material particles to increase carrying capacity. These shakers and vibrators may be unsuitable for the types of vehicles that are used on roadways for transporting bulk materials such as wood chips. To take one example, rail car shakers are installed adjacent to railroad tracks and are used to shake an entire rail car to cause bulk materials held within to be compacted. Rail car shakers are heavy, external machines which are not transportable with the vehicle and are ordinarily installed at a fixed location, such as a railway yard, thus rail car shakers are not convenient for use with road-based transportation systems such as SuperTrain truck assemblies. In the railway industry, smaller vibrators may be attached to the walls of rail cars, to compact bulk materials therein. However, such vibrators may be unsafe to use on containers such as those described above for hauling wood chips because these containers are typically made of aluminum which is not designed to withstand the stress of vibration. The walls of such a container are typically comprised of strips of aluminum material joined together by fasteners such as rivets to form an enclosure for carrying the bulk materials. Attaching a vibrator directly to such a container would likely stress and eventually damage the fasteners thereby creating a risk of the entire container rupturing. Thus, a different approach is needed.
Various after-market “vibrators” are available for use in unloading applications. For example, vibrators such as the Phillips Temro 12 Volt Dump Body Vibrator Part 800-0875, available from Gregg Distributors of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada or Hayworth Equipment Sales of Acheson, Alberta, Canada, are often attached to the underside of the tiltable bed of a dump truck, in order to facilitate unloading of materials in the bed. To dislodge a frozen load, for instance, the dump truck operator may actuate the vibrator for 15 seconds or so while the dump truck bed is being tilted. However, such vibrators are not suitable for installation on containers comprised of aluminum strip material joined by fasteners. More generally, it would not be prudent to attach a vibrator directly to the cargo containers of many transportation systems, since they are built far less sturdily than a dump truck bed. Moreover, the motors used in many of these vibrators are “starter-type” motors which are generally unsuitable for applications that require sustained operation for more than, say, 30 seconds. Such motors draw excessive amounts of power as well.
Another problem frequently encountered in connection with the loading of bulk materials is that bulk materials do not always readily spread to all the extremities of the cargo container being loaded. For example, if wood chips are being loaded from an overhead chute into a container having an inlet opening in its top portion, the wood chips may pile up in the container at a point underneath the chute, rather than spreading to the far corners of the container. Failing to completely fill all the corners of the container effectively reduces the carrying capacity of the container. To address this problem, an operator of the vehicle often climbs up on top of the trailer to “groom” the crown of the load so as to cause it to fill the unfilled portions of the container. However, grooming the load in this manner is time-consuming and dangerous since the operator might fall.
An ASG Loading SysteM™ presented and described herein addresses the above problems and other needs in the field of bulk material transport.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for densifying and transporting bulk materials. The apparatus includes a container for holding bulk materials, a wheeled chassis for transporting the container along a roadway, and a shaker, mounted on the wheeled chassis and transportable therewith, for shaking the container while the container is being loaded, to increase packing density of bulk materials in the container.
The shaker may be permanently connected to the chassis.
The chassis may include first and second spaced apart longitudinal beams, disposed generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis.
The shaker may be operably mounted on at least one of the first and second longitudinal beams.
The chassis may further include a transverse beam extending between the first and second longitudinal beams and the shaker may be operably mounted on the transverse beam.
The apparatus may include a plate extending from the transverse beam, the shaker being operably mounted on the plate. A gusset may be provided for reinforcing the plate.
The apparatus may include a mount, affixed to the chassis, operably configured to mount the shaker to the chassis, and may further include a reinforcing member for reinforcing the mount.
The container may include a plurality of sheet material panels and fasteners fastening the plurality of sheet material panels together to form an enclosure.
The container may include top, bottom, front, rear and first and second side portions, the top portion having an inlet for receiving bulk materials to be loaded into the container, and the rear portion having an outlet for discharging the bulk materials from the container.
The container may include an inner floor, a substantial part of which may include at least one generally planar floor section having a longitudinal axis generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the chassis.
The inner floor may be continuous.
The apparatus may include a hitch on the front portion of the container for hitching the apparatus to a vehicle.
The container may include a drop-bed portion, between the front and rear portions, the chassis directly supporting the rear portion but not the drop-bed portion.
The apparatus may include at least one connector for receiving power from a power supply, for actuating the shaker.
At least one connector may be releasably connectable to a complementary connector on a vehicle, to facilitate separation of the apparatus from the vehicle.
The apparatus may further include a first control operably configured to selectively cause the power supply to supply power through the at least one connector to the shaker when the at least one connector is receiving the power for actuating the shaker.
The first control may be located on the container.
The container may have a recess and the first control may be located in the recess.
The control may include an electrical switch.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for densifying and transporting bulk materials in a container. The system includes the aforesaid apparatus and a power supply, a second control, and a complementary connector, complementary to the at least one connector. The second control is operably configured to selectively cause the power supply to supply power to the complementary connector for receipt by the at least one connector for actuating the shaker.
The system may further include a signaling device operably configured to provide a signal to an operator when power for actuating the shaker is being supplied to the complementary connector.
The second control may be located in a cab of a vehicle operable to haul the apparatus.
The signaling device may be mounted on a vehicle operable to haul the apparatus.
The shaker may include a rotatable shaft, an eccentric weight mounted on the shaft and a motor operable to rotate the shaft in response to power received from the power supply.
The power supply may be selected from the group consisting of an electrical power supply, a hydraulic power supply, and a pneumatic power supply.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an apparatus for densifying and transporting bulk materials. The method involves operably connecting a shaker to a wheeled chassis on which is mounted a container formed of individual sheet material panels fastened together, for carrying bulk materials. The method further involves operably connecting a power controller to at least one of the chassis and the container in a location accessible by an operator, and operably connecting the power controller to at least one releasable connector for receiving power from a power supply associated with a vehicle operable to the apparatus. The method further involves operably connecting the power controller to the shaker to facilitate operator control of power supplied to the shaker to permit the operator to control the power to cause the shaker to shake the chassis and the container mounted thereto, to increase packing density of bulk material in the container.
Connecting the shaker to the wheeled chassis may involve operably connecting the shaker to at least one of a longitudinal or transverse beam of the chassis.
Connecting the shaker to the wheeled chassis may involve welding a base of the shaker to a mount supported by a transverse beam of the chassis.
The method may also involve installing an additional connector on the apparatus, the additional connector being operable to receive at least some power from the at least one connector and to supply the at least some power to a connector connected thereto for powering a second shaker on a second apparatus.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for densifying and transporting bulk materials, the apparatus including holding means for holding bulk materials, transporting means for transporting the holding means along a roadway, and shaking means, mounted on the transporting means, for shaking the transporting means to impart shaking to the holding means while the holding means is being loaded, to increase packing density of bulk materials held by the holding means.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of densifying bulk materials for transport, the method involving causing a container, operable to hold bulk materials, to shake, in response to actuation of a shaker mounted on a wheeled chassis on which the container is mounted, while causing bulk materials to be received in the container.
The method may involve facilitating receipt and storage of the bulk materials in a drop bed of the container, wherein the drop bed is located adjacent wheels of the wheeled chassis.
Causing the container to shake may involve controlling power supplied to the shaker.
Controlling power supplied to the shaker may involve actuating a switch to selectively supply power to the shaker.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,
Referring to
The first apparatus 12 includes a container 18 for holding bulk materials. In this embodiment, the container includes a plurality of sheet material panels fastened together by fasteners, such as rivets, to form an enclosure. The apparatus 12 further includes a wheeled chassis, shown generally at 20, for transporting the container 18 along a roadway 38. The chassis 12 includes a frame 13 to which the container 18 is permanently connected. The apparatus 12 further includes a shaker 22, mounted on the wheeled chassis 20 and transportable therewith, for shaking the container 18 while the container is being loaded, to increase packing density of bulk materials in the container.
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A weight 90 is secured eccentrically to the shaft 88. In this embodiment, the weight 90 includes a length of solid square metal stock approximately 2×2 inches in size and weighing approximately 16 lbs. The weight 90 is secured to the shaft 88 by first and second end plates 94 and 96 such that a centre line 92 through the centre of mass of the weight 90 is parallel and spaced apart from the centre line of the shaft. When the shaft 88 is rotated by the motor 78, the eccentric weight 90 rotates with the shaft and creates a vibration or shaking motion that is transferred to the support plates 80 and 82, the base 70, and, ultimately, to the chassis 20.
The motor 74 is mounted to the C-channel base 70 by mounting straps 99. In this embodiment, the motor comprises a 1 HP, 12V DC motor nominally rotating at 1800 RPM and drawing a maximum of about 85 amps when accelerating and drawing about 35 amps when operating in steady state. In this embodiment, the motor 74 comprises a custom Baldor Industrial 12V DC Motor, Type PM3435P, Cat. No. CDP3445-V12, capable of operating for 30 minutes or longer without overheating, in contrast to the starter-type motors which are typically used in vibrators intended for unloading operations on dump trucks, for example. The use of such a design is significant because loading both apparatuses 12 and 14 of the system 10 may take 20-30 minutes when loading the containers 18 and 19 from an overhead chute, or even longer, when a loader is used to deposit wood chips in the containers. Referring now to
The top portion 104 includes a top inlet opening 105 for receiving bulk materials to be loaded into the container 18, and the rear portion 110 has an outlet opening 115 for discharging the bulk materials from the container. The inlet opening 105 is typically covered by a tarpaulin during transport to enclose the bulk materials held in the container 18. The rear portion 110 includes outlet doors (not shown) operable to be opened to facilitate unloading through the outlet opening 115. When opened, the outlet doors of the apparatus 12 interface with a front inlet opening 117 on a front portion of the second container 19, effectively bridging the gap between the apparatuses 12 and 14, to provide a channel between the first container 18 and the second container 19. Bulk materials are unloaded from the system 10 by fastening the entire system onto a hydraulic ramp which then tilts the entire system at a sharp angle to allow bulk materials held in the first container 18 to be discharged through the outlet opening 115, into the second container 19 and through an outlet opening 116 in the second container.
Referring to
In this embodiment, the third floor section 124 also has a planar profile and slopes gradually upward to facilitate discharge of bulk materials from the outlet opening 115 of the first apparatus 12 into the front inlet opening 117 of the second apparatus 14. It will be noted that the chassis 20 generally supports the rear portion 110 of the container 18 but not the drop bed portion. The upwardly sloping third floor section 124 is supported by the angled portion (30, 34 in
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The first distribution circuit 134 includes the complementary connector 148 which is operable to receive power through the connector 146 from the power supply circuit 132 for actuating the first shaker 22. The connectors 146 and 148 are releasable, to facilitate separation of the apparatus 12 from the towing vehicle 16. The distribution circuit 134 further includes a first control shown generally at 150 operably configured to selectively cause power received at the connector 148 to be supplied to the first shaker 22. In this embodiment, the first control 150 includes a toggle switch 152 and a solenoid 154. The toggle switch 152 controls the solenoid 154 such that when the toggle switch is closed, the solenoid 154 is energized to cause power to be received from the connector 148 and supplied to the first shaker 22. The toggle switch 152 may be located on the first apparatus 12 in a convenient location to facilitate easy user access and operation to enable a user standing beside the apparatus to actuate the toggle switch 152 to cause the shaker 22 to begin shaking when the container 18 of the first apparatus 12 is being loaded.
In this embodiment, the circuit 130 may optionally include a second power distribution circuit portion 136 including a second connector 156 operable to receive at least some power from the connector 148. The second power distribution portion 136 is similar to the first power distribution portion 134 in that it includes a control 160, which in this embodiment includes a toggle switch 162, and a solenoid 164. When the second toggle switch 162 is closed, the solenoid 164 is energized thereby causing power to be supplied from the connector 148 to the connector 156. The second connector 156 may be located near the rear portion 110 of the apparatus 12 to facilitate connection to a complementary connector 158 of the second power distribution portion 136 on a front portion of the apparatus 14, for example. The connectors 156 and 158 are releasably connectable such that the second apparatus 14 may be separated from the first apparatus 12 if necessary.
The first and second controls 150 and 160, and in particular the switches 152 and 162 thereof, may be mounted on the container 18 in a recess 165 in a wall of the first container 18. In one embodiment, the first and second controls 150 and 160 are mounted in a control box 167 in
Although the power supply circuit 130 of this embodiment has been described as an electrical system, it will be appreciated that the power supply assembly could be alternately implemented as a hydraulic or pneumatic system, for example.
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It has been found that the embodiments and methods described herein may be capable of increasing the effective capacity of a wood chip transportation system by about 15% in some cases by densifying, i.e., increasing the packing density of, wood chips in the container 18. Moreover, the approach described tends to cause wood chips to automatically spread within the container 18 during loading thus reducing the need for the operator to climb on top of the container 18 to groom the crown of the load to fill unused space in the container. This increases the safety and efficiency of the loading operation. Although the exemplary embodiments and methods herein have been described in relation to the densification and transport of wood chips, it should be appreciated that these embodiments and methods may be profitably applied to other types of bulk material cargo as well.
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.
