Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improved stacker reclaimer apparatus for building up and discharging bulk material. The improved stacker reclaimer apparatus includes only one stacker bearing to separate the stacker machine from the reclaimer machine. A torque reaction member is rotatable connected to the stacker upper column. The torque reaction member is made of an arm portion and a torque arm bearing frame.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     NOT APPLICABLE  
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
       [0002]     NOT APPLICABLE  
       REFERENCE A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
       [0003]     NOT APPLICABLE  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for building up and discharging bulk material.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The prior art apparatus for handling bulk material as located at a storage site have several versions of the well known stacker-reclaimer apparatus. Many of these apparatuses, as shown in  FIG. 1 , have a central column to which the stacker and reclaimer are connected via bearings. These apparatuses with a central column require at least three bearings to separately operate the reclaimer from the stacker. Bearings of the size needed to function in a stacker-reclaimer apparatus can cost in excess of $100,000.00. A configuration of the apparatus that would reduce the number of bearings without adding additional columns would provide a financial advantage. See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,363,396. In this embodiment, a circular rail functions as the third bearing to support the reclaimer.  
         [0006]     Another version of the stacker reclaimer apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,060 uses an incline column to replace the central column and torque arm. In this configuration there is only one stacker bearing as the stacker weight is carried by the incline column. An additional incline column, however, substantially raises the cost of the apparatus.  
         [0007]     In another embodiment, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,244,463 uses a fixed center column attached to a foundation. In this apparatus, the stacker, reclaimer and wing feeder unit each have one bearing which are stationarily mounted to the fixed column to permit all three units to rotate independently.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides an improved stacker-reclaimer apparatus wherein only one stacker bearing separates the stacker machine from the reclaimer machine. This is accomplished by applying the end of a torque reaction member at the column as a loose member around the upper stacker column. More specifically, a stacker-reclaimer apparatus is provided which is made of a stacker machine having an upper column and a lower column, wherein the upper column and lower column are connected through a stacker bearing. The apparatus is also made of a torque reaction member rotatably connected to the stacker upper column. A torque reaction member is rotatably connected to the upper stacker column via a torque arm bearing frame. The torque arm bearing frame is connected to a plurality of rollers. The vertical rollers contact on a circumferential support member which is fixedly attached to the stacker upper column. The horizontal rollers contact the outer periphery of the circumferential support member. In an alternative embodiment, plastic slides can be used instead of rollers. The slewing motion can be controlled by a rotational drive assembly connected to the torque reaction member. Additionally, the apparatus is made of a reclaimer machine positioned to support the stacker lower column. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a complete typical stacker-reclaimer machine of existing art, with reclaimer supported on a slewing bearing and stacker supported on the reclaimer structure.  
         [0010]      FIG. 2A  is a partial elevation view of the stacker bearing, torque arm support rollers and stacker rotational drive arrangement.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2B  is a plan view of  2 A.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a partial elevation view of  2 A of the new stacker slewing bearing and torque reaction member arrangement.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a partial plan view of  FIG. 2B  showing details of the support rollers and stacker rotational drive arrangement.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5A  is a partial plan view showing an alternate embodiment for sliding supports locating the torque arm relative to the stacker column.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a partial elevation view showing an alternate embodiment for sliding supports locating the torque arm bearing frame relative to the stacker column.  
         [0016]      FIG. 6B  is a schematic view of a horizontal guide. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     Now referring to  FIGS. 2A, 2B , and  3 , a stacker-reclaimer apparatus  1  is an apparatus for conveying loose bulk material such as wood chips or gravel from a first location to a second location. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a stacker machine  10  is shown having a stacker upper column  12  and stacker lower column  14 . A stacker rotational bearing  20  is mounted to stacker lower column  14 . The stacker upper column  12  is rotatably mounted to stacker bearing  20 . The stacker bearing  20  allows the stacker machine  10  and reclaimer machine  16  to slew independently. The stacker bearing  20  is ball or a roller bearing. The reclaimer machine  16  is below, but not shown in detail.  
         [0018]     A torque reaction member  21  is made of an arm portion  18  and a torque arm bearing frame  19 . The torque arm  18  projects perpendicularly away from the stacker upper column  12  and can be attached to an external support leg  28 . A torque arm reaction member  21  functions to support and counteract the torque reaction generated when stacker machine  10  is rotated. Typically referred to in the art of stacker-reclaimers as a torque arm, a torque reaction member  21  connects a portion of the stacker-reclaimer apparatus  1  which should be prevented from rotating to a fixed point relative to the ground. Since large torques can be generated in the operation of the machine, a long torque reaction member  21  is usually required. A torque reaction member  21  in the context described herein provides a stationary mount for the stacker rotational drive assembly  25  so that rotational commands can be imported to the stacker upper column  12  and stacker boom  10  without rotational motion being transferred from the stacker lower column  14  or reclaimer  16  or vice versa. Alternatively, torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19  can be made as one unit rather than as two distinct pieces.  
         [0019]     The torque arm bearing frame  19  is sized to surround and is applied as a loose member around the stacker upper column  12 . The term sized to surround the upper stacker column means that the torque arm bearing frame  19  surrounds the upper stacker column  12  but does not contact it. This is accomplished in the preferred embodiment by providing a circumferential support member  29  attached to the stacker upper column  12  fixedly disposed below the torque arm bearing frame  19 . Circumferential support member  29  is a substantially horizontal surface fixedly attached to a stacker upper column  12 . In a preferred embodiment circumferential support member  29  is a metal plate stiffened with gussets (not shown) underneath the plate to support the weight of the torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19  (which encircles the stacker column  12 ). Further to the preferred embodiment, the circumferential support member  29  is constructed of two plates with gusset plates arranged in between the plates to form a stiff structure. Yet further to the preferred embodiment, circumferential support member  29  contains bull gear  31  along its circular periphery.  
         [0020]     The torque reaction member  21  is rotatably connected to the stacker upper column  12 . In the preferred embodiment, this rotatable connection is achieved by using a plurality of vertical rollers  38  connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19 . The plurality of vertical rollers  38  are connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19  by means of brackets  39 . The brackets  39  are sized and positioned to provide support for the plurality of vertical rollers  38  as they contact circumferential support member  29 . The vertical rollers  38  rest on the top surface of circumferential support member  29 . In this embodiment, there are at least two vertical rollers. Additionally, a plurality of horizontal rollers  35  are connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19  and roll horizontally on the periphery of circumferential support member  29 . The plurality of horizontal rollers  35  are connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19  by means of brackets or adapter blocks  40 . The brackets  39  are sized and proportioned so as to position the plurality of horizontal rollers  35  to contact the portion of the outer periphery of the circumferential support member  29  on which the plurality of horizontal rollers  35  roll.  
         [0021]     The circumferential support member  29  may have a step or shoulder on which the plurality of horizontal rollers  35  make rolling contact that is either larger or smaller in diameter than the exact outer periphery of the circumferential support member  29 . More specifically, the torque arm bearing frame portion  19  supports a plurality of vertical rollers  38  and a plurality of horizontal rollers  35  in positions concentric with stacker upper column  12 . The plurality of vertical rollers  38  allow the torque arm  18  to sit on the circumferential support member  29 .  
         [0022]     In this invention, the torque arm  18  also functions to support stacker rotational drive assembly  25  made up of motor and brake  22 , speed reducer  24  and pinion gear  30 . The end of the torque arm  18  is attached to a support leg  28 , which typically supports the bulk material infeed conveyor, not shown in detail. The bull gear  31  of circumferential support member  29  is attached to the upper column  12  and is in mesh with pinion gear  30 . Thus, to control the stacker upper column  12 , a motor assembly including a motor and brake  22 , speed reducer  24  and pinion  30  are mounted on the torque arm bearing frame  19  in the preferred embodiment. The driver pinion  30  is operably connected to the bull gear  31  of the circumferential support member  29  to power the rotational movement of the stacker upper column  12  and stacker machine  10 . The horizontal rollers  35  function to keep pinion gear  30  in proper mesh with the bull gear  31  of circumferential support member  29 . The vertical center axis  11  of the upper stacker column  12  and the vertical center axis  23  of the stacker drive assembly  25  are parallel.  
         [0023]     The torque arm  18  does not move since the far end is attached to a support leg  28  which typically supports the infeed conveyor (not shown). However, the stacker rotational drive assembly  25 , which is made of the motor and brake  22 , and speed reducer  24  and pinion gear  30  are fixedly attached to the torque arm  18  so that torque from the pinion gear  30  can be applied to the bull gear  31  which connected to the stacker upper column  12 , resulting in rotation of stacker upper column  12  and hence the stacker conveyor boom  10 .  
         [0024]     Now referring to  FIG. 3 , an enlargement of  FIG. 2A  is shown in which stacker bearing  20  is mounted to stacker lower column  14 . Further, stacker upper column  12  is shown attached to stacker bearing  20  and circumferential support member  29  which is attached to stacker upper column  12  and is shown supporting bull gear  31 . The plurality of vertical rollers  38  are connected to torque arm bearing frame  19  through bracket  39 . The plurality of vertical rollers roll on the top of circumferential support member  29 . Horizontal rollers  35  are connected through bracket  40  to torque arm bearing frame  19  and roll around outside edge of bull gear  31 . Motor and brake  22 , speed reducer  24  and pinion gear  30  are shown attached to torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19 .  
         [0025]     Now referring to  FIG. 4 , torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19  can be seen supporting attached plurality of vertical rollers  38  and plurality of horizontal rollers  35  which roll on the top surface and outer edge, respectively of circumferential support member  29  and bull gear  31 . The stacker-reclaimer drive assembly  25  can be seen from the top attached to torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19 . The plurality of vertical rollers  38  and the plurality of horizontal rollers  35  keep torque arm bearing frame  19  concentrically located with respect to stacker upper column  12 . The plurality of rollers  38  and  35  further keep pinion gear  30  (shown in  FIG. 3 ) in proper mesh with bull gear  31  of circumferential support member  29 .  
         [0026]     Now referring to  FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment of the torque arm support arrangement is shown using plastic guides instead of rollers. A plurality of vertical guides  105  support part of the weight of the end of torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19 . A plurality of horizontal guide  100 , in the preferred embodiment, are positioned to contact the upper stacker column  12 . In an alternate embodiment, the plurality of horizontal guides  100  are positioned to contact (not shown) the circumferential support member  29 . The plurality of horizontal guides  100  keep torque arm bearing frame  19  concentrically located with respect to stacker upper column  12 . The plurality of guides  100  and  105  further keep pinion gear  30  in proper mesh with bull gear  31  of circumferential support member  29 . Guides  100  and  105  are made from solid plastic, such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW) or the like. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of guides  100  and  105  are rectangularly shaped with dimensions of about 8 to 10 inches and about two inches in thickness.  
         [0027]     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , stacker bearing  20  is mounted to stacker lower column  14  and stacker upper column  12  is mounted to stacker bearing  20 . Motor brake  22 , speed reducer  24  and pinion gear  30  are mounted on the torque arm  18  and torque arm bearing frame  19 . Circumferential support member  29  is attached to stacker upper column  12 . Torque arm bearing frame  19  is attached to torque arm  18 , has connected thereto a plurality of vertical guides  105  and a plurality of horizontal guides  100 . Vertical guides  105  support the torque arm bearing frame  19  on top of circumferential support member  29 , and horizontal guides  100  support the torque arm bearing frame  19  concentrically with the stacker upper column  12  and serve to keep pinion gear  30  in proper mesh with bull gear  31  of circumferential support member  29 . The plurality of vertical guides  105  are connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19  by means of brackets  110  or adapter blocks (not shown). The adapter blocks can be made of ultra high molecular weight plastic, such as polyethylene. The brackets or adapter blocks  110  are sized and positioned to provide support for the plurality of vertical guides  105  as they contact the upper surface of circumferential support member  29 .  
         [0028]     Now referring to  FIG. 6B , a bracket  101  is attached to torque arm bearing frame  19 . A spacer  107  spaces bracket  101  from horizontal guide  100 . The horizontal guide  100  can be made of a plastic, such as ultra high molecular weight polyethylene. The brackets or adapter blocks  110  are sized and positioned to provide support for the plurality of horizontal guides  100  as they contact the outer surface of stacker upper column  12 . The plurality of horizontal guides  100  contact the stacker column  12 . In an alternate embodiment, the plurality of horizontal guides  100  are connected to the torque arm bearing frame  19  by means of brackets or adapter blocks  107 .  
         [0029]     The improvement achieved by this invention is that the stacker machine  10  and the reclaimer machine  16  can operate independently. The upper  12  and lower stacker  14  column being separated by a single stacker bearing  20 . The lower column  14  being mounted to the reclaimer machine  16  and reclaimer framework resting on the reclaimer bearing which results in a stacker machine  12  that can rotate independently of a reclaimer machine  16 . The reclaimer bearing  16  is mounted to the foundation supporting the total machine. The lower  12  and upper stacker  14  column vertical axes being substantially the same vertical axis of the stacker-reclaimer apparatus  1 . Additionally, the reclaimer apparatus can be mounted on wheels on a circular rail, and in combination with the reclaimer bearing connected to the foundation of the stacker-reclaimer apparatus  1  or without the reclaimer bearing and corresponding foundation (with just the wheels on circular rails).  
         [0030]     Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications can be made which are within the full scope of the invention.