Transporter system with cargo container and automatically actuated unloading system

Abstract

A cargo unloading system is described. It provides more efficient intermodal transportation by transferring cargo such as granulates, brans, powders or solids placed inside a shipping container through tubes with internal threads to the next transport mode automatically and in a very short period of time. The system is made up of the cargo container, a mechanical unloading system with motors actuated to move screws and an independent hydraulic/electric unit. The system can be mounted on a road-vehicle, ship, aircraft or stationary base, and it may also be self-propelled.

Claims

1. A cargo unloading mechanism comprising a hydraulic tank supported by a set of rails and containing hydraulic fluid, a plurality of hydraulic motors powered by hydraulic fluid to rotate, one of said motors having electronic controls including an activation command, a container, the container being either a cargo box or storage tank, and containing a product to be unloaded, the product being selected from the group consisting of granulate, bran, powder or solid, the container further comprising: a set of gates at the container bottom that can be opened according to the requirements of unloading processes, and an upper opening with tarpaulin arches configured such that the container can be loaded at a point in between the tarpaulin arches, a grid configured to separate solids and positioned such that the product loaded into the container will pass though the grid, an inspection window, a container chassis comprising two beams from which a ladder protrudes and allows access to the containers upper portion, a conveyor system comprising a vertical tube with an internal thread, said vertical tube anchored parallel to the ladder, said internal thread is rotated by one of said hydraulic motors, the thread configured to move product upward within the vertical tube, the vertical tube upper end connects to one end of an upper horizontal tube with internal threads, the upper horizontal tube end pivotably mounted to the vertical tube upper end such that the other end of the upper horizontal tube is free to rotate into a position convenient for unloading product from said other end, the rotation being powered by one of said hydraulic motors.

2. The cargo unloading mechanism of claim 1 wherein: the conveyer system further comprises a lower horizontal tube located under the gates at the container bottom, said lower horizontal tube having an internal thread rotated by one of said hydraulic motors, the thread configured to move product horizontally from the area under the gates to the lower end of the vertical tube.

3. The cargo unloading mechanism of claim 1 wherein the electronic controls further comprise: a remote control mechanism with a button that, when pressed, engages said hydraulic motors so as to either start rotation of the threads or to stop rotation of the threads, a horn activation button that signals when the b, a button engaging rotation of the threads in either a fast (hare) mode or a slow (turtle) mode.

4. The cargo unloading mechanism of claim 3 wherein the material transfer mechanism further comprises a set of paddles that that transfer product from the tube upstream of the material transfer mechanism to the tube downstream of the material transfer mechanism.

5. The cargo unloading mechanism of claim 1 wherein the electronic controls further comprise: a remote control mechanism with a button that, when pressed, engages said hydraulic motors so as to either start rotation of the threads or stop rotation of the threads, a horn activation button that signals when the mechanism is in operation, and a button engaging rotation of the threads in either a fast (hare) mode or a slow (turtle) mode.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The characterization of the present invention is made by means of representative drawings of the conveyor system with cargo box and automatic unloading system, in such a way that the product can be fully reproduced with an appropriate technique, allowing for the complete characterization of the object's claimed functionality.

(2) The report is based on the figures elaborated that express the best or preferential way of manufacturing the product, through a detailed and consecutive numbering, clarifying aspects that may be implied by the adopted representation, in order to clearly determine the protection that is hereby sought.

(3) These figures are merely illustrative, and may vary, as long as they do not deviate from what was initially claimed. In this case:

(4) FIG. 1 shows a perspective of the system with cargo box/reservoir, a mechanical unloading system and an independent hydraulic/electrical unit

(5) FIG. 2 shows a perspective of the cargo box alone

(6) FIG. 3 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(7) FIG. 4 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(8) FIG. 5 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(9) FIG. 6 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(10) FIG. 7 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(11) FIG. 8 shows the helical thread system responsible for transferring the material from the cargo box to the other mode of transportation (not shown)

(12) FIG. 9 shows a longitudinal section in the cargo box, in order to reveal the divisions with sloping sides and the lower thread.

(13) FIG. 10 shows the side of the box with the spikes next to the lower ski

(14) FIG. 11 shows a perspective of the box with the unloading tube parallel to it

(15) FIG. 12 shows an exploded perspective of the entire proposed system

(16) FIG. 13 shows the set of threads responsible for the movement of the material inside the tubes

(17) FIG. 14 shows the system's remote control.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(18) A preferred embodiment of the system comprises the set of rails (1) that support the hydraulic tank (2) and the motor (3) containing the activation commands (4), where this generator module cooperates with the cargo box (7) or storage tank of the product to be transported, containing a set of gates (50) to support the lower horizontal thread (27), whereas this product can be granulate, bran, powder or solid; wherein loading takes place in the cargo box (7) through the upper opening, positioned in the opening between the tarpaulin arches (13). Just below the tarpaulin arches (13), inside the cargo box (7), there is a solids separating grid (8), which prevents the passage of foreign materials or impurities that can cause damage to the mechanical system of the equipment. In the same line as the solids separating grid (8), there are inspection windows (9) for the removal of foreign objects, whether they are stones, bricks, etc. At the bottom of the cargo box (7), there are two beams that are part of the chassis (10) of the cargo box (7), from which a ladder (12) is projected to access the upper part of the cargo box (7), and parallel to the ladder (12) a vertical tube (5) is mounted, which provides anchoring for the horizontal tube (6) both with freedom of rotation, through the hydraulic rotation cylinder (11).

(19) The cargo box (7) contains the lower horizontal tube (15) that contains the conductive track (26) and the lower horizontal thread (27), with this thread (27) being driven by the hydraulic motor (16), and the lower bearing (18) of the vertical tube (19) rests on the lower housing (17), where said vertical tube (19) is connected to the upper turning bearing (20), containing the associated upper housing (21) to the hydraulic motor (23) of the vertical thread (29), which is arranged between the lower bearing (18) and the upper bearing (34) attached to the upper housing (35), and the upper horizontal tube (24) also contains a motor (22) that drives the respective upper horizontal thread (28) attached to a bearing (32), where the tube (24) rests on a mount (25) and can rotate driven by a hydraulic rotation cylinder (14).

(20) The thread system for transporting the product comprises the conductive track (26) of the lower horizontal thread (27), with this conducting track (27) forming part of the conducting tube (30) containing the hydraulic motor (16) responsible for the rotation of the lower horizontal thread (27), also supported on a bearing (33), whereas between this lower horizontal thread (27) and the vertical thread (29) and between the vertical thread (29) and the upper horizontal thread (28) there is a material transfer mechanism, which leads this material to the unloading nozzle (31) of the upper horizontal tube (24), and this tube (24) contains a strap (32) joining the two parts of the tube (24).

(21) The transfer mechanism used to transfer the material from the lower horizontal thread (27) to the vertical thread (29) comprises a set of paddles (37) that are arranged orthogonally and diametrically opposite the axis (36) of the vertical thread (29), so that the material that reaches this joint can be transferred from the lower horizontal thread (27) to the vertical thread (29), where said thread (29) also has a set of paddles that comprise the middle paddle (38), outlet paddle (39) and inlet paddle (40) that transfer the material that arrives at the junction of the vertical thread (29) with the upper horizontal thread (28), and said vertical thread (29) contains thread single-pitch (41) and double-pitch thread (42) near the material transfer region to the paddles (37) of the lower horizontal thread (27).

(22) The system has a remote control (43) with a button (44) that engages the engine power unit (3), where the open (45) and close (46) buttons move the tube (6) through the hydraulic turning cylinder (11).

(23) The control has a horn activation button (47), thread activation button in hare (48) and turtle mode (49), varying the unloading flow, and a thread disconnect button (50) that stops the transport system.

(24) The gates (50) can be opened according to the flow requirement, which allows for the supply the lower horizontal thread (27) by sliding over the conducting track of the lower horizontal thread (27).

(25) In detail A in FIG. 6, one can see the inclusion of paddles in the lower horizontal thread (27) mounted on the axis (36) of the lower horizontal thread (27), implying a change in the transport of the product by translation in the parallel axis direction (36), to a rotation direction in the same axis (36), transporting the product by the vertical thread (29) and at the end, changing the translation transport model parallel to the axis (36), until the product reaches the paddles (37), transmitting a rotation movement to the transported product, thus directing it to the vertical thread (29), mitigating any possibility of strangulation, blockage or stopping in the course of the transported product, eliminating torque efforts and reducing the power and energy required to get the job done. Also, the vertical thread (29) transports the product in a combined vertical rotation and translation movement to the upper horizontal thread (28).

(26) The movement of actuation of the threads is shown in FIG. 4, where the engine (3) transmits hydraulic energy through the fluid stored in the hydraulic tank (2) to the actuation commands (4), which are activated by the remote control (43).

(27) The motors (16, 22 and 23) are activated to carry out the movement of the threads (27, 28 and 29), where said threads are bi-supported, one side on the motors (27, 28 and 29) and the other side on the bearings (32 and 33).

(28) The product passes through the gates (50), is collected by the lower thread (27), transported by the vertical thread (29) to the upper horizontal thread (28), followed by the unloading tube (11) that can be moved in up to 90° for unloading.